back to article Sinofsky OFFSKI: Is Windows 9 now codenamed 'Defenestrate'?

So Microsoft's Windows 8 chief Steve Sinofsky is offski. Was it corporate politics, modest Surface RT sales, or some hippie desire to find himself that made him quit? Whatever the reason, the news of his departure - just three weeks after Microsoft unveiled Windows 8 and said it was its most significant launch since Windows 95 …

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  1. Kay Burley ate my hamster

    Absent

    Sinofsky was also absent from the Windows 8 launch, after showing it off for months I found that a bit strange at the time. I guess we know why now.

    1. Lars Silver badge

      Re: Absent

      Perhaps he was hit by a chair.

      1. dssf
        Joke

        Re: Absent tthen, that would be

        "WINfenestratiom", and being en"balm(er)ed" alive....

    2. WP7Mango

      Re: Absent

      Yeah, I noticed that too. That's why I don't find this news particularly suprising. It's clearly nothing to do with sales, and even the phrase "modest sales" is incorrect because that was simply an interpretation error in the French interview, which has now been corrected by most online articles (obviously The Register hasn't corrected theirs yet).

      1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
        Windows

        Re: Absent

        So people are scanning Microsoft Group Photos to find in who's who's out, much like in old times Kremlin Group Photos were examined for upcoming upheavals?

        Maybe Sinofsky exchanged “inappropriate communications” with Jill Kelley, too?

    3. keithpeter Silver badge
      Unhappy

      Re: Absent

      Has the gentleman been seen in the wild (aka corporate dos or marketing) at all since?

      If not, sounds like health, either his or close relative.

      1. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

        Re: Absent

        If not, sounds like health, either his or close relative.

        .. or a substantial amount of stock he needs to divest before the value tanks (even more)..

    4. N13L5
      FAIL

      Good Riddance Sinofsky

      Sinofsky was the one who derailed Microsoft's Messenger Tablet, when Apple didn't have their's ready yet.

      Sinofsky was responsible for every recent bullshit UI fluff, that disrupted people's working knowledge of how to Office and Windows fast and efficiently (Office Ribbons, Wind8's garish tiles for the colorblind).

      He appears to like to re-arrange the UI deck chairs without any underlying reason like new functionality.

      Windows 7 was surprisingly undamaged upon release, leading me to believe Sinofsky had some restraining factors that prevented him from mucking it up with his 'revolutionary' and utterly unnecessary UI shuffling excercises.

      Never mind that he was a hypocrite, hanging out the humble guy out front, with a knife in the hand, just in case someone objected to becoming one of his mindless drones.

      What a nasty faker. Please stay gone...

  2. Sputnik
    Trollface

    Vista

    Vista 2.0??

    1. Anomalous Cowturd
      Trollface

      Re: Vista

      Bob 4.0?

  3. qwarty

    Metro all the way?

    Full/split screen applications work for some applications in some contexts. The notion that windowed applications are finished, legacy, classic, what you will is nonsensical. Reimagining the desktop would make for an interesting Windows 9. WinRT/desktop for Windows store needn't wait so long, Beta for Build 2013 perhaps?

    1. N13L5
      FAIL

      Re: Metro all the way?

      If Microsoft is dumb enough to 'defenestrate' windows,

      removing the ability to have many windows open and arrange them as needed...

      ...they will really have eliminated their own Platform and Monopoly in one shot,

      as that will start a mass exodus to some Linux flavor, by people who don't even have Linux on the radar...

  4. Fihart

    I know that face from somewhere.....

    ....does anyone else think Sinofsky is actually Lee Harvey Oswald ?

  5. Anonymous Custard
    WTF?

    Contradiction in terms?

    Larson-Green is an ex-programme manager and an interface expert; she worked on Metro and was responsible for the introduction of the Office 2007 Ribbon - something that confused users of Office

    That's the strangest definition of expert I've seen in a long time...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Contradiction in terms?

      Because the writer likes to make it his business to tear down microsoft for no apparent reason.......When you do not know why someone left and obviously do not have a credible source inside the organization this is merely speculation. I forgot though you do have a blogger who works for microsoft that you can quote in your article...nice job

  6. JeffyPooh
    Pint

    Win 8 / Metro GUI - is it a joke?

    I'm not saying that Microsoft is plotting some sort of stock buy-back, and Windows 8 (specifically the a pencil-in-the-eye would be better Metro GUI) is part of the plan to slash the stock price by 30% when sales of Windows 8 fail to materialize, but if it was... ...what would be different?

    1. tirk
      Coat

      Re: Win 8 / Metro GUI - is it a joke?

      Ah, sort of like the plot of "The Producers"? If so, Ballmer's lucky - I can't see Win8 being anywhere near as liked as "Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden".

  7. Bob Vistakin
    Holmes

    He was on a burning platform

    W8 on desktops and handsets is so obviously set to fail that he scarpered before the pubic get wind of how bad it really is, and it's all over the tech press for months. Who knows? He may go to Nokia - their asshole of a leader is now standing on that same burning platform, so kicking them all out and going Android would make him the turnaround hero of the century.

    1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Nokia has been dealt with

      Do Microsoft need someone to run HTC into the ground?

      1. Avatar of They
        Happy

        Re: Nokia has been dealt with

        HTC are doing it themselves, they don't need MS to help.

  8. K

    Sinofsky is no failure.

    You forgot at the bottom "this article was sponsored by Sinosky!"

    Back to reality, this is a failure of biblical proportions and rather than listening to customers and IT professionals, didn't put their fingers in their ears, oh no, they put on Ear Defenders and blind folds! Completely oblivious and ignoring all the feedback.

    The whole senior management should be put in ejector seats equiped with Anvils rather than parachutes!

    1. Levente Szileszky
      WTF?

      Re: Sinofsky is no failure.

      Very ture albeit I have a feeling that Sinofsky might have been on the right side of this issue at one point but was overruled by the big, fat, clueless, loudmouthed, angry chair-throwing bald fart...?

  9. Urs Keller
    Joke

    There is no METRO interface!!

    At most TIFKAM

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Joke

      @Urs

      These days I simply call it the void ;-)

      It sucks up your money (marketplace, win8 purchase, extra time spend to do stuff), sucks up your time and it basically sucked up our beloved start menu and parts of our desktop too.

      The only thing is that its usually not black.

      1. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

        Re: @Urs

        The only thing is that its usually not black

        .. that is, until they really add the option to customise the BSOD ..

        1. Nigel 11

          Re: @Urs

          Yellow, with purple text

          Black, with black text

          Black, with smoke (permanent)

  10. Furbian
    Meh

    Confidence in Windows 8?

    With a vote of confidence for Windows 8 like that, one has to wonder...

    Was his leaving line something like...

    "Thanks for all the fish, and good luck Windows 8...."

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ribbon confused users!

    Do me f'ing favour - the only people confused by the ribbon are you bunch of ultra-conservative "IT Support Specialists".

    Sinofsky has had since at least the Consumer preview to consider his future you dopey pillock. Do you honestly have no f'ing clue about product development that you think they havent been working on Win9 for the last year.

    And complaining about duplicate apps in the store - no fucking way - I mean last time I looked on my Nexus S there were many many duplicate apps there - Seriously Gavin you are making AO look like a f'ing pulitzer prize winner

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Oh, dear!

      The psychiatrist *warned* you to stay on your meds, ya know...

    2. MJI Silver badge

      Re: Ribbon confused users!

      What do those little picturs mean?

      Where is the save?

      Yes it does confuse, unless you are a heavy user, if you are not, it is painfull.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Ribbon confused users!

        "unless you are a heavy user, if you are not, it is painful."

        I beg to differ - it is even WORSE for a heavy user because they moved all the functionality you need for more complex work at least 3 actions (keystrokes or mouse clicks) away, assuming you actually find it at all.

        That's why I switched the whole company to OpenOffice after talking it through with everyone and running a test programme - consistent, stable user interface. We had already spent the money on Office because we need to remain compatible with the other victims out there, but we now have a LOT less lost time because those jerks changed the UI again, and I am extremely grateful that the OpenOffice lot has (as yet) avoided making the same mistake. I have never seen such a %&ç waste of real estate and hit on productivity as that abomination..

        And it also makes it easier to switch to OSX next year :)

        1. MJI Silver badge

          Re: Ribbon confused users!

          I managed to get Word a bit better by downloading alternative menus, wordmenus I think, Excel is still broken, I only use it to open CSVs.

          I can now write a pretty document quicker in a text editor using HTML than in a word processor.

          Win 7 paint is terrible. The OE replacement is unusable.

          I will have a look at open office thanks!

    3. janimal

      Re: Ribbon confused users!

      "Do you honestly have no f'ing clue about product development that you think they havent been working on Win9 for the last year."

      Is that why they didn't finish W8 then?

    4. keithpeter Silver badge
      Windows

      Re: Ribbon confused users!

      "Do me f'ing favour - the only people confused by the ribbon are you bunch of ultra-conservative "IT Support Specialists"."

      And me.

      And around 50+ of my colleagues.

      Its Diwali and we had boxes of samosas and those condensed milk sweets brought in by Hindu workmates. As we were stuffing our faces, there was a sort of 'ribbon bingo' session as the student teacher was trying to make a photo story in Word... and it is not fun on 1366 by 768 monitors that we have as standard on the locked down (and fast) Windows 7 staff PCs. I'm using my paid for Office 2k under Wine at home on a cheap 1080p monitor - luxury

      The Tramp because at work I have to...

    5. t20racerman
      FAIL

      Re: Ribbon confused users!

      I hate and detest the ribbon. I was screaming at my PC in frustration just today trying to do something on it. OK' I'm a Linux user at home, and only use Libre Office (and before that OpenOffice) for every document or spreadsheet I produce (including at work), but occasionally I have to use Office at work.... and despite this happening fairly often I just can't 'get' the ribbon interface. I hate it so much... it isn't intuitive, I can't find stuff and I'm not prepared to spend hours and hours teaching myself where things are. I have tried, but I just bloody hate it. Vote me down if you must for not being 'techie' enough, or too stupid to cope, but never before have I failed to come to terms with using a program menu despite hours and hours of use. Is it my fault that nothing else I've ever come across has caused me so much grief? Maybe, but Photoshop is nursery school stuff compared to that bloody ribbon in Office.

      I'm all for choice, and if it suits you personally, fine, but don't slag those off who just don't get it (and no, please don't give me pages of advice on what I'm doing wrong - IT is supposed to make things easier for the user, not expect him/her to completely change what they normally do to accomplish something they used to do easily)

      1. The_Regulator
        Trollface

        Re: Ribbon confused users!

        "I hate and detest the ribbon. I was screaming at my PC in frustration just today trying to do something on it. OK' I'm a Linux user at home and only use Libre Office (and before that OpenOffice) for every document or spreadsheet I produce (including at work), but occasionally I have to use Office at work"

        That pretty much says it all right there. Head on back to linux and open office; Maybe you and the author of this article should maybe type up some more comments here on your linux machine where you wont need to use the ribbon that is soooo difficult zomg.

        Epic Fail........

        1. Avatar of They
          Thumb Down

          Re: Ribbon confused users!

          Wow, just how much do MS pay their employees now, do you enjoy working at Redmond? How are the cellars full of monkeeeees coding windows nowadays, are you one of their carers? You almost sounded like an Apple fanboi in your none acceptance that people prefer other software.

          It should be user friendly and it isn't, the learning curve is too steep for some, mainly older users who are set in their ways. MS don't care and you apparently. Doesn't bother me but I have to support a lot of users who don't like it, around 300 of them to be more accurate and to date the consensus is it's pants. Would you like to insult all of them as well?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Ribbon confused users! @Avatar of They

            The shill argument? Grow up.

            "... the learning curve is too steep for some, mainly older users who are set in their ways. "

            And Linux users, who are *really* set in their ways, refuse to give anything from MS a fair shake and have the barefaced cheek to criticise if MS users can't be bothered to "find where things are" in a Linux setup. Of course, they're the people who'd claim a text editor and Latex is the way to go, rather than a word processor. Yeah, that'd be user friendly. I wonder what your users would think if they'd had 5 minutes to try it out before you were lecturing them all about how bad it is.

            1. MJI Silver badge

              Word Processors

              Well when it is easier to use HTML a text editor and print from Firefox, I think is time to look very carefully at your word processor.

              My favourite was Wordstar, Word for Windows was OK until they removed the file edit menu.

      2. Wibbon-8 in Offdows-2007
        Megaphone

        Ribbon wasted increasingly important area...

        The ribbon came at approximately the time of sea-change to 1366x768 in most reasonably light and small machines - particularly, these machines are "wide" format.

        The ribbon wastes (yes, carefully chosen word) vertical space which is/was at an *INCREASING* premium at the time. It adds nothing, and subtracts (wait, sit down) useful screen area.

        Better still, it operates completely "high handed"-ly - you are told you are a luddite for objecting, and that you may not have back a simple UI adequate to your tasks.

        That is why I still refuse to use Office 2007 and forward. When office 2021, should MSFT last that long, comes out and does not have this silliness, I might reconsider :-)

    6. The_Regulator
      Pint

      Re: Ribbon confused users!

      LOL +1 some writers here make me want to pull my hair out.

    7. N13L5
      Pint

      Re: Ribbon confused users!

      Its not even about 'confused'

      It was simply inefficient, as the mouse is far slower than the keyboard.

      I wouldn't give a shit what he did to the looks of the button bar, renaming it to ribbon, if he left the shortcut keys alone and didn't eat into the screen real estate, which is tight enough, vertically, to display documents on 16:9 displays.

      If anything, the Ribbon should have an option to be arranged down the left side...

      But retards don't actually do any work, so they needlessly re-design shit to have something to do.

  12. Christian Berger

    Wait! You are trying to use logic here.

    Experience has taught us that when dealing with a Windows related issue, logic is a very uncommon approach. That's why IT companies will typically just re-install a broken Windows installation, or just do random things until the problem is solved. Only a tiny minority of people actually solve problems logically. Windows is not designed for this. Case in point: How do you change file permissions on a Windows XP Professional system? It should be simple and straight forward, shouldn't it? (Spoiler: it's not, it involves changing a setting in the dialogue which is responsible for the look of file listings)

    So I'm not sure if logic is a good tool to talk about what happens inside of Microsoft. Things just _happen_ there, just like Windows development just happens.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Wait! You are trying to use logic here.

      Your file permissions example is a lie, Chris ... Or you're part of the minority you mention whose logic is sadly lacking. "I can't Google how to change permissions simply in 5 minutes, or use the built-in help, so there's only one logical solution. Spend the next x weeks installing Linux and retraining everyone!" The logic of someone hoping to be the go-to guy for helping his colleagues and friends. With your ethics, you should move into politics :)

    2. Alex Rose

      Re: Wait! You are trying to use logic here.

      "How do you change file permissions on a Windows XP Professional system?"

      Right click object, choose "Properties", choose "Security" tab.

      Are you by any chance a moron?

      P.S. If you prefer the command line you can use the "cacls" command to do the same thing.

      1. Ken Hagan Gold badge

        Re: Are you by any chance a moron?

        In fairness, it sounds like *you* are unaware that you need to change a rather obscure setting before your solution actually works. Perhaps a grown-up changed it for you before giving you the machine. Perhaps you should have read the OP's "spoiler".

        1. Alex Rose

          Re: Are you by any chance a moron?

          @Ken Hagan

          "Oh boo hoo, I didn't like something you said so I'm going to accuse you of being young!"

          I'm 41.

          Prick.

  13. Woger

    Shoved down your throat

    Windows 8 could have been a triumph for Microsoft generating an operating system for both the desktop and tablets. Instead, they have chosen to force desktop users to use the Metro interface which is simply not suitable for the desktop. They have done this so that sales of the desktop version will familiarize people with the metro interface so that they can now be confident on a Windows 8 tablet. They've chosen to annoy their primary user base to gain a second, most likely bigger, user base.I do not like being forced to change simply for Microsofts marketing reasons.

    I laugh when some claim they will stick to Windows 7, try buying Windows XP - it's not possible. You are either going to change to Windows 8 or change to something else, but change is coming.

    1. MJI Silver badge

      Re: Shoved down your throat

      If you cannot buy XP you will obtain instead.

      I had a little (30 sec play) with Win8 at the weekend, and it did something VERY stupid.

      It was on a Win7 looking screen, I pressed the simple 2x2 Georgian Grill lookalike button between Ctrl and Alt and what happened?

      The start menu DID NOT happen and some stupid mobile phone like screen appeared. Now every version of Windows I have used except for 2 and WFW, bring up a menu, where the f**k is it?

      BTW I deleted Win 2 for disk space and only used WFW for a year or so until we went 98.

      8 is simply not workable if you lose your screen whenever you hit that button.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Shoved down your throat

      WindowsXP Pirated Edition - seems to be the way to go

  14. MarkL

    Oh dear

    Facts aren't the strong point when it comes to Windows 8 and the Register it seems.

    Ballmer did not say sales of Surface were 'modest' - that's now been demonstrated to be a misquote by the French magazine that originally reported it. Ballmer actually said the approach to ramping up distribution was modest, but that reception to the product was 'fantastic'- but here, today, now, it suits the Register to continue to push the idea that sales are modest. It fits the 'fail' agenda they're trying to push.

    1. Bob Vistakin
      Headmaster

      Re: Oh dear

      "...misquote by the French magazine"

      They actually said merde.

    2. Chris 3

      Re: Oh dear

      You'll note that Balmer very carefully didn't say that sales of Surface were fantastic. just that the 'reception' - whatever than means - was fantastic. So we have to possibilities here, either MS describing sales as modest, or issuing a no comment on sales.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: the 'reception' - whatever than means - was fantastic

        vol-au-vents & bucks fizz

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Windows 8

    I think that we are the biggest problem with Windows 8....

    I didn't like the beta and I didn't particularly like Windows 8, it was different to what I was used to, things were in different places, it was cumbersome and possibly even in places disjointed however since we are going to have to coexist with it for the next three or four years, I bought myself some new hardware and plonked Windows 8 on top and decided that I really ought to get to grips with it. Some things I actually started to like, some I still don't.

    Then my wife asked if she can use the PC to check her email.... my wife is a bit of a technophobe, it took me over a year to convince her to leave her mobile turned on rather than turn it off after making a call or sending a text message. Her laptop is mainly used to gather dust, and now I'll end up on the sofa (again) if she asks how much we have spent on this computer to run this half-baked POS......

    With trepidation, I let her log in, she watched their new user introduction as it's setting her account up, and everything just worked for her. It would appear that if you have no preconceptions about how the interface should work, it's really intuitive! Saying that, she only uses it for mail, web and word, but so does 80% of world.

    1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge

      Re: Windows 8

      I upvoted you. But imagine your wife's reaction, if, after working hard to get the hang of Windows, somebody decided to change it all. That's what we're dealing with.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Windows 8

      I'm going to redesign the car. Here goes:

      So it's the engine in the passenger seat

      windscreen wipers on the wheel hubs

      steering wheel in the boot

      re-route the exhaust into the passenger compartment

      make the drivers seat rear facing.

      Cars are designed a certain way so that they function, are standard and once people are trained they know how to use them. It's called fitness for purpose and the way W8 currently works for desktop is illustrated by the above ridiculous design changes to an auto-mobile for changes sake. In short it's shit and fails on every level.

    3. keithpeter Silver badge

      Re: Windows 8

      "It would appear that if you have no preconceptions about how the interface should work, it's really intuitive! Saying that, she only uses it for mail, web and word, but so does 80% of world."

      As the Zen people say, we need 'beginner's mind'.

      I'm seeing, reflected in this glass of rather good Minervois, a Venn diagram (well, I would wouldn't I, I teach Maths for a living). Each intersecting circle in the diagram represents a use case for a personal computing device. I have a strong feeling that The Powers That Be at Microsoft, Canonical and Redhat/Gnome are designing for the intersection instead of the union set.

      Time for a bath I think.

      Absence of icon represents my empty mind...

      1. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

        Re: Windows 8

        As the Zen people say, we need 'beginner's mind'.

        Ah, NOW I get it. Win 8 is for people using a computer whilst either blind drunk or stoned out of their heads.

        Makes sense, that also explains why a normal human cannot make head or tail of it.

  16. CN Hill

    The ribbon is a complete nightmare.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Still have to google to find options in Excel

    Should have learned from the disaster of office 2007 what pissing around with the UI does.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Still have to google to find options in Excel

      Should have learned from the disaster of office 2007 what pissing around with the UI does.

      1 - should have spotted that already with Vista

      2 - as long as golf course sales continue instead of sensible evaluation to escape the lock in, not much is going to change.

  18. Ant Evans
    Thumb Up

    Perhaps

    he is off to run Classic Shell. I hear it has a great future.

    http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

  19. Chris Hawkins
    Linux

    Totally Paranoid Conspiracy Theory

    Given the strange Roswell type "co-incidental" timing and the current FBI/MET/BBC/North Wales going-ons, could Sinofsky's departure be yet another facet of the current trans-pond BBC/Newsnight/Entwhistle/Petraeus affair?

    I'm out of here...(check's Mayan 2012 Calendar....how soon is December 21st????)

  20. Jean-Luc
    Happy

    Mr. 2007 Office Ribbon Only/No Alternative? Gone?

    Probably also Mr. Win 8 "Metro only/no Start button mode" (though Classic Shell seems to have no problems providing that functionality).

    Good riddance!

    1. Chris Hawkins
      Linux

      Re: Mr. 2007 Office Ribbon Only/No Alternative? Gone?

      Jean-Luc?....

      The surname is not Picard, perchance?

      Scene: "In orbit around Windownian 9...., part of the Microsoftian System".

      "Mr Worf, photon torpedos, please.... "

      "Photon Torpedos ready,Captain.."

      "Make it so!!!"

      (With apologies to all Thespians, Klingons and Vulcans who may be offended!)

  21. Forget It

    I wish him the best of health.

    Coz it could be that.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    a lost opportunity

    In hindsight, Nokia should have picked Sinofsky instead of Elop as their ex-Microsoftie CEO. After all, he headed the effort that turned Vista into Windows 7 and it would have been interesting to see if he could have wrestled Meego to something workable. Couldn't have turned out worse than what happened.

    Oh well, too late now. Nokia no longer does software development.

  23. Wibble
    Boffin

    Proof that Windows 8 has flopped?

    Looking at some web logs -- for a busy "lifestyle" website -- the statistics speak for themselves. In the last month 13 Oct to 12 Nov, the stats are:

    Chrome: 32%

    Safari: 18%

    IE9: 16%

    Firefox: 14%

    ...

    IE10 (this is only available on Windows 8): 0.1%

    The numbers are so low it places it in 40th place in the browser list, way behind IE6 in 23rd place with 0.32%!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Proof that Windows 8 has flopped?

      Then again, the Steam survey for October shows Win 8 64 bit share at 1.8%, already ahead of OSX 10.8.2. Of course, Steam users are more likely to upgrade their OS (witness WinXP share at only 11.2%).

      On the other hand, regarding your numbers, how many folks that already upgraded to Windows 8 would use IE and not Chrome or Firefox? Considering they have to be technically pretty enthusiastic, not too many I guess.

      So no proof of flopping yet, either way.

      1. Spoonsinger
        Meh

        Re: Proof that Windows 8 has flopped?

        Quite...

        Ok list of things to do with Windows 8 on installation:-

        1) Install Classic Shell and configure how you want

        2) Add 'On Login' scheduler task to run 'explorer.exe', (i.e. this goes straight to desktop. TIFKAM isn't running classic desktop as an 'app' it's the same executable, and classic desktop takes priority when run by itself. To test just kill explorer.exe and re-run. Also miss reported by sites is that the file manager is now separate from the desktop. Nope it's still part of explorer.exe, Yeh!!! :-( ).

        3) Install 8GadgetPack for your old windows 7 desktop gadgets.

        Viola, a usable Windows 8 system - or basically windows 7 with some weird full screen widget environment which you can safely ignore.

    2. The_Regulator
      Trollface

      Re: Proof that Windows 8 has flopped?

      hahahahahaah you mean the month that started 2 weeks before windows 8 was actually launched?

      You are an idiot, jesus christ a 12 year old could have even considered the comment you made and realized that it was dumb.

      Go back to your cave troll.

      1. Wibble
        FAIL

        Re: Proof that Windows 8 has flopped?

        Hmm. Idiot: a person of low intelligence.

        Attempting to use objective metrics to actually measure the usage of Windows 8 is a sign of low intelligence?

        Windows 8 public release was 26th October, some 18 days of the sample period. It's been available as an enterprise version for about three months. It's also been available as an RC for 9 months...

        I was expecting much higher numbers than that.

        Still, the good news is IE6 is dying on its backside.

  24. DonM.

    emails will soon surface ...

    And show that Sinofsky was also having an affair with Gen. Petraus.

  25. El Andy

    Sinofsky was never going to be the MSFT Jobs

    Sinofsky was far too arrogant and far too much of a micro-manager to ever be Microsoft CEO. It might have worked for Jobs at Apple, which has a much less diverse product range, but it was never going to fly at Microsoft and my money is on this having been bluntly pointed out to him. I wish him the best in whatever he does do, because he was good at what he did, but I think Microsoft will be better in the long run if they can get someone a little bit more open to collaboration between the teams.

  26. Levente Szileszky
    WTF?

    I'd say good riddance but...

    ...Julie Larson-Green is actually FAR WORSE to lead Windows than Sinofsky ever was - besides the man she was the one who should be publicly shamed for this utter piece of junk called Metro, she was the force behind this pathetic, half-@ssed, unfinished, idiotic, broken, AMATEUR UI attempt so the royal failure Windows 8 is shaping up to be is mostly due to this 'replacement'... I never figured I'd ever miss Sinofsky but I think I already do... scary.

    Beginning of the end (of the utterly incompetent Ballmerian-era) at MSFT?

    While I don't believe it I'd certainly welcome it...

  27. Rob G.

    Perhaps we need a "Jobsian" second coming of Gates?

    If BillG was still into Microsoft, I would say that we are all ready for a "Jobsian" second coming of Gates to Microsoft since it seems like Ballmer has really screwed up. How could anyone at Microsoft take a look at 8 and say that it was OK and ready to be shipped. What are these people doing over there?

    1. Nigel 11

      Re: Perhaps we need a "Jobsian" second coming of Gates?

      How could anyone at Microsoft take a look at Windows ME and say that it was OK and ready to be shipped? Going back a bit ... but Bates was in charge back then.

      No, MS needs a completely new board, followed by a lot of sacking of people at or near the top. That's if it's possible to rescue the company at all. The rot may be too deep by now.

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Windows 9".....

    sounds very "German Penguin"

  29. Jay Zelos

    I've not idea about why the guy left, but apparently its common for executive types to leave a short time after a product launch rather than just before, It scares the markets otherwise.

    Maybe this had been planned (by him) for a while.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    anticipation ...

    Its spelled Sinofsky but its pronounced Schadenfreude.

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Let not let facts get in the way of a good story

    Sinofsky has been at MS 20+ years... decides it time to do something different and spends his dosh... when does he go?

    Before Win8 ships - HEADLINES: Sinofsky Jumps Sinking Ship due to W8 Failure

    After Win8 Ships - HEADLINES: Sinfosky Fired for W8 Failure

    So when does he go to not attract a sensational W8 failure headline?

    by the way - "year of the penguin?" - pppplease! stop with that, it has been said every year since before Vista shipped.

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It is to laugh

    "The software giant is a notoriously Darwinian environment: the fittest thrive, the weak wither into the shadows."

    The product line suggests the opposite.

  33. mike panero

    2012 will be the year of the desktop Windows

    Now that Umbungo have fscked with their metro interface I can see Windows taking off on the desktop just as fondleslab's and alcoholic indifference take hold...

  34. The Grump
    FAIL

    re: Anon Coward...

    "I'm going to redesign the car. Here goes:

    So it's the engine in the passenger seat

    windscreen wipers on the wheel hubs

    steering wheel in the boot

    re-route the exhaust into the passenger compartment

    make the drivers seat rear facing.

    Cars are designed a certain way so that they function, are standard and once people are trained they know how to use them. It's called fitness for purpose and the way W8 currently works for desktop is illustrated by the above ridiculous design changes to an auto-mobile for changes sake. In short it's shit and fails on every level".

    ----------------------------------

    Thank you. Upvoted - I am in 100 percent agreement. MS logic - "Lets go with an Android UI because it's sooo cool. Then we move everything around just for giggles. Then we use only Win 8 compatable hardware and software. Then to really bugger them, we make sure all of their beloved old software is incompatable. We're gonna be rolling in profits". This logic - let's keep screwing them over until they love us - exists only in Redmond and Washington DC. Anyone who buys this total piece of shite deserves what they get. I cannot wait to see the epic FAIL of Win8. The last OS I liked was WinXP. At least it could remember my program's window size and location after I closed a program. Win7 opens all windows in the same spot, no matter where the window was when I closed it. Vista - FAIL. Win7 - FAIL. Win8 - FAIL.

    Oh - and have a nice day.

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Open standards and the fog

    Most end-users data needs are very transient, read txt once, click like next to photo never to be seen again etc

    I know people with +300GB HDD on their laptops with less than a few megs used

    They do not d/l Hollywood blockbusters etc 'cus they have seen them ALREADY! and ONCE IS ENOUGH

    Then some idiot gives them a fondleslab and BINGO this is all I need

    So all you are going to do is spend <10 minutes a day looking at a facebook feed maybe if your old some email and think your trendy some twitter, none of it will last as long as the dead carrots in your fridge and most of it means even less

    Why would you choose a 500MEGABUCKS slab over a 100MEGABUCKS slab?

    In fact why have a slab when your phone does it all and not only that but the 1GB d/l per a month is OVERKILL

    The corpoHATES? They can ask you to learn Linux and Libreoffice fuck whiteboy show me some regex, want that job? want it real bad? you got to dance!

    Cloudy chardonnay users fuck no M$ should go back to their roots

    Release MS-DOS 8

    Back to the CLI !!!

    640K

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Open standards and the fog

      > Release MS-DOS 8

      AKA Windows Server 2012

      > Back to the CLI !!!

      It's called PowerShell now

  36. P. Lee
    Coat

    > Sinofsky calls his choice a "personal and private" one.

    He was caught with an Ubuntu USB stick...

  37. The Alpha Klutz
    Thumb Up

    LOL

    If I was a shit disturber that's exactly what I'd do after launching a big new turd on the market.

    cash out man.

  38. Herby

    Maybe....

    They will sell lots of the clicky keyboards that magically attach to the silly surface tablets running Windows 8. I mean that is what they advertize on the telly over here in the colonies. It seems that that is all the Surface tablets can do these days.

  39. druck Silver badge
    Devil

    My Money's on...

    ...Ballmer seeing the writing on the wall and getting rid of Sinofsky before the board moves him in to the CEO role.

    Expect Sinofsky to pop back up in a few months to Elop some poor Nokia like fading giant.

  40. James Pickett

    "Larson-Green is an ex-programme manager and an interface expert; she worked on Metro and was responsible for the introduction of the Office 2007 Ribbon"

    Expert?

  41. Piro Silver badge
    FAIL

    Yeah, about Windows 8

    I didn't think much of it, trying it through the various previews and reading reports both positive and negative.

    But I admit after installing the RTM version (yes, a real, legit boxed copy), I was feeling upbeat, the install time was incredibly rapid, and Start8 helped make it a bit cleaner.

    But in the end, I realised that it's basically on the copy dialogue and the new task manager that I like. That's basically it. My joy with the OS soon subsided as I realised they've spunked away their time on their silly Metro project which I have exactly no interest in, and it really does show.

    I really don't see why you'd use Windows 8 if you already have 7. There's nothing really to see here.

  42. Hooksie

    Fuck it

    I'm out. I've decided neither to read the Register any more or to read the comments section because it just depresses me. I thought the article about people getting less intelligent was wrong but regularly reading any of the comments on Windows 8 makes me fear for the future of the world if most people on here, who claim to be intelligent, techies or both, can't figure out Windows 8. The chap who let his wife use it sums it up - stop expecting things and try it out to see what's different. Having used Windows 8 for some time now I go back to Windows 7 and wonder where all the good stuff is. Honestly, it's like Apple hires a bunch of fucking retards to comment on every Windows 8 article to say how shit it is. The only decent article the Reg has done (by decent I mean one that wasn't totally fucking biased) was the one where they got 6 n00bs to try it out and guess what, every one of them got used to it quickly and came to like it. So a 6 year old can figure out Windows 8 and the ribbon interface (seriously, how fucking hard is it?? It's got titles for where everything is you bunch of Neanderthals) but you, as a technically astute and learned individual can't?? Go and sit the fuck down.

    Opinion is one thing, if you just don't like it or prefer something else then that's perfectly valid, but to bang on about how it's so bad and unusable and all the other fucking bullshit that you retards come out with it makes my fucking blood boil. The arsehole who talked about the car analogy (no wonder you were AC, with a brain your size it must be difficult to remember a password) should really take a look at themselves. Just think about when the flappy paddle gear box was first introduced, different yes, takes a while to get used to yes but makes sense and once you are used to it then it makes sense and works well. They wouldn't have put it under the seat.

    Honestly, fuck it, you lot can continue to throw your faeces at each other, I'm off to find a technology site that actually talks about technology.

    And as for Mr Sinofsky, I hope that whatever has forced the man to leave immediately with no hand-over isn't too serious. I doubt it's just because he didn't like Ballmer, nobody likes Ballmer, the man's an ape with shoes.

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