Why Windows 8 is going to be another Vista, but without the fail

For years now Windows Vista has been the butt of a lot of technology jokes. More so than previous editions of Windows, Vista required a significant boost in power to run properly. Yeah, you could run it without the shiny glass and 3D effects, but most people either did not know that or really wanted the eye-candy. Who doesn’t though? Most people like shiny things, that’s why we buy things like sports cars, diamonds, and Apple products. That being said, for over four years Microsoft sold millions and millions of copies of Windows Vista on new PCs despite it being declared as a “failure” because so few people were upgrading to it. Why was this case?

I believe that Windows 8, like Windows Vista, is going to require another significant hardware shift in order to get the most out of it. Even though, from my experience, it runs smoother than even Windows 7 on legacy hardware (A Dell Studio 15 and Macbook Pro in my case) I think that it will be most successful with buyers of new hardware that have touch screens, cameras capable of motion/voice control, and multi-touch trackpads/screens. I think like Windows XP, Windows 7 is a very solid version of Windows and an excellent piece of software. I believe that most businesses and people with current machines will simply not see a reason to upgrade to Windows 8 because Windows 7 just works well enough right now. I do not think it means that Windows 8 will fail though.

My expectations on how this thing will play out:

Microsoft and partners will release a number of Windows 8 devices: tablets, laptops, desktops, convertible tablet/laptop hybrids, and more. I think Metro will really appeal to people on these new devices and granted the experience is good enough at launch, perhaps people will opt to buy a Windows 8 tablet or other device. I think the Windows 8 Metro experience will be very much like the iPad-Mac experience in which people use Metro for enjoyable activities like Facebook, Twitter, internet, games, multimedia, etc. and traditional Windows 7 desktop for getting work done or heavy lifting operations like professional work (AutoCad, movie production, coding, etc.). Mostly I expect those who upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 on traditional hardware will do it because they have come to love the Metro experience and want a consistent experience from their tablet to their traditional hardware. People love consistency and that is why people who own iPhones are more likely to consider an iPad. That’s one of the things that makes Apple’s ecosystem so appealing is that things just work toether. Metro will eventually evolve like the iPad to do more professional-level tasks, but even today the newest iPad is awkward in areas like photo manipulation (iPhoto comes to mind), video creation (iMovie is okay, but not great for big project), and writing complex documents (Sorry, iWork doesn’t cut it right now).

As for businesses they will probably skip Windows 8 entirely and use Windows 7 because it is such as solid release. Most businesses today do not have tablet hardware or touchscreens or even internal webcams if I had to guess. I can see Metro UI working great in a business, they generally like to stick with what works and Windows 7 works fantastic with the technology most have right now. Because of this I can already foresee in my crystal ball of tech that hipsters, tech pundits, and opposing fanboys alike will declare Windows 8 a “failure” because people will not simply upgrade to it in droves.

I think it will be like Vista in that regard, that people will not upgrade to it directly, but rather wait until they get a new device to get it. That’s why I do not feel that legacy support on Windows 8 makes the experience “impure” or broken as some would lead you to believe. You could buy a Windows 8 tablet and literally never know that the desktop exits, but I think the inclusion is nice for legacy devices and people who need a more a more traditional version of Office to work with in a pinch. As much as I love my iPad, iWork for the iPad is currently not enough for the papers I write for my engineering classes in college. Having the full, desktop edition of iWork or Microsoft Office is simply superior at this point. There are several times a week that a mobile version of iWork is simply not powerful enough for the stuff I typically do for school. I look at having the desktop UI on a tablet as the same thing when people use VLC on their iPad to remote into their Macs or PCs. Not ideal, but a really handy feature to hold me over until the platform matures. If you use Windows 8 or Windows Phone for any extended period of time it’s clear that Microsoft feels its future is Metro all the way, the legacy support is just there to tide people over until the platform matures, much like the iPad initially touted that it iPhones apps or a gaming console like the PS3 having the ability to play PS2 games. Eventually those using the legacy software will die off. You can see this with the iPad and how Apple does not promote the use of iPhone apps anymore and the current Playstation 3 that does not even play Playstation 2 games. In short, Microsoft’s future is Metro, but legacy support is there to drag people into that future.  

I think that Windows 8 will be fine and if Microsoft pushes Metro in the way they are currently pushing Windows Phone 7 and put the entire force of the company behind Windows 8 they can make it a success. Reimagining the most successful piece of software of all time is a difficult task and they may not be able to do it. I have just learned to never underestimate Microsoft, especially when they are backed into a wall. Many did not think they could get into video games and now they have one of the most beloved and successful gaming consoles of all time, the Xbox 360. That and many did not think they could recover from Vista, but Windows 7 is arguably the best version of Windows they have ever released and is selling like hotcakes. I think a unified Microsoft is a powerful and awesome force in technology. I look forward to what seeing what they can do in the post-PC era.   

Things I'm Thankful for: Auburn University

Ever since visiting Auburn University my senior year in high school, I wanted to go there. Due to things beyond my control, I could not go there my freshman year in college. I went to Spring Hill for a few years and after a lot of work I managed to transfer to Auburn last summer. The campus was vastly different over the summer than it is during this spring semester, but I did have a good time finally getting to take the classes that I wanted. Over that summer I met new people, experienced new things, and learned a lot. I really love Auburn University because, like Spring Hill, it has a certain feeling to it that you're part of a family. I gave industrial engineering a go this semester and even though I ultimately decided that mechanical was more my calling, the mechanical engineering department made me feel like an old friend when I came back in last Thursday. I was greet with a smile by the advisor and she did not bother helping me for about an hour to figure out my schedule for next semester. I really like it here that even though it is a bigger university, professors within my major know my name and greet me in the halls as I go to class. I really like it here because it feels like if you're willing to committ to a major that people here will help you when they can to get there. It's a beautiful place that feels me with hope that if I work hard enough that eventually I will be able to get where I want in live. That happy endings are not just for Disney movies.

Things That I'm Thankful for: Water

Water, its what makes a lot of things possible and without easy access to it life would be more limited. I'm thankful to live in an enviroment that we are blessed so much water. Its really nice to be able to take some water from the tab or take a shower at night or even wash your hands without thinking too much about it. It keeps us clean, it sustains us, and entertains us. Living on the gulf coast I do enjoy going to the beach. I like to sit in the sun and read a good book and then play in the surf for a bit. The waves in Alabama are almost always manageable on a normal "beach" day so that is not really an issue. We do have hurricanes that do bring a lot more water than we would like sometimes, but I'm thankful that its been a while since we have had a bad storm. Its simple, but without it life would be infinitely more complicated. I'm thankful today for water. 

Thing I'm Thankful for: Alone Time

I generally like the company of others, but there are honestly times that I do enjoy time alone. I helps me to wind down, collect my thoughts, and chill. Its a time I generally like to read, run, play video games, etc. It feels like I need a good balance of both time with others and alone time or I honestly get cranky. Doing my own personal projects, getting through a video game, finishing a book, etc. give me a lot of joy and time to recharge my batteries. 

Things I'm Thankful for: Friends

What are friends for? Friends are the people who know all about you and still like you. They aren't family so they are obligated to put up with you on any level. I am very thankful for my friends because they are a blast to spend time with, they tolerate my craziness, and help me through the tough times. They are help me get different perspectives on different situations whether it's how to solve a physics problem or the proper color of a getaway car were we ever to pull a Bonnie and Clyde. I have many different friends ranging from artistic historians to pre-med majors who like to virtually assassinate people in the name of freedom. I really enjoy my time with my friends and it really brightens my day to get to see them. I'm thankful for having the friends I do.