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Once again, a new article surfaces talking about how Windows 8 will largely be irrelevant for PC users (though fine for tablets), and that switching from 7 to 8 has little merit.
While it is a fairly interesting read, its not what I want to talk about today. Instead let’s focus on how Windows 8 can be relevant to PC users and worth switching to.
The biggest argument about why 8 won’t be worth the switch surrounds “METRO”.
Metro just doesn’t navigate as well on the desktop, according to those who aren’t in favor of the new interface.
Is there any merit to this claim?
There certainly is. I’ve used Windows Developer Preview extensively and in its current form it could use some work in order to appeal better to the PC market.
I actually don’t mind Metro, but I can certainly understand the reasons behind why some are turned off by it.
So if you dislike Metro, is Windows 8 worth it? I am fairly confident Microsoft will allow at least one (if not all) version(s) of Windows 8 to disable METRO as an option, in favor of the traditional start menu.
Even from the traditional start menu it might still be possibly to launch into METRO apps, who knows right now.
My reason for why I think that Microsoft will have a backwards compatibility option like this is simple, they’ve done it before. In XP you could switch to a more classic look and such nods back to previous versions have existed throughout Windows.. .even in 95 you could use the old style-Windows 3.x task manager if you really wanted to (though few to none did, I’m sure).
Of course Microsoft has recently shown that it is changing its old habits, but some things die hard and Microsoft is smart enough to recognize that transitions are necessary. So I fully expect some kind of Traditional Start Menu option in Windows 8. Will it be in 9 though?
Again, based on previous history it is likely that by Windows 9 they will phase out the Start Menu because they will be confident that enough people familiar and used to METRO by then.
Okay, so for arguments’ sake let us assume I’m right (yes, I know I certainly could be wrong) and Windows 8 allows use to disable METRO in favor of the start menu. Now all we have is Windows 7 basically, right? This is another argument I’ve heard from those who don’t like Windows 8.
I highly disagree. After all, what was the main difference from Vista to 7? Speed, performance, and reducing bulky bloatware that wasn’t really necessary from Vista. Yes, things like grouped icons and window preview were added and upgrade in 7, but again you can disable these too.
So with Windows 8 changing the way it updates Windows so it is less obtrusive, the change to using hibernate kernel for shutdown/restart so it boots/restarts quicker, and other speed related features have gone into making Windows 8 a much faster and modernized system, even WITHOUT booting into Metro.
Honestly, many of the same reasons people switched from Vista to 7 exist in the potential switch from 7 to 8.
Keep in mind, this is my honest opinion and I understand (and respect) that not everyone shares the same view. Past experience has taught me though that Microsoft knows this business well, and love or hate them, they understand their market. Do you think that even without Metro, Windows 8 offers a worthy upgrade experience?
Is Windows 8 doomed to do poorly among desktop/laptop users? Share your thoughts below!]]>
