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Data from Net Applications shows that Windows 8 is less popular than Windows Vista, the operating system that proved unpopular with the enthusiast audience.
Windows 8 usage uptake has slipped behind Vista's in the same point in its release. Windows 8 online usage share is around 1.6% of all Windows PC's which is less than the 2.2% share that Windows Vista commanded at the same two month mark after release.
Net Applications monitor operating system usage by recording OS version for around 40,000 sites it monitors for clients.
The slowdown for Windows 8 adoption is a bad sign for Microsoft who experienced great success with the release of Windows 7.
Data was measured up to the 22nd of December, so there is still time by the end of the month for Windows 8 to claim a higher percentage of the user base.
This data reaffirms previous statistics posted by organisations such as the NPD group. They said in the four weeks surrounding Windows 8 Oct 26 debut that 21% fewer PCs were sold to U.S. consumers than during the same period in 2011.
The New York Times have also said that U.S. consumer sales of Windows machines from late October through to the first week of December are down 13% compared to the same period a year previous.
Kitguru says: Our own polls show that the majority of the enthusiast audience are sticking with Windows 7.
well, that was obvious. its a system which is pritty much useless without touchscreen and not everyone can afford touch screen monitors
@Xam – Windows 8 is not useless without touchscreen and in fact works almost identically to Windows 7. Learn how to use the Windows key and you’ll see there isn’t a need for an ‘expensive’ touchscreen monitor.
As for this story, suggesting that a fall in PC sales is due to Windows 8 is a stretch. Perhaps consumers just have better things to spend money on at the moment. I don’t see everyone rushing out to by new Mac’s either so maybe that means Apple are doomed too.
Win8 isn’t for desktop!
Until Microsoft figures that out they’ll keep shoveling piles of tiles on us.
Long live the twinkie!
Windows 8just need some time to get a boost
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Alex24 works @http://www.carspeci.com/
Yeah, I saw it’s a lack of ability to embrace change. Is a touchscreen ideal for win 8? Yes, but NOT necessary. I’m running win 8 on 2 laptops and a desktop, none have windows 8. The OS is faster, more efficient, takes less space, and is quicker to navigate then windows 7 (and vista isn’t even CLOSE to win 8 in performance). There are a FEW features I don’t care for but overall it runs great.
I got a computer with windows 8, and I despise it!
Give it a few years. Apple will release something similar. Everyone will eat it up.
I have no need for a touchscreen console OS as the main part of my desktop, I feel sorry for the unsuspecting public who buys new pc’s with windows 8 pre-installed.
Seems that Windows 8 is almost as unpopular on the desktop as Linux. Thats a big fail.
Just as predicted: http://www.eatliver.com/i.php?n=8525
MS “every second OS” rule lives on.
It’s less popular because it’s a mobile OS. You shouldn’t need a third party program to bring back your start menu for starters. Not to mention that with the direction they seem to be trending with the Windows Store, a lot of high profile developers are concerned that they intend to lock the platform in the future and require programs to be purchased much like apps are on IOS, exclusively through the app store. Personally, I’m not impressed. The only thing it does better than 7 is reboot faster.
“Learn how to use the Windows key and you’ll see there isn’t a need for an ‘expensive’ touchscreen monitor.”
Why?
I have a mouse. Why should I change the way I’ve been doing things sine windows 3.1? Mouse. say it. Moooouuuussssse. Mouse.
Windows 8 is more efficient, snappier, quicker booting, and more stable than Windows 7. If the majority of dumb windows users can’t figure that out because they’re too busy whining about a touch-centric start screen, it’s their loss.
Maybe its because windows 8 is a horrible design and completely sucks.
Windows 8 is pretty good once you install a start button, I use classic start menu, it boots into the desktop and provides the much needed functionality. It is really a great OS just the built in limitations cause issues for most users.
This is probably more telling about PC sales rather than about Windows 8 itself.
Windows 8 sucks for desktop computers. Its basically a mobile phone OS, mascaraing as desktop OS.
They figured they stop developing for desktop and just cram up everyone’s throat a phone OS as desktop and they failed.
I think they just changed it too much and people don’t like change and when they advertise it as the best os for touchscreen there is a misconception that is it crap without touchscreen. Not only that I know many places that just upgraded to windows 7 recently and I doubt they are willing to shell out more money for windows 8.
There are also lots of tiny annoyances with win 8 such as no start menu cant startup to desktop and a horrendous mess to find where certain settings are, two versions of tons of software that do not link together, etc.
The slight learning curve is basically the problem.
Windows Vista followed many years after the sorely out of date XP. Windows 8 follows closely after the well regarded and still excellent 7. I’m not sure the take up figures are a fair comparison.
What is the “enthusiast” market? Microsoft enthusiasts?
People were using vista when windows 7 came out of course they moved quick.
I had to buy a new computer and was forced to get windows 8 because that was all the stores had for sale. I spit on it! I HATE, hate, hate it! Seems like they want to totally take control of my computer. I want to set my stuff up the way I want to set it up and not have Microsoft telling me how to organize my stuff. Basically, it looks like all they want to do is know what I am doing and sell me stuff. They can just go get bent and stick this system where the sun don’t shine..
This is what you see at this point, but remember that Windows Vista had the immensely-successful Windows Mojave advertisement to back it. The negative attention of Windows 8 will wear off about the time that the *actual* Windows tablet (the Surface Pro) – with Windows 8 and NOT this RT garbage – hits the market. As for the phone problem, it’s a shame. As for the low-quality line of third-party touch computers, it’s a shame. As for the lack of popularity with Windows 8? It’s a given.
**SNIP**
@Xam – Windows 8 is not useless without touchscreen and in fact works almost identically to Windows 7. Learn how to use the Windows key and you’ll see there isn’t a need for an ‘expensive’ touchscreen monitor.
As for this story, suggesting that a fall in PC sales is due to Windows 8 is a stretch. Perhaps consumers just have better things to spend money on at the moment. I don’t see everyone rushing out to by new Mac’s either so maybe that means Apple are doomed too.
***SNIP***
@Neil : Making reference to the Apple platform is asinine as you are comparing two different marketshare platforms.
I agree with the touch screen comment as ‘by default’ Windows 8 is designed to work better with Tablet based computing – this is completely a NO-BRAINER and anyone that thinks otherwise is just kidding themselves into optimistic based thinking.
The issue here, IMO, is that Microsoft needs to stop chucking a new operating system out the door every few years. It is completely not needed. In fact, nobody needs to spit out a new operating system every few years. It would be strategically better for them to just work on service packs for existing things.
Depending on where you live, a typical business may have a three or a five year internal refresh cycle – mostly three. Software-wise, this is a complete frigging nightmare for IT departments because Microsoft suffers from ADHD and cant seem to focus on something for longer than a refresh cycle.
Windows 8 is too little, too soon. They should have waited because NOW is not the right time.
I’ll just stick with Linux until Microsoft finally builds a system with a stable kernel. 🙂
@Neil … Every Win8 response containing the phrase “Learn to” just illustrates exactly what MS have done wrong here. No-one’s going to deliberately go out and spend money on an OS they have to learn to use. Same as before, or utterly intuitive.
Wow, that’s like saying “Castration isn’t as popular as we thought it would be” When things, that are working very well, are altered, the chances of improvement are, what %.? Boys and girls at Microsoft, if you have to tinker, may we suggest they rip you a new one?
I believe this is the beginning of the end for Microsoft. I will not use an operating system designed for 4″ screens on a regular PC. I will finally, after 17 years of using nothing but Microsoft Windows, find an alternative to Microsoft for my next operating system. Windows 8 is an obvious FAIL for Microsoft. Anyone that says different is either deluding themselves or being paid to say it’s great.
LOL @ you Microsoft shills in this comment section. Clutching at straws eh? No amount of denial can improve the abysmal sales of Windows 8.
Windows 8 is a flop. A colossal flop. The entire Microsoft ecosystem is a flop (Hotmail, Bing, IE, Skydrive, Windows phones).
And that’s the REAL reason why Sinofsky was fired. They still have to get rid of the other idiot Steve – Steve Ballmer. I’m amazed that the board of directors at Microsoft is still keeping this shouty nincompoop. If Mr Ballmer weren’t Billy Gates’ good ol’ buddy, he would be selling used cars.
Stop burying your head in the sand. Denying that Windows 8 is a flop is no different from that Iraqi information minister denying that American troops were in Baghdad.
If you spend less time astroturfing, and more time actually improving your products, then *maybe* Windows 9 (Windows Blue?) will be successful.
windows 8 is for desktops. I think the biggest issue is people are so use to old ways its hard for them to change. If you work for any large company that has a company dashboard for the business that is what the metro interface is a large dashboard with push notifications to it. this is invaluable to a company running any dynamic products or for custom apps with live tile feeds. I think people just don’t understand where this is all going. windows 8 is faster, has the metro interface for a quick look into everything going on in all communications fronts. Our biofuel company is switching to it as the metro interface will eventually have all our reporting done in real time on the tiles. imagine logging in and see all the financial details on a tile as to how things are running, plant updates, important messages all there when you come in. shift manager info all tilled out. With the metro interface supporting html5 you have any web developer create pages that feed from spreadsheets or databases 🙂 add in large web form tiles and you have a complete company dashboard for free. for personal use same story. all you social stuff in one place fast and easy.
Windows 8 is quite useless without the Start button in earlier versions of Windows. Without Classic Shell this new operating system is a pain to use.
http://www.classicshell.net/
I really wish Microsoft would listen to the users instead of selling shit that no one wants. I am not going to have any touch screen on my desktop. I hate fingerprints on monitors, so I would never use that feature.
i like an operating sytem that is easy to use, and windows 8 is definately not that. i have 5 computers, and none will see windows 8. i just don,t like it, period…if i am going to spend big bucks for a operating(because micorsoft is greedy), its something i better like..i just cannot believe a big company like this, could not have taken windows 7 and improved on it, than do a complete turnaround…..they have some real idiots running the company
Isn’t it strange that the only good comments I seem able to find about Windows 8, appears on microsoft.com pages!
Linux Ubuntu pulled the same stunt over the last few years following rumors of what windows was up to .
Linux community voted by downloading the new Linux Mint system which is a more conventional desktop and USER FRIENDLY ——we do count you know!
desktop and tablet os’s need to be two totally different designs .
Looks like Bill and Mark have got themselves a pair of Edsel eh?
The two problems Microsoft can’t overcome with windows 8 are:
1.They made the mistake of competing against their own excellent windows 7 product
2. Windows 8 sucks
Windows 8 is a Hot Mess.. It is THAT Bad! ugh
For thoses that say windows 8 rocks because its faster. Of course its going to be faster its system has been upgraded. Windows 8 is no good for code designers touch screen isn’t good for that you need a real keyboard if you do that. So business or school wise it sucks like crazy. Personal wise maybe as a phone or something of the sort, but home use there isn’t much reason for the tiles like that.
PS ya you can switch it to classic mode like windows 7 or xp, but if you encourage that with a system that has tiles on it. They will eventually force that tile system on you, and you won’t be able to go to classic mode anymore.
We have no plans to go windows 8 at work any time soon, and we’ve just moved to windows 7. To unleash windows 8 on our employees would result in a mad dash to retrain users and rewrite lots of legacy software.
Its just bad JuJu for the enterprise. Early adopters will suffer needlessly.
It is horrible when you start, but feels better later is what I can tell you
ça m’étonne pas et pour faire fonctionner certains programmes webmaster. Travaillant sur un site de simulation de pret personnel j’ai été bloqué un moment.