Author Topic: I'm a Windows 7 user: should I upgrade to Windows 8? (Read 28579 times)

S. · « **on:** October 29, 2012, 02:42 »

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?

S. · « **Reply #1 on:** October 29, 2012, 04:36 »

well... I'm just a little bit scared... remembering what Windows Vista was like... I hope that MS won't do that mistake again

before Windows 7 I was still running Windows XP, and I upgraded to 7 only after 5 or 6 months since it's launch

Pauws99 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2012, 04:52 »

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

gostwyck · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2012, 05:00 »

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.

Difydave · « **Reply #4 on:** October 29, 2012, 06:43 »

Quote from: gostwyck on October 29, 2012, 05:00

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.

tab62 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 29, 2012, 06:59 »

ShadySue · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2012, 07:15 »

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.

Poncke · « **Reply #7 on:** October 29, 2012, 08:39 »

Quote from: Pauws99 on October 29, 2012, 04:52

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

Exactly. Or wait for W8SP1 to be released

Morphart · « **Reply #8 on:** October 29, 2012, 09:10 »

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...

S. · « **Reply #9 on:** October 29, 2012, 09:26 »

Quote from: Morphart on October 29, 2012, 09:10

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

lol, now that you make me think about it, that's true! haha!

click_click · « **Reply #10 on:** October 29, 2012, 10:08 »

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.

KB · « **Reply #11 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.

stockastic · « **Reply #12 on:** October 29, 2012, 10:38 »

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.

gostwyck · « **Reply #13 on:** October 29, 2012, 11:38 »

Quote from: stockastic on October 29, 2012, 10:38

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.

Good point on security. I did actually get my PC taken out by a virus, in just the way you described, at the beginning of the year. It's the only time it has ever happened, no real damage was done and it was high time to start afresh with a re-installed operating system anyway.

When I asked my computer man how and why it happened (he had print-outs of almost identical virus pop-ups up on the wall of his office) he reckoned it was mainly bad luck. Anti-virus software is limited by the fact that it is always reacting to events after they have happened. It's basically an arms war. The 'enemy' develops a new weapon and countermeasures can only be taken when the weapon is discovered and analysed. Unfortunately that will always be too late for some. Sometimes several different versions of the same virus are developed together. The first version will be sent out and when it's effectiveness becomes limited by anti-virus updates ... they send out the next version ... and so on.

Poncke · « **Reply #14 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.

stockastic · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2012, 14:54 »

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.

Poncke · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2012, 14:57 »

Quote from: stockastic on October 29, 2012, 14:54

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.

leaf · « **Reply #17 on:** October 29, 2012, 15:02 »

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.

not true. The discount is valid for anyone with windows vista, xp or 7
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/buy?ocid=GA8_O_WOL_DIS_ShopHP_FPP_Light

stockastic · « **Reply #18 on:** October 29, 2012, 15:10 »

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.

leaf · « **Reply #19 on:** October 29, 2012, 15:12 »

Quote from: click_click on October 29, 2012, 10:08

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.

windows 8 allows you to close the 'metro' interface and then it looks more like the windows 7 everyone is used to. Do a search for windows 8 desktop

leaf · « **Reply #20 on:** October 29, 2012, 15:13 »

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.

stockastic · « **Reply #21 on:** October 29, 2012, 15:20 »

There's been no need to upgrade our cameras either. Somehow we talked ourselves into it.

Eventually we'll all have tablets in addition to desktop PCs, and it will be nice to have basically the same interface, settings and apps (mail, calendar, contacts, SkyDrive) on both. I also have a Windows 7 phone, and really appreciate the way everything is now totally in synch and accessed in the same way.

Dantheman · « **Reply #22 on:** October 30, 2012, 12:22 »

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.

stockastic · « **Reply #23 on:** October 30, 2012, 14:51 »

DeepMeta has a problem - they'll need to fix it.

For the most part, Windows 8 is just like Windows 7, with the old 'Start' menu replaced by the Metro front-end screen. Boot to Metro, click the Desktop tile, and you're back in familiar territory. Metro apps, launched via tiles, run full-screen and don't show up on the desktop; that's a bit strange at first, but if you don't like those apps you don't need to ever touch them.

And that's about it. The technology pundits have been ridiculing it, but that's what they think their readers want to hear, because Apple and Android are 'cool' and Microsoft is old. In the technology business, things have a way of turning around, and sometimes what was old becomes new again - like what happened with Unix/Linux.

Dantheman · « **Reply #24 on:** November 02, 2012, 06:02 »

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.

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Author Topic: I'm a Windows 7 user: should I upgrade to Windows 8? (Read 28579 times)

S.

S.

Pauws99

gostwyck

Difydave

tab62

ShadySue

Poncke

Morphart

S.

click_click

KB

stockastic

gostwyck

Poncke

stockastic

Poncke

leaf

stockastic

leaf

leaf

stockastic

Dantheman

stockastic

Dantheman

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