Windows 7 vs Windows 8

[Dragapult]

I now have both Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed on my Macbook side by side thanks to VMWare Fusion 5. I used Windows 8.1 preview for the windows 8 installation. Not sure what all the difference is between that and the regular version. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/preview-download

Differences between 8.0 and 8.1? Not much, which is the point... 8.1 just includes small tweaks, fixes and improvements. It's not intended to be a major change/update.

 

[TPerry]

Been using a Mac now for over a month at home. Still no Windows

Unluckily I still have to keep a Windows box handy. The Sonic Firewall at the Dr. office doesn't play very nicely with my Mac (and not at ALL with Chrome - since it has to use Java). Even the NetExtender (which is java based) takes forever to load up. At least with the Windows box I can use ActiveX - which is faster. My new tablet is supposed to be ordered shortly so I'll soon be able to convert that laptop over to Ubuntu.

 

[=MGN=RedEagle]

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.

I have both on different computers. I prefer Windows 7 for one reason, you can enable/disable security scans. These scans start up at random times on win 8 and can crash what you are doing. I like to be in control of what is happening with my computer.

 

[Adam Howard]

I've decided to format my computer and have switched to Debian.

Was going to go with Ubuntu, but I wanted something a little more stable. But I also wanted something a little more current, so I'm using Debian Testing.

Take that Microsoft.

Add in Wine and PlayOnLinux and I'm able to use more and more windows programs on Linux.

 

[DRE]

WOOOAHHH @ how much of a pain it was to remove windows 8 on my mom's toshiba satellite just so I could install Windows 7. Had to change the BIOS order, disable secure boot and change boot mode to CSM.

 

[Dragapult]

WOOOAHHH @ how much of a pain it was to remove windows 8 on my mom's toshiba satellite just so I could install Windows 7. Had to change the BIOS order, disable secure boot and change boot mode to CSM.

Shouldn't really be a shock, generally computers aren't designed to be downgraded when it comes to OS versions. It isn't much easier reverting from Lion to Snow Leopard, for example. You can do it, but there's a bunch of steps that have to be done, similar to 8 -> 7.

 

[DRE]

Shouldn't really be a shock, generally computers aren't designed to be downgraded when it comes to OS versions. It isn't much easier reverting from Lion to Snow Leopard, for example. You can do it, but there's a bunch of steps that have to be done, similar to 8 -> 7.

I know now thanks. My first time downgrading.

 

[feldon30]

Shouldn't really be a shock, generally computers aren't designed to be downgraded when it comes to OS versions. It isn't much easier reverting from Lion to Snow Leopard, for example. You can do it, but there's a bunch of steps that have to be done, similar to 8 -> 7.

The difference is, Windows 8 actively resists being unistalled, as evidenced by the BIOS changes which DRE had to perform.

 

[Luke F]

It's not particularly unusual for it to be difficult to downgrade OS due to changes in technology, the issue is just more prominent of the mostly unfounded consumer dislike of windows 8 resulting in a larger number of downgrades. The introduction of secure boot and uefi 'breaking' windows 7 isn't far removed from the introduction of SATA controllers 'breaking' windows 2000 or linux 2.4. If anyone is trying to resist downgrades, it's OEMs and hardware makers (who are then responsible for drivers, support, etc.), not Microsoft themselves.

 

[DRE]

It's not particularly unusual for it to be difficult to downgrade OS due to changes in technology, the issue is just more prominent of the mostly unfounded consumer dislike of windows 8 resulting in a larger number of downgrades. The introduction of secure boot and uefi 'breaking' windows 7 isn't far removed from the introduction of SATA controllers 'breaking' windows 2000 or linux 2.4. If anyone is trying to resist downgrades, it's OEMs and hardware makers (who are then responsible for drivers, support, etc.), not Microsoft themselves.

Dude... what are you talking about? the dislike for Windows 8 is Genuine.

 

[feldon30]

mostly unfounded consumer dislike of windows 8

LOL

The introduction of secure boot and uefi 'breaking' windows 7 isn't far removed from the introduction of SATA controllers 'breaking' windows 2000 or linux 2.4. If anyone is trying to resist downgrades, it's OEMs and hardware makers (who are then responsible for drivers, support, etc.), not Microsoft themselves.

It's not even in the same category. Secure boot and UEFI is trying to make the machine a Microsoft product from tip-to-tail. No other OS allowed.

 

[Dragapult]

Which isn't any different from what Apple has been doing since day one...

 

[Arantor]

Which isn't any different from what Apple has been doing since day one...

Sorry, that's not entirely true and hasn't been for some time. I'm sat here on an Apple MacBook Pro... running Windows 7. Because Apple themselves provides the facility with which to do so which includes all the hardware drivers as well as software for the keyboard, and it comes for free with the OS, it's called Boot Camp.

Yes, there's still the bootloader but I kind of need that for when I switch back to OS X for developmental work...

 

[Dragapult]

I'm well aware of Boot Camp. And yet Apple doesn't bother with updated drivers except when OS X itself is updated. It's a good start, but I think Parallels/VMware Fusion work much better, unless you need full compatibility with your software.

 

[Luxus]

After using Win 8 for quite some time now I must admit that I do miss Aero Glass and rounded corners. You can say that Win 8 is kinda like IE6 that doesn't support transparency and border-radius CSS. It seems like the trend goes back towards a clean and simple appearance with squared corners, monochromic icons and without color gradients and shading. The internet is also affected by this it seems.

 

[ARealRiley]

Windows 7 does what I need it to do; thus, I don't see a reason to 'upgrade' to 8.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Bought a PC yesterday with Windows 8 pre-installed.
I probably should have made a custom PC with Windows 7.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Already bought Start 8.

 

[Luxus]

Already bought Start 8.

Eh, why not use Classic Shell? It's free and just works.

 

[el canadiano]

I've moved over to Windows 8 and I'm generally satisfied with it at this point. At first, I had some massive issues because of poor drivers but after that, most of those issues have been alleviated.

But overall, it runs very smoothly. Boot time has definitely improved, but more impressively, going to sleep and waking up is now a snap.