[MERGED] Windows 8 discussion

[jonbxx]

I installed Win 8 this weekend, along with a new SSD. There were confilcting reports as to whether I could do a clean install on a blank drive but I guess the install picked up that I had Vista on my existing drive and all went well - to a point....

On reboot, I found I had a dual boot machine with options for Vista and Win 8. Obviously I went for Win 8 and I then got a boot error. I rebooted to the DVD and selected the 'Repair' option and it fixed things perfectly!

All in all, I am very happy with Win 8. There is a bit of a learning coruve with the Metro interface but I am growing to like it. I have moved things around and added new tiles so it's now set up as I like it. One thing I didn't realise is how connected Win 8 is. I use an Android phone and tablet and love the integration of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. I now find that Win 8 can do the same. The setup isn't as simple as Android as I don't use Hotmail/Outlook.com as my mail provider but use Google of course but once I got there, it worked (big stumbling block was that I didin't realise the Charm bar was app context specific - obvious really!) My start page now has my VM mail, Facebook and LinkedIn contacts and my work calendar synced from Outlook using Google Calendar Sync. I can't quite get appointments I set up on my Win 8 calendar into my Google and then Outlook calendar but I'm working on it!

All in all, very pleased with the speed and look of the system.

Based on what I've seen, I would seriously consider getting a Surface tablet to replace my Android one in the future. Yes, I guess that was Microsofts plan all along...

[nstokes]

Originally Posted by AdamD

Got two copies of 8 Pro in the end, can't really say no for £25 per copy, heh

Took some getting used to, but it's basically Windows 7 with a new UI slapped on it for touch/gesture screens.

After installing the Classic Startmenu addon (freeware, yay) and putting back the quick launch bar, I feel right at home

It's definitely faster than Windows 7, on startup and shutdown.

I'm growing to like it (minus the stupid Metro thing, which thankfully, I no longer have to see or use)

I like Windows 8, its good. A question thou, what is the point of upgrading to Windows 8 if you are not going to use the new Start Screen and just download freeware to put the start menu back on, you may as well have just stuck with Windows 7?

Originally Posted by MarkC1984

I think had MS not done that offer of £15 for those who had bought a new Windows 7 PC I might not have taken the plunge and bought it. I actually quite like the metro screen, I have quite a few useful apps pinned there which keep me up to date with a lot of news and weather.

I have it installed on my MacBook and it runs quite well on it. Before people ask why i have installed on a MacBook its because i use both OSX and Windows for different things.

Originally Posted by SnoopZ

Still a bargain for £25 i think while it is on offer, and i can still go back to Windows 7 if i don't get on with it.

Got my copy of Windows 8 Pro for £9.99 so even more of a bargin

[mike_gain]

Originally Posted by nstokes

I like Windows 8, its good. A question thou, what is the point of upgrading to Windows 8 if you are not going to use the new Start Screen and just download freeware to put the start menu back on, you may as well have just stuck with Windows 7?

Windows 8 is quite a bit different to Windows 7. Even if they hadn't introduced a new UI there would be many changes that would make the upgrade worthwhile. My answer to your question is that if someone decides to use the old style Start Menu that are still benefiting from many of the Windows 8 improvements.

[richard s]

Windows has touch screen techology. Most PC screens are soft and spongy are prone to finger nail damage me thinks.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by richard s

Windows has touch screen techology. Most PC screens are soft and spongy are prone to finger nail damage me thinks.

Screens not designed for touch may be, but I'd assume PC screens that are touch enabled are a bit sturdier

[mike_gain]

Windows 8 is certainly a very different OS from any I have previously used. I have never been in a position where I have had to re-install an OS twice in less than 2 weeks because of the OS crashing beyond repair.

It would appear that Windows 8 does not like restarting on my laptop. It was happy to shutdown/boot up and go to sleep/wake up but I tried a restart last night to try and solve playback issues with TV Anywhere and BOOM! Same problem as I had last week i.e. Windows encounters problem, automatic repair kicks in and then crashes, Windows tries to start, Windows encounters problem, automatic repair starts then crashes......ad infinitum.

I am now in a quandary as to whether I should seek a refund or re-install for the 2nd time (and get support to activate my copy for a 2nd time) and hope that a service pack fixes this problem...and of course be careful not to restart.

However I wouldn't be keen to find out after my refund period that this problem gets worse and that there is no point re-installing Windows 8 again and again. In which case I'd in effect have paid £24.99 to upgrade from Vista to Ubuntu which would make me unique at best. But I'm keen to have a Windows OS on my laptop......perhaps Microsoft will give me a refund but let me keep my activated copy on the basis that it is a bit flaky and that I could give their developers some help in diagnosing the compatibility issue with my machine. As it's a Dell Inspiron it's not exactly a bespoke, niche market product so they may be keen to figure out what's going on.

[Cobbydaler]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11...orrespondence/

[Stuart]

Another Usuability expert giving Windows 8 a pasting. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11...isappointment/

I've had Windows 8 as the OS on my home PC since release. While my attitude to the UI has softened somewhat, I still think Microsoft's strategy of one size fits all for interfaces is wrong, and may ultimately sink the company.

It's a shame really, as the OS itself seems good, possibly better than Windows 7.

Originally Posted by Stuart

Another Usuability expert giving Windows 8 a pasting. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11...isappointment/

I've had Windows 8 as the OS on my home PC since release. While my attitude to the UI has softened somewhat, I still think Microsoft's strategy of one size fits all for interfaces is wrong, and may ultimately sink the company.

It's a shame really, as the OS itself seems good, possibly better than Windows 7.

I do not understand why anyone will slate the OS because of the new UI when in 20 seconds you can get the start menu back with a skin that uses next to no resources.

The New UI is not a good enough reason to slate windows 8 any "expert" who uses this as their only reason isn't

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by tizmeinnit

I do not understand why anyone will slate the OS because of the new UI when in 20 seconds you can get the start menu back with a skin that uses next to no resources.

The New UI is not a good enough reason to slate windows 8 any "expert" who uses this as their only reason isn't

That isn't the point they are making. What other product would you buy and then immediately expect to have to change it so that it works as most people would expect?

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Screens not designed for touch may be, but I'd assume PC screens that are touch enabled are a bit sturdier

well they will have a digitizer over the screen to work

---------- Post added at 17:15 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

Originally Posted by BenMcr

That isn't the point they are making. What other product would you buy and then immediately expect to have to change it so that it works as most people would expect?

sawn timber??

as I pointed out ages ago everything is easy to get to and only takes a few clicks to get to everything you need.

On one of the posts refference to CP in XP was made well that changed in Vista but only until you make a few clicks to change it. These people are accessing all these programs from the New UI and not from elsewhere in windows . My control Panel is pretty much the same as it was without a skin and everything is there pretty much as it was through run commands in windows the skin and start menu just makes it easier to access.

Lots of the much hated vista looked different to XP and a lot of these changes were kept in Windows 7 but everyone loves that.

New UI to kill MS is codswhollop

[Sirius]

For anyone wanting to play games on this operating system i suggest you read this thread and the ongoing problems getting Cod4 and punk buster working on Windows 8

http://www.nthwgaming.co.uk/forum/in...pic,698.0.html

[Russ]

Hmm...had 8 running for about a month now and I'm still not convinced. There's nothing really wrong with it and I do like the Metro thing however there aren't any apps available that I can't get and wouldn't use on my phone which of course is more convenient.

I'm seriously thinking of rolling back to 7 until such times as all the bugs so far are ironed out.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Russ

Hmm...had 8 running for about a month now and I'm still not convinced. There's nothing really wrong with it and I do like the Metro thing however there aren't any apps available that I can't get and wouldn't use on my phone which of course is more convenient.

I'm seriously thinking of rolling back to 7 until such times as all the bugs so far are ironed out.

Just be aware they killed my windows 7 key as part of the upgrade.

[SnoopZ]

Originally Posted by Sirius

Just be aware they killed my windows 7 key as part of the upgrade.

They are not supposed to, as long as you uninstall Windows 8 you should be able to roll back to Windows 7.