Want a new laptop but do I want Windows 8?

[troutsqueezer]

Just curious -- what are the problems with Windows 8?

Steve

It's new and a lot of people don't like new. It has bugs, like anything new does. Microsoft is not going back to Windows 7 so why relegate yourself to the past? Windows 8 will get better with time as all OS's do.

But here's the thing: Do you spend all your time messing around with the operating system or do you use it as a portal to the programs that actually do something productive? I don't know about you but I spend my time on the computer making movies, surfing the web, writing documents, creating websites, looking at photos, etc. A few minutes of my time is spent figuring out how the new OS works which is usually more fun than work. From then on the OS plays a minor role. Newer operating systems generally take better advantage of hardware for which technology isn't standing still either.

 

[grsthegreat]

Personally i hate win8, and love win7 and xp. So do the software i have running. My CNC Plasma cutter wont work on Win8 at all.

I just purchased a new laptop with Win7 pro 64 2 days ago. Theres actually alot of theme still out there. There the business class of laptopos.

I got a new Linovo laptop from Newegg

• Intel Core i5 3230M(2.60GHz)
• 4GB Memory 500GB HDD
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• 1366 x 768
• Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit
• DVD burner, 9.5mm high, fixed, not removable, tray-in

$619.00
Newegg.com - ThinkPad Edge E431 (62775AU) Notebook Intel Core i5 3230M(2.60GHz) 14" 4GB Memory DDR3 1600 500GB HDD 7200rpm DVD±R/RW Intel HD Graphics 3000

i also found that HP sells them thru their business site, and so do alot of the others.



This site lets you build your own

http://www.toshiba.com/us/Windows7_Laptops

all with win7

 

[aczlan]

For some reason I really liked 2000.
I'm pretty happy with 7. My sister has 8 and hates it, I checked it out and I can see why. Maybe you just have to get used to it? 8.1 is supposed to make 8 work more like 7 from what I understand , seems kinda backwards to me... it is also supposed to be a free upgrade. At least microsoft seems to be paying attention to the feedback.

I am currently running 8.1 preview (installed it a couple of weeks back) and don't like the Metro start menu. It makes sense on a tablet, but on a desktop it is just in the way.
I am now running Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements and it has made 8.1 more usable. It is slightly faster than 7 on the same hardware, so I will probably keep it now that I replaced the start screen with a start menu.

Aaron Z

 

[Arky217]

Whatever laptop you get, just install Linux Mint and you'll never look back.
Been using it for over a year, what a difference!

Arky

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have Windows 8 on my computer. It is much different than 7 but after using it for 6 months, it is ok, just different. I wouldn't call it crap, just different.

 

[Egbert]

You will most likely not like Windoze 8. The operational inconsistency, jumping between the new "Metro" interface and the old "Desktop", is a very real pain in the axx. The apps designed for Win 8 seem to be far less capable and much more trouble to use.

I would suggest Windows 7 - an excellent platform.

 

[Bird]

My youngest brother (67 years old) has a laptop with Windows 8 and says he loves it. Of course his son has been in charge of a county's computer systems for a lot of years and probably showed him how to use Windows 8. And I have a son-in-law who works on computers for others and he says the change from Windows 7 is no big deal. I'm using a five and a half years old, 32 bit desktop with Windows 7 Home Premium, and I've been looking and considering buying a laptop. I understand 8.1 is available for preview, but officially to be released later. So I'm waiting for the 8.1 finished product and for the release of Windows 8.1 for Seniors for Dummies which I figure I might need.

 

[Gator6x4]

Microsoft seems be pretty consistent and get every other operating system wrong. Think about it:
Windows 95 - decent
Windows 98 - crap (includes variations such as SE, Millennium, and such)
Windows XP - good
Windows Vista - crap
Windows 7 - decent
Windows 8 - crap

I'm not counting stuff like NT and 2000 because I think they were more business OS's, but NT was crap and 2000 worked okay sometimes.

You left out the biggest piece of junk, Windows ME. Windows 8 to me is just like Windows ME.

 

[Gator6x4]

My youngest brother (67 years old) has a laptop with Windows 8 and says he loves it. Of course his son has been in charge of a county's computer systems for a lot of years and probably showed him how to use Windows 8. And I have a son-in-law who works on computers for others and he says the change from Windows 7 is no big deal. I'm using a five and a half years old, 32 bit desktop with Windows 7 Home Premium, and I've been looking and considering buying a laptop. I understand 8.1 is available for preview, but officially to be released later. So I'm waiting for the 8.1 finished product and for the release of Windows 8.1 for Seniors for Dummies which I figure I might need.

If I was inclined to jump in the Windows 8 water, I defiantly would wait for a touch screen laptop with Windows 8.1 pre-installed. Try out different brand name laptops with touch screen and go with a minimum of a fast Intel 5, preferably a Intel 7 processor.

 

[SPIKER]

I been using these things since it was windows old school dos based stuff and my first one I bought for myself was 3.11 Windows GUI (for work Groups) which actually worked really well, Win95 sucked, Win98 SE worked very well (still have old Home Built running on it for DOS programs.) Win 2000 total junk, Win-XP worked well (also have one of those desk tops running XP) Win-7 have 3 laptops all running it on 64 bit version. Win8 also heard it was crap but I have not tried it personally, people with touch screens like it (buddy runs a graphics business running it on some printing & silk screen machines.)


Mark