Windows 8 may initially baffle consumers

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Windows 8 may initially baffle consumers

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Release of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system is a week away, consumers are in for a shock.

21 October,2012 08:44 pm

Windows, used in one form or another for a generation, is getting a completely different look that will force users to learn new ways to get things done.Microsoft is making a radical break with the past to stay relevant in a world where smartphones and tablets have eroded the three-decade dominance of the personal computer. Windows 8 is supposed to tie together Microsofts PC, tablet and phone software with one look. But judging by the reactions of some people who have tried the PC version, its a move that risks confusing and alienating customers.Tony Roos, an American missionary in Paris, installed a free preview version of Windows 8 on his aging laptop to see if Microsofts new operating system would make the PC faster and more responsive. It didnt, he said, and he quickly learned that working with the new software requires tossing out a lot of what he knows about Windows.It was very difficult to get used to, he said. I have an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, and they never got used to it. They were like, Were just going to use Moms computer.Windows 8 is the biggest revision of Microsoft Corp.s operating system since it introduced Windows 95 amid great fanfare 17 years ago. Ultimately, Windows grew into a $14 billion a year business and helped make former Chief Executive Bill Gates the richest man in the world for a time.Now, due to smartphones and tablets, the personal computer industry is slumping. Computer companies are desperate for something that will get sales growing again. PC sales are expected to shrink this year for the first time since 2001, according to IHS iSuppli, a market research firm.The question is whether the new version, which can be run on tablets and smartphones, along with the traditional PC, can satisfy the needs of both types of users.I am very worried that Microsoft may be about to shoot itself in the foot spectacularly, said. Michael Mace, the CEO of Silicon Valley software startup Cera Technology and a former Apple employee. Windows 8 is so different, he said, that many Windows users who arent technophiles will feel lost, he said.Microsoft is releasing Windows 8 on Oct. 26, and it doesnt plan to cushion the impact. Computer companies will make Windows 8 standard on practically all PCs that are sold to consumers.Speaking to Wall Street analysts on Thursday, Microsofts chief financial officer Peter Klein said he isnt very concerned that user confusion could slow the adoption of Windows 8. When Microsoft introduces new features, he said, people eventually realize that those innovations have delivered way more value, way more productivity and way better usability. Thats going to be true of Windows 8 too, he said.