Windows 8, any good for Chartered Surveyors?

As we reported last week, it has been a big 10 days for big tech announcements. But for Microsoft the launch of their new windows 8 operating system, could have a big effect on their future success.

According to figures published by Gartner, over 1.5 billion devices around the world use some sort of version of Windows. Yet since the launch of the iPad, the term PC or personal computer has been somewhat redefined. Three years ago, Windows held 95% of the global PC market. But today, if you include tablets in the mix, Windows share has dropped to 72%. Include the smartphone market and Microsoft’s share drops to 32%.

So Windows 8 is an operating systems designed to bridge the gap between mobile and PC, in turn Microsoft hopes, closing the gap on the competition.

Some have claimed Windows 8 to be the most radical tech launch of 2012, but could Windows 8 be a totally different way of interacting with computers?

Windows 8’s new Metro user interface features a grid of ‘live tiles’. This grid of rectangles and squares forms the new start screen with each tile holding different Apps. Each is constantly updating, several like the weather report, with real-time information. Ok, if you have to have the traditional desktop, you can, but this looks like a clunky and awkward link between the new ‘metro’ interface and the traditional ‘legacy’. If you can find the control panel, then you’re right back in tired old ‘legacy’.

When you open an app, they now take up the whole screen. But Commercial Agents used to old versions of Windows may initially find this frustrating because it isn’t obvious how to close applications and switch between them. Microsoft have again followed were Apple first lead and adopted more drag and drop type controls. Closing apps and switching apps requires the user to click on invisible areas of the screen and then drag down to make selections.

Chartered surveyors will need to be deft operators of the mouse, able to left and right click with ease. Something Apple users have been doing for years.

Microsoft has begun to take security more seriously. Windows 8 has been designed to try an increase security and reduce the risk from harmful malware, which has often plagued Windows based machines in the past.

Philip Burrows, Marketing Consultant