Microsoft Finally Hits Back At Windows 8 Critics

May 13, 2013
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If there is one thing that has stayed constant since release of Windows 8 is the continuous and intense criticism of Microsoft’s newest operating system from a number of technology circles.

Another thing that has stayed constant is Microsoft’s reluctance to respond. Until now, that is.

The technology titan has finally decided to issue a statement regarding the intense criticism, saying that its newest platform is getting better every day. This marks the first time Redmond has fired back with a statement that slams some media publications.

Frank X Shaw, the corporate vice president of Corporate Communications at Microsoft said in a post on the official company blog:

“In this world where everyone is a publisher, there is a trend to the extreme – where those who want to stand out opt for sensationalism and hyperbole over nuanced analysis. In this world where page views are currency, heat is often more valued than light. Stark black-and-white caricatures are sometimes more valued than shades-of-gray reality.”

It gets even more intense from here:

“So let’s pause for a moment and consider the center. In the center, selling 100 million copies of a product is a good thing. In the center, listening to feedback and improving a product is a good thing. Heck, there was even a time when acknowledging that you were listening to feedback and acting on it was considered a good thing.”

So, what is the bottom line, you may ask? As far as the software titan is concerned, it considers Windows 8 an excellent product (and rightly so, it must be added), but better yet, the company also admitted that it is going to work harder to make it even better. As Shawn concluded:

“Windows 8 is a good product, and it’s getting better every day. We are going to keep improving Windows 8, as we do with all our products, making what’s good even better. There will be people who agree, strongly. There will be those who disagree, equally strongly. All good, all expected.”

All good, all expected, indeed. And this, people, is the bottom line.

The company has already expressed its intention to take as much customer feedback into account as it can, and consequently Windows Blue, the next version of Windows due for release in the summer, is said to pack a number of changes based on user recommendations.

Article Categories:
Microsoft

Mike Johnson is a writer for The Redmond Cloud - the most comprehensive source of news and information about Microsoft Azure and the Microsoft Cloud. He enjoys writing about Azure Security, IOT and the Blockchain.

All Comments

  • Truth is the critics are only picking on it because they don’t want to spend time learning a new experience of the new Windows 8 Operating system. They just hit out at it. Critics instead of picking on it try it for 1 month and then come back!

    Jason Pilbury May 13, 2013 11:50 am Reply
    • Totally agree with you!

      DKJr May 14, 2013 1:52 am Reply
    • I totally agree to that!

      Shreyas May 14, 2013 3:22 am Reply
  • Can I just get rid of any Cyan tiles please? Let us apply color schemes to the Metro interface. Let us choose whether PDFs open in Desktop or as an app. Just give destop users more control and don’t let programs jump out of desktop back to full screen.

    Rico Muscatel May 13, 2013 1:26 pm Reply
    • Hmm… not sure what version of Windows 8 you are using, perhaps still the beta or customer preview? But both those functions already exist in the official Windows 8. You can choose your color scheme for the start screen and livetiles (except if the developer has specificially coded their livetile icon to a color), and you can also choose if PDFs are to open in desktop or as an app.
      All these customisations and options are readily available out of the box.

      Ziggy June 4, 2013 11:32 pm Reply
      • I’ve got the commercial release.. I’m talking about the MS tiles for mail, contacts, music, etc.. Mail is Cyan everywhere. Reminds me of Windows 3.1

        Rico Muscatel June 7, 2013 11:05 am Reply
  • Never really understood the criticism having used both Win 7 and 8 Pro extensively though as a user not some tech geek, developer or administrator. I find 8 Pro very user friendly and actually don’t like the switch between desktop and modern UI. I actually prefer to work fully in modern UI but MS forces me to go to desktop – not very cool. I only go there for QuickBooks, Quicken and Explorer. The last being MS fault – please give an app for Metro!

    I actually don’t miss the Start button at all as Metro UI is one huge Start button and works pretty fine for me.

    I must admit, the learning curve was quite steep but got a hang of it within a week – never looked back since.

    I love Win 7 but 8 Pro is much, much better for normal user if you have a touchscreen tablet or laptop. If you still have the good old non-touch hardware, then i appreciate why you are complaining. Better still, just buy new hardware & trust me, you just might change your mind about Win 8.

    DKJr May 14, 2013 1:50 am Reply
  • Never really understood the criticism having used both Win 7 and 8 Pro extensively though as a user not some tech geek, developer or administrator. I find 8 Pro very user friendly and actually don’t like the switch between desktop and modern UI. I actually prefer to work fully in modern UI but MS forces me to go to desktop – not very cool. I only go there for QuickBooks, Quicken and Explorer. The last being MS fault – please give an app for Metro!
    I actually don’t miss the Start button at all as Metro UI is one huge Start button and works pretty fine for me.
    I must admit, the learning curve was quite steep but got a hang of it within a week – never looked back since.
    I love Win 7 but 8 Pro is much, much better for normal user if you have a touchscreen tablet or laptop. If you still have the good old non-touch hardware, then i appreciate why you are complaining. Better still, just buy new hardware & trust me, you just might change your mind about Win 8.

    DKJr May 14, 2013 1:50 am Reply
  • Yah

    iamArif May 14, 2013 9:24 am Reply
  • The truth is that people, in general, are reluctant to reject the ‘new’ … I have not yet realized that the Microsoft OS is really good … when they realize that only then will hug him …

    Ferreira Felipe May 28, 2013 6:08 am Reply

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