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Windows 8 and its much needed apology

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Profile photo of Rich Parris Rich Parris Which? Tech
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An apology, at the very least – that’s what I expect from Microsoft. Because that’s what it owes its customers for the misery that was Windows 8, which will be remembered as a failure ever more.

Windows 8 revealed a company struggling to keep up with these touchscreen times. Clearly, heads have rolled at Microsoft HQ, and the newly unveiled Windows 10 is its effort to win back the trust of its customers.

Windows 10, though, not 9? Perhaps the marketing gurus are putting some distance between the new effort, which will be released next year, and the woefully received Windows 8. But as for an apology – perhaps even this isn’t enough.

Free upgrade to Windows 10

If Microsoft wants to truly earn the love of its customers, it could do a lot worse than to make Windows 10 a free upgrade for anyone who suffered through 8. Not discounted. Free. This is something that Apple has managed to do with all of its recent OS X updates, for example.

Let Microsoft pay the cost for its mistakes with Windows 8 – customers shouldn’t have to

What was you experience with Windows 8? Were you happy with Microsoft’s OS or has it pushed you away to other operating systems?

Should Microsoft give Windows 8 owners a free upgrade to Windows 10?

Yes (92%, 1,831 Votes)

At least a discount (6%, 125 Votes)

Don't know (1%, 23 Votes)

No (1%, 21 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,000

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Comments
110
dieseltaylor says:
21 January 2015

Wow! And so unbelievably good. Now I might sound a tad cynical but perhaps that goes with long experience of software company promises.

” Technology should be out of the way and your apps, services and content should move with you across devices, seamlessly and easily. In our connected and transparent world, we know that people care deeply about privacy – and so do we. That’s why everything we do puts you in control – because you are our customer, not our product. We also believe that interacting with technology should be as natural as interacting with people – using voice, pen, gestures and even gaze for the right interaction, in the right way, at the right time. These concepts led our development and you saw them come to life today.”

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cjw37 says:
8 February 2015

See!!! Geek sentences that in reality are meaningless drivel.

It’s very sad……..

See my other post for clarity

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Patrick Steen says:
22 January 2015

Hi all, here’s our latest post, sharing that Windows 10 will be a free upgrade: https://conversation.which.co.uk/technology/windows-10-free-upgrade-windows-7-8/

Will you update to Windows 10 as soon as it’s out? Or has your loyalty already shifted to another brand? And do you think it’s right that operating systems are now being given away for free?

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John de Rivaz says:
22 January 2015

A lot depends on whether 10 can be loaded over 7 or 8, or whether it has to be a clean install with concurrent re-installation of everything else. At the moment I am inclined to wait until 10 is out so that I can make another computer to run alongside until everything can be moved over.

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terfar says:
22 January 2015

Every indication suggests that an upgrade over Win7/8 will be possible. You can certainly perform a non-destructive reinstall of both 7&8. But don’t try it with the preview version.

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John de Rivaz says:
23 January 2015

Does anyone know if a machine was made using the preview version whether it could later be upgraded to the full version using a Windows 8 CD as proof of purchase?

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terfar says:
22 January 2015

I’m guessing, but there’s definitely something afoot. I think Win10 will remain free thus making new Windows hardware a little cheaper enabling it to compete with the likes of Chromebooks.

But I also think that it will eventually attract an annual fee for updates and upgrades. Office 365 is doing very well compared to Office 2013. I won’t be surprised if Windows follows the same route.

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cjw37 says:
8 February 2015

This is what happens when you let the over-excitably geeks play on their machines and come up with visionary ideas that have never actually been road tested with ordinary people.

Microsoft locked them up after Vista and thought they had learnt their lesson, showed them Win 7 and said ‘GOOD’
The hairy excitable geeks did not understand this difficult word as it did not form a sentence of 30 incomprehensible words and a Yee-haw!

Hence Win 8

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Edward Massey says:
26 March 2015

Fantastic news from MS.( Am sending this on Windows 7 )
but worry that I will not need the upgrade Is windows 10 so very different? When will windows 7 end? Incidentally I think ‘Which computing’ is the best magazine of all- your helpdesk is quite the best thing that is written. But please can you answer the questions put to you in the MS system that applies .

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Rich Parris says:
26 March 2015

Well that’s a good question, Edward – our thinking so far is that if you are on Windows 8/8.1, upgrade for sure – Windows 10 will undoubtedly be a more user-friendly improvement.

However, if you’re on Windows 7, then you’re already using a straightforward and approachable operating system that will continue to be supported by Microsoft for another five years to come (support ends in 2020). I’m inclined to advise Windows 7 users to stick with what they know and trust already.

However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see new services coming out from Microsoft which depend on Windows 10 to run….perhaps even the new web browser Microsoft is developing, called Spartan. This could incentivise people to upgrade.

Given that the free upgrade option will last for a year from the moment it’s first made available, my advice is bide your time. Stick with Windows 7 initially, and if you get an opportunity to try out Windows 10 perhaps in a shop, then do so – you can then make a call on whether or not upgrading is best for you.

Thanks for the kind words about the magazine and Helpdesk, greatly appreciated!

Richard

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User 66219 says:
26 March 2015

This comment was removed at the request of the user

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Michael Maher, says:
11 June 2015

I hope that Windows 10 is a lot better than 8.1 I have had nothing but problems. with 8.1 and I hope Microsoft do not make the same mistake in.the future or, it will lose a lot of business.

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