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

I refuse to own a smart phone. I don't want one, I don't need one, and I can't afford one. But I've seen how the interface works, and I don't need that either. I don't want to go to my desktop, and have the same user experience that I would at a Redbox. So IMHO, plus my casual experience with other touch enabled devices, Windows 8 does suck.

I've said this before, have M$ call me, when the get voice recognition, and voice printing enabled in their OS. That way, I walk over to my computer say "good morning", it knows me, and we chat over morning coffee. In the meantime, a mouse and keyboard are dandy.

For a keyboard on a desktop, touch would be the stupidest thing imaginable. Because, then you'd need the monitor laying flat in front of you, and the keyboard would eat up a big chunk on the screen.

In the meantime, how would a monitor laying flat on a desktop mesh with today's principles of "ergonomics"?

You don''t walk down the street staring at your feet, and I expect not to have to use my computer in that manner either.

Very well said. I think most fanboys of the gay 'Window 8' operating system are teenage girls addicted to facebook and nerds who love new. Of course, If I were a 16-year old female facebook addict I would probably have a tablet where I could use it everywhere. At home, at school, at friends houses. Does a 16-year old female facebok addict "really" want to be tied down to a desktop computer? The 'nerds who can't resist new' haven't really stopped to ask themselves what's so great about touch on a desktop. They haven't really stopped to ask themselves how does it make their overall user-interface with the operating system better or worse. Sure there are under the hood improvements which make Windows 8 more appealing but the pathetic tablet interface kills all those desires in me to upgrade.

I honestly can't believe what I am seeing but I believe that traditional desktop user outrage is having an impact on the sales of Windows 8. Windows 8 is a POS. It deserves to fail.

Word to Microsoft: "What we have here is a failure to communicate!"

Rage on my Windows 7 patriots. The tide is slowly turning!!!

I'm glad that there are so many people here who have used Windows 8 on a daily basis so as to be well informed authorities on the matter! I've never seen so many experts!

hyperbole aside, Windows 8 includes more features that I find beneficial than the oft-bemoaned negatives. But then, maybe that's just me being an objective evaluator of pros and cons.

Right. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with how many of us are using Windows 7 and have absolutlely zero problems with it. Or how many of us still use XP (and also, according to what I've read) have absolutely zero problems with IT. Nope. Of course -- it's the OEM's fault. Dell, HP, and Lenovo just aren't pushing Windows 8 hard enough (despite that every single new machine that has appeared in the last two months has Windows 8 on it).

Whatever.

Oh Captain my Captain...

That walking analogy is a perfect example of my comments about a touch-centric interface being less than ergonomic or productive in a typical desktop PC usage situation. It's just common sense in most cases, not anyone trying to "hold back progress" as someone stated earlier. Glad at least you can see the pitfalls, Capt... I don't feel so alone! Heh

While I understand that touch has its place, and that it will be expanding over time, I think the main problem is that Microsoft pushed this "test project" and is trying to bend the industry to its will overnight, rather than easing into it. It's ironic that Microsoft was striving to make Windows 8 user experience friendly, but their marketing and removal of options made the entire consumer side of the experience much less friendly.

And just a side note... You may want to rethink that whole "work place is the last to adapt" thought. PCs in general flourished because of massive corporate sales that helped propel the market. Things like laptops were initially designed to make work easy to take on the go, but have morphed over time into general consumer devices. Tablet PCs were initially designed for industrial and commercial applications, but have been usurped by the current tablet appliances. Microsoft wouldn't be anywhere if they hadn't catered to the corporate sector early on, and continued to do so with products like Office. All this points to how critical the professional / enterprise sector has been in the continued growth of companies like Microsoft. Not to mention the fact that well over half of all PCs in use today are business computers. The cavalier "they'll adapt to touch, we'll make them" attitude of Microsoft betrays a deep ignorance (or just dismissal) of what got them to their current status as an industry leader. And it also shows a complete lack of comprehension on just what kind of monetary impact (in hardware, retraining, reorganizing, ergonomics redesigning, etc) is required to make their "touch is the future" goal a reality in the business world.

Right, they should adapt just as quickly as they abandoned IE6.

I have a computer, I dont use tablets, I dont want windows crap 8

slow Windows 8 sales lol, why ? I bet u still doesnt get a clue uh ?

Haha, touché! Well played, sir... Well played

I upgraded from Windows 7 and I loved that OS. The other computers in my house has windows 7, besides main one and my sisters laptop and I'm happy with them. Just because I do like the Windows 8 on my Main rig I'm not gonna start non-nonsensically bashing Windows 7. It was and continues to be a great OS.

Windows 8 is actually pretty good once you download an aftermarket start menu! Its fast, It goes to sleep quickly and wakes up quickly. Its Just a faster windows 7. However, I despise the new app menu. Once I installed the classic start menu icon, I haven't even used the apps or the app screen. It adds no value to me. I think Microsoft removed the classic start menu to try to generate app revenue. What a bust! Without the classic start menu though, I couldn't imagine using Windows 8. They tried to reinvent the wheel....I mean mouse and as expected it didn't work. It is MUCH MORE complicated using Windows 8 if you don't have the classic start menu. Half the new features are "hidden"!!! The person who is in charge of Windows 8 should be fired along with Balmer.

Yeah but, negating any claimed speed difference, all you've done is reverse engineer Window 8 to be Windows 7. Nobody disputes that Win 7 is a great OS, do they?

The fast boot times of Windows 8 are a cheat. Windows 8 uses a modified hibernation method to deliver those fast boot times. Which has been shown to cause corruption of hard drive data if the hibernated disk is accessed by another OS. Which you may have to do in the case if viral infection, other technical issues or when dual booting other OS's. Including other versions of Windows.

This fast boot feature can be turned off. When turned off Windows 8 boots no quicker than it's predecessors. So if you value your hard drive, turn off fast boot and go put the kettle on.

Rsndom Guess Time: Microsoft will be smoked when/if Apple release some sort of touch-screen desktop/laptop/I've used a lot of forward slashes. But what is this came out? -www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5zhEuFwoVns