Windows 8, anyone?

[Evicious]

So I finally gave in after my Windows 7 key was all used up, and I've downloaded Windows 8. Not really liking the "Start" page/window/whathaveyou, but I've done some research on how to move around without a Start button so I'm not completely lost. Anyone else with any striking revelations about the new OS? I can't say that I've been overly impressed with all the apps (I don't have any reason to use them on my desktop), and the overall feel of WIN8 just.... I dunno, it just isn't convincing me in any way that I'm better off without WIN7.

 

Thoughts?

[Caution]

I hate Windows 8, it is making my life as a developer miserable right now, also I'll just leave this here

 

[tsornin]

OMG. "Intuitive" my ass. Vista is better than that crap. I've been using computers since I was about three and I have messed around with Linux and Macs, and nothing has been less easy to use than Windows 8.

 

Since my sister-in-law's comp was going so slow I told her I'd fix it... took me tons of time to find out how to get to the control panel, and tons more to figure out how to close stuff and restart the computer. Really? I had trouble figuring out how to close things?

 

Ah... anyways. I'm sure people get used to it with time, but there's really nothing drawing me towards it. Especially the social aspect, I couldn't care less. But if it takes a geek like me that long to figure out, I don't have any hope for the older generations. (Not that you're older, I really have no idea, but people unfamiliar with computers who want to change stuff will have a hell of a time doing so.)

 

/rant

[FalseAesop]

I loaded it on my old old Windows XP machine just to see what the fuss is about. Honestly, I don't like it. I mean sure, once you click the desktop everything is basically the same as Windows 7, I never used the start button or menu anyway... but all the native windows 8 apps are worthless. I dislike their interface, and quickly downloaded 3rd party apps for all my file viewing and music playback, and I avoid all the Microsoft windows 8 apps.

I want windows to be in "Windows". These full screen apps, with this 'quick switch' feature are useless to me. As far as my use case is concerned I could have kept it on XP and not changed my functionality at all.

[iatetheyeti]

My laptop came with W8, and it wouldn't allow me to install 7, no matter what me and my computer-tech brother did. So I learned to deal. To begin with, though, I hated it. Now, I'm all for progress and development, but this is stupid. They took a blowtorch to 7 and blu-tacked the pieces together to make 8.

 

Essentially, yes, I miss the start button. I actually had to google how to switch the stupid thing off because there was just nothing to indicate where to go for that. The app page is ridiculous. I don't need any of it, and it kind of feels like it's trying too hard to be a smartphone, not a computer OS. It isn't particularly user friendly, it isn't particularly clever... I don't like it. Unfortunately, I couldn't get rid of it, so I adjusted. It's usable once you've spent a lot of time tweaking, downloading, and changing things.

 

I'm just glad my desktop still has 7!

[Lawboots]

Windows 8 basically forces me to take three steps to do what used to take one. Also, I really don't know what marketing genius told them that interrupting someone's work to shill an inferior Microsoft product on their own computer was a good idea but I'm not a fan. It's so bad I am seriously considering an Apple for my next computer.

[UltanBoyd]

I don't mind it. I think it's not ready but it works well on tablets and touch screens, isn't too bad with the PC in my opinion and will tie in with phone and xbox. Great.

It just takes some time to get used to like Win 95 did after 3.11.

 

I would add, the start menu. Learn to start typing what you want. Boom up it comes. Although yes there's still the problem of having to press a million buttons to do anything system based. My old job used to see me changing my IP address every 15 mins to reconfig serial units. OMG that takes so long in any windows platform!

[superjenni]

We recently added a touchscreen laptop to our collection and Windows 8 is fun for that, but I don't want it anywhere near my gaming laptop.

[Jakkals]

Having started with an Apple II and working my way up through all the window versions it is embarrasing to have to google on how to use windows 8.

 

Either I am stupid or it is badly designed.

[FalseAesop]

No, the interface is incredibly unintuitive. It's not like I can't learn a new operating system.... I figured out Android just fine when I started using it a couple years back. Windows 8 is a grand example of form over function.

[Evicious]

No, the interface is incredibly unintuitive. It's not like I can't learn a new operating system.... I figured out Android just fine when I started using it a couple years back. Windows 8 is a grand example of form over function.

 

Agreed. I have no doubt it works great on touch screen media, but for my personal computer the entire look is useless. Hopefully Microsoft does a good job with really fleshing out the synch capabilities between all the different devices, and maybe adds in the ability to customize  each media form to the WIN8 owner's discretion (so my phone doesn't need a dedicated screen for it, my touch pad doesn't have a million screens of clutter, and my computer can retain it's familiar, desktop feel).

[z3llin]

People whine too much about the start screen. I use it as a 1button shortcut machine and it works great for that. I barely ever use non desktop apps, but when I do having one screen in the Metro UI and one screen on old desktop works seemlessly. I have found Win 8 much faster and actually less resource intensive than my setup in Win 7.

If you dont like the start screen you dont have to use it much. On my work machine I log in and go straight to Desktop and work as normal. The best feature in windows 7 was the ability to press the windows key and type the name of the application or setting you want and it magically appears. Win 8 has this and improved on it. If I don't use a desktop shortcut for something I use that.

I believe the Metro UI as they used to call it is a good idea because it allows for convergence between different devices. Write 1 app and having it work on PC phone and tablet is a great advtange for M$ further down the line.

[wideeyed]

Hate it.  Ignore it as much as possible.  I can see the advantages if you are using a touch screen device, but even so, it is truly annoying.  It can't ever find Office.  I have to actually OPEN an Office docuement from my document folder and then open Office from there.  This is probably, however, due to how we transferred my old laptop over to the new one.  Also, any time I try to print an Adobe PDF to the network printer, it breaks my connection to the printer which causes my husband great distress and makes him crabby and loud.  He works for Yahoo!.  Been in the software/tech industry for over 20 years.  You will notice that it is only MY machine running Windows 8 in this house. 

[JasontheKiwi]

I kinda like it

[sheltiechick]

I just had to buy a new computer (they junked out my old one after it died... again...) so couldn't escape Windows 8.  So far I'm not finding it hugely different, but I don't really use the Start menu much anyway.  In fact I sorta find the idea cool of being able to pop it up and see my e-mail and weather and everything - but only because Google keeps telling me they're doing away with iGoogle shortly and I LIKE seeing all that stuff on one screen darnit.

 

The only thing I wish is that it still had a "Windows Classic" theme because I don't like change and the windows all LOOK different waaaah!

But I'm sure I will get used to it shortly.

[notanartmajor]

I like it.

[alienjenn]

I got a new laptop and it came preinstalled and can't downgrade...

 

it is very difficult for me when using the laptop mouse to swipe to the corner to get things to close... it also seems like it wants to try to give me the stupid toolbar on the one side whenever I don't move my mouse for a second which screws with me... and... I like to hide the bar with the clock in it (so I have more screen size) and it is a pain in the neck to try and scroll and not have the win 8 bar come up... I try to get the bar with my windows and the with the win 8 shortcuts gets in the way...

 

the whole missing start button messes with me too because I try to use the mouse as little as possible and the keyboard shortcuts aren't all the same...

[Jcannon98188]

 My old job used to see me changing my IP address every 15 mins to reconfig serial units. OMG that takes so long in any windows platform!

Why didn't you just make a powershell script to do this automatically?

[Shawry]

I use it on Desktop, Laptop and Tablet. Think its great.

I'm a power user, not just an office/email user.

The 8.1 update makes a few quality of life adjustments that will help people to adjust.

 

Only thing I will agree with is that most Windows Apps are useless on a desktop computer.

[z3llin]

I see Windows 8.1 has been RTM and will be released to the general public on Oct 18. They do add some nice features such as for those that shun the new UI there is a new option that will let your computer boot straight to the desktop UI.

[cobaltflash]

i hated windows 8 so much like seriously i couldnt stand it so much that i went back to 7 and i wasnt that big a fan of 7

[BreadMage]

I can't say I'm a very big fan but I've dealt. I just uninstalled all the apps I used and downloaded the desktop versions. I just assume the next Windows OS will be ok. That seems to be the trend with them. good/bad/good/bad.