Will you be upgrading to Windows 8?

[Apokalipse]

Geez Yami. After reading your informative post, it appears as if installing Windows 8 Professional would be an absolute waste of time and effort!

I only turn on/off and restart my computer about two times per month!

Soar

PS So are you saying Windows 8 is a big waste of time and effort and not a good idea to install?

I was still hoping I could wait 6 months [6 month rule], then install it, and be happily on my way to a faster, more efficient operating system with lots of cool bells and whistles!

There are a few nice things here and there (task manager, explorer features like with file transfer). But Metro and the flat colours just ruin it.

 

[PP Mguire]

Geez Yami. After reading your informative post, it appears as if installing Windows 8 Professional would be an absolute waste of time and effort!

I only turn on/off and restart my computer about two times per month so the benefits of a faster start time would be so minimal!

Soar

PS So are you saying Windows 8 is a big waste of time and effort and not a good idea to install?

I was still hoping I could wait 6 months [6 month rule], then install it, and be happily on my way to a faster, more efficient operating system with lots of cool bells and whistles!

Pretty much the reason why we were arguing with KSOD to begin with over 8. There is absolutely NO reason to use 8 at all.

 

[fehoru]

I voted no, sticking to windows 7. If in the future I get a computer with windows 8 I'll downgrade, or switch to Linux.

Here is why.

The Kill Switch Comes to the PC - Businessweek

 

[tj_extreme]

Okay, since most of you guys want to sit here bashing it without even using the RTM as your default for a few weeks, I guess I'll have to give a little review.

I've been using 8 Pro x64 RTM as my default OS since the day after release. I'll admit it. I was turned off at first by the start screen. Sure, it looked pretty, but all of the gestures were really confusing. Fast forward 2 weeks and I'm navigating it faster than I ever did Windows 7. For those of you who absolutely hate the start screen (which I've become fond of), you don't have to use it. Ever. When I log on, it goes right to my desktop, and I have all of my important files/programs available to me right there. I've gone entire days at work without seeing the start screen once. The Metro (or "Modern", whatever the hell they're calling it now) apps are freaking great. Sure, they'd be better with a touchscreen, but most of them work great without one. I love the NY Times app. Much better than using a browser. Speaking of browsers, Metro IE10 is the fastest browser I've ever used. I'd like to see more options (such as the standard right click menu brought back), but it loads pages almost instantaneously. Boot up times are improved dramatically (I'm using my G75, which currently doesn't have a SSD in it- it has a 5400rpm drive.) It boots from cold to desktop (excluding me screwing up the password 100 times) in 10-15 seconds. Shut down in about 5. Navigating the OS and using apps, both Metro and traditional desktop, feels a bit snappier than Win7. Not a huge improvement, but an improvement nonetheless. My final verdict is that if you get a cheap upgrade like I did, or you're planning on an OS reinstall, throw Win8 on your rig and give it a spin. You may not like it a first site, but in the end you'll have no regrets.


Great review, eh? Long day at work, didn't feel like typing this but felt I had to.

tl;dr Try Windows 8.

 

[soarwitheagles]

There are a few nice things here and there (task manager, explorer features like with file transfer). But Metro and the flat colours just ruin it.

Pretty much the reason why we were arguing with KSOD to begin with over 8. There is absolutely NO reason to use 8 at all.

I voted no, sticking to windows 7. If in the future I get a computer with windows 8 I'll downgrade, or switch to Linux.

Here is why.

The Kill Switch Comes to the PC - Businessweek

Guys,

You have chosen very strong words and left no room for doubt. Wow! Realizing that each of you obviously know what you are talking about [you are definitely not rookies], I am thinking I had best remain happy and content with my Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit now for a long, long time!

You know, I have been more happy with Windows 7 Ultimate that any other OS, and right now, it does everything I need it to do. I have no complaints whatsoever. Now I just need to tell myself over and over the grass is not greener in pasture #8.

And I suppose I will give my Windows 8 Professional discs and keys to my worst enemies!

To be honest with you, even after many month of test driving Windows 8, I often feel like kicking my computer out of sheer frustration with Windows 8. I have not felt that way since the early 90's when I constantly needed to reformat after installing various programs that made the entire OS unstable!

I wonder how many people have large dents on the side of their new Windows 8 computers?

Only time will tell.

Soar

 

[PP Mguire]

Okay, since most of you guys want to sit here bashing it without even using the RTM as your default for a few weeks, I guess I'll have to give a little review.

I've been using 8 Pro x64 RTM as my default OS since the day after release. I'll admit it. I was turned off at first by the start screen. Sure, it looked pretty, but all of the gestures were really confusing. Fast forward 2 weeks and I'm navigating it faster than I ever did Windows 7. For those of you who absolutely hate the start screen (which I've become fond of), you don't have to use it. Ever. When I log on, it goes right to my desktop, and I have all of my important files/programs available to me right there. I've gone entire days at work without seeing the start screen once. The Metro (or "Modern", whatever the hell they're calling it now) apps are freaking great. Sure, they'd be better with a touchscreen, but most of them work great without one. I love the NY Times app. Much better than using a browser. Speaking of browsers, Metro IE10 is the fastest browser I've ever used. I'd like to see more options (such as the standard right click menu brought back), but it loads pages almost instantaneously. Boot up times are improved dramatically (I'm using my G75, which currently doesn't have a SSD in it- it has a 5400rpm drive.) It boots from cold to desktop (excluding me screwing up the password 100 times) in 10-15 seconds. Shut down in about 5. Navigating the OS and using apps, both Metro and traditional desktop, feels a bit snappier than Win7. Not a huge improvement, but an improvement nonetheless. My final verdict is that if you get a cheap upgrade like I did, or you're planning on an OS reinstall, throw Win8 on your rig and give it a spin. You may not like it a first site, but in the end you'll have no regrets.


Great review, eh? Long day at work, didn't feel like typing this but felt I had to.

tl;dr Try Windows 8.

I have had 8 as a dual boot since beta. The only reason it is still there is because I have to review with it. I prefer OS-X over Windows 8. That is saying something.

 

[Apokalipse]

Okay, since most of you guys want to sit here bashing it without even using the RTM as your default for a few weeks, I guess I'll have to give a little review.

I've been using 8 Pro x64 RTM as my default OS since the day after release. I'll admit it. I was turned off at first by the start screen. Sure, it looked pretty, but all of the gestures were really confusing. Fast forward 2 weeks and I'm navigating it faster than I ever did Windows 7. For those of you who absolutely hate the start screen (which I've become fond of), you don't have to use it. Ever. When I log on, it goes right to my desktop, and I have all of my important files/programs available to me right there. I've gone entire days at work without seeing the start screen once. The Metro (or "Modern", whatever the hell they're calling it now) apps are freaking great. Sure, they'd be better with a touchscreen, but most of them work great without one. I love the NY Times app. Much better than using a browser. Speaking of browsers, Metro IE10 is the fastest browser I've ever used. I'd like to see more options (such as the standard right click menu brought back), but it loads pages almost instantaneously. Boot up times are improved dramatically (I'm using my G75, which currently doesn't have a SSD in it- it has a 5400rpm drive.) It boots from cold to desktop (excluding me screwing up the password 100 times) in 10-15 seconds. Shut down in about 5. Navigating the OS and using apps, both Metro and traditional desktop, feels a bit snappier than Win7. Not a huge improvement, but an improvement nonetheless. My final verdict is that if you get a cheap upgrade like I did, or you're planning on an OS reinstall, throw Win8 on your rig and give it a spin. You may not like it a first site, but in the end you'll have no regrets.


Great review, eh? Long day at work, didn't feel like typing this but felt I had to.

tl;dr Try Windows 8.

I'm running Windows 8 RTM in a virtual machine. Here's what I don't like about Metro:
• It looks stupid
• I don't use a touch screen, and don't plan to
• running multiple applications doesn't work very well on it
• It's a highly inefficient use of screen space
• The apps system and apps store gives Microsoft even more control
• It doesn't bring any new functionality
• it isn't even intuitive, especially for someone that wants to use their computer for more than facebook
• It requires pointless relearning


Anyway, I ended up uninstalling all the metro apps and associating images/video files with real desktop programs, removing literally all the icons tiles except for 'desktop', and installing a start menu replacement.

I tried a number start buttons, Start8 is decent. But I think StartIsBack is the best so far, since it isn't simply a replica. It actually becomes part of explorer, and reimplements Microsoft's own code (and it does so without even modifying explorer).

But still, Windows 8 hardly gives you anything that's an actual improvement over Windows 7 (there are a few minor things here and there), and Windows still have that stupid flat look.


Anyway, it looks like Microsoft's attitude is that they "need to change something"; Which is really making them trap themselves in this self-rationalization that they're doing the right thing. They'll actively look for and come up with all these reasons why they think Metro is the way forward. And it's this cycle of confirmation bias. They're not at all being intellectually honest about it.

Quite clearly, they're choosing to ignore what most people actually want in favor of simply decide things should be a certain way and not even giving people a choice. Much like what Apple does, really.

 

[PP Mguire]

OEM 8 Pro x64 fresh install on my Raptor drive with only drivers installed and Nvidia processes disabled.

1GB more RAM usage than 7 and 8 RTM. This is now a step backwards for people who are upgrading for "more performance". If you don't have a quad core and 8GB of RAM, avoid this OS. This is without me installing Start8 and Classic Shell for the start menu and classic theme that I prefer. Or any other programs for that matter.

 

[carnageX]

Even though you don't have anything installed, it will still be using Superfetch and other background processes that are newly setup. It should drop the RAM that's being used in favor of new processes that need the RAM.

 

[PP Mguire]

I have gone through and disabled all services that I normally do in 7 and I'm still over 2GB usage.