Windows 8. Is it New Coke?

Remember 1985 when The Coca-Cola Company rolled out what became known as New Coke? You might if you are, say, 40 and older. It caused a furor, a revolt. To be sure the sheepish masses started to buy and drink it, but a very vocal minority eventually prevailed. Coca-Cola withdrew the new brand and “reintroduced” the old—but now dubbed Coke Classic.

I drank a lot of Coke those days and hated the simpery taste of New Coke. I was also a hard-ass. I wouldn’t touch Pepsi because I was at war with Pepsi-Cola’s policies in the environmental arena. Therefore I began to purchase RC Cola in massive quantities—and found it a quite suitable product. I was not alone. Now in America we do not believe that we can influence Commercial Giants like Coca-Cola. Therefore, as the revolt became public, I didn’t dream that I would actually see New Coke fail. But it did—that year yet. To be sure, New Coke remained on the market until 1992 as Coke II, a subsidiary brand. The Giant actually caved.

Now for what it’s worth (read absolutely nothing), I have the same visceral reaction to Windows 8—and I haven’t even tasted it. It goes on the market tomorrow, but Staples was trying to seduce me into buying a computer this morning using Windows 8 as the come-on. That came by e-mail. Well, one doesn’t answer ads—but this ad I did answer, informing Staples that some of us are not in love.

We bristle at nothing with quite the same fury as attempts to change our ingrained habits—and I will not have my screen invaded by touchable panels. Long live Windows Classic.

If I am part of a potent minority, we may see Microsoft retreat yet. But what they’ll probably do is introduce a more expensive Windows 8 Professional version—in which the front face of the operating system will be the traditional face and the touchable panels will be an option—rather than the other way around.

Die Windows 8, die!

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I have my image from Evandye.Angelfire.com (link).