Most Windows users in the U.S. know about Windows 8 but few have immediate plans to upgrade to Microsoft’s newest operating system. What’s more, about one-third of Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP users who are ready to buy a new personal computer say they intend to switch to an Apple product.

Fascinating numbers for me, but they must be frightening for Microsoft. Imagine that one-third of the customers planning to purchase a new computer — 16% of the 350,000 people in this survey — decide that your product is so bad, they are switching to the competition. Microsoft has run out of goodwill from its users.

Update: I updated the wording to make the number of people considering a new purchase clear.