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#100
There are always reasons for upgrades that may sound attractive for a geek. But what about good reasons for Mary and Joe.
There are always reasons for upgrades that may sound attractive for a geek. But what about good reasons for Mary and Joe.
Current news, only a few hours old, concerning Win10 and the claim to 200million:
Microsofts new tally for Windows 10: 200M | Computerworld
Microsoft is really stretching the bounds of reality with numbers that can't be corroborate via any other sources.
Whatever the numbers are I don't think it's cause for any celebration when MS is pushing so hard with a FREE product that many don't even want.
Obviously this kind of talk speaks to the Wall Street community.
Well that's the reason I wanted to check out the numbers because from where I sit (though I realize this an anecdotal observation), the world around me looks like a mix of iPhone and Android and then Windows 7 on most of our work PCs. Windows 7 seems to be the de facto standard in most offices and homes that I visit. (and yes it's right to include mobile systems like Android and iOS in the mix, because a lot of people simply have abandoned PCs and gone to mobile options [they only use a PC when they have to], and besides, isn't Microsoft trying to get into the mobile game with Windows 8x and 10?)
Simply put, there just doesn't seem to be the same fanfare about Windows 10 outside of this forum. A lot of people that still need a PC seem to stick with Windows 7. That doesn't make Windows 10 a bad system, but it just not a runaway success either. And Microsoft NEEDS this to be a success. If they can't make a big enough dent in the mobility market, they need to preserve their desktop user base.
I cannot argue that Windows 10 is not a good performer. From the point of view of application load speeds and load times, it's a superlative system. However the flat look seems to be a step flatter than that of Windows 8x. The look of the Explorer shell in Windows 8 seems to appear a little more solid and modular. It just seems like a "modern" Windows 7. In fact, Windows 8 (especially with Classic Shell) is MUCH more like Windows 7 than Windows 10 is.
But I would like to see some sort of visual style with more three dimensional elements, and smaller XP-like caption buttons. The Windows 10 appearance seems like a mobile blocked shaped windowing system. It feels like it's a terminal connecting to remotely located data (no different than a tablet or smartphone). It doesn't feel like there's software on you local box. And like you insinuated, appearance can leave a user cold or can make the user embrace the system.
Isn't it nice to have all these really smart folks on this forum so we not so smart ones get the information about Microsoft straight. . .:)
I've never said you didn't get the facts yourself Lee. It should be be fine though for those of us that want to dig a little deeper.
:)
Very interesting article. Here's a quote that stands out for me:
A prime driver of Windows 7's success is the inclusion on new PCs. That market, as the article notes, was "much more robust" than the PC market now, in the Windows 10 era.Windows 7 also had another seven days to accumulate its five-month user share, and inherited other advantages, including a much more robust PC market and the prime before- and after-the-holidays sales season. Windows 10 only got the former.
Simply put: many more people were buying new PCs. Microsoft is in an uphill slog, market-wise. Small numbers of PC users do an in-place OS upgrade. Indeed, traditionally, I am one of those who strongly advised against it, telling people "wait until you buy a new computer that comes with the new OS"...the in-place upgrade is something I just didn't do!
Today, it's mostly a mobile device world, which is why you see Microsoft yet again trying to Go There, in a world of Android and iOS.
Add to that that enterprise users are traditionally slow to upgrade to new OS versions, and the W10 upgrade is no different. Where I work, we only went to Windows 7 for our workstations because the XP support EOL was about to occur.
And now, to my radio friend Jody, as if on cue:
Here's how I see it from here: you're basically right.
I was very comfortable with Windows 7, and am thrilled with 10. I am a geek/tech news guy and knew the free 10 upgrade was coming, and actively put in for it (I ended up using MCT to speed the upgrade process on day one or two).
My Dad's laptop is mostly used when I'm over there helping him, so I also upgraded it to 10.
My sisters' computers haven't been upgraded as far as I know. I say this because my sisters would certainly ask me about it :)
At work, all the workstations are on 7 (see above). The 10 upgrade nag has hit all of 'em, but I have no idea if IT will eventually convert them. So, we're in no hurry even in my department.
I suspect my picture is pretty similar in the eyes of others.
As I have said more than once, I personally don't care if Windows 10 has 200 million installs, 162 million installs, or 25 installs.
I certainly understand this thought. Personally, I don't care. And if the performance is such that this laptop is significantly faster than this same system was under Windows 7, bring on the less dimensions.