Even as Microsoft crows about the millions of consumers adopting its tablet-friendly Windows 8 operating system, reports have emerged that Bill Gates - the software giant's founder and largest shareholder - is not among them.
In an interview with French technology magazine Micro Hebdo, America's richest man says Windows 8 is an excellent operating system, but it's just not for him.
"Look, the Surface is a great tablet, there's no doubt about that," Gates told the magazine. "I have two and use them every day. But I'm not sure why the tablet interface is forced upon desktop users."
"What's the point of having a touchscreen interface on a non-touchscreen computer? Doesn't that seem weird to you? We don't put clutches on automatic cars."
Be What's Last
Microsoft has bet heavily on the success of the new OS, which attempts to unify the world of tablet and desktop computers with a single user experience. However, critics have complained that Windows 8 sacrifices desktop usability for the sake of tablet compatibility.
Gates himself says that although he's using Windows 8 as a tablet systeem, he's refused offers to upgrade from Windows 7 in the desktop environment.
"Yeah, the IT guys over at Microsoft keep sending me free copies of Windows 8 for my ultrabook. But honestly I don't see the point. I'd lose my start menu and have to keep switching between the interfaces."
"It's not that Windows 8 is a bad operating system. Conceptually, it's actually quite brilliant. But I grew up in the PC era, and I'm more comfortable with the traditional windowed environment."
"I encourage everyone looking for a new tablet or a touch-enabled notebook to upgrade to Windows 8. But if you're already on Windows 7, I would wait until Windows 9 to upgrade, by which time some of these kinks will have been worked out."
Gates founded Microsoft in 1979 and oversaw its rise to the top of the global software industry. He semi-retired from the company in 2006 to focus on his charitable foundation, but still maintains the title of chairman.
