Windows 7 vs Windows 8

[Ryan McAdams]

There is no update for Macs yet to run Windows 8. Plus, Windows 7 is far easier to use. I am running 8 on my macbook and cant right click. Have to wait for an update.

Right click is working fine for me on Win8 with a macbook.

 

[Ryan McAdams]

Windows 8 runs great on my macbook in VMware Fusion.

 

[BlackJacket]

Windows 8 runs great on my macbook in VMware Fusion.

Bootcamp still has no update though, which is what I use for dual boot.

 

[AdamD]

I'm using Windows 8 on my desktop machine and old laptop (which, is actually faster than when it had Windows 7)

I do prefer Windows 7, but Windows 8 is "ok" with the classic startmenu thing added back, although I seem to have issues with the desktop crashing/closing and restarting, if I have windows open with a lot of files.

Does it on both my laptop and desktop.

 

[dutchbb]

I think Windows is slowly dying, probably Google and Apple will take over the entire market in the coming decade. I could be wrong but there are plenty of indicators.

 

[SneakyDave]

I can't seem to do a search for files in Windows 8, and multi-task with anything else. If I search for something, I have to stay on that window/tile. If I try to switch back to the desktop while it's doing its thing, the search results disappear.

I also have a problem with some scheduled tasks (backups) that no longer seem to work in Windows 8. They work fine from the command line as myself, but the scheduled task never seems to execute it, without any time of error reason why.

 

[Bain]

I run windows 7 and would not touch windows 8.
Windows 8 is for touch screen based systems.
I also run OSX mountain lion on my self build computer.

 

[Bain]

View attachment 38302

I think Windows is slowly dying, probably Google and Apple will take over the entire market in the coming decade. I could be wrong but there are plenty of indicators.

Linux based systems will eventually take over the market, especially once the mainstream applications start coming over such as Adobe's creatine suite.

 

[ChemicalKicks]

Window 8 is fantastic. I installed it on my HTPC and my GF Lappy and a few other non techy family members PC's. No complaints. The integration with skydrive is brilliant too, you can map your home folder to the Cloud. Performance is excellent with keyboard and mouse and I imagine it's fantastic on a tablet too.

 

[ChemicalKicks]

I can't seem to do a search for files in Windows 8, and multi-task with anything else. If I search for something, I have to stay on that window/tile. If I try to switch back to the desktop while it's doing its thing, the search results disappear.

I also have a problem with some scheduled tasks (backups) that no longer seem to work in Windows 8. They work fine from the command line as myself, but the scheduled task never seems to execute it, without any time of error reason why.

Have you looked at File History, this replaces Back-up on Windows 8.

 

[DRE]

I seem to have screwed something up. I can install Windows 7 just fine on another partition, but I am unable to use the bootcamp cd or usb drive I made to update the drivers through windows 7.

 

[ChemicalKicks]

I'm trying to decide which version of Windows I should install on my new Macbook. I almost installed Windows 8, but the amount of bad reviews I've read and the amount of customization needed just to get it working the way I want seems more of a pain than it was adjusting from Windows to Mac OSX.

Don't believe all the reviews you read, I wouldn't recommend Windows 7 anymore now that Windows 8 is here. It's a lovely OS to use and its the ONLY version of Windows that I've ever handed money over for.

The start screen is fantastic, overall speed and usability is up and it's a lot more hassle free than Windows 7 for example, if you sign into your windows 8 machine and retarget your home folders to different drives, change your desktop and have specific settings all these things get backed up to MS. The benefit of this for me is that if I have to reformat and start again, say because I ran a crazy OC and borked my PC when I sign back in all my options, retargeted folders and other customisation a are remembered and applied to my fresh install.

Hope I made sense.

 

[Digital Doctor]

What are the boot times like with Windows 8 ?

 

[AdamD]

Faster booting for me, on both the old laptop and this newer desktop (i5, 8gb of ram, 120gb Agility 3 SSD)

 

[ChemicalKicks]

I wonder what proportion of those who have voted Windows 7 have tried it since it was formally released for sale?

 

[Digital Doctor]

I'm making a PC over the holidays.
Mostly for Video editing / Media
Probably going to use Windows 7.

 

[jasetaro]

Here's an interesting take on Windows 8:

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Ouch, I don't hate Win8 quite as much as he does, but it's close.

 

[Aarmin]

Well, the way I see it is simple.

Windows 8 doesn't do anything drastically different than Windows 7. When I went shopping for a notebook, Windows 8 was launched so that's what it came with.

I kind of like that the silly glossy W7 look was dropped, other than that it it performs the exact same functions as W7 and is still very much similar.

I don't like either W7 or W8. I don't know, you people are silly.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Here's an interesting take on Windows 8

How'd you hear about that video ? It's great.

Microsoft itself said Windows 8 was a make or break OS.
That's not good for MSFT.
I see why M$ canned the Windows Guy.

Microsoft continues to flounder.
Releasing a Tablet OS for non-tablets is a weird plan.

 

[Morgain]

Well I finally managed to get into Win7 - needed a fair amount of tweaks to get classic features back like the quick links bar. But it's certainly faster.
Navigating the folders is NO fun so I made lots of shortcuts.
I like the pretty gradients everywhere. Spider Solitaire is pretty but I hate the H hotkey instead of clicking for Hints.

I can't really say it's better than Win2000 except faster to boot up, faster processing, and better at hibernation.
Really I wish they'd realise a lot of us just want the SAME thing as before, just faster and optional new pretty designs.
Making an everyday tool different structurally is a big waste of time for ordinary users who have habits that do the jobs they want and that's that.

Why not have a Geek Upgrade - like Win7 was meant to be, and Win8; and then have a Classic Upgrade for the majority of users like me? I work with ordinary people and I know their needs are pretty limited so like me these upgrades are just a disruptiove pain in the bum. On the other hand geeks should be happy too.