Is Windows 8 really that bad? (Windows 7 user)

[Fardringle]

Windows 8 is really awful to use (for me) with a mouse and no touch screen. It was pretty nice on a tablet with a touch screen.

I'm still not a fan of 8.1, but it is at least usable as a desktop/workstation.

 

[pcunite]

Just wait until 9 comes out. There is no reason for a Windows 7 user to move to 8.1 ... in my opinion.

 

[GeekNick]

I switched from XP to 8 and was very much amazed with it's functionality and simplicity. Of course, 8 was designed to be used mostly in Metro UI, but the Desktop view is no worse than 7. In fact, I used 7 for some time on another computer, but I simply can't imagine myself working on it when there is 8.
The 8.1 update gave me some pain and I've decided to return to 8. It has some nifty features, but nothing THAT great. So I'll wait while they fix everything (though, not sure that they'' succeed - MS it is)

 

[John Connor]

Hope 9 doesn't have metro.

 

[notposting]

I still think it needs to be more intelligent -- on a tablet? Sure, metro mode would be great. I use Windows Phone and it works great on there. But on devices with no touch input? Default should be old desktop style. Touchscreen available, make the metro mode default, but changeable (in case of laptops or all in ones).

We picked up a new laptop this summer, has a touchscreen that is occasionally handy (we have a 3 year old) but for the most part it is used conventionally. The idea of a) me using it, or b) my wife trying to use it, led me to install Start8 and ModernMix. So it basically works like a Windows 7 Service Pack at this point.

My 2 cents.

 

[XiandreX]

Workflow is no different on W8 desktop than it is on W7 desktop.

Yeah I have to agree with you on that. Other than start menu and launch to desktop I have not felt any reduction in work flow personally. Its different, I get it. My brother still uses WinXP at work because he hates change and it "works".

I however welcome change and other than some minor UI gripes Windows 8.1 has been a pleasure to use. In fact when I am in the Metro UI side of things I seldom use the mouse, just quick type and enter to launch which can be done from desktop anyways.

I use Classic shell + ObjectDock Plus 2. Though ObjectDock is not needed just a personal choice.

 

[XiandreX]

I switched from XP to 8 and was very much amazed with it's functionality and simplicity. Of course, 8 was designed to be used mostly in Metro UI, but the Desktop view is no worse than 7. In fact, I used 7 for some time on another computer, but I simply can't imagine myself working on it when there is 8.
The 8.1 update gave me some pain and I've decided to return to 8. It has some nifty features, but nothing THAT great. So I'll wait while they fix everything (though, not sure that they'' succeed - MS it is)

I am curious what pain the 8.1 update gave you. It was extremely simple for the bunch of desktops/laptops I have done the upgrade on. I am honestly curious.

 

[Remobz]

Windows 8 is really awful to use (for me) with a mouse and no touch screen. It was pretty nice on a tablet with a touch screen.

I'm still not a fan of 8.1, but it is at least usable as a desktop/workstation.

Same here. I hate Windows 8 personally.

I am still hesitant to upgrade to 8.1 because of potential upgrade problems so many people are complaining about.

 

[G73S]

Same here. I hate Windows 8 personally.

I am still hesitant to upgrade to 8.1 because of potential upgrade problems so many people are complaining about.

if you don't update your drivers before upgrading then you will face problems. Sensitve stuff to udpate include the Bluetooth, VGA, WLAN drivers

 

[Mark R]

I am curious what pain the 8.1 update gave you. It was extremely simple for the bunch of desktops/laptops I have done the upgrade on. I am honestly curious.

Very little functional difference.

Main benefit was the ability to disable metro.

 

[G73S]

Very little functional difference.

Main benefit was the ability to disable metro.

how is that? how can you disable Metro completely? I am not aware of that. The only difference I see is the ability to boot directly to the desktop.

Heck, with Windows 8.1 you cannot uninstall the stupid Metro Photos app only thing you can uninstall is the Music, Video, etc. but not Photos or webcam

 

[Kaido]

I like Windows 7 fine but am worried about 8 like I was worried about Vista and my worst nightmares came true with the latter. Is 8 another hell?

Yes and no. If you tweak it, it's not bad. I still prefer Windows 7. Hated Vista. Loved 2000 & XP SP3. Here's basically what I do:

1. Install StartMenu8 (free tool to add a real Start Menu button & boots straight to the desktop instead of into Metro)

2. Turn off UAC, Action Center, Smartscreen, etc. Just use Windows Defender, Windows Firewall (or Tinywall), Malwarebytes Live, and Chrome instead.

3. Metro is great on a touchscreen....with a mouse, it's not all that fun. But even with a touchscreen, meh. I have an 11.6" Lenovo or something as my work portable & I rarely use the touchscreen.

 

[Mark R]

how is that? how can you disable Metro completely? I am not aware of that. The only difference I see is the ability to boot directly to the desktop.

Heck, with Windows 8.1 you cannot uninstall the stupid Metro Photos app only thing you can uninstall is the Music, Video, etc. but not Photos or webcam

I'm guessing it's not completely disabled, and is still there. But I haven't seen it for weeks.

Just set up desktop apps as defaults for music, photos, videos, etc.

There is improved multi-monitor stuff in 8.1 - click on an app in the taskbar and you can maximize/restore the window onto any monitor you choose (Useful with apps that start up off screen, or where the window can get "lost"). You can also run metro-apps/desktop split screen, although I personally see no reason to do that.

 

[ElFenix]

i'm using windows 8.1 on my secondary computer and it's fine. i've used the quick launch for my programs rather than the start menu pretty much forever, so once i enabled that i've barely touched the start screen. i haven't bothered finding the boot to desktop option because it's literally one click to get to the desktop from the start screen.

 

[flexy]

The time/effort/money to required to update from 7 --> 8 --> 8.1 are NOT worth it.

If 8.1 offers any improvements, they're under the hood and not obvious. And of course you get a lot of annoyances thrown in as a bonus.

Do me a favor...all those who upgraded from 7, make a list of the "advantages" (say: ADVANTAGES) you now have over 7.

 

[G73S]

The time/effort/money to required to update from 7 --> 8 --> 8.1 are NOT worth it.

If 8.1 offers any improvements, they're under the hood and not obvious. And of course you get a lot of annoyances thrown in as a bonus.

Do me a favor...all those who upgraded from 7, make a list of the "advantages" (say: ADVANTAGES) you now have over 7.

better support for Haswell CPUs (performance wise)

Disadvantages thoug: over 20

vedict, Windows 7 FTW

PS: I am forced to use Windows 8.1 as my Asus laptop's keyboard acts crazy on 7, like when am typing the letters jump and start entering jibberish despite me installing the Keyboard Device Filter driver for Windows 7

 

[Mark R]

Much better multi-monitor handling. Like having an add-on utility like ultramon, but it's native.

Much more power in explorer windows. Want a command prompt opened at a specific folder? two clicks and it's open and waiting at your chosen directory.

Pretty impressive VPN support, wifi network management, wifi tethering, etc.

 

[BrandoCommando]

I installed Windows 8.1 coming from Windows 7 and I feel Windows 8.1 overall is a better OS. It took some getting used to and some tweaking, but overall I like it.

I installed "StartIsBack" to get rid of the metro and restore Windows 7 start menu, but I honestly find myself not using it often. Main use is just to shut down the system and that can be accomplished by keyboard shortcuts.

Overall I feel the OS is snappier in response and very snazzy looking. Just my $.02

 

[bbhaag]

i'm using windows 8.1 on my secondary computer and it's fine. i've used the quick launch for my programs rather than the start menu pretty much forever, so once i enabled that i've barely touched the start screen. i haven't bothered finding the boot to desktop option because it's literally one click to get to the desktop from the start screen.

All you have to do is right click on the taskbar and click properties. There is a tab called Navigation if you click on that you can choose the boot to desktop option. There are several other options there as well such as disabling charms bar in upper left and going to the App screen instead of start.
I know you said you don't care but just throwing it out there if you decide to change your mind.

I installed Windows 8.1 coming from Windows 7 and I feel Windows 8.1 overall is a better OS. It took some getting used to and some tweaking, but overall I like it.

I installed "StartIsBack" to get rid of the metro and restore Windows 7 start menu, but I honestly find myself not using it often. Main use is just to shut down the system and that can be accomplished by keyboard shortcuts.

Overall I feel the OS is snappier in response and very snazzy looking. Just my $.02

If you're running 8.1 there is a nice power user shortcut for shut down, rebooting, or logging out. All you have to do is right click on the start button and look for the option to shutdown or sign out.
Since you have Start is back installed it maybe different. I don't use any third party apps so I'm not sure.

 

[Morbus]

Oh, and "power user" here is totally misleading. It's just a dumbed down start menu. It's basically everything that you have in Window 7's start menu, except with no applications.

And it's also slow as hell, for some reason. It's not unoften that it takes almost a whole second to load just that tiny contextual menu. It's a joke, really. If that is power user oriented, then my coffee machine is an industrial workstation.

 

[bbhaag]

A whole second to load? That does seem slow. Mine is instantaneous like it only takes maybe 5ms. Maybe your system isn't configured properly?

 

[Morbus]

It's probably configured (it's my work computer), but it's just abused with heavy software and whatnot. What is a joke is that the start screen loads flawlessly, all the time, so I'm thinking that contextual menu on the start button is actually a very high level addon, and it depends on a lot of stuff to work.

A joke, as I said.

 

[ultimatebob]

Ya know, I noticed that a lot less people come out to defend Windows 8 nowadays. I guess that Microsoft stopped sending them checks

That said, Windows 8.1 isn't all that bad. Even if you end up totally hating the new Start screen, you can always put Classic Shell on there and bypass it entirely.

 

[bbhaag]

Well just trying to help. No one knows your system better than you do so if everything is properly configured then I'm not sure.

 

[Imaginer]

Ya know, I noticed that a lot less people come out to defend Windows 8 nowadays. I guess that Microsoft stopped sending them checks

No need, that $15 copy I put on my PC PLUS the Surface Pro, and I am happy. It would be over-generous if I received both for free.

I want to see this solution grow and mature, not being slandered for things that are superficial. Not to say, I am completely happy, but for the most part, it works well enough.