In spite of all the hate, I like Windows 8

For all the Microsoft and Windows 8 hating going on, I like Windows 8. I think it's innovative and very cool--to use the vernacular. Windows 8 is what we've really been waiting for on mobile devices. And, it's what we've waited for on business desktops as well. It has features of Mac OS X, Linux and other Windows versions. It was brilliant of Microsoft to take the best bits from all of its competitor OSs, refine them and put them into Windows 8. You have to love that. You have to applaud it. I don't care who you are or which OS you're clinging to, Windows 8 is the future and you'd better embrace it or be left out in the cold with the Dodo bird.I don't know exactly why it is but people seem to resist change, even when it's good. It must be a human nature thing. I fell prey to it as well. I hated Windows 8 at first. But, I was converted after trying it. I'm one of the people who went from, "Windows 8 sucks" to "Windows 8 is cool."
I know there's a lot of hate going on here and elsewhere but maybe negative commentary is somehow more popular than positive. I don't care which it is. I speak my mind regardless of what everyone else is doing. And, I have the technical background to back up my likes and dislikes. That's the difference in those who are Technology Journalists and those who are technology workers who are also journalists.

Read more: In spite of all the hate, I like Windows 8 | ZDNet

 

[Fredledingue]

Yes, W8 (bypassing Metro) is a good OS. Yet I don't know at this point of evolution if one can tell that they love or hate a Windows OS. What you love is your settings, your desktop arrangement, your theme of choice, the softwares you use with it.

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It's like saying "I love this new gasoline!" because it gives some barely noticeable additional mileage. Ok, but the car you'r are using if far more relevant in term of hate/love and efficiency and functionality.

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You can give me any OS from W98 to W8 and set I'll set it up the way I love and have all of them pretty much the same the way they look and the way I use them. In fact I even don't care which OS I use because from the very first day of use I reinstall all the settings and softwares presents on the other OS and I don't see much difference.

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Give me the OS you love best (say W8) and I'll set it up the way you hate it. Give me the OS I hate the most (actualy XP) and I'll set it up the way I can like it.

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With some stretch, you can judge an OS from the way Microsoft gives it to you out of the box. But with me this state disapears within minutes of installation. So it's quiet irrelevant.

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I don't understand what they mean by loe and hate of an OS. You can love or hate feature (Metro is a feature, not the OS). You can hate or be indifferent to (rarely love) a feature removed (the Start Menu), but unless there is realy no solution to get it back, it's irrelevant too. If someone wants the (classsic) Start Menu, he/she can get it for free and still love W8.

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I said that, Metro nothwithstanding! I discard Metro. I hate Metro for everything it represents and will resist (change to moe to) Metro until my last breath. And I maintain it will be biggest flop since BoB.

 

[TerryE]

I think if folks would take a step back and look at what Microsoft is trying to do with Windows 8 they might understand it a little better.

Up to now, Windows has lived in the domain of PCs: desktop, laptop, netbook, whatever. Yeah, they've had Windows Mobile for phones and assorted tablet PC versions of the OS, but for the most part the modern tablets and smart phones do not behave the way Windows-on-a-PC does.

Enter Windows 8 with its new Start screen. Out of the box, it can't be missed. It's completely new, but it behaves much like a tablet OS: touch it, drag it, move it with your fingers instead of a mouse. It goes where you do, in tablet form, and acts like a tablet OS when it runs on a tablet device.

Users are moving away from laptops and dekstops to truly "on the go" devices. I think that's what Microsoft realizes. Windows 8 says "I can live anywhere, and I will look the same in whatever place you have me." You can run it on a powerful desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a phone. It will look and feel much the same wherever it is.

Lest I seem biased, I will outright tell you that I don't plan to run Windows 8 as my primary OS. I do not "hate" or "love" it, and in fact it's growing on me, but I will keep using my Windows 7 PC installations for the immediate future. Maybe someday I'll swithc to it, but not right now. I have it installed on a VM and I'll keep using it that way. I happen to like how my Windows 7 installation looks and runs right now, and I have no need to upgrade just because I can.

 

[Lee]

It is a matter of taste. . .some will go with the flow and act like parrots, well others while just set back, and say whatever. Win 8 is a good OS as was XP, Win 2000, and other OS MS has put together so take your pick and enjoy the pick you made.

 

[Fredledingue]

I can live anywhere, and I will look the same in whatever place you have me

You can do whatever you want, the PC monitor on your desk will never look, let alone feel like a smartphone or even the largest laptop available on the same desk.

 

[ecevit]

I wasn't a fan of metro ( modern ) interface but I am getting used to it . Windows 8 is certainly faster than windows 7. I feel the difference.

 

[GhostDog]

Faster! For sure. I've even noticed the difference in terms of faster file copying and faster loading of programs. And that was from an upgrade. The whole thing for Metro for me is to be the point of call for doing the basic of tasks, such as reading the latest news, tweeting and Facebook messaging. I love the fact that I can do that through Metro and not have to worry about visiting the websites on the desktop. I always like to see the current up to date information in regards to weather and other updates. To me it's splitting the basic stuff that you do for browsing in a whole separate world and I like that. Means that I can go to the desktop to do serious business.

 

[Mr Sardonicus]

I'm using it with the Classic Shell and Windows 8 overall, is pretty good.

 

[eridesktop]

all you need is time bro, sooner or later you will enjoy live without windows 7 start button ( i hope so)

 

[Phil K]

I think it's great too. I seriously begin to doubt much of the "informed" criticism after using it for a few days. Yes, some things I'm not sure about but I'll get used to it. That Firefox doesn't work properly with it is a mystery, and strange they don't seem to have made much of an effort either (considering they've made no effort on a 64 bit one either for years is an even bigger mystery) but I like Win8. Esp as I got it even cheaper at £14.99.

 

[Yorky]

I think it's great too. I seriously begin to doubt much of the "informed" criticism after using it for a few days. Yes, some things I'm not sure about but I'll get used to it. That Firefox doesn't work properly with it is a mystery, and strange they don't seem to have made much of an effort either (considering they've made no effort on a 64 bit one either for years is an even bigger mystery) but I like Win8. Esp as I got it even cheaper at £14.99.

Hi, I'm very satisfied with Windows 8 and it's certainly not the 'difficult beast' of the forecast.
I just thought you may like to know that Waterfox 64 bit works perfectly in W8. A couple of months ago I moved to Waterfox for the self same reason you give, namely it's not a 64 bit program. So I downloaded Waterfox and both before and after the move to W8 it proves to be fast and stable.

 

[jbfoster]

I like Windows 8 but don't care for the tiles. I use start8 to boot straight to the desktop. I would use Windows 8 apps but I have not seen any that are good. All that I tried were real basic so I just stick with the desktop programs. If I was to get a Windows tablet then the tiles would make sense. I'm holding off on a Windows 8 tablet because there are not very many apps that I would be interested in since all that I tried were basic plain besides I think all the windows 8 tablets are over priced. Come on Microsoft, $499 for a ARM tablet and the app store is small. I would rather have a x64 tablet but I can't see paying $1,000 plus for a tablet.

 

[Phil K]

I like Windows 8 but don't care for the tiles.

Like Windows 8 and love the tiles.
What I DON'T like is the utter mess that has been made in Europe with shipping the Windows 8 back-up dvd's. I'm in UK the distribution centre is GERMANY (WHY ?????) and its nearly 3 weeks and they still haven't shipped it. Quite a few annoyed people, and calls to Microsoft support is - quite literally - banging your head against a brick wall. Its either Indian or African third world centres dealing with the call, in very poor english, who don't seem to know what to do, and taking stabs in the dark, and only constant prodding from you gets them moving to do ANYTHING, and very little of that. They keep saying the old adage "Could take up to 4 weeks" but thats in case the thing is lost in the post before a CLAIM not how long it would take. Microsoft's cutting corners on support have led to a bunch of third worlders doing a job badly and making Microsoft look like a tinpot organization. Which it isn't, or shouldn't be.
Do you yanks have these know-nothings doing YOUR support ? Does your distribution company not bother shipping for weeks like these Germans (most likely using third world workers no doubt who can't speak or read German, let alone English) Nearly 3 weeks. No email saying it's even been shipped. Even if they act immediately it'll be close to their 4 week "limit" even if they send NOW (which they won't)

 

[Phil K]

....So I downloaded Waterfox and both before and after the move to W8 it proves to be fast and stable.

Had LOADS of problems with Firefox. Chromium and Opera run fine, yet Firefox was a dead end. Never heard of Waterfox before, and thanks for that info, as now Ive got an offshoot of Firefox doing the job Firefox SHOULD have done !

 

[Yorky]

....So I downloaded Waterfox and both before and after the move to W8 it proves to be fast and stable.

Had LOADS of problems with Firefox. Chromium and Opera run fine, yet Firefox was a dead end. Never heard of Waterfox before, and thanks for that info, as now Ive got an offshoot of Firefox doing the job Firefox SHOULD have done !

You're welcome, only pleased it worked for you too. I understand that a 64 bit version of FF is being worked on and also the probability it may come as a Metro Tile. Time will tell and in the meanwhile I'm happy to stay with Waterfox. Did you see that Avast have now issued a Metro Tile for their Windows 8 A/V system and it's available in the 'Store Tile'.

 

[area 66]

With defender you don't need avast

 

[TerryE]

Hi Yorky,

I'm glad to hear about Avast - I will have to try that out.

Windows 8 has grown on me - meaning that I am now comfortable with using it and that I like it. I still do not use it for everyday work but I've slowly started doing more "routine" work with it than before.

As for the store: there's plenty there: if you don't see what you're looking for try a search. You might be surprised what you find.

 

[Yorky]

Hi TerryE, Very true that and the range of 'Tiles' appears to grow almost daily. Pleased W8 is growing on you. Being well retired I only have the one computer and that for anything that I do and so use it routinely. However, as yet I haven't used Metro Tiles to any great degree but I suppose as the range extends one or two may be too my liking.
With regard to 'Area 66's' comment that you don't need Avast (or anything else for that Matter) while you have Defender may well be true. However once bitten is twice shy and I like to have an A/V system that I've used for some years and learned too trust.

 

[Tocapet]

I installed Win8 64 bit on Nov. 9, 2012 and like it just fine. I installed it over Win 7 and find that it kept all of my desktop settings.
So anytime I want my familiar settings, I just click the desktop icon and there they all are. It kept all my programs too, except for Office 2010, which turned out to be a bootleg copy. So I uninstalled it and bought a legitimate copy. I miss my internet checkers though. I was tearing them up. The patch they have to make it work in Win 8 is infected.

 

[Baidukun]

best thing about windows 8 its quite cheap win8pro upgrade for 39$ vs w7 ultimate (i need UI in english and japanese only ultimate has language packs) upgrade that is around 200$.. I have some leftover vista licenses so i need just upgrade version.. i would not upgrade from windows 7 thought. My windows 7 pc runs just fine.
so windows 8 is 39+5$ for start8.. because i just dont like menu that takes full screen. with start 8 windows 8 is not that bad.