MS Chief Marketing Officer talks Windows 10 and previous versions.


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Windows 7 runs on 55% of all the computers on the planet, but according to news this week that is actually a bad and potentially dangerous thing. Says who? Actually Microsoft MSFT -1.82%… 

Speaking to Windows Weekly, Microsoft Marketing chief Chris Capossela explained that users who choose Windows 7 do so “at your own risk, at your own peril” and he revealed Microsoft has concerns about its future software and hardware compatibility, security and more.

“We do worry when people are running an operating system that’s 10 years old that the next printer they buy isn’t going to work well, or they buy a new game, they buy Fallout 4, a very popular game, and it doesn’t work on a bunch of older machines,” Capossela stated. “And so, as we are pushing our ISV [Independent Software Vendor] and hardware partners to build great new stuff that takes advantage of Windows 10 that obviously makes the old stuff really bad and not to mention viruses and security problems.”

 

He also stressed it is “so incredibly important to try to end the fragmentation of the Windows install base” and to get users to a “safer place”.

 

There’s only one problem with Capossela’s statements: they are complete rubbish.

Windows 7 is no less secure than Windows 10 (it will be supported until 2020) and no less compatible with new hardware and software. In fact its far greater market share means it is developers’ priority and has greater compatibility with legacy programmes and peripherals. If Fallout 4 won’t run on your Windows 7 computer, it will be upgrading your components not installing Windows 10 which fixes that.

 

 

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  • Like 1

Isn't Chris Capossela responsible for the whole GWX thing (which is fine if there was a convenient opt-out) and making Windows 10 as a "recommended update"?  Anyway, he is spreading absolute rubbish.  The Fallout 4 remark had me laughing a bit ... it is as if he was saying that Windows 10 would automatically allow Fallout 4 to play on older hardware.

 

Guess my biggest issue with him is that he believes he knows what is best for me.  I will decide when/if I upgrade my other systems to 10.  I will take responsibility if I miss the July cut off and not complain if I have to fork over cash for 10.  Until then, he (and Microsoft) needs to back off with their aggressive tactics/rhetoric.

 

"at your own risk, at your own peril"  ... well yes ... in 2020.

It is entirely unsurprising that Microsoft wants people to move to up to date OS releases, the last thing we need is another Windows XP holding everything back.

They want to give you for "free", the "improved" "benefits" of "upgrading" to Windows 10. What is everyone waiting for? Just move to Windows 10 already. :p Everything earlier is obsolete, outdated, insecure and so yesterday. :p 

So far the only thing Windows 10 has impressed me with is how pervasive Microsoft has been with trying to push everyone into using it.

 

Here's a hint, not that they'll actually listen to a Linux zealot like me or anything: fix the annoyances that have existed since Vista and 7. 

1 hour ago, Unobscured Vision said:

So far the only thing Windows 10 has impressed me with is how pervasive Microsoft has been with trying to push everyone into using it.

 

...

Opposed to their previous OS releases, which had no marketing whatsoever.

2 hours ago, UXGaurav said:

They want to give you for "free", the "improved" "benefits" of "upgrading" to Windows 10. What is everyone waiting for? Just move to Windows 10 already. :p Everything earlier is obsolete, outdated, insecure and so yesterday. :p 

" And this is the part Microsoft has forgotten: technically it keeps giving users a choice, but by enforcing nagging pop-ups, cutting opt-out options and spreading groundless fear for the average user it appears there is no choice at all… ".

 

Windows 10 UI sucks. Fix THAT above all else and I'll consider moving forward but not out of FEAR, I will move forward out of Want!

  • Like 2

Wasn't this already mentioned in a front page news?

https://www.neowin.net/news/microsofts-marketing-chief-confirms-new-breakthrough-phone-talks-windows-10-upgrade-push

Nobody cared to discus the issue there. So why now after one week? Hate mongering?

  • Like 2

What do you really want him to come out and say? Windows 7 is supported until 2020 so keep using it? Let's be honest if he wasn't trying to push Windows 10 he would be a pretty rubbish Marketing Chief.

 

It's quite possible when you buy new hardware or games when Windows 7 is 10 years old it might not be compatible. Look at Windows Vista, it's not even 10 years old and hasn't been officially supported by a lot of hardware / games for years, yet Microsoft still support it.

 

Personally I think it's a good thing Microsoft are trying to push Windows 10 to the average user, these are the majority of users, the users who need as much help as possible protecting themselves and staying up to date.  Anyone on Neowin who doesn't like Windows 10 is smart enough not to upgrade.

  • Like 2

Windows 10:

 

They've asked nicely, tried to force it on us, now its flat out scare tactics,.......

 

Next thing will be a knock on our doors from Microsoft reps with baseball bats,

  • Like 2
9 hours ago, The_Decryptor said:

Opposed to their previous OS releases, which had no marketing whatsoever.

That's not what I meant at all. I have no issue with Microsoft wanting everyone to use Windows 10. The issues I have with Windows are the long-standing UI and under-the-hood annoyances that have gone unfixed since (in one case) Windows 2000 or even earlier. Microsoft needs to commit to making a better-quality product whenever possible; and an annoyance like "taskbar auto-hide settings becoming disregarded by the system" is inexcusable.

I think Windows 10 is great and that Windows 7 comparatively 'showing its age'.  I personally would not advise running Windows 7 unless absolutely necessary (i.e. to overcome some incompatibility that cannot be resolved through any other means).

 

This article is complete BS though... 

8 hours ago, Aheer.R.S. said:

I really want to rant now, but I'll refrain, in asking (and yes, I already know the answer) let me see pre '98 games run on win 10

(yes I am aware that SOME will)

Virtual machines & DOSBox are your friends. :)

Original interview was taken totally out of context, then author decided to start story with a clickbait title and first couple of paragraphs. Horrible journalism. 

 

I'm changing the title of this thread to stop the FUD/Clickbait even though I know the source article has the same title.

  • Like 3
6 hours ago, DoctorD said:

Windows 10:

 

They've asked nicely, tried to force it on us, now its flat out scare tactics,.......

 

Next thing will be a knock on our doors from Microsoft reps with baseball bats,

what scare tactics? Everything he said is true and he wasn't really saying Windows 7 has "Serious problems" in that podcast. I know because I watched it live - this is just clickbait from forbes.

 

Windows 10/8.x are just better at newer hardware than Windows 7 and that is also a fact. Think SSDs, USB 3.0 etc.

1 minute ago, xendrome said:

Original interview was taken totally out of context, then author decided to start story with a clickbait title and first couple of paragraphs. Horrible journalism. 

 

I'm changing the title of this thread to stop the FUD/Clickbait even though I know the source article has the same title.

Fix the formatting too.

 

I know the article source is available, but it would save people some time.

Quote

“And so, as we are pushing our ISV [Independent Software Vendor] and hardware partners to build great new stuff that takes advantage of Windows 10 that obviously makes the old stuff really bad and not to mention viruses and security problems.”

I can't help but cringe reading this. It sounds more like the words you would hear out of a coached retail sales employee.

 

Even if what he's saying is true, the vagueness and wording (at least, what's taken away for the article) comes off very shallow. I can understand why some people would be calling "FUD", especially when it comes from a company who benefits financially when you upgrade (let's not pretend Windows 10 is free here either).

  • Like 2
6 hours ago, Mirumir said:

 

Word.

Of course that statement is untrue. Windows 10 has additional security features. Of course, security is relative to the type of attack against it. You can build a more secure OS but if you aren't mitigating the same attack vector that made the previous OS vulnerable, it doesn't really matter.

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