Windows 8

[idb]

I love Windows 8. Why? Because Windows 7 and Vista will be around a long time and I will not have to go through another iteration of Microsoft redesigning their user interface, at least not for a few more years.

Vista sucks! I hate it, it's so slow. I think XP was a 1,000 times better.

A techie I know says he'll stick to 7 and I think I'll upgrade to that after the new year.

I thought XP was great. The problem is the world changes and XP stays the same. So when there are interface problems between applications, either local or on the Net, you have to just live with those problems because Microsoft is not going to fix them and applications developers have bigger fish to fry.

With each new version of windows, the benefits of upgrading become less and less. Of course who upgrades for the new features anyway? If you buy a new computer you have to upgrade to the new operating system.

Apparently, XP is still the second most popular operating system in the world
Operating system market share

 

[nitroz]

I'm desperately clinging onto my XP for as long as I can!!!

windows 7 isn't bad at all. But it's ideal for a more modern computer.

With each newer build, you need a more powerful system.

 

[nitroz]

If anybody has questions or advice, I created this thread, http://www.usmessageboard.com/computers/269659-windows-8-tips-and-support.html#post6555675
Let's help each other out.

Add the tutorial on how to downgrade to windows 7.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Windows 7 is fine. With it's improved security...er...security at all, which is a new thing for Microsoft - Win7 is better than XP for that reason alone.
Now that I have seen Win8 - it is clearly a slightly altered Win 7 with a touchscreen interface laid on top. So if you have a touchscreen - fine - if not, the first thing you will do is click "desktop view" every single time and ignore all of the Win 8 features.

 

[Caroljo]

I just got a new laptop yesterday with windows 8.....not sure what i think of it yet, it's so different than the XP i had. Maybe once i get used to it, and figure out where everything is on it i might like it. But i'm just not sure yet.

 

[idb]

I just got a new laptop yesterday with windows 8.....not sure what i think of it yet, it's so different than the XP i had. Maybe once i get used to it, and figure out where everything is on it i might like it. But i'm just not sure yet.

Yeah, the leap from XP to 8 must be a bit daunting.
I'm not looking forward to it when the time comes.

 

[Ringel05]

I just got a new laptop yesterday with windows 8.....not sure what i think of it yet, it's so different than the XP i had. Maybe once i get used to it, and figure out where everything is on it i might like it. But i'm just not sure yet.

Yeah, the leap from XP to 8 must be a bit daunting.
I'm not looking forward to it when the time comes.

It'll be like moving from an abacus to an electric calculator.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

I just got a Dell XPS 12 with Windows 8.... kinda cool, but Win 8 is just a tablet OS with Start screen instead of a Start Menu.

It took me a day to figure out how to close apps in touch-pad mode from the Start Screen.

 

[Flopper]

I just got a Dell XPS 12 with Windows 8.... kinda cool, but Win 8 is just a tablet OS with Start screen instead of a Start Menu.

It took me a day to figure out how to close apps in touch-pad mode from the Start Screen.

I find most of the windows enhancements in new versions, not worth the upgrade. It's takes time to learn how to use them and too often the enhancements aren't that much of an enhancement. Then there are the surprises like some of your old favorite programs must be upgraded in order to get them to run properly. I never upgrade anymore unless there is no other alternative.

 

[MikeK]

I'm desperately clinging onto my XP for as long as I can!!!

I clung until last month when my Acer XP desktop had a fatal stroke. I now have a Win/7 system which isn't bad. But I really hate having to relocate. I become so accustomed that everything I normally do is second nature then I must start all over again.

 

[Flopper]

The problem with the direction Microsoft has taken with regard to their operating system is to make each new release easier to use by changing the user interface. This is fine for new users but what about existing users? With each new release of Windows the user has to learn a new interface. What use to be in one place is somewhere else. What once was part of the operating system is in an application or no longer exists. Applications and hardware that worked on the old release may not work on the new release.

I worked in a support capacity for a large organization that had many thousands of computers. The one thing management hated was a new release of windows. Converting to the new release was always costly and there was usually little to be gained.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Nothing wrong with touch screen being the future for phones. On a computer it's just too gay.

Don't they have the option to make it work like classic windows?

I think the future of computers is both touch screens and keyboards.
The new Touch is Microsoft's vision.

Uh...no.
It is not their vision, it is their attempt to get into the tablet market where they are almost non-existent. They have made several attempts into that market and flat out get pummeled by the far-far-far better performance of Android and iPad. So, their "vision" is to try and make a tablet more like a mini-laptop, where they have a chance.
Windows 8 is obviously designed for touchscreen. Without touchscreen, no one likes it. Their hope is everyone will want to buy a touchscreen laptop.

 

[Flopper]

Nothing wrong with touch screen being the future for phones. On a computer it's just too gay.

Don't they have the option to make it work like classic windows?

I think the future of computers is both touch screens and keyboards.
The new Touch is Microsoft's vision.

Uh...no.
It is not their vision, it is their attempt to get into the tablet market where they are almost non-existent. They have made several attempts into that market and flat out get pummeled by the far-far-far better performance of Android and iPad. So, their "vision" is to try and make a tablet more like a mini-laptop, where they have a chance.
Windows 8 is obviously designed for touchscreen. Without touchscreen, no one likes it. Their hope is everyone will want to buy a touchscreen laptop.

I certainly won't be one of them. On average, people spend only 15% of their computer time interfacing with the computer. We spend most of our time at the computer, reading, listening, watching videos, and just thinking not typing, mousing, or swiping screens.

Microsoft's motive in changing the interface with each new release of Windows has little to do with productivity and a lot to do with marketing.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I think the future of computers is both touch screens and keyboards.
The new Touch is Microsoft's vision.

Uh...no.
It is not their vision, it is their attempt to get into the tablet market where they are almost non-existent. They have made several attempts into that market and flat out get pummeled by the far-far-far better performance of Android and iPad. So, their "vision" is to try and make a tablet more like a mini-laptop, where they have a chance.
Windows 8 is obviously designed for touchscreen. Without touchscreen, no one likes it. Their hope is everyone will want to buy a touchscreen laptop.

I certainly won't be one of them. On average, people spend only 15% of their computer time interfacing with the computer. We spend most of our time at the computer, reading, listening, watching videos, and just thinking not typing, mousing, or swiping screens.

Microsoft's motive in changing the interface with each new release of Windows has little to do with productivity and a lot to do with marketing.

I wish I remembered where I read it - but Google is there so...anyhow - the 2013 list of "endangered businesses" list Microsoft for the first time on the list.
Endangered businesses are not businesses necessarily doing poorly today - but are predicted to do poorly in the future.
Microsoft has once again made a bad bet. They went all in on the Windows 8 platform - marketing the daylights out of it - the result has been terrible. People hate it. PC sales over the Christmas season were not good, and worse now. PC manufacturers are putting considerable pressure on Microsoft - blaming Windows 8 for the poor sales.
Currently Dell is not including Win 7 as an offering, but are rumored to begin offering Win 7 as an option on all computers as they did with Vista/XP

 

[Ringel05]

Uh...no.
It is not their vision, it is their attempt to get into the tablet market where they are almost non-existent. They have made several attempts into that market and flat out get pummeled by the far-far-far better performance of Android and iPad. So, their "vision" is to try and make a tablet more like a mini-laptop, where they have a chance.
Windows 8 is obviously designed for touchscreen. Without touchscreen, no one likes it. Their hope is everyone will want to buy a touchscreen laptop.

I certainly won't be one of them. On average, people spend only 15% of their computer time interfacing with the computer. We spend most of our time at the computer, reading, listening, watching videos, and just thinking not typing, mousing, or swiping screens.

Microsoft's motive in changing the interface with each new release of Windows has little to do with productivity and a lot to do with marketing.

I wish I remembered where I read it - but Google is there so...anyhow - the 2013 list of "endangered businesses" list Microsoft for the first time on the list.
Endangered businesses are not businesses necessarily doing poorly today - but are predicted to do poorly in the future.
Microsoft has once again made a bad bet. They went all in on the Windows 8 platform - marketing the daylights out of it - the result has been terrible. People hate it. PC sales over the Christmas season were not good, and worse now. PC manufacturers are putting considerable pressure on Microsoft - blaming Windows 8 for the poor sales.
Currently Dell is not including Win 7 as an offering, but are rumored to begin offering Win 7 as an option on all computers as they did with Vista/XP

Windows 8 itself?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I certainly won't be one of them. On average, people spend only 15% of their computer time interfacing with the computer. We spend most of our time at the computer, reading, listening, watching videos, and just thinking not typing, mousing, or swiping screens.

Microsoft's motive in changing the interface with each new release of Windows has little to do with productivity and a lot to do with marketing.

I wish I remembered where I read it - but Google is there so...anyhow - the 2013 list of "endangered businesses" list Microsoft for the first time on the list.
Endangered businesses are not businesses necessarily doing poorly today - but are predicted to do poorly in the future.
Microsoft has once again made a bad bet. They went all in on the Windows 8 platform - marketing the daylights out of it - the result has been terrible. People hate it. PC sales over the Christmas season were not good, and worse now. PC manufacturers are putting considerable pressure on Microsoft - blaming Windows 8 for the poor sales.
Currently Dell is not including Win 7 as an offering, but are rumored to begin offering Win 7 as an option on all computers as they did with Vista/XP

Windows 8 itself?

Tablets as well - have you seen the side-by-side reviews of these new M$ tablets in comparison to iPad and Android? There are a number of video revies out there by reputable folks - holy cow...who knowingly in their right mind would buy one of these things?

 

[Ringel05]

I wish I remembered where I read it - but Google is there so...anyhow - the 2013 list of "endangered businesses" list Microsoft for the first time on the list.
Endangered businesses are not businesses necessarily doing poorly today - but are predicted to do poorly in the future.
Microsoft has once again made a bad bet. They went all in on the Windows 8 platform - marketing the daylights out of it - the result has been terrible. People hate it. PC sales over the Christmas season were not good, and worse now. PC manufacturers are putting considerable pressure on Microsoft - blaming Windows 8 for the poor sales.
Currently Dell is not including Win 7 as an offering, but are rumored to begin offering Win 7 as an option on all computers as they did with Vista/XP

Windows 8 itself?

Tablets as well - have you seen the side-by-side reviews of these new M$ tablets in comparison to iPad and Android? There are a number of video revies out there by reputable folks - holy cow...who knowingly in their right mind would buy one of these things?

I'll stick with my Android.
(Come on R2, time to go........)

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Windows 8 itself?

Tablets as well - have you seen the side-by-side reviews of these new M$ tablets in comparison to iPad and Android? There are a number of video revies out there by reputable folks - holy cow...who knowingly in their right mind would buy one of these things?

I'll stick with my Android.
(Come on R2, time to go........)

me too...I would love to have one of the "zatab" tablets...root access Android out of the box.
Voted best tablet option yet. Even has an HDMI jack.
Just look at the options
Open & Hackable Android tablet

 

[Flopper]

Uh...no.
It is not their vision, it is their attempt to get into the tablet market where they are almost non-existent. They have made several attempts into that market and flat out get pummeled by the far-far-far better performance of Android and iPad. So, their "vision" is to try and make a tablet more like a mini-laptop, where they have a chance.
Windows 8 is obviously designed for touchscreen. Without touchscreen, no one likes it. Their hope is everyone will want to buy a touchscreen laptop.

I certainly won't be one of them. On average, people spend only 15% of their computer time interfacing with the computer. We spend most of our time at the computer, reading, listening, watching videos, and just thinking not typing, mousing, or swiping screens.

Microsoft's motive in changing the interface with each new release of Windows has little to do with productivity and a lot to do with marketing.

I wish I remembered where I read it - but Google is there so...anyhow - the 2013 list of "endangered businesses" list Microsoft for the first time on the list.
Endangered businesses are not businesses necessarily doing poorly today - but are predicted to do poorly in the future.
Microsoft has once again made a bad bet. They went all in on the Windows 8 platform - marketing the daylights out of it - the result has been terrible. People hate it. PC sales over the Christmas season were not good, and worse now. PC manufacturers are putting considerable pressure on Microsoft - blaming Windows 8 for the poor sales.
Currently Dell is not including Win 7 as an offering, but are rumored to begin offering Win 7 as an option on all computers as they did with Vista/XP

Having used Windows 8 and Windows 7 on a not-tablet PC, I see no reason to go to it unless you want windows on a tablet.

 

[Hugejack]

My opinion is Windows 8 is specially made for smart phones and touch screen computers and windows 7 is better than this in appearance.