amuck-landowner

Windows 9?

devonblzx

New Member
Verified Provider
My perception of Win 8 is...hell no.

Win 8 seems to really want to be "one big screen for your app".  Who the hell works that way?  I have 8 windows open as I type this - VM VPN'd in to work, web browser, a couple file folders, ssh, itunes, etc.
I don't use Metro at all.  (The one screen item you are talking about).  You can set Windows 8 to boot right to the desktop and using shortcuts you can pretty much avoid Metro all together but I'm sure it does make it easier for people who want to sync apps between tablets and phones.

The desktop, the control panel, desktop apps are all the same layout and have improved features.  That is exactly what I was talking about, the outcry is because people don't look past the start screen to see what more you can do with Windows 8.  If you really hate the start screen that much, you can use Start8, but honestly I don't ever have to use it.  As I said before, you hit the Windows key and start typing what you want and it comes right up.

I guess Win 9 will address the users who never gave Win 8 a chance.
 

Aldryic C'boas

The Pony
I remember when the mentality was I want features XYZ.  Product A doesn't have these, but B does. I'll buy Product B. Now it's pretty much Product A is the only viable choice for my category - I guess I'm forced to buy that and have to get used to the features I don't care for.

Small wonder so many of us went to *nix :p
 

HalfEatenPie

The Irrational One
Retired Staff
As I said before, you hit the Windows key and start typing what you want and it comes right up.
You know this also works with Windows 7.  You hit the Windows Key and the Insertion Point is right on the search bar, which also doubles as the old "Run..." prompt.  Just search your program and you're good. 
 
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Shados

Professional Snake Miner
You know this also works with Windows 7.  You hit the Windows Key and the Insertion Point is right on the search bar, which also doubles as the old "Run..." prompt.  Just search your program and you're good. 
It's also noticeably faster in W7, probably because your machine doesn't have to swap to a fullscreen app and then almost immediately back again.
 

devonblzx

New Member
Verified Provider
You know this also works with Windows 7.  You hit the Windows Key and the Insertion Point is right on the search bar, which also doubles as the old "Run..." prompt.  Just search your program and you're good. 
Yes I know, I said in an earlier post that it was available previously but it is just improved.

It's also noticeably faster in W7, probably because your machine doesn't have to swap to a fullscreen app and then almost immediately back again.
I actually thought it was noticeably faster in Windows 8, usually it is so fast that I don't even see the start screen show up, the app just loads.  It also does a better job of picking  your most used apps and finding more items.  I don't have Windows 7 to compare to anymore but I don't think it used to index your documents, downloads, and appdata folders.
 
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nunim

VPS Junkie
I've read through this entire thread and I haven't seen one decent reason for upgrading to Win 8.1 from Win 7.  

I might ditch Windows for my next upgrade as computers are powerful enough to run a full Windows VM if I really need the software.  

There's honestly nothing I NEED Windows for anymore, all of the programs I use regularly have Linux versions or decent alternatives.  The only reason I'm still using 7 is that I couldn't find a decent softphone for Linux but now that I've got a deskphone it's not an issue.
 

WSWD

Active Member
Verified Provider
Windows 8 is stupid.  Microsoft's biggest problem is that Windows 8 followed perhaps the best OS ever made by Microsoft.  I absolutely LOVE Windows 7.  It is sooooo smooth and stable.  I have never had a single crash, a single issue, anything at all go wrong on my Windows 7 computers.  And I get my start bar. :D

Coincidentally, I was in Vegas all this week, and at the hotel, my girlfriend's laptop (Windows 8) wouldn't connect to the hotel WiFi.  So here I am on the phone with their technical support, without any idea how to open the WiFi settings, adapter settings/properties, etc.  The MAC Address he needed from me?  No freakin' clue how to find it.  We ultimately just gave up.

Windows 8, to me, seems like a completely dumbed down version of Windows, where all the normal stuff is discretely hidden away somewhere, and the user is just presented with the things they need, in that stupid "start screen".  Is that good enough for most people?  Probably.  But for people who actually use computers for well....computing, and not as an extension of our cell phones, Windows 8 is just a freakin' nightmare.

No thanks!
 

devonblzx

New Member
Verified Provider
Coincidentally, I was in Vegas all this week, and at the hotel, my girlfriend's laptop (Windows 8) wouldn't connect to the hotel WiFi.  So here I am on the phone with their technical support, without any idea how to open the WiFi settings, adapter settings/properties, etc.  The MAC Address he needed from me?  No freakin' clue how to find it.  We ultimately just gave up.
Right click on the icon in the task bar and click Network & Sharing center just like any other version of Windows or go into the Control Panel by hitting the Windows Key and typing Control Panel, or use the new shortcut Win + i.  The network and sharing center is the same as Windows 7 and is still in the Control Panel.

Edit:  I will admit that some things are or were hard to find with Windows 8.  Windows 8.1 which has been out for a while now addressed some of those problems.  Although, I just took a few hours when Windows 8 first came out, learned the shortcuts and how to use it and haven't looked back since.  Every OS has major changes with new versions.  (Look at CentOS 7)

Another plus for windows 8.1 that I didn't mention before: auto DPI scaling by display.  It will automatically adjust the DPI based on your monitor so for large monitors, things aren't too small and small monitors, things aren't too big.  I kind of wish it was more customizable but still better than the older versions.
 
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TruvisT

Server Management Specialist
Verified Provider
...

where all the normal stuff is discretely hidden away somewhere, and the user is just presented with the things they need, in that stupid "start screen".  Is that good enough for most people?  Probably.  But for people who actually use computers for well....computing, and not as an extension of our cell phones, Windows 8 is just a freakin' nightmare.

No thanks!
That is Mac summed up lol
I have to work with Apple and everything is hidden from the hard drive and other common aspects. This whole new less is more concept annoys me.
 
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devonblzx

New Member
Verified Provider
The MAC Address he needed from me?  No freakin' clue how to find it.  We ultimately just gave up.
I missed this, but this is also the same on Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Open up command prompt and either use:


ipconfig /all

or

Code:
getmac
 

WSWD

Active Member
Verified Provider
I missed this, but this is also the same on Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Open up command prompt and either use:


ipconfig /all

or


getmac
No idea how to get to the command prompt.  Wasn't showing up anywhere.  And as far as right clicking on the icon...it didn't exist!  LOL!!  The networking icon was the first thing I looked for, and there was none on the taskbar.  I don't recall there being anything on her taskbar, including a clock.

Eh...who knows.  You'll never find me using Windows 8.  I love Windows 7 and Linux too much. :D :D

[EDIT]  I did eventually find the Networking this evening.  I guess I have to hover over the bottom right of the taskbar, and that opened some section on the right side that flew into the desktop.  It contained settings and all sorts of other stuff.  Bleh!  I'd be happy if I never had to touch that thing again.

I will say that probably the only thing I like about Windows 8 is the ability to reinstall the OS from scratch without the need for media.  I love that feature.  Had to reinstall Windows on her laptop a few times and it worked great.  Was slow as hell, but it worked.  Doing that on other Win OS without a recovery partition or such is impossible.
 
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raindog308

vpsBoard Premium Member
Moderator
Well turns out I'm getting a Windows 8 box after all.  My primary home laptop's hard drive died and the battery is already flakey, so I ordered one of these:

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Acer-Aspire-E-15-ES1-511-C590-Laptop/productID.304985400?icid=Chromebook_ModC_072114

Not a bad price (you could get it for $225 if you're a student) for an Atom notebook with 4GB of RAM and 500GB drive.  I don't need CPU performance in a laptop - just office apps + RDP, ssh, VLC for video when traveling, etc.  Hopefully Photoshop is functional for basics.

I'm tempted to put Win 7 on it but usually laptop drivers are not back-ported so...Win 8 here I come.

Any advice on making it more Win 7-like?   :D
 
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