Windows8

[jstrubberg]

Windows 8 is silly. The driving idea was to give you one interface that you would use whether you were on your PC, phone or tablet. Guess what? People use those devices to accomplish different things. One interface to meet different goals is a silly idea.

On top of that, I can't stand seeing a Win 8 computer in a business environment. The metro GUI looks like it was put together by Dora the Explorer. It's cartoony and kindergarten-ish. Definitely not professional. The GUI is also heavily weighted towards touch screens, which 90% of business devices are not. Again, silly.

You can download Classic Shell from Sourceforge (just google Classic Shell download). It's a free open source add on for Windows 8 that gets you the start button, control panel and desktop back. It helps, but Win 8 is still a booger. Worst OS Microsoft has done since Windows ME, in my opinion. Expect another operating system release in 2014.

[mezmo]

I need to get a new computer soon - I can't get anything much to work now with
my old WIN98 desktop and I want to go into uses that it is totally unfit for. I'm not
a computer geek - no formal training, just what has come from various jobs where
they happened to have some computers in use for the job and then minor home use
for home type word-processing and surfing the web. So I want and need to get more
proficient with them.

I do not own or use a cell phone, let alone a "smart" phone. [What in hell is everyone
with them talking about on them all of the time ?] - I'll probably have to get one
eventually but am not in any hurry at all. I have no interest in the tablets or linking
everything all together. [Assuming that Everyone has multiple devices needing such
all of the time is presumptuous I think - Digerati Groupthink, Harrumpf!]

I do want a LARGE monitor. And my main use - at least for now - will be for digitizing
a very large amount of very old family photos, and then later I hope to get into CAD more.
So I've been starting to "research" some, and it seems like a Multi-Media type set up is
what I need. The one-off old family photos that I want to save/archive in the RAW type
digital file format [or such], will require large amounts of memory space for processing and
storing, from what I read. But so far most of the machines with what I need for my
requirements are Windows8 machines.

So how has the Windows8 been going now for users - a little further on in time ? Any improvements ?
I did get to try and use a computer with the Windows8 on it for a day, a couple months ago,
and had an instant Dislike of it. We have a laptop running Windows7 [Gotten after our laptop with XP
'died' a few months ago.] and we are having no problems with it. It just doesn't have the processor
capacity/speed, RAM memory and hard drive space that I'll need for my photo digitizing. One other
concern with the W8 is with copying and saving pics from the web. In W7 it is straightforward, but I
hear that is not the case with W8.

Has the new release made W8.1 more like W7? I'll be stretching my budget for this but I don't know
if I can stretch it enough for an Apple product, and they haven't been as highly rated as some of the
Windows machines for what I want to do. They are in the running, but just not as close to the head
of the pack as I thought they might be, just going by Apple's reputation.

So is the W8.1 more palatable or not worth the aggravation ? Should I just narrow the search to
what is still available in W7 ? I know computers are not 'forever' - such is the march of technology -
but I'd like what I get to be viable for a few years at least too.

Thanks in advance for any insights or recommendations you may have.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[southpennrailroad]

Windows 8 Hah! I just got a new computer and it has that 8. Well I as simulated well enough just hate the off button and about three weeks after getting the computer/laptop, I was asked to add on the add on 8 that they said would help and it shut and locked my computer up and Tech said it was a bios problem They sent me a packing box on a Thursday and by the next Thursday it was back and working.

[MtnDon]

We have a Win8 machine we use as our media center. With the addition of the $5 Stardock Start8 software it runs much like Win7. I have no problems using it with Start8... really do not like the "tiles". Big thing is you get the traditional start menu back and that change makes me prefer Win8 over Win7, if I was buying a new machine.

I don't know what problems you are thinking of with Win8 and copying / saving pictures from the web. I use the same browsers (Firefox or Chrome) on our Win8, Win7 and the old XP machine; I do not see any differences. The old XP machine is being retired in favor of a new Win8 machine. I'm going to upgrade it to Win8.1 to see what it is like.

[angib]

DOS is boss! Windows is for quiche-eaters.....

[Greg M]

Alright, who's been adulterating Angib's tea?

I'll second that, with start8, windows8 is fine. Hated it when I first tried it, added back the start menu and then it was acceptable. I still wish they'd give you an option to set it up for a desktop, and eliminate the Metro interface entirely. It's like Microsoft can't understand that no one wants a touch screen interface on a desktop machine.

[Glenn Butcher]

Bought a Win8 laptop for loving wife when her Win7 machine started to exhibit screen problems. Almost two years later, she's still nursing the old laptop, and the new one is only used by the grand-kids to do school stuff.

It seems to be too big a change for us old 'sit down at the desk and compute' folk. I struggled with every new version of Windows, they seemed to want to relocate all the tools and settings so that you had to start from scratch getting your network, printer, etc., to work. I really think Microsoft wants to move to the 'your phone is your computer' way of doing business, but I think making you use your computer the same way you use your phone is wrong-headed. Well, for us old-heads, anyway...

[Woodbutcher]

I have a Mac, for many of the already mentioned reasons.

[starleen2]

I can say I’ve had a Mac (before having a mac was cool) and soon realized the error of my ways – I then switched to an IBM compatible computer (now that dates me!). I remember programming in BASIC and the advent of windows 3.1. Through every evolution of windows – everyone hated the improvements – at first. . . . And yes, the consensus voiced at each edition was “it’s not stable”. However, the stability issues were from those who absolutely knew where to look. Most issues of stability are never faced by the general user. Frustration, yes – stability no. Windows is a general operating system, but needs to be customized to different processes. I have used windows 8 and see no real difference past the metro screen. Sure it may look different – but didn’t XP? Windows 8 is a leap toward the synthetizing an OS to tablet. This is where I see the market heading. My tablet replaced my netbook completely and is window 8 compatible

[GerryS]

One you've had mac, you never go back. I started in DOS 2.11 and ran every version of windows up to and including XP. I was an MCSE who actually knew the material. I set up several ADs and did some magic with VPN and remote administration. I still know how to so a lot of that stuff...but you can't pay me enough to learn 8.

8 is the most unusable Os they have come up with to date...click on this little unmarked spot on the lower right, click on the little gear looking emblem, the. Click shutdown/reboot/whatever.

If that is what they consider intuitive UI then my doc has had me on entirely the wrong meds. That two steps back from click on start to find shutdown.

I tell eveyone who asks me what PC they should buy the same thing.....buy a Mac, I'll give you free support for as long as I own one. Buy any PC I'll help you once. Ironically, I take the same number of calls for each.

My only mac recommendation, is to buy a 2 button mouse. You dont NEED it but after being used to one for any length of time it is a lot easier.....

[Wolffarmer]

I got tired of every time you turned around with Microsoft there was Bill Gates with his hand in your pocket digging for more cash. License this, license that. If you are in the Admin side of computers you know what I mean. So I just chucked ole Billie boy and his sticky fingers and now run Ubuntu. It works for me is stable enough and does what I need. Heck even the Health care site works on it, i really expected to have to do that on a Windoze box. I really am no great geek just got a peek behind the Admin curtain and got disgusted.

Randy

[mikeschn]

Have you guys tried Start8 yet? It makes Windows 8 look a little more like Windows 7.

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/



Mike

[jstrubberg]

Start8 is OK, but it costs and you still have to put up with the metro desktop.

Classic Shell is free and takes you straight to the traditional desktop.


Win8 is still a turkey, not only from a useability POV, but also from an administration one. The networking Is difficult to do anything out of the box with, the OS is almost too locked down to allow remote administrative help, and no, 8.1 didn't really change things.

I've worked with both PC's and Macs for many years. If you want to pay twice as much to run two year old hardware, buy a Mac. As long as you never have to play doctor to it, you'll get along fine. Otherwise, downgrade to Win7 and hold your nose until the next operating system release.

[Wolffarmer]

Microsoft has a habit of listening to the wind for features to add to their software. AKA adding things nobody asked for and dropping things they feel we no longer need.

[mikeschn]

Start8 is OK, but it costs and you still have to put up with the metro desktop.

Start8 takes me straight to the desktop. But you are right. It does cost! A whopping $5.

Mike...