CAUTION: Windows 8 Ahead!

Will the world feel a seismic vibration on October 26? Probably not, but there will be a significant shift in how PCs will operate. On Saturday, October 26, 2012 Microsoft will to officially release Windows 8. The new operating system is “reimagined” and “reinvented” and a mighty shift in what was once a familiar experience. Now, every corner of the screen has a function, a search “charm” magically locates your files, and your mouse may become passé.

Should you take the plunge and upgrade all your PCs, or is a cautionary approach best? Here’s our high level take on the good and the bad of the Windows 8 operating system.

Great First Impression….

The developers have made Windows 8 really lean. This means boot and login times have been dramatically reduced. (Just think, no more leaving your PC on overnight because it takes too much time to reboot in the morning!)

Whoa, Where’s the Start Button?

If you like change, you’ll love Windows 8. This upgrade isn’t an evolutionary change like what was experienced from Windows XP to Windows Vista to Windows 7. Accessing and navigating within the new OS is completely different, and the changes begin with the Start button.

In 8, a Start screen replaces the Start menu, and for a majority of long-time PC users, learning to locate, access and “pin” favorite apps, contacts and websites to their Start screen may seem a little confusing at first.

Did we say “apps?” That’s right. Microsoft has an app store of their own, and users with Windows 8 may purchase or download a variety of applications. A good thing? Maybe, but make sure you have a policy in place to address what programs are/not appropriate to download.

The great news is the Windows 8 style apps are designed to give users a consistent experience across PCs, tablets and phones. This bests Apple applications where app designs are often adapted to the device.

Touch-Centric Technology.

You will immediately notice the look and feel of Window 8 caters more towards laptops, desktops and tablets with touch screens. Some of the touch-centric components of Windows 8 will not be intuitive (or even liked) for folks who have used a Windows based operating system for the past couple decades.

True, it could be said that touch screen interaction is a natural step towards the next generation of user to PC interaction, but we wonder, at this juncture is it wise to alienate millions of workstations and PC users who aren’t ready for this new stage?

Our Advice
Should your new PC purchases include Windows 8? Should you upgrade across your enterprise? Well, of course, that depends. Our instincts say TAKE CAUTION. So, before you jump right in, ask yourself a few questions and consider our advice:

• Is your primary business application compatible? This is a critical first question to ask yourself before upgrading or purchasing new PCs with Windows 8.
• How tech-savvy is your user base? How much additional training will you require to get your users up to speed?
• Do you want to incorporate tablets into your work environment but your primary business application doesn’t support Android or Apple’s iOS? Windows 8 tablets might be an answer, but check with your application provider first.
• Upgrading to Windows 8 is relatively inexpensive. ($39.99 per license until 1/31/2013.) Even so, we recommend waiting until you purchase a new PC before you think about upgrading. Incurring additional software and service expense on a PC you have already purchased generally does not make sense.
• If you are purchasing new PCs for your organization, purchase Windows 8 for computers used for non-critical job functions rather than work stations where your payroll or billing teams work, for example. (You don’t want those tasks delayed because someone can’t figure out how to find the file!)

Lastly, if you are curious to see Windows “reimagined” and have to add a new PC into your existing enterprise, consider purchasing the downgrade rights to Windows 7 on the new work station. This will allow you to run Windows 7 for the foreseeable future but upgrade to Windows 8 when and if you want to later.

Still don’t know what to do? Contact us. We’re here to help you decide what makes the most sense for your business and user base!