Should You Switch to Windows 8?

[easysurfer]

I dunno about taking the dive...

Should you switch to Windows 8?

From this article, I'm thinking by 2014, maybe it's time for me to switch from XP to Windows 7?

 

[MichaelB]

Windows upgrades are very demanding on HW resources. The releases are not always backwards compatible with other applications. Unless there is a compelling need, why upgrade?

 

[Nords]

I dunno about taking the dive...
From this article, I'm thinking by 2014, maybe it's time for me to switch from XP to Windows 7?

I don't know about your two-step upgrade, but I'm very happy that I ditched Vista for Win7. I procrastinated far longer than I should have.

I'm also happy to let the other Win8 beta testers hurl themselves off the cliff. Maybe in 3-4 more years I'll be typing on a touch-screen monitor instead of on a keyboard...

 

[easysurfer]

I don't know about your two-step upgrade, but I'm very happy that I ditched Vista for Win7. I procrastinated far longer than I should have.

I'm also happy to let the other Win8 beta testers hurl themselves off the cliff. Maybe in 3-4 more years I'll be typing on a touch-screen monitor instead of on a keyboard...

Presently, my PCs are still on Win XP. Though I have used Win 7 and found that stable and the learning curve from XP is small.

For anyone with Vista, that OS was so problematic.

 

[frayne]

Still using Windows 3.1 and I can't imagine how many discs it would take to upgrade all the way to Windows 8. Not gonna do it, I'm telling ya.

 

[ERD50]

Switch to Windows 8, from Xubuntu 12.04 (Linux)? No Way!

I just went through switching (upgrading I guess) from Ubuntu 10.04, as that was nearing the end of LTS (Long Term Support) for bug fixes and security updates. No real compatibility issues, though in a few cases I switched from one version of a program to another for some tasks, if they are better supported under the new OS. But nothing major. Chromium browser, LibreOffice, and Thunderbird for email are the major applications I use. Plus DigiKam for photos, a few different graphics editors, some music & sound programs, scanner apps (Linux seems to be the only current OS that supports my very old scanner), KdenLive for video editing, plus a bunch of misc apps for this and that.

The new OS release is probably easier on Hardware requirements than the old, certainly no worse. I didn't care for the 'Unity' (iPad-like) interface on Ubuntu 12.04, so like many others I went for Xubuntu for a more traditional (and useful for the way I work) desktop interface.

Oh, and for us LBYM'ers - X/Ubuntu is free to DL and install and maintain.

Home | Ubuntu
Xubuntu


-ERD50

 

[steelyman]

I used Ubuntu when I was working and it is great.

Now, at home. I only use a desktop about once a week and it still runs Vista. The only reason I use Windows at all is Quicken...

 

[donheff]

I have heard a lot of negatives about Windows 8 for PCs. Tablets maybe, put PCs

 

[veremchuka]

I've been using Vista since 4/2008 and don't have any problems despite many people don't like it, I have no idea why. Vista was installed on this custom built pc and the OS is 64 bit not 32.

I used to use XP and then XP Pro at work for many years and was very familiar with them. Vista was a lot different. But I wouldn't go to Win 7 since it's not going to be the current OS soon but I see no reason to ditch Vista. If it ain't broke don't fix it is my motto.

I do share the fear of changing OS when you know how to use the one you've used for years. You never know what to expect and Windows products are not all that well written.

 

[grasshopper]

Ms G and I have laptops mine has W7 hers runs Vista. We network together there seem to be very little difference in speed or stability of the two OS's.

 

[easysurfer]

I used Ubuntu when I was working and it is great.

Now, at home. I only use a desktop about once a week and it still runs Vista. The only reason I use Windows at all is Quicken...

Sometimes I think of trying a freebie like Ubuntu. But like you there'd be some program holdovers that I'd still want (Turbotax and my budgeting program, for example). I know I can go Turbotax online, but I'd prefer to work on my taxes locally.

 

[W2R]

The only operating system I ever bought just because it was new, was Windows 95 (which I got the first day on the market).

I'll wait until the next time I need a new computer to get Windows 8. Hopefully that will be a while, since I just got my present Windows 7 laptop last year.

 

[M Paquette]

Bah! Overlapping windows are so overrated. Windows 1.0 on DOS 5, running on this tricked out 286 turbo box. If I want web access, gotta boot Windows 3 and run Mosaic...

(more junk to go on e-waste day)

 

[Richard4444]

I'm using XP Pro and will have to upgrade in 2014 when MS no longer issues critical updates for XP. I'm gonna miss Office 2003. Just when you are used to something and it works fine, ...................

 

[GrayHare]

Anyone using 16-bit Windows programs (under XP, for example) should be aware Vista/7/8 will not run them. IMO that's one of the bigger drawbacks since I still use/enjoy some 16-bit programs dating from the 1990s.

 

[DaveJ]

I've seen both the Windows 8 and the Windows Server 2012 betas and so far I am unimpressed. I do not own a tablet, so why should my OS function as if written for one? The user interface leaves much to be desired, as with Vista it seems like they just rearranged things for the sake of doing something new. Incidentally, that's also my problem with Apple products - they want you to do things the "Apple" way. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, just that I have some "philosophical differences" with their methods.

Windows 7 fixed most of the functionality and stability issues I had with Vista, and it's also much easier to deploy and manage compared to XP. Given the choice I'll stick with Windows 7 - it just works.

 

[DaveJ]

Anyone using 16-bit Windows programs (under XP, for example) should be aware Vista/7/8 will not run them. IMO that's one of the bigger drawbacks since I still use/enjoy some 16-bit programs dating from the 1990s.

This is true, although I believe some versions of Windows 7 have an "XP mode" virtual machine that you can run if needed. Failing that, you could install Oracle's free Virtualbox software (https://www.virtualbox.org/) and run just about any OS on it that you wish.

 

[Ally]

Yes, I probably will. For the first time in the 14 years I've used the Internet, I got a laptop computer today. It comes with a free upgrade to Windows 8 in a few weeks. However, that's not why we bought it. I found a 14 inch, lightweight HP that I liked for less than $600. My husband finally convinced me that there was no reason I should feel selfish for spending money on myself.
I guess I can stop using my phone for a mini laptop.

 

[Richard4444]

Does anyone know if Win 8 will have an 'expiration date' later than Win 7 ?

 

[steelyman]

Sometimes I think of trying a freebie like Ubuntu. But like you there'd be some program holdovers that I'd still want (Turbotax and my budgeting program, for example). I know I can go Turbotax online, but I'd prefer to work on my taxes locally.

Well, maybe Intuit will figure out which way things are going and release UNIX-based (Linux, MacOS) versions of their products. I used Quicken for Mac a few years ago and it was terrible. I'd pay for it even if the OS was free.

 

[Semiretired2008]

I have heard a lot of negatives about Windows 8 for PCs. Tablets maybe, put PCs

Windows 8 is supposed to work with a smaller footprint (using less memory). If they make the other software follow the same suit it will be great, but the coders will probably have to work harder to get that optimized - so it is left open for now whether or not it will be better...

 

[ERD50]

Well, maybe Intuit will figure out which way things are going and release UNIX-based (Linux, MacOS) versions of their products. I used Quicken for Mac a few years ago and it was terrible. I'd pay for it even if the OS was free.

I'm pretty sure that the on-line versions are their 'solutions'. This would be more on-topic at tax time, I have mixed feelings of on-line versus local, but there are enough advantages to on-line that I'm OK with it (not having to wait for updates to download every single time I log on). Not sure I'd switch if they did provide a *NIX version.

-ERD50

 

[ShortInSeattle]

I'm beta testing Win8 right now. I like it, pretty zippy and it has a nice layout for organizing programs and files into groups of "tiles.". I'm a visual person so I like the corkboard-style layout. One group of tiles for my social media, another group for current projects, and so on.

Given the cheap upgrade, I'll probably switch.

SIS

 

[misanman]

We have two Vista laptops and a Windows 7 desktop. Never had a problem with any of them. As others have said, I never understood all the bad Vista press. My laptop is 5 years old and I'm due for am upgrade soon, but it will likely be Windows 7 based.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Not a techie, so I let my upgrades be guided by whatever comes on a new computer when I need it. My 2006 HP laptop with XP will likely be replaced by another laptop that has Windows 8 on it (I'll wait for that rather than getting one with Windows 7). I'm sure it will be fine for my purposes.