Friday, November 23, 2012

Windows 8, Why Microsoft Why?

Three weeks ago I got this great idea to upgrade my perfectly functioning Windows 7 laptop to Windows 8. I'm the type of person that likes to jump right in on OS upgrades, after all I loved Windows 7. 

I've been kicking myself ever since this decision. Windows 8 to me is a major step backward. It's difficult to understand what Microsoft's vision for this upgrade was. To be fair I haven't used Windows 8 on a touchscreen interface. For all I know it may be wonderful. I can however speak to my experience with a mouse and keyboard.

To say everything is different would be a major understatement. The new tile interface is attractive, but for me completely non-functional. Finding your favorite applications is very very difficult. Even for a seasoned user of Microsoft products finding your way around is cumbersome and confusing. I thought after a week or two I would be used to the new interface. I was wrong. I'm still confused where to find things and how to make simple changes to my user experience. The start button and menu are also gone. This has a been a feature of Windows since Windows 95. Why fix what isn't broken?  The start menu is the one location where you could find all of your programs and settings. To go away from that thought process seems ludicrous.

To be honest I can't find many positives about Windows 8. I'm a Microsoft fan boy and often find myself defending their sometimes illogical decisions. I can't defend this decision. Windows 8 is a major step backward and I wish Microsoft would stop shoving it down our throats. You can't buy a new laptop or desktop without it. So I just won't buy one. Microsoft is blaming the PC makers for the slow adaptation of Windows 8. This is a deflection of the truth. The slow adaptation is due to the poor design of the OS.

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