Windows 8 pre-launch figures are lagging

New numbers from NetApplications show that Windows 8 pre-launch numbers are severely lagging those of its predecessor, Windows 7.

Adoption numbers are low, lagging Windows 7 by a 5-to-1 ratio: "With just weeks before the public launch of Windows 8, users are five times less likely to be running the new OS than they were Windows 7 at the same point in its countdown."

As of this week, only 0.33 percent of all Windows computers are running Windows 8, whether that be earlier betas, the Consumer Preview, or the leaked RTM versions. At the equivalent time before the Windows 7 launch, the OS was running on 1.64 percent of all Windows PCs.

While of course these figures are early, they certainly are not what Microsoft was hoping for.

Large research firm Gartner says Microsoft gambled by making an excellent tablet OS into a desktop OS, and that the gamble will likely not pay off. Gartner says they expect Windows 8 to peak at 20 percent of the enterprise market, an extremely low figure for Windows.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 2 Oct 2012 0:01

megadunderhead

And what i find funny is that most people don't want windows 8 because of the fact it is a tablet os not a desktop os.

i am glad im on a macintosh

2.10.2012 01:18 #1

xnonsuchx

Originally posted by megadunderhead: And what i find funny is that most people don't want windows 8 because of the fact it is a tablet os not a desktop os.

i am glad im on a macintosh
You can install Windows 8 on a Mac (assuming you're not on an old PPC or 68K one). ;-)

2.10.2012 03:48 #2

zxe45

For me its the metro and this instance on App store, take out metro and it's Windows 7, i can see another Vista issue coming, not sure why MS didn't give people the option to remove metro, and have just a windows 7 sp3 desktop ( opps mean Windows 8)

2.10.2012 03:56 #3

Taalen

There's plenty of things hinting that they were actually making a pretty decent looking OS, but then somebody gave the order to start force feeding people Metro in the useless hope of it breathing some life into their dead, never-was-alive mobile OS.

Personally I cannot see how anyone could come up with a GUI that looks like somebody threw up on your screen and consequently make you want to puke, and think it's a good idea.

2.10.2012 04:26 #4

dali

Originally posted by zxe45: For me its the metro and this instance on App store, take out metro and it's Windows 7, i can see another Vista issue coming, not sure why MS didn't give people the option to remove metro, and have just a windows 7 sp3 desktop ( opps mean Windows 8)
Not only that: Take Metro out and put Aero back. Without Metro interface (completely useless and unfriendly if you don't have a touchscreen), and lacking Aero, for those of us which are used to see crystal-framed Windows and so on, Windows 8 is UGLY AS HELL, a huge step back.

"You know, it seems that quotes on the internet are becoming less and less reliable." -Abraham Lincoln.

2.10.2012 04:31 #5

Mysttic

I could see them take Metro out with demand and pressure. After all you can't sell what the world isn't ready for or what it doesn't want; it just isn't good practice.

2.10.2012 07:51 #6

Bozobub

That didn't work with Vista.

2.10.2012 10:38 #7

SomeBozo

Originally posted by xnonsuchx: Originally posted by megadunderhead: And what i find funny is that most people don't want windows 8 because of the fact it is a tablet os not a desktop os.

i am glad im on a macintosh
You can install Windows 8 on a Mac (assuming you're not on an old PPC or 68K one). ;-) Sounds even worse and would only add insult to injury.

2.10.2012 11:35 #8

SomeBozo

Originally posted by Mysttic: I could see them take Metro out with demand and pressure. After all you can't sell what the world isn't ready for or what it doesn't want; it just isn't good practice. I have a feeling Metro is here to stay :(

I'm with you looks like crap, works like crap, tastes like crap.... Good thing we didn't step in it :)

2.10.2012 11:38 #9

Mr_Bill06

Microsoft's fix would be to buy Windows 9. I am happy with 7, the features that are in 8 are of no use to me since I am not buying a touch screen nor want a touch screen for my desktop.

2.10.2012 15:00 #10

KillerBug

I thought you could disable (or at least hide) metro and make it look just like Windows 95? That's how I run Windows 7...never liked Aero. If it is locked in, I guess I'll just wait for Windows 9...or maybe I'll hold out until I can't get Win7x64 drivers for new parts or new apps refuse to run on Win7x64.

As for adoption rates, I don't think it is due to the crummy interface. Windows 7 was a big hit because it actually works...better than Linux does on some systems (thanks to crummy drivers, not thanks to Microsoft). People got one too many BSOD's on Vista and decided to risk a beta...and the beta of Windows 7 was better (the Alpha was better than vista!). So what is the push to go to Windows 8 when Windows 7 works fine on the PC and Windows 8 mobile doesn't work with existing devices?

2.10.2012 17:39 #11

Mr_Bill06

It's no longer called Metro but it is replacing the start bar/ start button. There is no way to turn it off. I hope there is a huge backlash and while I doubt Microsoft will fix it, Windows 9 will at least be Windows as we know it and not a tablet OS.

2.10.2012 19:21 #12

Dragon3000

I guess I'm going to be quite controversial here, but I actually like the new look with Windows 8. It's clean, It's modern and it's trying to be the first operating system that seems to adopt the 'app' looking systems that you get on smart phones and tablets. I like it and I'm looking forward to getting it once it's released.

;P

3.10.2012 02:45 #13

Bozobub

The problem is, Dragon3000, I don't particularly care to use "app"-styled programs on my desktop PC; it doesn't take a quad-core beast to run Angry Birds, FFS.

3.10.2012 10:39 #14

xnonsuchx

There are (supposedly) and will be 3rd party apps/hacks to get rid of the new Win8 'Start' screen...if you're STUCK w/ Win8.

4.10.2012 02:41 #15

mbrook21

Originally posted by xnonsuchx: There are (supposedly) and will be 3rd party apps/hacks to get rid of the new Win8 'Start' screen...if you're STUCK w/ Win8. There already are a few third party apps and hacks to remove the Windows 8 Metro I believe. It's for Pre-release versions of Windows 8 however. I highly doubt it will work for the final released copy of Windows 8. It's actually called Blue Poison. There is another called Start8 0.95.

4.10.2012 18:36 #16

voyager

Originally posted by megadunderhead: And what i find funny is that most people don't want windows 8 because of the fact it is a tablet os not a desktop os.

i am glad im on a macintosh Yeah i will probably buy your tablet but not pretend to buy the program for my desktop computer.

5.10.2012 15:39 #17

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