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What does Windows 8 mean for business?
At the beginning of September, Microsoft presented a public demonstration of Windows 8, the next version of its operating-system. Given the dominant position of Windows, news of a new version is a big deal - not only for Microsoft, but also for IT managers and business owners, who’ll need to decide whether or not to upgrade when the software package is released in a year or so.
A chequered history
Microsoft features a somewhat chequered history when it comes to Windows releases. Windows 7 - the current version - is generally regarded as stable and secure by companies that work with it. On the other hand, many companies are still soldering on with Windows XP, a ten-year-old operating-system. If ain’t broke, why fix it? Indeed, it’s only now Windows 7 has time to prove itself that a lot of companies are able to see a business case for upgrading. And with Windows 7 perceived as the ‘safe’ choice, Microsoft will have to develop a substantial argument to convince businesses to jump to Windows 8 as an alternative.
An all-new interface
Building that case is going to be trickier now the company has confirmed that Windows 8 uses an entirely brand-new user interface. In a risky decision, Microsoft has forced the common desktop aside, swapping it with a system called Metro.
Metro has been made for devices with touch screens, like tablet PCs, as well as for more traditional PCs. The ambition is admirable, but it does mean Windows 8 is a daring departure from what folks are familiar with. Once you load up Windows 8, you’ll see a set of live ‘tiles’. These can show you important information immediately (such as your unread emails), and you can also flick between tiles, or tap them to launch apps. So far, it sounds great - as long as you’re using a device with a touch-screen. If not (as will be the case for most business users), it’s tough to see what advantages this will offer over the standard desktop.
The desktop is still there
In reality, it appears most likely that most companies will wish to continue with the familiar desktop, which will remain available in Windows 8. There are several surprises here too though. Probably the most striking is that Microsoft has opted to include the Microsoft Office-style ‘ribbon’. This move is likely to divide opinion. The software giant says the ribbon makes important commands obvious, helps people find the options that they need, and provides regularity across their applications. However, any IT managers who had to deal with unhappy users when the ribbon was introduced to Microsoft Office will feel a headache coming on at the prospect of going through it again. One blogger has dissected the rationale behind the move, and it’s doesn’t make for pretty reading.
What are the advantages?
Obviously, it’s early days for Windows 8. Microsoft is promising many other enhancements, which will come to light between now and the software’s release. Certainly, it will use fewer system resources than Windows 7, so should improve your performance on existing hardware. But will there be enough to persuade companies to switch to Windows 8? With more than a year until the release, it’s tricky to be sure. But at first glance, it’s hard to see a powerful argument. At least to start with, there’ll be too many unknowns to make Windows 8 an overwhelmingly attractive proposition. Will users be capable of cope with the interface changes? Will the upgrade process go smoothly? (Remember Windows Vista?) Companies that ought to upgrade from Windows XP are much more likely to jump to Windows 7; it’s proven in the real-world plus the upgrade path is well-established. Those already using Windows 7 can just sit tight while they wait and see how Windows 8 fares in its first months.
The long game
In the long term, it’s very feasible that Microsoft’s big gamble will pay off. If touch screens become standard on PCs and tablet ownership grows, that new interface could make a whole lot of sense. In 5 years’ time, perhaps we’ll all be using Metro and the desktop will be deceased. But big adjustments always create problems. If you’re a company trying hard to balance the books and work economically in a tough economy, the combined distractions of Metro as well as the ribbon might be the last things you need, at least for the forseeable future.
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