The Windows 8 consumer preview is currently available for free download and while Microsoft has promised an intuitive interface it’s quite possible that the company will alienate millions of grandparents who may have finally been getting use to the traditional Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 setup.
In the video shown below a 66-year-old grandma who has been computer literate since April 2009 (Windows XP and Windows 7) is asked to check out her granddaughters Windows 8 consumer preview and it takes her several minutes just to figure out how to log into the new OS.
Making matters worse once she’s inside the system she’s met with “close” buttons that only close part of her email application while a mashup of various icons makes it hard for the 66-year-old to find the programs she wants to access.
Throw in the new muddled mess known as Internet Explorer 10 (IE 10) and it’s easy to see why someone who isn’t on the cutting edge of technology might find the new system to be extremely confusing.
Making matters worse, Microsoft has promised that the new computing OS would offer the ease of use we’ve come to expect from iOS and Android based operating systems.
Here’s the video :
In all fairness to Microsoft there is still time to fix some of the muddled controls found via the Windows 8 consumer preview, at the same time this isn’t the first video showcasing confused consumers, especially older users, as they bumble through figuring out a system that use to be as simple as pressing the start button and navigating to an installed program.
Need more proof that older users are confused by the product. Here’s Joe Pirillo (Chris Pirillo’s dad) using the product and he’s quite possibly even more confused:
I think the person who commented on Chris Pirillo‘s Youtube video summed it up best:
Windows 95: Good
Windows 98: Bad
Windows 2000: Good
Windows ME: Bad
Windows XP: Good
Windows Vista: Bad
Windows 7: Good
Windows 8: Do I need to say more?
