Windows 8, Microsoft’s radical makeover of its signature operating system, seems to be a gamble that is paying off. On Friday, the development team behind the software tweeted: “Windows 8 consumer preview usage more than twice Windows 7 beta at the same point in time. Millions of people using everyday.”
That benchmark is a great sign for Microsoft, given that Windows 7 is currently the most popular operating system around the world. It also helps to ease the gentle mocking Microsoft received earlier in the week for naming its tablet-specific version of the new software “Windows RT.”
Windows 8 is only available as a “consumer preview” edition for the time being, but the full release is expected in October. It is designed to move Microsoft into a “post PC” world by relying on the same user-interface and experience across tablets, computers and other devices.
