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Windows 8.1 Adoption Rate Gaining Steadily

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Microsoft hasn't had the easiest time of it the past few weeks. Xbox One enthusiasm is down; Windows Phone, while taking big strides in growth, is still struggling against other mobile OS options and Microsoft's bread and butter; desktop software has been having similar PR problems with consumers. Even so, 8.1's early numbers are pretty positive given its two-week run.

According to Net Applications, a web tracker, Windows 8.1 has nearly doubled its install base since September. To be sure, the upgrade is available for free to Windows 8 buyers, and a good chunk of those users made the upgrade. In September, Windows 8 sat right around 8 percent, but that figure fell to 7.53 percent in October.

Also telling is the extreme, almost ludicrous, persistence of Windows XP. The aging operating system, unsafe and riddled with problems though it may be, still has almost a third of all OS traffic. Windows 7 still tops the list at almost half of all users.

67 Comments Comment from the forums
  • elmo2006 06 November 2013 13:42
    "Also telling is the extreme, almost ludicrous, persistence of Windows XP. The aging operating system, unsafe and riddled with problems though it may be, still has almost a third of all OS traffic."

    Really pathetic.

    Reply
  • digiex 06 November 2013 13:56
    The aging operating system, unsafe and riddled with problems though it may be,

    unsafe and riddled with problems? I beg to disagree.
    Reply
  • kawininjazx 06 November 2013 14:09
    Windows 8.1 is a huge step in the right direction for traditional PC users, if 8.2 improves as much as 8.1 did, Microsoft may turn this train wreck around.
    Reply
  • stingray71 06 November 2013 14:15
    Look at XP hanging in there. I resisted the upgrade from W7 to 8 but was having issue with BF4 in W7. Decided to take the plunge, W8 resolved my BF4 issues. I don't like what they did to the Start Button, but there are some nice improvements in W8.1 once you get past the tiles, though I must confess I'm starting to use them.
    Reply
  • tului 06 November 2013 14:18
    11875843 said:
    Look at XP hanging in there. I resisted the upgrade from W7 to 8 but was having issue with BF4 in W7. Decided to take the plunge, W8 resolved my BF4 issues. I don't like what they did to the Start Button, but there are some nice improvements in W8.1 once you get past the tiles, though I must confess I'm starting to use them.

    You could just use one of the many start menu replacement programs. No need to give in to the idiotic touch style interface if you're using a mouse.
    Reply
  • killerclick 06 November 2013 14:19
    It's basically a service pack for Windows 8, and this is not good news. In contrast, the total gain of Windows 8/8.1 for October was 0.36 percentage points.

    Still, if they continue caving in and rolling back on Metro (like they did with boot-to-desktop and Start-Button-but-not-Start-Menu), Windows 8.2 could be just good enough. Hell, the Start Menu being farmed off to 3rd party tools could prove to be a good thing in the end.
    Reply
  • catfishtx 06 November 2013 14:23
    I just built my middle son's gaming PC with 8.1. It's quick and he really likes the interface (He's 14). It's basically a Steam box with Office.
    Reply
  • qlum 06 November 2013 14:26
    I am waiting for the launch bugs to be gone before I update to 8.1, till then 8.0 is what I am using.
    Reply
  • trekker9876 06 November 2013 14:33
    win 8 is a flop, and the only reason it is being adopted is because you cant buy laptops or computers premade without it.
    Reply
  • Avus 06 November 2013 14:38
    These take rate probably mean how many just bought a new PC for home user. Last time when Win 8 release, people have the choice to choose between a PC reload with Win7 or Win8. This time, it is like Win8 and Win8.1, of course it looks double take rate.

    But for PC for business/enterprise, almost every new computer still using Win7.
    Reply