[HoustonHam] From WinNews

[Chris Boone]

Editor's Corner


Talking Tech: Will Windows 8 really be "largely irrelevant" on PCs?


Recently a top researcher at IDC issued a list of predictions for 2012, one
of which was that Windows 8 will be
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B45:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> "largely irrelevant" on PCs (desktop and
laptop). His premise is that the new OS doesn't bring any new value to these
computers (as it does for tablets, where its touch-centric Metro user
interface will make Windows much more usable on the small, keyboardless form
factor). 

Not everyone agrees. DigitalTrends took issue with some of the IDC
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B46:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> "supporting" statements, such as the claim
that application compatibility issues will be a big problem. The San
Francisco Chronicle called IDC's talk of irrelevance
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B47:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> "totally false." 

IDC's assumption seems to be that the Metro UI is the only big change
Microsoft is bringing to the OS, and that this will be a feature used mostly
on tablets and some high-end laptops, rather than on the desktop. It's true
that touch-screen monitors for desktop computers are currently uncommon,
expensive, and not necessarily very useful in a "sitting at the desk"
situation where your large monitors may be positioned farther away from you
than your arms will reach. However, anyone who has been working with the
developer preview of Windows 8, or even just reading about its development
in the Building Windows 8 blog on MSDN
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B48:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> , knows that it's about much more than tiles
and touch.

For example, the Windows 8 team has been working hard on improving the setup
experience
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B49:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&>  to make it faster, smoother and more reliable
regardless of the hardware. They've drastically reduced the user interaction
required to install the OS, without "dumbing down" the install process to
the point of taking away choices from the power users. Another welcome
change is the reduction in the number of reboots after auto updates are
installed
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B49:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> . Power users will also like the updates to
Task Manager
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B4A:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> . 

Laptop users will certainly be interested in the efforts to improve power
management and extend battery life
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B4A:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&>  ? and for many who depend on the portability
of their computers, better battery life alone could be a compelling reason
to upgrade. Those of us who use multiple monitor arrays are looking forward
to the enhanced multi-monitor support in Windows 8
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B4B:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> . And what about the inclusion of Hyper-V in
Windows 8?
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B4C:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&>  That's a big deal for many desktop users. 

Although the IDC statement got a lot of press, IDC's prediction itself seems
"largely irrelevant" to me. After all, he's talking about 2012 (and even
went on to say that "Windows 8 won't get more than minor traction on
desktops until 2013). Well, yeah. Especially since there are some
indications that the OS won't even be available for desktop systems until
early 2013
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B4D:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> , or late 2012 at the earliest. 

Windows 8 tablets, on the other hand, are expected as early as next June
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B4E:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&> . So it makes sense that right now, Microsoft
might be focusing more on optimizing the OS for those devices. I wrote about
that in my article titled Windows 8: Microsoft can do it fast, cheap or
right
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B4F:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&>  for TechRepublic's Windows Blog.

But there's plenty of new goodness in there for PC users, as well. And the
whole idea that just because many computer users are happy with Windows 7,
that means Windows 8 will be a "flop on the desktop," is silly ? because the
majority of operating system sales come when people buy new computers with
the new OS pre-installed, anyway. Just because everybody with a Windows 7
computer doesn't run out and immediately upgrade it to Windows 8 won't make
the new OS a "failure." Most of us who have multiple computers are likely to
have Windows 8 running on some of them and Windows 7 on others, for quite
some time. 

Tell us what you think. Do you agree with IDC that Windows 8 will be
irrelevant on desktops and laptops? Or are there new features there that
make you want to upgrade? Share your opinions in our forum
<http://message.gfi.com/t?r=22&c=76429&l=443&ctl=39B50:71BD3B771982FF1875283
CCA779D3964A06B0A43150A7303&>  or via email
<mailto:winnews at gfi.com?subject=WINNEWS:%20Display%20technology> .