Just Installed Windows 8.1 (Blue)
 

Pretty boring - It's a lot of update to get a start button on the taskbar...

I am sure there is more going on - It's a 2.4 GB download - Not seeing much yet though.....

is this the beta? on a desktop, laptop or tablet?

i like Windows 8.1 (poo)

It's a 'preview' - So yes basically a Beta - I have only updated a desktop - Not sure I will bother with anything else...

Some more info here http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4...b_content;main

i will not accept this annoying tiled screen, i want a blank desktop

and no fucking apps that occupy the whole screen

basically i want Windows 7 with future improvements on speed and stability

as soon as MS has achieved that, please someone let me know

gotcha, i'm hoping it will change/fix/do something with how the charms act on a laptop touchpad, they pop out all the damn time just using the pad normally, ugh!!

oh, also, i tried downloading the preview the other day and got stuck when windows tried to make me update all the damn windows apps in w8 via the windows store. all the ones i thought i deleted it is making me update those before getting the preview! ugh.

You guys bitch too much... Windows 8 overall is far better and faster than windows 7. If you have to have a regular old start button then download any one of the 2 dozen ones available like I do... Fact is, I haven't seen the "Metro" screen or w/e they're calling it now since the first time I booted up windows 8 after installing it...

:thumbsup

I only see that screen whenever I want to, or whenever the dog crawls on my lap and hits a bunch of random characters. :1orglaugh

Me too.. they'll probably call it windows 9 :thumbsup

adapt or die

Waiting for WIN9 ;)

+1 :thumbsup works for me

8 stinks

I totally agree 100%.
Windows 8 is horrible. Unusable to get real work done.

You can say people bitch too much, but Windows XP sold 700 Million copies, Windows 7 even more than that, but Windows 8 only had 100Million, so I'm not the only one who hates Windows 8.
Microsoft is trying to just recoup their investment in it.

Funny that insisting on taking a little button (the start button) away would cost them Billions. HA!

i cover microsoft on a tech site and the main feeling is that microsoft is screwing most of its daily users with this upgrade and 8.1. enterprise customers won't upgrade to it, and desktop users won't unless they have a touch interface. big gamble

i see misguided and confused people out of my window!

just curious, what do tech writters get lately per post? I was thinking of starting a tech blog and hiring writers. I have no clue on the fees they get paid

How is windows 8 unusable to get real work done? What, because it doesn't come with a start button? No version of Windows in history comes with hardware drivers out of the box either... So I guess your argument could be applied to every version of Windows ever released.

Just goes to show that the average user is either too lazy or too incompetent to find a solution and need their hands held through every step of life... As I said above, there are numerous start button replacements that can and do make it so you never have to see the 'Metro' screen if you don't want to.

Oh, and about your sales numbers... Windows XP has been out since 2001, Windows 7 since 2009, Windows 8 isn't even a year old; so your nonsense argument holds zero weight.

Just try getting whoever you know who doesn't use a computer every day to figure out how to "Start" something with Windows 8. God help you if something should break or "not load". It will be a nightmare, and people don't have that kind of time to relearn how to use a computer all over again.

That start button has been a part of Windows since 3.1.... taking it away should have gotten people fired - the absolutely most retarded idea that has ever come out of Redmond.

I owe you a huge beer....
:thumbsup

People said the same thing about gnome 3 and unity and yet... guess what, they either adapt or figure out a solution to their issue... No different with Windows 8...

Here, a few FREE start button replacements that'll allow you to never use 'Metro' if you so choose not to:

http://www.classicshell.net/
https://www.pokki.com/
http://code.google.com/p/power8/

Seriously guys, it isn't the end of the world, and to be completely honest, Windows 8 is far better than Windows 7, once you do away with the whole 'Metro' thing (if you hate it that much)...

Windows 8 sucks. The only people who like it are stupid fucks. Period.

Case closed.

What in the fuck are you giving Microsoft a hand job for? This operating system sucks just like Windows Me sucked.

Why in the fuck are you so fucking angry? I mean, fuck... you fucking act like it's the fucking end of the fucking world because you can't fucking function without a fucking built in fucking start button and fucking need your fucking hand held throughout every fucking aspect of your fucking life. How about you fucking learn to use a fucking computer you fucking inarticulate fucking child.

Fuck!

Why would I upgrade to an operating system that will cost me in productivity? You aren't a business man, you are a fan boy.

http://i.imgur.com/73wO5mO.jpg

It would appear I am not alone in my argument.

Except that I currently don't use any version Windows at all?

But that's beside the point. I am just as productive in Windows 8 as I was in Windows 7, or Linux, or OS X. The only major drawback for using Windows for me is the lack of a real terminal...

And of course Windows 8 has some bad press right now. It's new... hasn't even been out a year yet. It's a game changer. I don't see any other OS developer taking such huge leaps (and risks) to try and bring the world of mobile devices and desktop computers closer together.

For anyone who isn't a complete jackass, it is far better than Windows 7 once you do away with the whole 'Metro' thing. It's just that the world isn't ready for such a huge leap... and people refuse or are incapable to adapt to change. Top that with a seriously lacking App store (Not Microsoft's fault) and the reviews get worse.

But to sit there and cry about how much it "sucks" and is "bad" all because it doesn't have the traditional start button is childish and shows your overall lack of maturity and ability to adapt to change.

Once again, all it takes is to download a small program that gives you a start button, disables 'Metro' if you so choose... and then... BAM you have a newer, faster, more reliable and smarter Windows 7. I mean seriously, what's the big deal anyway? It's not like you don't still have to download and install a bunch of drivers anyway...

Sorry if you can't adapt though. It must make for a very miserable life.

Oh and not to mention, the world is moving in the direction of Tablets and other mobile devices. Shit, in 5 years time there won't be many desktop users left. And guess what? Now was a perfect time to release Windows 8... if you care about being a future player and competitor in the OS scene that is. I mean hell, it's pretty blatantly obvious that Windows 8 was targeted more for the mobile scene than desktop...

Windows 7 from my cold dead hands. lol I havent played with windows 8, I dont upgrade unless I have a reason.

It's best to wait like a year anyway, as has been the case since like Windows 98...

I was a beta tester for microsoft for 98se. It was cool, a free copy of the os and unlimited tech support and that was when it was in the US. I got it and it wouldnt install. I call tech support he says your cd rom drive is bad, we have to change it. I never did that at the time. He said here is my direct line, go buy one and call me when you get it. He walked me thru the whole process and stood on the phone with me as it loaded into my system. He was based out of the state of Washington. Times have changed.
Now you got me curious I have to look into Win 8 now. lol

Windows 8 seriously isn't bad. I'm no fan of 'Metro' myself, but when I was using Windows, I never once saw it after installing Classic Shell (I also tried Pokki and liked it as well) on the first boot, I never saw or used 'Metro' once. And once you bypass 'Metro', it's all golden... a much improved version of Windows 7.

here win7 with 16gb ram, raid SSD's + virtualbox running (1 debian for run evil python bots over Tor + 1 ubuntu for run productivity and sage math). Not feeling need of a win 8 for the moment.

Don't feed the troll.

Here's a nice Windows 7 start menu for W8 that I've found that works quite well. Perhaps you might like it also:

http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

I know, it sucks that you have to rely on 3rd party GUI changes to fix what MS has broken. Even after the customer outcry, they still got it wrong :/

Windows 7 is pretty much perfect.

What's the point of upgrading it?
If it ain't broke -- don't fuck with it.

The Windows Start button is where it has always been from Windows 95 through to Windows 8... the Windows Key on your keyboard. The "start button" was only a shortcut icon to that function.

Clicking the Windows Key brings up the Start Menu. Clicking it again closes it. The ONLY difference is that now the start menu is a full screen instead of a slide up menu.

And like the slideup menu in previous versions, the "Start Screen" is customizable to have whatever you want on it.

I'm not sure what the big deal is. The button was not removed, per se, the ICON SHORTCUT of the start button was removed, the "Start Menu" is still there where it always has been.. on the Windows Key.

If you use a multi-monitor setup, the independent task bars per monitor actually rock in Windows 8 (something Windows 7 lacks). This functionality alone has significantly increased my productivity and workflow using a triple monitor setup. Each Monitor has its own independent task bar.

and there we go. You can tell how good a restaurant is by how long the lines are.
And you can tell how good an operating system is by the sales numbers. Its not like Windows 8 didnt get lots of press and press.
It had lukewarm sales because it has bad usability, not because people dont understand how great it is.
If Windows 9 was basically Windows 7 but better/faster/more features then it will go back to big sales again

I have liked or loved every release of windows, except Windows 8

Pretty much.

Which leads to my question for the Windows 8 users out there - what's a compelling reason to upgrade from 7?

Is it majorly faster? Some new features that you've found to be indispensible? Improved workflow?

Stability shouldn't be a reason, as I've had probably 5 total crashes & little-to-no slowing on my Win7 desktop in 3 years running the same install.

Deltav: There are some improvements in performance, but anyone that has good quality hardware really won't see THAT much of a difference. Once you understand that the Start Menu is now a Start Screen.. easily toggled on or off with the Windows Key, everything else is normal.

For me, I've found the greatest benefit to be the independent task bars in a multi-monitor setup. Effectively, what you have open on Screen #1 is displayed only on that screen's taskbar, what you have opened on screen #2 is only on that screen's task bar (not the main monitor) and what's opened on screens 3 and 4, are limited to their respective screen's taskbars.

In this way, there is no longer any guessing as to what icon on the taskbar corresponds to the program and screen it is on. I can have three instances of FireFox for example.. all running independently on 3 different monitors and the taskbar for each screen only has the instance of FF running on it. No guesswork or having to look through grouped tab icons.

That's really the greatest benefit that I have found with it, and that alone was worth the upgrade for me as productivity was greatly increased as a result.

there's always idiots complaining and they will complain no matter what... there's nothing wrong with win8, install start8 and you will have your start button and will never see metro shit again... it's in human dna to always complain about something