Win 7 vs Win 8.1
 

Got a new SSD for my primary desktop workstation, and I was thinking it would be a good time to do a clean OS install, so the question is what OS. The choices are Windows 7 or Windows 8. Linux is a great idea but I don't have time to learn new software for every damn thing I do.

I don't really do any heavy lifting with it except occasionally transcode video for my paysites.

I also have a lot of games in my Steam account and I have this dream that someday I will have time to play them, hopefully before I am too old to enjoy them.

So mostly its webmail, spreadsheeting, IM and quickbooks.

I tried windows 8 and it was pretty much unimpressive in every imaginable way. An arbitrary learning curve with no payoff, whose slogan should be "do everything you do now, just with a greater degree of difficulty, uncertainty and clunkiness"

So I am leaning heavily towards sticking with Windows 7.

What do you guys think?

Haven't you already answered the question? Windows 7.

I thought 8.1 was going to fix a lot of things, but I still find it almost unusable. Honestly I can't even use the OS without classic shell installed. Although classic shell does make it very close to as good as win7.

For your tasks it might not matter, but from now on I will be choosing win7 whenever possible because I never realized they killed media center in windows8 unless you want to pay an extra $99. I was so pissed after I built a PC last month to use as a htpc when I found out I couldn't use mediabrowser 3 classic with it unless I forked out another $100 to get the wmc functionality back.

Yes but I am entertaining the possibility that other people might know more than I do. Ridiculous I know but I am trying not to be closed minded. It's a mental exercise.

Well that is a damn good point. Will VLC still work though?

Yes VLC is fine in win8.

With some minor tweaking that would take an hour, like installing Start Menu 8, etc. I can't even tell the difference anymore between Windows 7 and 8.1

I have 8.1 on a laptop and it's possible to boot to the classic desktop and have a similar start menu, might as well go that route.

get win8 then download free update to 8.1. it is very light and has loads of cool features

You guys know it's possible to display all apps in the start menu, you really don't need to install 3rd party software for a classic feel anymore.

Windows 7 is just perfect what would you need Windows 8 for? Apart from serious headaches Windows 8 doesn't bring anything new, just stick to 7.

Im still with windows 7. It is a pain installing windows 7 on a windows 8 based machine. I did it on my laptop and had lots of driver issues.

I will stick with WIN7, and wait for win9

Try a Mac.

Very easy transition for this long-time Windows user. So much nicer to use. I find myself wanting to be at my computer all the time ever since making the switch.

(I still have Windows 7 for some heavy-lifting. Window 8 should be killed with fire.)

Using Win 8 with Stardock, no issues I jumped from Win 7 to this, feels the same.

My laptop is a macbook pro and I am very happy with it. Aside from a Gibson and an Infiniti its the most expensive thing I own. The desktop is for Windows specific applications. Plus, I don't think you can just install OSX on a windows machine and "see how it runs".

win 8.1 on SSD works amazing fast.

Soooo... is this the version I want or am I missing something - clean install on new SSD. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832416712

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

ANYTHING on a SSD is amazing fast. :thumbsup

I would not bother with Windows 8 in a desktop environment. If you are able to get a copy of Windows 7, I would go with that.

This is probably one of the best articles I've read that details the problems with the OS. Give it a read before you make any decisions

Even my old mother (72years old) runs 8.1 now, with no problem.

Added the Quick Launch toolbar to the bottom, and it runs so much faster than Windows 7 and 8 (+ I get all my test servers in full Hyper V setup on my laptop.)

It's a HP Elitebook 8570w with two SSD disks (One SATA and one mSATA)
I did my Citrix XenApp 6.6 certification testlap on the computer last week.
1 DC
1 SQL + Webserver
1 XenApp application server


+ my host OS without any problems

Go with win8.1 if your hardware supports it, its quite easy to use (install Modern-Mix so you can still X open apps)

It's also faster. It took VdBucks a year to convince me so he gave me a copy and I actually enjoy it now that my hardware is compatible.

You can also install win8 using usb flash drive with secure mode, so your OS is secured.

But dont upgrade a old PC with shitty specs

Double Desktop = Cognitive Overhead and Added Memory Load
Not really, its a start menu, not a second desktop. If you have 4-8gb installed, who cares?

Lack of Multiple Windows = Memory Overload for Complex Tasks
Install Modern-Mix and launch apps to actual desktop.

Flat Style Reduces Discoverability
I kind of agree here. While its much much easier to my eyes and less clutter in the interface, it does make discovering different settings and sections difficult until used to it.

Low Information Density
On the "start menu", totally agreed. But useful for some other smaller stuff and a great place to put all apps/programs I use often in a layout that's quite quick and pleasant to use.

Overly Live Tiles Backfire
Yep - for all the ones I don't use. So, I was lucky there.

Charms Are Hidden Generic Commands
Yep - However, so are most options in windows 7/vista/xp/me/2000/nt/98se/98/95/3.1/3.0/etc - Learn the quick command keys.

Error-Prone Gestures
uhg - Yep - I trigger the sidebars way too often when I don't need them and too often, I can't trigger them when needed.

Windows 8 UX: Weak on Tablets, Terrible for PCs
Can't comment on tablet for-factor. As for PC, after much tweaking to go back to "my old ways" (which is what i got caught doing when XP came about, too) and making sure my hardware is compatible ($600 later, unfortunately) it all works very well. Many adidtions to the UI and the charms are actually very helpful. As are the simplified included apps for the "start menu". Adding Modern-Mix took away the cell-phone feel for me.

If you are wiling to take some time reinventing your experience, it's actually worth it. The experience for my line of work is 10x better than any other windows OS for me.

---But ----
I can't blame anyone at all for not wanting to take the switch. It's daunting and annoying to do.

I think what rubbed me the wrong way is that it just didn't feel like a natural progression in the desktop experience. I agree with you that you can take some time and get it to a point where it works really nicely, Start8 and modern mix are great band aids, but MS just royally screwed up here by even making that necessary.

I thought this was a really neat mockup of what a good Windows 8 desktop would look like.

I like that it introduces the live tiles to the user in the traditional start menu. I think the small, unobtrusive start menu is a nice thing to have, and it seems that that would be a great way to ease the desktop user into their mobile devices.

Just curious, are you on a desktop or a laptop? From what I understand a lot of the under the hood improvements to the OS have been wonderful, they just really flopped on the user experience.

For my position, I work regularly in Linux, OSX, Windows, iOS, and Android. Productivity and not just dicking around.

I just bought an Asus T100 for $350
https://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultra...mer_Book_T100/

God damn one of the best laptops I ever owned because it gives you the fully realized Windows 8.1 experience. You begin to completely understand the purpose of Windows 8.1 on a device like the Asus. For $350, it's an iPAD AND Macbook Air killer. It only has 2GB of ram and it's lightning fast.

I agree with iwantchixx, you have to try it. I thought I would hate Metro, but I don't. There's some annoying UX choices, but the overall intent and execution is good. For your purpose of spreadsheets, IM'ing, web, etc, Windows 8.1 is perfectly fine.

As others have said, Windows 8, with the 7 "skinning" is great if you don't have a touchscreen monitor on your desktop.

Again, I would like to recommend the Asus T100. If you want to be productive, yet have something to relax in bed to read or browse, the Asus beats the macbook air and the ipad hands down (and I own 3 ipads and a Nexus 7 FHD).

My girl wants one but doesnt want 8.1 and needs 8gb ram heh.. otherwise she'd already have that heh. Its a neat machine

the metro style user interface is a little messy for me, but on touchscreen devices it feels great, but I'd rather go for the MAC

Windows 7. I have 8 and it's a pile of shit, fucking apps and annoying things that you miss like the start menu.
I have had it for 3 months and I don't have classic shell or any of that nonsense installed. I chose to learn the machine and I find it shitty.

I just bought a lenovo with win 7 pro and love it. At this point you gotta be a drama queen if you buy windows 8 because you already know everyone else hates it so why even go there?

Have you considered OS/2 Warp?

win 7 microsoft has already announced dev on win 9 to fix all the problems in win 8 the old adage about every other release seems to hold

Win 8.1 Update 1 will get rid of Metro completely if you wish - will come later this year

I am still using 7. Everyone hates 8. We have a laptop with it, and we hate it.

I find Windows 8 to be really annoying. And Windows 8.1 is slightly less annoying. It's like the whole new tile display is just hacked on there and it largely gets in the way. It's like running Windows 7 where some joker hacker played a prank on you where at random a screen will pop up after a key stroke and say "Hahaha fuck you!" with a picture of him mooning you. You can still get your work done and all despite it but it gets a little annoying and every time you do something you wonder what is coming next.

Linux Mint is probably easier to learn than making the switch to Windows 8.x. I kid you not. It is that close these days. The only catch is finding all the Linux equivalents for the Windows programs you use.

Depends on the machine. But yes, there are a few machines you can buy off the shelf that will definitely install OSX.

I can't wait to try out 8.1 since I hear they bring back the start button and metro is less prevalent throughout the experience.