Microsoft No Longer Selling Windows 7 to Retailers

[SessouXFX]

To hell with Windows 8.

You don't force people to use a damn touch screen OS on a Desktop. And you certainly don't spit in the face of Desktop users, by making them go through "the back door" just to make it work. For all I care, they can shove W8 up their collective rectums.

 

[neiroatopelcc]

Makes sense to discontinue windows 7 from a capitalist standpoint. More product sales and as a bonus they get rid of the daz windows loader that plagued license sales since vista.
That said, I don't think Microsoft will effectively be able to deny us to stick to windows 7 for the forseeable future in the corporate environments.

 

[Charles Ward]

"I just bought 3 licenses of Windows 7 for some new computers and one older one. I have Win8 on a laptop and it's the biggest pile of steaming crap I have ever laid hands on. It's impossible to find advanced functions, there's no logical navigation around the OS, the missing start menu is insane, the two interfaces with Metro and Desktop is enough to make me try and Apple product (and I freaking hate Apple). Seriously MS needs to get their shit together, 8.1 is JUST as sucky, I saw no improvement in the things I hate about Win8. My patience is diminishing with MS. "

Did you even try???

Did get to Adminstrative tools in Win7 XP, click start admin tools or control panel. Win 8 Right click bottom left select computer management or control panel? So how is that harder? All needed advanced tools are available from the simple right click.?

Want to just stay on the desktop? And hate metro right click bottom bar select navigation and then show desktop instead of start?

 

[Charles Ward]

"The Empire Strikes Back, MS' last stand. They're finished. Majority of 3D studios are primary on Linux for years, majority of banks are on Linux, people at home are so disappointed with MS at the moment that they atleast try Linux and for them the biggest show stopper is lack of modern AAA games and thus they dual boot.
I personally know few admins that have alot of XP machines. Slowly they moved servers to Linux, and some Windows server on VM because of the few programs written on order long ago and doesn't work on any other Windows or WINE.
So XP is still used by many relatively small companies. Companies like these were the reason MS prolonged XP updates. So people are power, we're making the choice not company. If company does something bad show your point of view by not adding money to their business. "

Every single statement in your list is wrong. I work for a company has 3 letters in its name, yes we use Linux on our laptops then boot win7 KVM to do any work. But we support almost every thing on your list. And in each and every case Linux is in the minority at best. What we have seen is more people migrating away from Linux servers over the past 3 years. Which is why you have seen Linux drop from the 40% server market share down to 31%. It still reigns strong in security appliance market share in the 50% + range. And in desktop is still on life support. People hate Win 8, yet it has exceeded OSX/Linux and is on Par with Win 7 for the time frame. People argue well its on every PC you buy today. Yet OSX is on every Apple you buy. Linux is free yet free has done little to help get the steaming pile of crap off the ground the past 20 years on the desktop.

 

[Belardo]

"I just bought 3 licenses of Windows 7 for some new computers and one older one. I have Win8 on a laptop and it's the biggest pile of steaming crap I have ever laid hands on. It's impossible to find advanced functions, there's no logical navigation around the OS, the missing start menu is insane, the two interfaces with Metro and Desktop is enough to make me try and Apple product (and I freaking hate Apple). Seriously MS needs to get their shit together, 8.1 is JUST as sucky, I saw no improvement in the things I hate about Win8. My patience is diminishing with MS. "

Did you even try???

Did get to Adminstrative tools in Win7 XP, click start admin tools or control panel. Win 8 Right click bottom left select computer management or control panel? So how is that harder? All needed advanced tools are available from the simple right click.?

Want to just stay on the desktop? And hate metro right click bottom bar select navigation and then show desktop instead of start?

Or even easier still... NOT bother with Windows 8 at all. If its SO EASY to avoid Metro Most of the time (not all of the time) with configuration changes...then WHY BOTHER using the damn thing?

 

[HardwareDude83]

Coming from an avid Linux user It is baffling how people start throwing hissy fits when they read a news headline but obviously forget to read the article. I have no issues with WIN8 and actually prefer the OS if you have access to a device with a touch screen. For the ones complaining they can use their OEM version already registered on one computer and they think its unfair they cant use that same serial if they decide to build another build.
AND THE MOST IMPOORTANT THING; Almost all of the new laptops ive come across with 8.1 installed haver downgradable rights to Win 7 Pro. It would just be nice if people did just a few minutes of research before whining on multiple different pages about how unfauir something they have never seen becore will be.

 

[Belardo]

Dear Microsoft: F U! Windows 8 is a stupid product. When Win7 marketshare GREW more than Windows 8 & 8.1 combined in the month of November... YOU are in trouble!

Microsoft's OS marketshare is in the dumps... back in 2007, MS had about 92% of the total market. Today, they are 24% or less. Each Android or Apple tablet sold is one less MS-PC sold. Most of what PEOPLE use computer for... has NO relationship or required compatibility to Windows. Other than MS-Office, TurboTax, Quicken, Adobe - most people are fine on Android and iOS.

My wife lives on her Android phone... I killed Win8 on her notebook and stuck on LinuxMint - she has NO complaints, and she's a novice. Her notebook is only for some work... so its usage is 1% of her time.

My Clients have gone mostly to iPad. Will they buy another notebook... not any time soon... if ever and NOT windows 8.

This is proof, once again that microsoft has become a completely STUPID company. They are going to make everyone like TIFKAM (Metro) even if they have to shove it up our arse's... sure some will just take it. Others, will go Linux or Mac or a mobile OS.

Games? Who cares? MS doesn't support PC gaming since xBox360 dropped out of their bowels. There is the PS3 and PS4. Steam is going Linux. Every major PC company *IS* selling Android/Linux powered devices.

The writing is on the wall... who gives a rat's ass about Microsoft? They sure don't care about their users. Tired of them treating their customers like victims and criminals.

 

[Belardo]

Coming from an avid Linux user It is baffling how people start throwing hissy fits when they read a news headline but obviously forget to read the article. I have no issues with WIN8 and actually prefer the OS if you have access to a device with a touch screen. For the ones complaining they can use their OEM version already registered on one computer and they think its unfair they cant use that same serial if they decide to build another build.
AND THE MOST IMPOORTANT THING; Almost all of the new laptops ive come across with 8.1 installed haver downgradable rights to Win 7 Pro. It would just be nice if people did just a few minutes of research before whining on multiple different pages about how unfauir something they have never seen becore will be.

And what laptops are those? Business class or consumer models? Big difference.

 

[Belardo]

You can probably still get it online, so no big deal.

Check back with us in 12 months and see how easy and cheap it is TO BUY Windows 7.

With a standard Win7 OEM, you can re-install it on new hardware... for now. But in 5+ years, Win7 driver support for new hardware maybe a problem.

 

[InvalidError]

Makes sense to discontinue windows 7 from a capitalist standpoint. More product sales and as a bonus they get rid of the daz windows loader that plagued license sales since vista.

How many people actually bother upgrading the OS on their existing PC? Most people will stick to whatever shipped with their PC and most companies will order PCs with whatever OS version(s) they standardized upon so the only time they buy retail is when they decide to change standards outside of a hardware refresh cycle.

For most people, new Windows versions are just an extra consideration to account for when they decide they need a new PC but the average modern PC is already overkill for most everyday tasks so the itch to upgrade every 2-3 years is fading and PC sales in mature markets are dropping regardless of new OS launches hardware vendors were banking on to raise faltering sales.

 

[Belardo]

I have at least 6 Win 7 licenses that are not in use. Win 8.1 is faster when dealing with some applications as well. I will never go back and most people who have an open mind and 10 minutes to configure their OS wont either.

Good, sell your Win7 lic. on ebay or craigslist. In the real world, most people DO NOT like to the Windows computers... its a means to run MS-Office at work and do their taxes. If Win8 actually made changes that IMPROVE computer usage (the way Win7 has many improvements over XP) - then fine.... but Windows 8 has changes for the wrong reason and is butt-ugly 80's style flatness make me wanna barf.

Win7 is very stable... its paid for, it works... why should I or most people BUY windows8? I will NEVER EVER EVER E-V-E-R install Windows8 on any of my computers.

I've installed LinuxMint on a ThinkPad notebook because of Win8... and guess what? Its works like a proper desktop OS and its free. So I'll migrate to Linux and buy a PS4... there, things are solved.

 

[house70]

Check out Linux. Ubuntu or Mint are both excellent choices. The best part is, they're free.

I actually have a laptop with Ubuntu on it. Every few restarts it refuses to boot into GUI, leaving me to deal with a stupid terminal. Few reboots later it finally starts up the right way. Can't watch HBOGo on it, or anything remotely similar to that. Looking for support? It's great, if you can find it; any search leads to a bunch of different opinions/fixes that usually don't help. Doesn't play most of my games.
Point is, until Linux gets a distro that is noob-friendly and quits acting like it's a box of chocolate (you never know what it's gonna happen next) it will remain a niche product. No, I don't want to learn terminal commands; I don't live in DOS-era anymore. Yes, I expect drivers to be found and installed without headaches, and I want the system to automatically pick the best version for my hardware. I expect ALL websites to run properly and all necessary plugins to be supported. I expect the OS to remember the freaking GUI choice and apply it at EVERY reboot without fail. The list goes on.
If you want Ubuntu to catch on, it has to do all that and more for people that don't care how it works. It already has the geeks and the nerds, it doesn't need to make itself more attractive to them. It needs to become attractive to the rest of us.

 

[InvalidError]

I actually have a laptop with Ubuntu on it. Every few restarts it refuses to boot into GUI, leaving me to deal with a stupid terminal.

My experience with trying to use a few Ubuntu versions on one of my spare PCs was similarly frustratingly inconsistent. I put Fedora17 on it and haven't had any unexpected problems since. Next time I have a spare HDD on hand, I'll try Fedora19.

 

[Saga Lout]

I agree over Ubuntu - I too find it unreliable but there's one I do like and that's PCLinuxOS, available from the dot.com site of the same name. Even so, until they can make one click programme installations happen routinely instead of having to mess around with TAR_GZs, I feel the need to stick with Windows.

Given that, my compromise position is to run XP in a VM within Ubuntu or PCLOS just in case anything really nasty comes down the line from any source to kill XP. I'll take my chances with regular malware but I can't help wondering what might be heading the way of XP users after April.

I'm still running the RC1 of Windows 7 as a dual boot with XP and I could become a convert if I had to but there are so many useful, paid for programmes on my XP installation, it's more trouble to stop using than it's worth.

Hey InvalidError - were you related to General Failure? 😀 Never did find out why he was reading my hard disk.

 

[demonhorde665]

seems any one defending win 8/8.1 like Therealduckofdeath did is getting thumbed down. well get your thumbs ready again.

Win8/8.1 is not this "devil" software that you guys always make it out to be. here's the why's

1. uses about 20% less ram than win 7 , this means more resources to run programs like games , 3dsmax , audacity, ect. ect.

2. no more stupid system rating (in win 8.1). now if you see this negative then you are not a hardcore PC enthusiast. no hardcore PC guy needs their OS telling them how good their machine is. only bragarts and computer idiots do.

3. MSN accounts in win 8/8.1 directly links up to other MS services/devices. this means i don't have to install win tablet movies or xbox movies on my tablet or xbox , both of which have weak a-- HDD's. in win 8 and 8.1 you can instead install those to your PC where you have greater storage space.

4. navigating tiles is really not that hard on a mouse is really not that hard . the OS does NOT require touch devices. furthermore you can set it up to launch directly to desktop.

5. start menu was a redundant feature that NO other OS ever had. if the start menu was the Only thing tieing your inner geek down to windows then why do you care so much that MS yanked it out ? it was just redundant and unnecessary. OS X doens't have a start menu , most version of linux or unix don't either so whats the deal? now that I've used win8 for almost a year when i go back to win 7 (on my mom and brother's pc's) I rarely find myself using the start menu there either now.

6. like ALL windows releases win 8 offers a variety of ways to do this or that task the start menu never was the "go to" thing every one makes it out to be. it just became a crutch for users that didn't bother to ever learn other ways to do things. win 8 also add several new ways to go about navigating the pc desktop. and the metro UI is fully customizable down to even how large the thumbnails appear.

The only real complaint i find to be legit is that win 8 is not as pretty as win 7, but being pretty is not the point of an OS the point of an OS is to be functional and win 8 is extremely functional and fast if you take time to learn how to work with it.

So yes I find the win 8/8.1 bashing to be totally meritless. Sure you can date a supermodel and be happy , but the chubby girl next door does all that the super model does and cooks too.

PS since I know i'm gonna get some thumbs down i'll take this time now to say F--- you losers that thumbed me down 😛

 

[xaephod]

BOOOO!!!!!

 

[omnimodis78]

seems any one defending win 8/8.1 like Therealduckofdeath did is getting thumbed down. well get your thumbs ready again.

Win8/8.1 is not this "devil" software that you guys always make it out to be. here's the why's

1. uses about 20% less ram than win 7 , this means more resources to run programs like games , 3dsmax , audacity, ect. ect.

**This is a nice improvement, but not a big deal in the day of systems packed with too much RAM**

2. no more stupid system rating (in win 8.1). now if you see this negative then you are not a hardcore PC enthusiast. no hardcore PC guy needs their OS telling them how good their machine is. only bragarts and computer idiots do.

**this is not true, and clearly you didn't understand the reasons why WEI was implemented into Windows**

3. MSN accounts in win 8/8.1 directly links up to other MS services/devices. this means i don't have to install win tablet movies or xbox movies on my tablet or xbox , both of which have weak a-- HDD's. in win 8 and 8.1 you can instead install those to your PC where you have greater storage space.

**This is a very specific benefit that I reckon won't be of any benefit to most users**

4. navigating tiles is really not that hard on a mouse is really not that hard . the OS does NOT require touch devices. furthermore you can set it up to launch directly to desktop.

**Hard and counter-intuitive are not synonymous when it comes to GUI basics**

5. start menu was a redundant feature that NO other OS ever had. if the start menu was the Only thing tieing your inner geek down to windows then why do you care so much that MS yanked it out ? it was just redundant and unnecessary. OS X doens't have a start menu , most version of linux or unix don't either so whats the deal? now that I've used win8 for almost a year when i go back to win 7 (on my mom and brother's pc's) I rarely find myself using the start menu there either now.

**The Start Menu makes sense. It made sense very early on, though not immediately. It was a PC feature for PC users. The new start screen is for tablets (perfect) stuck on PCs (a mess). OS X does it right. At work when I used it (and I've never used one before) I got it right away. It made sense. The Start Menu doesn't feel natural, it doesn't feel right. I'm sure anyone can get used to it, but why when there's a better option in Windows 7?**

6. like ALL windows releases win 8 offers a variety of ways to do this or that task the start menu never was the "go to" thing every one makes it out to be. it just became a crutch for users that didn't bother to ever learn other ways to do things. win 8 also add several new ways to go about navigating the pc desktop. and the metro UI is fully customizable down to even how large the thumbnails appear.

**you assume it's a matter of learning or getting used to. You can learn to get used to anything in life. You know the reasons for the Start Menu, Microsoft made it clear, it wasn't to make it a better experience on PC, it was for tablets and touch screen. That should tell you right away that the change wasn't a natural evolution there, but a business decision at your expense**

The only real complaint i find to be legit is that win 8 is not as pretty as win 7, but being pretty is not the point of an OS the point of an OS is to be functional and win 8 is extremely functional and fast if you take time to learn how to work with it.

**Windows 7 is very content being a dignified OS, whereas Windows 8(.1) wants to be the centrepiece, it's a diva that never lets you forget who's in charge.**

So yes I find the win 8/8.1 bashing to be totally meritless. Sure you can date a supermodel and be happy , but the chubby girl next door does all that the super model does and cooks too.

**it's not bashing, it's feedback. Microsoft isn't handing it out for free, it's a paid product - and if you bought a car from, say Ford, that made all these odd changes to it's SUV lineup to tailor to the compact car market, and they told you to get used to it....well....it's exactly, precisely like that. Windows 8(.1) is a tablet OS stuck on PC and you expect PC owners not to complain?**

PS since I know i'm gonna get some thumbs down i'll take this time now to say F--- you losers that thumbed me down 😛

**very mature, it was this line that made me want to reply to you btw, if not for this, I wouldn't have bothered**

 

[InvalidError]

Hey InvalidError - were you related to General Failure? 😀 Never did find out why he was reading my hard disk.

I haven't met General Failure in a long time... and I haven't seen his friend, General Protection Fault, in a long time either.

 

[badaxe2]

Great, so either Windows 9 is going to be better than 8 or I'll just switch to Linux for my next build.

 

[dextermat]

I guess this won't effect windows 7 piracy ...
Anyone thinking in this company ?

 

[jurassic512]

Loving 8.1 with Startisback right now. Broke ass XP users need to find jobs and upgrade to 7/8.1.

 

[danwat1234]

I just bought 3 licenses of Windows 7 for some new computers and one older one. I have Win8 on a laptop and it's the biggest pile of steaming crap I have ever laid hands on. It's impossible to find advanced functions, there's no logical navigation around the OS, the missing start menu is insane, the two interfaces with Metro and Desktop is enough to make me try and Apple product (and I freaking hate Apple). Seriously MS needs to get their shit together, 8.1 is JUST as sucky, I saw no improvement in the things I hate about Win8. My patience is diminishing with MS.

Just use Start8 or any of the other 10 or so start menu programs out there. It'll make Win8 be like Win7, with the kernel improvements.

 

[JD88]

Check out Linux. Ubuntu or Mint are both excellent choices. The best part is, they're free.

I actually have a laptop with Ubuntu on it. Every few restarts it refuses to boot into GUI, leaving me to deal with a stupid terminal. Few reboots later it finally starts up the right way. Can't watch HBOGo on it, or anything remotely similar to that. Looking for support? It's great, if you can find it; any search leads to a bunch of different opinions/fixes that usually don't help. Doesn't play most of my games.
Point is, until Linux gets a distro that is noob-friendly and quits acting like it's a box of chocolate (you never know what it's gonna happen next) it will remain a niche product. No, I don't want to learn terminal commands; I don't live in DOS-era anymore. Yes, I expect drivers to be found and installed without headaches, and I want the system to automatically pick the best version for my hardware. I expect ALL websites to run properly and all necessary plugins to be supported. I expect the OS to remember the freaking GUI choice and apply it at EVERY reboot without fail. The list goes on.
If you want Ubuntu to catch on, it has to do all that and more for people that don't care how it works. It already has the geeks and the nerds, it doesn't need to make itself more attractive to them. It needs to become attractive to the rest of us.

The thing is, Windows can't even do what you expect. You still have to install all of the drivers for your particular machine after a fresh Windows install. For many laptops, only the drivers from the manufacturer's website work properly. I don't think it's fair to expect an operating system that your PC was not designed for to be completely trouble free without a little work. Your issue sounds like a graphics driver problem. How can you expect Ubuntu to get that right out of the box when many OEM manufacturers don't provide any Linux drivers whatsoever. The newer PCs tend to be better, but older ones? Not going to work without a few clicks on the part of the user. The same would be true of Windows though.

In fact, Ubuntu and Linux generally do a great job of trying to be one size fits all.

 

[Belardo]

Great, so either Windows 9 is going to be better than 8 or I'll just switch to Linux for my next build.

Why not get started now? If you have a spare notebook or desktop... or a spare HD, drop it in - install Linux and give it a spin.

I recommend LinuxMint - Cinnamon 64bit version. Its downloads faster than 8.1 "update". and installs in about 10 minutes. It boots up just as fast as Windows8 and its functionality is easier to figure out than Windows 8. I haven't touched Linux for years... but with LinuxMint, I easily found my network settings and anything else needed. Its rock solid on one of my Thinkpads.

Windows 9 *WILL NOT* bring back the Windows 7 good looks and functional desktop. Window9 will continue on with TIFKAM and more so. The ONLY way Microsoft CAN MAKE MONEY in the FUTURE is by getting people to buy their TIFKAM-non-Windows type computers so that people will have to buy from the MS-Store.

When people are NOT buying MS-Office and the MS-Windows to run it.... then MS is losing money. Nothing else at microsoft actually makes money.

 

[Belardo]

I just bought 3 licenses of Windows 7 for some new computers and one older one. I have Win8 on a laptop and it's the biggest pile of steaming crap I have ever laid hands on. It's impossible to find advanced functions, there's no logical navigation around the OS, the missing start menu is insane, the two interfaces with Metro and Desktop is enough to make me try and Apple product (and I freaking hate Apple). Seriously MS needs to get their shit together, 8.1 is JUST as sucky, I saw no improvement in the things I hate about Win8. My patience is diminishing with MS.

Just use Start8 or any of the other 10 or so start menu programs out there. It'll make Win8 be like Win7, with the kernel improvements.

Why? Why bother with that? If the ONLY features of Windows 8 is TIFKAM and the new copy window... what IS THE POINT?! Why buy this garbage... because its 8?

Every single Windows 8 supporter says the same things "Its not that bad"?! and "Once you do XYZ, you'll rarely ever see TIFKAM again"... gee... wasn't the Start Screen the whole point?