Windows 7 or Windows 8

[madthomas]

Currently I am on Windows 7
Windows 8 is out.

But a lot of my geek friends are not making the switch over.

Two of them have installed Windows 8
One has a positive opinion
One has negative!

Share your thoughts with all of us.

 

[CDdude55]

There is little incentive for me to switch away from Windows 7 currently.

 

[madthomas]

I think until and unless large touchscreen based displays (minimum 20 inch) don't get cheaper, Windows 8 adoption would be difficult for me.

Microsoft is going to try very hard to shift users from Windows XP and Windows 7 to Windows 8.

 

[sanilmahambre]

Touch screen or no touch screen ill be sticking to 7 unless a reasonable offer coming out from Microsoft

 

[madthomas]

What if Apple follows suite and designs an OS which is like Windows 8, tile based.

Then may be a lot of people will think that switching to Windows 8 isn't really a bad idea at all!

 

[groundrat]

There are very valid opinions on both sides. Seven is simply awesome. It fixed all the bugs of Vista and refined that experience.

Eights is also an excellent operating system and is undoubtedly the wave of the future.

IF I had a Windows phone, a Surface tablet and a Desktop PC, I would be all over eight. Having one OS for all the devices is a very valid and rewarding experience.

But I only have a desktop.

I have no need of touch interface and I usually lag behind the most current hardware by two to three years, so I won’t be getting that Surface any time soon. Hell I just got an android phone this last year (last quarter) and wouldn’t have done that if Verizon hadn’t given it to me for free.

So I have quite happy to stay a Seven Troglodyte, Luddite Neanderthal.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... I tell Computer Novices/Users that ask me... "IT IS JUST AN Operating System... to load/run programs on it and search the internet... What programs are you using now, that won't work in your Windows version?
Windows 7 is enough to do what the average user can throw at them.

Me... Windows 7 64, is wonderful at all the programs and hardware, I throw at it.

I have seen, and tried to fix, other people computers with the once great visions of the VISTA and Millenium OS systems, I was once a proud owner of Windows 3.1, 95, 98, and XP.

 

[madthomas]

What if Microsoft offers Windows 8 at a very negligible price or free, would you still not consider making the switch?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... I tell people not to do regular updates, because if everything is working, why take any chances on it not working? If your into fixing or creating problems all the time on your computer... then proceed... Me? I like my computer running like it did yesterday and the week, month, year before.

I've been in Maintenance for many years... "IF it Ain't BROKEN, Don't try to FIX IT ".

If your into the "APPS" things... then maybe it is a good product for new computer users, in this Place and Time, in History... as it is easier for them to understand and use.

If your sit at your computer, with a STOP WATCH, to clock startup and shut down times... Congrats on your results.

But wasn't that what VISTA and MILLENIUM was promised to do too, looking back into history?

But if your spending your time and money, trying to making Windows 8 look like Windows 7, What's the point?

 

[groundrat]

What if Microsoft offers Windows 8 at a very negligible price or free, would you still not consider making the switch?

Not really, for the reasons I explained.

There is an old parable my father-in-law used to tell. "An Elephant for .50 cents is a great deal. If you have the .50 cents and if you need the elephant."

 

[pauls3743]

They tried that, it didn't work. Biggest reason being that Microsoft destroyed the desktop user experience. Yes, you can buy tools which will restore it to a more usable user experience, but that's not the point. It should come with a working user experience, not one you've got to fix so you can do just the basics. I thought so little of 8, that shortly after 8's release, I bought a couple of full price 7 Ultimate licences in case I got hold of a machine with 8 preinstalled.

 

[bdiddytampa]

Nothing wrong with windows 8 at all, most problems with it can be solved with a reshell which is freely available in its app store. You can shell it to look and feel like windows 7 (basically). Those of us perfectly OK with the OS we have though, have no reason to switch. It doesn't offer enough new stuff to really make it worthwhile upgrading. A friend of mine had XP though and wasn't able to play some of the newer games on it, so he upgraded, that I could see. But for me, I have my computer running the way I like on Win7, I can run anything I want on Win7, there is no reason for me to switch.

 

[stevydinho]

Just went from Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro, and despite all the criticism, I really like it. Despite all of the focus on UI, it is very fast, and under the skin it is very much like Windows 7. It will just take time to get used to like when Vista (and eventually 7) replaced XP

 

[madthomas]

Ironsounds wrote :Windows 7 is enough to do what the average user can throw at them.
Me... Windows 7 64, is wonderful at all the programs and hardware, I throw at it.

bdiddytampa wrote : I can run anything I want on Win7, there is no reason for me to switch.

Is Microsoft trying to sell its other devices by making all device have the same user interface.

pauls3743 wrote : Biggest reason being that Microsoft destroyed the desktop user experience. Yes, you can buy tools which will restore it to a more usable user experience, but that's not the point.

I strongly agree with that.

 

[madthomas]

Stevydinho wrote: Just went from Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro, and despite all the criticism, I really like it. Despite all of the focus on UI, it is very fast, and under the skin it is very much like Windows 7. It will just take time to get used to like when Vista (and eventually 7) replaced XP

So is that people wont adopt windows 8 and stay for a more refined next OS?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Well the new computer buyer's have no choice... As I have started before... Let Time and History be the True judge of Good things to come.

By the way... might be a good time to buy microsoft Stock? MSFT 27.93

 

[dodger46]

I like 8 because it's fast and light. It brings a new lease of life to pretty pedestrian laptops, I've replaced Vista on a few while the special offer has been in force. (8 installs in a jiffy compared with Vista, which takes all day with all those SPs and updates!)
8 is perfect for installing an SSD (60 gig) to run your OS, it only takes up about 10-11 gig of drive space, leaving plenty space for apps like photoshop...
I soon got used to it, the keyboard shortcuts are essential and quickly learned. Only criticism would be that I'll probably wear out the Windows key through over use...
8's ability to repair itself with the 'Refresh' option is valuable, I'm sure it will keep a good few software failures off Tom's pages ...

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... how many times have you tried the REPAIR "REFRESH" option so far?... THATS NOT A GOOD SIGN... Are you wearing a 8 on your hat right now? or a beautifully embroidered "8", on your Polo shirt? If not... you aught think about a Job with their Promo/Advertising firm.

 

[hedwar2011]

We have a ton of customers that come into where I work and they are often upset because Windows 8 has come out and it is getting harder and harder to find anything running Windows 7 anymore.

To me, it's really a mixed bag. I use Windows 7 on my home computer, Windows XP on the computers at work, and I play with the latest and greatest via Virtual Box to see how it's going to function. I also get a good deal of exposure to Windows 8 and all the new stuff (Office 2013 for example) and don't really feel the need to transition into Windows 8 just yet.

I was able to get Windows 8 for free through M$ ExpertZone due to where I work and it was an awesome incentive.

When I have an apprehensive customer come in looking for a new laptop or desktop that isn't touch enabled, I explain to them that there are 3rd party offerings out there that will allow your computer to look and work just like Windows 7 did with the Start Menu.

The change is inevitable, it just depends on how quickly people adopt it. It's happened ever since M$ created operating systems starting with Windows 3.1 -> 95, 98 -> XP, XP -> Vista, and now 7-8.

In my opinion, to each is his own.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... look around you... Apple has the touch screen, hand held PC on the market right now, with great sucess... It's time for Microsoft to follow their success once agian.

I have worked, repaired and built, for Kawasaki motors MFG, touch screens have been a part of their machines for over 15 years now... it is a wonderful way to operate the equipment for an operator... these machines run in DOS 5.0 and processors that are comparable to an i386... I have installed/replaced/programed and repaired a good # of them... But I will be DAM !!! the day they try to take my Precision MOUSE AWAY!!!

Come on... how many of you are going to start poking your fingers at your Home computer screen? What if ya Pick your nose? or get a running nose? Eat a burger? Pizza? That screen of yours is going to start to look real Blurry... And then ya get it cleaned... and cleaned... and cleaned agian. That screen of yours is going to look real SCRACHY... Now later in life you have Kids, now they are going to start poking your screen with their tiny little fingers...

Looks like it time to invest in Touch Screen makers.

 

[madthomas]

May be MS knew the PC market is on decline ( ... too late!).
Everything has shifted to Tablets and Smartphone.

May be people are not ready enough to adopt such a large UI change.

And WINDOWS 7 looks and works superb.

Two Things

People are Satisfied.
Change is Difficult.

 

[photonboy]

Windows 8 is not recommended unless you're upgrading from XP or Vista.

There ARE improvements over Windows 7 and the new Start Screen can be avoided with Start8, however there's just not enough in Windows 8 to justify an upgrade.

 

[dgriffs]

I recently upgraded and overall have had an enjoyable experience. I don't think I would pay full price for the upgrade but if it were cheap or free, why not? It's not as bad as people make it out to be. People don't like change. I find windows 8 to be refreshing in many aspects. It's a fine os if you take the 10 minutes to learn the shortcuts which greatly increase productivity. I'll admit the that there is a severe lack of decent apps but there a few good ones. As far as i'm concerned, windows 8 is really just windows 7 with the addition of the metro ui which you don't have to use. I upgraded mostly out of curiosity. I haven't regretted my decision to upgrade yet.

 

[madthomas]

dgriffs

Are their any problems related to working of games in Windows 8 ( See Counter Strike 1.6)

 

[afrobacon]

I personally prefer 8 over 7. However, I don't think this preference is worth paying for. In other words, I'd switch if it were free.