[Docrwm]

How bad is it?

It's so bad that the $199 upgrade from Windows XP and 7 is now selling for $29 with free shipping at Newegg!

[monochrome]

Of course. It's divisible by 2.

[Parallax]

They only get every other one right.
95 - junk
98 - big improvement
ME - junk
XP - Still going strong
Vista- junk
7 - Slightly better than XP
8 - Not very promising

[reeftool]

Windows 7 is still available to buy. I have never upgraded my Windows version other than the service packs and I skipped Vista. I'm interested is seeing the Windows 8 Pro Tablets but since my current Windows 7 desktop is only 2 years old, I have no interest in upgrading my desktop. There's more involved than just a different look. There are always driver issues and software issues regardless of the hype that "everything should work". There is still hardware being sold with driver disks for Vista. While that isn't an issue for many of us, there are a lot people out there who don't have a clue about finding and installing new hardware drivers. I also think the majority of people, regardless of their computer skills, have figured out that a new, clean install is better than the upgrade.

[jogiba]

How bad is it?

It's so bad that the $199 upgrade from Windows XP and 7 is now selling for $29 with free shipping at Newegg!

It should be a $19.99 download like what I paid for OS X Mountain Lion that is also good for all of the Macs in my home for that one low price.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/os-x-mountain-lion/id537386512?mt=12&v0=WWW-...ign-mpt=uo%3D2

I have been using Windows 8 for about a year and a half for free and will continue to use it for free for about another year with Windows 8 Enterprise evaluation.


My wife uses Vista Ulimate 64-bit for a program she need for her business that I purchased from the Microsoft Company Store for about $45 back when Vista was released in January 2007.

[K-9]

I love it on my phone. I wouldn't want it on a computer, though.

[calculator01]

I bought a new laptop yesterday that has Windows 8 on it. I was a little happy for something new from an OS. I booted the laptop up and stared at the screen for half an hour... no start button... nothing familiar. But, shortly after finding the "desktop" tab, it was the good old Windows we know and trust.

Moral of the story, this is not a system you would give to anyone. I am very technology literate and was overwhelmed, for half an hour. It would be way better for a system on a mobile device, but on a PC, still pretty good.

My advice, if you have 7 or can still buy 7.... get 7. Unless you are a raccoon and like shiny things....

[JohnBee]

I bought a new laptop yesterday that has Windows 8 on it. I was a little happy for something new from an OS. I booted the laptop up and stared at the screen for half an hour... no start button... nothing familiar. But, shortly after finding the "desktop" tab, it was the good old Windows we know and trust.

Moral of the story, this is not a system you would give to anyone. I am very technology literate and was overwhelmed, for half an hour. It would be way better for a system on a mobile device, but on a PC, still pretty good.

My advice, if you have 7 or can still buy 7.... get 7. Unless you are a raccoon and like shiny things....

Do you know if there are any core improvements in terms of hardware compatibility?
ie. SSD management(page file etc), hyperthreading or multi-core management, memory management and so on and so forth?

[Tom S.]

I bought a new laptop yesterday that has Windows 8 on it. I was a little happy for something new from an OS. I booted the laptop up and stared at the screen for half an hour... no start button... nothing familiar. But, shortly after finding the "desktop" tab, it was the good old Windows we know and trust.

Moral of the story, this is not a system you would give to anyone. I am very technology literate and was overwhelmed, for half an hour. It would be way better for a system on a mobile device, but on a PC, still pretty good.

My advice, if you have 7 or can still buy 7.... get 7. Unless you are a raccoon and like shiny things....

Yes, the beloved Start button is gone - but there are at least two third party apps available to bring it back.

[calculator01]

Do you know if there are any core improvements in terms of hardware compatibility?
ie. SSD management(page file etc), hyperthreading or multi-core management, memory management and so on and so forth?

No, I am not sure about any of that. I haven't delved into the innards and workings too much. It is definitely lightweight compared to Vista. It is no problem running any kind of program in the background compared to my other laptop. The new hardware helps, but the tabs/apps definitely keep things running light.

Edit: My HDD is 750GB, 16GB SSD expresscache. The start up time has to be less than 15 seconds. Commonly used programs/apps start quicker than what would have been on Vista.

I am running into issues with drivers for old printers and such. Not a big deal, there are updates on the manufacturers websites, but my discs are way out of date.

As for the start button, after one day, I do not miss it. Microsoft has done a good job of elimina ting it, but you have to be willing to change and dig for your answer. However, my spouse is not willing to change and I can see a start button appearing in..... 2 days or sooner.

[gaweidert]

I got a now HP laptop with Windows 8 on it last week. Very frustrating to start with. It took awhile to get it to where I now know how to use it. BTW, the start button equivalent comes up when you move the cursor to the lower right corner. I guess Microsoft just figured at everybody would automatically know where they put it. It's just so darned intuitive that it be there.

Getting used to it, but in the end, not a big improvement for a desktop of laptop user.

[alamo5000]

I went to Fry's electronics a while back and they were pulling all the stuff with 7 off the shelves. I had heard 8 really sucked...

My old laptop was nearly dead so I was needing to buy a new one at some point...but once I saw windows 8...I went and found a laptop with 7 on it and bought it on sale on the spot.

I will go to the old computer repair shops and buy something... anything else....just so long as it doesn't have 8 or anything like 8 on it.

I also refuse to buy touch screen phones. I love getting email while mobile and being able to check things online... but if all the phones go to touch screen I will go clam shell flip phone. I will go home and check my email on an old rebuilt desktop before I buy into their crap.

[Docrwm]

I went to Fry's electronics a while back and they were pulling all the stuff with 7 off the shelves. I had heard 8 really sucked...

My old laptop was nearly dead so I was needing to buy a new one at some point...but once I saw windows 8...I went and found a laptop with 7 on it and bought it on sale on the spot.

I will go to the old computer repair shops and buy something... anything else....just so long as it doesn't have 8 or anything like 8 on it.

I also refuse to buy touch screen phones. I love getting email while mobile and being able to check things online... but if all the phones go to touch screen I will go clam shell flip phone. I will go home and check my email on an old rebuilt desktop before I buy into their crap.

You hit the fundamental flaw in MS thinking on the head - Win8 is touch screen based. The seriously stupid part of that is my computer already has a SIGNIFICANTLY more precise way to both enter data (keyboard) and manipulate data and images (mouse/trackball). It's like going back to finger painting after you have mastered CAD, why???

[gaweidert]

You hit the fundamental flaw in MS thinking on the head - Win8 is touch screen based. The seriously stupid part of that is my computer already has a SIGNIFICANTLY more precise way to both enter data (keyboard) and manipulate data and images (mouse/trackball). It's like going back to finger painting after you have mastered CAD, why???

You should see my 2 year old granddaughter using an iPhone. She loves to look at pictures and has figured out how to do that on a lot of different things. Show her a few buttons on your digital camera and she will remember how to do it and drain your batteries looking at all the pictures.

[calculator01]

I went to Fry's electronics a while back and they were pulling all the stuff with 7 off the shelves. I had heard 8 really sucked...

My old laptop was nearly dead so I was needing to buy a new one at some point...but once I saw windows 8...I went and found a laptop with 7 on it and bought it on sale on the spot.

I will go to the old computer repair shops and buy something... anything else....just so long as it doesn't have 8 or anything like 8 on it.

I also refuse to buy touch screen phones. I love getting email while mobile and being able to check things online... but if all the phones go to touch screen I will go clam shell flip phone. I will go home and check my email on an old rebuilt desktop before I buy into their crap.

I feel your pain about phones. I stand out with the young crowd (mid 20's) because I have a Blackberry (it's Canada, we all had them ). But I had a Samsung touch screen that I HATED. The phone was awesome, but the touch thing.... ew, not on a phone. I need my physical keypad. I also have a Blackberry Playbook that is obviosuly touchscreen.... LOVE IT. I would not like a touchscreen computer though because as stated, it is a step back.

I see touchscreens as a "play" item. Phones, for me, are for work. Laptop is for work. Tablet is for play.