Why Enterprise Is Avoiding Windows 8

[Hum]

Despite Microsoft MSFT +2.29% shipping more than 100 million Windows 8 licenses, Redmond?s newest operating system is not making much headway in the enterprise world, with IT decision makers deciding to give it the cold shoulder.

So, what?s holding Windows 8 back?

Forrester Research analyst David Johnson believes that the problem lies with the fact that Microsoft?s newest operating system doesn?t bring anything of real value to the table.

?Enterprises just don?t see Windows 8 having value,? wrote Johnson in a recent report. ?They don?t see the value in the changes in Windows 8.?

Johnson goes on to list a number of reasons why businesses are shunning Windows 8, which range from finger-pointing at the new touch-centric ?Modern? user interface and the huge training and support burdens that it might bring with it, to the issue of ?upgrade fatigue? as a result of the work done to eliminate Windows XP from corporate networks in favor on Windows 7.

Another factor cited by Johnson is Microsoft?s announcement that Windows 8.1, codenamed ?Blue,? will be released later this year as the first of a raft of annual updates to Windows.

?Blue gives Windows 8 a better chance of adoption,? claimed Johnson. ?But the success of that strategy depends on whether enterprises accept the new value in each update, and has much to do with the amount of differences from release to release. That?s the central question.?

According to a number of IT decision makers I?ve spoken to, one of the key barriers to adoption of Windows 8 is the fact that they see Windows 8 as an ?all or nothing upgrade? in that unlike previous versions of Windows, it?s not easy to see how to effectively mix Windows 8 with older versions of Windows in a work setting.

They cite the touch interface, along with the heavy emphasis on apps as making it difficult to roll out the operating system in an incremental way. And right now, most businesses aren?t in the mood to do sweeping upgrades after already having made the switch to Windows 7.

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[Jose_49]

+1. Agreed.

[HawkMan]

Why Enterprise isn't adopting Windows 8(yet): It's new.

that's the one and only reason, the same reason it's always been with every version. Also ties in with the fact that windows 8 at this point in time falls outside most enterprise's upgrade cycle.

[Manarift]

Enterprise usually wait 3 to 5 years to upgrade to a new os due to bugs training and costs. Companies offload the training cost to home use so when they transition to it later down the line they have a better option since most are already using it or have used it.

[FloatingFatMan]

Enterprise NEVER takes a brand new OS, and will often skip a version or two as well. Upgrading your enterprise is damned expensive as well and money is tight everywhere.

Also, these threads ALWAYS appear for every single damned release of Windows. Everyone knows why business take up is slow, but they continue to make this brainless stories, attempting to badmouth Microsoft. Effing morons.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Why would Enterprise need Windows 8? Doesn't it have LCARS?

[The Evil Overlord]

I was going to say it was because Majel Barret wouldn't do the voice command interface, then I realised we weren't talking about the USS Enterprise :s

[Growled Member]

My business is just now moving from XP to Windows 7. 8 isn't even on the table. Never will be. Business just doesn't move that swiftly.

[Stoffel]

Enterprise is not avoiding Win8, they are just slow in adopting it, just like with every other version of Windows.

For the longest time they would at least wait until SP1 was out, before adopting it. To make sure all the major flaws were fixed.

Now that the economy is not that great they might even wait longer to adopt. Specially all the businesses that just upgraded from XP to 7.

Is this yet another jab at Win8 to make sure it won't succeed?

[+Warwagon MVC]

They are avoiding it because they don't want to be raped with user support.

[vcfan]

its comical reading these headlines, look what was written when windows 7 was released

Microsoft Terrified Companies Won't Upgrade To Windows 7

For the moment, put aside any concerns over Microsoft's flagging online presence or the long-term threat of Office-competitors like Google (GOOG) Apps. The biggest problem for Microsoft over the next 12-18 months is whether enterprise customers, a whopping 71% of whom never upgraded off Windows XP, will embrace the upcoming Windows 7, or whether they'll stick it out with XP for years to come.

The specific problem: While a Vista-to-7 upgrade seems easy, upgrading from XP-to-7 (or even XP-to-Vista, which is how Microsoft got stuck in this hole in the first place) is a major headache. For an enterprise client with thousands (or tens of thousands) of PCs, upgrading off XP could easily be the most difficult and/or expensive IT deployment a company will undertake all year.

Nice try, but no one is going to upgrade Vista now.

What we still don't hear, and what we're starting to fear there's no good answer for: Other than the fear of having official support for Windows XP applications cut off, just what exactly are the quantifiable, ROI-generating benefits of Windows 7 for the enterprise? It's certainly not "touch"

I enjoyed the last part,which apparently now is a "bad thing".

http://www.businessi...-with-xp-2009-2

[DeadEndAccount]

Good lord - most if not all enterprise customers are on software assurance contracts which mean Microsoft does not rely on enterprise customers going out to buy a 'boxed product' off the shelf to deploy - they get it as part of their subscription. Whether the customer stays with Windows 7 or goes with Windows 8 is immaterial given that Microsoft is making money either way - the bigger question is in regards to new computer sales particularly when it comes to ultra notebooks and tablets, and consumer adoption either at the OEM side (with a new computer) or buying a boxed product off the shelf.

[ingramator]

Why do people even give these guys the light of day... They are back to troll at every OS release...

[OctoPussy]

They are avoiding it because it doesn't have a start button :rofl:

[technord]

I manage a 75,000 user network and we won't be going to Windows 8

We are trying to move everyone over to Thin Client, but the remaining desktops will be sticking to Windows 7. The business hasn't got the money or man hours to perform a desktop OS upgrade and the associated testing and training that goes with it.

There's a lot more to consider in an Enterprise environment such as new GPO policies and compatibility with legacy applications.

[techbeck]

Enterprise NEVER takes a brand new OS, and will often skip a version or two as well.

There are a few companies planning Win8 rollouts. If they have not already.

Why do people even give these guys the light of day... They are back to troll at every OS release...

And you are back as well. It is not trolling if people stay on topic.

[FloatingFatMan]

There are a few companies planning Win8 rollouts. If they have not already.

By far the minority.

And you are back as well. It is not trolling if people stay on topic.

I'm pretty sure he's referring to Forbes, the twits who wrote the article in the first place.

[techbeck]

By far the minority.

True, we are not touching it at all cept for a few Surface laptops.

I'm pretty sure he's referring to Forbes, the twits who wrote the article in the first place.

Ahh, well...my bad if so. Wasnt specific.