My first impression of Windows 8

[Omaha Steve]

It will take some getting used to since we don't have a smart phone etc. I've been on our new ultra book about an hour. How is anyone else doing?

[liberal N proud]

1. If you like a desktop screen full of icons...

You might like Windows 8 or if you have a touch screen. Otherwise, not so much.

[Warpy]

2. I have a touch screen

but what I've seen so far makes me think this is a good OS to miss, much like Vista and Windows Me were.

The next one should be much better. Microschlock has a habit of alternating shitty systems with good ones, the good ones often the shitty system that was released in its beta form and then perfected over a couple of years.

Now that they've listened to me about Win 7 and issued the patch that stops it from going to desktop when you let go of the mouse to type something into a form, it's not a bad system. I'll stick to it until something better comes along. I just don't think Win 8 is it.

[liberal N proud]

37. Agree about missing this one

[davidpdx]

53. Totally agree about Vista

My second laptop has Vista and my wife uses it. She complains about it all the time. Of course it doesn't help that she loads tons of crappy programs on to it and has no idea what she's doing. It is incompatible with many of the programs as well.

Windows 7 is great, but I am dreading the day I need to replace this laptop with another. I want to avoid Windows 8 like the plague.

[Warpy]

81. I had an old laptop with XP. It had minimal RAM

and was kind of a pain to use for anything but email and surfing, but it worked when I was on the road. It was stolen when Vista was out.

I waited 8 months to replace it, just so I could get one with Win7.

The same odor is arising from Win8. Should this box go up in smoke, I'll hook up one of the old, wheezing XP boxes until the next OS comes out.

[davidpdx]

87. I hope that doesn't happen for either of us

Because it could be a loooong wait

[Omaha Steve]

11. Got a touch screen

But old fashioned me plugged in an usb mouse and keyboard.

[dkf]

3. I had the hardest time finding the shut down.

Mouse in right hand corner activates floating menu.

[Johnny Noshoes]

4. This old desktop is still running XP Pro...

when they stop supporting it next year I'll convert it to Ubuntu and use the Win7 laptop when I need to use Windows based software. I'll use the old desktop on the Net. I don't like GIMP so my photo work will be done on the laptop with Elements and PaintshopPro15. Any video editing can be done on the laptop as well with the consumer version of Vegas.

I'm glad the laptop came with Win7 installed because to me 8 looks really annoying and cluttered. Probably very nice on a smartphone but for me at least not for a full computer.

[Nika]

7. I'm sticking to Windows 7 as long as I can, I don't find the touch screen orientation of 8 appealing

[SteveG]

47. There is a cure for that

google a program called Classic Shell. It lets you go right to your desktop without having to deal with metro. It also gives you back the Start Button. I'm running two machines now with it, and while there are a few quirks it's still a hell of a lot better than using the native Win 8 interface.

[Captain Stern]

55. Same here.

I've got Windows 8 on a laptop (no touchscreen). I played with the new desktop, and hated it.

The first useful thing I did with the machine was download Classic Shell. The user interface is what I'm used to, and it still boots faster. Best of both worlds.

[dixiegrrrrl]

25. You are going to love Ubuntu....

so intuitive, fast, and cleans up after itself so there are no useless files clogging it up.
Also a great virus handling system.
And the apps that come built in are super simple to use, do a great job.
I can't believe that I resisted getting it for over a year.

[RKP5637]

32. K&R !!! K&R !!! K&R !!! K&R !!! K&R !!! I have that on the 2 main systems, but I do also have

a Samsung Chromebook I've been incredibly impressed with ... Google really did their homework with that. I use it as a secondary system.

[Johnny Noshoes]

49. Oh I've used Ubuntu before.

I had a dual boot system for awhile on another PC. It does seem so much faster, cleaner, and generally a lot less annoying than a Win system.

[arcane1]

28. Same here, since around 2003 or so. I've heard great things about Ubuntu but I've never seen it

I have decent computer skills, but I'm not sure I trust them enough to install it by myself

[Johnny Noshoes]

50. If you download it

you can create a "LiveCD" which allows you to boot from the cd and run Ubuntu WITHOUT installing it. That way you can check it out and see what its like.

[arcane1]

65. Cool, thanks!

[HarveyDarkey]

77. I have an old one too, dual boot with Ubuntu & XP Pro

I don't go on the internet with Windoze, just use it for a few programs that won't run on Linux. Dual boot is the way to go, IMO.

[REP]

5. I ran into a Windows engineer the other day who asked me the same thing ...

... not knowing how, erm, closely affiliated I am with Apple software. Anyway, I said, truthfully, that I knew people who really loved Windows, but weren't fans of 8. And he said that it's best to go every other version. To which I replied, "yeah, like old Star Trek movies."

[Still Sensible]

6. I found a lot of the "features" annoying as hell

and if you move your mouse (or across your touchpad) too quickly, it pops over to a different feature. Sometimes, I even switched to a different thing without any clue how or why.

After some searching, I found an app/program called "Classic Shell" that allowed me to configure the Windows8 to overcome the annoying issues... but can still switch over to the tiles, and all the other W8 functionality, by simply putting the cursor in the upper left hand corner. It even boots to my normal desktop, although you can configure it to come up on W8 tiles.

I am now comfortable with Windows8 since I can easily switch back and forth when I wish.

[still_one]

8. Microsoft has already indicated they will start in desktop mode for those that

Want it in the next release

They already have third party apps to do it

Business is not moving to windows 8

it took them a year to realize it

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. I've had it a few months and gotten a bit used to it. I still find it clunky and slow.

[dixiegrrrrl]

26. Unlike Linux......

[bowens43]

57. I never understood why Linux is more widely used

stable , fast, easy and free........ On my home machines I have used nothing else for last 7 or 8 years

[dixiegrrrrl]

60. "not" more widely used, I think you meant.

There are a lot of people who need a "turn on and move mouse" type of puter, I have to admit.
My neighborhood is full of them, mostly our elderly widows.
They use it for email, Facebook/Farmville, and that is it. The tv is their major source of info.
and they call on Mr. Dixie when their puters "don't work", he usually hits the re-set button ( most calls are after a blink of power outage)
and erases a zillion files from "trash" and 6 months of history and cache etc.
then tries to teach them how to do that themselves, and they throw up their hands saying they can't remember all that stuff.

Hmmm..actually, a Linux would be better for them, too.

[SwissTony]

86. Can you use Windows programs on Ubuntu?

For various compatibility reasons, I'm forced to use some Windows programs. I know there are windows emulators available, but what is the performance like?

FWIW, I use W7 Home Edition, 64 bit.

Thanks.

[backscatter712]

10. I'm sticking with Kubuntu Linux.

The user-interface design for Windows 8 is utterly insane - your classic Angry Fruit Salad. Microsoft's doing their damndest to lock users into their little walled garden and close the PC platform forever. I'll be damned if I'm going to be using Windows 8 without being dragged kicking and screaming.

[randome]

12. That's not an 'angry fruit salad'. That's a technology advance!

You know, like switching the Start Menus around every once in a while.

[LisaL]

16. And what is the point of that, exactly?

Why hide the start menue? It makes no sense.

[randome]

17. To make it look 'new'. Nothing more than that.

They've gotten away with that for so long, it's all they can do now. Change things around and call it 'new technology'. Instead of actually inventing new technology.

[arcane1]

33. The damned "show desktop" icon kills me. Last week at work we were all upgraded from XP to 7...

We're having a hell of a time, after 10 years of adapting to that icon being on the left side of the taskbar, in 7 they stick it on the far far right side. We're all wondering WTF Microsoft was thinking

I think they also failed to appreciate how useful the "up" icon was in Windows Explorer XP, but that's another tale.

[CrispyQ]

56. It's very annoying that it's on the right hand side. What the fuck were they thinking?

What do you usually do once you clear the desktop? Open a damned file! And where is that located? On the left side of the screen not the right.

There is a keyboard shortcut, if you have a Windows keyboard - one with a Windows button between Ctrl & Alt. Press that & "D" & it will clear the desktop.

I love my XP desktop, getting used to my Win 7 laptop & resist my Win 8 tablet. Life with Microsoft.

[arcane1]

89. I found a way to get Quick Launch back, which can be moved to the left side

Plus a way to get the Taskbar to behave like it's supposed to:

http://rammichael.com/7-taskbar-tweaker

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/888-quick-launch-enable-disable.html

[CrispyQ]

90. Thanks. I will check these out. --nt

[backscatter712]

36. That's the same reason why car manufacturers put fins on cars in the 50's.

Oh, and post #13 is a perfect screenshot that illustrates why I call Windows 8 an Angry Fruit Salad.

[RKP5637]

30. An excellent pick, Kubuntu Linux. Only windows sw I've bought was Win 95, that was enough.

[leftstreet]

13. It seems so familiar...

[RKP5637]

34. Déjà vu! n/t

[jonthebru]

79. That really looks scary!

[2ndAmForComputers]

83. AOL wasn't even the first one to look like that.

I remember an online service for 8-bit computers that looked like that too. I think it was for Commodore computers.

[Berlum]

14. "A sorryass sad state of affairs indeed." - ML

[burnodo]

15. don't know anything about Win 8, but...

I don't find touch-screen manipulation difficult to pick up on. You get used to it pretty quickly.

[oldhippydude]

18. problematcal at best

freezes up, and must reboot... this is far worse than vista..

[DainBramaged]

19. Our people who don't listen to their SYSADMIN bought a few WIN 8 home systems for use in the shops

GM software does not work with WIN 8 let alone IE9 so they had to fight to return them. Newegg gained a few new customers recently.


Apparently Windows Blue is coming.


http://www.zdnet.com/microsofts-windows-blue-looks-to-be-named-windows-8-1-7000013391/

A lot of fixes but it still isn't very business compatible.

[HereSince1628]

20. Some adjustment needed...after about 5 minutes I sat down and read "Basics"

Intuition wouldn't have helped me a bit with figuring out how to close a window or how to power it down.

I don't like the disappearing functions on the side of the screen as it seems I have to hover around like a fly trying to close-in on an invisible garbage smell on a sidewalk.

Some people hated VISTA, I really didn't have a problem with transitioning to it from XP

[tblue37]

21. Are you aware of "Classic Shell"?

http://www.classicshell.net

You can thus use the format you prefer instead of the new one.

To avoid Windows 8, I went iMac when I replaced my computer in January, but if I had not, I would have used Classic Shell to be able to use the format I am familiar with. I actually prefer XP over W7, too, so I kept my old computer for a very long time, since it had XP on it. My office computer has W7, and I really don't much like it.

The new systems do not offer me enough benefits to justify wasting time learning how to use them. At least with an iMac I get some benefits for the annoyance of having to learn to use a new OS.

[lumberjack_jeff]

64. +100 n/t

[johnnypneumatic]

22. I'm using it, no problem

it is basically the same as win 7 underneath
I downloaded the free program Pokki to get my start button and program menus back
http://www.pokki.com/windows-8-start-menu
I also got tired of the tiles start screen so with Pokki you can skip that too and go right to desktop

[OKNancy]

23. I like Windows 7 for my computer, but my Windows 8 phone is fantastic

Love, love love my new phone. Very user friendly. Everything is easier than on an iphone. It's beautiful too.
( Nokia Lumia 920 )

[Initech]

45. The second I'm eligible for an upgrade I'm buying a Lumia without question.

[Canuckistanian]

54. That's what I have

Getting used to Windows 8 is a bit of a learning curve, but I never had to crack a manual.

Now I find it faster than any other phone OS I've ever had.

[bluestate10]

24. Not conceptually sound. When Windows developers are developing software, the company

should pay everyday computer users to try Microsoft supplied systems in the businesses. One of the drawbacks of highly skilled technical people is that when they are developing products, they can't look past their own comfort with the product to how end users will view that product. Windows 8 is a disaster that was forced down the throats of OEMs and computer buyers.

[olddots]

27. the worst buying decission of my life

n.t

[RKP5637]

29. "How is anyone else doing?" Ubuntu, Chrome and Firefox are working just fine! LOL

[bhikkhu]

31. It continues the worst trends that have annoyed me for years

The easy number 1 worst being the hiding of controls.

Of course, if you hide all the controls it looks all slick and modern. But then when you need to actually do something...you wind up with all these WTF! moments, over and over, as you gradually learn where they hid all the things that used to be obvious and easy.

Or just realize that the controls for the stuff you used to do that was easy now are gone who knows where, and you wish you could the guys who thought that would be a good idea.

[LisaL]

38. My feelings exactly.

WTF is the point of making it so difficult to use other than to make it look good?
How about making it user friendly? I don't want to just look at it, I want to actually do things.

[RC]

68. To make it user friendly, they'd have to pay people to come in off the street to beta check it and

listen to off hand, ego bruising comments about their latest precious baby that they don't want to hear.

[Occulus]

66. If you have Win7 or Win8 try this

(This also works in Vista 32bit, causes Vista 64-bit to crash, and does not work in earlier versions):

1. Create a new folder on the desktop.

2. Rename that folder exactly as follows:

[font color="red"]GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}[/font]

Yes, including the brackets.

3. Open the folder. You are now God, and all configurable options available in the OS are there in one place before you.

You're welcome.

[jonthebru]

80. But if you aren't careful

You could really screw things up.

Someone had a real sense of humor calling it that.

[yourout]

35. Flushed the hard drive and put in Windows 7. That is how much I liked it.

Vista all over again.

[forestpath]

39. Sticking with WindowsXP until my last computer takes it last gasp.

I am not about to replace all my video/graphics programs and hardware that I already know won't work with Windows 8.

But as much as I hate Microsoft I hate Apple worse.

[L0oniX]

40. MS can go to hell where all screens are blue. Don't use Ubuntu ...it's for smart people...

...who are done being a victim of MS.

[RC]

69. Linux Mint might fill the bill for you.

The biggest problem I had was getting a wireless printer setup.

[L0oniX]

70. I've been using Ubuntu for a few years. I'm satified with it.

[newfie11]

41. Having had windows 8 for 6 months now

I am not impressed! I had to change email due to it not allowing POP.
There are extra steps to do things I could do with 1 even on vista!
I should have got a Mac.

[BainsBane]

42. I want XP back

I hate Window 7. Microsoft seems determined to make each version of its OS and software worse than the last.

[Rosco T.]

43. www.stardock.com - Start8 - $5

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

End of problem.

And next version will bring the start menu, boot to desktop back.

[CatholicEdHead]

44. Use the Windows Key alot

Windows+C for Charms, and just type at the Start Menu for the search. Those are the main things to remember.

[Locut0s]

46. My next format and install will be a Linux Mint and Win8 dual boot system. Consensus on 8 is...

That its great if you are on a tablet or phone but is clunky on a desktop. I'll upgrade to it anyway probably though as I intend to get into windows development. But I'll do it alongside Linux Mint.

[Omaha Steve]

48. MY PC is XP 2002 service pack 3

I'll be moving up to Marta's old game PC next year when the XP support stops. I'm not happy. I'd keep this PC till it dies.

[hobbit709]

51. Just becuase support stops doesn't mean XP will magically stop working.

Out of all the patches and fixes for XP, I use 8 of them-never have a problem on my system that uses XP.

[Skittles]

52. it caters to idiots and their handhelds

[emulatorloo]

58. Very Xbox 360ish as well. Hanging on to Windows 7 here.

[Lizzie Poppet]

59. Got two new PCs recently.

I recently bought a gaming desktop and a laptop for work/writing...and I was able to get Win7 on both of them. Windows SparklePony (8) looks fine for tablets and smartphones, but not for my PCs, thanksverymuch.

[MineralMan]

61. My wife's new computer came with it, so I'll have to

learn it eventually to help her with issues. However, she installed Classic Shell on it right away, and it works like Windows again. The whole touch-screen concept was a bad decision on Microsoft's part, as was not providing a shell that resembled earlier versions. I do not know what they were thinking. A desktop or notebook computer is not a freaking tablet! It shouldn't have an OS that uses a tablet interface. Two different animals.

Microsoft should have shipped a desktop friendly shell with Windows 8. They didn't, so one was created very quickly by a third party.

[lumberjack_jeff]

62. It's okay once you install classic shell.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026719/review-classic-shell-brings-the-start-menu-to-windows-8-for-free.html

[Marrah_G]

63. Takes alot of getting used to

It took alot of adjusting to get to to be workable for me. I rarely look at the app part and stay on my desktop to work.

I think it's better for a casual home type user then for an office setting.

[Yo_Mama]

67. I've decided to skip it.

I don't like it.

[HillWilliam]

71. I finally ditched it after the fourth time

it refused to boot and had to be reinstalled from the gitgo. Screw that unstable mess. For a desktop, it's messy, disorganized, ugly as home-made sin, cumbersome, unforgiving, and again, unstable.

No more Microsoft ANYthing for me again. I'll stick to Linux where I've got everything I could possibly want PLUS organization and stability. My graphics apps work, I can scan reliably, the networking is easy to set up and rock-solid, movies work great. I'm using CentOS as a movie server for my TV.

No more M$ ever. After the Win8 abomination, they can keep it.

[Bake]

72. Whre's the damn START button????

OH. That's right. There isn't one.

Way to go, Microsoft.

Bake

[IDemo]

73. Is there a point to an upgrade from Win 7 if you're not on a touchscreen?

Is it noticeably faster (not just according to a performance test, but noticeable by the user) or more secure?

[GoCubsGo]

75. It IS pretty darned fast.

I don't know about how fast vs. Win 7, but it's definitely much faster than XP. Boot up and shut down are WAAAAAY faster.

[War Horse]

85. Absolutely zero point in upgrading from Win 7

From Vista, yes, IMHO.

[GoCubsGo]

74. Once you install Classic Shell, it's fine.

I'm okay with it. With a START button available that allows one to skip over the "Metro" tiles and straight to the desktop, it's not all that different than the older versions. My only gripe is that there's no "X" to close any of the applications one opens up in Metro. If you don't have a touch screen, it's a pain in the ass.

[MFM008]

76. dont like it

I would take 7 in a minute, heck I would take back Vista before this.

[jonthebru]

78. I bought the start8 app that allows you to use the start button on the bottom left

You can basically make the desktop exactly like a Windows 7 unit.
I rarely go to the metro desk top.
Windows 8 is fast, it does start up quickly.
The really weird thing is that Windows owned the Start button on the bottom left, it is one of the familiar things any user looks for instinctively. why on Earth would they eliminate it?
All programs from my old vista box have loaded and run well on this Win 8 box.

Look into the Start8 program, it makes the experience a lot less frustrating.
Its only $5.00.
http://www.stardock.com/products/
I have no connection with this company and there are others, this is the one I chose.

I bought a Win8 acer 14" laptop but could not see the benefit of the touch screen so I returned it. My ipad was stolen and I went shopping for a new tablet. I almost bought a win 8 tablet but finally chose a Nexus 10. I am not considering any Apple products at this time though many people I know swear by them.
I loaded the newest Ubuntu on my old Vista box, it runs fast and all the problems that unit was showing disappeared with Linux OS.

[War Horse]

82. Classic Shell, as said above

Then you basically have Win 7. I hated the Metro part of Win 8 at first (laptop), but I've actually used it a bit lately.
It's not nearly as bad as it's made out to be, even on a PC. Kind of pointless, yes, but once you get comfortable w/switching back and forth, learn some keyboard shortcuts etc. the Metro part is actually a half decent addition to the actual (useful part of the) OS.

[0rganism]

84. requires modifications: Classic shell + thematic upgrades + other tweaks, but ok otherwise

The default Windows 8 interface & graphical style scream "mobile device", ugly as fuck on a large screen and kind of a pain to use at first.
Fortunately, the kind folks over at deviantart have you covered: http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=Windows+8
including programs to restore transparency and give control over various utility screen background images.

With a bit of effort, you can make Windows8 look and act like a slightly quirky version of 7, and avoid the (hideous, IMHO) "metro" interface entirely.

Functionally, it's behaving about as well as Win7 did. It appears to load up and run programs at least as fast as Win7, and so far has been backwards-compatible to the programs I've wanted to run.

I know the impulse is to pass this one by, but if you buy new PC hardware in the next year or two chances are you'll have to deal with it one way or another. If you modify it to suit your tastes or learn to deal with it on its own terms, it's an okay platform.

[Phillip McCleod]

88. i did my 4th *downgrade* on a brand new machine today.

i work as a tech at a computer repair shop so i just do what customers want. after the first one, i just started asking everyone who came in with a new machine running win8 if they want a downgrade for $150 bucks cheap (no data to xfer, y'know..)

it's a public service.

and yes, except for the viruses, spyware, adware and other malware .. plus just *microsoft* .. windows 7 is a passable OS.

..

says the guy running a dual-booting MacBook with Arch Linux/Xfce4 pimped to the *max*. i can do what you can do, but my way is better. it's the arch way.