Why Windows 8 is a flop for the enterprise

Microsoft had grandiose plans for Windows 8 and how it would revolutionize and potentially bridge the gap between a touchscreen OS and desktop OS. However, reception to Windows 8 across the board has been mostly cold. The drastic departure from the “normal” Windows Start menu or Start “button” has left most users with less than fuzzy feelings for the OS. The metro launcher as well for desktop users is simply not efficient.

It leaves us wondering here at Computer-howto – why did Microsoft scrap the Start button? It would have been easy enough to have left the metro interface and then have at least some sort of system option in place that would allow users to swap back and forth between which interface they preferred to use. More importantly for enterprise environments, administrators are less than thrilled about the fact they would be stuck with the metro interface. We may be or not so much be going out on a limb here, but the Metro interface will be the death of Windows 8 in the enterprise. It is yet to be seen just how much backlash for home users there will be due to the lack of start menu/button, but suffice to say, most people probably wouldn’t be upgrading to Windows 8 if it weren’t for the fact that Windows 8 is what is loaded on the new computer they may have bought at Christmas time or since the start of the new year.

Also, historically, if you look at Microsoft OS’s, every other OS has been a flop:

Windows 95: Success
Windows 98: Ok
Windows Millenium: Flop
Windows XP: Success
Windows Vista: Flop
Windows 7: Success
Windows 8: Jury is still out, but looking like a flop

There just isn’t enough new or beneficial in Windows 8 for enterprise environments to want to make the move. Our message to Microsoft is this: learn what works, don’t try to beat EVERYONE, improve on what you do best. Take the best characteristics from one OS and improve on that. Don’t scrap it and start with something totally new. It makes no sense. Microsoft’s vision seems clouded at what they truly want to accomplish and they are spreading themselves thin trying to be better at everything than everyone else instead of going with their strong hand.