Most Windows 8 Users Choose Traditional Desktop

“We believe Windows 8 is shaping up is as one of the company’s most successful products.” Computerworld reports on her comments further;

However, Reller also said that 85% of new users selected the familiar desktop on the first day rather than the Live Tiles Metro-style interface. She later added though, that most of these users discovered the advantages of using the new interface over the course of three weeks.

Reller’s statistics came from remote telemetry or monitoring users’ PCs. Microsoft has apparently logged over 1.5 billion impressions of Windows 8 customers deploying the new Start screen. She claims that the new UI is now the home base for most users, but they typically personalize it, adding an average of 19 additional tiles to the default set installed on their systems. What is also missing from Reller’s numbers is the breakdown between tablets, where users do not use the traditional desktop and desktops, where they are more likely to. It is also more difficult to reconcile the statement that 85% of new users select the traditional desktop UI with the Metro UI being the “home base for most users (now)”.  Is that much data being collected on user behavior or is this an educated guess?  What do you think? Lastly, Reller added that Windows 8 Pro will be released in January 2013. Reller recently took over part of the duties of Steven Sinofsky, who until he stepped down a couple weeks ago was  the president of the Windows Division. She shares responsibilities with Julie Larson-Green, who is in charge of the Windows Engineering section.]]>