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Microsoft Has Been Watching, and It Says You're Getting Used To Windows 8

Dupple writes "Microsoft's user data shows that users are getting used to dealing with the Windows 8 user interface, reports this article at MIT Technology Review. Despite some of the more scathing reviews of Windows 8, ordinary users are getting along with it just fine, according to Julie Larson-Green, the Microsoft executive who leads Windows product development. Data collected automatically from some Windows users, she says, show they are adjusting to some of the new operating system's controversial features without problems 'So far we're seeing very encouraging things,' Larson-Green says of the large volume of data that Microsoft receives every day from people using Windows 8 who have chosen to join the company's 'customer experience improvement program.' All users are invited to enroll in that program when they first log into the new operating system. If they do so, anonymized information about how they are using the operating system is sent to Microsoft. Referring to complaints from some quarters, Larson-Green says: 'Even with the rumblings, we feel confident that it's a moment in time more than an actual problem.'"

19 of 675 comments (clear)

  1. Seeing how most companies won't migrate... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't know a single company whose IT will implement Windows 8 on anything. I'm talking everything from tablets, phones, laptops, PC's, or servers. In fact my company said straight out "No" because of all the problems it would entail.

    Did they ever fix the lack of command line for windows 8 servers?

    1. Re:Seeing how most companies won't migrate... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That'll take a decade, ala Windows XP. By then Windows 10 will be out. So, no thanks.

      Get left behind by the business community, you shills crack me up.

    2. Re:Seeing how most companies won't migrate... by jythie · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Being forced to upgrade by end of lifing support does not make Win7 any less 'good enough for me', it just means taking the option away.

      Not sure what you are going on about with being 'left behind'. I am skeptical many businesses out there refuse to interoperate with other businesses because they are not running the latest and greatest software. I still see, for instance, a great deal of standardization on .DOC rather then .docx, and I do not recall seeing any companies saying 'sorry, your file format is out of date, no business for you'.

    3. Re:Seeing how most companies won't migrate... by brianwski · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Hello, nice to meet you. Now you do know somebody who uses the start menu. I'm typing this on a Windows 7 64 bit system, and I use the "Start" menu all the time. Personally I keep a list of the top 10 applications I launch (Chrome, Visual Studio, a screen capture utility, etc) right at the very top level of the "Start" menu so I can get to them quickly, but the shortcuts disappear (when I release the mouse button) and don't clutter my view all the time.

      I work at a company that does both Mac and Windows apps deployed to customer's desktops. So we *HAVE* to stay current and support all the new Microsoft and Apple OS releases. Windows 8 is the future, it's just that the future really sucks. The only thing keeping my spirits up for now is the hope that Microsoft comes to its senses and makes Windows 8.5 or Windows 9 suck less. Honestly I don't have much hope left, they are still pushing the tool ribbon and pretending it is a success. Microsoft doesn't like to admit it made a mistake, even when the evidence is overwhelming.

    4. Re:Seeing how most companies won't migrate... by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The Start Menu is still there. It's just full screen now. And you can fit more than 10 applications to launch on it (or fewer, if you prefer). I've read one complaint that the Start Menu hides the desktop, but I don't care about looking at the desktop when I'm starting a new app. Why would I? And the Start Menu still appears and disappears quickly.

      It really not much of a change if you stay away from metro apps (those are good for 'leisure mode')..

      There is no start menu. There is the metro page, but that is hardly the same thing. A start menu would mean that I could have a word document open on my screen and hit the start menu to open another app, without losing site of the word document that might actually contain the credentials I need to enter into the other program. With the metro page, you are jumping back and forth from entirely different screens and then scrolling looking for the proper square on the metro tab.

      Maybe that is more efficient on the Minority Report, but it in reality it seems much less efficient than click-click.

    5. Re:Seeing how most companies won't migrate... by tripleevenfall · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No kidding. The business community stays with what works, until they have to move for a legitimate business reason. "New shiny touchy colory" is not a legitimate business reason.

  2. Except people who join that program..... by Stickiler · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Are already probably lenient towards Microsoft, so they will of course make themselves learn the new UI. About 80% of the people I know just automatically click no and go past it, and the other 20% make an active effort to click no and go past it. It's like polling the people at a major sporting event about how enjoyable they find that sporting event.

    1. Re:Except people who join that program..... by PlusFiveTroll · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because a lot of people have an issue with..

      "This application is going to send off 'some stuff you don't understand.. bla bla tech bla' to servers somewhere you don't know." They automatically mistrust a program that sends off unknown information when presented with the choice.

      What Microsoft says. "Send anonymous usage details to Microsoft servers"

      What the user reads. "Send your porn viewing habits to god knows where and who"

    2. Re:Except people who join that program..... by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because this "program" isn't about making the product better, it's just about collecting some numbers - any numbers - that can be used in the sentence "Windows 8 is an astonishing success because X of our users figured out how to do Y within Z seconds."

      --
      If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  3. Prisoners are getting used to being sodomized by erroneus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am not saying that Windows 8 is even remotely similar to prison rape (though some might suggest there may be some similarities, I am not saying that) but the very notion that a party or group is getting used to something does not mean they like it or want it.

    I supposed I could have said "taxes" or any other thing people generally don't like, but I wanted to be a little edgy... a little dramatic.

    So yes. We acknowledge Microsoft is shoving their things [Windows 8 in this case] through our [choose an orifice] and we acknowledge that we presently don't have much choice in the matter.

    1. Re:Prisoners are getting used to being sodomized by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That sums it up. Nothing in the article about people liking or preferring the New Windows Order. Just the limp pronouncement that people who must use Windows are finding ways of grinding through the experience.

    2. Re:Prisoners are getting used to being sodomized by MatrixCubed · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Don't confuse "ignorance about alternatives" with "desire to purchase".

      Many users only "see" Windows. They don't know about Linux, and consider Mac OS as "those things that aren't Windows that other people have".

  4. 3 month rule by weszz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anyone really surprised?

    Give any big change 3 months and it will get accepted if you don't give in as the change forcer.

    I've seen it at work too many times to count. Manglement makes a decision that upsets everyone and lots of people talk about how they are going to start looking elsewhere for employment and the sky will fall and this is terrible, but after the 3 month gripe period, everyone accepts the changes and life moves on.

    It's how things work.

  5. Much Like ... by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Microsoft Has Been Watching, and It Says You're Getting Used To Windows 8

    Much like a kid who has broken his arm "gets used to" a cast or sling. Much like a cow who has been electrocuted many times by a fence "gets used to" staying away from it. Much like someone convicted of a DUI "gets used to" riding a bicycle.

    'Even with the rumblings, we feel confident that it's a moment in time more than an actual problem.'

    Under what circumstances, exactly, would someone who works for Microsoft ever say anything contrary to that? Anything could be going on, good or bad, and that is exactly what they would say to dismiss criticism.

    --
    My work here is dung.
  6. Re:Poor Sample Pool by Motard · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, if the population being measured does not include the 'tech-savvy', the results suggest a pretty successful transition.

  7. 10% day 1 fail rate nothing to boast about by Jerry+Atrick · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's mind boggling, only 90% managed to use the start screen and charms on day1.

    So in that 10% are folk that failed to work out how to get the login prompt from the completely control free boot page. And people who failed to shutdown their PC making up the bulk of it - since that needs the charmless bar.

    Just to install ClassicShell or fire up the desktop to use it with needs use of both the start screen and charms. So even if you never use them again you still count as a MS success in these stats.

    Any other company would be panicking over a 10% fail rate just starting up their software, not claiming it as a success.

  8. Re:It's not terrible by pscottdv · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The windows button finally has purpose. You can hit that button, start typing an app name and then space/enter to launch

    So... It's just like DOS except you have to hit the windows key before you type the name of the program you want to launch.

    The more things change, the more they stay the same...

    --

    this signature has been removed due to a DMCA takedown notice

  9. "getting used to it"??? by mark-t · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You can probably "get used to" almost anything when you aren't given a choice. Heck, you can "get used to" chronic back pain too...

    But that's a far cry from meaning that a person actually prefers it

  10. I don't have a windows key... by raehl · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seriously, I don't... I still have my keyboard from 1993 because these new ones stink.

    More seriously - I use my computer for work. Not kids, not watching videos, not games, WORK. Windows XP/7 is better at getting work done than Windows 8.

    Hopefully microsoft pulls their heads out of their butts on this and allows a quick setting change to "I have no use for metro, thanks."