I got about half way through the video, that was enough for me (may watch the rest later). Here's my story:
I just bought a new laptop, with the intention of putting Linux on it. But I figured I better make sure Windows boots, and check out the hardware while it is under warranty, so I could be sure it was a HW problem and not some Linux/HW combo problem. Then my plan was to make Windows restore disks (8.1), and wipe windows from the drive and make it all Linux (Xubuntu version). Just like I did on my previous machine.
But like that guy 1/2 way through, I couldn't figure out how to make restore disks. I recently replaced a crashed drive on a friend's Windows laptop, used an iso I downloaded and the product keys, and it went OK - so I'm familiar with the process (even though I'm not very familiar with Windows). But this guy couldn't figure it out on Win 8 either. I gave up, just like him. I just installed Xubuntu alongside Win, rather than wipe it, but that's lame. Like he says, if your drive crashes, those discs they offer to make need the repair partition from the drive - which is crashed. It is insane. Catch-22 anyone?
I also couldn't figure out how to do anything in Win 8.1. Like he says, apps would pop up full screen, I didn't know how to close them. And when I opened a new tab in the browser, I could not find out where that tab went. I was lost. Right clicking that little icon in the LL corner was a bit more straightforward, but still thinks acted oddly.
To be fair, I didn't spend much time with it, as I didn't plan on using Windows much if at all. But there was nothing that made me want to spend more time with it. Shouldn't a new OS encourage you to try it out? And why should you have to study up to do something on a computer these days? There should be enough 'hinting' to make things obvious. That was the point of the GUI. Maybe it's great when you learn your way around, but it was a frustrating start. Glad I don't need to mess with it.
The new Xubuntu has messed up a few little things in a minor way, but I expect I'll find a way to make them work, or there will be some options posted. But that's a small % of the UI, most everything is either as familiar and usable as before, or improved.
Another weird thing - I will honestly say it took longer to get Windows started the first time, than it did to perform a complete fresh install of Xubuntu, and have that boot to the desktop. Seriously. Windows took a long time to configure and install stuff, with no progress bar or hint what it was doing and how long it would take. And then it forces you to create a Microsoft account with them, then retrieve secret codes that they email you separately that you need to enter before you can continue. What if you were starting this up, and didn't have another computer nearby to get that email? Another Catch-22? And the start-up screen displays my email address at the log in! Geez, shouldn't my email address only be accessible to someone who can log in to my computer? INSANE.
-ERD50