Poll: Who will get/got Windows 8 (and why)

[Conza]

Ok, so as many of us know, Windows 8 was released last week, and considering this is the nwe Microsoft OS, I want to see if anyone has bought it, or plans to, and why. Also obviously for those who aren't buying it, if you have a good reason for not doing so, please share.

You know, I've heard a lot of things about Windows 8, mostly its Tiles thing, that it's a cheap upgrade from Windows 7 *checks online* Wow, $40 online upgrade or $70 in store purchase... If I were on XP or Vista I'd be laughing, and probably buying it.

Because here's another thing, apparently the Tiles can be de-activated, or removed, much like in Vista how you could switch back to a classic Start key.

Anyway, I don't think they'll be any PC game that requires Win8, much like I don't think any of them actually require Win7 do they? I'm guessing most would work on Vista, maybe even XP.

So, I personally won't be buying for a long time, unless I hear rave reviews on here 'wow, so much better than 7' which I doubt. Much like Vista, where I waited til SP1 and have virtually no problems with it (it came out two years after release, and I was experienced with Windows, but anyway), I don't forsee myself mucking myself around, even for as litle as $40, without any clear benefits, DX 12 software? Idk. Also, I'm using a desktop, laptop or tablet users may feel differently.

Side note: I'm not a big fan of Apple, but Macintosh sounds so much cooler, than simply mac, which is why I used it, idc if its dated.

 

[Andrewtheeviscerator]

Huh only $40 I thought it was way more like over $100 more. Well really the only thing keeping m away was the price, but if it's that cheap then I might upgrade this Christmas.

 

[Maxtro]

Running 8 on my desktop and notebook. It's basically a minor improvement over 7.

The third party program Classic shell gets rid of some of the annoyances.

Unless you can get it for free (legally) or need to have the hottest new thing, I don't see a need to upgrade.

 

[distortedreality]

Won't be getting it until more testing is done on the audio side of things, and even then I won't unless there is massive improvements, i'm happy enough with how seven is running on my machine.

 

[The Lunatic]

Won't be getting it for a while, likely after SP1, or until games start requiring certain features from the OS, like what happened with XP, 7 and Vista.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I'll eventually get it on my workstation (at work). On my laptop/desktops, I'll probably keep Windows 7. I haven't heard of any change to Windows 8 that actually makes it better than 7.

 

[SquidVicious]

I decided to run it in a virtual machine to see if it really was as bad as everyone was saying. It took me an hour or two to get use to the changes, but I really didn't see a reason why people would want to upgrade when all it seems to be is a slightly shiner version of Windows 7 with some cosmetic changes. Considering how many people have just finally started to migrate from XP to 7, I can't imagine many of them are going to go out and buy this now just to have the latest OS. If more people start running it I think it's going to be due to people buying new computers that comes with it pre-installed than actually buying a retail copy. I run a Linux distribution and see no reason to ever go back to Windows so I know I sure as hell won't be buying it, but I do like to see things for myself rather than taking someone else's word for it.

 

[Doom972]

If by the time my PC will be too old (I give it about 3 years from now, 5 years total), new games would require Windows 8, then I'd get it with a new PC. I don't see the point of getting it for its own sake.

 

[Jazoni89]

I got it for the £15 offer that microsoft are doing right now.

I wasn't expecting much, but what I got is a nice surprise. It took a while to get used to it, but it wasn't long at all. I'm liking the new changes, especially the faster boot times, and the more detailed task manager, so you can actually see what each program does what now. The apps are nice too, especially the manga tree app, which has nearly every manga volume you can think of. Plus using the mail app has made it much more convenient to check my email's every time.

Add that with Stardock's Menu 8, which adds a windows 7 styled menu bar, then you have something that is possibly the best OS i have ever got. I'm not joking either, Windows 8 + Menu 8 = incredible.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

From what I experienced when trying out the RC I saw little reason to upgrade from 7 to 8. The boot times seem faster and a few other minor improvements, but not enough at the moment for me to fork out money for it.

 

[Padwolf]

I have windows 8 and it's horrible for me. Skype. My gods the skype. Anyone know how to change the settings so it doesn't full screen on me? Gods it's fecking awful to use, can't do a thing without alt tabbing to everywhere and it's ridiculous. I can't make the chat's smaller on skype at all, I just have this horrible full screen thing. I'm someone who uses skype constantly (I'm in a long distance relationship) so this was a big deal to me.

I'm now sticking to the desktop mode. I've reinstalled skype for desktop and now when I boot up the laptop I just click straight to desktop. The good side is the speed. Good gods this thing is fast. Also internet explorer is good on it! It actually runs well, so very well.

 

[DoPo]

Well, I don't think my answer fits so neatly in the suggestions here. Because I will get it and it will be soon. However, I won't use it, at least not soon. If ever. This is what will happen - I'll get Windows 8, pretty soon after release (a week/month - when I can be bothered), I'll wait for a random mood to hit me to install it (most probably on a VM), then I'll spend some time messing around with it and decide whether to go with it or just hold out until SP1/next release.

 

[TK421]

I don't know why anyone would upgrade.The only changes I observed were aesthetic, with the exception of some things that made using my computer more annoying.

If you're really wanting a visual change that bad, just install Rainmeter.

Spoiler: My desktop

See? Better than Windows 8.

For the curious, yes, the wallpaper is a dreamscene. All of the shortcuts work, and the meters are in realtime.

 

[OpticalJunction]

windows 7 does everything I need it to, and those things it fails at (like the lame media player, search function etc.) third party software makes up for. So, no probably not. besides I don't like what I've seen so far of windows 8. It looks like a smart phone app.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

I've been ranting about it repeatedly already, so I find it easy to cut this short: Not buying it, I am very happy with 7 for the time being.

Then again, I'll have half a dozen or so licenses by the end of the year pretty much no matter what, so there's just no way around it for me if I'm honest.

But I really have severe issues with the Tiles interface. To me, it's like a skin for home cinema mode, made into the standard no matter what. I don't even like the Tiles interface on touchy-feely devices, but I could live with it on those. Stuffing it into my face on a desktop is very, very rude. As long as there are ways around it, I can live with it, but that shouldn't be too complicated. As a customer, I would like to have an official choice, especially when it's about something as radical as a new interface. Doing away with the quick'n'easy Start button is, I think, a big mistake.

Other than that, I would find it easy to like, nay, LOVE Windows 8. I like the cleanup under the hood, it's like a posh minimalist loft when it started out as a messy hoarder's home. I like the optimized stuff I could lay hands and eyes on. I don't quite understand all the changes yet, so I don't trust it all, but I think Windows 7 minus Glass/Aero is a good thing already.

I didn't quite get the Macintosh reference, but I have my thoughts on OSX, too:

Apple's machines and OS started out as ubiquitous as raincoats, meanwhile they're more like fancy Prada clutches... for everyone. They still have their place, but people have forgotten about what that place is. Just look at the used crap market. Apple thingies used to retain value very well, meanwhile most new used devices are a sorry sight, due to dubious design choices and poor materials. All those once shiny plasticky iThings tend to get really ugly, real quick. I still hold on to my 20th Anniversary Macs, as they're great at little things like playing music, and I still hold on to a C2D MacBook Pro, but I find the current lineup of Apple hardware offerings to just not be worth the hassle.

 

[Jazoni89]

I've been ranting about it repeatedly already, so I find it easy to cut this short: Not buying it, I am very happy with 7 for the time being.

Then again, I'll have half a dozen or so licenses by the end of the year pretty much no matter what, so there's just no way around it for me if I'm honest.

But I really have severe issues with the Tiles interface. To me, it's like a skin for home cinema mode, made into the standard no matter what. I don't even like the Tiles interface on touchy-feely devices, but I could live with it on those. Stuffing it into my face on a desktop is very, very rude. As long as there are ways around it, I can live with it, but that shouldn't be too complicated. As a customer, I would like to have an official choice, especially when it's about something as radical as a new interface. Doing away with the quick'n'easy Start button is, I think, a big mistake.

Other than that, I would find it easy to like, nay, LOVE Windows 8. I like the cleanup under the hood, it's like a posh minimalist loft when it started out as a messy hoarder's home. I like the optimized stuff I could lay hands and eyes on. I don't quite understand all the changes yet, so I don't trust it all, but I think Windows 7 minus Glass/Aero is a good thing already.

I didn't quite get the Macintosh reference, but I have my thoughts on OSX, too:

Apple's machines and OS started out as ubiquitous as raincoats, meanwhile they're more like fancy Prada clutches... for everyone. They still have their place, but people have forgotten about what that place is. Just look at the used crap market. Apple thingies used to retain value very well, meanwhile most new used devices are a sorry sight, due to dubious design choices and poor materials. All those once shiny plasticky iThings tend to get really ugly, real quick. I still hold on to my 20th Anniversary Macs, as they're great at little things like playing music, and I still hold on to a C2D MacBook Pro, but I find the current lineup of Apple hardware offerings to just not be worth the hassle.

With Menu 8, you can pretend that the metro system doesn't even exist. It even makes windows 8 boot straight to the desktop when first signing in.

You can still access it through this start menu though, as well as the apps.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Will probably never get it. A lot of scary stuff going on with that software.

 

[RicoADF]

I'm getting it as its only $15 for me, cheap upgrade due to win7 laptop I got a month ago.

 

[SadisticBrownie]

I'll admit that I've not seen much of it, but what little I've seen doesn't exactly compel me to spend money on it.
Besides, I really like 7 and have no problems with it.

 

[Bigsmith]

Got it, currently using it.

Didn't pay a penny for it, have a Premium Dreamspark account thanks to my Uni and can thus get Windows 8 pro for £0.00.

I really like it, although there are some small things that I don't like but can't be bothered to go into them.