Microsoft cannot force people to shift to Windows 8. The adoption curve will be driven by the users and not by the OS manufacturer. One thing that I have seen is that people initially wait for stable releases of Windows before jumping onto the upgration wagon.
People are not prone to changes and therefore they complain about the changes to the Facebook interface initially. Later, they are comfortable using the new offerings.
Similarly, Microsoft as an OS provider has to get out newer versions. Apart from the visible performance difference there has to be some noticeable difference in the UI too.
I also think they will keep offering Win7 a little longer. Since, adoption rate to Win8 is relatively slower for companies it seems to be a good strategy to offer the older version.
I think that if MS made everyone upgrade to 8 that would be a huge mistake. You can't force people to upgrade. Luckily they understand that. The one thing I try not to do is impact users efficiency in a negative way. Throwing windows 8 when they are not ready for it is not a good move.
We get computers from Dell and if past history is any indication they will keep the option for Win7 for little while on the business side. They kept XP available throughout the whole Vista debacle.
We are not rolling out Windows 8 just yet. Some of the users just goy Win 7 this past year. 8 would be to much of a change right now. 7 is working very well and is stable. When it is time to start I am counting on some users having exposure to it through their home systems. That along with the right user training will go a long way when we start rolling it out. But for right now we are sticking with 7.
@Usman Ejaz, so does it seem that Windows 8 has a performance increase as opposed to 7? Do you do a lot of gaming or anyting that would require that ATI to really kick in?
What it really seems like, to me at least, is that Microsoft is copycatting Apple's design where everything is simplistic and you shouldn't have to go digging to find what you need. It's a neat layout, don't get me wrong, but just not something I as an IT pro, will move to anytime soon.
You know why Windows was a successful operating system?
Because it wasn't an "operating system". An operating system is a way to share the load across a common machine. But if you have a "personal computer" than you don't need to share...it's all yours!
Windows was not an OS. It was an application loader first and foremost. Microsoft understood that for most people, their PC would be like a TV where each year there would be new "shows" that they would want to run. Their job was to be small and stable enough to allow each new generation of apps to run and not get in the way. For many years things like "Multitasking" and "Inter operatbility" were things that IT geeks railed about, but few cared. I didn't need to have Excel talk to Yahoo in real time.
Android and iPhone kind of went down that same road. They provide a light weight way for people to build and run apps. It doesn't matter if they all "speak the same protocol". Each app is a "show" with its own needs and nuances. And if the programmers are smart enough, they'll figure out how to build all the services and socket servers they need for the really jazzy stuff.
So, after that what's left? If your job is to launch apps and get out of the way, then keep it simple and at the same time, snazz it up so that people buy the upgrade. What do I know. I'm still running XP on my "home media center" because I'm afraid of what an upgrade with do my Call of Duty performance (I basically built my own XBox and use a Logitech wireless gaming controller that looks Microsofts') or to running Netflix.
@hounhosp: I think Microsoft can learn from Facebook on how to handle interface changes. Every now and then Facebook comes with an erratic (and often annoying) change in its interface and people start crying. However, it's only a while before they get used to it and in fact start liking it.
@KiranIE: Don't you think it would have been a good idea if they had allowed the user to remove the start button if they wanted to? People who still wanted to keep would have stuck to it while those looking for a new interface would have turned it off. This seems like a win-win situation catering to all types of users.
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