Anyone else p****d of with windows 8

[John Ponting]

If it's the GUI that you hate then just install START8 and pretend you are still using Win7.

 

[the_mikey]

If it's the GUI that you hate then just install START8 and pretend you are still using Win7.

Weirdly I have no problem with the GUI or OS, in general it's a superior OS to previous versions, but I can't stop the multi-touch touchpad gestures from destroying what should be a simple movement of a mouse pointer I don't want to zoom, minimise the window, open the charms bar or see my desktop while I am using the touchpad. . Even when I've disabled all the options in Windows, other programs like Chrome and Office bring their own multi-touch gestures to the party, thankfully I have an old Windows 7 laptop which is much more tolerable, even when it's left click button is broken.

 

[jayonabike]

I've had a Mac for the last 10 years and once I changed I never looked back.

/\ This /\

 

[JoeyB]

I have a Mac but still run Parallels on it...

 

[fossyant]

I actually don't mind 8.1 having got used to it. It's a nightmare if you have an impatient 78 year old FIL who has just bought one and is complaining about the interface (being the first time you have used it) - at least we now have 8.1 so I can at least help. He took his first Win 8 laptop straight back to the shop.

We've got it on a new(ish) laptop that's not touchscreen, but it is a beastie (runs a new I7) with lots of ram. It doesn't half boot up fast - less than 30 seconds, compared to a few minutes for the XP desktop.

We have it running classic desktop, but I've knocked off any bloatware that the laptop manufacturer want's you to have, other than the update utility. I still use the likes of MSCONFIG to knock out any unwanted boot programmes, and use a few free utilities to keep things tidy.

 

[fossala]

Ran Linux for many years without user fixable problems. Open/Free/NetBSD are worth a look as well, OpenBSD being my favourite OS to use daily but may be a bit too "hard" for someone new to UNIX-like OS's.

 

[TigerT]

Have a Windows 8.1 Laptop (for Work) and Desktop for gaming + a Macbook for everything else. Like using them all for different reasons. Windows 8.0 was bad, but the upgrade is a huge improvement. With the way I have the desktop set up, I barely see the difference between 8.1 and 7. The one thing I really like Windows 8.1 for is the way the new interface works with a remote. Makes it easy to use the computer from bed!

For everyday non work use though, Macbook all the way.

 

[marknotgeorge]

I must be the only person here who gets on with 8.1 without any of the classic start menus...

Actually, Mum gets on with hers okay, and so do the girls on my old laptop (which came with 7). Dad asked about upgrading his from 7, but I dissuaded him - he's not exactly the quickest on the uptake with technology, bless him...

 

[Jenkins]

One of the first things I did with my laptop was upgrade to Windows 8.1 so it could run the old desktop style and it's not too bad when run like that. I can't get on with the tiles as I like a minimal amount of icons on screen with everything accessed from the start button. Would I be right in thinking that Windows 8 was intended for use with touch screen devices mainly?

The most serious failing with the new operating system - no FreeCell !!!!! I've tried some of the versions in the Store but they just aren't the same as the Windows 7 freebie.

 

[Mark1978]

Upgrade it to Mint. As long as you don't want to play windows games on it of course. You can always install it alongside windows and if you dont like it, revert back to windows horror.

http://www.linuxmint.com/index.php

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Slightly against the flow - we have it on two laptops and we both (Mrs SD & I) find it very easy to use.

No glitches whatsoever and seems pretty intuitive to the both of us (combined age 109 - mainly me!).

 

[Piemaster]

Using 8.1 now, took awhile to get used to it. Touchscreen laptop so reclining here at moment scrolling the thread with a thumb on the edge of the screen and finger for touchpad as required. Things I don't like- seems too easy to zoom in/out with Chrome and the spacebar on needs a firm tap or allthewordsruntogether, but thats acers fault, not Windows. Might be just my use it suits, sort of as a big tablet for armchair use, as I tried a tablet for a bit but didn't get on with typing to post on here and emails. Still not 'cos of the spacebar GRRRR!!
I've actually got to think about the XP on the desktop at home as it rarely gets used now, work stuff only changed from XP to Win 7 just before support for it ended.

Incidentally, one of the systems here is dying, pc keeps locking up and it's NT 4 based.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Incidentally, one of the systems here is dying, pc keeps locking up and it's NT 4 based.

Not surprised.

 

[Piemaster]

Not surprised.

It's actually 'only' 6 years old, replacing the original 1996 cutting edge pc running some embedded systems. Even 6 years ago the boss must have been searching car boot sales for its replacement. Unfortunately just changing it isn't simple due to what it runs. Remember LPT ports and SCSI interfaces?

 

[aoj]

As above, my other half bought me a new laptop a few weeks back, it came with windows 8 on it and i have tried to get on with it, but i am reaching the end of my tether, if i don't get it sorted it's going to get launched, and i will get my old one fixed, the problem being i cannot stop the pop ups, they are driving me crazy, have tried all i know they go away for a couple of days then they are back again. i never had this problem with Vista. HELP.

Classic shell is your friend. I find win 8 and win 8.1 almost unusable without it unless you have a touch screen.
http://www.classicshell.net/downloads/
It puts the start menu back onto win 8 and win 8.1
I