VARs in the channel have some noteworthy opinions about the Windows 8 OS. Those opinions were shared late last month at D&H Distributing‘s 2012 Mid-Atlantic Summer Technology Trade Show in Hershey, Pa.
At the event, D&H invited attending VARs to test the proficiency, interface, and appearance of the new Windows 8 OS. The operating system was loaded onto a series of Lenovo IdeaCentre B520 23-inch touch screen all-in-one PCs, each complete with a Logitech MK320 wireless desktop package.
Microsoft Partner Solutions Advisor Steve Deming, who led the session, gave the D&H resellers the opportunity to present feedback directly to a Microsoft representative. The focus group explored a variety of topics, from screen-based shortcuts to the rationale behind the tile-based interface. VARs were then given a survey to express some of their preferences and responses
SURVEY RESULTS
Among the VARs participating in the survey, 60 percent self-identified as system builder or integrators, 50 percent as VARs or solutions providers, and 10 percent as software or managed services providers. Below are highlights from the survey’s results.
- Product Categories of Interest
Categories most commonly identified as being of interest to survey respondents (multiple selections permitted) include:- Servers (100 percent)
- Cloud Products & Services (90 percent)
- Software (90 percent)
- Mobile Computing (70 percent)
- Virtualization (70 percent)
- Surveillance (70 percent)
- Remote Monitoring (70 percent)
- Infrastructure & Networking (60 percent)
- VoIP (50 percent)
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- System Integration (50 percent)
- Licensing (50 percent)
- Printing & Imaging (50 percent.
- OS-Based Technologies Being Sold
Survey respondents were asked to note which OS-based technologies they have sold in the last six months or intend to sell in the next six months.- Windows (100 percent)
- Android (40 percent)
- iOS (30 percent)
- Most Important Features of Windows 8
Among the features most commonly noted as “important” were (multiple selections permitted):- Support for Both x86/x64 PCs & ARM Tablets (60 percent)
- Touch-Centric/Tile-Based User Interface (20 percent)
- Multiple-Monitor Support (20 percent)
- Windows 8 Control Panel (10 percent)
- Expected Windows 8 Format Sales
The OS formats that survey respondents believed would sell the most were reported as:- Branded Desktops (30 percent)
- Branded Tablets (20 percent)
- Branded Laptops (20 percent)
- System Builds (20 percent)
- Branded All-in-Ones (10 percent)
- Preferred Support Resources
VARs indicated the following support resources as their preferred type:- Trainings (50 percent)
- Vendor Support (30 percent)
- Technical Short Programs (10 percent)
- Personal Interaction (10 percent)
