Thoughts on 8.1?

[carrcomp]

I've heard some really bad reports about Windows 8.1 so far.

Anyone heard anything to change my mind?

EDIT : Everyone is reading too far into the "Change my mind" line.

I've heard only bad things. I'm looking to see what good people are able to give me.

Just looking for input here so I can make an educated decision in a Google Universe where I only find bad columns.

 

[Frick]

Sounds like your mind is already made up. I will wait to form my opinion after I try it hands on.

 

[HankArnold]

What have you "heard"?

I'm curious as to what you have "heard". I've seen good and luke warm comments, but no downright bad ones.

 

[SAG]

Pft!
Windows 8.1, ha! You guys are way behind the times!
My Windows 2000 box is 1991.9 versions ahead of what you are looking at "upgrading" to. And I'll be knocking it up 3 more versions soon!

 

[brandonkick]

I've heard some really bad reports about Windows 8.1 so far.

Anyone heard anything to change my mind?

Haven't tried windows 8.1, but I have been running windows 8 for months now without a single issue.

EDIT:

That's a little bit of a lie. I have had one problem. The SATA/IDE to USB adapater I have isn't WIN8 compatabile.
Not a big deal since I've used it three times in three years.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Was is or isn't in 8.1 is pure speculation at this point. Hard to say you HATE it when it doesn't even officially exists yet, except in Beta.

 

[ITMAN]

All I will say is we are using 8 on 16 machines for the past 6 months (albeit with getstartback ) and I would say its actually faster than 7!

 

[frederick]

We are using Windows 8 Pro on a few computers right now, and we are happy. We also got Windows 8 tablet pc's (real windows 8, not that wannabe stuff) and are having a great time with it. You get used to not having a start button, and that's okay with us.

I think it feels faster at boot as well.

 

[carrcomp]

Was is or isn't in 8.1 is pure speculation at this point. Hard to say you HATE it when it doesn't even officially exists yet, except in Beta.

I didn't say I hate it, I said I heard bad reviews and was wondering if anyone heard anything good before I keep the sour taste.

I read these before I decided to stop. (The link below along with the articles it referred to)

http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/windows-blue-microsoft-blows-it-219820?source=footer

Windows 8.1 at this point is confirmed that it will be coming out.

 

[Eric@noware]

It seems that OP has his mind mostly made up already, so I'm not going to bother trying to "convince" anyone of anything. Rather, I'll share my own experience;

Originally I wasn't too fond of 8. Mostly due to not wanting to get used to changes in the interface (read: stubbornness and laziness on my part), but after a little time, I actually rather enjoy it.

As for 8.1, I'm really kind of looking forward to it.

Have you seen this preview video?

http://www.wpcentral.com/video-microsoft-s-jensen-harris-shows-windows-81-surface-pro

 

[Instant Housecall - Corey]

All Apps Screen: As good as the start menu?

I've heard some really bad reports about Windows 8.1 so far.

Anyone heard anything to change my mind?

Full disclosure: I've liked Windows 8 since about two weeks after I started using the preview. I think 8.1 will address the biggest complaints from most of the Windows critics out there, without ruining the original "Metro" feel.

The two biggest gripes I hear about Windows 8: lack of a Start button, and the lack of actual "windows".

8.1 addresses both:

• Win8.1 adds an "All Apps" screen (swipe up from home screen)
• Win8.1 adds new "Snaps" -- on higher res monitors you can have several apps visible at the same time

So I'm curious to know: does the "All Apps" and "New Snaps" cut it for the anti-Win8 crowd? Will that change your mind?

 

[gunslinger]

Coke-new coke-Coke classic

 

[coffee]

Well, I just got done watching this preview of win8.1

http://arstechnica.com/information-...wn-off-in-video-and-upgrade-details-outlined/

My final thoughts on it are .....

 

[gunslinger]

Agreed!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[angry_geek]

Does it matter? All this windows 8 hate is like a mechanic hating on a particular brand of car. No matter your feelings, people will buy it, new computers will have it, eventually 7 will go away. You don't have to like it. However, you better learn it, you better start using it (at least on one machine), you better accept the inevitable. And I don't mean with star dock, classic shell, or other mods to make it look like 7. People will be using it the way it's designed. You should become proficient in its use as designed. It doesn't make a bit of difference how many users someone claims to have converted to osx or Linux (if all those purported claims were true, I suspect we would be seeing QuickBooks for ubuntu at staples by now); reports of Microsoft's demise are highly exaggerated. North of 90% market share; they're not going anywhere soon.

Bottom line: It's here, get used to it, get over it.

[/rant]

 

[PBComputer]

Does it matter? All this windows 8 hate is like a mechanic hating on a particular brand of car. No matter your feelings, people will buy it, new computers will have it, eventually 7 will go away. You don't have to like it. However, you better learn it, you better start using it (at least on one machine), you better accept the inevitable. And I don't mean with star dock, classic shell, or other mods to make it look like 7. People will be using it the way it's designed. You should become proficient in its use as designed. It doesn't make a bit of difference how many users someone claims to have converted to osx or Linux (if all those purported claims were true, I suspect we would be seeing QuickBooks for ubuntu at staples by now); reports of Microsoft's demise are highly exaggerated. North of 90% market share; they're not going anywhere soon.

Bottom line: It's here, get used to it, get over it.

[/rant]

I could not put it better my self, being using it as my main os for over a month with no replacement start and really like it, also have a lot of customers using it who like it and how easy it's to use, once they have being shown a few tricks and tips, and the start screen has being customised.

Paul

 

[nlinecomputers]

Does it matter? All this windows 8 hate is like a mechanic hating on a particular brand of car. No matter your feelings, people will buy it, new computers will have it, eventually 7 will go away. You don't have to like it. However, you better learn it, you better start using it (at least on one machine), you better accept the inevitable. And I don't mean with star dock, classic shell, or other mods to make it look like 7. People will be using it the way it's designed. You should become proficient in its use as designed. It doesn't make a bit of difference how many users someone claims to have converted to osx or Linux (if all those purported claims were true, I suspect we would be seeing QuickBooks for ubuntu at staples by now); reports of Microsoft's demise are highly exaggerated. North of 90% market share; they're not going anywhere soon.

Bottom line: It's here, get used to it, get over it.

[/rant]

Like Vista I don't expect to see much of it. People will cling to Windows 7 the same way they clung onto Xp. Win 9 will come along at some point and push Win 8 or 8.1 out of the market. Microsoft is trying to address a need with a badly designed product. (And before some Win 8 fanboi comes along to tell me how wrong I am about it. I don't care. Sales numbers are not supporting this as being a good product. And that is the bottom line.) Windows 8 is the first OS from Microsoft since ME that isn't installed on my daily driver machine. I see no reason to do so. I have a VM of it. I have one secondary machine running it. I can help the few I encounter with it. That is the most I feel I need to expend on it.

 

[gunslinger]

Like Vista I don't expect to see much of it. People will cling to Windows 7 the same way they clung onto Xp. Win 9 will come along at some point and push Win 8 or 8.1 out of the market. Microsoft is trying to address a need with a badly designed product. (And before some Win 8 fanboi comes along to tell me how wrong I am about it. I don't care. Sales numbers are not supporting this as being a good product. And that is the bottom line.) Windows 8 is the first OS from Microsoft since ME that isn't installed on my daily driver machine. I see no reason to do so. I have a VM of it. I have one secondary machine running it. I can help the few I encounter with it. That is the most I feel I need to expend on it.

Could not have said it better. I'm also using it inside a VM and thats where it will stay. The only Win 8 machines that have come through the door of my shop have been customers wanting me to nuke and install 7.

 

[coffee]

Bottom line: It's here, get used to it, get over it.[/rant]

I dont have to get used to it. I have lots of alternatives and so do my clients. Im sure alot of people said the same for vista and that will be gone totally soon. Windows ME is gone, The paperclip guy is gone, The RT is dying and will be gone. Microsoft cares less about the desktop market and is trying in vain to get into the phone and *pad market. They are failing there too.

BTW --- Did you happen to see this gem?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2013/06/05/microsoft-reorganizes-itself-crafty-or-confusing/

....you better accept the inevitable

Thats a 2 sided sword there. Microsoft is starting to crack and show alot of wear. Had best get used to that as inevitable. Linux is replacing it in the data centers pretty quickly and there is no microsoft OS on todays cell phones or *pads, Running TVs and other appliances. Microsofts only stronghold is the desktop which they are screwing up quite well with windows 8 and the MSOffice "rent to own" scam.

It seems to me that what IS inevitable is up to debate.

Better start to know linux real well instead of win8. If the desktop computer does die off then your going to be fixing cell phones. I doubt your going to get any MS cell phones in the shop.

Besides, Not alot to know for an already experienced tech on how to blow away the win8 on a drive and put win7 or linux on it.

What is evident is that win8 is another failure.

PS - The day Quickbooks gets the idea that "Quickbooks for the smart phone" is a good idea they are not going to go to MS to help them implement it.

Nothing personal,

coffee

 

[angry_geek]

Vista was barely out on the shelves before 7 was in beta and development releases. Windows 9 is nothing more than rumors at this point. Don't plan on seeing that for at least 2 years, maybe 3. As for MS starting to crack: we've been hearing news of their demise for at least 15 years now. The only thing that ever changes is which version of linux will take their place. RedHat, Ubuntu, Mint, Suse? I'm sure next week will be something else.

I'm not sure which data centers you've been in. Most of the big dogs have always preferred Unix. Now that's shifting to various custom OS's and Linux run with only bare essentials, typically a manager of some sort for running VMs. The guests can be any manner of operating system from something simple running Apache to windows server running SQL and exchange. Smaller corporate data centers, think 100> servers, run all kinds of systems varying from debian boxes to windows server. Not that data centers have anything to do with windows 8 or 8.1.

I strongly disagree with you that the correct approach is blowing it out and put 7 on it. That may be the easy answer. Customers that need 7 for some kind of compatibility issue is another thing entirely. However, the only time I have run into that is when a business owner thought it would be a good idea to run out to worst purchase and buy a bunch oh HP consumer desktops. Duh. I don't know if 8 is a failure or not. There are many reasons new machine sales are down, and I'm sure 8 is one of those reasons. However, I think it's because of a lack of proper consumer education, and not due to technical issues. I personally don't like 8, but I still use it on my laptop, our register, and one other box. Our techs' field machines are running 8. We have to know what our customers are using if we expect to be able to work on it. Denying its existence or waiting for its demise is just silly. Regardless of how you or I feel about it, it's here for at least another 2 or 3 years before it gets replaced with who knows what. And after that, we will still see machines with 8 on them, we will still see machines with Vista on them as well. So yeah; it's inevitable.

I'm sure you do just fine with pushing linux on your customers. If it's working out, then more power to you. For me; I tried pushing linux a couple of times. Complete waste of time and money. As for knowing linux: I do quite well, thank you. I like a few distros for various reasons, but I'll stick with MS for day to day desktop use. And I'll keep our highly modified Mountain Lion machine for our kiosk machine. Linux, well, we keep him in the closet still. Let him out from time to time if we're in the mood for a little self-flagellation.