Microsoft blames OEMs for slow Windows 8 sales, plans February "relaunch"

Super! Now I can tell people I know someone who knows the, "Windows 8 Poster Girl".....

I compare Win 8 to people that just bought a new smartphone within the last year. Of course there will be a newer slightly faster version of that smartphone come out in that time since. Those same people will find out about the newer faster version of the phone they just bought and say "oh nice but my phone is all I need and want for now." Myself I like to have the latest greatest tech, the exception being Win 8. No thanks.

Well, if you're one to quote random online people then sure....go right ahead.

If you believe in the, "six degrees of separation" theory, I can quote whoever I want and still wind up telling the truth...

Using a moniker, Yoda is.

In case you were wondering, I actually really like the Surface products. And Windows 8 on a Surface product will be a superior experience. But, you seem to have missed what I actually said in your hurry to come to the defense of Win8... I was talking about touch being a waste on DESKTOPS. Not tablets, laptops, or any form factor that the Surface fits into. These are 2 separate issues. If you have ever worked in an office, spent long hours on a CAD system, or generally used a PC in a standard "work" environment, you would understand what I meant. Having a touchscreen on most workers' (and home users') monitors would be a massive waste of hardware. The ergonomics alone of constantly reaching up to touch your monitor make it unrealistic. Unless you decided to completely redesign every workstation desk in the world, a touch-centric desktop scenario would be highly detrimental to productivity. Not to mention those of us with massive screens for our CAD systems at work - haven't priced out dual 27" touch-enabled monitors, but I can guarantee you that my accounting department would laugh me out of the building if I requisitioned those for my use, just because some software company decided that "touch is the future" and that I need them... Starting to see my point?

Touch is great, and has its place. Its place is in mobile and personal spaces, not in a desktop or work environment. Period.

Yeah, well you're just plain old, flat out, irrevoceably wrong....!

(I didn't see dtourond online, so I posted what I though he'd want to say)....

I love the "server did not respond in time" error this software puts up. It practically invites you to double post....

I believe touch does have a place in the work place, but not with current hardware available within the workplace. Once adequate hardware finds its way into the work place, that will be when a touch oriented OS becomes accepted by all. Until then we as consumers need a choice, and that choice was not made user friendly with Windows 8.

The reason I said available in the work place, is because the work place is usually the last to adapt with new tech. Windows 8 is ahead of its time, and came out before consumers were ready for such a transition. Windows 8 is a test project to see what will be allowed in future OS designs. Microsoft wanted to push a touch oriented OS on the public to get a better understanding of where their next OS needs to be.

I'm not gonna lie, I despise Windows 8 but that doesn't mean I'm gonna sit here and call it a failure. Touch orientated devices are the way of the future and Microsoft had to start somewhere.

Bah, you're both wrong...... "Windows 8 is Grrrrrr-ate"! Tony the Tiger told me so.....

Tell me about it!!!

There has been at least three instances I can remember, where I had to work at not double posting. When it takes a long time for commenting to compete posting, I usually copy the contents of my post and then refresh the page. After which I usually find my comment had been successfully posted, but just in case it was also stored in clipboard.

cliffordcooley says
"I believe touch does have a place in the work place."

What clifford meant to say was that in spite of the well thought out and articulated explanation put fourth by Vrmithrax of 'why' touch has no place on the desktop that cliffy is gonna believe that we as humans are, in reality, gluttons for punishment and regardless of the limitations of the human body that touch will, in fact, somebody thrive in an office environment and no one can convince him otherwise.

Please don't let Vrmithrax squash your dreams of a touch-centric work-force cliffy. He's just trying to hold back progress. I myself, can't wait for the day, we are all using our thoughts by way of electrodes hooked up to our brain to communicate with computers. Don't stop believing cliffy. If you really believe it in your heart, then it does become true.

First off thats not my name/moniker and I consider it an insult when presented in that fashion. If you want to shorten my name clif will suffice.

Insults are not allowed on Techspot, remember that when you address me again.

Secondly, I didn't say they would be a complete replacement to everything we have. I do however believe in a balanced environment, where touch could be used.

lol, cliffy...
sry, I find it amusing. (no insult intended)
I do use touch devices in my workplace, but they are handheld and tablet devices. They are used for product tracking and such. Makes the job much easier than using paper and pen.
However, I don't see that touchscreens would ever be productive in a desktop environment (ie.office).
I think the balance lies in using touch tablets/handhelds in conjunction with (non-touch) desktops.
The only way I could see touchscreens working well as part of a desktop is by maybe replacing (or adding to) the keyboard/mouse at your fingertips with a visual surface like device, as well as having a non-touch monitor in front of you.

How would that be very much different from the way Windows always worked? Or for that matter the Apple OS?

I'm sorry, I just am unable to process why drag and drop, and double-click to open, would really benefit from further "simpleton-ification". Really, aren't those things easy enough........., for 5 years olds?

I suppose very soon, speech recognition software will improve to the point where a secretary won't have to bother learning to type. In the old days, when men were men, and silk stockings had seams in the back, only the ugly secretaries had to learn to type anyway, the hotties could get by "using other means"..... << If you know what I means.

Well that can be true and yes my piece of info is anecdotal. But I do think it's better than most of the gibberish I'm reading in this topic(though I admit the replies are starting to get entertaining.). I think most of these opinions are uninformed.

I haven't. I've avoided it to the same degree I would a syphilitic leper.

Be patient grasshopper, it will be that way in Windows 9. Deep down inside, you know that "Windows 8ista" was just a ploy for some interim operating capital, don't you?

BTW, would you be willing to settle for bouncing to cursor off the center of a tab on the page edge for scroll"

Actually, that seems to have worked, at least somewhat, judging by the topic of this thread......

Well Chazz, that's why we call them "opinions", because you don't need to be informed to have one....

That's why I change mine from time to time. First, I'm liable to be correct at least 50% of the time. And second, it helps other people to overcome their inhibitions by getting angry, giving a contrasting opinion, and telling me that I don't know what I'm talking about.

Ya, that would be perfectly fine. Except when you form a opinion based on other peoples opinions. Then I find it not to be that persons opinion. I'm not gonna say "The Odyssey is a great book", having not read it(or atleast partially) just because a lot of writers and book enthusiast love it. It's easy for someone to spout complete BS and then hide behind the word opinion.

I'm totally OK with someone forming an opinion based on their limited information and revising it as they learn more. No one knows everything and it'd be foolish to not want to talk to anyone that doesn't know 100% about what they're talking about. That's the difference between people spouting regurgitated trends and having a meaningful conversation about a topic.