Any one install Windows 8 Yet? How goes it?

'Installed Win8 several times over the last 6 months, using the beta and Preview versions. Installed the RTM "final" version a few weeks ago on a desktop and laptop. So far, so good. The interface is definitely somewhat different. Change sucks. But I got over that when I saw the video of a 3-year-old demonstrating how to use Windows 8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlZgcAacIxU
Having gone through every Windows upgrade since 1.0, it's my opinion that most of the bad stories associated with a new version of Windows comes from people trying to do "upgrades". Especially pseudo-geeks who install it on 6+yr old pieces of crap Frankenstein machines. Worse yet, they use the "upgrade" option, where the new operating system has to try and integrate itself into an already polluted environment. If you're going to install the new version, at least choose the option that does a nice, new, clean install.
As you can tell, I'm not a fan of "upgrades"... we don't suggest any of our clients do upgrades. Life is too short, just wait until you get a new machine that comes pre-installed with the new stuff.
Overall, I like Windows 8... time will tell how well it is embraced by consumers and business.
 
CT4ME said:
'Installed Win8 several times over the last 6 months, using the beta and Preview versions. Installed the RTM "final" version a few weeks ago on a desktop and laptop. So far, so good. The interface is definitely somewhat different. Change sucks. But I got over that when I saw the video of a 3-year-old demonstrating how to use Windows 8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlZgcAacIxU
Having gone through every Windows upgrade since 1.0, it's my opinion that most of the bad stories associated with a new version of Windows comes from people trying to do "upgrades". Especially pseudo-geeks who install it on 6+yr old pieces of crap Frankenstein machines. Worse yet, they use the "upgrade" option, where the new operating system has to try and integrate itself into an already polluted environment. If you're going to install the new version, at least choose the option that does a nice, new, clean install.
As you can tell, I'm not a fan of "upgrades"... we don't suggest any of our clients do upgrades. Life is too short, just wait until you get a new machine that comes pre-installed with the new stuff.
Overall, I like Windows 8... time will tell how well it is embraced by consumers and business.
Click to expand...

What he said. :yeahthat: I like Windows 8. But a clean install is the best bet in realizing all its benefits without dragging forward issues from the old system.
 
I read a review which made it sound awful. I sounds like it is designed for a touch screen. Although you can use a mouse instead you still have to do touch screen type actions (mouse to upper left corner and drag down for one function with different corners and different directions for other functions). The start screen is gone, the browser tabs are gone, and so is a lot of the software compatibility. You are left with 2 different environments in the same machine with little communication between them. Microsoft wants all customers to move toward the “new side of the machine” where software comes from the Microsoft store. It appears they are trying to get a piece of the action of all software installed on “their” machine.
 
ArtPileggi said:
I read a review which made it sound awful. I sounds like it is designed for a touch screen. Although you can use a mouse instead you still have to do touch screen type actions (mouse to upper left corner and drag down for one function with different corners and different directions for other functions). The start screen is gone, the browser tabs are gone, and so is a lot of the software compatibility. You are left with 2 different environments in the same machine with little communication between them. Microsoft wants all customers to move toward the “new side of the machine” where software comes from the Microsoft store. It appears they are trying to get a piece of the action of all software installed on “their” machine.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a review from someone who spent five minutes with it. Not my experience at all.
 
CT4ME said:
'Installed Win8 several times over the last 6 months, using the beta and Preview versions. Installed the RTM "final" version a few weeks ago on a desktop and laptop. So far, so good. The interface is definitely somewhat different. Change sucks. But I got over that when I saw the video of a 3-year-old demonstrating how to use Windows 8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlZgcAacIxU
Having gone through every Windows upgrade since 1.0, it's my opinion that most of the bad stories associated with a new version of Windows comes from people trying to do "upgrades". Especially pseudo-geeks who install it on 6+yr old pieces of crap Frankenstein machines. Worse yet, they use the "upgrade" option, where the new operating system has to try and integrate itself into an already polluted environment. If you're going to install the new version, at least choose the option that does a nice, new, clean install.
As you can tell, I'm not a fan of "upgrades"... we don't suggest any of our clients do upgrades. Life is too short, just wait until you get a new machine that comes pre-installed with the new stuff.
Overall, I like Windows 8... time will tell how well it is embraced by consumers and business.
Click to expand...

I haven't installed Win8 and won't until I have to (which probably be soon due to IE's planned obsolescence). I haven't decided whether to try an upgrade, a fresh install, or just buy another machine with 8 pre-installed.

For what it's worth, I never had a problem with any upgrade other then WinMe to XP, which was the only one that I actually refused to do for clients (after the first one that I tried, which was on a test machine) and forbade my employees from doing for clients. It really was that bad. It was freakishly, horrifyingly bad.

All the rest have always gone very smoothly. The key for me has been to spend the time getting the old OS in as percent shape as possible, uninstalling anything unnecessary, eliminating unused user accounts, thoroughly scanning for malware, cleaning up the registry as best as possible, running a CHKDSK, cleaning out the trail of useless crap that Windows leaves behind itself, and that sort of thing; then cloning the drive (just in case), rebooting a couple of times, and starting the upgrade.

But yeah, clowns who try to upgrade a system that's already a mess will just get an upgraded mess when they're done.

-Rich
 
I do not plan to upgrade for now. But the upgrade path is technically what I would have to do to preserve the programing I have stored on this machine as it is an HTPC. Windows Media Player will not play material recorded on a previous installation after a clean install due to copyright regs or whatever. So it makes it a little more difficult.

Although, I do agree, clean instal is the best way to go. In this one case, I would have to upgrade or delete all the programming I have recorded which I am getting behind on watching.

The laptop I have, no issue.

David
 
ArtPileggi said:
I read a review which made it sound awful. I sounds like it is designed for a touch screen. Although you can use a mouse instead you still have to do touch screen type actions (mouse to upper left corner and drag down for one function with different corners and different directions for other functions). The start screen is gone, the browser tabs are gone, and so is a lot of the software compatibility. You are left with 2 different environments in the same machine with little communication between them. Microsoft wants all customers to move toward the “new side of the machine” where software comes from the Microsoft store. It appears they are trying to get a piece of the action of all software installed on “their” machine.
Click to expand...

I just don't like the idea of drastic change for the sake of drastic change. I use these machines for a living, not because I have nothing better to do with my life; and consistency has some value to me. If there were some phenomenal functionality enhancements for me, that would be different. But there aren't. I just have to re-learn how to do the same things I do now, for no good reason (from my perspective as a user).

This much as much sense to me as Cessna deciding that on it's next airplane, there will be some changes. We'll control the rudder by turning the yoke, the right pedal will control the throttle, and the left pedal will activate the brake, because those movements are more consistent with the way a car is driven -- and most people learn to drive before they learn to fly, right?

For the elevator, we'll drag a finger up or down on the windshield and "point" to the elevator angle we want, but only after first tapping on the center of the yoke to make the elevator control visible. The flaps will be controlled by tensing the left butt cheek to extend flaps, and the right butt cheek to retract flaps, after first tapping the knees together three times to inform the airplane that we want to operate the flaps and aren't just attempting to sneak an SBD out.

But there's good news: We won't have to worry about the ailerons anymore because the airplane will control them itself.

-Rich
 
Hmmm. I can get it free from work. Sounds like an opportunity to conjure up a new virtual machine and mess with it.
 
RJM62 said:
I just don't like the idea of drastic change for the sake of drastic change. I use these machines for a living, not because I have nothing better to do with my life; and consistency has some value to me. If there were some phenomenal functionality enhancements for me, that would be different. But there aren't. I just have to re-learn how to do the same things I do now, for no good reason (from my perspective as a user).

This much as much sense to me as Cessna deciding that on it's next airplane, there will be some changes. We'll control the rudder by turning the yoke, the right pedal will control the throttle, and the left pedal will activate the brake, because those movements are more consistent with the way a car is driven -- and most people learn to drive before they learn to fly, right?

For the elevator, we'll drag a finger up or down on the windshield and "point" to the elevator angle we want, but only after first tapping on the center of the yoke to make the elevator control visible. The flaps will be controlled by tensing the left butt cheek to extend flaps, and the right butt cheek to retract flaps, after first tapping the knees together three times to inform the airplane that we want to operate the flaps and aren't just attempting to sneak an SBD out.

But there's good news: We won't have to worry about the ailerons anymore because the airplane will control them itself.

-Rich
Click to expand...

A single, unified OS capable of desktop, laptop and tablet for use with or without touchscreen is change for change sake??! This is the foundational change in Microsofts platform for the future. It's not some little point release. With that brings some changes....probably as significant as DOS to Windows. Was that a change for change sake, too? :)
 
BTW, the Windows start button key still brings up a start menu.
 
"Windows Key-X" was the savior for me. Or do you say it "WinKey+X"...?
 
LDJones said:
A single, unified OS capable of desktop, laptop and tablet for use with or without touchscreen is change for change sake??! This is the foundational change in Microsofts platform for the future. It's not some little point release. With that brings some changes....probably as significant as DOS to Windows. Was that a change for change sake, too? :)
Click to expand...

Good for Microsoft!

Now as for me... 99.9 percent of the time that I'm on Windows, I'm using either Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Photoshop or a Web browser. Which of those will work so much better under Win8 that it justifies the changes for me, as a user?

As far as I can tell, none of them.

Eventually, though, MS will force me to upgrade to a new OS that I don't need by not releasing IE-11 for anything older than Win8, at which time I'll have to have a Win8 system for the sole purpose of seeing what my sites look like in IE-11. That's assuming they don't figure out a way to force the upgrade sooner than that.

Now mind you, I really don't give a rat's what MS does with their OS. They can make it operable by tongue licks, for all I care. But why not give users a choice? If you like the new interface, fine. If you don't, then let users switch to the old one.

Already there are people writing articles about how to do that very thing: make 8 look and act like 7. From the ones I read, doing this requires numerous registry hacks, multiple downloads, and several hours of work. Why should all this be necessary? Why not just build the option into Windows?

It's just idiotic to me. MS seems to assume that this will somehow make people go out and buy a Windows phone and/or Tablet. Speaking for myself, if by some chance I had been thinking about doing so, I certainly won't now -- just to spite MS for adding one more tiny little piece of additional annoyance to my life.

-Rich
 
My concern is that windows upgrades usually cause grief with the industrial controller and HMI software my customers and I need to use.

I suppose it wont be long before we need to keep old, clean, never connected to the internet machines in order to keep some machines running. (actual machines, not computers referred to as machines)
 
I pretty much use Windows to get to my unix boxes ... looks like crap to me on the one beta install I played with (for all of 2 minutes) ... did my normal "where the hell did they put ____ now?"

I hate windows and upgrades. Like hanging sheetrock ... how productive am I going to be when I have to learn a new screw gun every Monday morning?
 
Nouveau...
I feel your pain, but can't help thinking you said the same thing about every version of DOS and every version-change of Windows. The complaining only gets worse as the user gets older. A very wise IT person, who had made the transition from mainframes and minis, to PCs, told me (in '82), that he was willing, every year, to purge everything and relearn whatever was new. He felt that the year he finally stopped embracing change was the last year of being an effective "computer guy". It's just the way technology is...
 
jhausch said:
My concern is that windows upgrades usually cause grief with the industrial controller and HMI software my customers and I need to use.

I suppose it wont be long before we need to keep old, clean, never connected to the internet machines in order to keep some machines running. (actual machines, not computers referred to as machines)
Click to expand...

And Autocad and more importantly the $pensive technical add ons. I will be über ****ed if that stuff has to be upgraded too.
 
RJM62 said:
Now mind you, I really don't give a rat's what MS does with their OS. They can make it operable by tongue licks, for all I care. But why not give users a choice? If you like the new interface, fine. If you don't, then let users switch to the old one.

Already there are people writing articles about how to do that very thing: make 8 look and act like 7. From the ones I read, doing this requires numerous registry hacks, multiple downloads, and several hours of work. Why should all this be necessary? Why not just build the option into Windows?

It's just idiotic to me. MS seems to assume that this will somehow make people go out and buy a Windows phone and/or Tablet. Speaking for myself, if by some chance I had been thinking about doing so, I certainly won't now -- just to spite MS for adding one more tiny little piece of additional annoyance to my life.

-Rich
Click to expand...

You can switch to the old UI, as I recall, but its been awhile since I tried. You can still open a CMD window if you wish.
 
gkainz said:
I pretty much use Windows to get to my unix boxes ...
Click to expand...

Heh. Agreed. And since Linux can't leave their damn desktop alone for more than a month, I'll stick with a Mac for a real Unix box with a consistent UI.
 
denverpilot said:
Heh. Agreed. And since Linux can't leave their damn desktop alone for more than a month, I'll stick with a Mac for a real Unix box with a consistent UI.
Click to expand...

Well... technically speaking, the GUI isn't part of Linux pe se. You can choose any one you want or none at all. Different desktop Linux distributions tend to favor one or the other GUI, but none of them are actually part of Linux proper.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
Well... technically speaking, the GUI isn't part of Linux pe se. You can choose any one you want or none at all. Different desktop Linux distributions tend to favor one or the other GUI, but none of them are actually part of Linux proper.
Click to expand...

Understand. Which also adequately describes why very few commercial applications ever make it to the Linux desktop. That plus the never ending battles with video card manufacturers, completely turned me off on Linux as a desktop OS long ago. Great server OS, crappy choice on the desktop.
 
Actual installation was relatively quick and painless. Used the $40 upgrade path to burn a DVD and clean installed on a new 2TB drive thereby preserving my Win 7 installation. MS thoughtfully even gives you a bootloader to easily pick between the two after POST. I think $40 upgrade was the right price. They even let me go to Win 8 Pro from Win 7 Home Premium.

So far Firefox 16.02 is noticeably faster. Everything else so far runs about the same. I'm going to give MS the benefit of the doubt on Win8 using less resources than Win7. There seem to be fewer processes and my less uber laptop definitely felt faster when I was using the consumer previews on it.

I really want to find a way to better integrate the Modern/Metro apps into my overall workflow given I have 2 monitors. So far I really haven't been able to find a way to do so. It's a shame since some of the new Modern "tablet" apps are really kind of nice in the way they present information. I might choose to read the news or other content on the Modern side because of this, but I think between gaming, programming, and art I'm going to be 90% on the desktop side.

I found this article generally helpful: http://gizmodo.com/5955139/windows-...ips-tricks-and-workarounds?tag=windows-8-tips

On the other hand I could probably use the Modern side like another (more limited) virtual desktop

If you don't like change don't get this because it'll feel like they just changed for change if your main environment is desktop. I did it because I like new and actually approve of the forward thinking nature of this OS even if I don't yet get as many benefits yet.
 
denverpilot said:
Heh. Agreed. And since Linux can't leave their damn desktop alone for more than a month, I'll stick with a Mac for a real Unix box with a consistent UI.
Click to expand...
Linux has a desktop? :confused: :D "putty CLUI (command line user interface) is my desktop. :lol:
 
flhrci said:
I do not plan to upgrade for now. But the upgrade path is technically what I would have to do to preserve the programing I have stored on this machine as it is an HTPC. Windows Media Player will not play material recorded on a previous installation after a clean install due to copyright regs or whatever. So it makes it a little more difficult.
Click to expand...

You need mcebuddy stat! Removes commercials and transcodes (with or without compression) automagically. It will honor the copy-never flag, but I haven't encountered a show set that way.
 
masloki said:
You need mcebuddy stat! Removes commercials and transcodes (with or without compression) automagically. It will honor the copy-never flag, but I haven't encountered a show set that way.
Click to expand...

That works pretty well and might solve the problem. Works fast and saves a lot of space.

Thanks!

David
 
I am in love with my new Windows 8 tablet, laptop, ultrabook, convertible PC Taco thing. Google Lenovo ideapad Yoga... It's pretty awesome! Now, if someone would just come up with a flight planning app, and a geo-referenced chart viewer like ForeFlight, (ehem ForeFlight with Dropbox like syncing of flight plans between devices) I am all set! The one I got is a bit to big to be yoke/glare shield mounted, but it is wicked awesome, and it runs my old apps just fine. Basically, what I have seen is that if it ran on Win7, you are good to go on Win8, so long as you don't buy an RT device. The RT devices are more of an iPad/Android replacement. Overall, the speed is great, the UI is intuitive, and I am posting on POA with it right now (which we all know is the most important feature and required functionality). Other new features such as the interaction with an Xbox (Media, control, etc) is great, SkyDrive is awesome. I am sure there are more features that I haven't found just yet, but for just a fuel sample less than $1,000... this is going to be the best PC I've owned.
 
bjohnsonmn said:
I am in love with my new Windows 8 tablet, laptop, ultrabook, convertible PC Taco thing. Google Lenovo ideapad Yoga... It's pretty awesome!
Click to expand...

How well does it work in tablet mode? Without a twist hinge the keyboard is exposed on the back side. I'd imagine that'd subject it to damage and other wear/tear over time a lot faster.
 
bjohnsonmn said:
I am in love with my new Windows 8 tablet, laptop, ultrabook, convertible PC Taco thing. Google Lenovo ideapad Yoga... It's pretty awesome! Now, if someone would just come up with a flight planning app, and a geo-referenced chart viewer like ForeFlight, (ehem ForeFlight with Dropbox like syncing of flight plans between devices) I am all set! The one I got is a bit to big to be yoke/glare shield mounted, but it is wicked awesome, and it runs my old apps just fine. Basically, what I have seen is that if it ran on Win7, you are good to go on Win8, so long as you don't buy an RT device.
Click to expand...

Doesn't it run Seattle Avionics' Voyager then? :dunno:
 
There's always at least one neat hardware gadget on the market that has no useful software for it.

That said, if you're into dealing with evil people, wouldn't ChartCase Pro run under Win8?
 
I think most people in the know on MS have realized that Win 8 is a dead end after the departure of it's founder last month. Win 8 is an orphan now, and I wouldn't put it on anything that has a shelf life of more than a few months.
 
docmirror said:
I think most people in the know on MS have realized that Win 8 is a dead end after the departure of it's founder last month. Win 8 is an orphan now, and I wouldn't put it on anything that has a shelf life of more than a few months.
Click to expand...

At its core, though, I'm told by people in my former profession that it's an excellent OS with many security and resource management improvements. It's just the UI that many people (including myself) hate. I suppose that this is especially true of businesses, who understandably hate anything that will require retraining their people to do exactly the same things that they're already doing, which no increase in productivity when all is said and done.

My suggestion to MS is to do what they should have done in the first place and offer both the "classic" (via an update or add-on) and the new "Metro" UI, and let the users choose.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
At its core, though, I'm told by people in my former profession that it's an excellent OS with many security and resource management improvements.
-Rich
Click to expand...

That's all fine, but it's pretty meaningless if it doesn't sell. MS fired the guy that lead development, and they aren't exactly burning up the airwaves with a media blitz like usual with a new rollout. Also, the fact that it has two different UI conditions based on HW platform isn't helping.

Anyone remember MS "Bob". It was supposed to be the cat's meow of OS's, and maybe it was. Or Apple "Lisa". Stuff don't sell, it don't sell. So far adoption rates have been miserable.
 
No new version of Windows has sold well, initially. Business never embraces a new version for 1-2 years. It's only been in the last year that Windows 7 has become mainstream for business... we had most customers buying XP for two years after it quit being "officially" sold. Consumers end up buying whatever is being sold in the stores, and it looks like about 1/2 of the retail boxes I see are already Windows 8.
Yes, the "App/Tablet" interface is different, but the classic Windows is still there in all it's glory, a click or two away. If you don't want to see the "App" interface, just install the free program called "Classic Shell".
After you figure out the "new interface" is nothing more than a replacement for the Start Menu, it's not so bad. Many unsophisticated users I've watched picked up on the dual interfaces without a hitch.
My personal preference is, at this time, to use "classic shell" for day-to-day use, and just pop into the new interface to play and learn.
 
docmirror said:
That's all fine, but it's pretty meaningless if it doesn't sell. MS fired the guy that lead development, and they aren't exactly burning up the airwaves with a media blitz like usual with a new rollout. Also, the fact that it has two different UI conditions based on HW platform isn't helping.

Anyone remember MS "Bob". It was supposed to be the cat's meow of OS's, and maybe it was. Or Apple "Lisa". Stuff don't sell, it don't sell. So far adoption rates have been miserable.
Click to expand...

Oh man... Bob...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZegWedG-jk4

-Rich
 
FWIW...
Tami Reller, the software giant's new co-chief of the Windows division, told a Credit Suisse investor conference in Arizona on Tuesday that Window 8 upgrades are outpacing Windows 7 in its first month.

"The journey is just beginning, but I am pleased to announce today that we have sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses so far," she said in a presentation.
 
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