Windows RT vs. Windows 8 Could Burn Consumers

Nerval's Lobster writes "The Surface currently available for pre-order runs Windows RT, a version of the operating system designed to run on ARM architecture. Windows RT looks virtually identical to Windows 8, which, like previous versions of Windows, runs on the x86 architecture that dominates the laptop and desktop market. Microsoft's early marketing materials aren't exactly highlighting that differences between Windows RT and Windows 8 — and as a result, there's a high potential for unsuspecting consumers to end up burned when they buy a Windows RT tablet expecting the complete Windows experience. But Windows RT won't support legacy Windows applications — instead, users will need to hope and pray that developers port those applications to the Windows Store, the only venue for RT-supported apps. Over at The Verge, the intrepid Sean Hollister asked eight Microsoft Store representatives about the differences between Windows 8 and Windows RT, and received several confusing responses. 'To their credit, half of the representatives admitted that Windows RT wasn't as capable as Windows 8,' he wrote. 'The other half not so much. Moreover, those reps who did admit issues seemed dismissive of Windows RT as a whole.'"

Comments

seriously?

[tehlinux]

Now just two versions of Windows is too confusing for consumers?!

Re:I never expected my iPad to run OSX application

[warrigal]

You guys are Pros. I have never seen a thread critical of Microsoft derailed into an Apple bash-fest quite as fast as this one. TFA wasn't even suggesting that MS was up to no good.

Wait till the 8 zillion versions of 8

[gelfling]

8 home basic
8 home plus
8 professional
8 professional extreme
8 professional plus office
8 server
8 advanced server
8 professional server
8 data center server
8 mobile
8 home extreme basic plus limited
8 media
8 media server
8 home lightweight
8 professional with surface
8 media with surface
8 surface server