Bits from Bill

Technology thoughts leaking from the brain of "Bill Pytlovany"

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Microsoft’s Future and Windows 8

Now that there isn’t as much discussion about Romney and Obama the passion appears to focus on the future of Microsoft and Windows 8.  I’ve already published three articles but I haven’t taken a stance strong enough to generate any hate mail yet.

windows8
Some folks have posted very positive and very negative reviews of their Microsoft Surface experience.

Dave Ward loved sharing, “A month with my Surface RT
Meanwhile,  James Kendrick let ZDNET readers know,
”Why I can’t recommend the Surface RT for table shoppers”

Paul Thurrott known for his research and Supersite for Windows took a much broader look at the big changes in Redmond with “Microsoft’s Mobile Strategy is Correct”. Paul’s popularity means he’ll generate the hate mail from the Apple Fan Boys but I’ve come to a similar conclusion that Windows 8 will be a success.

One real sign of potential success comes from the reaction I’ve had from complete strangers. Any time I’ve used my Surface I’ve immediately been interrogated by interested consumers. At my doctors office, I clicked the keyboard in place and everyone behind the counter stopped what they were doing as they jumped up to ask questions. I had heard Microsoft spent an extra bit of time getting the click sound they wanted.  Based on my experience, the recent Surface ad campaign has been very successful. The cost of the campaign has been effective since they’ve been able to advertise both the Surface and Windows 8.

The Windows brand is as strong as ever and nothing currently on the market is going to drastically change the focus. I learned a big lesson when I was involved with the “One Laptop Per Child” program. 

olpcFor $200, you could purchase a laptop and one would be given to kid with a desire to learn about computers.  The XO Laptop was an amazin innovation but it lacked one thing; Windows. It turned out even poor kids in 3rd world countries still wanted Microsoft Windows.

Just like we found true in the recent US election, people are comfortable with that they know. Microsoft is moving forward with change and I suspect folks will follow a brand that has always met their expectations.

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6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

So much info about windows 8 and microsoft's Click sound, I am impressed! That is a heck of a prediction about how well "8" will be accepted.


This response MUST be approved by the blog author? This is a joke - Right?

9:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Somewhat biased article looking at the credentials on the website. I've been using Windows since the beginning and it's now come to the stage where it's just too bloated to be bothered with. I've found alternatives that make my system run like a fine tuned machine that it is. I won't mention what os's that maybe since you're strictly a Windows fan.

3:01 PM  
Blogger peterlonz said...

Disappointing to end up reading such a shallow evaluation, with little other than the authors opinion as evidence.

10:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I notice you really just favour RT, which bears more a cousinly relationship to Windows 8 and should work well where it is appropriate. But the techies I see commenting basically seem to feel that a touch screen is inappropriate on many laptops and all desktops (an thus not fitted) and that the Windows 8 interface is unsuited to such computers. Basically like most tools, it works on some jobs but not others.

4:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If computer OS and hardware have come down to the "click" sound they make, count me out of any "improvements". Somebody out there ain't gettin' the REAL message, 75% of the adults over 50 in the US ain't got 'puters, don't want 'em, ain't gonna buy 'em, and they have 97% of the MONEY. If the CEO of a corporation I own stock in has a PC in his office, I'm selling my stock in it. He's got a LOT better things to do with his time than look at a PC. If he doesn't, I'll give him one. FINDING A NEW JOB!
I didn't like Vista. Win7 isn't worth the price of the software and a new computer. Win8 isn't worth the time of day, since I don't have (won't have) a stupid phone, which is what Win8 is all about being like. The "newer, better, fancier" doesn't work on me, because it may be newer, and maybe fancier, but it rarely is better.

11:54 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Wow, and I was worried about getting Apple fans hate my post. While I don't have an iPad or iPhone I don't have any reasons to be critical of their technology. I've worked on projects with Apple Computing and I still have an iTouch even though I haven't used it in a while.

The point of my post is to provide my opinion and I thought I provided examples why I formulated my opinion. This sounds stupid but the ad campaign has been successful even if it hasn't generated sales of the Surface.

It's beyond the scope of a single post for me to completely explain this success and what I think is behind Microsoft's long term vision. I do think some mistakes have occurred but ultimately there are winners that will break through

12:22 PM  

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