Might be in the market for a new computer been using
WIN XP professional now for years I'm just so used to it... but WIN 8 is on most units in stores ?. what are your thoughts on Win 8 or another suggestions ....or?

Donny ... no first hand experience - I am using Win 7 - but a good friend of mine just went to Win 8 and says a lot of his 'older' software does not run on Win 8 ... You mat want to ask some techs in a store about it ...

Windows 8

you can easily change Windows 7 to work in the classic way you are used to. If you do need to run legacy software Windows 7 Professional has a usefull feature that enables you to run a virtual version of XP which is available free from Microsoft, however that has been removed with Windows 8. The start menu has also been removed (foolishly in my view), but there are third party applications to give it back!

Hi DNJ

Think of Windows 8 as a Windows Phone that includes an App to run it in Desktop Mode.

The main change when you go into the desktop is the removal of the start button, which along with other changes makes moving from an earlier OS to Windows 8 more difficult than it needs to be.

If you can’t get on with Windows 8, there is a free program called Classic Shell which adds the Start Button so you can use it more like an older OS, (You can choose XP, Vista or Windows 7 menus) although I would try and get used to the way Windows 8 works as it seems this is the way all future Windows OS will go.

Some users have had problems running some of their older software on Windows 8 but most will work in compatibility mode, (It’s also been improved with updates since launch) also there are ways to run XP in a virtual environment just like the Virtual XP that can be downloaded for Windows 7.

You can do a Windows 8 test on your current software and hardware by using the Windows upgrade assistant which should show up if there will be any problems, and also (If available) how to fix the problems.

Hope this helps

Bill

Also will older software programs that's another worry of mine using the new windows eight

DNJ,

You will never find a PC that runs better or is more reliable than your old XP machine.

Windows is getting further and further away from the type keyboards we use and especially MIDI generated music.

Be sure to check that all of the software you depend on now will run on Win 8 or you will regret it.

Bill G

If you go to the Windows 8 Website they have a tool that can look at all your current programs to see what, if any, issues they will have running under W8.

Windows XP was good in its day but is not a patch on Windows 7, (Avoid Windows Vista at all costs as it is a complete and total disaster) also Support for XP ceases next year, so there will be no more updates and security patches for it.

If I were buying a new computer I would go for Windows 8 Professional as it can only get better. (I ran the Beta software versions of Windows 8 and initially was not impressed with it in comparison with Windows 7, however once I got used to the way it does things (Its highly customisable) I did start to like)

If you are running Windows 7 then I can’t see any reason to upgrade unless you have a touch screen, but if you’re buying a new one then Windows 8 is the way to go. (See my previous post for more details)

Hope this helps

Bill

Addition:

Tests have proven that Windows 7 is way ahead of XP when it comes to use with DAWs, (Pretty much every DAW manufacture ported there systems over to Windows 7 as soon as they could) and all of the tests so far seem to indicate that Windows 8 is even better. (Although it has not been out long enough for Pro Studios to commit just yet)

is there a link to this TOOL?...

if not I guess its WIN 8 for the smart future choice .....

otherwise I might have to switch all to a MAC which Im reluctant to do?