Should you worry that Microsoft 8 isn’t all that great? Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer isn’t. In fact, when asked about his company’s plan should the new operating system not “take off”, Ballmer brushed it off, responding, “You know, Windows 8 is going to do great.” according to a newsgroup post.
The Times pressed, “No doubt at all?” to which Ballmer noted that he isn’t paid to have doubts. “I don’t have any. It’s a fantastic product,” he said.
The new OS offers a very different interface than previous versions, opting for a tile-based screen that feels like that used for the Windows Phone. A new online store allows users to purchase or download new apps, and it is touchscreen-capable.
The reviews have already started to come in, some of which have lukewarm. Maximum PC, for instance, rated it a 7/10 (Sept 14, 2012) compared to a 9/10 given to Windows 7 when it came out in the fall of 2009. However, while CNET, which gave it an 8.0 (Aug 15, 2012), notes the new OS’s steep learning curve, also pointing out that the “in-app navigation isn’t obvious,” it finds that the improvements in speed and security make it worth the $40 to upgrade to the new OS.
Microsoft 8 scored a 7.4/10 on gdgt.com’s compilation of 15 critic reviews, including those from Maximum PC, CNET, and others. The low end of the ratings spectrum came from the Telegraph (Feb 29, 2012), the London-based UK newspaper, and Laptop Magazine (Aug 15, 2012), each of which scored it at a 6.0. TechRadar gave it its highest rating at 9.0 (Aug 22, 2012).
The general public will have to wait until October 26 to see what it thinks. In the meantime, Ballmer seems quite confident that the new OS will perform well. If you’re looking for more discussion, head over the one of the many Usenet newsgroups dedicated to discussing computers, technology, and new software.
