Intel's Otellini says Windows 8 is 'not ready'

Intel's chief executive Paul Otellini has become the latest industry figure to pour scorn on Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system, telling staff in Taiwan that the software is simply not ready.

While Otellini's precise wording is not known, Bloomberg claims to have the gist of the Intel head's presentation in a private meeting of Microsofties in Taipei yesterday: Windows 8 simply isn't ready for the prime time, with work still needing to be done on improving the software.

Despite these concerns Otellini claims to be in full support of Microsoft's move to release the software in October, telling staff that releasing the operating system early is the right thing to do and that improvements can be patched in after the software has shipped.

Otellini's criticisms of Windows 8 may stem from its sister release Windows RT, the first mainstream Windows release designed specifically to run on ARM architecture processors. With Intel taking on ARM in the mobile space with its own low-power Atom-based system-on-chip designs and ARM making moves in the server market with 64-bit models, there's plenty of bad blood between the two companies. As a result, Microsoft's decision to support ARM's continued dominance of the mobile and tablet space, and to help it branch out into laptops as well, may be leaving a bad taste in Otellini's mouth.

That said, Otellini is hardly alone in being concerned regarding the next-generation Microsoft operating system. Despite numerous improvements designed to reduce the software's memory footprint, boost graphics performance, and protect your most important files and folders, many in the industry have been quick to jump on Microsoft's back.

Valve's Gabe Newell, who is at the head of an effort to port his company's Steam digital distribution platform and Source Engine games to Linux, has publicly called Windows 8 a 'catastrophe,' while an ex-Microsoft programme manager launched a blog called 'Fixing Windows 8' to highlight apparent failings in the design of the Windows Phone-inspired Metro UI. His criticisms may have hit home, too, with Microsoft ditching the Metro branding altogether but keeping the interface intact.

As with any new operating system, there will be resistance to change. Whether Microsoft has in Windows 8 an operating system which will survive as long as the - still-supported - Windows XP or will crash and burn as impressively as Windows ME is something only time will tell.