Who has jumped to windows 8?

[MTboatguy]

I had to buy a new laptop, my main one died on me, so they only had windows 8 machines, just booted today for the first time, what a mess!

Anybody making any progress with the new OS?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

So, this would be more like 'tripped and fallen', rather than 'jumped' into Windows 8.

Hey, it looks great in the commercials.

 

[matt167]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Traditionally, every other OS that Microsoft puts out is garbage with a couple exceptions.

Win 95- new/ good idea but flawed

Win ME- Just crap, Win 98 replaced ME for most of ME's time while it was supported

Win Vista- Too new, too buggy, released too quick. Needed to backdate people to XP to keep them happy

Win 8- Only logical to be in the list

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

I've got Win 8 on 2 of our computers and Server 2012 on another of them So far it works well. It is faster than Win 7 and I haven't had any stability issues. The new interface takes a little while to get used to but all in all it is a decent OS.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Win Vista- Too new, too buggy, released too quick. Needed to backdate people to XP to keep them happy

Funny thing is that Vista was extremely stable once the first service pack came out. One of the machines I just upgraded had been running Vista for 4.5 years with no issues.

 

[matt167]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Funny thing is that Vista was extremely stable once the first service pack came out. One of the machines I just upgraded had been running Vista for 4.5 years with no issues.

Yes after the 1st service pack came out, but it was tarnished by then. The other thing that happened because of getting released too quick, was many budget computers of that time did not have hardware that could support Vista, but they were loaded with it anyway, and they were slow glitchy messes. My laptop had Vista on it. Driver on the DVD burner kept getting corrupt, and the manufacture would not release a driver for me to reset, instead rudely pointed me to a M$ KBB that said the hardware was not compatible. That was 'fixed' with a new OEM copy of XP Home. Had to work on a few others with similar issues too.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Funny thing is that Vista was extremely stable once the first service pack came out. One of the machines I just upgraded had been running Vista for 4.5 years with no issues.

You really needed Vista "Ultimate" for the strongest performance, though. Win 7 (from what I understand) was Vista with a few extra bells and whistles.

What I don't like is how fast they're putting out the upgrades. It's at longest an 18 month schedule right now - even with Mac.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

You really needed Vista "Ultimate" for the strongest performance, though. Win 7 (from what I understand) was Vista with a few extra bells and whistles.

What I don't like is how fast they're putting out the upgrades. It's at longest an 18 month schedule right now - even with Mac.

Windows 7 came out 3 years ago.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Well after playing, the program itself seems very robust, but I tell you what, the new UI is a pain, it is 100% geared to the touch user, I have heard rumors in the grapevine, that Microsoft is considering a service pack update that will allow you to get the start button back and boot to the desktop instead of the tiles.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

I kind of doubt it, there was an option like that in one of the early beta releases but it was removed. We generally hear about stuff like that before it happens and I haven't heard any rumblings of the start menu returning.

If you really have to have it, there are several solutions out there already. This is a good free one:
Classic Shell: Features

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Oldjeep,

Yes, there is rumblings, last week the head of the Window8 Develop team was let go, and replaced with one that favored leaving the start menu button in the package, I have quite a few friends that work in upper management at Microsoft and there is a buzz going on.

Right now the Enterprise industry is not really looking at 8 as a viable upgrade for their computing solutions. Sales are lagging way behind projections, Head Honcho's at Microsoft are not happy.

You want to Google the start button issue and see what many of the industry analysts as writing about.

As far as all of the things you can get from third party programmers, I downloaded just about all of them last night and have played with them, some are good, others are just gimmicks..

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2012/11/13/microsoft-sinofsky-fired-windows-8/1702511/

There are several articles about the start menu, in many major respected writings. Time will tell.

As far as needing it, being a programmer from way back I don't even need windows, I can run computers with no graphical interface and accomplishing anything I want to.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Sinofsky's replacement was one of the people who actually directed the way that the new Win 8 start screen was redesigned. As for believing anything you see in usa today - LOL

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

Sinofsky's replacement was one of the people who actually directed the way that the new Win 8 start screen was redesigned. As for believing anything you see in usa today - LOL

No matter what forum we visit now a days, there is at least one, that just don't like others opinions, it is not just USA Today that is writing articles about this issue, now if you don't agree with me, or have no wish to read what I have to say, I would suggest ignoring my posts on this subject.

I have worked quite a bit with Microsoft in the past while in the Military, to develop military applications for use in Forward Operational Bases, which is why I have many still close friends working in the upper management team at MS.

But again, I would suggest, don't read my writings and we will get along just fine. As we all know, opinions are like ****, we all have one.

To add, I didn't say I didn't like the operating system, I simply posted what I have heard from friends, business associates and industry people about the start up situation, as I said, I don't need windows to run a computer, I can do just about anything I want, including the internet without a graphical interface.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

XP was the only windows package that I was satisfied with. I stay away from any new releases until most of the bugs come out. I use Linux 98% of the time because it is hassle free compared to Windows and I am not annoyed by bugs or constant updates.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

XP was the only windows package that I was satisfied with. I stay away from any new releases until most of the bugs come out. I use Linux 98% of the time because it is hassle free compared to Windows and I am not annoyed by bugs or constant updates.

I agree bigdee, XP was and continues to be one of the best systems MS ever came out with, I am writing this on a Tweeked XP machine right now. I use Linux quite a bit, and my servers run on Linux, which allows strong systems for my wife's customers. Once I get the 8 machine tweeked like I want it, I am sure it will be a good machine, just as the win7 machine that took a crap on me was.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

No matter what forum we visit now a days, there is at least one, that just don't like others opinions, it is not just USA Today that is writing articles about this issue, now if you don't agree with me, or have no wish to read what I have to say, I would suggest ignoring my posts on this subject.

I have worked quite a bit with Microsoft in the past while in the Military, to develop military applications for use in Forward Operational Bases, which is why I have many still close friends working in the upper management team at MS.

But again, I would suggest, don't read my writings and we will get along just fine. As we all know, opinions are like ****, we all have one.

To add, I didn't say I didn't like the operating system, I simply posted what I have heard from friends, business associates and industry people about the start up situation, as I said, I don't need windows to run a computer, I can do just about anything I want, including the internet without a graphical interface.

No offense intended, I just work for a Microsoft Partner who works closely with MS and we tend to hear about things like that way before USA Today and the rest of the rags.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

No offense intended, I just work for a Microsoft Partner who works closely with MS and we tend to hear about things like that way before USA Today and the rest of the rags.

What I posted to begin with, was not based on what USA today wrote, it was based on what I have been hearing from my friends at MS, one of which I had dinner with last night.

My dinner with him and his wife, was actually what prompted me to post my first message, I was curious as to what others outside the industry were saying.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

My .02
I really don't think that the interface has much to do with the lack of Windows 8 sales. Win 7 does what most people need - even with the $39 upgrade there isn't a compelling reason to switch from Win 7 to Win 8. Yes Win 8 is a bit faster, but not enough to be worth the hassle. Computers for most people have hit that point where they are doing what you need them to do so even hardware upgrades are slowing down. With lower PC sales come lower Win 8 sales, 75% of the people out there don't need a computer at all - an iPad does everything they need.

In addition - Surface has really caused a bunch of confusion too - people think that is actually Windows 8 since MS never did a good job of explaining the difference between Win8 RT and Win 8 in a way that consumers can understand. I've played with a Surface and I don't even understand what the point of the device is - I think MS really screwed up by releasing the Surface(RT) before the Surface Pro. If they had released at the same time then they could have better shown what the difference was.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

One last .02 - MS ought to know better by now that the Enterprise is never going to upgrade as soon as a new OS comes out. A couple of my largest clients (healthcare industry) have just finished making the XP to Win 7 transition in the last 6 months. Anyone expecting that they will jump on Win 8 (or Win9, etc) in the next 3 years is just nuts.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Who has jumped to windows 8?

My .02
I really don't think that the interface has much to do with the lack of Windows 8 sales. Win 7 does what most people need - even with the $39 upgrade there isn't a compelling reason to switch from Win 7 to Win 8. Yes Win 8 is a bit faster, but not enough to be worth the hassle. Computers for most people have hit that point where they are doing what you need them to do so even hardware upgrades are slowing down. With lower PC sales come lower Win 8 sales, 75% of the people out there don't need a computer at all - an iPad does everything they need.

In addition - Surface has really caused a bunch of confusion too - people think that is actually Windows 8 since MS never did a good job of explaining the difference between Win8 RT and Win 8 in a way that consumers can understand. I've played with a Surface and I don't even understand what the point of the device is - I think MS really screwed up by releasing the Surface(RT) before the Surface Pro. If they had released at the same time then they could have better shown what the difference was.

You will get no argument from me on these points. If I didn't get a 1 year warranty with this new laptop, I would probably dump and go back to 7.

I was interested in the new tablet from MS, until I got to play with one!