A few thoughts on Windows 10

by Volker Weber

Before I start let me say that I will generalize. It's pretty easy to find examples where I am wrong.

If you watched yesterday's presentation, and I would recommend you do if you didn't, you will find that Microsoft addressed businesses. And I believe they are doing the right thing. My thoughts, in no particular order:

Why do I think, Microsoft is doing the right thing? Windows 8 is better than Windows 7. The new homescreen is a distraction from that. It runs better, faster, more secure than Windows 7. Going back or staying on Windows 7 makes no sense. Microsoft has to make Windows 10 familiar. People need to know where their stuff is. Start menu, search field, task bar, Windows controls, it's all there. This solved the first four items.

How do you solve the other four? I don't know. Microsoft addresses the last one by going to one brand, and one store. The store will give you what runs on your device. Developers can figure it out, users shouldn't need to. How do you get those iPad users back? Maybe with bigger devices. Phones are getting larger, tablets will be getting larger as well or become obsolete. Convertibles like Yoga or Surface might have a chance. So far that hasn't happened though.

Will Windows ever be cool again?

Comments

It never has been cool! Promising exception: Windows Phone.

Martin Kautz, 2014-10-01

You are too young to know.

Volker Weber, 2014-10-01

I am wondering what will be printed on the box: Windows OS X ?

Boudewijn Kiljan, 2014-10-01

I don't think there will be a box.

Volker Weber, 2014-10-01

"How do you get those iPad users back?"

Well in my opinion you told that, it will be coming over enterprise. once microsoft put it all together and enterprise starts to use pads as a tool for work and users begin to understand, that they don't have to learn, how different devices are used and! don't miss a thing, i think they are going to use it for themselves, too.
In Enterprise maybe the factory is going to be first if microsoft gets a clue how to do it. In factories there are many devices that are not IOS or Windows, but Handhelds with a single function, like barcode or RFID-Scanners, afterwards the worker will sit a pc and put his work together. If there are smart devices to manage all of this, that would be an impact.
in office, microsoft has to make it possible, that you can continue your work on your pad easy.

disclaimer. before leaving my ofice in 2012 i started the infrastructure to use pads instead of really expensive handheld devices for manufasturing processes, knowing about this devices to be produced soon. to reduce devices and device classes was already a goal.
(ouh my english...)

Kai Schmalenbach, 2014-10-02

"Will Windows ever be cool again?"

I don't know and I honestly hope it won't matter. I have a Windows 7 laptop at work, a Debian desktop at home, and on the go I am using Google Nexus devices. My current favorite product from Microsoft is Sharepoint 2013 and I enjoy how it works with everything I own. I think if Microsoft can continue to sell Windows in today's market, they are fortunate, but I think it will be ultimately their cloud solutions that will decide their (and everyone else's) fate.

That being said I believe that the security of your data in the cloud is the cornerstone of the future and how people are going to choose a platform - meaning that if there are serious security problems, they will move away. I think this could also affect the sales of Windows and related hardware since Microsoft somehow made it through the NSA scandal undamaged. (I still feel uneasy about possible backdoors, though.) So from my point of view, Microsoft should just focus on selling reliable and secure cloud solutions to companies. If they do that, the rest will automatically follow.

Philipp Sury , 2014-10-02

Its almost 25 years I've seen the first Microsoft Windows. A far cry from what was available on Apple, then. In the late 90s I became the first NT user in the company, to get rid of '95. 2000 was a relief, easy to use and stable. Now I am the first on Windows 8.1. Of course I switch to the desktop as fast as I can, and as long as I can grab a file, open a terminal window, install some historic software. At home its all Apple now.

Bernhard Kockoth, 2014-10-02

For me, the whole point in running one OS across multiple devices, is that those devices work seamlessly together AND share (at least some) common UI concepts, so it feels familiar switching between them.

Right now switching between a Surface RT and a Windows Phone doesn't feel familiar at all. To get from the home screen to all apps on the phone you have to swipe left, on the surface you have to swipe up. Some Phones have hardware back/search keys, some don't like the Surface. The Surface uses Charms. Action Center on the Phone is something completely different than Action Center in Windows... It's like the people developing that stuff have never even met.

It looks like some of that will get better like the common store, but it also seems that the familiarity between the devices will get worse.

If people want "The right experience. On the right device. At the right time." they just buy an iPad. IMHO if Windows wants to be cool again, they need to figure out a UI or at least some UI elements that work across the whole platform. And, no, tiles are not enough.

Max Nierbauer, 2014-10-02

You are too young to know. --> lol.

completely agree.

Andrew Magerman, 2014-10-02

Old vowe.net archive pages

I explain difficult concepts in simple ways. For free, and for money. Clue procurement and bullshit detection.

vowe

Paypal vowe