[binary visions]

I've used your operating systems for many years now and have never been very happy with OS upgrades. Every time I've done them, the resulting install is inevitably slow or quirky in some way, and as a consequence, I almost always do a full wipe-and-reinstall.

Recently, I tried an upgrade: Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 U1. It was smooth and easy - the install seemed to get stuck at 56% for a while, but I let it run and it eventually finished. My machine seems to be equally fast and smooth, if not a touch faster, after the upgrade.

Additionally, you seem to have made some considered decisions about making the Metro and desktop environments appear a little more cohesive, like implementing traditional context menus when a mouse is being used, allow Metro apps to appear in the start menu, a traditional "x" to close button instead of the gesture, etc. It's surprising how much an X to close and interaction with the task bar makes Metro feel like part of the desktop OS instead of an isolated environment.

I also love that when I hit Windows Key and start typing, it searches everything now instead of forcing me to choose an area, especially for things like control panel items.

Overall, a big

 

[jonKranked]

Dear Microsoft,

I still use windows XP. so suck it.

Senor Derp

 

[binary visions]

Dear Windows XP Users,

Stop being stupid.

Signed,
Everyone who doesn't use an abacus

 

[HardtailHack]

XP is great stop knocking it! However I'd move 8 just because it makes your computer run so damn cool and I can get away with just running MS Defender as the security is way better. Oh booting in under 10 seconds is nice too.

MS updates over a slow connection suck, going from 8-8.1 I let it go overnight and came out and my computer had a white screen and had to be turned off, pretty sure it went in to a boot loop for a while and sorted it's **** out and now works fine.

I wonder if the XP users are all 26er riders?

 

[eric strt6]

but there are 8 users that ride 26ers

 

[canadmos]

hit Windows Key and start typing, it searches everything now instead of forcing me to choose an area, especially for things like control panel items.

Thank jebus.

 

[jonKranked]

Dear Windows XP Users,

Stop being stupid.

Signed,
Everyone who doesn't use an abacus

Dear Microsoft,

I can't help it that the stupid company I work for has an IT department run by neaderthals.

Signed,
This Guy

 

[StiHacka]

I bought a new PC for my parents a few days ago. It came with Win8, I quickly applied required patches and updated to 8.1. My experience with 8 was short but it feels like the 8.1 is significantly better and swifter.

 

[canadmos]

The best hidden "feature" of 8.1, is the ability to right click the start/Windows button and get the holy grail of menus for power users.

Windows XP blows. Every time I have to deal with one of those machines at work, its nothing but a pain.

I actually found a computer a few weeks ago that was running some old measurement hardware, on Windows 2000.

 

[HardtailHack]

Pfft, add a new folder to the desktop and re-name it this- GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

 

[StiHacka]

Funny thing is, HP pre-installed their own Start button alternative for the desktop mode on the machine. They must have been getting lots of pissed customers not exactly excited about the vanilla Win8 experience.

The close button in the UI-formerly-know-as-metro is a blessing.

 

[HardtailHack]

From the day 8 came out you could add a shortcut to the desktop to do it, slap this in- shutdown /p and you just double click it to shut it down.

The advanced startup options were better in 8 than 8.1, took me a while to work out how to access my Bios, F buttons did nothing.

EDIT- HP also load their laptops with so much crap that you want a faster on with a bigger battery from day one. Once you do a clean install they work well and the battery lasts so much longer.

When will SSD prices drop? They haven't moved much at all since I bought mine a year or so ago, I want a better one.

 

[canadmos]

I always thought SSD's were pretty well priced these days.

And thanks for that tip, that is interesting.

 

[H8R]

Win 7. It works.

 

[canadmos]

Win 7 doesn't have multiple task bars on multiple screens.

 

[H8R]

Win 7 doesn't have multiple task bars on multiple screens.

Win 7 doesn't have a lot of things. Not having them does not automatically mean I need them.

 

[binary visions]

Win 7. It works.

Win 8 works better.

Just sayin'.

 

[H8R]

Win 8 works better.

Just sayin'.

Have yet to find anything Win 7 cannot do that I need it to do. If Win 8 is better for you, it probably does things I don't need or care about.

Desktops hit a plateau awhile back. At a certain point there was no need to keep dropping money into them unless you needed specific strengths. For most sh1t, this 4 year old Dell is just fine.

Just sayin'.

 

[binary visions]

Desktops hit a plateau awhile back. At a certain point there was no need to keep dropping money into them unless you needed specific strengths. For most sh1t, this 4 year old Dell is just fine.

No doubt about that. This desktop is 2 years old now, replacing one that was much older than that and I really can't imagine any reason to upgrade it.

Seriously considering that my next desktop might be a SFF box of some kind like the Intel NUC boxes.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Pfft, add a new folder to the desktop and re-name it this- GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

OK if you like rooting through an interminable list of controls.
Easier to just figure out how to do your work using the control interface provided.

 

[HardtailHack]

OK if you like rooting through an interminable list of controls.
Easier to just figure out how to do your work using the control interface provided.

Yeah that is true but I'm a bit of a computer idiot and I came across useful things in there I had no idea existed, you can also just type to search like the Start menu.

H8R, Yeah 7 is good but 8 will speed an old machine up a bit as it seems to be very efficient. My gen 3 Intel quad core laptop will do 10-12hrs of net based work/procrastinating, 7 chewed out a battery quicker and had the fan running more often.

I usually hate change 'coz I'm a dirty bearded hipster but 8 is fine, I hate Microsoft as much as the next sane person but I can't see why people bitch so much about Windows 8.

 

[canadmos]

The hate is because of what you already stated, people are afraid of change. Part of that is made a little worse by the fact that when you first start a Windows 8 machine, you're forced to use/see the modern/metro/whatever UI; which is not suited well for use with a mouse.

I didn't like Windows 8 at first, either. But it has really grown on me. We use Windows 7 on 99% of the computers here at work and navigating around both operating systems is pretty much the same. The one thing about Windows 8 that REALLY bothers me is the start menu. I don't care that it is full screen, but it constantly changes how it lists the programs. I set it to sort the list by "most used", but it always changes back to "recently used" or whatever the other option is. WHY??!! The way it groups programs and separates desktop applications from the Metro Apps in the list is also stupid. Just give me a consistent list. Please.

/rant

 

[jonKranked]

i still have an install disc for windows 95.

 

[canadmos]

So you can still play that Hover game?! Memories....

I think Weezer's Buddy Holly music video is on there too.

 

[jonKranked]

So you can still play that Hover game?! Memories....

I think Weezer's Buddy Holly music video is on there too.

it is.


hey anyone ever get nostalgic for window millenium edition?