Windows 8: User's Opinions

[TheFantasticG]

I'd like to get opinions from other people, like myself, running Windows 8. I'll start off...


Needless to say Metro is damn near useless to me. I don't like that it won't let me decide the location the apps install to. I run all my programs off another 128GB SSD. Most of them make small registry changes and plant small small files into the C:\windows etc, but nothing is going to bloat the windows folder space with the shat i have installed. Not to mention almost NONE of my programs run in the Metro GUI... except for skype and IE, but Metro IE doesn't use all the ad killing, cookie killing, extensions I have installed on IE10. So I don't use the Metro version of IE. I use metro skype. I like the interface more than standard skype. I also like that it auto sets into a column on the side of my main window. Other than that, Metro is quite useless. I'm trying to use it for social applications but it doesn't auto update on the main social screen. I have it linked to my twitter and FB. It doesn't auto bring up to the main window the lastest tweets and posts from FB, and why I don't know. I have to click the "View All" that goes to another screen that THEN updates. So when I go back to the main screen it is now updated... and won't update again. If I have to do that I might as well just do it on my phone or in the IE10. Minor but I do keeping up with friends and family that I live more than 300 miles from through social media. It boots up quick... but for some reason the Windows updates keep failing thus prolonging the start up sequence time. Start up time should be short given the Patriot Pyro 60gb SSD it is installed on is pretty quick. There's not much difference at all from the desktop from 7 to 8... which I'm sure you all know the start button is missing. Not a big deal to me because the control panel and search function I used the start button for can be accessed from the right side hidden panel. I also have the desktop taskbar set to auto hide. Metro, so far, is the ONLY thing I dislike bout Windows 8 Pro 64. On average most of my programs load slightly faster, as in, just enough to notice. If it didn't fail so bad at updating start up time would be faster than Win 7 64.

I have a Panasonic Toughbook that is running a 1.6ghz processor I'm currently upgrading from Windows XPsp3 to Win 7 32 (had to do a custom install that formatted the drive). After it's done I'll be updating it to Win 8 Pro 32. It has a touch screen. I'd like to see how Metro is on a touch screen without buyings a windows tablet or phone... cause I already know I don't like it with just a mouse as an interface device.

 

[ClickAddict]

I'd agree with what you said. I find it ok. I would not reccomend it for people who have a harder time with computers. (people who took 2 year to learn Win 7 will be in for a kick in the pants as it does have a major overhaul to feel. Younger generation used to tablets will not be phased.)

!! ONE THING TO NOTE: Especially for photographers. A buddy of mine installed it, all basic configuration and for whatever reason, Firefox was showing a horrendous distortion of the colors when displaying jpegs. Major yellow. There's a link online on how to correct this. (Don't have it with me, if someone wants it and can't find it let me know. Some defaults need to be adjusted in your display settings. So if you happen to send any photos to a client and he mentions the photos looks bad and yellow, be suse to ask if he recently upgraded to win 8.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

I played with it for a few minutes and decided its not worth calling Sanford and Son.

Apple is crushing Windows yet again.

 

[nmoody]

The UI is just too drastic of a change from Win7, I know a few people who like it but many more who do not. It is though stable (unless running unsupported hardware) and on the back end is not too far off from Win7. Its just the crazy UI change thats hard to get past.

I have a laptop coming with Win8 on it and am unsure if I will keep it or install Win7. I will probably stick with it though, I am in IT and I need to know it so I can support my users.

If you have a currently machine and it works I don't suggest upgrading. Aint broken dont fix it.

If you are ordering a new one well thats up to you.

 

[John27]

It seems to me like Windows 7 is the next Windows XP. A decent, reliable OS from Microsoft. Microsoft had to basically shoot XP in the foot to get it to die, by refusing to support it, AND, when that didn't work, modifying the license agreement to actually make it a terms of service violation to install XP on a new computer (which mostly affects corporate customers with genuine fears about being sued).


I have a feeling Windows 7 will draw the same fate, Microsoft will somehow force corporate customers (and technically, all customers) onto the next OS.

When I first saw Windows 8 I thought "Oh cool!" Thinking, you know, the reason MS Tablets SUCKED, is because Windows is not a touch compatible OS. So I'm thinking, neat! A good OS for Windows tablets. I don't have a use for a Windows tablet, but I mean, Windows 8 is kind of cool in that regard!

But then I found out Microsoft wants to put it, just like that, on all machines... WHAT???? Windows 8 is a decent tablet OS (though Android and iOS beat it, due to the apps being written ground-up for touch as well), but... sheesh.. you want me to put that on my desktop and somehow get work done?

 

[TheFantasticG]

Moody, if you end up wanting to circumnavigate Metro altogether a simple Classic Shell program, i.e. Start8, will boot you directly to the desktop and add the start button back.

I played with it for a few minutes and decided its not worth calling Sanford and Son.

Apple is crushing Windows yet again.

Wasn't looking for an Apple vs. Windows debate. I am looking for, however, is insightful opinions from an operator's standpoint. I like the desktop side of Windows 8. I did download a Tetris app for Metro. I'm a sucker for a good tetris game... It's not a good one though, but it is playable.

 

[Hickeydog]

It's a tablet OS. Not a desktop operating system. Installing it on a desktop/laptop is, quite frankly, a waste. A tablet with a touchscreen? Sure. Windows 7 is where the real people work.

 

[TheFantasticG]

To be fair my Panasonic Toughbook laptop has touch screen capabilities. I don't do work on it. So I'm installing Win 8 Pro 32 on it right now to see how I like it on a laptop w/touch function.

 

[table1349]

You think you got it bad, you should read what these folks have to say......Windows 8 opinions

 

[nmoody]

Moody, if you end up wanting to circumnavigate Metro altogether a simple Classic Shell program, i.e. Start8, will boot you directly to the desktop and add the start button back.

Thanks if I get annoyed enough I will

 

[TheFantasticG]

You think you got it bad, you should read what these folks have to say......Windows 8 opinions

Oh, I'm in on that thread too. Surprised there wasn't one over here. That's why I started it as I know there are users here that aren't on the camel.

 

[runnah]

It's great if you know nothing about computers and want to just go on facebook. If you want o get any actual work done Stick with Win7.

 

[ziggy84]

Yeah, Windows 8 is garbage. No one in the corporate world will use Windows 8. There is no benefit for them to switch. It's just an app friendly os marketed towards trying to close the gap on Apple.

 

[AgentDrex]

I've been running Windows 8 since its development stages (text interface only at that point) and while this is the most drastic change of its interface since Windows95, it is the fastest version of Windows yet.

I am disappointed that they decided to not include an easy way to change interfaces (or to automatically change it depending on whether you have a touch-screen or not, because seriously, the MetroUI is only good if you have touchscreen).

People will get used to it I am sure however. It's been my experience that everytime a change is made to something, someone somewhere will complain.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Look at #3 and the Win8 closing statement- This is the prob with Win8








"Steve Ballmer's Nightmare Is Coming True"

Steve Ballmer's Nightmare Is Coming True - Yahoo! Finance

1. The iPad eats the consumer PC market.

This is happening right now. In the third quarter of 2012, PC sales were down 8 percent on a year-over-year basis worldwide. In the U.S., sales were down 14 percent. A big chunk of the decline can be attributed to the rise of the iPad. Apple sold 14 million iPads last quarter, which is more than the top PC maker, Lenovo, which shipped 13.7 million PCs. Throw in Apple's 4.9 million Macs, and it's the top computer maker by a mile.

As the personal computer market goes ...

2. Employees gradually switch away from using Windows PCs for work.

This trend has not played out that dramatically in 2012. However, British bank Barclays bought 8,500 iPads at employees' insistence this year.

And a recent survey showed that the iPhone has overtaken RIM as the smartphone of choice for enterprises. As more people get comfortable with Apple's mobile products at work, Microsoft will have to worry about them converting their Windows-based computers to Macs at work, too.

Microsoft has a plan to combat this but ...

3. Windows 8 fails to stop the iPad.

Gulp. It's still early, but every most data points say Windows 8 is not going to make a dent in the iPad.

-- NPD says Windows tablet sales were "nonexistent" between 10/21 and 11/17.
-- It also says Windows sales were down 21 percent over that period on a year-over-year basis.
-- Piper analyst Gene Munster was in a Microsoft store for two hours on Black Friday and saw zero Surface sales.
-- Microsoft reportedly cut its Surface order in half.
-- Ballmer said Surface sales were "modest."

Meanwhile, we can't think of any analyst who has cut his or her iPad estimate for the quarter based on Surface sales. In Microsoft's defense, it says it sold 40 million licenses, which it says is out pacing Windows 7. There's a chance analysts are wrong.

4. Loyal developers start to leave the Microsoft platform.

We're not sure if this happening or not. So far, the early signs are actually positive for Microsoft. It has over 20,000 apps in its Windows app store. Windows 8 is only a month old. At the same time, Microsoft doesn't have a Facebook app for the Surface, and one of the biggest complaints from reviewers was the lack of good apps for Windows 8.

Windows Phone has over 100,000 apps, but iOS has 700,000 apps, with 275,000 made specifically for the iPad.

5. Windows Phone gets no traction despite the Nokia deal and RIM's collapse.

This has happened. Despite everything Microsoft has tried in mobile for the last two years, consumers aren't buying it. The latest data from IDC says Microsoft has 2 percent of the global mobile market share. And the latest phone from Nokia is thick and heavy compared to phones from Apple and Samsung. We don't expect it to be a blockbuster.

Suddenly, all the dominoes are in place for a lot of bad things to start happening. ...

6. Office loses relevance.

Microsoft's Office has been a juggernaut. In fiscal 2012, the Microsoft business division did ~$24 billion in sales.

Last year, we cautioned, "Office runs only on Microsoft platforms and the Mac. As employees start to do more and more work from non-Windows smartphones and iPads, companies may start to question why they're still buying Office for every employee and upgrading it every two or three releases."

The death of Office, has not happened, though. Despite Google's attempt to create Docs, companies aren't giving up on Excel.

7. Microsoft's other business applications start to erode.

If Windows continues to fade, and if Office starts to fade, then corporations have less reason to adopt Microsoft technologies on the back end like Exchange Server for email, SharePoint Server for collaboration, Lync for videoconferencing and real-time communication, and Dynamics for CRM and accounting.

Exchange, SharePoint, and Dynamics all bring in more than $1 billion per year, and Lync is Microsoft's fastest growing business application. Plus, they pull through a lot of other Microsoft products. ...

8. The platform business collapses.

For the last decade, Microsoft's fastest growing business segment has been Server & Tools, which did $7.4 billion in sales last year.

A lot of these sales come because Microsoft business apps — Exchange, SharePoint, and Dynamics — require these products. But as companies stop buying these apps, they will have less reason to buy the Microsoft platform products that run them, and the System Center ($1 billion+) products used to manage them.

9. The Xbox was never going to make up the slack, and Microsoft can no longer afford to keep investing in it.

In a year of relative gloom, Microsoft's Xbox has become a big bright spot for the company. Kinect is great technology, people are still buying the console, and it's been a great entry point for Microsoft to take over the living room. But, for a company like Microsoft, Xbox isn't enough. Microsoft had $21 billion in operating income last year. The Entertainment and Devices division, which is home to the Xbox had $364 million in operating income. So, as nice as Xbox is, it's not going to be enough to boost Microsoft if the rest of the business collapses.

10. Microsoft suffers a huge quarterly loss. Ballmer retires to play golf.

Let's not kid ourselves — it's going to take a sudden, unexpected disaster at Microsoft to get Ballmer out of the company.

In 2012, Microsoft had its first ever quarterly loss as a public company because it had to write down the $6.2 billion acquisition of aQuantive. Investors mostly shrugged. If Microsoft posted a real loss people would freak out. But that's going to be nearly impossible in the near term.

In the long term ...

Is this just a bad dream?

Last year, we concluded by saying, "Fortunately for Microsoft, none of this is going to happen. Windows 8 will reassert the dominance of the Windows PC. Office and other business products will remain corporate necessities, and developers will never be able to ignore Microsoft. Windows Phone will become a viable third mobile platform, the Xbox will continue to dominate the living room, and new products will surprise the pundits who thought Microsoft couldn't innovate. Even Bing will finally make a profit someday."

This year, it's a lot harder to say much of that. Windows 8 doesn't seem to be reasserting the dominance of the PC. Windows Phone is not a viable third platform. Bing is still burning money. The Microsoft nightmare scenario is actually becoming a reality.