Windows 8 worth it?

[sswilson]

So far I'm fairly happy with win8 on a touch screen. Driver support out of the box was great (everything but my gmeter), The mail app picked up gmail without any issues at all (blackberry OS anybody?), finding a free ebook reader through the app store was painless (works well), the Metro touchscreen browser works well, and as has been mentioned, it does actually boot really quickly.

OTOH, getting the toolbars to appear by swiping the edge of the touchpad is a bit finicky, and the feature for "closing" apps (L/H swipe to display current apps, select and flick down the app you want to close) only seems to work about 25% of the time.

[croy_00]

I am running Windows 8 on all three PC's in my house and am loving it. One thing people tend to overlook is it's media capabilities. I am running it on my HTPC, and with the Netflix app, Hulu app, Windows Media Center all added in there (using unblock-us of course) it is a solid media center OS.

[Arinoth]

Moving back to Windows 7, too many little issues behind the scenes that's causing me headaches.

One of the big ones is Windows 8 does not network nicely with other Windows UNLESS it's with a homegroup, otherwise ALL bets are off.

I also think Win 8 drivers are causing my gpu loading to jump all over the place.

[Fingercramps]

The thing is, as a desktop user without a Touch Screen I feel like I would find Windows 8 too tedious as most of us are accustom to using a mouse and keyboard with an OS that we are all familiar with. Windows 8 to me is either me not being able to change with the times as far as OS's go or it is really just that bad.

Though I am glad they improved start up time, snappiness and driver support. But Its not enough to move me from Win7

[tethlah]

It's more than that, better security, better network support, better everything. I don't understand why people are having such are hard time with this, win8 is win7 just upgraded and improved with an added mobile overlay that you can actually turn off. Just get win8, turn off the modern ui, and add the start menu if you really want it. Takes all of about 10 minutes one time when you first get the OS installed. If you don't like improvements, keep using inferior products, pretty simple. Just don't sit around claiming its the changes to the improved product that detracts you from buying as opposed to your inability to adjust or mold the new product to your needs. Hell, for a lot of people it just seems like it's straight fear.

[Fingercramps]

Originally Posted by tethlah

It's more than that, better security, better network support, better everything. I don't understand why people are having such are hard time with this, win8 is win7 just upgraded and improved with an added mobile overlay that you can actually turn off. Just get win8, turn off the modern ui, and add the start menu if you really want it. Takes all of about 10 minutes one time when you first get the OS installed. If you don't like improvements, keep using inferior products, pretty simple. Just don't sit around claiming its the changes to the improved product that detracts you from buying as opposed to your inability to adjust or mold the new product to your needs. Hell, for a lot of people it just seems like it's straight fear.

As I stated it might just be me not being able to adjust to Win8 but I'll still most likely buy it and try it out until I know for sure.

[sswilson]

Originally Posted by tethlah

It's more than that, better security, better network support, better everything. I don't understand why people are having such are hard time with this, win8 is win7 just upgraded and improved with an added mobile overlay that you can actually turn off. Just get win8, turn off the modern ui, and add the start menu if you really want it. Takes all of about 10 minutes one time when you first get the OS installed. If you don't like improvements, keep using inferior products, pretty simple. Just don't sit around claiming its the changes to the improved product that detracts you from buying as opposed to your inability to adjust or mold the new product to your needs. Hell, for a lot of people it just seems like it's straight fear.

I missed that part in the M$ help/tutorial.... how exactly do I turn off Metro? And as far as adding a start menu goes... sure I'll do that as soon as M$ provides one, I will not be installing a third party app to do a core function.... we've come a long way since we needed Norton Utilities and I have absolutely no intention of going backwards.

[tethlah]

Originally Posted by sswilson

I missed that part in the M$ help/tutorial.... how exactly do I turn off Metro? And as far as adding a start menu goes... sure I'll do that as soon as M$ provides one, I will not be installing a third party app to do a core function.... we've come a long way since we needed Norton Utilities and I have absolutely no intention of going backwards.

Then keep windows 7. If you install games on your computer you are quite accustomed to installing 3rd party software, I don't get why people are making such a big deal about it. And fyi, there are about a thousand things that your OS can do and you can change it to do that are not a part of supported company tutorials, there is a very good reason for that.

[sswilson]

Originally Posted by tethlah

Then keep windows 7. If you install games on your computer you are quite accustomed to installing 3rd party software, I don't get why people are making such a big deal about it. And fyi, there are about a thousand things that your OS can do and you can change it to do that are not a part of supported company tutorials, there is a very good reason for that.

So again... how exactly do we turn off metro? Sorry, but I'm calling you out on this statement. Just like a previous suggestion by a member to "use the windows button" to get start button fuctionality, I suspect it doesn't do anything at all like what you're suggesting.

Metro isn't a skin, that's the whole point of why we're where we are with opposition to win8.

[JJThomp]

Originally Posted by sswilson

sure I'll do that as soon as M$ provides one, I will not be installing a third party app to do a core function...

See this argument is essentially "I don't like windows 8 because I am stubborn" there is a replacement for the start menu the core function is there in windows 8. If you don't like the way it is implemented you have 3rd party options. It's like me refusing to use Windows 7 because League of Legends doesn't come pre-installed on it, League of Legends is essentially the main function of my computer but that doesn't stop me from installing it.

In short the core function is there if you think it will improve your experience get the third party app.