Data from Net Applications shows that Windows 8 is less popular than Windows Vista, the operating system that proved unpopular with the enthusiast audience.

Windows 8 usage uptake has slipped behind Vista’s in the same point in its release. Windows 8 online usage share is around 1.6% of all Windows PC’s which is less than the 2.2% share that Windows Vista commanded at the same two month mark after release.

Net Applications monitor operating system usage by recording OS version for around 40,000 sites it monitors for clients.

The slowdown for Windows 8 adoption is a bad sign for Microsoft who experienced great success with the release of Windows 7.

Data was measured up to the 22nd of December, so there is still time by the end of the month for Windows 8 to claim a higher percentage of the user base.

Data: Net Applications

This data reaffirms previous statistics posted by organisations such as the NPD group. They said in the four weeks surrounding Windows 8 Oct 26 debut that 21% fewer PCs were sold to U.S. consumers than during the same period in 2011.

The New York Times have also said that U.S. consumer sales of Windows machines from late October through to the first week of December are down 13% compared to the same period a year previous.

Kitguru says: Our own polls show that the majority of the enthusiast audience are sticking with Windows 7.

http://www.kitguru.net/software/operating-systems/benjamin/windows-8-proving-less-popular-than-vista/

Well I guess I'm not surprised given it's for tablets :S
I have absolutely zero intentions of ever getting windows 8 on my desktop

For most people there's no reason to upgrade from 7 to 8. Vista came out more than 5 years after XP launched, so many people were more eager to upgrade right away. After the negative reactions that Vista got, alot of folks (including myself) chose to stick it out with XP and wait for 7.

I think most PC users will wait for Windows 9 or whatever the next iteration of Windows is before upgrading.

Okay, who read the title as "Windows 8 proving less popular than Vita"?

*raises hand*

Anywho, I'm a happy user of Windows 7 and see no reason to upgrade to 8.

I have a desktop running 7 and a laptop running 8.

Windows 8 offers no advantages whatsoever, and the inconvenience of a bunch of annoying extra menus that nobody will use, and the need to download an addon to bring back the start menu. I guess it's not as bad as Vista, because it actually works, but Windows 7 is far superior.

I don't blame people for not wanting to own Windows 8 on their PC's. It may look modern/interesting but it is such a hassle.

Vista worked just fine, its 3rd party drivers that had the issues.

Anyways some of the advantages of windows 8 are convenient App store, boot up/wake up time, better battery life for portable devices and touch screen optimizaion obviously. If one looks at this list and doesn't find anything they would like to spend 39.99 on to upgrade to, they really don't need to install Windows 8.

I'm using a Win 8 and a 7 Laptop and quite honestly i don't feel a difference in productivity at all. The Start Screen in 8 is the only real change to be honest and beyond aesthetics, it's largely the same. I'll add the search is improved, resource management is better and it's just all around snappy. Other than that it's just a flashy Win 7. So yes, there's no reason to upgrade. My MSI came with 8, I loathed the idea due to bad feedback and when I got it, I found out I liked it.

Edit:  To add to that, I can finally pin individual folders to the start screen in 8.  It has been a godsend for me.

Right, so it's a tablet OS.

And yet it's being shoehorned into the laptop market.

I do not see how this proves to be less popular as their is tons more windows out then now. Edit: I see graph now very late after my post...