Windows 8 Sales are actually Amazing - 40 million sold

[BajiRav]

I'm sure a lot of people downgraded...

I just purchased a Lenovo T530 and it shipped with Windows 8 Pro. I took advantage of my downgrade rights to go back to Windows 7. I'm sure I'm counted in their "sales" stats for Windows 8, but I won't show up in their usage numbers. The real question is what is the actual usage of Windows 8, not the "sales".

I love this advice...

It assumes that the power button is conveniently located, mine generally are at an annoying distance from me, and that the user knows how to map them, the majority are mapped to sleep by default and not shut down.

There is the whole debate on whether or not people need to shutdown at all, but the reality is they should be allowed to do whatever they want easily. The shutdown/sleep/hibernation option should have been placed on the charms bar directly and not buried. It is only buried deeper than it was in the "Start Menu" days because it doesn't make sense on a tablet (people are more accustomed to the power button on the tablet because it isn't a few feet away from them).

But there is no need really is complaining about this stuff anymore. Windows 8 shipped even after people aired this during the Preview stages so we just have to accept (or reject) the OS as a whole for what it is now.

Putting them on charms will be a disaster. I'd say in the user menu, right below logout...just that it will be a loooong drop down as in Windows 7.

[vcfan]

I'm sure a lot of people downgraded...

I just purchased a Lenovo T530 and it shipped with Windows 8 Pro. I took advantage of my downgrade rights to go back to Windows 7. I'm sure I'm counted in their "sales" stats for Windows 8, but I won't show up in their usage numbers. The real question is what is the actual usage of Windows 8, not the "sales".

you are sure of it just because you did it? do you guys just write stuff like this because it makes you feel better?

but im sure you're right because that is why retailers cant keep touchscreen ultrabooks on the shelves because people are buying these touchscreen ultrabooks in droves because they works really good in windows 7 /s. I mean the non touchscreen stuff isn't selling as well because windows 8 doesn't support touch.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

you are sure of it just because you did it? do you guys just write stuff like this because it makes you feel better?

but im sure you're right because that is why retailers cant keep touchscreen ultrabooks on the shelves because people are buying these touchscreen ultrabooks in droves because they works really good in windows 7 /s. I mean the non touchscreen stuff isn't selling as well because windows 8 doesn't support touch.

I said a lot, not the majority. Unless we got solid usage numbers from MS I was simply making the point that a sale isn't equal to actual usage.

That being said, MS has never disclosed real usage numbers so I don't expect them to start now.

To be fair, I enjoy the discussions, but in reality I could care less what any of us uses on our PCs. So it doesn't affect my emotions at all really. I am competent enough to use Windows 7 or 8 or Linux or Mac OS as long as my needs are met in the way I like :)

[Growled Member]

And if you get the story from microsoft then you haven't got the full story either lol

True. They don't exactly lie but they don't tell the entire truth either. Of course, they are not alone in doing that.Many big corporations do it.

[hagjohn]

I love this advice...

It assumes that the power button is conveniently located, mine generally are at an annoying distance from me, and that the user knows how to map them, the majority are mapped to sleep by default and not shut down.

There is the whole debate on whether or not people need to shutdown at all, but the reality is they should be allowed to do whatever they want easily. The shutdown/sleep/hibernation option should have been placed on the charms bar directly and not buried. It is only buried deeper than it was in the "Start Menu" days because it doesn't make sense on a tablet (people are more accustomed to the power button on the tablet because it isn't a few feet away from them).

Must be close, otherwise they'd never get it turned back on. I think the only issue with sleep, would be laptops.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

Must be close, otherwise they'd never get it turned back on. I think the only issue with sleep, would be laptops.

Sleep is super easy on the laptop and the reason it has been my exclusive method for years; just close the lid. My new laptop supports Intel Rapid Start which makes it even nicer as it will do hibernation, but resume in under 9 seconds and be fully usable.

On my desktop, my computer is set to sleep when I don't use it for more than 15 minutes to save power, but I never hit the power button. The tower is a few feet away from my keyboard and tucked in a corner that isn't very easy to get into.

Obviously, everyone's setup differs, but my point, really, is that, as has been mentioned before, options would have gone a long way on MS' part. Although I know why they are absent, still annoying.

[xWhiplash]

Sleep is super easy on the laptop and the reason it has been my exclusive method for years; just close the lid. My new laptop supports Intel Rapid Start which makes it even nicer as it will do hibernation, but resume in under 9 seconds and be fully usable.

On my desktop, my computer is set to sleep when I don't use it for more than 15 minutes to save power, but I never hit the power button. The tower is a few feet away from my keyboard and tucked in a corner that isn't very easy to get into.

Obviously, everyone's setup differs, but my point, really, is that, as has been mentioned before, options would have gone a long way on MS' part. Although I know why they are absent, still annoying.

Exactly. My friends tower is not in an easily accessible place. Making the excuse to simply "hit the power button" is not a good reason and it does not help keeping the OS user-friendly.

Also, I just put in a blank DVD in my computer since I installed Windows 8. Why does it say "TAP here to see options on what to do..."? Why does it say TAP? Now it is no big deal to me, it is irritating. But for those that know nothing about computers and do NOT have a touch screen, I can actually see them tapping their standard monitor and nothing happening.

With stuff like that, and all the other issues with the desktop, people will start to get fed up with Microsoft. They are treating the desktop far worse than just a secondary set of users.

I do like Windows 8 a lot, but it is really a giant mess on the desktop. I mean really...."tap here"? MS could have taken some more time to make the message say tap or click here. I just keep finding issues with Windows 8 and it is really irritating.

[Dot Matrix]

Why does it say TAP? Now it is no big deal to me, it is irritating. But for those that know nothing about computers and do NOT have a touch screen, I can actually see them tapping their standard monitor and nothing happening.

You have to know some fairly dumb users then, if they don't realize they don't have a touchscreen.

[Rickkins]

You have to know some fairly dumb users then, if they don't realize they don't have a touchscreen.

It would take an extraordinarily stupid operating system to ask a user to "tap" on non-touch hardware.

I won't even comment on those that would defend such nonsense.

[Dot Matrix]

It would take an extraordinarily stupid operating system to ask a user to "tap" on non-touch hardware.

I won't even comment on those that would defend such nonsense.

Really? "Tap" can also mean tap your mouse. Like I just did a moment ago to tap into this thread.

[Rickkins]

Really? "Tap" can also mean tap your mouse. Like I just did a moment ago to tap into this thread.

Seriously....???? :rolleyes:

[Dot Matrix]

Seriously....???? :rolleyes:

Good god, if you're going to get your underwear curled up over the use of "tap" instead of "click", you really need to get out more.

[tsupersonic]

Tap your mouse? Umm just no. You click your mouse, that is what everyone is taught. Tap here insinuates touch. If they wanted to be ultra clear (and I can see why they didn't - laziness), they would've put 'Touch here'. This is not uncommon for software, certain games do this too (just very poor ports = laziness)

[Dot Matrix]

Tap your mouse? Umm just no. You click your mouse, that is what everyone is taught. Tap here insinuates touch. If they wanted to be ultra clear (and I can see why they didn't - laziness), they would've put 'Touch here'. This is not uncommon for software, certain games do this too (just very poor ports = laziness)

I tap my laptops touch pad to click. I also tap the mouse button. Who cares what it says, it still incurs action on the part of the user.

You guys sound like my ancient professor who was mad at the world when "directory" fell by the wayside in favor of "folder".

[theyarecomingforyou]

I tap my laptops touch pad to click. I also tap the mouse button.

No, you 'click' a mouse button. Just go to the Control Panel and open up the Mouse Properties, where you'll see a prompt for the "double-click speed"; you'll also see "briefly press the mouse button" and "click the mouse button again". You also have the right-click menu. Even searching the Control Panel, if you type in "click" it brings up results for the mouse - type in "tap" and you get no references to the mouse.

Tap is a touch screen term that Microsoft has tried to reappropriate and only because using "touch" would have been too overt. While 'tap' can grammatically replace 'click' it is not currently used as such, which is the issue at hand. Technically the word 'car' can be used to describe a wagon or a van but that doesn't mean it's appropriate or helpful to use that term. When referring to mouse input the term is 'click', not 'tap'.

[tsupersonic]

I tap my laptops touch pad to click. I also tap the mouse button. Who cares what it says, it still incurs action on the part of the user.

You guys sound like my ancient professor who was mad at the world when "directory" fell by the wayside in favor of "folder".

It is just lazy programming or just bad way to put it on the UI. Either way the user will figure it out.

Directory is more used in the UNIX world...

[BajiRav]

Directory is more used in the UNIX world...

Folder didn't make it to Windows until 95 (IIRC). I still say directory at times.

It would take an extraordinarily stupid operating system to ask a user to "tap" on non-touch hardware.

I won't even comment on those that would defend such nonsense.

Oh well...it's not the first time this has happened though.

- Sleep a PC? really, how can it sleep?

- Cut? where are my scissors?

- Paste? can I get some glue please?

etc. etc.

It is a very trivial thing to pick and if they had gone "click here", he would be complaining about it on a tablet.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

Exactly. My friends tower is not in an easily accessible place. Making the excuse to simply "hit the power button" is not a good reason and it does not help keeping the OS user-friendly.

Also, I just put in a blank DVD in my computer since I installed Windows 8. Why does it say "TAP here to see options on what to do..."? Why does it say TAP? Now it is no big deal to me, it is irritating. But for those that know nothing about computers and do NOT have a touch screen, I can actually see them tapping their standard monitor and nothing happening.

With stuff like that, and all the other issues with the desktop, people will start to get fed up with Microsoft. They are treating the desktop far worse than just a secondary set of users.

I do like Windows 8 a lot, but it is really a giant mess on the desktop. I mean really...."tap here"? MS could have taken some more time to make the message say tap or click here. I just keep finding issues with Windows 8 and it is really irritating.

Agreed. Before I formatted my T530 down to Windows 7 I ran the Windows 8 install from Lenovo on it and I had similar issues.

The "tutorial" at the beginning kept telling me to "swipe from the right" (in image form) for the Charms bar and everything was littered with touch screen references, including the on screen keyboard. Since I just purchased the machine I was confused about if Lenovo started shipping touch screens with the T530 or if my touch pad was "gesture enabled" and I couldn't get either to actually do anything with swipes. I'm still at a loss as to why it would confuse the hell out of users like that.

You have to know some fairly dumb users then, if they don't realize they don't have a touchscreen.

Yep, the user would have to actually be very stupid to do what the OS is telling them to do. When the Windows 8 "Tutorial" on my T530 told me to swipe from the right on the screen I was supposed to know I didn't have a touch screen? (I knew I didn't, but I'm not a typical user). It is Microsoft's job to turn these things off when the hardware isn't present. It isn't the user's job to transalte whatever the OS tell them between a touch screen, touch mouse, touch pad, standard mouse, and etc. when they never have had to previously (old versions of Windows wouldn't show you "touch" stuff until you plugged in a touch product...)

Hell my T530 had the ON SCREEN Keyboard... This is a regular laptop with NO TOUCH!

[neufuse Veteran]

I tap my laptops touch pad to click. I also tap the mouse button. Who cares what it says, it still incurs action on the part of the user.

You guys sound like my ancient professor who was mad at the world when "directory" fell by the wayside in favor of "folder".

it actually is still called a directory, Folder is just a UI term for the end user... we CD not CF ;)

[Kelxin]

it actually is still called a directory, Folder is just a UI term for the end user... we CD not CF ;)

And we dir to see contents, not fold.

[Rickkins]

Good god, if you're going to get your underwear curled up over the use of "tap" instead of "click", you really need to get out more.

You sound desperate.

[Dot Matrix]

You sound desperate.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!

Hold on, while I tap the "Post" button. ;)

[Rickkins]

Bwahaha.... good one... :D

[PGHammer]

Folder didn't make it to Windows until 95 (IIRC). I still say directory at times.

Oh well...it's not the first time this has happened though.

- Sleep a PC? really, how can it sleep?

- Cut? where are my scissors?

- Paste? can I get some glue please?

etc. etc.

It is a very trivial thing to pick and if they had gone "click here", he would be complaining about it on a tablet.

Actually, folders first appeared in Windows 1.1/286 - in File Manager; they have remained in Windows ever since. (It was File Manager that Windows Explorer would replace; the desktop - a modified version of the Workplace Shell from the IBM/Microsoft OS/2 joint venture (which would give way to OS/2 (IBM only), LAN Manager and finally Windows NT (Microsoft)) would replace Program Manager - in both Windows 3.x and Windows NT 3.x. From the Strange But True Factoid Department: Both Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 retained Program Manager and File Manager for backward-compatibility reasons - and one early piece of Windows 95 freeware - it actually launched simultaneously with Windows 95 - was the Workplace Shell for Win32 - an alternative to the desktop/Windows Explorer combo written by a group of IBM Austin employees. Therefore, even in the early days of Windows 9x, the Start menu/desktop/Explorer troika was FAR from universally loved.)

[bawz]

windows8 will remain a flop. even i havent been tempted to buy it, problem with Windows8 atm AFAICT is there still aint a lot of programs that work correctly with 8, take a look at Firefox, there still in the middle of making that fully work under 8.

those figures might be a lot of windows8 licenses sold but how many people have gone back to windows7 if not back to XP from the disaster of 8? . M$$$ dont say that do they.