Windows 8 Pro's and Cons

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Ok first off please no flaming, I'm after facts here so any links would help. Opinions are fine but lets keep it sensible without anti or Pro rantings.

So,

Why precisely do you personally either like W8 or dislike W8 ?


Mactronix :)

 
I tried Windows 8 and did not like it.
I found the hidden parts of the display annoying.
I had to use Google on another pc to find out how to shut down the pc.
This was a test to see if my wife could use it well on her new touch screen desktop display, I was hopeful.
But, I did not want to take the time to learn how to teach a new OS and installed using windows 7.
Since I use a ssd, and sleep to ram, boot time improvements were irrelevant.

I am generally an adopter of a new os version, but I will defer on this one until Microsoft includes an option to retain the windows 7 interface.
 
Anyone caring about the old interface and still wanting to upgrade to 8 (not that it's a big upgrade) can install Classic Shell for free- waiting for MS to do something that they won't do and is already available through free programs is just a waste of time.
 


I know; It is just that I don't see any big reasons to change.
I do have a Windows 8 upgrade I could install, bought when it was cheap.
But, I have heard that the upgrade invalidates your old windows 7 activation key so I am reluctant to make the change which seems to be irreversible.
 


Well, I see no need to upgrade to 8 when you already have 7. 7 already does the same job similarly well.

IDK if the invalidation is true. I've read people say both ways. I don't both with upgrades anyway; I just to complete re-installs. It's a little safer and cleans up any crap that's built up since installing the previous operating system(s).
 
I've not used Windows 8 and I doubt I will in any near future. I don't se any applications nor play any games that require such an operating system.

It seems that Microsoft is considering (or already has in place) not providing any more retail versions of Windows 8 and is only allowing an upgrade to Windows 8 by DVD or download.

This is precarious as it interferes with the previous version OS (Windows 7 x64) and may cause BSoD's.

Links -
http://www.slashgear.com/microsoft-windows-8-retail-may-be-axed-entirely-13238498/

Windows 8 is designed for tablets and touch screens so unless you have a touch screen, it might be rather ccumbersome to use (until you get the hang of it).

Sure, it is faster boot times but there is more to a PC than just booting up!

Actually, although I have both Windows 7 x32 and x64, I prefer to use Vista x32 with IE8, had nothing but problems with IE9. Firefox for Vista was good with my laptop until ny hdd carked it. Most games I play are pre 2007 and I use my souped up Windows XP to play them.

There are problems associated with using an upgrade OS, it might not be suited to the PC (or portable) that is being upgraded, the motherboard drivers might not be available, and not too many applications are available with Windows 8, you'd also need to upgrade any apps you had installed, as well.
 


That was an article before w8 came out. There is no retail version because oem and retail are now the same to clarify issues that came around the versions with w7 and prior. Being designed for touch screens is also a common misconception. Desktop is exactly like w7. Also an upgrade os is no different than a non upgrade (which is also the case for w7 and prior). The only difference is the option to keep a .old file with the old os (for vista and later). You don't even need a prior os to use the "upgrade," you can do a clean install on a blank hdd. No offense, I don't see anything actually true in your post.
 


Windows 8 System Builder and Windows 8 Pro System Builder are what the Windows 7 Full Version Retail and Windows 7 OEM were.
 
In Windows 8 there are several new features including:

Windows To-Go
Client Hyper-V
AppLocker

You might want to watch the Windows 8: What IT Pros Should Know video from the Springboard Series on TechNet to learn a little more about what Windows 8 can offer.

Also, while you’re considering Windows 7 or Windows 8, you might want to download the Windows 8 Enterprise 90-Day Evaluation version from TechNet to see how it works for you and your needs. The best way to be sure it is a fit for you is to try it out.

More information on Windows 8 can be found on the Springboard Series on TechNet for Windows 8 page including the Windows 8 Jump Start, a comprehensive and detailed review of Windows 8 for IT professionals and systems administrators.

And, finally, since you asked for links to resources, you might want to check out the Windows 8 Case Studies with customers such as Make, Seton Hall University, and Toyota Racing.

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro
 
Windows 9 is due out in a year or two and will have no 32 bit anything, pure 64 bit Os and any features, programs and apps, and games, as well as drivers and hardware including external devices etc would have to complywith the 64 bit format. Considering that Windows 8 is both compatible with x32 and x64, I think the Pro's and Cons would be the factor of the 32 bit apps not really being all that compatible with a 64 bit platform despite beackward compatibility as claimed by many developers and manufacturers.

Windows 8 was originally designed for tablet and iphoine mobile devices until developers felt a need for it to be also applicable to PC's both laptop and desktop, there the issues actually began, not with portable phone-like devices but with computers....

If you are considering using Windows 8, then I'd suggest you only get the x64 platform and only use products and hardware that are actually 64 bit compliant so the upgrade to Windows 9, which won't be an upgrade, will be a new install, won't be so formidable as it was when users went from XP to Vista.

As for Microsoft trying to weedle out the XP users by halting updates, that has never really been a factor for most XP users, they found the updates more harmful than not doing updates. There is a firm that has over 50.000 customers still relying on XP platform, how will they ever integrate that account to Windows 8 or even Windows 9? They won't until they teach them the benefits and longetivity of Windows 8 or Windows 9, to which Windows 8 would most likely be phased out by 2017 when the implementation of the 128 bit platform rises it's ugly head.

Manufacturers are not producing new motherboard and components for Windows 8, they are re-tweaking old hardware that was more akin to Vista and XP than even Windows 7 which got jumped on quite early by the event of Windows 8. Is a motherboard really Windows 8 ready or is it just been tweaked with added code to make it look like its good ebnough for Windows 8?

Overall, don't expect much of anything for Windows 8, programmers are few and far between as compared to Windows 98 programmers and Windows Vista programmers, no point in spending at least 3 years developing an app or game for a platform that will only be servicable for mobile devices, better to spend 8 years developing 128 bit programs that will last for at least 10 years servicability.
 
While i have made a fuss over Windows 8 changing the UI around it has encouraged me to try out alternate OS's and got me thinking about whether it's really necessary to even get a newly released OS every time. I really like Windows 7, despite really liking XP in the past.. 7 pretty much took over. Windows 8 under the hood is definitely good, missing some Aero features which makes Win 7 so nice and refreshing to look at.

Besides making Windows 8 touch, it really doesn't seem all that innovative to me, i feel that the touch UI kinda hinders performance rather than helps it, but that's mostly due to the fact i have been accustomed to using a desktop UI, not a tablet. Sure it's easy to use and all however a keyboard, a mouse and a desktop UI is what i really could use compared to a touch screen. Sure if i was forced to get Windows 8 i'd customise it to my liking and i wouldn't have to bother with the start screen/modern UI, it doesn't really tell me what MS has in store for Windows. Is it their intention of removing the desktop in favor for the new UI or are they simply combining it to try to appeal to both desktop and tablet users?

If MS decides to abandon the desktop UI that would just leave Windows wide open to Linux and possibly Apple. And already i have my laptop to dual boot with Windows 7 and Linux Mint. All i really need is a reason to give up Windows 7 in favor for Linux. As i said it's just a little vague on what MS is trying to do here, instead of giving users an option between the classic desktop UI and touch they have tried to mash it together into one so you have part touch and part desktop.

I am sure i am not the only one who is worried that MS is willing to give up on the desktop in favor for a tablet/touch UI. Windows 8 has separated the MS user base, but that's really no different than MS having difficulty trying to get users off of XP. The company i work for tho, finally upgraded from XP to 7. Either they haven't upgraded due to costs or due to being cautious about what OS or whether to upgrade. I don't think any or most of the machines tho were changed due to the specs on the existing ones were enough to meet the system requirements for Windows 7. Funny thing though some of the workers were a little confused/disoriented with Windows 7. I'd hate to see how they would react to having to use Windows 8.

In the end though, only time will tell what will happen with the new UI whether MS will abandon it and go back to the desktop style or try to keep it as is (with improvements) with Windows 9. Still though the only difference i see between modern apps and the desktop versions are that modern apps are limited with resizing them while the desktop you can make it as big or as small as you want it (depending on it's ability to be shown properly with the given size) and put programs side to side.

Again, it's really not about what you can do with Windows 8 to make it look like Windows 7 but it's what road MS will take with the new UI design.
 
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