Windows 8 Grows To Almost 10%

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Windows 8.1 set to arrive October 18

11 months after its release, Microsoft Windows 8 powered 9.8% of all Microsoft operating systems, according to Net Applications survey of users.

This adoption rate is slightly better than Microsoft Vista, the version before Windows 7, which is the most popular version of Windows at more than 50% of users.

Windows versions 11th month post-release adoption rate (Chart Net Applications)

At the same 11th month mark after release, Windows 7 was being used by 19% of users, twice the adoption rate of Windows 8.

With Windows 8.1 due this month Microsoft has added the Start button, sort of, and tweaked the user interface and operating system to address customer complaints and suggestions.

Windows 8 or the next version of it are inevitable as the computing world adopts mobile devices like smartphones, tablets and light notebooks. Microsoft is ahead of the other operating systems which do not offer touch and a single user interface across all computer formats.

Microsoft Windows is used by more than 90% of desktop and laptop computers, compared with 7.5% for Apple OS X.

Microsoft does not always get it right the first time but they are persistent. After years of being considered the weakest internet browser compared to Firefox and Chrome, Internet Explorer is now the king of the hill with 58% of the market.

Microsoft Surface was a market flop this year but Microsoft perseveres by releasing Surface 2 this month with improvements that deal with customer complaints.

Will Windows XP die?

Windows XP, the 2011 version of Windows is still being used by 34% of Windows users. Microsoft announced they are ending updates including safety patches for Windows XP by April 2014. After that date XP computers will be at risk of attack by viruses.

The persistence of XP rankles Microsoft who must support security of the now ancient code; however, upward migration is slow due to systems that are built and tested for XP and user lethargy.

Windows 8 the new kid in town

Time marches on and users will and do adopt Windows 8, or 8.1, since every new computer has the new operating system installed. People eventually get used to change and learn to embrace it.

I have used Windows 8 for more than a year on computers with and without touchscreens. Personally, I would not go back to Windows 7 and only keep it on my audio recording computer since the audio device software developers are not ready with their products.

Cakewalk Sonar, the digital audio workstation software I use, now supports touch monitors and I would love to upgrade that computer for the advantage of using touch in recording and mixing.