Windows 8 is the first OS that made me downgrade


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The same clowns who sunk $6 billion into buying an advertising company only to make a complete loss on it?

Microsoft has been sliding downhill ever since Ballmer took over for Gates. The difference is that Gates is an engineer who actually understands technology and has a vision. Most importantly, he understood software. Ballmer's no Gates.

What are you talking about? Sliding downhill? Have you even seen the quarter-to-quarter earnings reports? Stocks are on a 52wk high. Quality of software is going up (Except Windows 8) so I really can't understand what you're talking about.

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Wow.. it is terrible.. using it now the OEM version and all I can say it's absolutely terrible. For someone who has been using Windows for 20 years now I can't find how to switch between freakin' browser windows. The whole thing is a bigger mess than I thought. How in the hell will regular users understand this is completely beyond me.

you don't know how to use the task bar... Well that explains a LOT.
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I wonder how many of you actually sat down with the OS with a clear mind and didn't scoff at it the first second you saw it. The best way to go about ANY changes to ANY platform or app is to approach with a clear mind, and many, many free hours. Windows 8 requires you to suspend any previous conceptions about operating systems. Give the hardware time to catch up, and by Windows 9, I guarantee some of you will have changed your opinion.

I personally can't wait to augment my desktop with a touch screen. Touch input is quicker and more efficient than the mouse is in some cases.

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Windows is all about Hype. Vista, they jacked up the entire OS by giving us the fat lady that could barely move.That sucker ate alot of my hardrive space. Win7 found success because they redid the kernel. Win8, they felt they could impress the market by hyping a "new" UI and completely revamping the desktop. I'll wait to see what's behind win8. but this is 2 out of 3 OS'es that bombed under Ballmer.

and I have been using Windows since 3.1 circa 1991.

Life was much better under Gates.. :D

I tried the RTM yesterday evening and I have to say this is the worst thing Microsoft have ever done by far. There is no reason at all for me to upgrade to this. I mean really what new features are there? A new UI on Explorer? Task Manager? Metro? Is that all? This OS is a total joke.

This OS feels like Microsoft throwing us under the bus (pre-existing users of Windows) to try and get in to the tablet market. Leveraging their desktop monopoly to give developers incentive to make Metro apps because they know that without that large desktop market share developers will find it difficult to find reasons to invest in making Metro apps. Why develop for a tablet that will only capture 1 maybe 2% of the market?

And well on the desktop it just sucks. It doesn't work man, giant UI buttons, 2D boxes, removal of the start menu. We use keyboards and mice on our desktops not fat fingers. This whole UI just doesn't work and it feels unfinished, half baked, confused about what it is. The fact it has two separate environments for a start just adds an extra layer of complexity to an already confused operating system.

I really fail to understand how Microsoft ever thought this was a good idea. I mean really.. who is running things over there?

"Hey guys I got a great idea, let's take the UI that hasn't got even garnered 2% share on mobile after a year in the market and put it on our main Windows product! Nothing could go wrong with that! - Also lets spend practically all our time porting that UI over and offer almost no other new features - No Time Machine, iTunes or iCloud competitor, no one needs those anyways what they need is giant boxes and an extra toolbox in Explorer!"

new features well to start with

- Start screen, easier and more organized view of your favorite pinned apps (don't compare it to all apps, that's another layer in). With the ability to sort your apps into named groups.

- Metro apps and -

- App store

- New task manager

- Overall far better performance.

- better function for detecting new apps that can open file types

- updated graphics driver model, now you get DWM(aero) even in software/classic mode

- Far improved Multi monitor support

- New restore functions, enabling a full reset to factory standards on all installations with no fuss.

- Live accoutn and cloud features built in.

- Sync your desktop across computers/devices

- Storage spaces

- faster boot time.

And much more.

Windows is all about Hype. Vista, they jacked up the entire OS by giving us the fat lady that could barely move.That sucker ate alot of my hardrive space. Win7 found success because they redid the kernel. Win8, they felt they could impress the market by hyping a "new" UI and completely revamping the desktop. I'll wait to see what's behind win8. but this is 2 out of 3 OS'es that bombed under Ballmer.

and I have been using Windows since 3.1 circa 1991.

Life was much better under Gates.. :D

Vista didn't bomb, and before 7 was the fastest selling windows OS. Just because you didn't like what was a perfectly good OS doesn't mean it bombed.

new features well to start with

- Start screen, easier and more organized view of your favorite pinned apps (don't compare it to all apps, that's another layer in). With the ability to sort your apps into named groups.

- Metro apps and -

- App store

- New task manager

- Overall far better performance.

- better function for detecting new apps that can open file types

- updated graphics driver model, now you get DWM(aero) even in software/classic mode

- Far improved Multi monitor support

- New restore functions, enabling a full reset to factory standards on all installations with no fuss.

- Live accoutn and cloud features built in.

- Sync your desktop across computers/devices

- Storage spaces

- faster boot time.

And much more.

Vista didn't bomb, and before 7 was the fastest selling windows OS. Just because you didn't like what was a perfectly good OS doesn't mean it bombed.

You forgot Security and Kernel changes :)

Windows is all about Hype. Vista, they jacked up the entire OS by giving us the fat lady that could barely move.That sucker ate alot of my hardrive space. Win7 found success because they redid the kernel. Win8, they felt they could impress the market by hyping a "new" UI and completely revamping the desktop. I'll wait to see what's behind win8. but this is 2 out of 3 OS'es that bombed under Ballmer.

and I have been using Windows since 3.1 circa 1991.

Life was much better under Gates.. :D

I was unaware you could see the future and thus know Win8's exact sales figures.

As much as I tried to get used to Win 8, there is no way I'll go back to it. No those fake start buttons are crap. Yes they are. Just when you think Microsoft finally got it right with Win 7, someone in their R&D dept. decided that their main source of revenue needed major change. I understand the whole idea of integrating all MS devices together and trying to take over the world with a unified OS but when you force ridiculous **** down people's throat they go elsewhere. If Windows 8 becomes a requirement to run certain **** I'll switch to Ubuntu (or another Debian distro) in a heartbeat. I've been using Windows since 3.1 and never have I seen such a stupid decision since WinME. F*** *** MS.

Same here. I have upgraded to every Windows version since Windows 95, I've even used these from the first beta versions as my main OS because I have been on internal beta at Connect, but this time had zero interest after seeing where this was headed. I must say I would be interested in some performance improvements in W8 but I just can't switch from W7 because W8 is so ugly. To be honest my main reason for upgrading has always been the UI.

You should understand that Windows team changes on every version almost completely and every new team has a different vision and would want to do a complete overhaul on the OS. That's why Windows sometimes takes steps backwards.

You've been using WIndows for 20 years and you dont know Alt+Tab or Win+Tab?

Since when does making something ONLY possible through the keyboard a GUI enhancement?! W8 is two steps backwards in productivity and GUI development.

<snipped out quote of removed post>

Edited by Calum

Since when does making something ONLY possible through the keyboard a GUI enhancement?! W8 is two steps backwards in productivity and GUI development.

Or he may have a life that doesn't permit him to waste his time on meaningless wannabe forums more than once every few days...

Just saying.

Alt+Tab is a power user's dream. My hand is always right there ready to switch tasks.

Windows 7 was the first OS that made me downgrade. It was ugly as ****, messy, and slow.

Downgraded from W7 to Vista?

And a complete overhaul is what we're getting.

Yep, and by doing that some things go step backwards but what goes wrong should be fixed with Windows 9.

Alt+Tab is a power user's dream. My hand is always right there ready to switch tasks.
It's great when I have two windows that I want to switch between frequently. It's pretty useless when I have a couple dozen windows open, and I need to get to one that isn't immediately adjacent in the order. One size does not fit all.

As for me, I will not be changing to Windows 8. MS invested so many resource in the Metro interface, yet the desktop part still uses icons from Vista. It shows me how much they cared about the Desktop area and I happen to have a Desktop computer. I guess I must've been living under a rock or in a cave or something. Thankfully we have Windows 7.

It's great when I have two windows that I want to switch between frequently. It's pretty useless when I have a couple dozen windows open, and I need to get to one that isn't immediately adjacent in the order. One size does not fit all.

and how does Windows 8 made switching worse? It still has the taskbar and the alt-tab XD

I predict Windows 8 will be one of Microsoft's biggest product blunders. Windows Vista will look like a huge success in comparison.

It should have been strictly a phone and tablet OS and had it's own name separate from the desktop versions.

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I think it's funny ahhell liked every single pro-8 comment here, but hasn't actually commented... :p

Personally, i'll stay with 7 for now and evaluate what to do with 8. I'm not really inspired to use it on my desktops for any reason. Has potential for tablets though...

Why are you torturing himself with windows problems, why not to switch to Ubuntu/MAC now? Have you noticed how popular MAC is in movies? Almost in each Hollywood movie when characters are using computer there're apple logo on back of the lid. It means if you would start using MAC, you'll be as cool as your favorite movies stars!

new features well to start with

- New task manager

- Overall far better performance.

- better function for detecting new apps that can open file types

- updated graphics driver model, now you get DWM(aero) even in software/classic mode

- Far improved Multi monitor support

- faster boot time.

This is quite true: Windows 8 has all these improvments plus IE 10, spell checking, kernel changes, Ribboned Explorer.

Sadly, even if these are very interesting and to me, the most compelling reasons to upgrade, everything I see is the user interface changes that made things more complicated to me.

So, yes, I am keeping Windows 7 too.

If you don't like change then my advice to you is to get out of the IT industry. Change is the only thing we are assured of and we can plan for!

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