Windows 8

[uncle dick]

I'm in the market for a new netbook/ultrabook so had a look around the usual websites (not Comet!) and they're pretty much all Windows 8. I'm only looking to do some home office / e-mails / browsing so nothing high tech but wondered if anyone on here has any experience of Billy's latest OS.

I've seen quite a bit of negative press but it seems to be mainly from the gaming fraternity.

Anyone?

TIA
Dick

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

It's mainly the new interface (metro) that has drawn scorn. It's completely useless unless it's on a touchscreen and you can't default back to the old desktop although you you can still get to it. Other than that though it's pretty solid underneath and a good OS. I was a beta tester on it so have used it for quite a while. In all honesty if you want a windows platform you will either have to find some old stock (shouldn't be hard this early) or use win 8.

 

[Fanum]

Don't forget you can very easily install W7 ultimate on any PC for free, as long as you are a bit fly

So even if you don't get on with W8, you can go backwards

On a new PC or in particular, a laptop or netbook with touchscreen, it should be fine though.......I have to wonder if they've jumped the gun a bit , as most people who use a PC are still using a desktop or a laptop in a way that doesn't lend itself to touch control

 

[ahutcheon]

On a new PC or in particular, a laptop or netbook with touchscreen, it should be fine though.......I have to wonder if they've jumped the gun a bit , as most people who use a PC are still using a desktop or a laptop in a way that doesn't lend itself to touch control

Because you'll use it anyway - if you were going to go Linux or Mac you'd already have done so. Then you'll be used to it when you come to buy a smartphone, and will choose a Win based one rather Android or iPhone. And that's the market that Microsoft needs a leg-up into. Leastways, so say the conspiracy theorists.

 

[Fanum]

Because you'll use it anyway - if you were going to go Linux or Mac you'd already have done so. Then you'll be used to it when you come to buy a smartphone, and will choose a Win based one rather Android or iPhone. And that's the market that Microsoft needs a leg-up into. Leastways, so say the conspiracy theorists.

I already have a smartphone, and a BB tablet to pair up with it.

I've had my BB phone for 4+ years now and have no intention of changing.

I can't see how I'm going to end up using it TBH.....a touch screen only* interface a main desktop PC makes no sense to me

* I know, they claim it's use-able as a mouse controlled OS too

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Because you'll use it anyway - if you were going to go Linux or Mac you'd already have done so. Then you'll be used to it when you come to buy a smartphone, and will choose a Win based one rather Android or iPhone. And that's the market that Microsoft needs a leg-up into. Leastways, so say the conspiracy theorists.

Your right but there is a flaw in that they didn't count on the backlash from enterprise business that they make billions out of. Companies aren't going to go out and spend thousands/millions upgrading their employees screens to touch screen. So far MS has refused to allow a simple way to disable metro and predictably many large companies have refused to get with the upgrade plan. In many ways it would be easier for them to go with Linux desktops. They already have the techs to support it since their servers are Linux in a big way. I predict a back pedal at least in the pro and enterprise versions. Don't get me wrong, I am not an MS basher. I have a good few ties to the company and make a decent living supporting their products but putting a phone interface on a desktop OS isn't their finest hour.

 

[Fluffmeister]

Your right but there is a flaw in that they didn't count on the backlash from enterprise business that they make billions out of. Companies aren't going to go out and spend thousands/millions upgrading their employees screens to touch screen. So far MS has refused to allow a simple way to disable metro and predictably many large companies have refused to get with the upgrade plan. In many ways it would be easier for them to go with Linux desktops. They already have the techs to support it since their servers are Linux in a big way. I predict a back pedal at least in the pro and enterprise versions. Don't get me wrong, I am not an MS basher. I have a good few ties to the company and make a decent living supporting their products but putting a phone interface on a desktop OS isn't their finest hour.

I agree with a lot of your points, but on the flipside I am rolling out Server 2012 / System Centre 2012 at a big Scottish University and that also includes almost 47000 users going to Windows 8.

It works great with multiple monitors, Enterprise edition includes Hyper-V so useful for developers and test environments as well as including Win8 to go.

I 100% understand peoples frustrations with it though and I felt the same myself until I got under the surface of it and now prefer it to 7. I even prefer it to OSX on my iMac, so much so I may bang the 27" iMac up for sale soon

 

[ahutcheon]

Your right but there is a flaw in that they didn't count on the backlash from enterprise business that they make billions out of. Companies aren't going to go out and spend thousands/millions upgrading their employees screens to touch screen. So far MS has refused to allow a simple way to disable metro and predictably many large companies have refused to get with the upgrade plan. In many ways it would be easier for them to go with Linux desktops. They already have the techs to support it since their servers are Linux in a big way. I predict a back pedal at least in the pro and enterprise versions. Don't get me wrong, I am not an MS basher. I have a good few ties to the company and make a decent living supporting their products but putting a phone interface on a desktop OS isn't their finest hour.

Suggestion I heard was that Microsoft aren't too stressed about Win8 on the corporate desktop, much like the way many big organisations went from XP to Win7 and ignored Vista?

 

[red1]

In many ways it would be easier for them to go with Linux desktops.

Linux!

I've been in IT since he 80's and Linux is seriously NOT for the casual user or for a corporate desktop. It is a great system for the " serious " user that's it.
Just this last week I've reinstalled it on an old PC and after a couple of days gave up after failing to get WI-FI working.
It's just too geeky!

 

[n0ct0]

Upgraded to Windows 8 the day it came out.

Skyrim, Borderlands 2, Dragon Age, Dishonored all run perfectly well. I think some of the grumbling is down to the perceived threat of only being able to install games via the Microsoft Store.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Linux!

I've been in IT since he 80's and Linux is seriously NOT for the casual user or for a corporate desktop. It is a great system for the " serious " user that's it.
Just this last week I've reinstalled it on an old PC and after a couple of days gave up after failing to get WI-FI working.
It's just too geeky!

It's the setup and getting it going that's a problem to your basic user. If that is already done by the IT department and plonked in front of them they wouldn't have any issues using it.

Mozilla made the same mistake in regards to Firefox and corporate. They publicly stated they couldn't care less but they have regretted that ever since. What people see and use at work for 7 or 8 hours a day greatly affects they're choice at home. It's not so straight forward with an OS of course.

 

[Blue Sweeper]

Linux!

I've been in IT since he 80's and Linux is seriously NOT for the casual user or for a corporate desktop. It is a great system for the " serious " user that's it.
Just this last week I've reinstalled it on an old PC and after a couple of days gave up after failing to get WI-FI working.
It's just too geeky!

Really?

I've had no problems with installing Linux Mint and Ubuntu on older laptops and the WiFi works just great. Makes these older laptops fly like they should have in the first place.

I've never knowingly bought ANY Microsuck producks since Windoze 95.

 

[uncle dick]

After spending an hour checking out all the netbooks in PC World I concluded that Win8 is, like many Windows products, counter-intuitive and more complex than it need be.

So I bought a MacBook Air This is my first venture into the world of Apple - other than my iPod - and I have to say I'm very impressed.

Thanks for your comments

 

[Redboots]

I've had no problems with installing Linux Mint and Ubuntu on older laptops and the WiFi works just great. Makes these older laptops fly like they should have in the first place.

+1
Best thing you can do to a laptop. I have saved a few people shelling out for new units. Most of them just want web and mail with a few photos.
Ubuntu is "almost" transparent to them with Firefox.

 

[Gonzo]

Suggestion I heard was that Microsoft aren't too stressed about Win8 on the corporate desktop, much like the way many big organisations went from XP to Win7 and ignored Vista?

And some VERY large organisation (90k + users) are still on XP desktops across the piece. Conservatism and stability rule the roost when standardisation and reliability are more important than the new features.

We'll be looking at Win7 circa 2020 at this rate so W8 is irrelevant.