My Microsoft Life » What’s in a name? “Windows 8”

What’s in a name? “Windows 8”

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06/01/2012

Metro, Windows, Windows 8

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Dynagen

Confucius once said:

If names are not correct, language will not be in accordance with the truth of things.

I think that quote sums up my feelings towards Windows 8’s current name. To me Windows 8 is not just a progression of the Windows OS or indeed its brand but it is actually far more than that. When most people think of Windows they see the desktop, icons, a recycle bin, a start menu and a taskbar. That image has been ingrained into what we think of Windows for the past 16 years. It is something you have likely seen every day if you have attended an online school.

However, with Windows 8 that image of Windows will not be correct. Yes, the traditional desktop will still be there in Windows 8 but the initial view of Windows 8 that users will see is the Metro Start Screen. Equally, Windows’ namesake aren’t true windows in the Metro part of Windows 8.

To me there are many ways in which the name “Windows” is not correct for Windows 8. The Metro part of Windows 8 is nothing like what people know Windows to be; no desktop, no taskbar and no windows. Equally it’s not what many perceive Windows to be, it’s fast, it’s got a beautiful design and it “just works”.

The name, Windows 8, will in fact confuse consumers who expect the desktop and even keep some consumers away from being interested in the OS. If Microsoft was to consider changing the name of Windows 8 to something brand new there could have several dangers involved such as scaring people away, a lot of people trust the Windows name.

But to add more potential confusion to the mix it’s been widely rumoured that Microsoft effectively plans to offer two versions of Windows 8; one for ARM devices that only has the Metro part of Windows 8 on it and one for x86 computers that has both the traditional desktop and the Metro aspect. If both ARM and x86 devices are marketed as having the same OS that is going to cause major confusion amongst consumers. The name “Windows 8” would be in correct for both devices as either one would offer drastically different features, capabilities and experiences.

I have spent a bit of time wondering how Microsoft might overcome this potential issue and think the best thing for Microsoft to do would be to treat the Metro part of Windows 8 as a separate part. I know that Metro technically is just as much a part of Windows as the desktop is but when people think of Windows they think of the desktop, the two are synonymous and for the Metro designed Start Screen to appear alongside the desktop will just be confusing.

Therefore I hope Microsoft does something different when it brands Windows 8. What I think would be best is that the new Metro version of Windows 8 that will only feature on ARM devices will have a new name. Where as the more traditional version of Windows 8 that will work on x86 devices should still use the Windows name. Therefore people who want a new “Windows” PC won’t be confused when they get a Windows 8 desktop or notebook PC and equally people who don’t want a taskbar on a tablet won’t be scared off by the Windows name.

If Microsoft were to brand the ARM version of Windows 8 in the same way that they branded Windows then it should probably be called Tiles. However, if Microsoft was to make both tiles and windows I think people might think that it was actually an interior design company and not the world’s leading software company. What in fact makes more sense is for Microsoft to simply call it Metro.

This will allow new devices that only have the Metro UI part of Windows 8 to say that they run Metro and more traditional PCs can say that they run Windows 8 Metro, or Windows 8 with Metro. Metro will be something new, cool and something very different from Microsoft. “Windows” is not the correct name for many of the new features and aspects of Windows 8 and I hope that Microsoft realise that and will allow consumers to see the truth of how good the Metro side of Windows 8 without being put off by the stigma that Windows has. “Windows 8” is not the truthful name for “Windows 8”.

Following along with this idea I would hope that Windows Phone loses the Windows part and adopts Metro. Metro Phone sounds much better than Windows. It could also be used for the name of the next Xbox; how about Metro Xbox or Xbox Metro.

Do you think that Microsoft needs to be careful how it names Windows 8? Do you think that people will be confused if ARM devices apparently run the same OS as x86 PCs when actually they run a new, modern part of Windows 8? Let me know.

http://www.facebook.com/vangelder.kevin Kevin VanGelder

I totally agree. Microsoft Metro should be their next brand-name. Xbox w/Metro, Metro Phone, Asus tablet running Metro. It would take a while for some people to shift from thinking of Metro as a design language to an OS/brand, but I think we could manage.
http://www.facebook.com/francisco.noriega Francisco Noriega

While I think you’ve got a Point, the brand itself is too strong/valuable to let it go away, perhaps “Windows Metro”? Look at the new Windows Phones, there’s definitely no windows there, but the brand is too strong and recognizable to not use it.
http://www.facebook.com/francisco.noriega Francisco Noriega

While I think you’ve got a Point, the brand itself is too strong/valuable to let it go away, perhaps “Windows Metro”? Look at the new Windows Phones, there’s definitely no windows there, but the brand is too strong and recognizable to not use it.
http://www.facebook.com/francisco.noriega Francisco Noriega

While I think you’ve got a Point, the brand itself is too strong/valuable to let it go away, perhaps “Windows Metro”? Look at the new Windows Phones, there’s definitely no windows there, but the brand is too strong and recognizable to not use it.
http://thetechnopath.com UzEE

I really like this idea. Its almost identical to what I was thinking myself, though I didn’t really think about applying it to the Xbox as well. The next Xbox might as well be called Xbox Metro instead of Xbox 3/720/Whatever.
http://mymicrosoftlife.com/2012/02/03/so-windows-8-for-arm-might-have-a-desktop/ My Microsoft Life » So Windows 8 for ARM might have a desktop

[...] I have my fears about how Microsoft is going to handle Windows 8 for ARM devices; I think that if Windows 8 is used to describe both x86/x64 and ARM experiences even though they are different it is going to cause massive confusion for consumers. You can read about my idea for using the name Metro instead of Windows 8 for Windows 8 on ARM. [...]

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