Windows 8, anyone use it?

[Andy.B]

I just ordered a new laptop, and nowadays everything is shipping with windows 8. If I had the option, I would have gone with windows 7 professional. I have machines that are windows 7 and Linux, and osx, but have so far avoided windows 8.
Have any of you transitioned to 8? Is it worth trying to use, or should I just immediately wipe the HD and install 7?
I am going to be using this mostly for homework, also Ms visual studio as well as other development and networking tools and the like.

(I am in my junior year studying IT, and make it a point to at least learn the basics of all of the OS's out there, but with such slow adoption, it hardly seems worth it to bother with 8. Almost a windows ME repeat).

[jclar]

There's nothing wrong with it. Most of the people that 'hate' it either haven't used it, or used it for 10 minutes and can't bear to accept the fact that Microsoft has finally changed something for the first time in 15+ years.

It will certainly take some getting used to, and it's definitely better with touch devices, but it operates perfectly fine.

[pmat]

I have not tried 8, but as far as wiping and installing 7, i have heard that most new computers are bios-locked into windows 8 only. There is a way to make 8 look and act just like 7, dont know much more about it then that though.

[jclar]

I have not tried 8, but as far as wiping and installing 7, i have heard that most new computers are bios-locked into windows 8 only. There is a way to make 8 look and act just like 7, dont know much more about it then that though.

Not true. You can turn Secure Boot off in every Win8 PC's UEFI I have seen(many, from many manufacturers) which allows the installation of older OS's such as Win7.

The only problem you may run into when downgrading from W8 to W7 is driver availability which can sometimes be a little difficult, believe it or not. They're all out there, it's just a matter of hunting them down.

[funcrew]

As a crusty old guy, I hate W8 with a passion. My son installed the beta version, and even with 4 months of practice, I found that it took 5 clicks to do anything that it only took 2 clicks to do in W7. Learning curve problem due to to my age and lack of mental flexibility? Maybe so, but I found it so impossible to live with that I wiped it and went back to W7. It felt like Microsoft was saying F-you, customer, we don't care what you want, we'll tell you what's best for you. The fact that W8's market share is TINY at this stage of the rollout says that I'm not alone in my hatred of the product.

[Threehz]

I've been using 8 for about two months now and recently installed it on my old desktop because I actually like it and feel it's slightly faster. It's also smaller than Windows 7 if I recall correctly, a huge step for Microsoft.

I've also used it on their new tablet and it truly shines on there. Personally I thought the new Windows tablet makes the iPad look like shit, but maybe it was just nice to play with something new?

Overall very easy to get used to, Google hot key combinations and accessing all the normal things an IT guy will want is much easier. Windows key + X will become your friend.

From the start screen (which is the new fancy part of 8) you can access desktop a number of simple ways and that brings you to the normal Windows 7 type interface, nothing new, and that is where I spend 98% of my time.

Overall an improvement IMHO.

[flyboyx]

i purchased a mac laptop about 8 or 10 months ago. haven't touched a pc since. i hope to never have to either.

[kickinindian]

i purchased a mac laptop about 8 or 10 months ago. haven't touched a pc since. i hope to never have to either.

[turge]

I've been using 8 for about two months now and recently installed it on my old desktop because I actually like it and feel it's slightly faster. It's also smaller than Windows 7 if I recall correctly, a huge step for Microsoft.

I've also used it on their new tablet and it truly shines on there. Personally I thought the new Windows tablet makes the iPad look like shit, but maybe it was just nice to play with something new?

Overall very easy to get used to, Google hot key combinations and accessing all the normal things an IT guy will want is much easier. Windows key + X will become your friend.

From the start screen (which is the new fancy part of 8) you can access desktop a number of simple ways and that brings you to the normal Windows 7 type interface, nothing new, and that is where I spend 98% of my time.

Overall an improvement IMHO.

Faster.... maybe... but Metro is shit. I'll wait for Win9. M$ always fucks up on even numbered builds. Example being, Win ME, Win Vista, and now 8.

[kickinindian]

Faster.... maybe... but Metro is shit. I'll wait for Win9. M$ always fucks up on even numbered builds. Example being, Win ME, Win Vista, and now 8.

[tim88325is]

I found that it took 5 clicks to do anything that it only took 2 clicks to do in W7.

- this is the biggest drag...

and Windows update is screwed up, I haven't had it update correctly on its own in months.

[Andy.B]

Not true. You can turn Secure Boot off in every Win8 PC's UEFI I have seen(many, from many manufacturers) which allows the installation of older OS's such as Win7.

The only problem you may run into when downgrading from W8 to W7 is driver availability which can sometimes be a little difficult, believe it or not. They're all out there, it's just a matter of hunting them down.

The laptop I bought, (Dell 14z 5423, bought for dirt cheap) originally shipped with 7, but transitioned to 8, so I know all the 7 drivers are really available.

It looks like I will have to use an Ubuntu live boot to clear the hdd and sdd metadata to get the the raid working, but it's been done before, so no worries there.

I'm going to give windows 8 a shot though. We'll see how I feel about it when I get the thing tonight.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[Threehz]

i purchased a mac laptop about 8 or 10 months ago. haven't touched a pc since. i hope to never have to either.

I've looked at macs. The new new iMacs are pretty. I can also build a PC that is faster than the top of the line iMac for less money than the lowest end one. The OS on macs annoys the hell out of me too.

[Andy.B]

What a confusing mess! It seems like they smashed windows 7 and the xbox 360 dashboard together and called it a day. Why anyone would use the metro side of it on a PC/laptop is beyond me. Fortunately, with apps I was able to retrofit a start menu, and largely disable the metro ui. I'm thinking the next weekend I have free time I'll be installing 7.

[e3089]

- this is the biggest drag...

and Windows update is screwed up, I haven't had it update correctly on its own in months.

I absolutely agree with this, it's as if you need solve a math problem to perform a simple task. I purchased a new laptop with windows 8 and returned it, luckily I managed to find a new one with windows 7 which I presume now will be vietually impossible to find unless you purchase the software separately.