Windows worldwide market share is stuck at 15% and falling

[Megamig]

MS Windows is not going to disappear. Those who believe so should stop popping their delusional 'A' (apple) pills.

All form factors have their flaws but desktops are by far the most superior as they are easy to upgrade, repair, customize and offer the greatest longevity.

[koaftder]

But I don't believe a college student these days can get by not using a personal computer.

I'm currently in college and I personally know quite a few students who get by just fine with nothing but a tablet. They can access their ebooks, blackboard and type their essays on them. I think its a supreme waste of time doing so as it's double the effort of just using a laptop, but students seem to want to do crap on tablets for whatever reason. A lot of the younger students seem to lack basic computer skills and have serious troubles in the computer lab.

[bloodline]

Yes they are content consumers. As opposed to content creators. But I don't believe a college student these days can get by not using a personal computer.

With a Bluetooth keyboard... I'd be surprised if most students would have a problem with a tablet for almost any task I can think of.

My two heaving lifting tasks where I still use a laptop are making music and programming... Both of which I now do on my iPad mini when I'm away from home... The laptop stays at home.

@chickenDevil: TSR, your joking right. How is that the OSs fault?

OS security policy.

[Kesa]

How about something simple like making a PowerPoint presentation or for that matter using any msoffice software? As a student i can confidently say it is impossible to use an ipad or Android device for uni.

In fact typing out this post using my phone is 10 times harder and annoying than it needs to be.

Also usb sticks is a must in daily uni life for all sorts of things.

I need a laptop. Tablets and phones are useless for anything but checking emails and using blackboard.

[psxphill]

When I replace my XP games machine it will be an I7 with win 7. no win8, too much stuff I'll never use.

You realise that windows 8 runs faster and uses less ram right?

[Themamboman]

So, which is it?  Stuck at 15% or falling?  Can't be stuck and fall at the same time...

[James2002]

You realise that windows 8 runs faster and uses less ram right?

Some programs don't work on windows 8. Even with the new windows 8.1 it not that great. It does use less ram. Don't get me started on windows 8 failures. I would rather have compatibility than  less features. Metro is only good if you have touch screen  monitor.

[persia]

Ever hear of Keynote?

How about something simple like making a PowerPoint presentation or for that matter using any msoffice software? As a student i can confidently say it is impossible to use an ipad or Android device for uni.

In fact typing out this post using my phone is 10 times harder and annoying than it needs to be.

Also usb sticks is a must in daily uni life for all sorts of things.

I need a laptop. Tablets and phones are useless for anything but checking emails and using blackboard.

[bloodline]

How about something simple like making a PowerPoint presentation or for that matter using any msoffice software? As a student i can confidently say it is impossible to use an ipad or Android device for uni.

In fact typing out this post using my phone is 10 times harder and annoying than it needs to be.

Also usb sticks is a must in daily uni life for all sorts of things.

I need a laptop. Tablets and phones are useless for anything but checking emails and using blackboard.

Actually I wrote (and presented) a presentation on welfare reform for my last job interview using my iPad mini!

-edit- This was using keynote, but you can build PowerPoint presentations using quick office on both the iPad and android tablets.

[Kesa]

Actually I wrote (and presented) a presentation on welfare reform for my last job interview using my iPad mini!

-edit- This was using keynote, but you can build PowerPoint presentations using quick office on both the iPad and android tablets.

hmmm... sounds interesting.

Personally i hope tablets never replace laptops. I hate touchscreens!

Did you get the job?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Some programs don't work on windows 8. Even with the new windows 8.1 it not that great. It does use less ram. Don't get me started on windows 8 failures. I would rather have compatibility than less features. Metro is only good if you have touch screen monitor.

 
+1.  I tested Windows 8 extensively in our business environment and despite Microsoft's claims, there were many enterprise applications that work fine under Windows 7 Pro 64-bit that failed under Windows 8.  And if the claim that it uses less ram is true, I'd be willing to bet that's only because they removed Aero (which at least looks nice and runs quite well on modern graphics hardware) and replaced it with those flat, lifeless-looking tiles.

[bloodline]

hmmm... sounds interesting.

Personally i hope tablets never replace laptops.

Despite all I've said in support of Tablets, I completely agree with you.

But I'm not going to bury my head in the sand and pretend that the technology I grew up with is going to very relevant in the future.

 I hate touchscreens!

As an interface, it has its place. I can't hate it any more than I hate keyboards

Did you get the job?

Thankfully I did, but I'm not going to credit that to the iPad... Though it was very useful being able to work on my presentation whenever I had a free moment... Also I was able to make changes right up to the moment of the interview!

[Linde]

An input interface you have stare at to have any idea of what you're doing, constantly repositioning your hands while you do to see what's behind them... I am a happy iPhone user, so I feel like there are some good ideas supporting the use a touch screen, none of which are related to ergonomics.

I hope I'm not burying my head in the sand by saying that laptops are going to stay until there is something more handy that can viably replace their functionality. If all you do is spending short stretches of time using single-application drag and drop work, email reading or browsing, sure, an iPad might be your better choice. If you're using your computer actively for more than 8 hours a day, doing any typing, rely heavily on side-by-side windowing, or mind paying for even the most rarely useful application, you aren't going to trade your laptop for an iPad. Chances are you aren't even going to trade your desktop computer for a laptop.

[gertsy]

With a Bluetooth keyboard... I'd be surprised if most students would have a problem with a tablet for almost any task I can think of.

My two heaving lifting tasks where I still use a laptop are making music and programming... Both of which I now do on my iPad mini when I'm away from home... The laptop stays at home.



OS security policy.

All the students I know use Laptops. Mac or Windows. Perhaps we're a little behind the times over here.

OS security policy/Group Policy. No.
But as many contributors quite often attest Windows has no security, right?

I don't doubt that devices in the future will be very different than today. That's clear. But a Human user interface and display will remain large(big) as long as the content requires it.

[Amiga_Nut]

When I replace my XP games machine it will be an I7 with win 7. no win8, too much stuff I'll never use.

Chris

I think it's also time to replace my laptop with one I can record HD gameplay videos on WinUAE (so that will have to be an i7 with proper GPU on the motherboard) but Win 7 is such an ugly interface it is pretty certain I will replace it with the Vista GUI which at least looks smart.  It is mostly for security though more than anything else, XP just gets slaughtered at the slightest hint of a TCP/IP connection these days hmmmm

I have had to experience the stupid Win 8 interface once this year and I can promise you it is not something I would ever install. If I have to stare at the screen and wonder WTF it is trying to tell me via this interface when I have an IQ of 137 then clearly it is Microsoft who is deficient not myself I had so many family members ask me how to do something on Skype for Win 8 I had to just tell them I don't have a Win 8 machine and if they install and older version there problems would be solved! haha

If however you use some obscure emulators you can not use anything past Vista due to screen access functions provided to applications that have been removed in Windows 7.

XP is the oldest I would go though, if it doesn't run on XP then forget it IMO (DOS games were better on Amiga most of the time and Windows 95/98 is next to impossible to get running without problems on modern hardware).

[Kesa]

but Win 7 is such an ugly interface it is pretty certain I will replace it with the Vista GUI which at least looks smart.  

If however you use some obscure emulators you can not use anything past Vista due to screen access functions provided to applications that have been removed in Windows 7.

Why is windows 7 ugly? How is vista better? Windows 7 is intuitive and efficient.

It's the orb isn't it. That's why you hate it. I guess thats the problem with having an IQ of 137 - you obsess over trival details