"Read on to find out why PC sales are HURTING so badly"

[nmoody]

Eh, some of those I think are affecting it, some I think are just shots in the dark.

I don't think phone or tablets really do too much, they are their own entity. Macs are also very different and I don’t deny they are gaining ground but I also don’t think they are playing a key role in the lack of sales. Yes Windows 8 has made a drastic change to its UI which causes a lot of confusion and lets be honest, people hate change.

Basically the main reason I think PC sales are down is computers from 7 years ago a perfectly fine for the needs of today. The only thing driving the consumer hardware market is games and photo editing. Let go ahead and look at Microsoft’s requirements for Windows 8,7,Vista,XP

XP was released back in 2001 and would be fine for a lot of users even today.


Windows 8:
Release date: October 30 2012
· Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2
· RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
· Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
· Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver


Windows 7:
Release Date:July 22, 2009
· Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
· RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
· Hard disk space: 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
· Graphics card: DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Windows Vista:
Release Date: July 22, 2005
· Processor: 800-megahertz (MHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 800-MHz 64-bit (x64) processor
· RAM: 512 megabytes (MB) of system memory
· Hard disk space: 20-gigabyte (GB) hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space
· Graphics card: DirectX 9-class graphics card 32 MB of graphics memory

Windows XP:
Release Date: August 24, 2001
· Processor: Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)
· RAM: At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)
· Hard disk space: At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk
· Graphics card: Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600)or higher resolution


Basically Microsoft has not raised its requirements much since Vista even though hardware has advanced greatly. The same goes for pieces of software other than Games and Graphics Design, they just are not pushing hardware at all. And what does the average person do with their computer? Social Media, Email, Banking, Music, Movies? These could of all been done on Windows XP (Movies maybe&#8230.


TLDR: There is no real reason for the average consumer to buy a computer today. The new UI doesn't help but is not the main problem. Especially with the current economy.

 

[480sparky]

A plumber, and electrician and a computer programmer were in a car when it suddenly just died.

The plumber said, "It's the fuel pump. It needs replaced."

The electrician said, "No, it's the ignition system. There's a short somewhere in it."

The programmer said, "No, it's the computer. Let's all just get out and get back in again."




Window 8: A 256-bit rewrite of a 128-bit program that attempted to correct the issues of a 64-bit patch for a 32-bit OS that was based on a poor 16-bit performance levels on 8-bit machines using 4-bit processors by a 2-bit company that can't stand one bit of competition.

 

[jake337]

I still think it's cell phones and tablets in general. Why buy a PC or laptop unless you need the power to run certain software or play games. I can browse the web just fine with my HTC One S, HTC 8X or Ipad just fine. It's damn fast too with my wifi setup or 4G.

I'm just saying most folks who now have a tablet/smartphone, who never needed the power of a desktop, will most likely not buy one again or for the first time. Why would they want that big clunk of junk that is a not mobile.

 

[jake337]

A plumber, and electrician and a computer programmer were in a car when it suddenly just died.

The plumber said, "It's the fuel pump. It needs replaced."

The electrician said, "No, it's the ignition system. There's a short somewhere in it."

The programmer said, "No, it's the computer. Let's all just get out and get back in again."




Window 8: A 256-bit rewrite of a 128-bit program that attempted to correct the issues of a 64-bit patch for a 32-bit OS that was based on a poor 16-bit performance levels on 8-bit machines using 4-bit processors by a 2-bit company that can't stand one bit of competition.

Awesome!

This HTC 8X windows phone works pretty damn well though

 

[JClishe]

Interesting comments and speculation here, but there are a couple of facts that have been overlooked:

* Windows 8 has sold 40 million copies in its first month, making it the most successful version of Windows, ever. On this pace, it will take less than 3 months for Windows 8 sales to surpass all iPad sales.

* Yes, PC sales are down, but Microsoft continues to grow. Microsoft is not "going down"; they're "going up". Their annual revenue has increased every year in the company's history, with the exception of FY09. They're currently in their FY13 and they recently announced their Q1 FY13 numbers, which were up from their Q1 FY12 numbers. Microsoft is a very healthy company and unlike Google or Apple they are a very diverse company. A 10% YoY decline in iOS device shipments would certainly cause a YoY decline in Apple's revenue, yet Microsoft is able to withstand a 10% YoY decline in PC shipments yet still post double digit revenue growth. A very balanced and healthy company.

Professionally, I get involved in a lot of mobility strategy discussions for enterprise customers and have been involved in a significant number of Windows 8 discussions this past month since Windows 8 launched. There is very heavy and consistent Windows 8 interest within the enterprise and I'm personally involved in multiple customers that have already began initiatives to halt iPad deployments with the intent of replacing them with Microsoft Surface devices.

No fanboy stuff here, just sharing facts and my own anecdotal feedback of what I'm seeing in the enterprise mobility space.

 

[cgipson1]

Interesting comments and speculation here, but there are a couple of facts that have been overlooked:

* Windows 8 has sold 40 million copies in its first month, making it the most successful version of Windows, ever. On this pace, it will take less than 3 months for Windows 8 sales to surpass all iPad sales.

* Yes, PC sales are down, but Microsoft continues to grow. Microsoft is not "going down"; they're "going up". Their annual revenue has increased every year in the company's history, with the exception of FY09. They're currently in their FY13 and they recently announced their Q1 FY13 numbers, which were up from their Q1 FY12 numbers. Microsoft is a very healthy company and unlike Google or Apple they are a very diverse company. A 10% YoY decline in iOS device shipments would certainly cause a YoY decline in Apple's revenue, yet Microsoft is able to withstand a 10% YoY decline in PC shipments yet still post double digit revenue growth. A very balanced and healthy company.

No fanboy stuff here, merely sharing facts.

^This....

and this: Usage share of operating systems - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MS has the vast majority of market share (both corporate and home). 78.7%

Linux is ok for enthusiasts, but will probably never make mainstream to non techie uses. 1.41%

Apple... good stuff, but far less applications available than on windows, especially in the corporate / industrial world. 6.9%

(the percentages above are averages based on the info from the wiki site)

I did not include IOS and Android since the topic of the thread is PC's... not phones or tablets.

 

[Derrel]

As we all know, the more units sold, the better the quality. That's why the Toyota Camry is the best car available! And that's why Ernest & Julio Gallo all-grape jug wine is the best wine in the world! And why WalMart is the best retail store in the USA! Kraft individually wrapped processed American cheese slices are the best cheese product on the market! McDonald's is the best restaurant in America! Cattle feces and rotten raccoon carcasses are the best baby food ever--I mean, just ask one billion house flies...feces and carrion are da' bomb!

 

[cgipson1]

As we all know, the more units sold, the better the quality. That's why the Toyota Camry is the best car available! And that's why Ernest & Julio Gallo all-grape jug wine is the best wine in the world! And why WalMart is the best retail store in the USA! Kraft individually wrapped processed American cheese slices are the best cheese product on the market! McDonald's is the best restaurant in America! Cattle feces and rotten raccoon carcasses are the best baby food ever--I mean, just ask one billion house flies...feces and carrion are da' bomb!

Severe flaws in your logic!

Cheap means more sales... but does not equate to quality. (Walmart, wine and McD's).. just a severe lack of taste on the part of many buyers, it has nothing to do with quality. And since when do feces and coon carcasses sell?

and the Toyota Camry has a better reliability record than most vehicles... so yes, it sells!

Windows is what Businesses run on... there is not really a viable alternative that is supported.
and most home users that use windows at work, also choose to use windows at home...

And it isn't that cheap, So what is your point?

 

[TheFantasticG]

Derrel's post was all sarcasm, Gipson.


Or was your response sarcasm too and I missed it...? Hard to tell when there are no tones or body language to pick up on it.

I'm about twenty mins away from installing Win 8 Pro upgrade in my desktop. Backing up everything just incase... Or so I can just image it back to Win 7 like nothing happen.... Then install win 8 on my wife's desktop to mess her up when she gets home and turns on her computer lol

 

[cgipson1]

Derrel's post was all sarcasm, Gipson.


Or was your response sarcasm too and I missed it...? Hard to tell when there are no tones or body language to pick up on it.

I'm about twenty mins away from installing Win 8 Pro upgrade in my desktop. Backing up everything just incase... Or so I can just image it back to Win 7 like nothing happen.... Then install win 8 on my wife's desktop to mess her up when she gets home and turns on her computer lol

I sometimes have trouble telling if Derrell is being sarcastic or not! If that was the case... then I was too!

I built a couple of VM's for testing Win8 and Server 2012... and hate the interfaces. OS is fine... but the interfaces are stupid (IMO). I can use them as is, but for administration purposes, they are are joke (especially on the server). I used the open source classic shell on them and it works fine.

Be interesting to see what you think of Win 8. (let me know how the upgrade does.. I usually prefer a clean install!)

 

[eltebe]

You will not replace desktops with phones or laptops. They rather complement each other. I prefer browsing on my 27" ips then tiny galaxy s. Laptop will not handle games on it it won't even support native resolution. Photo editing is much better. Watching movies as well. I built all of my PC's since 386. It might change but not too soon

 

[nola.ron]

Microsoft is going down quick. And taking down its hardware "BOX PC" makers such as Dell, HP Acer and the like. Fortunately for some makers of memory, chips, and boards King Apple is employing those products.

I'm an IT Consultant and i LoL'd hard. Microsoft has lost the hipsters, artist and college students. They could care less. Microsoft makes their profits from the business sector, which no one can come close to touching.

 

[TheFantasticG]

You will not replace desktops with phones or laptops. They rather complement each other. I prefer browsing on my 27" ips then tiny galaxy s. Laptop will not handle games on it it won't even support native resolution. Photo editing is much better. Watching movies as well. I built all of my PC's since 386. It might change but not too soon

Oh, I have to completely agree. Before I built my desktop I looked at the cost of getting a laptop at the specs I built my desktop to and it was way over the $4000 mark. Uh, no. I'll build the desktop for less than $1500 thanks. Besides, I love running a dual monitor desktop. LOVE IT. My graphics card can run upto 6 monitors. A similarly minted laptop could not. And like someone posted above, my desktop will be good for another 4-6 years before I'll have to setup updating it with a new processor, ram, etc. and even then I won't be buying a new desktop with a copy of windows. Only reason I bought into Windows 8 was I got it for basically free bundled with Adobe Photoshop & Premiere Elements 11 for $99 shipped. $99 for the Adobe products alone is a good deal. Win 7 64 was serving my needs quite well.

 

[John27]

I think you folks are missing the point. As I said in my post about the subject, there will ALWAYniche markets needing more powerful desktop computers. (That's you guys, and me too). I, too, have a heavy duty desktop. Wouldn't dream of owning just a laptop.

BUT, laptops are leading the way. MOST people can do everything they need out of a laptop. A typical, off the shelf, low-to-mid end computer doesn't do anything a modern laptop can't do. Lots of businesses are going to laptops, lots of consumers are moving to laptops. There will ALWAYS be those who need the big guns, but that's fewer and fewer people.

It's kind of like the good ol' boy who works a construction job driving his pickup truck everywhere. He scoffs at City-Slicker Sam because he drives a prius. "Caint get any werk done with that tharr son!". Well he's right, if sam even knew HOW to use tools, he wouldn't be able to get any work done with his car. But he doesn't work with his car, he drives TO work with his car. So that small and efficient prius does the job. Most folks don't need a big work horse, they just need a computer to browse facebook, do their taxes, and send some e-mails. Why buy a $1500 desktop that takes up space, when a $400 laptop does it all?

Heck, I'm typing this on a 6 year old AMD dual core laptop. It might explode if I try to run photoshop on it (Not that I would with this display, but anyway). But it's good for doing work (not photography related, but you know, word processing, browsing the web, banking, farting around on TPF, etc.) Why? Well, because it's light, portable, works, and it sits on my night stand next to my bed. Sometimes I'll watch a movie on netflix before I go to sleep on it, or take it in the other room with me. I take it to classes and seminars and conferences with me, I can set it up in a hotel room and get work done afterwards, etc. Guess what, can't do that with my full-ATX tower, dual-display, $1500 desktop!

But, MOST consumers, do ONLY what I just described. Word processing, communication (e-mail, facebook), basic office tasks (spreadsheets, calendars, etc.) Perhaps they look at pictures off of their point and shoot, but that's as far as that goes. It also IS a nice photography tool, as I like to use EOS utility to do tethered live view shooting and the like.

So for the typical consumer, a laptop replaces the desktop. Their desktops weren't powerhouses either. A dual core CPU, a few gigs of ram, onboard graphics and a mid-sized platter hard drive? Any laptop can deliver that, and probably for not very much more than a laptop.

Now there ARE those who have powerhouse laptops. I suppose THAT doesn't make much sense to me unless you have a very serious need (I suppose a photographer who both works on post-processing at home AND at the studio could benefit from something like that, one computer to lug around instead of two to buy), but that's not what I was referring to.