The Metro interface of Windows 8 was highly anticipated by Microsoft, but received mixed reviews from the outside world.
Introduction: The American IT website ZDNet recently published an article by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols stating that Microsoft's Windows 8 and Vista have a lot in common: neither is the upgrade the market has been waiting for, and therefore they are bound to fail.
Here is the full text of the article:
I have many friends who are loyal fans of Windows, and they are all looking forward to the release of Windows 8 later this year. Others, however, worry that Windows 8 will repeat the failure of Vista. My opinion is: Windows 8 will suffer a miserable defeat just like Vista did.
I believe that by 2016, there will be far more users of Windows 7 than Windows 8. Before I explain my reasons, I want to clarify that although I chose Linux as my desktop operating system, my pessimistic view on Windows 8 is not because I am a professional Linux user or anti-Microsoft person.
In fact, from the perspective of desktop operating systems, I prefer Windows 7. Indeed, it is true. Moreover, the future failure of Windows 8 will not help Linux at all in its development on the desktop market. Looking back, when Vista failed, it actually had a negative impact on the long-term development of desktop Linux. This is because the failure of Vista, combined with the threat of netbooks, led to a resurgence of Windows XP. If Windows 8 meets the same fate, I am sure Microsoft will extend the life of Windows 7.
So why will Windows 8 fail? The reasons are simple:
1. Desktop users don't need Windows 8
Quickly think about a problem: list one feature that Windows 8 has exclusively that Windows 7, excellent Linux systems (such as Mint), or Mac OS X lack? I can't think of any.
In fact, I can't even think of any significant improvements in Windows 8. Refreshing the operating system? Fast startup? Windows Store? Booting from a USB drive? Come on, other operating systems have had these features for years, and they work well. If you combine them together, it should count as a patch pack for Windows 7, not a completely new operating system.
2. Metro: An ugly and useless interface
It is well known that Windows 8 uses a completely new default interface: Metro. But when I see Metro, I think it is garishly colored, poorly designed, and cannot adjust or move windows; it can only run in small squares or full-screen mode. Where did I last see such a system? Wait, I remember now, it was Windows 1.0!
More importantly, almost everyone is familiar with the current Windows interface. Although it has been changing constantly, if you used Windows 95 back then, you can quickly adapt to Windows 7 now. What about Metro? It is completely different. To make matters worse, Microsoft has even abandoned the Start button.
In short, even if Metro were a great innovation, users would still have to complete old tasks through a new interface - and it isn't. This is a failing idea right now. Of course, you can switch to the classic desktop experience, but why not just directly use the classic interface of Windows XP or Windows 7?
3. Where are the Windows 8 apps?
The preview version of Windows 8 for users will be released soon, but we still know nothing about Windows 8 apps. Some industry insiders pointed out that we don't even know if Office 15 will be compatible with Metro.
Windows 8 is likely to be released in the fall of this year, but we still know nothing about its apps? We don't even know if Office is compatible with it? Come on, how can they take this system seriously?
4. Upsetting Windows developers
If you are dissatisfied with the application status of Metro, then consider the poor Windows programmers. You spent so many years learning .NET, WCF, and WPF, and now you have to learn WinRT and Jupiter/XAML.
Developers who like WinRT say, "Now is a good time to get involved in WinRT, because the platform is still in its early stages and needs a lot of developer support to develop more powerful tools." Really? This comment was posted in January 2012, and the development tools are still nowhere to be seen.
Finally, Windows developers still need to rewrite Metro applications for more traditional Windows-style interfaces, and also develop applications for both x86 and ARM platforms. There is too much work, and definitely not enough people. In summary, I think that when Windows 8 is released, there won't be many mature applications ready.
Unfortunately, Brandon Watson, the director of developer experience for Windows Phone, has just left Microsoft to join Amazon's Kindle team. Does he know something?
This reminds me, what happens to an operating system without the support of developers or applications? It only leads to its demise.
5. Entering the smartphone and tablet market too late
Of course, the real target of Metro is not desktop users. This is Microsoft's last attempt to enter the smartphone and tablet markets. If Microsoft could truly bring about a revolution in the mobile field, or still force OEMs to pre-install Windows, I think they still have a chance in the mobile market. But that is not the case.
Smartphones are dominated by Android and iOS, while tablets are a solo performance by Apple. Samsung, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble currently pose no challenge to the iPad. Android and iOS are already mature, with large developer communities and are very popular among users. If smartphones are included, Apple will become the world's largest "PC" manufacturer due to the success of the iPhone.
In addition, American mobile carriers are not interested in Windows Phone. The elderly and slow-moving Microsoft arrived late to the mobile computing wave of the 2010s, unable to make a major impact, which means that Windows 8 Metro will not find its audience. The market cannot accommodate another large third-party platform. Small platforms like KDE or Ubuntu can still survive, but Microsoft cannot.
Moreover, most Windows users just switched from Windows XP to Windows 7 in November 2011. Now Microsoft is asking them to use a completely different interface with very few applications. What will happen? Windows 8 can only end up failing. (Shuyu)