Bill Gates: Windows 8 Will Spearhead Personal Computing

News
By Zak Islam
published

The "absolutely critical product" combines "the best" of traditional PCs and tablets.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says the firm's upcoming operating system is "key to where personal computing is going."

The chairman spoke about the OS during a video interview with Microsoft's Steve Clayton. He touted Windows 8 as an "absolutely critical product" that combines "the best" of both traditional PCs and tablets.

Consumers will be "amazed at the energy" Microsoft is putting behind its new products, as well as the fact that Windows 8 "is key to where personal computing is going," Gates stressed. "This is the big time for us."

Gates also said he has been using Microsoft's Surface tablet nonstop and labelled the in-demand device "unbelievably great."

"We're certainly sharing between Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8," Gates added. "Over time, we do more and more of that. It's evolving literally to be a single platform." Microsoft will reveal its own smartphone running on Windows 8 on October 29, three days after Windows 8 itself releases.

While current CEO Steve Ballmer has delivered high praise for the OS, fellow Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen said certain Windows 8 features are "particularly bold and innovative," but some components of the OS are "puzzling."

Microsoft executives are clearly confident in the operating system (even as far as investing $1.5 billion in advertising alone). However, it's said that PC component suppliers are worried that it won't interest consumers until 2013.

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Zak Islam
47 Comments Comment from the forums
  • bavman
    Hope you're right bill. Everyone has been bashing on features of win8 that make it seems like nobody wants it, but I hope they'll prove us wrong
    Reply
  • cushgod
    If they havent named what is so great about Win8 then nothing is that great about WIn8..
    Reply
  • bak0n
    He states as he watches the value of his stock.
    Reply
  • bystander
    cushgodIf they havent named what is so great about Win8 then nothing is that great about WIn8..He did name what was great about it; it brings all the platforms under one OS, which makes it easier to share between your desktop, table and phone.
    Reply
  • kinggremlin
    bak0nHe states as he watches the value of his stock.
    Uh huh. I'm sure a guy who could lose 80% of his net worth today and wake up tomorrow still worth over $12 billion is so concerned about MS stock prices that he would formulate bogus opinions about Windows 8 to manipulate the stock price.

    I will agree with what cushgod said though. If Windows 8 is so revolutionary why is that everyone who says this speaks in such generic generalities? How about telling us specifically why it is revolutionary. What features will spearhead the direction of future personal computing?
    Reply
  • jhansonxi
    Spearhead - right through the heart.
    Reply
  • kinggremlin
    bystanderHe did name what was great about it; it brings all the platforms under one OS, which makes it easier to share between your desktop, table and phone.
    But, in order to get there the still dominant platform (the PC) had to take a huge step backwards in usability. What MS has done is a put a lift kit and huge offroad tires on a Ferrari and claimed to make a universal vehicle that is both an exotic supercar and an offroading monster. Only problem is they completely ruined the original supercar they started with to achieve that goal.
    Reply
  • Windows 8 will Spearhead it's users in the A$$, and be the driving force behind a third non M$ or Apple O$ operating system for desktops and laptops. Win8METRO will keep windows 7 alive for at least as long as XP was and is. Bill the former appears more like bill the cat (ACK) trying to cough up the hairball that is the windows 8 ecosystem.
    Reply
  • dxwarlock
    Wait..has he SEEN windows 8?

    I could see him onstage, giving keynotes to an OS he hasn't seen yet, going:
    "AS you can see windows 8 is a new step forward in the world of computing (clicks button to bring up display behind him and turns around)
    "I present Windows 8! its faster, more responsive, and it has....it has......sorry seems we are having a technical error, someone has put windows phone GUI instead of windows 8 up on the screen, one moment"

    (walks off stage with mic still on)
    "What? thats IS windows 8? you sure? ....really now...what the hell IS that? What was you guys doing while I was gone? How am I suppose to spin this to sell??"
    Reply
  • bystander
    kinggremlinBut, in order to get there the still dominant platform (the PC) had to take a huge step backwards in usability. What MS has done is a put a lift kit and huge offroad tires on a Ferrari and claimed to make a universal vehicle that is both an exotic supercar and an offroading monster. Only problem is they completely ruined the original supercar they started with to achieve that goal.I fully believe the majority of complaints is largely based on a lack of familiarity, not useability. As humans, we resist change, and given that the Windows platform hasn't changed much in how it's used in the last 20 years, it makes it even worse. However, after some adjustment period, most people will forget things even changed.

    Granted, there are a few things that will be annoying still, but many of those things will be adjusted over time, in updates, or the next OS.

    At least that is how I'm going to approach things this time around.
    Reply