Windows 8, Microsoft, etc.

[Vrecknidj]

I haven't used any devices with Windows 8. I'm quite happy with Windows 7 on my laptop (I still use XP on another work laptop -- I'm not permitted to make changes to it). I have an old iPod Touch, and I'm happy with its OS. And, I have a Nexus 7, and I'm happy with its OS.

But, I haven't really seen much positive buzz about Windows 8. I'm guessing Microsoft is somewhat asea and trying to figure out how to evolve as the computing landscape continues to shift.

Is Windows 8 a harbinger of the end times for Microsoft?

 

[Alex_]

Why don't you try one of these?

 

[walfin]

Hahaha I knew somebody would say Linux eventually.

I tried Windows 8 desktop on a friend's machine. The home screen thingy is worse than useless. Stuff is hard to find with no start menu and no better alternative (e.g. in linux, search and launch in KDE or GNOME shell/Unity on GNOME) is to be had. The file explorer now has a completely shitty ribbon interface reminiscent of MS Office. Overall, hopeless.

Microsoft's woe used to be mainly system instability. XP was very usable UI-wise (I sometimes had difficulty but to be fair it was usually the result of primarily using Linux at home). Now, their UI has gone to pieces too.

 

[Cognisant]

They tried to fix what wasn't broken.

 

[Hawkeye]

Windows 8 works well for about 99% of the software I use. The lack of a start button and menu was irritating at first, until I realised that I never really used it that often in previous versions. In fact, the only thing I used it for was to shut down my machine but this can be done with ease on the right-hand menu.

You can get the start menu back by using a simple shell if you really need it. Other than that, Windows 8 for me has been the most stable version of Windows I've used (this even includes XP). I have not had a single blue screen on Windows 8.

It boots up faster than Windows 7, but I don't like that you have to tie it to an email account...

 

[Architect]

Microsoft isn't going anywhere except into a quiet, slow stagnation.

Windows 8 is DOA however.

 

[scorpiomover]

I doubt that Microsoft is going down anytime soon. But look at what happened to Apple when Steve Jobs left for a bit. Bill Gates was quite a pushy spearhead for Microsoft. Now he's gone. Unless they get someone who can make things happen like Gates did, well, it's like a chicken without a head. May run around for an hour, even a day. But it's on its way out.

 

[Hawkeye]

unless of course that chicken happens to be Mike the Headless Chicken ^^

 

[Lostwitheal]

It boots up faster than Windows 7, but I don't like that you have to tie it to an email account...

You don't *have* to, but they don't make it that obvious that you don't have to. It's perfectly possible to create local user accounts unlinked from a Microsoft account

I'm having a little trouble discerning what the fuss is all about. Basically it's Windows 7 with a full screen start menu and some (mostly) pointless extra apps. Fundamentally if you liked 7, 8 is more-or-less the same thing.

I tried Windows 8 desktop on a friend's machine. The home screen thingy is worse than useless. Stuff is hard to find with no start menu and no better alternative (e.g. in linux, search and launch in KDE or GNOME shell/Unity on GNOME) is to be had.

Actually I find it quicker - you can pin any application you want onto the home screen, and every application installed is a right click away. If you're feeling lazy, you just start typing the name of the application whilst on the home screen, a la unity, and everything that matches appears instantly.

I think mostly it suffers from things being done in a slightly different way which isn't immediately obvious, so people get frustrated. Once you know, it's fine.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Thanks for the variety of replies so far. This is helpful. Microsoft isn't "too big to fail," but, even its size isn't necessarily enough. That said, it probably has enough cash-generating stuff to keep it going for a long while yet.

If indeed Windows 8 is every bit as stable as Windows 7 (which has been nigh uncrashable for me), then I don't have too many concerns. It took me some time to get used to the ribbon in Office, but, I've gotten used to it enough to have learned to benefit from it.

 

[Hawkeye]

You don't *have* to, but they don't make it that obvious that you don't have to. It's perfectly possible to create local user accounts unlinked from a Microsoft account

Good to know for when I next format.

 

[walfin]

You don't *have* to, but they don't make it that obvious that you don't have to. It's perfectly possible to create local user accounts unlinked from a Microsoft account

I'm having a little trouble discerning what the fuss is all about. Basically it's Windows 7 with a full screen start menu and some (mostly) pointless extra apps. Fundamentally if you liked 7, 8 is more-or-less the same thing.



Actually I find it quicker - you can pin any application you want onto the home screen, and every application installed is a right click away. If you're feeling lazy, you just start typing the name of the application whilst on the home screen, a la unity, and everything that matches appears instantly.

I think mostly it suffers from things being done in a slightly different way which isn't immediately obvious, so people get frustrated. Once you know, it's fine.

It doesn't fit. Seriously. It's half Metro UI half old style graphical.

Plus, eye candy wise it is now clearly inferior to Linux now that they abolished Aero Glass.

 

[Lostwitheal]

It doesn't fit. Seriously. It's half Metro UI half old style graphical.

Ok, so here's what I'm having trouble understanding, and this is a genuine inquiry because I want to understand. If you so wish you can mostly ignore Metro (and I wouldn't blame you) and just use it like 7 with a full screen start menu. It doesn't get in the way unless you want it to, so is the dislike generated purely by the poor aesthetics or is it something deeper?

Plus, eye candy wise it is now clearly inferior to Linux now that they abolished Aero Glass.

Agreed.

 

[walfin]

Ok, so here's what I'm having trouble understanding, and this is a genuine inquiry because I want to understand. If you so wish you can mostly ignore Metro (and I wouldn't blame you) and just use it like 7 with a full screen start menu. It doesn't get in the way unless you want it to, so is the dislike generated purely by the poor aesthetics or is it something deeper?

Haha it doesn't affect me at all since my workplace still uses Windows 7 and I don't need to use Windows at home.

No you can't. The "full screen start menu" is Metro UI. It's a inconsistent user interface and there's no way to get rid of it entirely (yes, of course you can get a start menu or dock program, I know, but still - why upgrade then?). Either make everything blend into the Metro UI somehow, or make some other kind of menu. I have a full screen start menu too, on my Linux machines (Plasma dashboard/search and launch), and it's fine because it fits in with the rest of the user experience.

I don't like the design of the searchable start menu in Win 7 either. It just feels...unintuitive somehow.