Ron Schenone

Microsoft Windows 8 – Will We Suffer From Upgrade Fatigue?

Posted by on Oct 25, 2010 | 21 Comments

When Microsoft made the announcement that they would be on a 3 year upgrade cycle for Windows, many of us just shook our head. The cost to upgrade out computer systems has become more expensive. More expensive because more of us have multiple computers in our homes and Microsoft has increased the pricing. However, Microsoft did make a 3 upgrade pack of Windows 7 Home Premium available for a reasonable $129.99 at Newegg.

According to one article, Windows 8 may find some resistance, especially from businesses:

“They would certainly like to upgrade only to every other edition,” said Michael Silver of Gartner, referring to businesses. “If Windows 8 comes out in two years, I think that’s likely to happen, that many [enterprises] will be very suspect about migrating to the next release.”

Silver’s comments came after the Dutch arm of Microsoft announced that the follow-on to Windows — dubbed “Windows 8″ by most, if not by Microsoft — will ship in two years, or in 2012.

That timeline fits earlier Microsoft statements that said Windows is on a three-year development plan.

Fatigue, for one thing, said Silver, who cited the slow uptake for Office XP, which appeared just three years after its predecessor, Office 97, as an example. Companies tire of migrating to fast-paced operating system upgrades, largely because of the number of critical applications that may or may not run on a new edition.

I think that a 3 year cycle is a little ambitious. Many like myself, may be reluctant to upgrade. I will get Windows 8, 9 10 whatever when I buy a new PC. I have only upgraded once and that was from Vista to Windows 7. The only reason I did was that I got a free copy of Windows 7 for beta testing the software.

What about you? Will you run to the store when Windows 8 is released to buy yourself a copy? Let us know.

Comments welcome.

Source – Computerworld

  • Dick

    I admit it, I’m a Luddite. I hope to be on XP until Windows 29 comes out. I just can’t be bothered.

    Don’t folks realize that a new OS basically trashes their system? Does MS really expect business’s to upgrade again? Maybe Ballmer needs to do a goodbye monkey dance.
    And don’t count on MS to provide a smooth upgrade. I’ve not seen that since I did the 95 to 98SE upgrade. ( I still wish I could be on Windows 2000! But alas, it just wouldn’t handle the hardware.)

    I keep wanting to scream “LEAVE ME ALONE!” Enough already. Like I really need an office application to Bluetooth to a Token Ring network with an alternate 3G connection that integrates with a Cray supercomputer and will print on a printer located 4 states away via Itunes.

    No chance I can have seamless networking in my home that works flawlessly. Or that MS would remove the useless code that no longer applies to anything and thereby reduce the size of the OS and boost response time. Why improve the product you have when you make more money with new junk.

    Hey gang, here’s an idea, let’s do really neat-o Aero!! That’s the ticket, transparent windows. Now that’s a game changer for sure. Looks good for 2 days then you turn it off as it’s annoying. Even though you had to upgrade your video card/Motherboard/CPU/RAM to support this foolishness. Blow $500 and you get a useless pathetic Microsoft attempt at beauty or art. I use the OS to LOOK at art and beauty, not to BE art and be in the way of what I want to do.

    This group of consumers is crazy. They buy computers to be a TOY not a TOOL. Yes, you can have fun but if that’s ALL you do, considering the cost, you might be better off buying a Wham-o Frisbee and going to the beach.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Hi Dick,
      ‘Like I really need an office application to Bluetooth to a Token Ring network with an alternate 3G connection that integrates with a Cray supercomputer and will print on a printer located 4 states away via Itunes.’

      Are you telling me that you do not do this????? :-)

      Check your yahoo email. I sent you a message that may get filtered as spam.

  • http://twitter.com/theracefortech TheRaceforTech

    I don’t understand why Microsoft believes a 3 year cycle would work when most windows users are still on Windows XP a decade later?

    We needed a 3 year cycle from Vista to Windows 7 because of the initial problems with Vista and the under the hood changes. The legacy support that microsoft has to deal with is huge, so unless they plan on discontinuing support for all the legacy software another plan needs to get put into place.

  • Ryley Benson

    I will most likely upgrade to Windows 8 when it comes out just for the promised startup times. I absolutely love Windows 7, but the longer startup times frustrate me to no end. I am going to be getting an ION 2-powered netbook as a belated grad gift, which will be my note-taking laptop for university (so I don’t have to plug in my power laptop for every class), and having it start up so slowly would be a huge inconvenience. That, and my OCD forces me to always have the latest version of my choice operating system (Windows). I just really hope that they lower the price to somewhere near Apple’s upgrades.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Hi Ryley,
      I think all of us would appreciate faster boot times. :-)

  • Jonathan

    Did they give free upgrades for Beta testing Windows 7? I was a beta tester as soon as it was released for public testing and all I got was a discount offer. (which I took) Anyway as for the release cycle I would rather have something every few years to choose from then being stuck for several years.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Hi Jonathan,
      I was part of the private beta testing group. I also have a TechEd subscription as well.
      Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

  • Ken Weinkauf

    No way! Since Windows 3.0 it seems that just about every other Windows has been a turkey. That makes my next upgrade Win 9.0. Besides, Win 7 is so good, why would I want to change to what will probably be a minor upgrade? Win 7 is what Vista should have been.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Hello Ken,
      Good point. It does seems that every other version of Windows is a flop. Win 7 could be the next XP. :-)

  • Cliffystones

    No.

  • Cliffystones

    “What about you? Will you run to the store when Windows 8 is released to buy yourself a copy? Let us know.”

    No.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Cliffystones,
      I think quite a few of us will be answering no.

  • http://www.hezbollahandrea7.net Miss. Andrea Borman.

    It is not compulsory to upgrade your Windows. Although new laptops are being brought out with Windows 7 mainly the Starter edition. If you still have Windows Vista or XP you can still use your computer and support will still be given for XP until 2014. Also many public computers in Internet Cafes and libraries have not even upgraded to Windows Vista,they are still using Windows XP. I myself have Windows 7 which I upgraded from Starter to Ultimate myself to get all of the features not available in Starter. Which has only the few basic essentials,unlike the other editions. So even if you still have Windows Vista or XP or even older versions of Windows your computer will still work. And a lot of people I know are still using Vista or XP and have just upgraded their Internet Explorer to 8 or 9 but kept their older versions of Windows. So if they do made a Windows 8,I am sure we would not have to upgrade if we did not want to. And one important nor is if you do choose to upgrade your edition of Windows you can not go back to your old version again,without uninstalling Windows. Andrea.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Thanks Andrea for sharing your thoughts with us.

  • http://www.tice.us Pat Tice

    Users will appreciate better functionality, but may be aggravated by unnecessary glitz – a good example is the so-called “ribbon” in newer Office applications. Whenever an OS or common business application changes too much of the basic interface, there will be user confusion and more help desk calls, as well as more training. Businesses don’t see a need to go through all that unless the benefits are so obvious that it will be worth the loss of productivity during the learning curve. Frankly, my W7pro desktop looks like XP – and I curse the day MS introduced the Office ribbon, which simply isn’t as easy to use as traditional menus.

  • Pizzor2000

    It seems to me like it would NOT be in the best interest of MS to announce a Windows 8 so soon. Considering how much of a push they are making right now to get companies to upgrade from XP to 7, these companies would be deterred from upgrading if they know their new OS will just be superceded within 3 years anyway!

    On the flipside, if MS takes too long to release a new version, the businesses that do upgrade to 7 will get “comfortable” with it, like they are with XP now. MS would be facing the same ordeal trying to get everyone onto that new OS.

    I’m thinking a 3-year cycle is a little too rapid to release a new version of Windows–maybe a 5-year cycle would be better.

    In answer to your question, if I have the money and an extra computer to spare, I will go out and by Windows 8 on the day it comes out! I did with Vista.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Pizzor2000.
      Agree. 5 years seems reasonable.

  • Levi

    I cannot say at this point if I will or not.

    While I highly doubt they’ll provide anything new in Windows 8 that could make me want to upgrade, I won’t make a decision until I’ve gotten a list of specs and read reviews. Price and version options are a big part of the decision as well. It’s just way too early to say anything.

    If I wanted to give a knee jerk reaction then yes I’d say no. But I’m just not going to do that.

    So we’ll see.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      Hi Levi,
      True enough. It is early to make a definitive decision. But W8 better serve me breakfast in bed! :-)

  • Mihkel

    I just posted an answer on a post at lockergnome.net a few days ago mentioning the similar answer you wrote about. Saying that not many people would spend an extra $200 for a new OS when they already have a pretty new one. For many $200 is way too much. I think that Microsoft should decrease their prices not only because more people would buy it, but also because then not as many would get the same thing illegally. In the longer distance they would actually earn more.

  • PappyCrux

    No, I have never bought a an OS unless it was included with a new ‘puter. I have been playing around with Ubuntu (Wubi). If I need a replacement OS I will use some form of Linux. Windows 98, NT, XP, & 7 have always done what I have needed at the time. Vista has been a disappointment to me & a lot of others from what I’ve heard. I don’t think I will buy Office again ,as the 2007 version has been less than satisfactory ( everything moved around & I haven’t learned how to get enough functionality for my likes). Open Office has been great for my needs!