I'm a happy user of Windows 7 pro 64bit, but I'm about to buy a new laptop and I've noticed that somewere I can already select Windows 8 as main OS.

Should I updgrade now or wait a little bit more to have a more stable and more tested OS?
Are you planning to upgrade to Windows 8? Why?

I would leave it at least six months.  From what I've seen there are no significant benefits for win 8 other than cosmetic.

On my main PC I'm still running XP Pro 64. It does what I need and I find it very intuitive to use so I have found no reason to 'upgrade' to Vista, 7 or indeed the new 8. 'Newer' isn't always 'better'.

I have 7 on my laptop and honestly think it is a backward step compared to XP. It's just not as easy to use IMHO. It seems to me that MS just can't leave things that work well alone and have to make their new operating systems look and work differently to justify the cost of doing so. The Vista disaster demonstrated perfectly how badly they can get things wrong.

If MS were in the business of designing cars then their 'newest version' would have 7 wheels and it would be steered by touch-screen from the rear seats.

I'd strongly suggest caution with regard to 8. I've not bothered to read too much about it but from what I have heard it may be a compromise between them trying to make one operating system for both PCs and touch-screen applications.

Much what I think. I'd read a bit about it, and wondered about it trying to do both PCs and touchscreen. I do like Windows 7 though, it seems more stable than XP, and it does everything I need it to. I can't see me rushing to update it to get more bells and whistles that I don't need.

Nope, Win7 is working well for me. Why fix what ain't broken?
If you see any features which would be fantastic for you, then consider it.

For gods sake please WAIT.

If you don't learn from the past... Each 2 Windows version are SCRAP!

Windows 98 was good. Windows Millennium was AWFUL. XP was good, VISTA was a bugload, Windows 7 is good... Windows 8... Let's just wait and see, they MIGHT have learned in the past decade...

AFAIK, MS tried to break into the touch screen market and needed a new OS for that - so here we are with Windows 8.

If you don't already own a touch screen laptop or all-in-one touch screen PC than I don't see any need to upgrade.

You also would have to install an add-on to make the desktop look like in Windows 7 - otherwise your stuck with those "beautiful" tiles, that apparently is the only thing in the world the masses can now operate a device.

I'm actually installing it at this moment.  I've had the 'preview' on a laptop for quite a while and I think it's cool. 

If you actually need a "reason" to let go of the mummy dust that is XP, the big one would be security.  And don't tell yourself you're safe just because you don't download free MP3s or answer phishing mail.  In today's world it's a bit more complicated than that.  You can get taken down hard, and lose the whole system, without any recollection of having visited dodgy web sites or clicked 'ok' on some bogus popup. (Ask me how I know this.)  Starting with Vista, MS got serious about addressing security and each subsequent version represents serious progress on this issue.

I agree with most of the above posts; I see no reason to upgrade to Win 8.

However, MS does have a special upgrade offer from now through the end of January: just $40 if you download it. So it's tempting to get it, just in case I need it in the future.

Only for laptops purchased in June 2012 or later.

Quote from: Poncke on October 29, 2012, 14:23

Quote from: KB on October 29, 2012, 10:33

I agree with most of the above posts; I see no reason to upgrade to Win 8.

However, MS does have a special upgrade offer from now through the end of January: just $40 if you download it. So it's tempting to get it, just in case I need it in the future.

Only for laptops purchased in June 2012 or later.

I just downloaded Win8 Pro for my far-from-new desktop, for $40.  Seems like they've finally seen the light of reason on upgrade prices.

If you can link me to it, that would be great.

Be prepared, though - the download can be extre-e-e-e-mly slow.
After it completes, you'll have the choice of installing directly, or making an ISO file with which you can burn an installation DVD, or doing both. 

in response to the original question.  Since I'm planning a computer upgrade within the next few days, I'll upgrade windows as well.  Perhaps mostly because I think it's fun to play with new things.  I can't really see that it offers anything I need.

i installed windows 8 on my laptop since we get it for free at the University.
My first impressions are mixed:

-There is a lot of new learning to do. At the beginning i even struggled to just install normal program's etc.
-But once you get used to the Metro interface it is actually quite nice.
-Without a touchscreen i think my workflow is a bit slower than on windows 7
-Some program's don't work. For instance the iPrint client for the Printer server we use doesn't support Win 8 yet!
-I also couldn't get DeepMeta to work . It says that NET Framework above 2 needs to be installed. If i try to install it, windows tells me that Win 8 already has NET Framework 4.5. I couldn't yet find a way around this.

I think on one of the new tablet PC's with an i5 Processor or higher, it will be a lot of fun to use. I believe that in the future i will replace my laptop with a Win8 tablet. But it will need to be good enough to run Lightroom, Photoshop etc.

Hope i could help a bit

PS: For stock i use a Desktop PC with Win7. I will also stay with Win7 for my stock work.

I thought i will give you guys an update on my Win 8 experience.

After now using it for a few days, i'm actually really starting to like Windows 8.
It feels faster than Win 7 and is actually fun to use.
I read a few Reviews and Tutorials and am now starting to understand how the metro interface works. How you can quickly change between programms and where i can find what i am looking for.
I'm also having fun with the Apps. At first it felt weird having apps on a normal Laptop, but some of the are very useful and fun.

DeepMeta also works now and i already have most of my programms Installed.

the Win8 metro interface is definitely not as bad as people make it out to be.

I am liking it too and have had zero problems.   I really want a Surface but can't possibly blow the $500 this year.    Having everything totally, automatically in synch on both devices would be wonderful.

I've used personal computers since day #1, back in the 70s. One thing I really like about Win8 is that those dumb, hokey 3D edges - on windows, buttons etc. - are gone.  It looks more modern to me, which is ironic because to some extent it's a return to what computers looked like before Windows. 

Check out the changes to Windows Defender.  It's now a complete anti-malware system, built in and running automatically and non-intrusively.  No one should continue to buy those cr@ppy products from Symantec or MacAffee.

I would wait with buying a surface. At the moment there is only the version with Windows RT, which is for ARM Processors. You won't be able to run normal windows programms like for instance photoshop on it.
Beginning of 2013 the Pro version of the Surface is coming out, with an intel i5 processor and enough ram. That will definitely be a tablet that i want.

Even the new Windows 8 Phones like for instance the Lima 920 is looking quite good.
And i also thing the Synchronization between the devices will be great.

I've had a Windows 7 phone for a year already.   

RT is all I need in a tablet - I wouldn't use it for anything but W8 apps.   Still too expensive for me. 

I upgraded a few days ago.  Took a while to find my way around the new interface, but now I'm really enjoying the experience.  It's fast, stable and interesting.  The new tiles format is clearly designed to synch with Windows phones, and once people get used to that idea I think there will be a general upsurge in sales of the new phones and Windows 8.  The new operating system is also clearly designed for touch screens, and I think many people will be encouraged to upgrade their desktop systems to get the full touch screen experience.

Microsoft has implemented a very important and sensible strategy that will surely help them quickly rise in the phones market.  Windows 8 is clearly the new future and I think the world will be very surprised at how popular it will become.

I'm really pleased I upgraded.  The only things I miss are the taskbar and clock on the start screen!

Funny enough, my girlfriend already wants a Windows 8 Phone after trying windows 8. So your thesis might actually be right and the Phone OS sales might go up for Microsoft.

Hope Nokia brings out a version with Win 8 Phone and that Pureview camera from the Nokia 808.

Thought i'd chime in here again as I've just upgraded to windows 8.  So far no issues.  It is a bit of a pain having to get used to the start menu being moved to the metro interface but once I get used to it I think it will be just as quick.  Overall I'm liking it and it seems pretty identical to windows 7 for most things.