Your opinion on Windows 8

[razz]

My Sister-in-law will be buying a new laptop but she is not sure whether she should get Windows 8 or stick with Windows 7. My expert friends on Piriform, what is your opinion?

[login123]

[ Non-expert opinion warning ] I have both. Get win 7.

Maybe win 8 will get easier as I learn more about it, I just have not the time nor inclination to work on it.

Others will continue to use and discuss win 8 and I shall learn from them. Lazy approach but there it is.

Also, if she gets win 7, then decide she wants win 8, she can upgrade.

 

Most everyone on here knows more about the subject than I, so you're sure to get better and more specific answers.

[hazelnut]

Problem with opinions is that they are so personal

 

I like Windows 8.1 I also like Windows 7.

 

If she is more into apps and things then Win 8 will suit her. If she's more of a traditionlist then Win 7 should do.

[login123]

What i wrote up there must be considered in light of the fact that I intend to stay with win xp for 10 more years.

Maybe if enough Piriform members share opinions, it will help razz can decide a course.

[Derek891]

I probably shouldn't say anything due to the fact I went straight from WinXP to Win8 myself. I've only used Win7 a very few times when troubleshooting my brother's HP Mini 210 with Win7 Starter installed. I can only say that Win8 is supposed to be the most secure version of Windows yet, based on what I have read. And it goes without saying that it will be supported longer than Win7. Edit: 3 years to be exact.

 

The vexing thing about Win8 is the user interface, the way things are split between the desktop, the metro screen, and the apps screen. At first I felt lost using it*. It took quite a while for me to learn where to find things and to adapt to it. So I think the main thing to consider is your sister in law herself, whether she is set in her ways and reluctant to learn, or if you feel she is flexible and adept at learning new things.

 

*The first time I used my HP Envy, I couldn't figure out how to shut it down. I had to break out the little booklet to find out how the Charms dock worked.

 

Edit: I personally think Microsoft should have come out with two versions of Win8, one for touchscreen devices, the other for traditional desktops and laptops. That would have been a home run.

[MikeW]

Win 7 for me every time

[Coffee4Joe]

Once I figured out how to install with just a local account my only real complaint with 8/8.1 is the lack of white text in the title bar for darker themes, and the inactive window color being white/gray (I miss aero)

[Andavari]

My Sister-in-law will be buying a new laptop but she is not sure whether she should get Windows 8 or stick with Windows 7.

 

I'll give a tip instead of an opinion and that is instead of guessing or going by our personal opinions (which will vary) get your sister-in-law to use both of those systems, i.e.; test drive them both.

 

So in other words if you, family, or friends know anyone with both of those OSes and if they'll let her use them a bit she can make a better decision based upon hands on experience versus guessing and later possibly regretting it.

[mta]

I think @Andavari touched on what I was thinking.

For me, i would go Win8 for really two main reasons. 1) it really is so similar to Win7, why not and 2) why load an outdated OS on a new PC

 

But for someone else's PC (and let's face it, 'those' sort of people aren't really PC literate so the care factor doesn't even come into it) I recommend Windows 7.

[razz]

Thank you so much everyone for your input, I really appreciate it as does my Sister-in-law.

[Winapp2.ini]

I like windows 8.

[login123]

But for someone else's PC (and let's face it, 'those' sort of people aren't really PC literate so the care factor doesn't even come into it) I recommend Windows 7.

 

Harrumpff. I resemble that remark.

[mta]

@login, yeah but any kudos you lose with being an XP dinosaur you make up for with your infamous dual boot achievement.

 

[Corona]

I'm anti Touch Screen since the last thing I wanna do is put boogers on my screen.

[Nergal]

I'm anti Touch Screen since the last thing I wanna do is put boogers on my screen.

either your fingers are very boogery or you don't notice all the boogers that're deposited everytime you sneeze.

[Alan_B]

I'm anti Touch Screen since the last thing I wanna do is put boogers on my screen.

I WAS anti-touch screen but I LOVE the potential benefits of :-

Cheap personalization of my computer;

and discouraging the family from using my computer.

[LuLu]

Not that this will matter in the least, but I have a new laptop that runs Win 8 and...well...I hate it. Don't like the navigation. Dislike the "apps". If I want apps I'll play with my tablet. I never touched Win 7 so I don't know how it compares. All in all, XP still has my heart. If I could put it on this thing I would. Call me crazy...because I know I am...but it was easier to use.

[razz]

Lulu, I personally found that going from XP to Windows 7 was a very easy transition.  You would like Windows 7 at least equally as much as XP.

 

Thanks for your input and again, thanks all of you for your input.

[Mel2]

Absolute trash imo. Pretty much everyone I know switches their new computers to Windows 7.

[Andavari]

Absolute trash imo. Pretty much everyone I know switches their new computers to Windows 7.

 

Allot of people don't like the desktop, etc., myself included.

 

My aunt got a new Win8 laptop last month and has had nothing but learning issues with it.  I recommended that she take one of those free or low cost classes/courses to better understand it, i.e.; completely and selfishly saving me from trying to help or teach her since I don't use that OS. 

[mta]

from my experience all the complaints centre around the Start Screen and nothing more.

once they put on a free or cheap start button program, all is back to normal.

I got so fed up with the Start tiles that even I lashed out and got StartIsBack for $3 for 2 pc's, one off payment.

I tried two of the free ones and, although good, weren't quite complete enough for me.

[Mel2]

Allot of people don't like the desktop, etc., myself included.

 

My aunt got a new Win8 laptop last month and has had nothing but learning issues with it.  I recommended that she take one of those free or low cost classes/courses to better understand it, i.e.; completely and selfishly saving me from trying to help or teach her since I don't use that OS. 

 

lol Why not just install Windows 7 for her?

 

 

from my experience all the complaints centre around the Start Screen and nothing more.

once they put on a free or cheap start button program, all is back to normal.

I got so fed up with the Start tiles that even I lashed out and got StartIsBack for $3 for 2 pc's, one off payment.

I tried two of the free ones and, although good, weren't quite complete enough for me.

 

While that may be at the core of it, everything from the app system, the new UI for viewing pics, etc. are all huge inconveniences imo.

[Andavari]

lol Why not just install Windows 7 for her?

 

Because my arms can't reach 300 miles away where she lives.

[Mel2]

Because my arms can't reach 300 miles away where she lives.

 

Inflexible 

[Winapp2.ini]

Going to be honest, I've been running Windows 8 as my primary system for about a week now (recently replaced my desktop)

 

Unpinned all the apps from the start screen, uninstalled most of the metro apps (can't uninstall Reader or the Store) then shut UAC off and tweaked a registry setting to allow me to use metro apps with UAC off.

 

No complaints. I like the start screen. It's a bit invasive I'll grant but it's superior in just about every way. My only complaint is that the only way to shut down / restart is in the charms menu (win+c) and it's kind of out of the way compared to where I had it on win7 (the default shut down button option replaced with restart in the start menu)

 

Haven't upgraded to 8.1 yet, but to be honest I have no real major complaints about Win 8