Windows 8: Evolution or Revolution? What business owners need to know!

There is a lot of hype as well as even more misinformation out on the ‘Net regarding Windows 8.  Many business owners have asked us about Windows 8 and about what their “risks” would be if they migrate to 8 or if they stay in place.  The following is our standard response:

If you have no compelling reason to move to Windows 8 (a specific piece of software requires it or whatever) then you should “stand pat” for now.

Windows 8 is a great operating system under the covers, Microsoft has really done their homework on the internal “plumbing”.  The problem for most users is that the interface, the bits and pieces that you see, is jarring and non-fluid.  It can take some time to figure out how to move about and switch between the parts of the interface that are built for “touch” and the parts that are “traditional”.  Worse, the interface can be inconsistent in how it handles various operations so you can find yourself looking at a familiar file (say, a picture) through a very unfamiliar application.  Add to all of this the fact that a lot of older applications may have problems running under Windows 8 and you have a number of reasons to resist the temptation to migrate.  Windows 8 is truly more of a revolution than a mere evolution of past Windows operating systems.

This is not to say that you should ignore Windows 8, far from it!  What you DO need to do is be aware of the pros and con’s of going to 8 when framed in terms of what YOUR environment consists of – applications, servers, the mix of people (“resistance to change” factor), and so forth.  In the right circumstances, Windows 8 is downright fantastic, specially so if you are running it on a touch-enabled device.  But there is a definite learning curve associated with it, there is a definite productivity drop when people first go on to it and there is the question of program compatibility, specially so with older “line of business” applications that may still be firmly entrenched in the XP era.

If you have questions then feel free to contact itgroove as we would be pleased to discuss Windows 8 with you.  We are here to help unravel some of the “mysteries” as well as some of the hype and misinformation.

Robert