Windows 8.1 your opinion

[cbrunny]

Love windows 8.1. I run it vanilla on two machines & really like it.

 

[glugglug]

Tried Windows 8 (and 8.1RTM) for 3 weeks before giving up.

Too many compatibility issues all over the place. Most of those I see are supposedly now fixed from reading online. There is supposed to be a major service pack for it released this spring, which gives you an idea of how solid the initial 8.1 release is. Will see how things are looking after that point.

One 8.1 advantage I did like was the majorly improved file copy interface. The Win7 file copy is going much slower for LAN file copies, even with Teracopy.... I don't think this used to be the case, kind of wondering if Win7 copy was nerfed to make the difference more obvious.

 

[denis280]

One 8.1 advantage I did like was the majorly improved file copy interface. The Win7 file copy is going much slower for LAN file copies, even with Teracopy.... I don't think this used to be the case, kind of wondering if Win7 copy was nerfed to make the difference more obvious.

Yes it is.but still you got fed up too. More and More i here complain about it.and you are one more.the numbers are rising

 

[Matt1970]

The quick booting is nice.

 

[XiandreX]

Windows 8.1 for all intents and purposes is a big step from Windows 7. It has better security, better file management faster boot / shutdown times and for most users has less resource requirements. Its still new so tweaks must be made but in the grand scheme of things it is pointless to use Windows 7 at this point regardless of how popular it is.
All you need to do (for most people) is install Classic shell (or equivalent) and you are looking at a clone of Windows 7 + behind the scenes improvements.

The fact that Windows 8 pro has downgrade rights is Icing on the cake. Anyone that tells you differently hasn't given it enough time or has legacy software that is picky.
This is my opinion but is shared by a fair amount of people at this point.

 

[hclarkjr]

i like it and have run 8 since it hit technet. i am even buying a dell venue 11 tablet to see how 8 is on touchscreen. that is how much i like windows 8

 

[Mem]

Yes it is.but still you got fed up too. More and More i here complain about it.and you are one more.the numbers are rising

Plenty of people that do like it as well,over at OCUK forums there are much more positive about Win8,personally I think its fine and very easy to use.

Change and clinging on to the past can be frightening for some people.
Btw I can't wait to see the Win9,10 hate thread in the future, do I book my front seat now .

 

[Berryracer]

The quick booting is nice.

that's a gimmick, the OS doesn't completely load its just the desktop but then [stuff] starts loading slowly. end of the day, they're exactly the same as to when a program actually launches after you double click on the shortcut

No profanity in the tech forums, please
-ViRGE

 

[Carfax83]

I love Windows 8.1 Pro. It's faster and more secure than Windows 7 by a considerable margin, and rock solid stable.

I highly recommend doing a clean install instead of an upgrade, although it's more time consuming. Upgrades can result in reduced performance and stability from my experience.

 

[denis280]

I highly recommend doing a clean install instead of an upgrade

I did.and no matter what.don't like it.and also find it slower then 7.and you know what no more GAMES spider freecell.WTF

 

[Mem]

I did.and no matter what.don't like it.and also find it slower then 7.and you know what no more GAMES spider freecell.WTF

Have you bothered to look in Win8 store,plenty of free games like freecell there ,but hey easy to dish Win8 without good cause :hmm: ,I would also say you have a lot more free games in store with Win8 then you ever get with Win7 preloaded.

Btw I find Win8 faster then Win7 on three different systems of mine (all had Win7 before which I also like but its not as fast as Win8/8.1).

 

[Berryracer]

I did.and no matter what.don't like it.and also find it slower then 7.and you know what no more GAMES spider freecell.WTF

Description:
Windows 7 Games adapted for Windows 8 (x86/x64).
Tested/Working on Windows 8 CP/RP/RTM.

Games Included:
- Chess
- FreeCell
- Hearts
- Mahjong
- Minesweeper
- Purble Place
- Solitaire
- Spider Solitaire
- Internet Games

Installation:
- Run x64 setup to install on 64-bit Windows
- Run x86 setup to install on 32-bit Windows

Credits:
- Tito (patcher for Windows 7 game executables)
- Max (Windows 8 integration: Game Explorer, Games menu on
Classic Start, descriptive shortcuts, customizable installer)

Version History:
v1.0 - May 05 2012.
-Initial release
v1.1 - May 19 2012.
-Fixed: Installation errors
-Fixed: FreeCell shortcut in Metro Start
v1.2 - May 21 2012.
-New: Added Internet Games (Backgammon, Checkers, Spades)
-New: x86 version available
-New: Add/Remove components through Programs and Features
-Fixed: Several bugs in setup
-Improved (un)install speed

Download Microsoft Games 1.2

PS: I hate Windows 8

 

[BertolomeoDiaz]

so i built me a new pc and migrated my win 7 over there, but the old rig wasn´t really old or bad so i reassembled that too after a couple weeks and got me a new win 8.1 for that.
i think its ok, even though i´m kind of annoyed by the changes in using it.
can´t find anything right away, keep being thrown back to those tiles when clicking wrong.
but that´s starting to wear off and other than that it seems to be stable and fast.

also, ms will sooner or later force people to change via the directx updates being denied to win 7
(or won´t they? --> mantle is coming)

 

[Remobz]

Can a retail full version of 8.1 be bought online?

Or only through an internet download to upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1?

links would be great if possible?

 

[Matt1970]

that's a gimmick, the OS doesn't completely load its just the desktop but then [stuff] starts loading slowly. end of the day, they're exactly the same as to when a program actually launches after you double click on the shortcut

Not really. In a nutshell it takes a lot of what normally would have boot up and puts it in a hybrid hibernation mode.

 

[ninaholic37]

Change and clinging on to the past can be frightening for some people.
Btw I can't wait to see the Win9,10 hate thread in the future, do I book my front seat now .

If Microsoft put a pile of dog [bits] in a box and called it Windows 9, would you buy it and tell everyone to adapt too? (serious question)

No profanity in the tech forums, please
-ViRGE

 

[antisober]

Running a dual boot (ubuntu) with Windows 8.1. So far I'm liking it. Once you install classic shell it feels more like Windows 7. I still prefer Ubuntu over them both but since the gaming market is pretty lackluster for it I have to use some version of windows. Have noticed higher and much more stable frame rates in 8.1 vs 7 though.

 

[Mem]

If Microsoft put a pile of dog [bits] in a box and called it Windows 9, would you buy it and tell everyone to adapt too? (serious question)

Win8 like previous operating systems does the job it was designed for.

I keep saying this but since DOS days things don't stay the same,either get over it or use Linux(actually don't try Linux because half the guys here can't even handle a simple start button menu change from 7 to 8)any Windows including 8 is not rocket science,its fine to dislike an OS but the amount of FUD about Win8 is unbelievable.

As for serious question,I give you a serious answer when I see a serious thread about Win8 :hmm: .

 

[denis280]

If Microsoft put a pile of dog [bits] in a box and called it Windows 9, would you buy it and tell everyone to adapt too? (serious question)

Now thats not nice.probably sure MS will sit on it.force very hard.then a cd will pop out.

 

[denis280]

Have you bothered to look in Win8 store,plenty of free games like freecell there

Yes i did.

Windows 7 Games adapted for Windows 8 (x86/x64). Tested/Working on Windows 8 CP/RP/RTM.

This too berry.and did you say you hate win 8.

I still prefer Ubuntu

there you go.HEY Guys beside the joking.the fact is.i have family members and customer(older peoples)they started with XP.then they decide to buy a new laptop or desktop with (win8) they are screwed.I know we cant stop new things to come out.but the question is for how long this ms crap will continued.

 

[bbhaag]

Why no Program Manager?


I know it's almost a years since Win95 was released, but even after a
year of almost daily use I'm still trying to get used to it and I hope
someone can offer words of wisdom: I still prefer the Win3.x way of
finding and then launching programs from pretty icons in group windows
in Program Manager rather than, as we do now, with multiple layers of
pure text menus (Start | Programs | many submenus, etc.) I don't like
the length of time it takes to wade through these submenus, and I
particularly don't like the excessive hand/mouse activity it involves.
I especially don't like not having a Program Manager which I can easily
Alt-Tab to in order to get to these icons.

Can someone please help me see this?

 

[ControlD]

Why no Program Manager?


I know it's almost a years since Win95 was released, but even after a
year of almost daily use I'm still trying to get used to it and I hope
someone can offer words of wisdom: I still prefer the Win3.x way of
finding and then launching programs from pretty icons in group windows
in Program Manager rather than, as we do now, with multiple layers of
pure text menus (Start | Programs | many submenus, etc.) I don't like
the length of time it takes to wade through these submenus, and I
particularly don't like the excessive hand/mouse activity it involves.
I especially don't like not having a Program Manager which I can easily
Alt-Tab to in order to get to these icons.

Can someone please help me see this?

Why don't you simply pin your most used applications to either the desktop or the task bar? This is how it has been since Vista and still works fine under Windows 8.x.

If you want your programs in groups of icons, make a folder on your desktop and move shortcuts into it. Open the folder, launch your programs like you did in 1994 with Windows 3.1 and be happy (I do the same thing with my "secondary" apps). You don't need to be constrained to one method of finding and using your programs.

I don't use any start menu replacement programs and I honestly go DAYS without seeing the "Metro" parts of Windows 8. Win +x brings up anything system related I might need. I still have Steam one click away in the task bar like always. I have Chrome, Office, Exlorer and my other most used apps pinned to the task bar. Everything is pretty much as it was with Windows 7. I don't see the big deal here.

 

[glugglug]

Why no Program Manager?


I know it's almost a years since Win95 was released, but even after a
year of almost daily use I'm still trying to get used to it and I hope
someone can offer words of wisdom: I still prefer the Win3.x way of
finding and then launching programs from pretty icons in group windows
in Program Manager rather than, as we do now, with multiple layers of
pure text menus (Start | Programs | many submenus, etc.) I don't like
the length of time it takes to wade through these submenus, and I
particularly don't like the excessive hand/mouse activity it involves.
I especially don't like not having a Program Manager which I can easily
Alt-Tab to in order to get to these icons.

Can someone please help me see this?

The windows 3.1 program manager and file manager work fine on Windows 95 and I would bet it would even work on 32-bit Windows 7. If you installed 95 as an upgrade, the binary would still be there in the \Windows directory.

Since the start menu was such an obvious improvement, I don't know anyone who continued to use the program manager more than a week or so after installing 95.

Such is obviously not the case for Windows 8.

 

[Kaido]

Metro = absolutely dire awful UI

The rest of it, tolerable with classic start etc.

I was in the same camp until I used Win8 on a touchscreen computer. I won't use a Windows 8 PC without StartMenu8 still, but after using Windows 8 on an AIO, a touchscreen laptop, and a Surface Pro 2...I can see how it makes sense. I'm not saying I like it, but it is pretty cool on a touchscreen. Without that touch interface, it's pretty annoying.

Once I install StartMenu8 & do my tweaks, it's pretty much just an uglier version of Windows 7. But it's usable. Definitely feels like 2 operating systems mashed into one. There's still a bunch of stuff I haven't figured out (not really motivated to), but I learn stuff here & there like the Metro & Charms hotkeys, that definitely helps. It's not as hopeless as I initially deemed it to be.

The operating system discussion is a difficult one. On one hand, you want something that works. On the other hand, you want something new, fresh, and excited, and you need to keep making sales. Apple has gotten a lot of flack for not updating OSX & iOS very much, but personally I like that. In OSX, I can dock my most-used apps on the bottom and instantly find any file using Spotlight. That's...pretty much my requirements for using my computer - use apps, find files With Windows 8 OOTB, I just had no idea how to use it - I had to do a google search just to figure out how to shut the stupid thing down haha.

 

[jjsbasmt]

Been using 8/8.1 for nearly 2 years and have seen it evolve into a superb operating system from the first incarnation in beta/test versions. I'm "lovin it". I'm impressed with the speedy boot and shutdown. About the only hiccups that I get is an occasionally quirky back button in IE 11. Got it on both my desktop and notebook. I have liquidated my remaining licenses for Win 7 to those that prefer 7; I'm not wanting to look back. 7 was wonderful for me, but 8 is just a tad bit better.