Windows 8 review

Nice one Microsoft..

But not, I suspect in the way they intended...

I should at this point state that I have a Windows Phone 7 handset and I hate it. Microsoft have done half a job, not a very good one, and have left us all in the lurch by abandoning WP7 in favour of Windows 8 development. This may have coloured my perceptions, however I am doing my best to be objective; I still don't foresee Windows 8 being anything more than a jack of all trades and master of none.

As an experienced user of computers - I've had a PC since 1994 and many other computers previously - I am used to the way the standard GUI works and I like it. I doubt I am alone in this, and many other power-users such as myself will feel disinclined to waste time and productivity learning new ways to do the same tasks and will simply stick with their current version of Windows.

Businesses especially will be in this bracket I suspect. What CEO will want to waste time and money in the current economic climate training every single employee in the new GUI? Any who does make the bold change may well find their IT Support drown in a deluge of 'How do I do X?' calls from frustrated users. I can foresee some Sys Admins tearing their hair out when users have inadvertently killed their systems by doing something by mistake. From what you have said in your review I don't think it would be a viable options - is it even possible? - to restrict access to the Desktop GUI to Admins due to some options the average user would need only being available there.

As you will have gathered I do not share your enthusiasm for Windows 8, and there is another issue which neither you, nor Microsoft, has given much notice to - Linux. In previous years the main objection of the average user to moving to Linux as their desktop OS has been familiarity - they don't want to learn new ways of doing things. However, if Microsoft are now going to force the issue on them I suspect people will realise that the Linux GUI as it is now is much closer to their familiar Windows interface that the new Windows 8 GUI.

The horrible mishmash of having to swap between the two GUIs sounds particularly heinous and not very well thought out at all. Surely it would have been better to give users at the point of installation the choice of which they wanted to use? Users such as myself with a mouse and keyboard would choose the traditional interface, whilst those with a touch interface would choose the new look Windows 8 interface.

It seems very much as if Microsoft are continuing their trend of dumbing down and hiding the more complex (and therefore useful to the technically adept user) features away in obscure places. This is yet another reason why users such as myself will not be giving Windows 8 a second glance. I can see businesses - if they do choose to change OS at all - moving to Linux. While there may be a short term issue in training desktop users it would be much less than with Windows 8, and without having to pay a penny for all the licensing and installations. While the IT Support changes may cost in the short term, in the long run the savings would be likely to outweigh any short term aggravation.

In summary then, power users of Windows will, I think, in the main stick with Windows 7 - that's if they've moved from XP which is doubtful. Ditto companies. Any who do feel the need to change but who want to retain a more familiar GUI will jump ship to Linux.

As I said in the subject.. Nice one Microsoft!

By CeltiKaos on 28 Aug 2012

Something I forgot to mention..

'What could he have missed in that diatribe?' you're thinking..

Simple. Internet Explorer 10 as the default and only browser? I seem to recall the whole reason Windows 7 had the browser chooser added to it was Microsoft getting a record fine from the EU for anti-competitist behaviour. Surely they've not gone back to their old ways already? I'm sure the ruling stipulated that all future versions of Windows had to give the option, not just Windows 7?

By CeltiKaos on 28 Aug 2012

Something I forgot to mention..

'What could he have missed in that diatribe?' you're thinking..

Simple. Internet Explorer 10 as the default and only browser? I seem to recall the whole reason Windows 7 had the browser chooser added to it was Microsoft getting a record fine from the EU for anti-competitist behaviour. Surely they've not gone back to their old ways already? I'm sure the ruling stipulated that all future versions of Windows had to give the option, not just Windows 7?

By CeltiKaos on 28 Aug 2012

Something I forgot to mention..

'What could he have missed in that diatribe?' you're thinking..

Simple. Internet Explorer 10 as the default and only browser? I seem to recall the whole reason Windows 7 had the browser chooser added to it was Microsoft getting a record fine from the EU for anti-competitist behaviour. Surely they've not gone back to their old ways already? I'm sure the ruling stipulated that all future versions of Windows had to give the option, not just Windows 7?

By CeltiKaos on 28 Aug 2012

CLUTTERED

Just looks very cluttered too much on the screen and you can't see anything less is more.

By IMACOMPUTERBUDDI on 28 Aug 2012

A Murphy

I've run every version of Windows since 3.1 and this is a disaster. XP was the first really stable Windows and many still use it. Windows 7 is the best by far and is what Vista should have been. Windows 8 is fine for tablets users but awful on a desktop and no amount of switching back and forth will ease that pain. Unfortunately buyers of new PCs will find themselves saddled with this mish mash but I will be sticking to W7 until they'd have a rethink ...

By alathays on 29 Aug 2012

Memories of Vista

I've been using the RTM as my main OS since it's release on my macbook retina, just to see if it was worth upgrading my Win 7 based gaming destop. So far I have very few nice things to say about it. Having to float the mouse into corners to get to the menu or switch between desktop and start menu is a TERRIBLE idea. These kind of menus always annoy me on latops/bloatware desktops and are the first thing to get disabled. Making it a core part of the OS is infuriating. Need to search for something? float you mouse in the corner and hope the menu pops out long enough for you to click on something. Searhing for stuff is also a real pain from the destop. Instead of one button click then type what you're looking for, you now have to do your search XP style, clicking several times then selecting the type of thing you are looking for. Turning the machine off is equally painful.

I make the Vista reference due to things being hidden away for no good reason. Choosing standard programs through the start screen simply takes you to the destop with the app started up. Isn't that what desktop icons did, but without having to switch screens? The only reason I can think of for doing this is so that you use all your programs through the app store, so that MS can take a 30% cut on the programs sale.

On the positive side, the OS is indeed very snappy. This coupled with the new context sensitive menu bars on the windows themselves make for some impressive additions to productivity and tinkering if you stick to the desktop. I can also see the OS working very well with touch screens, not a huge surprise considering MS are bringing out their Surface tablets at the same time as the OS. I'm guessing Windows 8 phones are not far off either and I imagine they will work quite well with this.

Basically, if you're using a desktop or latop, avoid this like the plague, at least until Microsoft decide that you don't have to boot into the start menu every time.

By WebDevCov on 29 Aug 2012

PZ

I am not a computer geek. Windows 8 seems to have a big upgrade - it looks like application that we can see nowadays in smartphones or tablets. However, I am not looking forward on this, it just seems the same to me in terms of creating 'shortcut' in the dekstop. Why should I get Windows 8 with all the application in the PC while I can get it all in tablets/smartphone? A bit disappointed to this upgrade version of Windows 8.

By alexanderccy on 29 Aug 2012

Get over with it

I like you was not very impressed when I first ran it but after a bit I find it very interesting. All you nay Sayers need to just install it and try running it. I like all my programs there sorted by me and ready to use. It is snappier and loads super fast especially with my ssd drives. The mouse into the corner is a little bizarre and on a two monitor system sucks at the interface between the monitors. Always sliding over to the next monitor. From the looks of the comments here most who hate it have not tried it long enough to figure it out. Some are probably still running XP because they are "power users" or some such silly excuse.
This is a good upgrade from my use of it. Let me say I hated it in beta but that was because I just did not give it a fair shot. Now that I have I am becoming a convert.

By Butcher99 on 8 Apr 2013

Get over with it

I like you was not very impressed when I first ran it but after a bit I find it very interesting. All you nay Sayers need to just install it and try running it. I like all my programs there sorted by me and ready to use. It is snappier and loads super fast especially with my ssd drives. The mouse into the corner is a little bizarre and on a two monitor system sucks at the interface between the monitors. Always sliding over to the next monitor. From the looks of the comments here most who hate it have not tried it long enough to figure it out. Some are probably still running XP because they are "power users" or some such silly excuse.
This is a good upgrade from my use of it. Let me say I hated it in beta but that was because I just did not give it a fair shot. Now that I have I am becoming a convert.

By Butcher99 on 8 Apr 2013