Its worse than that! Through really good design, strategy and management, Windows has become such a dominant product that there is no real competition. I do not mean to insult Apple here. I respect it. However Apple is a completely different kind of
product for a very special and different market.
Unfortunately, over the years since Bill Gates dropped out, the company has been run by a lot of people with what I will politely call just wrong ideas.
Windows is what made Microsoft! Yet Microsoft does not act like it recognizes that fact and is taking the company to other places, really either ignoring or just disrespecting its roots. I do not think Microsoft understands or is listening
to its customers -- I mean at all.
Windows has a very, very large set of followers who are very different from the Apple folks. The Windows following is a conservative bunch who like to be in control, demand privacy, and do not take any kind of change easily. They have to be really convinced
first. They do not take kindly to mistakes.
Windows 8 was a really interesting case. It was an attempt to massively change Windows in order to sell phones and pads. The concept of a touch interface makes sense on those two products, but runs against all logic for a computer. Windows people massively
rejected 8. It is almost impossible to find an IT person who would use it.
It is very interesting to note that the phone product is being dumped after declaring huge losses, and the pad product is a distant 33rd in the marketplace. Windows 10 was very explicitly designed to span all three products. Who knows what design compromises
were made that will negatively affect the only place you will find 10 -- the computer.
The really big question in my mind is:
Is Windows 10 an improved Windows 8 with a desktop, OR is Windows 10 an improved Windows 7?
If it is the former, I predict 10 will be a flop. If it is the latter 10 will be a success, but that will come very slowly.
I will reject 10 if it is an attempt to build a marketing platform that by default grant huge ranges of privileges to Microsoft and disadvantages to their competitors. Windows people will demand the right to choose the products they use.