I know several people that haven't yet jumped on the Windows 8 bandwagon and apparently, they aren't alone. HP has also realized this trend and has launched a "back by popular demand" campaign in which they are bringing back Windows 7 as an option for new computers.
A quick visit to the desktop section of HP's shopping site reveals a series of Windows 7 machines by default. The company is even offering discounts of up to $150 on select models as of writing. Of course, Windows 8 is still available but you'll need to select it specifically when customizing the system. It would appear that HP is the only manufacturer that is now actively advertising new systems with Windows 7 by default.
It's worth pointing out, however, that the majority of laptops on the company's website still offer Windows 8 by default. The primary reason for this, one would suspect, has to do with the embedded touchscreens and the convertible nature of many of these newer systems.
The move isn't entirely surprising as Windows 8 has struggled to gain market share since its launch. Some people just don't like change from a product they are already familiar with. That said, Windows 8 is a big step forward in terms of form and function and simply put, it's just not for everyone.
What's more, Microsoft revealed a few weeks ago that while retail sales of Windows 7 would end on October 30, sales of new computers running the operating system don't yet have an end date.