Mar 01 2012

Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Published by at 2:49 pm under Windows

I installed the 64-Bit version of the newly available Windows 8 Consumer Preview on my Dell XPS M1530 notebook today. The same machine that I had used to take a look at the Developer Preview of Windows 8 last year.

I also gave this machine to the Director Operations of my company, and as expected, he shared my opinion:

No, we will NOT upgrade to this version of Windows. “Everything is getting worse”, he agreed. The only problem is that this statement also includes almost all current Linux desktop distributions and also OS X. Lion already sucked, but Mountain Lion sucks even more. Unity sucks. Linux Mint does not have a clear and convincing design approach. And Windows 8′s “Metro” feels as wrong as it gets.

Do I have to spell it out again for the software industry? We. Use. Real. Computers. NOT TABLETS. And this is NOT going to change. Ever. When will the GUI designers in charge accept defeat and go back to designing something that would actually be useful for a system with a keyboard and a mouse?

It is my belief that Windows 8 will be another “Vista-disaster” for Microsoft. Nobody will want to use it. Just like Vista, this version of Windows will only gain market share through pre-installed OEM systems. Only a fistful of people who always want to have “the latest and greatest” will go and buy a Windows 8 upgrade DVD.

So, let’s all wait for Windows 9 which will hopefully correct most of the awful design choices that Microsoft is going to introduce with Windows 8.

Congratulations, Redmond. This will be the first version of Windows since Windows 3.0 that I will neither buy nor use.

2 responses so far

2 Responses to “Windows 8 Consumer Preview”

  1. # GoldHufon 02 Mar 2012 at 7:32 am

    Hi,
    I´m using win 8 developer previev since october – had my first automated restart two days ago.
    Everything i need ( ok thats not so much) works fine.
    In my oppinion it´s not a MS fault that I don´t have a touchscreeen – so I ´m not using that metro-thing.
    now I´m going to upgrade to the Consumer Preview

    have a good time – Tilo

  2. # Winnion 02 Mar 2012 at 11:06 am

    “In my oppinion it´s not a MS fault that I don´t have a touchscreeen – so I ´m not using that metro-thing.”

    Of course it’s not Redmond’s fault that we don’t have touch screens. At this point, it’s a safe bet to assume that about 99% of all computer users do not have touch screens. And that is what makes this whole investment into touch interfaces a wasted effort: Nobody -can- use them, even if they wanted to. Outside the tablet niche, the market for such interfaces simply doesn’t exist.
    So why is every major DESKTOP operating system – Windows, OS X, Ubuntu – trying to push a user interface created for touch screens?
    The business/corporate PC and notebook are not going anywhere. Not even the home PC is in a rush to retire.
    I just don’t see where this development is supposed to bring an improvement for users of traditional input devices – and those input devices are still the standard.
    It just doesn’t make sense.
    Anyway, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Beta 1 is out. I’ll give it a look while I’m installing a new server. Maybe I’ll get used to that new HUD thingee. Maybe.