Windows Blue: The Last Stand for Microsoft!

Last week Microsoft announcement they are pushing forward the release of Windows Blue to next month from October which should include the return of the Start button and program menu and the accompanying claim they are actually listening to their users which frankly still has a very hollow ring to it.

This release is nothing to with Microsoft listening to their users but Microsoft trying to save Windows 8 itself which frankly has not gone down well with both the users and industry itself reflected globally in increase of sales of tablets and an over 10% drop in Desktop and Laptops.

Basically Windows 8 has not taken off and much like Vista before it has has not gone down well with both users and industry who now universally dislike or find the new mono front end to the desktop unusable. Add to this the fact not everyone likes the modifications Microsoft have done to the back end which frankly make the operating system difficult to use commercially.

This week by this announcement Microsoft have admitted they have made a big mistake releasing and changing the desktop in Windows 8 something a lot of users like myself have said since it’s release. It has been a disaster for them and computer industry in general which has suffered because of the release of Windows 8 especially in the retail sector who have stubbornly stuck to Windows 8 regardless of the fact it has damaged their profitability at a time they did not need it.

You could say Windows 8 is Microsoft’s own Coke in so much they changed it hoping the users would like the change but they have discovered like Coke the users did not like the new operating system so like Coke Microsoft will have backtrack to save Windows 8 as they now have no choice to do so.

In conclusion Microsoft must get Windows Blue right this time as this is their last chance to get Windows 8 right as if they don’t it could spell the end of Microsoft’s domination of the operating system market as both the users and computer industry will vote with their feet and start to seriously look for alternative operating systems which all users can use and revive the flagging Desktop and Laptop sales.

This is the last stand for Microsoft!

Windows 8 is not the Success Microsoft Would Have Us Believe!

If we were to believe Microsoft and it’s associates we would believe Windows 8 and Office 2013 have been an success and it will change the way people use their computers. But I work in a retail company which sells computers, tablets and the such and that is not what I have seen on the ground or heard from talking to customers who on the large majority are not overly impressed with Windows 8 and Office 2013 if anything very dubious about both products for different reasons.

In truth from personal observation in the store people have been buying Tablets /iPads more than Laptops as people discovered they could do the same things on a Tablet/iPads they usually do on a Windows Laptop for a fraction of the cost and hassle. In these hard economic times that is the most important thing to customers who really do not have the cash to spare.

This has been further borne out by reviews elsewhere which say exactly the same thing. Basically we should really take with a big, I mean big, pinch of salt when Microsoft say that Windows 8 and Office 2013 is success as on the ground it simply is not. It looks from where I am Microsoft and it’s associates are being very selective about the truth in so much they are lying by exclusion in so much they simply ignore the negative stuff and highlight the good stuff.

All Microsoft problems here are further compounded as computer staff within businesses IT departments get hold of Windows 8 whose comment basic go along the line it is very good for home use but it makes the serious use of a computer very difficult . This from personal experience can be a kiss of death within the businesses world of IT who need operating systems, like Windows 7, which make it easy load and use more heavy duty software not more difficult as Windows 8 is!

In conclusion I think Microsoft have totally misjudged the market trends and it has hashed up the release of Windows 8, Office 2013 and associated hardware on to the market especially here in the United Kingdom. The whole release process what poorly implemented and poorly advertised on Microsoft’s part her in the United Kingdom to a point they depended on the major Retailers here to do their work which frankly was a mistake as said Retailers on their part had no spare cash to do Microsoft’s work so they only made a token effort with no Microsoft support.

So those of us who are actually observing the domestic market at the coal face away from the hype of Microsoft’s press machine are seeing and hearing Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Office 2013 is not the success Microsoft would have us believe!

A New Definition of User Friendly!

It has been months since Windows 8 has been released by Microsoft and I have still avoided using it in anger but the few times I have had to use it I have found it the most unfriendly operating system I have ever used. One thing it is not is intuitive or friendly to use even for someone who is as experienced as myself. I found myself at a loss when confronted with Windows 8 mainly due to lack of any prompts or pointers on screen to help any users.

It seams I am not only one who is having problems with Windows 8 look and feel on laptops and desktops as I have heard stories of people who have returned laptops back to where they brought them as they simply did not like or could not use Windows 8!

It seams Microsoft have defined a whole new level of user friendliness and really confirms something I thought the first time I saw Windows 8 in so much a large majority of users simply are not going to like the front end.

Personally I think Windows 8 has not done what it was meant to do and improve the look and feel of the laptop but it has the effect of making computers in general more user unfriendly and harder to use.

Even the likes of Ubuntu, one major Linux distribution, has sensed that not all is well with Microsoft’s Windows 8 and now they are openly advertising themselves as a better alternative to Windows 8.

I think in the end Microsoft have made a big mistake with Windows 8 in it’s present form and they really need to rework the front end of Windows 8 or there could be a serious possibility it could be their swan song in so much we could see the start of Microsoft’s fall from the top as an operating system!

How not to Sell an Operating System!

It has been almost a month since Microsoft released Windows 8 to an indifferent public who still are not exactly fired up by it. This is not surprising considering that so many new releases were done at the time it was released plus Microsoft not really doing anything to promote it’s release.

What really has not helped Windows 8 is the fact to a normal user the look of Windows 8 is very off putting and confusing considering most users are already used to traditional look and feel of the operating systems. Most users when they first see the desktop of Windows 8 have a looks of mild confusion or total incomprehension, not exactly what Microsoft wanted!

All this now has been heightened by the fact the mobile version of Windows 8 has been released where the operating system which does actaully make sense to users in general.

As I have said before Microsoft have tried to put a touch phone operating system onto a laptop which frankly does not work on the big screen of a Laptop as it looks a mess and it is confusing to most users who are of an age who do not use touch screen devices.

Windows 8 may of worked better if it gave the users the option to use a more traditional desktop an option removed in the final release strangely. Plus it would of also helped if Microsoft actually got behind their own Operating System with some real good old fashioned advertising before it’s release to drum up some public interest rather after the fact.

Microsoft once again have missed an opportunity for setting the computer world on fire with a new and exciting operating system but in the end Windows 8 is just yet another operating system with a strange desktop which the large majority of users are mystified and perplexed by but nothing special or exciting.

We should not be surprised by Microsoft anymore as it is becoming very apparent as a Company it has lost it’s edge and innovative position within the Computer world. All Microsoft is now is yet another Software House, be it one of the biggest, who happens to write an operating system but nothing special or outstanding!

What is This Windows 8?

Yesterday Microsoft Windows 8 operating system was released in United Kingdom to almost total apathy by the General Public here who just brought their computers a usual regardless of the fact if it had Windows 7 or windows 8 on it.

The only people who made anything about the release of Windows 8 where the retail companies selling computers which frankly flopped mainly because Microsoft themselves really did not advertise the release of Windows 8 on the media here in the United Kingdom!

All this shows the sheer arrogance of Microsoft who think they have the computer operating system market sown up here in the United Kingdom they do not have to advertise as they think people will always buy their operating system regardless.

But this arrogance this time could be their downfall both with the General Public and Retailers alike both of who dislike being treated with such arrogance and off hand way.

Personally I don’t think Microsoft’s windows 8 is not going to be a winner of operating system with users in general and it is going to cause no end of problems with the Retailers here in United Kingdom as users are going to have a lot of problems with Mono front end of Windows 8. It really looks like windows 8 is going to be yet another Vista and ME more of a problem than useful to all.

If I suspect Windows 8 does not take off as such I suspect that Retailers in general will go elsewhere to find computers and such which will sell and cause less problems, hence less money lost, after they have been sold to the customer.

Microsoft frankly has not got Windows 8 right both for the user or seller alike in their sheer arrogance has blinded them to the computer market needs totally. All this at a time when retail in general is having a difficult time when they needed a release from Microsoft which shined but got an operating system which is a donkey and potential liability!

Please Note: If want to view my Second Life Journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Please Note: If want to view a Second Life Wikipedia then go to the Encyclopedia Umbra Machina.

Interesting Times for Microsoft!

It is getting close to launch time for Microsoft’s new operating system Windows 8 all with usual show put on both by Microsoft themselves and the Computer Retailers.

But there is a big but over Microsoft Windows 8 launch it does what it was intended as an operating system for touch screen laptops and desktops all in the hope that it is exactly what people want and going towards. Add to this Microsoft are cashing in on the so called touch screen fad of tablets and phones.

The big but being in creating Windows 8 around touch screen Microsoft have blatantly ignored those users who for whatever reason do not want to use or cannot afford to use touch screen devices where Windows 8 desktop becomes a liability almost unusable. Personally this part was not very well thought through by Microsoft and this is going to the Achilles heal of Windows 8.

By doing this Microsoft could of already sown the seeds of Windows 8 failure especially among business and serious computer users who are not interested in touch screen but the more practical side of computing in so much an operating system with easy to use desktop which works on basic computers.

Potentially Microsoft could have another Vista on it’s hands as this time there have been rumblings from number of software companies, including likes of Valve, about Windows 8 use of applications. Add to this a very indifferent reaction from the business side of computing who I suspect really do not need the application based fancy front end to Windows 8.

In conclusion Microsoft should of really put a lot more thought into the release of Window 8 rather than they have done added a new application based front end to what is basically an improved Windows 7. They have jumped onto the touch screen band wagon dangerously ignoring the very important business and serious users by providing a more practical version of Windows 8 without the touch screen front end.

Finally some people I know, some real Microsoft fans, who have used Windows 8 pre-release versions initially like it’s look and usability on a touch screen but all end up with same conclusion nice looking operating system but horrible to use on real computers those without touch screens. Basically their initial enthusiasm for Windows 8 quickly dissipated when used for real when they used it in anger.

Please Note: If want to view my Second Life Journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Please Note: If want to view a Second Life Wikipedia then go to the Encyclopedia Umbra Machina.

Living with Windows 7

I am little annoyed that the new laptop I brought to run Linux could not run Linux leaving me stuck with using Microsoft Windows 7 on the laptop!

So I am now stuck with Windows 7 on the new laptop which I have made the best of by customising my desktop and loading on the Open Source Software packages like LibreOffice rather than buying software after all why buy over priced packages when there are as good and better packages which are free and more stable available.

I will give Microsoft Windows 7 is more stable with some very nice features which Windows Vista was never though it is still not as stable as good old Window XP though that would be a hard act to follow even for Microsoft. I like the fact unlike Windows XP the networking actually works which is very useful in so much I can easy access the shared directories on my Windows XP machine something I could never do on my old XP machine.

But there is a big but with Microsoft 7 in so much like Vista before it if you use it out of the packet with no modification it is remarkably stable and usable a large amount of the time, the but being if you do anything outside of this then you start to encounter problems with Windows 7.

The biggest problem I have found are with the updates of Windows 7 from Microsoft themselves which change the functionality of the operating system so much that software packages which worked before an update may not necessarily work after a update. One example being an old version of Serif Draw which stopped working after an update. This also shows another problem with Windows 7 is it backward compatibility with older programs frankly does not work further highlighted by the fact they have to ship a separate XP Emulator with more expensive versions of Windows 7.

Then the next problem being if start to do anything which is outside from the normal use of Windows 7 which includes customising your desktop using third party programs like Rocket Dock then in instability of Windows 7 becomes very apparent! On example being on boot up of my laptop either one of two programs fail to start up correctly and have to be stopped and restarted to run correctly. If it was the programs in question this would occur every time but it occurs irregularly on booting of the laptop.

In conclusion my own view Microsoft Window 7 is a good operating system for those us just use their laptop for so called normal use, for example Surfing the Web, Word Processing, etc. , but not idea for anyone who needs to do serious work on a laptop. This has be highlighted from my experience of businesses where I live who tend to prefer Windows XP over Windows 7 because of it’s stability.


Please Note: If want to view my Second Life Journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Please Note: If want to view a Second Life Wikipedia then go to the Encyclopedia Umbra Machina.

My Thoughts on Windows 7

I have finally got a Laptop with Windows 7 and the only reason I am using is because a Linux refused to go on to the Laptop in question. So far I have found Windows 7 to be a step forward in Microsoft operating systems but it still even after decades of development on Microsoft’s part plagued by constant glitches and bugs as it’s previous operating systems!

Yes, Windows 7 does use the resources on Computers much better than Windows Vista and xp before it though it is still far too resource heavy and fails to use the hardware on the computer to the full. Window 7 like it’s previous incarnations it’s desktop is far too resource heavy and it is still far to confusing to a large majority of it’s users.

What I do not understand with Microsoft is why with all the effort and money they have put into developing Windows they really have not created an operating system which is fast, efficient and easy to use while various Linux Development teams have created such operating systems in half the time at the faction of the cost?

I think it shows that Microsoft as a company has really shown real little innovation for decades which certainly shows in their next offering Windows 8 which frankly is their attempt to put an Android/Apple iPad front end onto computers in an effort to cash into already over subscribed market.

So in the meanwhile I’ll use Windows 7 Laptop not really by choice but at least it’s usable with some useful features not present in Windows xp.


Please note: If want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Desperate Times for Microsoft!

It looks as if it is desperate times for Microsoft especially with their proposals to lock computers to run only there Window 8 operating system locking out other operating systems on the said machines. Microsoft knowing full well this will not be allowed in both United Kingdom and Europe much as their attempt to force Window users to use only Internet Explorer in their previous operating systems which landed them big fines by the EEC because it give user no choice of browser. In the end the EEC forced Microsoft to give the user the choice of browsers or be excluded from European market.

If Microsoft try the same thing with Windows 8 giving the users no choice of operating system on the hardware they buy exactly the same thing will occur this time as the EEC will not allow such practices by big American Corporations.

This strikes me as desperate action of a company who are desperately worried about losing their top position as an operating system at any cost even what would be regarded by the rest of the Information Technology as restrictive and underhand practices.

But is not surprising as now both Apple and Linux, especially in the business side of computing, are encroaching into Microsoft’s market especially in Europe. Add to this the failure of Vista which was hated by large majority of people who used it and failure of Windows 7 to really fire the general public imagination Microsoft is not in a strong position as it was a decade ago.

Then add to this that Windows 8 new look may appeal to the younger computer users who are very used to using touch interfaces on touch screen phones/computers but it is not going to appeal to the serious computer users, including business users, who want more functional and traditional front end as it suits how they use the computer. The problem for Microsoft the real money is not in the domestic market but in business sector and if they keep in this direction it will allow Linux to finally and once and for all time establish itself as main operating system of business.

What is also becoming very clear from my experience working in a store which sells computers and associated things is now the fact there are a growing number of so called domestic users who now use Linux rather than Windows on their PC a major change over the past 2 years. Even the technicians where I work regularly use Ubuntu to get data off hard drives when Windows fails to do so. Even locally where I live a number of small companies are returning to using Microsoft Windows xp as basically it it far more stable than Windows Vista or 7.

It has also become very clear Microsoft is worried as they are the only operating system which gets advertised on the Television as no other operating systems including Apple need to advertise. This onslaught has got worse since the advent of Windows 7 which makes me wonder if the sales here in the United Kingdom are as good as they make out.


Please note: If want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Early Thoughts on Microsoft Windows 8

Well this week has been eventful operating system wise with Microsoft’s beta release of Windows 8 to the usual corporate fanfare from them. My first impression of Windows 8 is just why have Microsoft gone in the direction of yet another application based operating system in a market already dominated by the likes of Android and Apple’s iPad?

As you gather Microsoft Windows 8 is a touch screen based operating system which you can write your own applications for. Personally it is a big cope out on Microsoft’s part who are trying to cash in on the touch screen market in the hope their name and corporate power will mean that Window 8 will be successful.

Personally the new front end for Windows 8 will not go down well with existing Window users and especially with business users which tend to be very traditional and practical computer users.

So far the reaction from some people around me about Windows 8 is that they are not impressed though I have not had a chance to actually use it. But these people are heavy users of computer which likes of Windows 8 has to sell itself to as well as new users.

In conclusion I think Microsoft has made a mistake with Windows 8 and released it far too quickly considering that Windows 7 is a perfectly good operating system. It seriously looks as if Microsoft are panicking because of the rise of Open Source Software like Open Office and Linux.


Please note: If want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

A Simple Question Why?

I have a simple question to ask which is why should someone spend extra £100 on a laptop or desktop which runs Microsoft Windows when for £100 less the same person can have a laptop/desktop which runs Linux?

I ask this question because for the last weeks I have been using a laptop running Linux and to be frank once the Linux was set up I have found absolutely no difference between using a Windows and Linux PC. They both allow me to surf the Internet, write documents using LibreOffice, write my blog and even run a Second Life Viewer.

Yes, there are differences between the two but not in their basic functionality are the same along with their ease of use.

So with the right Linux set up correctly set up any ordinary everyday basic user could easily use a Linux PC as a Windows PC even a new user to PC. After all, all new users have to go through a very steep learning curve to learn Windows th first time the encounter it. In addition to this the newer distributions of Linux.

So knowing this why are people still spending £100 more for laptops/desktops running Windows?

On a economic level within retailers who sell laptops/desktops if they were brave enough to sell machines loaded with Linux they could firstly make a bigger profit per unit they sold and offer laptops/desktops at cheaper prices to their customers. Currently retailers selling laptops/desktops with Windows loaded are having their margins reduced because of the cost of putting Windows on the PC.

So the first retailer to actually have the balls to sell laptops/desktops loaded with Linux will find that once again hardware sales profitable again in these hard times. But sadly there are very few retailers brave enough or have the enlightened attitudes to take the plunge or risk.


Please note: If want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.