[girvo]

8.1 really makes it shine, and is amazingly useful in touch or M/K modes. I find the reactions to Windows 8 fascinating; my girlfriend and grandfather both love it (it was awesome to see the gf use windows side by side for once, rather than just maximise and alt-tab, and she worked out the snap mode on her own -- yes I know it's in Windows 7, but she loves the auto width changes with the slider) and they're not particularly tech savvy.

My mother on the other hand is quite adept, and dislikes it. Well, she did, until 8.1, and I configured it to use the desktop as the main interface, and she got used to it. Now she likes it too.

Personally, I haven't used Windows in half a decade, so it's interesting to watch the reactions too it. I think they are moving in the right direction, but need to adjust the desktop story a little.

[michaelwww]

Your post sounds like marketing copy to my ears. You have an extraordinarily adept family that Microsoft would probably appreciate hearing about.

[girvo]

*shrugs

That's my personal experience. If you want to call me a shill, then say it, rather than insinuate it.

Edit: Apologies, that was antagonistic. I was a professional salesperson for 7 years - I sometimes lapse into sales talk when discussing any product. Usually it's things other than Microsoft, and I'm not joking when I say that the last version I used was Vista, but I honestly think 8 is interesting, if unpolished. My family isn't adept other than my mother (she's 41).

[michaelwww]

I wasn't necessarily saying it was a bad thing. We're all grownups here on HN for the most part. I was just observing that it sounded like that to me. I don't knock salespeople. My old boss used to say that last two groups let go when a company is in trouble are those who make it (engineers like me) and those who sell it.

As a long time user of Windows, I'm frustrated, but maybe they're going after new people and they don't have the same expectations as me.