windows 7 64 bit or windows 8?

[Saeran]

Windows 8.1 all the way. I boot straight to desktop on tbh, don't even bother with classic shell. Boot up time with SSD is seconds rather than the ow so long boot up on my partners's win7 system.

[ITIorpheus]

Windows 7 is more for gaming, windows 8 is shit designed for touch screens and for casual computer users.

[Sainur]

I would rather downgrade to Windows XP than install Windows 7 on my system.

[Deleted]

Lot's of bullshit here as is usually the case in Win 7 vs. Win 8 topics. People can't cope with change.
You can use Win 8 pretty much exactly as Win 7, albeit the start menu will be full screen and a bit different. Really I don't get what's so ****ing different about starting a program via a fullscreen menu rather than a small menu in the bottom left corner. And you can even get a "Win 7" startmenu back with 3rd party apps.
Other than that Win 8 looks a lot better, it doesn't have the stupid blur/diamond/fancy shitty effects on every panel.

Yes, you will have to get used to some other stuff being different. Big deal.

If you are unable to do simple things in Windows, like making shortcuts or having a basic understanding of what folders are etc. (so you are basically like my 50 year old mom), don't buy Windows 8, because you won't know how to bypass the "Apps" and the lousy "Metro UI" which will definitely bother you.

What I do after installing Win 8 is:
1) Completely clear the startmenu
2) Change your file associations, for example rightclick a .jpg file and set it to open with "Windows Photo Viewer" rather that "Photos", which is a Metro App.

Step 2 is repeated for a few filetypes, movies for example, maybe audio. And you're set.

[Melchior]

Windows 7 is more for gaming, windows 8 is shit designed for touch screens and for casual computer users.

Except, not. Windows 8 is slightly faster in games than Windows 7.

Using Windows 8 without the metro interface (I use Start8) is just an improved Windows 7.

EDIT: However, I consider them both to be good in general (minus the UI). If you already have 7, I don't recommend spending the money on Windows 8. I bought mine super cheap, I think $40 or so. If you are upgrading from XP or Vista, I would go with Windows 8, if you have 7, stick with it.

[Warrax]

So let me get this straight, you don't upgrade your customers pc's to 8.1 but rather keep them on 8 when support for 8 not 8.1 ends in 2015? Also 8.1 update 1 is where you want them at if you want good support and security updates.

As for known issues with 8.1 please do list, also take in to account all OS's have known issues. Seriously if you work in a repair shop and keep people on 8 not 8.1 that's shitty business. 8.1 runs fine, I've updated thousands of machines to it and only a handful have issues usually related to customer error. Plus with the new update coming to 8.1 they are adding the classic start menu back for people who are computer illiterate. I would never do business with a crooked shop that denies customers updates as big as 8.1 and 8.1 update 1.

Nice claims and generalization, I won't bother much with someone like you. All I'm gonna say is that yes, 8.1 is doing fine on most computers and it's been installed on many customer PCs but some had issues in the past just like 8.0 had issues in the past (it happen pretty much with each new Windows releases) so we asked them to stay on 8 for a little while until updates fix most of the issues and that's it, no need to call out for crooks or being inconsiderate against big updates.

[schwarzkopf]

Windows 8/8.1 has far better memory management than Windows 7 and performs better - runs all the same stuff and looks almost identical.

No reason to stick with Windows 7.

- - - Updated - - -

Windows 7 is more for gaming, windows 8 is shit designed for touch screens and for casual computer users.

LOL - your evaluation of Windows 8 is like saying a green car performs like crap, but if it was blue it would be faster.

Windows 8 looks almost identical to Windows 7, you just have a different front screen pretty much.