why choose win7 over win8

Most people seem to have given up on it too fast. Even techies will talk about it as if they've tried it, without metro but, you know they haven't. As if they had, they wouldn't be moaning about metro as its a non issue if you can turn it off.

Vanilla said:
Bah now i'm unsure.

I'm on Win 7 but have the 8 upgrade. Came looking for a definitive answer on which to go for :(
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I've had 8 on my main home machines for ages, on the machines I don't use that often I've left them on 7. Also my main machine at work I've left all on 7. The improvements are not worth the work of upgrading.

On my main home machine though I definitely prefer 8. It feels quicker especially on older machines. I much prefer the file copying etc.
 
I'm afraid I have to agree with linktoinsanity - I still build/maintain a lot of systems for friends and relatives, etc. and Windows 8 is generally not very well received - atleast not at first and the majority will just ask to have it replaced with Windows 7 (or XP but I try to steer people on from XP now unless they are insistent) some will persist with Windows 8 with varied results but its definitely not a universally liked OS even if some of its down to the typical resistance to change - its worth noting though that Windows 7 in comparision was generally well recieved even when it meant change.

On a related note with all the claims of Windows 8 being smoother and faster for BF4 I gave it a whirl on a couple of my systems and it actually makes 0 difference on my i7 through does run a little smoother on my old Q9550 in places that used to bog down a bit possibly due to 8 having a bit more efficent multi-threading implementation coming into play when your maxing out cores.
 
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Windows 8 is not initially liked as most people don't know you can turn off metro.

There's not much difference in interface between 95/XP/7 or 8 without metro. Its all minor tweaks. You'd have to be a real luddite if you couldn't handle such minor changes.
 
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:confused:

if people want 8/8.1 to the look and behave exactly the same as previous OS then why upgrade

the whole point in a new OS is to have a new look, features, performance increase etc.

MS has never said or made a rule that they will keep the same old start menu UI forever. also MS has never said people must upgrade to every new OS or stay with an MS OS
 
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Because its a better windows 7 than windows 7. Better drivers, faster, more multi-threading, better task manger, better file copying, better power management etc.

Why are you fixated on the GUI and eye candy?
 
OspreyO said:
Because its a better windows 7 than windows 7. Better drivers, faster, more multi-threading, better task manger, better file copying, better power management etc.

Why are you fixated on the GUI and eye candy?
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He isn't, it's others that are. The people here who have a melt down because they can't handle "metro" to the point of the mere sight of it sends them in to a blabbering rant about how awful it is.

I found the GUI a bit awkward to get used to at first, and I had a bit of an internal meltdown of "It's crap and it looks crap and it's just AWFUL", however I hadn't engaged my brain to have a proper think about my thoughts on it. My conclusions were that the interface itself is fine, however Microsoft messed up when it came to presenting users with it, as they didn't even explain what you were supposed to do, which meant it wasn't much of a surprise that people had melt downs over it.

After getting used to it, and Windows 8.1 coming out, I can't go back to the legacy start menu, it feels so cumbersome, cluttered and just awful to look at compared to the start menu in Windows 8.1 (which was a huge improvement to 8.0's start menu).

Windows 8's set up so that most stuff is easier to get to using less clicks and mouse distance traveled than previous versions of Windows, the only reason people think it's slower to get around is probably because they don't know of the win+x or right clicking the start button shortcuts.
 
Seems like you are fixated on eye candy tbh...

spoffle said:
...I can't go back to the legacy start menu, it feels so cumbersome, cluttered and just awful to look at compared to the start menu in Windows 8.1 (which was a huge improvement to 8.0's start menu).
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For me that kinda indicates that you also prefer a start menu (if 8.1) and couldn't work with pure metro on a desktop.

spoffle said:
Windows 8's set up so that most stuff is easier to get to using less clicks and mouse distance traveled than previous versions of Windows, the only reason people think it's slower to get around is probably because they don't know of the win+x or right clicking the start button shortcuts.
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Metro is a touch interface, for people using imprecise fingers and a keyboard. Hence big tiles, swipes and using search and typing things instead of clicking things. Though the whole search thing comes back to Windows Desktop Search, they tried before, with disk indexing.

If you have 20+ applications that you use constantly and thousands of files that you can't remember where they are and how you organised them. Then that kinda search for everything makes perfect sense. If you're a system admin, or dba, this is probably how you work even in earlier versions. Otherwise its a resource hog that most people really don't need.

While typing has it place as to shortcuts. Its hard to argue that if you click 2 or three times to get to any app, its a lot quicker than clicking a couple to times to get to search, the typing. That's a lot more key presses. I started off in DOS and I still use on a daily basis text only GUI's on legacy systems at work, and they are much faster than a mouse (or touch) for the experienced operator. But they only make sense in some situations.

Metro isn't bad because of the concept. Its because its poorly executed. Its like early beta software. TBH Windows phone suffers from the same beta mentality and execution.
 
OspreyO said:
Seems like you are fixated on eye candy tbh...



For me that kinda indicates that you also prefer a start menu (if 8.1) and couldn't work with pure metro on a desktop.



Metro is a touch interface, for people using imprecise fingers and a keyboard. Hence big tiles, swipes and using search and typing things instead of clicking things. Though the whole search thing comes back to Windows Desktop Search, they tried before, with disk indexing.

If you have 20+ applications that you use constantly and thousands of files that you can't remember where they are and how you organised them. Then that kinda search for everything makes perfect sense. If you're a system admin, or dba, this is probably how you work even in earlier versions. Otherwise its a resource hog that most people really don't need.

While typing has it place as to shortcuts. Its hard to argue that if you click 2 or three times to get to any app, its a lot quicker than clicking a couple to times to get to search, the typing. That's a lot more key presses. I started off in DOS and I still use on a daily basis text only GUI's on legacy systems at work, and they are much faster than a mouse (or touch) for the experienced operator. But they only make sense in some situations.

Metro isn't bad because of the concept. Its because its poorly executed. Its like early beta software. TBH Windows phone suffers from the same beta mentality and execution.
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Personally its always going to be a preference thing,Metro I can take it or leave it ,for example I've over 30 games so have them listed in Metro A to Z(under Games) so easy to find,just one or two clicks and I'm gaming,obviously I could have both Steam and Origin launch to desktop taskbar on startup and right click on the respective icon and select game I need to play,basically pretty easy to organise Metro tiles and columns for different software/applications so I don't see it an issue,Win+X menu is handy and yes I use my favourite right click in left corner for that,also added some extra stuff to my Win+X menu.


My point it's not hard to customise Win8/8.1 to your needs if you can be bothered and yes I did the same thing (customising) with Win7/Vista and even my Linux distros.


I have no issues with anybody not liking Win8/8.1 or any OS they want to name, but what I can't accept is Win8/8.1 is hard to use or you need touch,its more then fine with good old keyboard and mouse,keyboard shortcuts I don't use and I've everything within one or two mouse clicks,as a main PC desktop user and gamer you tell me what am I doing right.

Roll on Win9 look forward to that,be interesting to see what Microsoft do.
 
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Of course you're right, its down to personal preference. If you are using metro apps loading 30 games etc.

I hardly every drop to the desktop. I'm mainly just switching between the same handful of development & Office apps. The only time I drop to desktop is if I'm doing a lot of file operations, with multiple windows open. Coming from a development and analyst pov, in my mind, if you have to explain how something works, or take time to learn it, its probably not a very good interface.

I agree with you on the point about customization. If you can turn metro off then its a none issue. Its like complaining about IE. Why? You can just install something else. Thats always been the fun/beauty of wintel computers. Changing stuff.

Putting metro to one side. W8 is a lovely solid OS underneath. its a shame that so many miss that essential point.
 
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OspreyO said:
Of course you're right, its down to personal preference. If you are using metro apps loading 30 games etc.

I hardly every drop to the desktop. I'm mainly just switching between the same handful of development & Office apps. The only time I drop to desktop is if I'm doing a lot of file operations, with multiple windows open. Coming from a development and analyst in my mind, if you have to explain how something works, or take time to learn it, its probably not a very good interface.

I agree with you on the point about customization. If you can turn metro off then its a none issue. Its like complaining about IE. Why? You can just install something else. Thats always been the fun/beauty of wintel computers. Changing stuff.

Putting metro to one side. W8 is a lovely solid OS underneath. its a shame that so many miss that essential point.
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I use both,normally old desktop more since I do lot of browsing and downloading(to old desktop) with Firefox but even my old desktop is customised to my needs,I make both Metro and old desktop work for me and not the other way around.

Win9 I will do the same make it work for me,so have no issues about future operating systems or adapting etc..
 
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So I think tonight I will upgrade to from Windows 7 to Windows 8 using this method:

1) Grab ISO (https://drive.google.com/folderview?...0k&usp=sharing)
2) Use placeholder key to install
3) Activate using your key

..but using my upgrade key.

Like most of you I spend a ton of time on my PC but I wouldn't describe myself as too militant about features. I browse the web, play a few games (BF4, Natural Selection 2, etc) and that's about it.

I used Windows 8 on my laptop but installed Classic Shell to bring back the start bar.

Will let you know how I get on.
 
Elevon said:
I use both,normally old desktop more since I do lot of browsing and downloading(to old desktop) with Firefox but even my old desktop is customised to my needs,I make both Metro and old desktop work for me and not the other way around.

Win9 I will do the same make it work for me,so have no issues about future operating systems or adapting etc..
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Isn't the point is it should just work. That you shouldn't have to "make" it work.

But its no big deal tbh.
 
OspreyO said:
Isn't the point is it should just work. That you shouldn't have to "make" it work.

But its no big deal tbh.
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Figure of speech really,what I was saying I always customise the OS to my needs,so yes it works in a basic sense but we all use OS slightly differently so fine tune it after,you know what I mean ;) .

Bit like gaming where you fine tune/customise the controls to your gaming habits/needs.
 
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Vanilla said:
So I think tonight I will upgrade to from Windows 7 to Windows 8 using this method:

1) Grab ISO (https://drive.google.com/folderview?...0k&usp=sharing)
2) Use placeholder key to install
3) Activate using your key

..but using my upgrade key.

Like most of you I spend a ton of time on my PC but I wouldn't describe myself as too militant about features. I browse the web, play a few games (BF4, Natural Selection 2, etc) and that's about it.

I used Windows 8 on my laptop but installed Classic Shell to bring back the start bar.

Will let you know how I get on.
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Just an update. I've been on 8 for a few weeks and am overall happy.

Is there anything I can notice that makes it massively different from Windows 7 once i've got the start button back? Nope. Not a critcism of Windows 8 - just my use.

I do have one really bad issue. The task manager, the one that pops up when you CTRL+ALT+DEL, it's useless

If something crashed I can't use the task manager to end it. Cannot stop the rouge program.

I have to Go start and log off!
 
Whats the rouge program? Do you mean rogue?

The task manager is one of the improvements in 8 over 7. I've never had a problem killing an app. But have to say I don't have to do that very often. I mainly had to kill Steam/COD4 after an install. But I don't play games anymore, so can't remember last time I had to do it.
 
I do have one really bad issue. The task manager, the one that pops up when you CTRL+ALT+DEL, it's useless
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you just need to click more details at the bottom of that window to get the full task manager up, its actually a vast improvement over the old one.
 
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