Selling Windows 8 and Windows Metro UI to customers
Friday, January 4th, 2013VARs tend to adore it when Microsoft releases a new handling complement since they mount to make
money from business upgrading to a latest OS. This time around, however, things are different.
Many VARs have reported that business are avoiding Windows
8.
new Metro interface. As such, one of a keys to generating OS upgrade-related revenues competence be
to palliate your customers’ fear of a new interface. Let’s speak about a dual large adhering points
about Metro and afterwards assistance make a evidence for upgrading.
The blank Start menu
In Windows 8, a Start menu no longer exists. This has been cited as a reason to equivocate the
operating system: Many IT professionals fear sharpening assistance table calls from confused users.
However, knowledge has shown that while there competence be an initial spike in assistance table calls, a call
volume typically earnings to normal once users have been scrupulously educated on how to work with the
new interface. For business who still aren’t convinced, third-party organizations offer Windows 8
add-ons (such as Start8 and
the freeware Classic Shell and
Pokki) that move behind a Start menu.
The dual-mode interface
Another vital reason cited by critics as a separator to Windows 8 adoption is a fact that in
order to use a handling system, users competence be forced to switch between dual modes. The new Metro-style apps run on Windows 8′s
new Start screen. Meanwhile, bequest applications are forced to run in Desktop mode, that is
completely apart from a Start screen.
Although it is formidable to make an evidence in preference of forcing users to work with dual separate
interfaces, a best proceed competence be to explain to business that Windows 8 can best be thought
of as a transition area handling system. It works with many of a applications that business are
already running, though also has support for tomorrow’s new Metro-style apps.
In many of a organizations in that Windows 8 has been deployed, users spend their time almost
exclusively in Desktop mode. Aside from a blank Start button, Desktop mode provides an
experience that should be informed to anyone who has ever used Windows 7.
Over time, focus vendors are expected to start transitioning divided from desktop applications
and start charity Metro-style apps. As this happens, users will start spending a small some-more time
with a Windows Start screen, until a Desktop
mode is eventually no longer needed.
Why use a Metro interface?
As we explain to business how a really inlet of Windows is changing, one doubt that is
sure to come adult is since Microsoft is abandoning a informed desktop interface in preference of the
Windows Metro UI. There are a few opposite reasons for this. Probably a biggest reason is
because PCs have begun giving approach to tablets and other touch-enabled devices. The Windows Start
screen and Metro apps are privately designed to work good in a touchscreen environment. Both
Windows 7 and Windows 8 offer full support for hold screens, though regulating a touchscreen to interact
with desktop applications such as Windows Explorer (which has been renamed File Explorer in Windows
8) can be a frustrating experience. This is generally loyal on inclination with smaller screens.
Another reason since Microsoft has adopted a Metro interface is since Metro creates it easy to
digest information during a glance, by a use of “live tiles” in place of a normal desktop
icons. Icons are zero some-more than pictures, while live tiles can indeed communicate application
information but requiring a user to open a application. For example, a Calendar tile
might arrangement information about a user’s subsequent appointment, while a Weather tile competence uncover today’s
weather. Users can arrange live tiles on a Start shade in a approach that allows them to get the
information that is many critical to them during a glance.
Microsoft is also creation an bid to yield a unchanging user knowledge opposite devices.
Although Windows 8 has perceived a many attention, a Metro interface is also used on Windows RT
tablets and on Windows Phone 8 devices. Users can simply transition between any of these devices
without carrying to learn how to use a new interface.
Your business are some-more expected to ascent to Windows 8 if we can remonstrate them that a Windows
Metro UI is not something that they should fear. For business that are still on a fence, you
should indicate out that Windows 8 is distant some-more secure than a predecessors and offers a series of new
beneficial features, such as Windows Live Syncing and Windows to Go. Even so, not each customer
will be persuaded.
Brien Posey is a freelance technical author who has perceived Microsoft’s MVP endowment 6 times.
He has served as CIO for a inhabitant sequence of hospitals and health caring companies and as a network
administrator for a U.S. Department of Defense during Fort Knox, Ky.
This was initial published in Jan 2013
Article source: http://www.pheedcontent.com/click.phdo?i=db62067fadf1da8dc64cd9715f4446c7





