Gartner Analyst Retracts "Windows 8 Is Bad" Claim

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Gartner Analyst Retracts "Windows 8 Is Bad" Claim

Posted by timothy on Tuesday July 24, 2012 @12:42AM from the mmmm-kay? dept.

nk497 writes "A Gartner analyst made headlines after describing Windows 8 desktop as: 'in a word: bad.' After web reaction, including one story asking why anyone bothers to listen to the consultancy firm anymore, Gunnar Berger has now yanked the offending sentence from his blog post, saying it was taken out of context and only applied to using the desktop with a mouse and keyboard, and that overall Windows 8 is a good thing. 'If you look at my blog, I've gotten rid of it,' he said. 'It's upsetting me that it's being taken completely out of context.'"

21 of 306 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Was it taken out of context? by Captain+Hook · 2012-07-24 00:44 · Score: 4, Interesting

Admittedly I tend to only read the tech related news sites but they all picked up on the same thing....

Windows 8 on a desktop just doesn't make any sense.

--
These comments are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the other voices in my head.
1. Re:Was it taken out of context? by bigstrat2003 · 2012-07-24 00:50 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  I thought exactly the same thing. He has nothing to apologize for, Windows 8 is bad. It has one of the worst UI designs I've ever seen.
  
  --
  "16MB (fuck off, MiB fascists)" - The Mighty Buzzard
2. Re:Was it taken out of context? by blackicye · 2012-07-24 01:01 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  I thought exactly the same thing. He has nothing to apologize for, Windows 8 is bad. It has one of the worst UI designs I've ever seen.
  Frankly though, I don't really care about the UI, I've been using the Win2K classic mode since well..win2K.
  There have already been user mods and themes to restore the classic interface.
  I'm interested more in the kernel and stability/updates and underlying parts of the OS.
  I've never liked Aero, or the ME or Vista interfaces or bloated junk like the OSX interface.
  I'm not curmudgeonly enough to work purely in a CLI environment, I don't want my OS to look pretty, I want it to run applications, preferably faster and more stably than it's previous iterations on the same hardware.
3. Re:Was it taken out of context? by Monoman · 2012-07-24 01:09 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Metro on the desktop is fine if it is run as an app and has a dedicated monitor. :-) The desktop in Win8 should be full featured with Metro as an option. I can see Metro being used for kiosks maybe
  Typical MS coming out with something totally new is that it always feels half baked. There is a reason why many people believe MS doesn't get things right until (at least) the third version.
  Metro on the phones and tablets is another discussion entirely.
  
  --
  Keep the Classic Slashdot.
4. Re:Was it taken out of context? by grcumb · 2012-07-24 01:14 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I thought exactly the same thing. He has nothing to apologize for, Windows 8 is bad. It has one of the worst UI designs I've ever seen.
  Ah, Grasshopper, you fail to understand the zen of Gartner.
  In order to be taken seriously, that they base their statements on nothing more than what people want to hear from them. Because they therefore illuminate the inner brilliance that every CEO knows must exist inside of them somewhere, Gartner becomes the top research agency in technology today.
  It is not sufficient that Gartner, like a stopped clock, accidentally be right from time to time. No, they have achieved release from the wheel of torment that is reality. They strive never to be right. Gartner, my child, is the apotheosis of Wrong.
  
  --
  Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
5. Re:Was it taken out of context? by LordLimecat · 2012-07-24 01:18 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Frankly though, I don't really care about the UI, I've been using the Win2K classic mode since well..win2K.
  The UI is one of the most forefront things in Windows, and if theyre radically changing how applications are going to interact with the user (single fullscreen app, two contexts metro / regular, new widgets) thats going to affect 99% of users.
  I mean maybe there are new commandline commands or powershell cmdlets, but Im going to go out on a limb and say those arent why people get a new desktop version of windows.
6. Re:Was it taken out of context? by kdogg73 · 2012-07-24 01:21 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  In the shadow of my main Mac tower (desktop publishing), I have an old Dell XPS B866 in my office running Win2k as my lowest common denominator, so I can test .doc, .xls and .ppt files in Office 2003. But talking about Windows UI? It was no frills, quick and to the point interface. I still think it was Microsoft's best OS. All it needs is some protocol updates and other under the hood stuff, it could last longer. Unfortunately, 12 years old, even Firefox developers wont throw it a bone.
  
  --
  Let's face it, most of us are scoffers. But moments before zero hour, it does not pay to take chances.
7. Re:Was it taken out of context? by sproketboy · 2012-07-24 01:33 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Why would anyone bother running modern software on 12 year old hardware?
8. Re:Was it taken out of context? by Ken+Hall · 2012-07-24 01:46 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  In a previous job, where I was a tech manager, the management above me swore by Gartner. Nothing was done without their blessing. Unless, of course, the recommendation disagreed with one of their deep-seated "religious" biases.
  In any case, dealing with Gartner was an interesting experience. I would call them and speak to an analyst about some product we were thinking of getting. The analyst would make vague pronouncements about "industry standards", and "best of breed", and "best practices", and usually vaguely recommend whichever product happened to be the front runner in that particular niche at that time. Then I would outline my reasons for choosing whatever product we had determined to be best for our needs. I could hear the analyst hanging on every word, and I just knew our reasoning would make it into the next round of recommendations.
  They never gave me anything useful, their sole function seemed to be to validate whatever decision we had already made. In the couple of cases where they did make a serious recommendation in conflict with our plans, the company tended to ignore them and do what it pleased anyway.
9. Re:Was it taken out of context? by jellomizer · 2012-07-24 02:09 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Which version of OS X?
  Windows XP was released back in the early 2000's About the Same time OS X was released.
  Now Microsoft Screwed up and couldn't get Vista out until late in the decade, allowing Apple to release multiple major version upgrade in that period of time, and began to not support Macs that are 6 years old or older.
  What OS X and Windows Areo did was offload a lot of the graphic processing off the CPU and onto the video card. When they did that, the older systems without such cards started to take a performance hit.
  
  --
  If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
10. Re:Was it taken out of context? by hal2814 · 2012-07-24 02:37 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  The conversation went something like this:
  
  Microsoft: "If you're a researcher on this Windows 8 thing and you were on Earth, you must have been gathering material on it."
  Gartner analyst: "Well, I was able to extend the original entry a bit, yes."
  Microsoft: "Let me see what it says in this edition, then. I've got to see it."
  ... "What? Bad! Is that all it's got to say? Bad! One word! ... Well, for God's sake I hope you managed to recitify that a bit."
  Gartner analyst: "Oh yes, well I managed to transmit a new entry off to the editor. He had to trim it a bit, but it's still an improvement."
  Microsoft: "And what does it say now?"
  Gartner analyst: "Mostly bad."
11. Re:Was it taken out of context? by jez9999 · 2012-07-24 03:06 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  What about Android on the desktop? I bet Google could make a lot of money selling PCs with the ad: "Works just like your phone, with the same android interface you know and love."
  Why is everyone so obsessed with unifying interfaces? Sometimes, different interfaces are *necessary* to achieve wildly differing functionalities on the desktop and portable devices.
  
  --
  == Jez ==
  Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
12. Re:Was it taken out of context? by Cinder6 · 2012-07-24 03:32 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  I thought Windows 8 was bad, so I downloaded the preview and ran it exclusively for a week. While it obviously still has some bugs to work out (which I am sure will largely gone by October), I find myself having to admit, I liked it. Metro apps are kind of odd on a desktop, but the actual desktop (or is that Desktop?) is still just as usable, and if I can keep 99% of my apps using it, then I will have absolutely no problem with the OS. Frankly, the Start Screen is better than the old start menu. It's much more customizable and acts as a very fast application launcher for anything you don't have saved to your home screen.
  I even found myself liking the ribbon in Explorer. Whereas I had to do a Google search to find out how to show hidden files in Windows 7, in 8 it was two very logical clicks away. Even in previous versions of Windows, it took several clicks going through different screens. I can accept that it's not for everyone and maybe Microsoft should add a toggle for old-style menus, but I feel like Slashdot has too much of a knee-jerk reaction to this thing and is engaging in too much groupthink. It's something you have to try out for longer than a few minutes (my first reaction was to laugh at it), which is why I went for the full week.
  This probably sounds like a shill post, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets labeled as one. I don't much care; people will think what they will when their opinions are challenged.
  
  --
  If you can't convince them, convict them.
Some people care about what Gartner analysts say by turkeyfeathers · 2012-07-24 00:45 · Score: 4, Funny

It's company policy at Gartner for the analysts give their website links to their mothers, so that someone will read their blogs.
Re:Fatigue=suck by Java+Pimp · 2012-07-24 00:52 · Score: 5, Funny

Seriously! I get pissed when my kids touch my monitor screen with their sticky fingers. Now if I have to do it my screen is going to be covered in Cheetos dust.

--
Ascalante: Your bride is over 3,000 years old.
Kull: She told me she was 19!
Mouse and keyboard? by OzPeter · 2012-07-24 00:53 · Score: 4, Insightful

saying it was taken out of context and only applied to using the desktop with a mouse and keyboard,
Mouse and Keyboard??? Isn't that how 95% of the population is going to initially be using windows 8?

--
I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
Professional integrity by SirGarlon · 2012-07-24 01:03 · Score: 4, Insightful

This is why we all need to say what we mean, and mean what we say. Otherwise we lose our credibility. Whether Berger didn't really mean Windows 8 with keyboard and mouse is "bad," or he did mean it and is now recanting under pressure, looks bad either way. He's not only harmed his own reputation, but his employer's as well.

--
[Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
Re:Fatigue=suck by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-24 01:09 · Score: 5, Funny

A fine Chianti?
Re:No, we understand the "Context" just fine. by DigiShaman · 2012-07-24 01:13 · Score: 4, Funny

Remember. If you can't polish a turd, try rolling it in glitter.

--
Life is not for the lazy.
Re:Payday! by Tridus · 2012-07-24 01:32 · Score: 5, Interesting

When the Lumia is capable of doing advanced things like have Skype receive calls without being a foreground app, then maybe I can take this seriously.
As it stands right now the Lumia and WP7 are just lousy phones. They're not up to par with the competition. They got better reviews then they deserved considering how many reviewers adored the thing, but the market didn't care.

--
-- "So they told me that using the download page to download something was not something they anticipated." - Bill Gates
Re:In a word by Outtascope · 2012-07-24 01:35 · Score: 5, Insightful

Ding Ding Ding! Bob, we have a winner! E. Fish. ANSII. Touch is not and cannot be practical for most business/office applications. Yes, it rules for Angry Birds and Draw Something, maybe even for your calendar (provided you are only viewing). But it is an awful interface for anything that requires typing and makes multi-tasking nearly impossible. Copy and paste on touch is the gonorrhea of computing. Just look at how crappy Autocad has gotten over the last 10 years or so where they have tried to move everything to a point-and-click use paradigm. It sucks balls, I spend an hour everytime I install it disabling all of the new UI crap they put on it because it just isn't efficient. I can't wait to see the cesspool that they create for it on Win8.
I think touch it is fantastic on tablets, but not the friggin' desktop. And even there, the dozen or so people in my office that have tablets all end up getting keyboards and mice for them (myself included on my ICS Android tablet) because they simply can't get stuff done quickly enough with touch.
Leave it to Microsoft to finally get something right (Windows 7) and then throw it away.