Editorial Windows 8.1, and Why You Should Let Go of Windows 7

[Jetster]

because "thats the way we have always done it" do not make it the best way

 

[WarEagleAU]

I have been on Windows 8 since Alpha/Beta. Loved it then and love it now. I just updated to the beta 8.1 however I seem to have slower startups and no idea why. At least it allowed me to redo the cable management (actually to ever do it I should say) and make it all nice and neat. Anyone else having any slow issue when starting up (hitting the password log in box, etc.)?

 

[naoan]

because "thats the way we have always done it" do not make it the best way

Thanks for the revelation, now I should start eating sandwich through my ass since it's the best way to do it, someone told me so.

IF the change is genuinely good, people will naturally come to embrace it just like what happened to Windows 95 (which still offer the old way by the way). I don't see that happening with Windows 8.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

.NET 2.0-3.5 are included with Windows 8 but are disabled by default. It should prompt you when you install a .NET program that you need to go to Windows Features and enable it.

Yeah it did that...I'm still not sure what happened...I'm starting to suspect the OS was fine and that my Razer Lycosa was causing the problems as when I went back to 7 I still had similar issues with stuff not working until I plugged in another keyboard LOL

 

[VanGore]

It's so funny: you refer to Apple, a company which in the last years got pretty much everything right, when talking about a company which messed up many of their decisions.

Apple launched the iPad with iOS for a good reason. Microsoft knew that, but the starting point was different. Apple has an excellent and widely accepted iOS, Microsoft's mobile OS is a joke with almost zero acceptance among users and hardware manufacturers. So they want to stop Windows mobile in order to reduce cost. Reducing cost in business means: we give less to our customers. Less choice, less tailor made solutions for mobile and desktop usage.

Furthermore Apple realizes that nobody, but seriously nobody apart of some Admins and geeks cares about an OS. An OS has to work.period. Apple gives you a new OS for 29 bucks. Microsoft wants to make a living out of it and is disappointed when people don't upgrade. That is pathetic. Why for god's sake should I (as a user not a nerd) buy a new OS? For that money I can buy several nice games!!! The new OS will come anyways with the new PC, so why bothering?

Last but not least Apple was pretty much always just in time with there launches. iPhone? the time was right for smartphones! iPod, MP3 just started its march towards victory....iTunes, the music industry couldn't find an online strategy and so on.

MS since many years is too late or too early. No mobile strategy for years. Now Windows 8.1. ahead of its time, because tactile desktop screens are just not an option at the moment.

 

[WaroDaBeast]

Oh cool, so ALL my steam games, origin games, boxed games, gamefly games, greenmangaming games, Good old Gaming Games, Gamestop digital games and other digital download games will all play on Linux natively out of the box for free, great! Yes, if you want a Linux version of a game, lets say the original Crysis, you will have to buy it again. (Of course, there will never be a native Crysis for Linux anyways so that point is only hypothetical anyways.)

I like all OSes but I am going to use what is best for the job. For gaming, that is windows. (Windows is best for the job in many other areas as well but, we were speaking of gaming at this point.)

Nice strawman, but I'm too old to fall for those now. If you so much as possess half a brain, you will have understood what I wrote, which was: "No, you don't need to buy games a second time under Linux." The rest is completely irrelevant fluff you've added to make it seem you gave an actual answer.

Let's see if you can stay on topic with this one — which games would I have to buy under Linux, supposing I already own the Windows version?

 

[Easy Rhino]

I upgraded from Windows 7 to Linux Mint.

 

[Morgoth]

im upgrading to windows 3.11

 

[Prima.Vera]

im upgrading to windows 3.11

for Workgroups, or vanilla version?

 

[newtekie1]

for Workgroups, or vanilla version?

3.11 was only for Workgroups.

 

[trickson]

I think I am just going to take the plunge next time with a new OS. Win8 not that great.

 

[aayman_farzand]

There needs to be a change in the conclusion. It should say something like "Suck it up and buy Start8".

I Metro UI is still as intrusive as it has always been. Performance on 8 has always been top notch and it benefits from an SSD much more than 7. Glad I made the switch and ponied up the $5 for Start8, best of both worlds.

 

[btarunr]

There needs to be a change in the conclusion. It should say something like "Suck it up and buy Start8".

I Metro UI is still as intrusive as it has always been. Performance on 8 has always been top notch and it benefits from an SSD much more than 7. Glad I made the switch and ponied up the $5 for Start8, best of both worlds.

Start8 helped me with transition to the new UI, but I did get a hang of it eventually. As mailman pointed out, you can actually do things quicker on a Start screen than a Start menu.

 

[trickson]

I think Miro$oft is maybe just giving users a choice for once? I mean lets just be real about this. Windows 7 is still being shipped you can get a PC at the store with windows 7 if you really want. Most users just take what is new and do not care about any thing else at all. Once the consumer has it that is where it is judged. If it sucks it will not sell. That is about it too really. They still have me at windows 7. No reason what so ever at all NONE to change this OS or even my setup for that matter lol. I am waiting this one out.

 

[lexluthermiester]

With your Windows 8 x64? Glad to hear that

I'm fairly certain he meant he was good with Windows 7, as am I and many like us. Windows "Tiles" 8[8.1] is crap.

And for the record, Mr. Editor, the "improvements" included in 8.1 still don't solve the GUI's most glaring problems. It's [still] ugly, unintuitive, cumbersome and simply unappealing to the vast majority of computer users. It's still not very customizable. And we're not talking small learning curve, we're talking massive. People I know have had an easier time transitioning to OSX and Linux than to 8. Then there are people who simply HATE fingerprints on their screens. And Windows 8[or 8.1] with a mouse? Forget it.

Microsoft tried and failed. Full stop. And if enough people abandon Windows, which is the current trend, will Microsoft get the message? Or will they be crushed? I've been a Windows person for decades, yet if MS doesn't pull their collective heads from there bums and put out something worth using, then Windows 7 will be my last peace of MS software... R.I.P. Microsoft...

 

[rtwjunkie]

@lexluthermiester: Welcome to TPU!

 

[Slizzo]

I upgraded to Windows 8 Pro from Windows 7 Ultimate.

I believe I've gained functionality. I did install Start8, so it's nice to be able to flip back and forth from good old desktop plus start button, and start screen. But the improvements to the underlying OS are where it's at. Win8 is overall faster, and the task manager + other small things are great to have (like no color warning when playing games. Even though I turned off reporting of it in Windows 7, it still would pop up while playing games!)

 

[natr0n]

I tried the 8.1 iso today.
You can modify the start menu somewhat;although I used classicshell for convenience.

Testing it out doesn't feel any faster than a tweaked 7. It has an absurd amount of new unneeded services running. It also is harder to turn things off like windefender etc. .

I could play with it more and tweak things to my liking, but in the end it's like painting over a wall that doesn't need painting.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

I tried the 8.1 iso today.
You can modify the start menu somewhat;although I used classicshell for convenience.

Testing it out doesn't feel any faster than a tweaked 7. It has an absurd amount of new unneeded services running. It also is harder to turn things off like windefender etc. .

I could play with it more and tweak things to my liking, but in the end it's like painting over a wall that doesn't need painting.

why would you turn off windows defender?

 

[tacosRcool]

I just love all the love pouring out to Windows 8!

Get over it people, its a good operating system.

 

[natr0n]

why would you turn off windows defender?

I don't need it or use antivirus programs. Just because it's there doesn't mean you need it.

I like to run windows just about barebone.

 

[cdawall]

I don't need it or use antivirus programs. Just because it's there doesn't mean you need it.

I like to run windows just about barebone.

Same thing I do

 

[johnspack]

Man, another os I have to install classicshell on, and then carry on. Yawn.

 

[Prima.Vera]

I don't need it or use antivirus programs. Just because it's there doesn't mean you need it.

I like to run windows just about barebone.

To be honest, I think the Windows Defender is the best antivirus out there on resources management. Has the lowest CPU and RAM usage from ALL antiviruses I have tested so far. Maybe I am wrong...

 

[Fatal]

All I do is game and surf the net and Windows 7 suits me fine for what I do. I will not upgrade to Windows 8. Not because people say Windows 7 is better or less of a hassle. I will not spend cash on something I do not need.