The Troubles &Travails of Microsoft’s New Operating System
There is no doubt that Microsoft was beginning to feel the heat. In the last several years, the company that is most responsible for launching the modern computer revolution, along with Apple, was beginning to feel the competition chomping on its heels. For one thing, the sale of traditional PCs has been decreasing the last few years, as mobile devices, specifically smartphones and tablets, have taken off. Almost all these new devices are using either Google’s Android operating system or Apple’s iOS. As a result, licensing revenue for Microsoft started to nosedive. What they needed to do was get back in the game, by creating a completely new operating system which could be used either on PCs or mobile devices. Thus was born Windows 8.
A One-Size-Fits-All Solution
The idea was actually quite sensible. Why not create a single operating system that can work both on PCs and tablets? That way, users would not only stay loyal to the Microsoft brand, but also be able to easily move from their PC or laptop to their smart phone, without having to learn any new commands or get used to a different interface. Thus, after years of development, Microsoft last year released Windows 8 to the world. All new computers that are using a Windows operating system are now shipped with Windows 8, and several mobile device manufacturers, such as Nokia, have started to introduce smartphones and tablets with this operating system. So far so good; however, the new interface, which is based on what Microsoft calls the Metro platform, left many traditional Windows users perplexed and just a little angry.
The biggest complaint
Anyone who has been using the traditional Windows interface, with operating systems ranging as far back as XP, to Vista to even Windows 7 (which was not particularly popular) were used to having the all too familiar “Start” in the lower left-hand corner. However, for some reason, Microsoft decided to do away with it, preferring to have an interface where one could access many different programs by just clicking on them, or with computers that were so configured, just tapping on screen. In many ways, they are trying to emulate the ease-of-use of the Apple iOS interface. But traditional Windows users were not only used to, but actually enamoured with their “Start” button. Soon, the complaints quickly spread across the Internet. As a result, Microsoft recently released version 8.1, which among other improvements, brings the beloved “Start” button back. Now, Windows users can return to working the way they have been used to.
Making Your Organization Efficient
In South Africa, many companies still naturally rely on desktop computers and laptops to conduct a vast majority of their business. But there are many different operating systems out there, and not all of them necessarily play nice together. Even migrating from Windows XP to Windows 8 can be a challenge. That is why most companies opt for a desktop deployment and management system which allows them to easily integrate all of their computers seamlessly, providing them with greater efficiency and productivity.
