back to article Microsoft's NEW OS now runs on HALF of ALL desktop PCs

One of Microsoft’s newest operating systems now runs on half of desktops – but it’s not the one Redmond might have wished. Windows 7 accounted for 50.06 per cent of operating system market share in May according to Netmarketshare’s running monthly tally. The operating system expanded its share from 49.27 per cent in April. …

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  1. Ed 13
    Joke

    Wot no Vista?

    or has it been airbrushed from history already?

    1. Semtex451

      Re: Wot no Vista?

      Ssshh - we don't talk about that in polite society.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Wot no Vista?

      I built a Core I7 9xx PC for one of my "godchildren" a few years ago when he started his career by moving to the big city. There was an XP disk for transition from his existing system and games etc - and a Vista 64 disk for "the future". It has just come back for some maintenance. The Vista has hardly been used, if ever. It will now be replaced by W7 64 - with the XP as the fall back for any compatibility issues.

    3. big_D Silver badge

      Re: Wot no Vista?

      Airbrushed only by the press...

      2.9%, almost twice the share that Linux has. That said, Linux users probably don't browse that many sites that Netmarketshare monitor.

      1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

        Netmarketshare's site selection really shows up on mobile

        They gave iOS 48%

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          iOS 48%

          I'm not sure if the graphs they have are accurate as to their data. I see the same results when I filter for US or for China. I could see 48% iOS share in the US, but in China it would be down in the single digits.

          Same thing if you look at browser data, it shows around 50% for IE even in the US. I could believe that's maybe the case worldwide, but clearly not in the US.

          Either their web site is broken as far as presenting the results, or their methodology leaves a lot to be desired!

    4. Paul Hovnanian Silver badge

      Re: Wot no Vista?

      We are counting platforms running an OS. Vista is still booting.

      1. Grease Monkey Silver badge

        Re: Wot no Vista?

        'S funny, but this laptop still runs Vista and I've never had any issues with it. The problem with Vista wasn't the OS itself it was Microsoft's marketing.

        1. JW 1

          Re: Wot no Vista?

          Then you're not actually using it. Go try copying a bunch of small files. That was atrocious and if something that basic was so totally broken no 'marketing' could help it.

          This is from experience. Tried copying a bunch of OpenOffice clipart from the wife's laptop. I let it run even though it reported that it would take hours to copy and it did.

          Using a Linux machine, mere minutes.

          1. cambsukguy

            Re: Wot no Vista?

            Perhaps the Vista user got updates and installed them and therefore perhaps the broken copy was repaired.

            Ironically, I had a similar problem with Linux when I had to create supermassive files to fill disks and emulate video files etc.

            On linux, redirecting /dev/zero or, worse /dev/random took, practically forever. Using memory/file-mapping was reasonably successful but also took ages and ages and ages.

            On windows I could create multi-Gigabyte files in split seconds, filling a disc in no time.

            Obviously, someone will dispute this and write something that says they can create files in no time. Perhaps it is so on your multi-core bad-ass desktop but no so much on a set top box.

            PS. Obviously, this is because windows happens to create the files without ever writing data, it just links sectors and blocks etc. to make a file of the required size. If I had wanted specific data it would have just as long I am sure.

            1. M Gale

              Re: Wot no Vista?

              Try using fallocate.

              I'm sure Windows would take an age to create a new file if you did it by filling the file with the output of %RANDOM%.

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Wot no Vista?

              You've been doing it wrong. Google linux create sparse file. You'll find something along the lines of dd of=/path/to/big/file bs=1G count=0 seek=8 which creates a 8 GB file in zero time.

          2. Purple-Stater

            Re: Wot no Vista?

            Yeah, my Vista laptop performed like that too; right up until the first service pack came out. Now massive file transfers work at about the same speed as Windows XP or 7.

          3. Captain Scarlet Silver badge
            Childcatcher

            Re: Wot no Vista?

            @JW 1

            *Shrugs Shoulders*

            Copy Command in Vista is fine, also make use of Robocopy

        2. PeterM42

          Re: Wot no Vista?

          No - what you must remember is that "Vista" (NT 6.0) was the first (very buggy) version of "Windows 7" (NT 6.1).

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      In comparison

      To the take up of the OSX update?

  2. DJV Silver badge
    Meh

    A direct link to the stats would have been nice...

    Here you go

    1. AMBxx Silver badge

      Interesting stats to play with

      Windows has crashed from 92% to 91% over the last 2 years.

      Just don't let MS see the mobile stats!

      1. chekri

        Re: Interesting stats to play with

        "Windows has crashed from 92% to 91% over the last 2 years."

        At this rate it will be less popular than Linux in 180 years!

        Crash?

  3. bigfoot780

    The first rule of v**** is you do not talk about v**** .

    1. hplasm
      Happy

      Re:The first rule of v**** is you do not talk about v**** .

      The first rule of v**** is you do not use v**** .

      FTFY

  4. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    Cue...

    MS Management bringing forward the Windows 7 retirement date to next year.

    "we have to get these ***** onto our latest product NOW!" {chair flying....}

    Oh sorry, Balmer has gone but frankly MS wants everyone onto a METRO system ASAP. Then they can implement the per day rental model. Don't pay? Sorry you have no access to your data.

    1. Nigel 11

      Re: Cue...

      Microsoft doing that would create an opening for "Business Linux" (possibly hidden behind a non-Linux name, just as Linux's conquest of the mobile world goes by the name "Android").

      Microsoft has jettisoned its CEO just in time, now to see if it can also jettison the business plan made out of FAIL.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Cue...

        Android is not Linux just as Apple OSX is not *BSD or NextSTEP. The fact that they use a kernel used also by other operating systems, for example "GNU Linux" like the purists like to name it, doesn't mean they are the same OS. Android is a very different OS than GNU Linux, despite sharing a kernel. While OSX is not neither NextStep nor *BSD, despite borrowing heavily from both.ù

        After all Android is more a Java OS than a Linux one. If one day the Linux Kernel team asked Google to remove it from Android, Google would have less issues than if Oracle won its suit, and Android has remove Java from Android...

        1. asdf

          Re: Cue...

          > If one day the Linux Kernel team asked Google to remove it from Android, Google would have less issues than if Oracle won its suit, and Android has remove Java from Android...

          Only by slightly. Neither would be something that could be done in a week or even probably a year (and assuming moving to something already existing, to write a modern OS kernel from the ground up definitely talking years).

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Cue...

            No. Having to change kernel would impact Google only, having to change the application APIs would mean that each and every app would be affected.

        2. nematoad
          Linux

          Re: Cue...

          Nope, Linux is the kernel. The rest is just support often provided by the GNU project , hence Gnu/Linux. Usually wrapped up in a distro.

          So strictly speaking, with Android running the kernel that it does, it IS Linux, it's the other stuff that is different.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Cue...

            An OS is not the kernel alone. "The rest" is what makes a kernel really usable from a user and his applications. A kernel by itself is pretty useless, although important. The next time you'll write your own OS you'll understand it, don't worry.

            1. Richard Plinston

              Re: Cue...

              >> Android is not Linux

              > An OS is not the kernel alone.

              You are confused, mainly about what 'Linus' is. Linux is the kernel that is used by all 'Linux' distros. Android has a Linux kernel, SUSE has a Linux kernel, Fedora has a Linux kernel, .. and they are all the same kernel. So Android _is_ a Linux distro (plus a lot of other stuff), exactly the same as Ubuntu is Linux plus a lot of other stuff.

              Android happens to run a Dalvik VM but it is not the only way of running apps. For example there is C4droid which provdies C and C++ and a GNU environment.

              The difference is much the same as, say, Windows 7 and Windows RT. If you think they are both 'Windows' then Android and Ubuntu and both 'Linux'.

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Cue...

                You are confused about what an OS is. It's not the kernel alone. You got used to call "Linux" whatever use a Linux as a kernel, but that doesn't make an OS "Linux" - it could be just an OS using a Linux kernel. Is OSX a *BSD? No, it isn't, there are much more built atop whatever is borrowed from *BSD to make OSX a *BSD. And the same is true for Android, there is much more built atop the Linux kernel to make it a "Linux".

                As I wrote, it would be easier for Google to replace say the Linux kernel with a *BSD one, that replacing the Java VM with something else - and most Android "services" needs you to call the Java API, not the kernel one.

                Win32 API and WinRT API are enough different to make them two different operating systems - just sharing a name because the maker is the same.

                1. asdf

                  Re: Cue...

                  >As I wrote, it would be easier for Google to replace say the Linux kernel with a *BSD one, that replacing the Java VM with something else - and most Android "services" needs you to call the Java API, not the kernel one.

                  I can buy that to some extent except more than just Google would have to deal with a kernel change. In addition to the apps using the native SDK instead of just Dalvik (which would require refactoring) the handset manufacturers would also have to rewrite drivers for old hardware if they wanted an upgrade path in addition to probably having to put in more time/money to support future hardware as out of the box BSD for example has a shit ton less hardware support than Linux.

                2. Richard Plinston

                  Re: Cue...

                  > You got used to call "Linux" whatever use a Linux as a kernel,

                  Where did you get that from ? I call the kernel 'Linux' and if is is a complete OS (plus lots of other stuff) I call it a 'Linux distro'. Android is a 'Linux distro'.

                  > but that doesn't make an OS "Linux"

                  The kernel makes it a 'Linux OS' when other stuff is added. Android adds that other stuff, Fedora adds that other stuff.

                  > As I wrote, it would be easier for Google to replace say the Linux kernel with a *BSD one, that replacing the Java VM with something else - and most Android "services" needs you to call the Java API, not the kernel one.

                  You are confused even more. BSD has a different interface. While, say, KDE runs on both Linux distros and on various BSD distros that does not mean that the Linux KDE, or any other Linux program, will just run on BSD, a compatibility layer is required.

                  Android does not run a 'Java VM', it runs a completely different 'Dalvik VM'. It may happen that Java code can be compiled to run on the Dalvik VM. But then Scala code can also be compiled to run on the Dalvik VM. There is no reason that other languages can also run, eg Python, Lua, Javascript run on my Androids.

                  Contrary to your claim there _is_ a new VM developed by Google that can replace the current "Java VM" [sic] on Android 4. It is called ART (Android run Time).

                  > and most Android "services" needs you to call the Java API, not the kernel one.

                  Of course the services are not in the kernel. That is like using MS Office as a service is done by calling the Office API and not the Windows kernel. Similar Google services may also run on other OSes, such as Windows, and again they are not accessed by calling the Windows kernel.

                  On Android the Google services are optional and are not part of the OS. For example Amazon has Android (though with a different name) but no Google Services, though they could be added by the user.

                  > Win32 API and WinRT API are enough different to make them two different operating systems - just sharing a name because the maker is the same.

                  And yet both Win 8 and Win RT are said by MS to be built on the same kernel, just as Android and Fedora are built on the same Linux kernel.

                  1. Anonymous Coward
                    Anonymous Coward

                    Re: Cue...

                    All *nix are more or less POSIX compliant systems. Sure, there are some differences among them - but they want to be POSIX compliant. That's mean they have a lot of similar API. The same way Linux is not Unix but looks very much alike. And BSD is another Unix clone.

                    It's funny that you say Android is Linux, but Dalvik is not Java. Something is something only when you like it? Everything could be compiled into Java byte code. It was only the Java license forbidding it (unlike the .NET license, did you ever read a license?). That's why Google attempted to bypass the Java license using Dalvik and Harmony. If the court rules against it, it will be fun for Google.

                    Anyway, even the NDK needs JNI to be able to call in and out from the Java environment, and offers just a subset of what Android can do. The NDK is more aimed at implementing code that needs to be fast in C, than to call directly into the kernel (which would open a Pandora box from a security perspective).

                    When I wrote "services" I meant OS services. Not all OS services are implemented at the kernel level. It's funny, for example, that Linux fanboys still complain that Windows moved the GUI "services" from user mode to kernel mode. Not everything an OS offers is in the kernel, and an OS is far more than its kernel. But probably you never wrote an OS so you can't understand, especially if you've been brainwashed by Linux worshippers.

                    Windows RT and Win32 are both built on the same kernel, sure - but that doesn't mean they are the same OS. They are a good example of that. They are different OS built on the same kernel.

                    1. Richard Plinston

                      Re: Cue...

                      > It's funny that you say Android is Linux, but Dalvik is not Java. Something is something only when you like it?

                      Do try and read what I wrote instead of incompetently making up what you prefer to use as an argument.

                      Android is 'based on Linux', Android is a 'Linux OS', Android is a 'Linux distro'. It is you who wants to conflate 'Linux' (the kernel) with 'Android' (the OS) and then argue that it is not. I have not seen anyone claim that Android is _only_ Linux.

                      You may also note, if you care to read more closely, that I said that the 'Dalvik VM' is not a 'Java VM'. This is obviously a technical issue that is quite beyond you. That the Java language can be compiled to produce byte code for the Dalvik VM does not make Dalvik a 'Java VM'. Many languages can be used to create byte code for either.

                      > Everything could be compiled into Java byte code.

                      It could be, but then it could be compiled into Python byte code, or (as some Java language compilers do) directly into machine code. In fact the main difference between Dalvik and ART is that Dalvik runs the JIT compiler at run time as required and ART runs it at install time and thus the 'VM' actually only sees machine code.

                      > When I wrote "services" I meant OS services. Not all OS services are implemented at the kernel level. It's funny, for example, that Linux fanboys still complain that Windows moved the GUI "services" from user mode to kernel mode. Not everything an OS offers is in the kernel, and an OS is far more than its kernel. But probably you never wrote an OS so you can't understand, especially if you've been brainwashed by Linux worshippers.

                      I am not sure that it is "Linux fanboys" that 'complain' about the GUI services being moved into kernel mode, it is more likely that security experts did, or Windows users. It does make it more difficult to change the GUI to something that they might prefer.

                      > an OS is far more than its kernel

                      I am not sure what your point is, I certainly didn't say it wasn't. But an OS does not have to encompass a specific set of services. Many of the largest computers do not have a GUI. In fact even Windows Server can be installed without a GUI. It happens that the Linux kernel does not include GUI services so that the user can choose which they want, or none if just a text interface, or no UI, is required. That means that applications access the GUI services via libraries, such as GTK or Qt, or via the API provided by Android, or Mono, or .NET.

                      In fact with most languages services are almost always accessed via libraries that are layered on top of the kernel.

                      > Windows RT and Win32 are both built on the same kernel, sure - but that doesn't mean they are the same OS.

                      And that means they are both 'Windows OSes' that have different GUIs (and some other services), just as, say, Android and Ubuntu are both 'Linux OSes' that have different GUIs (and other services). Actually, in some cases, you can run a version of Ubuntu on an Android base, using just the one kernel, and have both GUIs.

                      """Both Ubuntu and Android run at the same time on the mobile device, without emulation or virtualization, and without the need to reboot. This is possible because both Ubuntu and Android share the same kernel (Linux).[2]"""

                    2. Richard Plinston

                      Re: Cue...

                      > All *nix are more or less POSIX compliant systems. Sure, there are some differences among them - but they want to be POSIX compliant. That's mean they have a lot of similar API. The same way Linux is not Unix but looks very much alike. And BSD is another Unix clone.

                      You are confused. There are various 'BSDs' but they originate from the actual AT&T UNIX codebase and, in fact, much code developed by Berkeley was incorporated into AT&T Unix. It is not a 'clone'.

                      POSIX defines the _Application_Programming_Interface_ (plus other stuff), not the 'kernel interface'. In practice this means that a set of C libraries can provide the API for the system to be compliant and yet the OS kernels can be completely different. Even Windows NT/2000 could claim to be POSIX compliant.

                      This does not mean that it would be easy for Google to replace Linux with Windows, or even with one of the BSDs, especially as Android does not rely on or claim POSIX compliance and only implements a subset via the Bionic C library.

                      Your claim that Google could do something (that you have never done) easier than doing something else (which you have also not done) is completely spurious:

                      """it would be easier for Google to replace say the Linux kernel with a *BSD one, that replacing the Java VM with something else"""

                      Especially as you rely, incompetently, on POSIX and that Google a) never used a 'Java VM' it used Dalvik and b) it _is_ replacing Dalvik with ART.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Cue...

        "Microsoft doing that would create an opening for "Business Linux""

        No - it really wouldn't. Everyone know the option is there. Pretty much no one is interested.

  5. Vince Lewis 1

    Windows 8, the triumph of marketing over common sence.

    Windows 8 was an attempt to unify the xbox, win phone and PC experience. Oddly enough the guy that suggested putting mice on the winphone and xbox got laughed at.

    1. Grease Monkey Silver badge

      Re: Windows 8, the triumph of marketing over common sence.

      Odd isn't it that MS were chasing after Android and IOS with Windows 8, but the way they did it made no sense.

      They dominate the desktop/laptop OS market so in order to leverage that dominance they decided to totally change the GUI and make the desktop GUI like their new phone GUI. How does that even begin to make sense?

      How to make your loyal userbase move with you into a new market? Totally alienate them if you're Microsoft.

      After all did Apple try to unify IOS and OSX?

      1. Richard Plinston

        Re: Windows 8, the triumph of marketing over common sence.

        > in order to leverage that dominance they decided to totally change the GUI and make the desktop GUI like their new phone GUI. How does that even begin to make sense?

        Windows Phone was not selling and consultants told them that the reason was because the WP UI was 'unfamiliar'. They put Metro on Windows 8, without the option, in order to make Metro 'the most familiar UI'. Then, according to the consultants, users would be _demanding_ phones and tablets with that familiar UI. Once more they would be back on the path to world domination.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Windows 8, the triumph of marketing over common sence.

        Microsoft have realised that the future is touch and gesture based computing. Unfortunately in moving ahead of the curve and pre-empting where everyone else will be going - Microsoft have indeed alienated some of their user base. At least in the short term anyway...

        In the longer term, unifying their OSs and moving to single kernel with a fully touch based model was definitely the right thing to do. Mass adoption might take time, but it will come. And when it does, Microsoft will be in a stronger position than vendors that have to support multiple OS versions across the same range of hardware formats....

  6. K

    Its not suprising..

    I was quite excited a few months back when el-reg showed the photo on Windows with the Start Menu back. But as it stands, I have 100+ people at my company who use Windows 7 everyday, all these people want and need is the tools to do their job. If I rolled out Windows 8 on our network it would

    a) Cause panic because people will freak out as they can't find what they need

    b) Cause a revolt when people demand Windows 7 back

    c) Make my life incredibly difficult dealing with the above and having to train them on the changes

    So, Windows 8+ will not see the light of day on our network until Microsoft delivers experience and usability that is consistent with Windows 7.

    I was talking to a Microsoft rep a couple of days ago about upgrading, he tried convincing me that Microsoft make it painless by offering lots of onsite and online training. He did not comprehend that if staff have to go through this, it brings disruption to staff, the business and at the end of the day will hit the companies profits.

    1. chekri

      Re: Its not suprising..

      People like you like to conflate the so-called problem to validate your own opinion - employees will manage just fine when they aren't coddled and will take no more than thirty minutes to work it out - these are the same people who somehow managed to work a smart phone, drive a manual vehicle and do their tax return without your finger up their backside. I'm sure they will work out the big square icons all by themselves without your "help"

      1. Yugguy

        Re: Its not suprising..

        LOL.

        Have you ever worked in IT support???

        Half of them couldn't even find their backside. With both hands.

        Oh, and driving a manual vehicle is NOT a sign of increased intelligence. It's a basic skill most of the rest of world just performs.

        1. chekri

          Re: Its not suprising..

          "Have you ever worked in IT support???"

          Yes

          "Half of them couldn't even find their backside. With both hands."

          Half of the users that call maybe, most users just get on with it and only call when something is actually broken. No matter what minor change you make the retards will call, if we accommodated the tards willingness to accept change we'd still be using Windows for workgroups.

          "Oh, and driving a manual vehicle is NOT a sign of increased intelligence. It's a basic skill most of the rest of world just performs."

          I never said it was a sign of intelligence, it is however more of an intellectual challenge than clicking on big square icons instead of little square icons. And as you point out this is something large portions of the worlds population somehow manage to do on a daily basis.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Its not suprising..

            How much training takes to drive a vehicle? And how much it costs? And how many people around actually drive a vehicle, but it would be better if they don't?

            And why vehicles still use a very outdate UI like a wheel and pedals? Why don't we all drive cars with joysticks, or the like? Why the gear lever is always in the same position and each car doesn't put it wherever it likes? Why pedals are always the same? Because change them and most drivers will not be able to drive a vehicle any longer without proper training, while being very dangerous meanwhile.

          2. Richard Plinston

            Re: Its not suprising..

            >> "Oh, and driving a manual vehicle

            > it is however more of an intellectual challenge than clicking on big square icons instead of little square icons.

            In this country one can get a driving license for automatic gearbox cars or a different one that covers all cars (but the test must be sat in a manual car). The reason is that to drive a manual car requires _training_ that is different from automatics.

            And that is the point, Windows 8 will require _training_, or time for self-training. Not only because it looks different but because all the automatic muscle reactions that have been learned now cause confusion and new ones must be relearned. This is time and cost.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Its not suprising..

              "And that is the point, Windows 8 will require _training_, or time for self-training. Not only because it looks different"

              Not if you set it to boot straight to the desktop.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Its not suprising..

        "employees will manage just fine when they aren't coddled and will take no more than thirty minutes to work it out"

        Whose budget are the man hours lost from as people work out whatever you thought it would take 30 minutes to work out? Since that might work out to a lot of money, it would pretty clearly be cheaper not to indulge Microsoft's fetish for Fisher-Price interfaces and stick with 7...

      3. K
        Trollface

        Re: Its not suprising..

        "People like you like to conflate the so-called problem to validate your own opinion"

        Thats right - People like me, who are paid to deliver such decisions, more commonly known as professionals. I pitty which ever company hires you as a PFY wanna-be, now go un-jam that printer!!

        (/me preps the cattle prod!)

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Its not suprising..

          "People like me, who are paid to deliver such decisions, more commonly known as professionals."

          More commonly known as a waste of money and a manager who is out of touch with the technology.. You have no idea about the subject as is clear from the above.

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Its not suprising..

        The problem is it's not only the "big square icons". It's now accessing many options became different and when you're not a computer geek looking for something new to learn, it simply gets in the way. When your job is not using a computer, but doing something useful also using a computer, if the computer gets in the way you work suffers. Now you need to think how to perform a given task on that damned machine, instead of being focused on the task itself.

        If people see some value in being forced to learn something new, they'll adapt. They see value in a driving license, although sometimes hate to learn about how car works. They see value in a smartphone, even if it is just to show off - while probably learning just 5% of what a smartphone can do. They won't see any value being forced to learn a new OS UI at work, just because MS changed it for its own interest. And they will start to complain, a lot, productivity will suffer, and departments bosses will start to point at IT for creating such a issue.

        1. Terry 6 Silver badge

          Re: Its not suprising..

          Absolutely. Most people learn what they need, to do what they have to do. Most users will struggle to find time or interest for anything that is not required to do the job and meet the deadline. A goodly number don't even know their way round the s/w they use daily. I used to spend a lot of time showing staff individual little tricks that they could incorporate to speed up or simplify their work. ( like maybe *one* of ctrl+s ctrl+c or ctrl+v). The last thing they were going to do was take time to learn stuff that won't put bread on the table.

          As to learning a new OS, or indeed how to find the bits of WORD they need when it's relocated into a stupid ribbon, they'd need a very good reason. And Microsoft's marketing strategy is *not* a good reason.

      5. Juillen 1

        Re: Its not suprising..

        Just a few things, Chekri:

        "employees will manage just fine when they aren't coddled and will take no more than thirty minutes to work it out"

        No, most of them won't. They have jobs to do, and they're already harried and hassled as it it (and quite a few of them still don't get Windows 7 fully, and ask all kinds of strange questions, because knowing the oddities of Windows isn't their real job). Some will take weeks to get it. And in the meantime, having to think about it slows their real job, which means the company takes a huge productivity hit. Would you be happy knowing in an overstretched healthcare environment, the medical staff were at 50% because they were trying to work out what the hell the tiles were doing, and why screens kept flicking up and vanishing?

        "these are the same people who somehow managed to work a smart phone, drive a manual vehicle and do their tax return without your finger up their backside"

        Most over in the UK have tax done by PAYE scheme. No need to do your own tax return and waste all that time when it can be rolled into a generic process. Driving a manual car takes months to learn to drive (and sometimes years to do so safely). Change the side the steering wheel's on, and put an auto shift into the bargain, and make them drive on the other side of the road, no training, and a LOT will not be safe, or happy, or effective.

        Many smartphone users are using them just for the phone. Maybe a shopping list or two, but not a lot more. Even that took them quite a while.. And all that time was their own time, and their mistakes had no major consequence (again, I mention clinicians, life critical roles etc.).. You're comparing apples and oranges.

        What you're advocating will work in a small group of people (though the rebellion may still occur), but when you're trying to make it fly in a company of thousands of users, the overwhelming majority of who don't want it, find it interferes with their work pattern, find NO ADVANTAGE in it (the real showstopper; how do you justify the advantage to them, apart from "newer, shinier, and Microsoft want us to go that way"?) and leaves them in a far more anxious state, it really is a no-no in the majority of uses. For tablets and kiosks, sure.. Great interface for that.. But as a desktop metaphor?? Nooooooooo..

    2. Daniel B.
      Boffin

      Re: Its not suprising..

      Really, how many of the MS shills/apologists actually work in IT departments? Most, if not all of our large companies have pretty much banned Windows 8.x from their premises. When MS was strong-arming OEMs to sell only Win8 boxes, one of our clients cancelled all PC purchases. This client is a Fortune 500 company, by the way.

      Sure, people might adapt, but it doesn't mean they will want to do so, and if the interface is strange they will be less productive. No, Win8 isn't like driving a manual/standard car, it's like driving a standard car that has the stick shift mounted on the ceiling, or a motorcycle with a stick shift instead of the foot gear shifter you usually have on a motorbike.

      1. Sandtitz Silver badge
        Mushroom

        Re: Its not suprising.. @Daniel B

        When MS was strong-arming OEMs to sell only Win8 boxes

        When was this?

        I've installed numerous HP's since Windows 8 was released and all those computers with the Windows 8 Pro badge have come with Windows 7 Pro pre-installed.

        Sounds to me you're talking of consumer PC's (Where Windows 8 prevails) and that doesn't compute with your Fortune 500 "experience".

        1. Daniel B.

          Re: Its not suprising.. @Sandtitz

          Mexico, sometime around late 2012/early 2013. Suppliers were insisting on Win8 because MS wanted that, company just plain put the brakes on purchases. They did eventually start buying PCs with the same agreement you've mentioned, where Win7 Pro was preinstalled instead of Win8. But a more obvious telltale of 8's rejection is that there was an XP to 7 migration project, and they didn't switch it to "XP to 8" even with the volume license discounts that MS was doling out. It could have saved them money, but they preferred to keep 7 as the migration path.

          Interestingly, MS is giving out "XP to 8" incentives, but IIRC only charities have taken in those offers.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Its not suprising..

        "When MS was strong-arming OEMs to sell only Win8 boxes, one of our clients cancelled all PC purchases"

        Presumably for completely unrelated reasons. Corporates would always put their own build on PCs anyway, and already have downgrade rights.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Its not suprising..

        "Win8 isn't like driving a manual/standard car, it's like driving a standard car that has the stick shift mounted on the ceiling, or a motorcycle with a stick shift instead of the foot gear shifter you usually have on a motorbike."

        A better analogy would be that Windows 8 is like a car that has gear shift and radio controls also available on the steering wheel. Once you learn the simple operation of the new controls, you are faster and more efficient....

    3. Dan Paul

      Re: Its not suprising..(Just use Classic Shell!)

      I don't represent them but I have had great success with "Classic Shell".

      Beats the heck out the changes in Win 8.1 by giving you far more control and a real configurable start menu and start button. If you choose, you can even change Explorer (Both file system and the browser).

      Go here - http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2399 for details and a great feature comparison of all the similar products and here to download http://www.classicshell.net/

      It will make everything look and feel like Windows 7, no training needed! Just install it.

      1. Peter2 Silver badge

        Re: Its not suprising..(Just use Classic Shell!)

        Why should we need to add the purchase cost of additional software onto Win8 to make it "People Ready" for the users? The situation with Win8 is outright absurd, and each person buying it just gives Microsoft another user to say "look how great and popular TIFKAM is!".

        Vote with your feet for the sensible and cheaper option and just buy computers with Win7 installed until Microsoft gets the message and produces something the customer wants.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Its not suprising..(Just use Classic Shell!)

        For large deployments, it's another software to install, configure and update. Don't get me wrong, it could be a great tool for personal use, but IT departments may prefer to stick to something that works how they need out of the box, and keep everything as much simple as possible. Also, software like this could break if MS releases some important update - and that's the type of risk you like to avoid in large deployments. Sure, you can test in advance, but if it breaks what do you do? Remove the utility from all machine, or delay the upgrade?

      3. K

        Re: Its not suprising..(Just use Classic Shell!)

        Dan Paul, its a good suggestion and great for home, but gone are the days where IT teams could roll out experimental features ;) if it breaks and causes problems on even a dozen PCs then it would cause a crisis within the company. Its one of the reasons IT departments stick to best-practice with tried-and-tested.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Its not suprising..(Just use Classic Shell!)

          "Its one of the reasons IT departments stick to best-practice with tried-and-tested."

          If that was the case then nothing would ever move forwards. If you actually made informed decisions in this space like me then you would understand that evaluation of new products is a constant ongoing process within any normal IT engineering function...

      4. Richard Plinston

        Re: Its not suprising..(Just use Classic Shell!)

        > It will make everything look and feel like Windows 7

        Then there is no point in spending the money to buy, test, validate all the applications (and buy new versions) and install Win8 only to change it to be like 7.

        Just stay with 7.

        1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
          Devil

          Re: Its not suprising..(Just use Classic Shell!)

          Just stay with 7

          He ... BROKE THE HOLY UPGRADE CYCLE!

          STONE HIM!!

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Its not suprising..

      You clearly have no idea what you are talking about and are completely uniformed on the subject. I make these sort of strategy decisions and have worked recently with companies that have already completed deployment of Windows 8. For many companies there is no reason why they could not deploy Windows 8 if they wanted.

      "a) Cause panic because people will freak out as they can't find what they need"

      A non issue. You either boot into desktop mode and place the icons on the desktop, or boot into Metro and place the required tiles on the Metro menu. And provide a 1 page crib sheet on how to add a printer, etc. for the rare occasion that you might need to do that manually - e.g. in a hotel room - rather than via a GPO.

      "b) Cause a revolt when people demand Windows 7 back"

      Not going to happen if you employed someone competent to set it up and deploy it. That actually understands the product. Unlike you.

      "c) Make my life incredibly difficult dealing with the above and having to train them on the changes"

      No training is required. A one page highlight sheet is all that is required to explain the user impacting changes of Windows 8 compared to Windows 7. Just like a similar sheet was required from XP to Windows 7...I have yet to encounter a user that actually required formal 'training' to migrate from XP to Windows 7, and from Windows 7 to Windows 8 configured for a corporate environment is if anything a less difficult jump for end users...

  7. Yugguy

    Heh. Microsoft can get fucked.

    Bought the mother-in-law a Lenovo desktop with Windows 8.1 on. Got ready to enter the hell of teaching an older person how to do everything differently.

    Turns out it has Lenovo's Smartshell on it - a Windows 7 skin, Start, Programs, you name it.

    So she's happy.

    A bit of investigation reveals that PCs are increasingly being sold with such shells.

    Windows 8? BIG, STEAMING PILE OF SHITE.

    1. JW 1

      Lenovo smartshell

      What is this smartshell. I can't find any reference to it.

  8. h3

    Do they not still count all the downgraded to Windows 7 ones as Windows 8.1 sales ? (Using the downgrade rights).

    1. chekri

      No - these stats are based upon browser agent strings visiting a broad range of sites.

      1. Nigel 11
        Joke

        No - these stats are based upon browser agent strings visiting a broad range of sites.

        Someone, please. please write a benign virus that alters these strings! Wouldn't it be fun to watch Windows for Workgroups rising from the grave?

  9. Mint Sauce
    Joke

    Niche

    I'm happy in the knowledge that my work PC is immune to viruses because it runs the niche Windows 8 OS - it's not worth anyone's time to target such a little used system with malware...

    :-)

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm not sure they'll care!

    I'm not sure Microsoft will actually care whether user's are using Windows 7 or Windows 8... Sure it would be nice for everyone to be on one OS but I don't really think it matters! Both Windows 7 and Windows 8 help the MS bottom line and as long as that looks healthy I think it's all good!

    As an aside I know quite a few people who use Windows 8 daily (including myself for both work and home) and the pain of moving to Windows 8 seems to be greatly exaggerated! On top of that 8.1 and 8.1 Update 1 really ironed out quite a lot of the pain points lots of users brought up!

    1. Blitterbug
      Meh

      Re: I'm not sure they'll care!

      ...um, no.

    2. Richard Plinston

      Re: I'm not sure they'll care!

      > Both Windows 7 and Windows 8 help the MS bottom line

      While the revenue to MS from _new_ machines may be similar it is less likely that Win7 users will provide additional revenue to MS in the near future. The plan for Win8 is to get users to buy from Windows store for both Windows applications and Metro apps, to _demand_ Metro UI on their phones and tablets and to move to a new world domination by MS.

      It always has been that the biggest threat to MS revenues is old versions of Windows (except Vista of course).

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I think Windows 8...

    Belongs on touch screen devices and desktops with touchable monitors. There's no reason to scroll sideways with a mouse for anything, and flat design can go to hell.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I think Windows 8...

      You probably never used it but Win 7 pro has touchscreen support. However 8.1 is supposed to be much better supporting touch screens. Use a shell and your problems go away.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I think Windows 8...

        No ne denies Windows had to support touch UIs better than 7 was capable of. 8 has a nice UI on tablets, and I like WP tiles on smartphones.

        The issue is that 8.x forced a touch UI on everybody, regardless if they had a touch device or not. IMHO it would have took little to MS to leave a 7-like shell in Windows 8 for those who still needs to use a keyboard and a mouse, have large screen(s), and use multiple applications at the same time.

        Utilities that somehow try to do what the OS should already do, are not always the solution, especially in large deployments, and still, they may not do enough.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Downvoters

    I think that you should have to post on the particular forum page in your own handle in order to be allowed to downvote any poster since this affects your standings. Arbitary downvoting of anyone with an unpopular opinion is getting ridiculous here. Moderators or other employees of the Register should not be allowed to vote up or down either way. Anyone who posts about Apple, Linux or Windows subjects should not have to post anon because they favor/disfavor an OS.

    1. Daniel B.

      Re: Downvoters

      Up/downvotes have no effect in your standing. Upvotes count towards the badges award, but down votes are irrelevant. Unlike other commenting systems, the up votes and down votes are simply for comment judgement alone. Otherwise the usual MS shills would have had awful standing by now.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Downvoters

      I post in threads about Apple/Microsoft/Google all the time. Sometimes I get upvoted, sometimes I get downvoted. Sometimes I post something that's true, but I know will upset a contingent of fanboys, and see the inevitable downvotes. It doesn't bother me, and I still have plenty more upvotes than downvotes (not that it matters, but if it did I'd be safe)

      If you're that worried about your upvotes exceeding your downvotes, make a good joke in an article that's just been posted and you'll have 50 upvotes, enough to write a half dozen uncomplimentary things about Apple, Samsung or Microsoft.

      1. Terry 6 Silver badge

        Re: Downvoters

        Shills/fanbois/the tiny minority who really use Linux for everday computing.

        it's all the same.

        They will defend every aspect their fetish OSs in the teeth of realworld criticisms however justified

        They'll mostly get lots of downvotes, not just from the fans of the other Os types, but also from those of us who just use computers and/or help others to get stuff done and fume when developers foist something on us that gets in the way instead of helping us.

        They also dish out lots of downvotes, for the same reason.

        1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
          Windows

          Re: Downvoters

          the tiny minority who really use Linux for everday computing

          Where the hell do you think you are here? Fecking toff.

        2. Number6

          Re: Downvoters

          the tiny minority who really use Linux for everday computing.

          I'd use it a lot more if some of the large non-MS companies would port their stuff to Linux. At home I run Linux and fire up a Win7 VM on the few occasions when I have to deal with something that needs it. At work I'm stuck with Windows but I've installed a Linux VM which I use for most things. At my previous company I re-wrote most of the dev tools from C# to C++ with Qt (surprisingly easy) so I could use my Linux netbook.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Downvoters

            I run Windows 8 and fire up a Linux VM for the rare occasions that I need to run any legacy code or open source applications. Which is pretty rarely. I can't see any reason to want to do it the other way round.

            Linux provides no advantages to me, and a number of inconveniences - it doesn't properly support touch - and loads of stuff isn't available for it. And even if it was - I can't see a reason to prefer it when Windows 8 is generally faster and easier to use.

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