PC sales Suffer Biggest Slump in years

[taustin]

Originally Posted by wizwor

Twenty years is not very long. You have a lot to learn.

If you're going to get insulting, then piss off. Frankly, I'm better at IT stuff than you are. Insult me again and I'll complain to the mods. Probably best if you just set me to ignore so you won't be tempted.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by taustin

In other words, Microsoft can whine all they want, but businesses (at least through Dell) simply aren't buying Win8 at this point, and show no sign of doing so any time soon.

Write a logon script to put a Programs button in the toolbar, and then disable hot corners, the charm bar, and Metro. It's then an easy upgrade making clerical employees productive thirty seconds sooner every morning. That could produce impressive cost-benefit numbers, especially if you have already paid for Win8 through a Microsoft software assurance contract.

This wouldn't go over well in a law firm, where employees might be insulted to have such a locked-down retro PC. But in a production environment, I think Win8 would be more productive.

Admittedly, I'm getting mighty far away from mobile reading here

[taustin]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Write a logon script to put a Programs button in the toolbar, and then disable hot corners, the charm bar, and Metro. It's then an easy upgrade making clerical employees productive thirty seconds sooner every morning. That could produce impressive cost-benefit numbers, especially if you have already paid for Win8 through a Microsoft software assurance contract.

Or I could just keep buying Win7 computers, since that's almost all that's available through our vendor anyway. Clearly the business world just isn't interested in a cell phone interface on desktops (or even laptops). If they were, Dell would be selling Win8 on a lot more models. Certainly, they'd be selling it on new models.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by taustin

If you're going to get insulting, then piss off. Frankly, I'm better at IT stuff than you are. Insult me again and I'll complain to the mods. Probably best if you just set me to ignore so you won't be tempted.

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by HarryT

And it starts up a LOT more quickly than Win7 does.

How fast does it need to boot up, really? The approximately 30s it takes Windows 7 to cold boot on a standard HD (not an SSD) should be good enough for anyone. Of course, maybe I have different standards for "fast" than kids today, having grown up in an era when it could take 5 minutes to boot a desktop...

I'm guessing that it matters a lot to laptop users, and less so for desktop users. You can turn a desktop on and never turn it off since the power management features will take care of everything. People tend to turn off a laptop when it is being moved and will be unused for an extended period, and may be subject to the startup process several times a day.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by wizwor

Snip...
The metro interface is what amazon and apple have been running on their devices with success. Microsoft is just conceding the appeal of that UI. At the same time, they are offering the more productive among us the venerable windows desktop.

I guess I missed an OS X version if Apple run a "Metro" interface on their devices... and as an iPad owner as well as an RT, I sure as hell don't think that Metro is the same as iOS, maybe MS think so but as a user I sure don't...

Metro may be fine on a tablet but I don't want a touch oriented system on a Desktop computer or even a laptop... I've always found touch on Desk and laptop to be awkward and physically tiring especially compared to mice, trackballs and trackpads whereas it is ideal on tablets...

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

The approximately 30s it takes Windows 7 to cold boot on a standard HD (not an SSD) should be good enough for anyone.

If the choice is pay Microsoft $100 for an upgrade using your existing hardware, or to give the $100 to charity, it's hard not to favor the later. But if someone is going to get a new Windows computer anyway, I'd go with what's faster.

And Windows 8 performance is better than Windows 7 not just at boot time, but most of the time, as documented here:

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/win8-spe...ew-1760-5.html

I don't have figures on this, but I believe Windows 8 is less prone to freezing up, and recovers more quickly, than Windows 7.

Also, I think most people find a Windows 7 boot to be a lot longer than 30 seconds. Of course it depends a lot on what hardware you have. Then there's the tricky matter of deciding when the boot is really over. I think that when you first see the full desktop, it's closer to really being done on Win8 than Win7.

Having said all this, I'm quite open to the possibility that Linux is faster than any Windows OS.

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by Indio777

You can get "business" laptops with Windows 7, but you would probably have to order one from the manufacturer. For example, Lenovo's ThinkPads and some of Dell's models have Windows 7.

I remember that I had heard that XP was going away, and then I heard over and over how bad Vista was, and one day, I thought I will buy an XP for the future. But I couldn't find one.
I had to go to a Walmart in the next town to find a last copy XP Home still brand new in an unopened box for $99. I picked it up as insurance. I remembered I had seen them on sale there a year or so before for about $59.
Yes I am using it in one of my machines.

I had thought of getting a new Win7 for the future, but decided not to since Google, Chromebook, and Linux are becoming so strong.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No particularly compelling reason to upgrade - I always regard o/s upgrades as risky. Much better to get a new o/s with a new PC, and stick with it. But I really would consider getting Win8 if you decide to get a new PC. Once you get used to it (and yes, it does take a little getting used to) it's very nice. And it starts up a LOT more quickly than Win7 does.

Last November we bought two new PCs. One for in the livingroom (a mediacenter) and I replaced my own PC. The MC got Win8, as it is used mostly with the TV as monitor. And the screen you see most is the MediaCenter application. Which cannot even start from that "Modern UI"....
My own PC got Win7. I hate that Modern UI. And I'll completely ignore Win8 until they admit their mistake and return that start button. And give me the option to set the desktop as default, instead of the Modern UI.

And it boots faster? My life isn't so cramped in time that I can't miss 30 seconds each day....

Oh, and I don't think we're counted as having bought a new pc, as we only bought components and not an assembled system....

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by wizwor

No. What they have done is separate content consumption from content creation. That's the whole 'best of both worlds' approach. When you boot the machine, you are in the metro world -- live tiles, scrolling screens, and full screen apps unencumbered by scroll bars and such. It's pretty cool when you are watching a movie or surfing the web or playing a game. When you need to get down to business, you click the desktop tile and you are in a multitasking, cut and paste, content creation.

You've said no, then agreed with me?
They have sandwiched two unconnected UIs into the same OS.

[Ekaros]

PC isn't going away. It's replacement cycle is just getting longer. 5 years isn't one I have isn't too bad even now, though it was custom hi-end quad core q9300 with Radeon 4870. And for regular user who doesn't know of better even older machines are passable. So there is no need to replace one every other or three years.

Also I haven't thought this untill I read one reply on this thread. PCs are private machines, most of them sit at home where only occasional guest can see them. On other hand smartphones and tablets are public, people use them in public and as such want to show of. They are part of appearance and fashion statement too. Also they are hot. They will also level of in year or two if nothing major comes out. On other hand their physical life is limited in some ways that PCs aren't.

[hidari]

AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE??? I have seen quite a few posters complaining about no start button on windows 8 when you can get one for 5 dollars USD or some free alternatives:

http://www.networkworld.com/news/201...on-267616.html

So you can buy a 500 dollar notebook but will not pay 5 dollars USD for a start button or download a free program that will give you a windows 7 start up?

Windows 8 is better than 7 in my book and only need a bit of tweaking to get a start button on it.

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Last November we bought two new PCs. One for in the livingroom (a mediacenter) and I replaced my own PC. The MC got Win8, as it is used mostly with the TV as monitor. And the screen you see most is the MediaCenter application. Which cannot even start from that "Modern UI"....
My own PC got Win7. I hate that Modern UI. And I'll completely ignore Win8 until they admit their mistake and return that start button. And give me the option to set the desktop as default, instead of the Modern UI.

And it boots faster? My life isn't so cramped in time that I can't miss 30 seconds each day....

Oh, and I don't think we're counted as having bought a new pc, as we only bought components and not an assembled system....

[Ninjalawyer]

Originally Posted by taustin

I don't really care if people agree with me or not if they can explain why they don't, and know what they're takling about. I've beeing doing IT for for nearly 20 years, and been pretty skilled with computers even longer. Your claim that drivers won't be written for Win7 is contrary to 100% of my experience.

You're a busy guy; in a previous thread it was 30+ years of retail experience.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by hidari

AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE??? I have seen quite a few posters complaining about no start button on windows 8 when you can get one for 5 dollars USD or some free alternatives:

http://www.networkworld.com/news/201...on-267616.html

So you can buy a 500 dollar notebook but will not pay 5 dollars USD for a start button or download a free program that will give you a windows 7 start up?

Windows 8 is better than 7 in my book and only need a bit of tweaking to get a start button on it.

If you buy a pair of pants that doesn't have a button, people aren't going to care that they can go buy a button for 50 cents. They expect their pants to have a button.