Windows 8 - Thoughts and experiences

[SomeRandom778]

Lets kick off some constructive conversation on Windows 8. Post any thoughts and experiences here.

Thoughts on new UI?

Thoughts on mobile "App" experience on desktop environment?

Thoughts on touch optimisation?

[thomasdb11]

Hey,

I've used Windows 7 for years but changing to windows 8 was a nightmare I couldn't take it on a none touch desktop computer screen.

What are your views on it, and have you found ways to make it more usable (apart from the obvious start menu)

[MartyniP]

Personally when using it in RP in a vm I found it unusable, the scrolling on Formerly Metro with a mouse didn't feel right, and when trying to use it as a power user, not having a start menu, somewhat annoyed me. I'm used to hitting the start button on my keyboard, typing something and then hitting enter, and the program appears, adding extra steps into that made it feel clunky. I haven't tried it on a touch screen device yet, maybe it is miles better on a tablet, but I personally will be avoid Windows 8 on any of my computers.

[deanrock]

Metro UI is great for touch devices and the whole OS is optimized for touch. I'm really happy with my W8 tablet and I think it has better user experience than Android.

Sadly, I don't see much benefits compared to Windows 7 for desktop use. I still use it on desktop because of better performance, but Metro really isn't much useful on 24" screen.

[thomasdb11]

I don't understand why microsoft created a less user friendly OS than the previous one, Windows 8 isn't optimized for any type of work production or research. I own a Windows 8 laptop and it doesn't even come with a windows product key (that i can find) how did that happen and its not only my laptop it's all of them as far as i know. Like you say theve added steps to what was a simple process in Windows 7. Getting rid of the start menu was the worst mistake (but that is easily reversible). Anyways it's just stupid.......... maybe I just need to get used to it more or buy a touch screen but I wouldn't recommend it.

[DvD92]

Acceptable for now with Classic start menu till more apps/dekstop programs get cool looking tiles for the new start menu.

I have found it very stable though :) I kinda like the new look of it etc.

I created a shortcut for shutting down the machine ^^ To many clicks to shutdown otherwise. (Classic shell adds shutdown the old fashion way)

[Atomicjango]

Atm im writing this on my new laptop which has windows 8. And i have to admit this Windows version is more for tablets and latops and not desktops. I actually dont use metro at all so it rarely bothers you. Plus i use Ninite's start button so my desktop is nearly exactly like my windows 8. If ur a power user u'd get used to the OS. Plus the filesystem and everything i have to admit is Great and i really want it on my desktop but i have to wait because i have alot of things on it and its too much of a hassle.

Conclusion: I would actually recommend it. Install the Ninite's start menus. Its very user friendly on the desktop side and the metro style is clunky but i managed to hide it. If you have doubts about it message me, i do alot of things on it like emulators, steam , programming , addons so compatibility isnt a issue.

[Ghost]

Windows 8 is not really made for desktops.

[Charlie]

I would never use Windows 8 for a desktop environment or a laptop although I do use it currently on my laptop but its sometimes a pain to navigate around folders and manage files :( (yeah lack of start menu) I am thinking of buying Stardock's Start8 program. On the other hand its a fantastic OS for tablet and I'm not in for a ARM tablet, the proper Intel based tablet with a core i5 CPU which can run all my programs and some of the games.

[DrewZealot]

Windows 8 is (obviously) something that was designed for use with a tablet or touch screen computer. However in my experience, the metro UI interface has not been a problem at all. I find it very easy to navigate around, and while gigantic button that I have to move my mouse around to click are an annoyance, I think it is an improvement over the previous start menu's. It is really easy to just click the windows button on my keyboard, type something really quick and have the search automatically search for it and then just click enter to get into it. It is a really smooth way to get around the computer without too much mouse/keyboard shuffling.

My main problems lie with the bugs. My first day on W8 all of the text was distorted and the windows were super screwed up. Anytime I went in to the start menu via the start button, it was given to me in a negative format (all colors are negatives of the ones they are supposed to be) which made me have to uninstall and then reinstall again.

Also just some stuff with W8 interfering with programs and what not.

I do like W8 in general, though. I think it runs smoother, is less resource intensive and comes with some really great tools. The start screen is not perfect, and I really wish they would figure out something other than a wad of huge buttons on a screen, but it is better than the previous iterations. Basically, I think it will be a pretty good operating system once SP1 comes out.

[thomasdb11]

I know it's not really for desktop but then they shouldn't install it on every PC you buy. They should of also brought a new OS at the same time optimized for desktop. Used ninite and got the start menu (it just seems stupid that you need to install programs to make the OS usable)

But it's just my point of view I don't get what Microsoft is doing (making things worse if you ask me)

[Frestylezz]

I've used it on my laptop, and it works well.

In desktop mode. Using metro on anything that has no touchscreen is absolutely pointless and ridiculous.The way to switch between apps is even worse, having to make gestures with the mouse (slide to unlock, are you kidding?). Not to mention the app-version of the new IE, that's got to be the worst excuse of a browser I've ever seen. No support for basic stuff like flash, who thought that was a good idea?

It's not worth using it on a desktop over windows 7. If you have a surface, I can see it being nice an' all, but not on a desktop. It's not worth buying a touchscreen for either, it just doesn't add anything to the user experience.

[SalvorH]

I've been using Windows 8 since Beta and I love it. The biggest flaw I can find is the search which could be improved but it's not a dealbreaker for me.

It's stable, it's fast, all my hardware is detected (old and newer), Metro Start screen is better than the old Start Menu. I installed the Ninite start menu but I found myself uninstalling it after 2 weeks because I never felt the need to use it. It's also very cheap to buy, at least until the end of January.

I don't miss Win 7 and there's nothing I want to and can't do in Win 8. Things can only get better with the inevitable Service Packs.

[PapaSmurf6768]

Windows 8 on desktop sucks, don't let anyone else tell you it doesn't. Apps are just dumb, I don't know what they were thinking with having two different types of programs on the computer. However, W8 is a lot snappier and performs pretty well. I bought Start8 which has completely changed my experience and I can generally tolerate it now. If you are going to run W8 on a desktop, make sure you get a start menu replacement.

[cafe]

windows 8 on desktop is 200x better then windows 7 runs better you can get the old desktop back you can get the start bar back you do not have to use apps If you think windows 7 is better you are either plain lazy or just have no clue on anything

[dchen12]

Windows 8 on desktop runs so much faster than windows 7. I've noticed faster boot times and wake times which is convenient.

[MunsonedForLife]

I've had an issue with idle temps on Windows 8. When I'm not at the computer then cpu load soars and temps then follow. CPU shouldn't be running at 30-35C when I'm not using it. When I'm at the computer and just on the internet or what not, temps are normally around 23-25C. I just don't get it. Anyone else have an issue with this?

[MunsonedForLife]

I don't even know what that is....google time! lol

[UberFefa]

I have windows 8, and though I find it to be a great OS, it has so many downfalls, that it really feels like a beta.

1. Apps. I don't use most of the apps, but the ones I do use (Mail, Calendar, and People) while useful, are unfinished. They just aren't very finished in areas like conversations.

2. General working-ness. I recently updated my BIOS on my laptop, and windows decided it wasn't going to boot. So I had to "refresh" it (like a lite re-install). Now, if I put it to sleep, it crashes and shuts down. Though I have yet to confirm that that part isn't hardware.

3. I don't have a touch screen. It works perfectly well without one, but it really would be nice.

So, I say, don't buy Win8; w8 for sp1. Hopefully the crap will be fixed, and you wont have to w8 for W-8 anymore.

[Ssoele]

The only issues with Windows 8 I have at the moment are the drivers for my InfiniBand card (didn't work on 7 either) and that Chrome keeps freezing, crashing and doing weird stuff what it didn't do on 7.

Otherwise everything works great, smooth and fast.

[Rekx]

I really liked windows 8, i though it was faster and the hot corners was great. The only thing that forced me back to windows 7 64bit was becauase my battlefield 3 woulden't work on windows 8

[MunsonedForLife]

I've had an issue with idle temps on Windows 8. When I'm not at the computer then cpu load soars and temps then follow. CPU shouldn't be running at 30-35C when I'm not using it. When I'm at the computer and just on the internet or what not, temps are normally around 23-25C. I just don't get it. Anyone else have an issue with this?

Turned off indexing...lets see if that helps. Was anyone else having this problem?

[Prettyfinej]

I like windows 8 so far, but I can understand people not liking it due to the general hostility people have to any kind of change. I rarely go to the metro ui at all but I have not put a start menu back on back I would use that about as much as I use metro.

[AvoK95]

I hated it at first, but I found it very snappy and faster than Windows 7, I love the fact that you can install apps on it like a phone. I would recommend someone to use Windows 8. I actually installed it on a few machines, the customers loved it. But they don't want to use the "New Windows UI" as a primary UI over Windows Explorer. But they loved that fact that it's very social. But it's SO FRIGGIN' fragile! I installed it on a laptop, and removed the HDD and attached it to my PC to recopy the client's files, as I re-attached the HDD to the laptop and booted it up, Windows was corrupted. And for some retarded reason System Restore is disabled by default on all the partitions and the repair thing is just useless so I had to reinstall the entire OS all over again. It's a nightmare if you're an IT consultant. But it's a very nice OS overall. When I use Windows 7 I miss using Windows 8, but I never miss Windows 7, since Windows 8 is just 7 with the Start screen, you can install install some third party app like start8 and you'd have the start menu just like Windows 7. The shutdown and booting up processes is a very nice thing to have, but then again, it's just hibernation so I don't find anything special about it. But the OS is a nice OS once you get used to it. Its apps are just fun to have.

[joelanderson]

I never found the new UI very distracting. There are so many great improvements they made that more than make up for it like the new task manager. And its alot better at transferring files. Not to mention its faster. People are so hung up on the lack of a start button which you can always add anyway. In my opinion, Microsoft built a good OS.