Windows 8 Windows 8: Good or Bad?

[shaneblack]

I agree. much of it is 'attitude'. Which will either open doors or make things less than could be or poor, instead or good & enjoyable.

Cheers,
Drew

I think the name Windows 8 is not a very good name, it dosent pop out like windows 7 did. If much of it is Attitude then I think it should be renamed, Windows Attitude. Sounds kind of cool. It needs a cool name. A name that will give it character like other versions of windows. XP, Vista, 7 and even 98 will always be remembered because of the unique names. Windows 8 needs a unique name that people will enjoy saying.

 

[kemical]

Admittedly Windows 8 isn't a very imaginative name, much like the similarly named Windows 7 but yes something like 'Windows Attitude' has a certain 'pop' about it..

Here is a little text taken from the blog: Announcing the Windows 8 Editions

First, Windows 8 is the official product name for the next x86/64 editions of Windows.

For PCs and tablets powered by x86 processors (both 32 and 64 bit), we will have two editions: Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. For many consumers, Windows 8 will be the right choice. It will include all the features above plus an updated Windows Explorer, Task Manager, better multi-monitor support and the ability to switch languages on the fly (more details on this feature can be found in this blog post),which was previously only available in Enterprise/Ultimate editions of Windows. For China and a small set of select emerging markets, we will offer a local language-only edition of Windows 8.

Windows 8 Pro is designed to help tech enthusiasts and business/technical professionals obtain a broader set of Windows 8 technologies. It includes all the features in Windows 8 plus features for encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity. Windows Media Center will be available as an economical “media pack” add-on to Windows 8 Pro. If you are an enthusiast or you want to use your PC in a business environment, you will want Windows 8 Pro.

Windows RT is the newest member of the Windows family – also known as Windows on ARM or WOA, as we’ve referred to it previously. This single edition will only be available pre-installed on PCs and tablets powered by ARM processors and will help enable new thin and lightweight form factors with impressive battery life. Windows RT will include touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. For new apps, the focus for Windows RT is development on the new Windows runtime, or WinRT, which we unveiled in September and forms the foundation of a new generation of cloud-enabled, touch-enabled, web-connected apps of all kinds. For more details on WOA, we suggest reading this blog post which shares more detail on how we have been building Windows 8 to run on the ARM architecture.

Reference:

Announcing the Windows 8 Editions

 

[davehc]

I am afraid I have a more mundane attitude. I wondered, with Vista, why Microsoft chose to suddenly give it a name. Why not adopt the majority software attitude. From the start,imo, it could have ben Windows Ver1 up to whatever it should be, right now (Windows Ver11?)

 

[Drew]

Yep, seems the only consistent thing in Windows OS names is inconsistency. Some use a year, some a name, some a sequence #.

But, I had no idea I was starting this or making anyone think of an OS name (teehee) how cool is that, lol

"Windows Attitude", eh? I was more thinking the Users' attitude' but, what the hell, why not an OS w/ Attitude, that's kinda cool, lol.

& yes, 8's nice.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[autotech212000]

I actually didnt like it at all on my desktop. After a couple of months of dual booting i went back to windows 7 only. Performance wise i didnt see a difference but that could be my hardware also. Not sure how the majority of the public is going to respond but the few people i know that tried windows 8 not one still has it installed. They felt like i do that for tablet pcs or touch screen pcs it would be nice but for a desktop it doesnt have the ease of use that windows 7 has. Only time i am in full screen mode is when i am playing a game otherwise i use dual monitors with 4 to 8 different apps opened and going between them all.

This is one windows i am staying away from which in itself feels weird because i stuck with every new system they have come out with since 3.1 Even the horriable vista worked for me after days of fighting it to get it to work the way i wanted it to. If i have to install 3rd party hacks, tricks to get it the way i like it i will leave it alone. I spend to much time on my desktop as is.

 

[Drew]

I spend ALL my time on Desktop. Windows8 works beautifully & VERY easily AND on a non-Touch, desktop PC w/ NO 3rd party stuff or 'retro-fits' added & only 1 tiny 'tweak' done.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[VegasGuy]

I'm with you on this one. I can't see the point in "upgrading" to an OS that unless your nuts about the UI you have to add crap to it to use it. I used to be a MSFT fan for many years and would snatch up everything they put out OS wise, even every new version of DOS. In my head they could do no wrong. In the last couple of years for a several reasons they and Apple are both on my "Not another penny" list. I'm not paying to have a UI I hate shoved in my face. Metro should be a choice for desktop/lap top use and if the user doesn't want it, they should be able to eliminate it totally from the OS. I was completely disappointed by Windows Phone UI and even more so that we must be forced to have that crap on our home system. I could not see enough difference in Windows 8 to justify the time and expense involved to downgrade to Windows 8. If enough of us share this opininon of 8 it will be Vista 2.0 maybe MSFT will get a clue. They are stubborn I doubt it. Maybe it's time to learn Linux

I actually didnt like it at all on my desktop. After a couple of months of dual booting i went back to windows 7 only. Performance wise i didnt see a difference but that could be my hardware also. Not sure how the majority of the public is going to respond but the few people i know that tried windows 8 not one still has it installed. They felt like i do that for tablet pcs or touch screen pcs it would be nice but for a desktop it doesnt have the ease of use that windows 7 has. Only time i am in full screen mode is when i am playing a game otherwise i use dual monitors with 4 to 8 different apps opened and going between them all.

This is one windows i am staying away from which in itself feels weird because i stuck with every new system they have come out with since 3.1 Even the horriable vista worked for me after days of fighting it to get it to work the way i wanted it to. If i have to install 3rd party hacks, tricks to get it the way i like it i will leave it alone. I spend to much time on my desktop as is.

 

[john3347]

WOW, this group is the most universally positive about Windows 8 of any group I am familiar with. I have only played with Windows 8 on friend's computers because my personal preferences are absolutely old school. I have downloaded and recorded all three pre-production versions so far, but not installed one yet. Windows 8 is simply not going to be my cup of tea! I have gone back to Windows XP on a couple of computers that I had Windows 7 on because of the instability of Windows 7. I had Windows 7 on 4 computers at one time. I continue to have Windows 7 on two computers and those two are most certainly my most "flaky" functioning machines (of a total of 8) that I have. Windows 8 promises to be a continuation of the same. I probably do not ever want Windows 8. I do not believe it is likely that anyone, and especially Microsoft, will ever optimize one operating system for everything from telephones to corporate client desktops. Microsoft has been on a steady decline since Windows 2000 and that decline continues with Windows 8. Windows 2000 was, and is, the most stable operating system EVER from Microsoft. (The computer I am typing this very comment on is a Windows 2000 computer)

It is true that everybody has their preferences and no one item will satisfy every preference, but Microsoft needs to realize that their biggest customer is the "average Joe homeowner" who doesn't care what operating system their computer has on it, they just want it to work. Making it work without having to endure an extensive learning curve in order to LEARN how to make it work is what is going to sell computers. Geeks want to play with their computers and they want to configure and customize, etc. This is a big reason that Microsoft is going the wrong direction by trying to create one OS to satisfy every application and every customer. Ain't gonna happen!!!

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

 

[Drew]

Some of these comments, albeit, while being adamant, don't really, hold water, in some ways or fully.

Only say this because, in fact & truth...

Windows8 works very well & very easily AND on non-Touch, conventional, desktop PCs. Technical & performance boosts are overt. THERE IS CHOICE!! The suggestion that Win8 Start screen is any kind of an obstacle is simply false. Many of us are @ Desktop 100%.

The learning curve to Win8 is not acute.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[autotech212000]

Well to me windows 7 is the most stable OS yet even better than xp. My personal use of windows 8 is as described and again a personal choice. I learned long ago to never say never i am not a mind set type of person or i wouldnt work on and build computers. From windows 3.1 to windows 8 and even with linux it is all a learning curve.

Now i will admit Vista was a disaster. In one 3 day period i formatted with a clean install 21 times with Vista 64 bit before i found the bug that was causing me troubles. It also was my own fault i use dual monitors and pretty much the newest stuff out and crossfire. But by stripping down the computer from my raid0 to dual video cards i kept crashing at different times. Finally stripped to the limit as in 1 monitor and 1 video card and 2 gigs of ram i discovered that if i loaded Vista and updated it then it was stable as all get out. Later someone discovered the 2 different bugs i had found which was use 4 gigs of ram or less and only 1 monitor.

Windows 8 while it is stable for me i dont like the way i have to get to everything. If it had an option to switch looks to a normal desktop as in windows 7 i would keep it. I still have it loaded on a spare computer but havent used it in weeks. Someday i will have a customer that wants it or wants me to fix it so i have to know it, I just PERSONALLY dont like it therefore wont be loaded on my everyday computer.

GA890FXA-UD5\,Silverstone Strider 1000watt\ ,AMD Phenom 2 1090T\ ,4x4gb gskil 1600 ripjaws\,Corsair Force Series 3 CSSD-F90GB3-BK 90GB SATA III Internal SSD \ windows 7 ultimate 64 bit limited edition\,1 x 6970 2 gig\,Audigy 2 ZS plat. sound card,5.1 creative 550watt speakers,3 500 gig wd platters

 

[Drew]

Please, reread...

"I spend ALL my time on (a usual) Desktop. Windows8 works beautifully & VERY easily* AND on a non-Touch, desktop PC w/ NO 3rd party stuff or 'retro-fits' added & only 1 tiny 'tweak' done"... I work from a List in a Taskbar folder, rather than going to Start tiles.

*This includes navigating, finding things, doing things & Search, as well as, all & any other functions

As an added aside, Win8 technically, under-the-covers & the performance results & abilities therefrom, are nothing short of impressive & better than predecessors.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[shaneblack]

No I don't agree with any of that article what so over. Drew is right. First of all I spend most of my time on the desktop, I have some shortcuts on desktop that I use most often and some on metro which I use less often. Metro is a good tool, when you get used to it, it is simple and easy. Windows users should embrace change because that is what windows has been about ever since 95'. They have been making changes ever since, adding new features which people at first are not used to but given time adopt to it and come to love it. At first I didn't see much use of Win8 but then I found it very informational and useful. This guy is just upset with change and will stop at nothing to rant and rave.
We have many different versions of Windows so people do have a choice and its not like other versions of Windows can't get work done. If your at a work place that uses Win8 they will make adjustments so you wont get in trouble for doing something other then work and also instruct you and teach you how to use Win8 for getting work done. I've watched the presentations on microsofts website and agree that all work related programs work the same way and can accessed just as fast as previous versions of windows.
Also mind you that this is a beta and will be much more rich in features when released, bug fixes will be made, and instructions and help guides will be provided for help using Win8. Microsoft has no intention of shutting people out and will tie up all lose ends before releasing the final version. That being said, I use preview release everyday and only notice a few minor issues that I am confident they will address. #1 If you create an accidental account with a wrong E-mail you can't delete it, you can make another account but I haven't found anyway to delete the incorrect one. #2 Memory slowly rises for me after the computer is on for a period of time, it has rose to 40% with nothing running, I restart and it goes back down to around 20% as if there is no control to get memory back that has been used. I'm not sure if this is a video driver issue, I use Win7 driver because Win8 driver is beta and has some troubles. It seems I'll have to wait for Intel to catch up with Win8 drivers. All and all I have a very good time on Win8 and have no Intention of using anything else on my laptop.
As Windows users we must adapt and embrace change, we cannot be haters just because time changes and people want new and better things. Hey we have plenty of choices out there MS gives us. And XP,VISTA,WIN7 are all still supported. MS could be worse, thank yourselves we don't only have Apple and Linux to choose from.

 

[Drew]

Thank you, Shane, for the support, concordance & understanding you have expressed. Also, the depth & expansion you brought to the point or message being put forth; well articulated.

Two things do (past, present & future) make new products, in IT, challenging to address. 1 is humans' relationship to change and 2 is a tendency to be anti Microsoft.

This is not to say MS is infallible nor that Windows7 is not good.

Funny this doesn't happen every year that auto makers say you must get this year's new & improved version. Some will change models. You are not obliged to do that, either.

But, to balk @ FAIR & full, hands-on investigation of a BETA OS is hog-tying oneself before even starting.
To go by hearsay or writtensay
To not use proper ISOs, proper DVDs or use upgrade path installs
To knock something, cus, that's a hip n cool thing to do... an assumption that MS is screwing up, thus looking for or seeing bad, cannot see value.
Overwhelmed by Start screen tiles & thinking there is no choice available to be Desktop-centric.
Not seeing beyond "Metro" or being able to appreciate the rest of the OS

I'm a Beta-tester for MS & the Windows8 Build Team; hard to find any noteworthy flaws; easy to use; easy to be impressed.

I dual-boot Win7 & 8 - differentials overtly in 8's favor

Cheers,
Drew

 

[shaneblack]

I'm a Beta-tester for MS & the Windows8 Build Team; hard to find any noteworthy flaws; easy to use; easy to be impressed.

I dual-boot Win7 & 8 - differentials overtly in 8's favor

Cheers,
Drew

Your a beta tester, I wonder if you know any information about the start button and if its going to come back, I hear alot of other people are making a fuss over this.
I'm glad MS changed though, I'm really happy to be running a whole new Windows where things are going to be different. And with every update windows gives me, it fixes bugs. First bug, couldn't install apps, update fixed it. Second bug, the windows experience index crashed when trying to rate my pc, update fixed it. With every update comes more and more improvements. And that is something to notice too cause its amazing how things are getting better and better on here.

 

[Drew]

Yes, Shane, there is/has been a lot of "fuss" over this start button thing. Frankly, the scenario does not warrant the 'fuss'. 1st of all, there is a Start icon, now, rather than, a start button. The issue, actually, has been two-fold... 1, really, meaning start button=start menu & god forbid we be w/out the old start menu & 2, that w/out the (old) start button, there's no Start/Reboot/Sleep.

Anyway, the, short answer is, NO, won't be coming back. Other question, does it need to? same answer, NO.

The ironic, reality is, many things that one accessed via the old start button, can be had more readily & more directly than before. And everything, nicely @ Desktop w/out ever visiting Start, anyway.

Quite true, the enhancements are rapid, abundant & noticeable.

 

[shaneblack]

Thanks Drew that makes me feel better, I just prefer not having a start button, looks nicer and when I first tried Win8 out I got used to it not being there anyway. Of course if people really wanted the classic back then there is a bunch of programs for them that work pretty good, i've heard some people talk about them. I just wanted to find out because its been bugging me wondering if they were bringing the button back or not. thanks again

 

[Drew]

You're welcome, Shane. And, oh, meant to say... as for the Power button... in the early stages we were adding Shut Down & Restart buttons & in the CP, Power button in the Sys Tray. After all that, just going to Charms > Settings for the Power button, is quite fine.

There big 1 is having an Applications folder on the Taskbar & using Desktop Toolbar, there, too; can show Desktop icons, let's you drill down to anywhere, anything & not leave Desktop or need to visit Start.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[kemical]

I fail to see why all of a sudden that working on the desktop is an odd thing or any different to the way we used pc's before. As I reiterated in my other posts, if your using windows 8 on a pc then the user will most likely use the desktop for most of the time. Now if your using windows 8 on a tablet or phone then metro might be more suited to that environment. It seems to me that a number peeps are under the impression that if your using win 8 then you have to use the metro section and the desktop is a bad thing.

I cannot recall seeing the blog or announcement from Microsoft saying how windows 8 must be used.

Personally I work primarily from the desktop with brief forays into the Metro section, now and again, to either check up on emails, read the news, play a game or anything else that comes to mind..
As discussed in the first few posts of this thread the Start menu can easily be configured into what the user wants, why people have such a stumbling block over this issue is intriguing to say the least.
It's the same old story, you get out of it what you put into it and one has only to spend a little time exploring the new Start system before one realises it's just a big start menu. Easily configured to how you want it.. All it takes is a right click and hit 'Pin to Start' or remove from Start and it's not long before you have it the way YOU want it.

 

[autotech212000]

I havent found many bugs in it one that i have found is when i turn off computer from the metro section the monitor goes out but the lights on computer stay on. But the fans on the computer are off so i have been looking into that. I actually took out my spare last night and rehooked it up to just 1 monitor and am going to this weekend try it out some more.... Just for laughs, i had to google how to turn off computer from metro side before i figured it out...lol

 

[shaneblack]

I agree with you guys, I shutdown, restart, sleep, two different ways that are easy and comfortable whenever I feel I want to. From charms or from metro I can sign out. And it works for me just fine.

Autotech, my wifes laptop had that problem where it would stay on after being turned off. Has happened one time and hasn't since so i don't know what it is, its a weird bug but should be fixed someway.