Windows 8: What 50 IT Pros Really Think : anewdomain.net google+ survey

The following ran in Techrepublic today — my story on Win 8 and its apparent lack of attraction for most CTOs and tech pros I surveyed. You never know .

Fascinating, Spock would say. Wouldn’t he. We have a call into Microsoft.

Windows 8 in the Enterprise: Why IT pros say no

By 

July 19, 2012, 8:55 AM PDT

Takeaway: Gina Smith surveyed enterprise tech pros about their intentions regarding Windows 8. The reaction was less than enthusiastic.

We surveyed 50 tech pros via Google plus, as well as 15 tech pros from large enterprises at the geek site I run about whether they were gearing up for a Windows 8 switch.Out of 50 tech pros I interviewed at enterprises around the world, 41 said they had no plans to bring in Windows 8 because of learning curve issues. Many are racing to upgrade XP systems to Windows 7 now and Windows 7 sales are as brisk, or brisker, than ever – the opposite of what typically happens before a major OS release comes out.

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The move is on

But there is nothing usual about this. There appears to be a massive move to upgrade Windows XP based PCs in the enterprise – MS sold 70 million Windows 7 licenses in just the last quarter – and avoid the huge UI change involving tiles designed more for mobile devices than desktops.

 

Credit: Ant Pruitt for aNewDomain.netCredit: Ant Pruitt for aNewDomain.net

Consider too that Microsoft announced it would stop supporting Windows XP, that stable and much beloved OS, come April 2014. And there are more options than ever in open systems … read my whole piece on today’s +Techrepublic

Disclosure. Techrepublic, for which Gina Smith writes regularly, is a friend of aNewDomain.net — and a CNET property. Gina Smith was one of the founding five team members at CNET and retains to financial stake in it or its parent, cbsinteractive.

1 Comment

  • I wonder what mix of prudence, caution, budget, licensing issues, usability that creates this weird (or is it?) trend where a good portion the world’s PC are at least one generation behind. Is Windows 8 truly that bleeding edge? Does anything show that uptick in Windows 7 purchases that buyers are also retiring older PCs that had reached their pre 7 capability window?