Zeichick’s Take: With Windows 8, one size must fit all

Ballmer announces Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 betas Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer used the CES 2009 spotlight to announce the availability of betas for the upcoming version of Windows. Preview versions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 have been distributed to testers, with general availability coming tomorrow.

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Comments

10/27/2012 04:19:04 PM EST

I'm a computer expert who has been using Windows 8 since March and I completely disagree that it's clunky on a desktop environment. I have dual monitors and manage servers and workstations for a living. I'm in and out of email, websites and remote sessions constantly. I can easily do everything I used to do without even realizing a "modern" interface exists. All of my main links are in the taskbar like they were in windows 7 (where I first stopped using the start menu) and the only time I really go to the start area of the screen is when I need to get to an admin tool at which point I right click in the start corner. This experience is actually far more fluid than previous versions of windows. As an admin with 10+ years of experience I find windows 8 to be quite efficient. And if I want to browse some customized news or play with some apps the modern interface works for that. Modern isn't there to change the life of business folks at this point. It's there to make the business software also amazing for home users. Microsoft nailed it with this software. If Microsoft replaced the start screen for business users with a simple "all programs" button you'd be fine and wouldn't have much to complain about. It's essentially the same thing only with super powerful gadgets that run on it instead of the desktop.

United StatesGlitch177k

10/29/2012 02:52:36 PM EST

In my own focus group of one experiment, I am frequently referencing source material while I edit a document. My current environment involves 4 editor windows, a few command windows and a couple of tablets. I may edit four documents at once as I declare, define and use each new function while referencing one or more data sheets. I could not do all of that very efficiently if I had to swipe-swipe-swipe to the next document. The creative process is somewhat chaotic which does not lend itself to the neat and highly structured one-app-at-a-time environment. My work is all about efficient multitasking. But, I appreciate having one app at a time on my tablet because getting interrupted while reading news or playing Agree Birds is really annoying. One size fits all definitely does not fit me.

United StatesBrian