All hail Windows 7!

[semaphore]

I see your point. If you are on 7 without problems, stay with 7. In my case I was due for an upgrade anyway so I could be biased.But if you're getting a new PC I don't a reason to stay with 7. The transition between the two is smooth.

Actually, I only held out for about 2 weeks before I installed Win8 :P

<----- likes shiny new baubles

Still, I dislike the direction Microsoft seems to be headed with Win8 and the way they actually executed the Win8 concept, so I vent about it here and there.

[stuck4cash]

I was told that Microsoft has 2 primary development teams and that they've been alternating releases since Windows 98. This is why every other version of Windows is a pile of crap.

98 - good
ME - god awful
XP - good
Vista - god awful
7 - good
8 - ???

Totally makes sense if there is any truth in it, though my favorite ad campaign was the one for Vista. If you don't remember, the entire ad campaign was "Vista, it's not as bad as they say it is!"

What about Windows 2000?

Seriously think about it for a second, 98 and ME aren't even in the same family of OSs as XP onwards. Secondly, Vista actually has a *lot* of good features, I'd argue that it is better than XP underneath (with SP) as would a lot of people that used Windows Server 2008 (since it's the same core and was their best server product by far).

And Windows 98 was basically just a bunch of service packs on from windows 95.

I'd argue that it's their new groundbreaking OSs that have let them down. They put something new and awesome in but waste so much time on it that they have to rush everything else through (all of the User Interface things which is why it feels so bad). Of course, the exception is ME, that was just terrible.

[DeltrusDisc]

I didn't have to because I didn't waste my time or money updating....

[Dedweight]

Vista - god awful

If you don't remember, the entire ad campaign was "Vista, it's not as bad as they say it is!"

I'm guessing you haven't used Vista since it's initial release? SP1 fixed a lot of the stability issues that Vista had, it's actually pretty decent now.

[Lilfrier]

I find it funny how it seems the far majority of people who have bought it (such as myself), say its great, but the people who dont have it, hate it.

Sure, there are the occasional few such as the OP that hate it, but I'm loving windows 8 and I do believe its worth the upgrade. I was alienated by the start menu at first (like 3 days), but it does have the same functionality, just type and it will search. Thats all people really used the old one for anyway right?

Agreed. I actually got a full copy (not an upgrade) of Windows 8 Pro from my school for being a Computer Science major, but I would have bought the $40 upgrade at Christmas either way.

I love Xbox Music already, though ads suck (even if they are expected and reasonably-spaced apart). Having the apps on your computer is pretty nice. I'm particularly fond of the Mail app, and having the weather right there is nice, even if I don't make use of the weather in real life (I'm wearing the same thing when it's 40 degrees in November as I do when it's 90 degrees in July). I've only tried a few games, but Jetpack Joyride is a neat one. Minesweeper is the same as ever (for the most part--they added different modes and challenges, EVEN DAILIES!!!), and I installed another game called Flow, but have not yet tried it. The browser is a LITTLE annoying (the non-desktop one), but not too much so.

I really only have one legitimate complaint, and it is that the browser does not alert you that multiple tabs will be closed. Since the tabs are not in your face (they're hidden above), I don't remember what I have open and Alt+F4 out of the browser with other stuff open, which is annoying but simply a habit to break myself of. That, and when you close every tab with Ctrl+W, closing the final tab opens a blank one, rather than closing the browser. I've had a few crashes of applications, but that isn't unexpected, and I'm sure we will see updates to fix that.

The UI isn't AT ALL hard to figure out, so I'll admit that those who have not REALLY tried it (going to Best Buy and whining for 45 seconds doesn't count) should probably just shut up. Like it has been said: there is an adjustment period, but after that, you arguably become MORE productive, and there is simply more to do. If I was to rate it, I'd say probably an 8.5, knocking off points for the occasional crashing and the browser. If/when the crashing gets fixed, I'd certainly give it a 9.

Note: I won't give anything a 10. I'd give Windows 7 a 9 as well, with this having the potential of a 9.5 (yes, meaning it would be a little better than Windows 7) as I adjust to it more.

[tetrisGOAT]

There are several discussions up about Windows 8 and how it differs to Windows 7 already.
And frankly, this brings nothing constructive to the table.

Thread closed.