Discussion on:

Windows 8: A developer's first impressions

Am I wrong in thinking that Microsoft like the way the uncluttered simple lines of iOS integrate into the whole experience? I use Windows7 at home and at work, but rely heavily on my iPad when travelling or for outside work. Up to now I have not had any significant problems with iOS .... after all what is flash good for except for ads?

It's not just the lines, there's an overall workflow in the Metro UI (at least on WP7 devices) that actively reduces the number of gestures needed to get things done, at least compared to Android. Metro on a phone rocks... after 6 months with a WP7 phone, I'd rather go back to a "feature phone" than use Android again! I think Metro on a tablet will also be awesome. Metro for keyboard + mouse? I'm not sold yet.

J.Ja

Thanks Justin for the overview. It difficult to get through all the relevant videos and docs to actually get to a decision point. We do like that Microsoft appears to making progress in the leadership aspect and doing 'something' bout it.

Chrome OS coming to it from the "newbie", all-web-all-the-time side of a UI, WinRT growing out of an established full-featured OS base.

(But of course, it was an absolutely stupid idea, in Chrome OS, according to many).

those last three paragraphs on the second page are good insight for anyone who will be supporting W8, developer or not. That's exactly the type of feedback I've been looking for. As always, thanks.

So at least one professional seems to agree with my initial assessment that this changeover looks more damaging than helpful to the Windows environment--at least for now.
One thing I do see is Microsoft actually trying to drive existing developers over to Metro so they can shut down legacy Windows as soon as possible. If they're successful, then perhaps the transition will be a lot smoother than I anticipate, but it will be costly for the end users who have to upgrade not only their Windows but nearly all of their applications to the new paradigm en-masse. That's an expensive prospect but one I believe is necessary if Microsoft wants to remain relevant in the computer OS business and the enterprise wants to continue using Windows. Legacy apps will end up hurting productivity as the typical three-year hardware replacement cycle won't necessarily drive the transition. Just as many businesses are still using WinXP and even Win2K, it may be a decade before they transition out of Win7 to a touch-based Windows.

And that, I think, is the thing Microsoft needs to drive more than anything; they need to make the touch adoption intuitive and desirable. This writer's opinion indicates that they're not succeeding. WP7 with Metro has yet to make any impact in the mobile world while Android and iOS are strongly driving users in another direction. If the transition to Win8 isn't relatively seamless, customers will be pushed away by the changes rather than attracted.

And not all apps can be converted to ASP/PHP.

If all I wanted to do was read CNN, look at pictures, and rent TV episodes from Netflix, I'd replace my desktops and laptops with iPads.

I love the concept as a NEW platform... But in what world is the entire computing industry ready to replace all their existing software and input devices with a touchscreen?

Has anyone even considered what you would do for an input device with a projector? Hack a Wii-mote?

Nonetheless, I appreciate the detailed back-stage look, Justin. Excellent work.

Thanks you for this arcticle. Much fun..

I have it set up as a dual boot on my PC and find that I must keep booting back to WIN 7 to really get anything done, it's like using Linix more, with that same steep learning curve, than a Windows upgrade. Besides, is MS crazy? Look at all the holdouts using XP still, if that many users will not update to Win 7, do they really think that users will switch to an even more radical OS.