“Windows 8 looks to me to be an unmitigated disaster that could decidedly hurt the company and its future,” John Dvorak writes for MarketWatch. “The real problem is that it is both unusable and annoying. It makes your teeth itch as you keep asking, ‘Why are they doing this!?'”
“No business will tolerate this software, let me assure you. As a productivity tool, it is unusable,” Dvorak writes. “There is an old-fashioned desktop you can visit, but whenever the OS gets the chance, it throws you back onto the Metro interface. For those of us who thought we could avoid Metro and live on the desktop screen, we are going to be sorely disappointed.”
Dvorak writes, “This is a problem for Microsoft investors. The potential for this OS to be an unrecoverable disaster for the company is at the highest possible level I’ve ever seen… I have no idea why Microsoft would take such an enormous gamble on its cash cow like this.”
MacDailyNews Take: Because Apple is killing them, that’s why. Either they try something dramatic or they slowly die. Because the “OS Wars” never really ended because Apple never actually disappeared as once hoped by every closed-minded dunce who never failed to underestimate Steve Jobs. Look in the mirror, John. And because Microsoft is run by a clown. A beautiful, glorious, magnificent clown! That’s why, John.
Dvorak writes, “What is this departure based on? It’s based on the pipe dream that the unsuccessful user interface used by Windows Phone will turn into a success on the tablet — to such an extreme that people will also demand it on the desktop, so all the platforms can have the same look and feel. This is insanity, plain and simple… Now Microsoft wants to take all the habits and workflows and new skill sets we’ve developed and toss them into the bin for this? Who at Microsoft signed off on this? Do they even use computers?”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Well, there’s a lovely “review.” However, since Dvorak is almost always wrong, the chances of Windows 8’s success just went up dramatically. Or, maybe, just maybe, John’s right for a change?
Regardless, many more Windows sufferers will find themselves in boats similar to John’s and, faced with learning something new anyway, they will drift right into the nearest Apple Store for their first Mac — however late to the party they may be — or iPad, and we will welcome them with open arms.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]
Related articles:
To push Windows Tablets, Microsoft makes iPad support more expensive/a> – April 24, 2012
Apple’s new iPad could dramatically alter the Windows PC upgrade cycle – March 8, 2012
The Guardian: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is confusing as hell; an appalling user experience – March 5, 2012
The 9 versions of Windows 8 show one of the key differences between Microsoft and Apple – March 2, 2012
Windows 8 tablet vs. Apple iPad running iOS 5: feature by feature (with video) – March 1, 2012
Needham: Apple Mac growth to continue six-year run of outpacing Windows PCs – February 28, 2012
Tim Cook: Apple the only company innovating in personal computers, and have been for some time – February 24, 2012
More good news for Apple: Microsoft previews Windows 8 (with video) – June 1, 2011
They are making the same mistake they made with the tablet and phone 10 years ago. Taking a UI to a use case for which it is not well-suited. At least taking the desktop UI to the tablet with a stylus made sense when you wanted to preserve backward compatibility to a HUGE library of existing Win32 software. The stylus at least had some use cases with a tablet.
The reverse is simply not the case without huge changes to desktop hardware. But MS doesn’t sell that. Perhaps its hardware partners will figure it out.
One of the several uproars about Window 8 is going to be the disconnection between the OtherPad version, running on ARM, and the Intel CPU version. The ARM version will have almost NO backward compatibility to x86 coded software.
Developers are going to have to RECODE to get their Windows software to run on the Windows 8 OtherPad. One version for PC. Another version for OtherPad.
Brilliant move Microsoft. 😯 💡
Microsoft will subsidize developers indefinitely. As the saber-tooth cat circles in the darkness, they will burn their money just to stay warm.
It is undeniably terrible. I’ve run both previews within VirtualBox. XP and Win7 will be on corporate workstations another 10-years at this rate.
Does Microsoft seriously think this bird is going to fly on tablets or PCs? I’ve tried it on both (including the middle ground, a touchscreen Fujitsu notebook) and it is simply terrible on all of them. It’s so flat that it’s not obvious what you can tap or click on! Consumers are going to be scratching their heads and flocking to Apple. I think Microsoft is in real trouble.
Here’s my take on it: http://jeff-with-a-g.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/8-is-not-microsofts-lucky-number.html
Microsoft really screwed up. They should have kept going with Courier. It could have been awesome. Instead, they offer this.
agreed. Courier looked awesome in the mock-ups. (not the font, for the unitiated.)
Uh… guys, you do get that courier wasn’t ever real don’t you?
Just like the knowledge navigator (that a similar sales idiot put forth) it was just vacuous nonsense projected onto smoke. It was just a video, it never had any real substance to it.
Pie in the sky Ideas are fairly easy, making things that really work well, takes real genus.
Thanks, tesselator. +1. Courier wasn’t real, was never going to be real.
Even if it had been real it had fundamental problems that real use would have demonstrated in the face of the iPad so it was junked.
Yeah. Hence “mock-ups”. What word would you have preferred I use?
+1. Sometimes people here are too quick to jump on people for non-existent slights (or praise for anything non-Apple).
I’m going to guess that Tessellator was referring more to –
” … They should have kept going with Courier.”
– then to your comment mentioning that it was a mock-up.
Sure it looked good. But they couldn’t continue further with Courier. The mock-up was the final product.
It wasn’t a mock up, it was a video, “leaked” by ms. What was in the video was simply clever compositing and special effects. It was never more then a MS brain fart. AFAIK no (real physical) prototype ever existed.
BTW it was your agreeing with “me’s” comment that it (the courier) was “awesome” and that they should have kept going that made me respond to both of you rather than just “me”
Tesselator…you meant Genus as a pun right? :0)
Yeah, that’s the ticket. As a matter of fact I was just mentioning that to my wife… Morgan Fairchild.
Well… either that or an auto complete faux pax.
Busted by buster… (yes that’s a pun)
I like Microsoft’s strategy. I like it a lot.
Dvorak hates it. It will be a big success.
Dvorak said that there was no evidence that the mouse would be accepted by business back in the 1980’s
Exactly. With his track record, I’m surprised anyone is willing to talk to him, much less publish his “work”.
To be fair, Dvorak said that after the Mac was released but before it was sold in any numbers.
At the time everyone, including Apple’s customers, were using a command line interface.
No one except a few Apple employees, a few Microsoft coders and a few ex Xerox employees had ever seen let alone used a mouse.
There actually was no evidence that a mouse would be accepted by business or anyone else.
Once you used a Mac, you knew, but until then, WTF!
Now we know that there are at least two people who are clueless about Apple and innovation.
And also to be fair, he’s right about Windows 8. It is stratospherically horrible and his reasons for why it’ll likely be a horrific disaster for Microsoft are pretty much airtight.
He may professionally troll Apple and be wrong a good 99% of the time, but when he’s right he’s right.
Dvorak said “Over the years, I’ve even supported the idea that Microsoft’s Bob interface was mismarketed and actually was unique and interesting.” so maybe the whole thing was just a reverse comment. ??????
Then again, he thought the mouse would be a real waste. ???
Just a thought
en
Risks make history. Nobody ever remembers the ones that played it safe in the market. If the risk pays off for MS then we’ll have another interface which in turn will be copied by Apple and Google in 5 years or less.
Robert, explain to the class, please, exactly where it was that Apple, and by default Google, copied anything Microsoft?
There’s a world of difference between taking a risk and committing suicide.
A user interface so putrid that even exuberant Microsft superfan John Dvorak calls it unusable and annoying is, like, apocalyptically the latter.
You’re acting like the jury is still out on Metro. It isn’t.
I downloaded a pdf to the desktop, Because W8 has built in pdf reader, when I double click, i t uses the metro pdf reader and switches to metro in fullscreen mode. I could not find a print button. Right click gave me some options but no printing. Clicking the more button gave me the option to close but no print button. I thought I’d give Ctrl+p a chance and that worked.
Are you FREAKIN kidding ME! 5 steps to do what used to be a 1 step process. I’m sorry but Metro is not going to work on a desktop.
5 steps to click ctrl+p?
4 *attempts* more than the normal user would try. The vast majority of people never use keyboard shortcuts, other than for copy and paste.
No, 5 steps to figure out it was ctrl-p, after all!
I see it all the time in iOS apps too, especially in apps from those who’s first introduction to the computer interface was ms-dos; they used a command-line interface to launch programs, which required the memorization of a massive codex of cryptic commands, not unlike Unix’s massive libraries.
Steve Jobs will be forever remembered as the man who changed the way we interact with computers. Aesthetics and slick marketing aside, he did more to change the way we harness the power of machines! By the time Bill Gates finished developing macros for everyone of his line commands, his menu system became the joke of late night comedy and a source of inspiration of what not to do with a computer interface.
Steve Jobs was a muse for engineers like Woz. He himself was an interface between artists and nerds and together they created not only the first commercially successful computer but unlocked the ability to make the computer your bitch.
Steve Jobs was a wizard at subsuming complex command structures and wrapping them up with a bow. He absolutely flourished after leaving Apple and joining up with Avi Tevanian, the Unix genius who transformed Apple into the juggernaut it is today with NeXTStep.
Take a twenty-five-year proven product like Unix and apply the Human Interface Guidelines with a just a skosh of eye-candy and I give you the Tree of Knowledge.
If anyone is interested, Ignorak was on TWiT, This Week in Tech, this evening & Winbloz 8 was a heated topic.
http://twit.tv/show/this-week-in-tech/356
Thanks Uncle,
I’ll give it a listen. I personally like Dvorak and Leo. I haven’t tuned in for a while.
Interesting Dvorak is using a Mac in the video.
a waste of time – although, it did give me an idea of what life in a retirement home could be like living with men who don’t have a clue what life is like, especially concerning things apple.
John, don’t you have to have teeth first for them to itch?
he is so funny. he was supposed to blame every apple stuff before. now he blames windows? when did he become Apple fanboy? by the way, it doesn’t matter. windows 8 will still dominate OS market in the world. MS seems to stop growing nowadays. but they have a strategy. I think that Apple heyday seems to fade away slowly. just look at stock price.
You look, but can’t think.
You should look at MS stock price history before you write.
haha. Every laugh gets me in my troll notes. Too key funny! Super good ideas here. Many awesome good but too bad apple. Troll troll troll…
They do have a strategy, Edward, and we like it. We like it a lot.
May the Redmond Clown remain CEO forever long it takes!
Oh, the humanity. If this were medieval Japan the rivers would be flowing red.
Microsoft, in my opinion, should concentrate on making insanely great software for all the successful platforms that are out there. The folk in Redmond should maybe forget being a hardware company, forget being a search engine wannabe, forget converging tablets and desktop PCs.
In short, Microsoft should be a lean, ruthless software company willing to supply/exploit all platforms.
just my $0.02. I hate to see wasted potential.
“… In short, Microsoft should be a lean, ruthless software company willing to supply/exploit all platforms.”
While I don’t disagree with you, that they should do this.
Do you really think that there’s any way in heck, that MS could pull it off?
Ain’t gonna’ happen McGee.
Indeed. Wasted potential.
Pity.
Well said MDN.
I wonder what the Dvorak of 2002 would think of the Dvorak of 2012???
As I’ve commented before, current PC Windows users (including a high percentage still using Windows XP) will feel far more comfortable transitioning to Mac OS X Lion (or Mountain Lion) instead of Windows 8.
Apple should be prepared for this and take full advantage. Windows 8 is going to be the BEST thing to happen to Apple since Windows Vista. Apple already has “Windows Migration Assistant for Lion” in place, ready to go… but they should do even more.
“I’m a Mac. And I’m a PC…”
YES. “Get a Mac – The Next Generation.” They should portray “PC” as having some type of split personality disorder.
I thought about installing the preview download a couple of times, I really wanted to play with it, but the reviews and demos on Youtube are pretty harsh and mostly negative. I think I’ll pass on this upgrade and wait and see how things go when more people have it on their machines.
But I do think when it comes down to it, this upgrade will cost them consumers who already have an iPhone or iPad to switch to a Mac instead.
We have Mdn prayers answered for Ballmer to keep being CEO and not fired by the Microsoft board.
Yes, there is a God.
Who is to say that MS doesn’t fire Ballmer and hire someone with Steve Jobsian characteristics who can resurrect MS from the ashes of Ballmerism?
Eh… wouldn’t you have thought that would have already happened by now? His length of employment has already defied all logic.
Something must be going on behind the scenes that keeps Ballmer on top of the pyramid. Helps to be the founder’s old college roommate. Maybe some old college favors owed to Ballmer that we don’t know about.
i’m gonna go against the grain here and say i actually like it, just installed the release preview and its much better then the previous previews, its so quick and transitioning isnt that hard really all it is, is a glorified start menu over the top of win 7 in essence. of coarse there will be teething problems but I think they are on the right track
Where can I download “Metro Interface” for Lion????
I think there is already a registry workaround to disable Metro UI and stays at “traditional” desktop UI. However, for average consumers, I doubt they will go anywhere near “registry” workaround.
We, Mac users, can sit back with soda, popcorn, coffee… and enjoy this high-budgeted “show”. 🙂
RE: MDN’s take, obviously you’ve never used Windows 8, otherwise you’d realize how wrong Dvorak is yet again.
Trust me, if you’re ever unfortunately to use Windows 8 as opposed to an alternative choice of burning in hell for all eternity, you’d realize that Dvorak’s review was waaaay too positive.
what is flabbergasting to me is always how so many humans try so f’g hard to dislike or circumvent Apple as if the Holier Grail is on the other (Dark) side!?!
what is everyone seeking?!
they never find it.
Apple “Fanboys” are not just fans for its own sake, or because they’re more fanatical than competitive fanboys, they just tasted the alternative & there’s no reason to go back. Apple fans are fans or loyal because they know Apple is not perfect but they can trust Apple, trust that it gives the most shit about its customers and/or produces the best products/services, period.
the rest is hype and always playing catch-up. if it is any good, the implementation is never as seamless, ubiquitous, easy, virus-free, smooth as Apple’s.
the Apple fans are fans for many actual reasons, not hype or ad brainwash or fairytales or gimmicks or lies or excuses of reality distortion fields.
Apple fans never assume Apple invents all of it, just that Apple does it better than anyone else.
Apple fans would change their mind if something better actually exists in any of the product categories.
Apple fans realize that if Apple leads in so many varied industries, then the rest of the competition who can’t even handle 1 category, sucks, is lazy, disrespects the paying customer who makes them survive.
so, if you wish to taste the Other Side, it’s your choice. But don’t cry over spilled milk. at least some of us don’t have the urge to always try to find heaven, we’re already in it.
@rolf, you are on a roll ! ! !
Much appreciated post. Nothing to add.
We should mention that the best app MS ever made is Office for Mac 2011. I know this in very detail since I had to suffer from all MS software for more than 20 years until I could convince everybody in my company to step up to OS X just a couple of months ago.
Some of my staff desperately wanted Office for Mac 2011 to be sure to work with Office as before. I gave them the test version and also Pages and Numbers.
I really no time everybody wanted no Office for Mac 2011 anymore. Everybody was so pleased with Pages and Numbers within less than 3 days.
Finally the best app of MS, Office for Mac 2011, truly suck. And the rest is so much worse. I wanted to make the move to OS X before the nightmare Windows 8 will happen, and I wish I could have convinced my staff earlier, but I had no chance.
By the way we also bought a bunch of MacPro’s, the “old” 2010 version. However, it is still a superior machine, much better than any Dell and HP or whatsoever. Sure I’d love an update, but it is still great.
Bernd from Berlin
he is just a windbag
don’t worry, millions will upgrade to Windows 8 no matter what it is like
there are still Apple haters out there too plus the masses that have no idea why Apple software and hardware is better and all they see is the dollar values and not the human values
Wow. Dvorak must have been reading my posts here at MDN over the last year.
The most downloaded Windows software, after the release of Windows 8, will be a utility to DISABLE METRO. It’s that bad. 😯
Just as the most downloaded utility since 1996 was Uninstaller.