Just curious how many people here are now using Microsoft Windows 8 on their PC/laptops, pads, etc,.. and your opinions?

A buddy of mine got a new PC and it had Windows 8 already installed. He had several very annoying issues with it, including two complete lockups that required taking the PC in for service.

He had the dealer replace Windows 8 with Windows 7 and he's a happy camper again. His last PC was using Win XP.

I still use Windows 7. I hope by the time I'm needing a new PC, that the next new OS will resolve the Win 8 issues, much like Win 7 did with Vista.

Ian

It's a very solid operating system. The app/pc duality is a little confusing. No bugs to report.

If you have a great sound card that you want to keep, make sure that it is compatible with Windows 8.1.

Right I'm still using Win XP exclusively on all my computers....desktop/laptops, with out any problems.......
I'm hearing MORE positives about Win 7 vs Win 8 so far out of anyone I ask including my computer tech who custom builds all my units for years..
Win 7 OS seems I would be more familiar with since
I have XP. I really don't need any problems as mentioned many times using Win 8....
& what would be my advantages in using Win 8 anyway?
I'll be in the market for a laptop & desktop soon.

Then again I could always say F*** it and go with a MAC more expensive but less problems?

Hi all,

I work with Fortune 500 IT Depts every day. None of the 500 have any plans to upgrade to Win8. In fact, upgrades paths are beginning to lead away from Microsoft. Google Chromebooks now account for roughly 25% of all new computer sales. Adroid & IPhone dominate the phone market. You'll see Windows sliding farther and farther from the mainstream over the next decade. By 2030, Windows will be akin to the old IBM mainframe. There won't be many out there but you'll still see them. By the end of the 2030's, those companies that stayed with Microsoft will find themselves steeped in problems and unable to complete with a world market that has been running in a totally different direction for for 3 decades. Microsoft is already far behind the technology curve and it will continue to lose ground. Companies will continue to migrate toward BYOD (bring your own device) style of computing and will offer cloud apps for word processing, spreadsheets, etc. thus replacing Microsoft Office as the preferred productivity suite.

Please don't blame me. Microsoft chose the road its walking.

By 2030, I'll be akin to the old IBM 7090 mainframe - DEAD! Right now, using Windows 7 on all but one of the PCs I own, I hope these will be the last ones I'll have to purchase - HOPE! They do everything I want them to do, but knowing the good folks at Microsoft, they'll come up with something new and exciting, something that none of the new software works with, and none of the new software we frequently need to purchase, Turbo Tax, etc..., will run on Windows 7 anymore. This is the reason I now have Windows 7. I would still be using ME if it were not for that problem.

Gary

How does MAC fit into all the futureness of the computer world by 2030?

The MAC has a loyal niche market. In business, the MAC is used almost exclusively for publishing and graphic design. Those industries remain in lock-step with Apple. The IPhone also holds a place in the buying public's mind. If Apple would reduce laptop prices to the level of IBM PC-style laptops, they could gain market-share but this isn't going to happen. Apple loves their niche and will continue serving it in the future. So, it seems the door is wide open to Google Chromebook.

2 desktop PCs on Windows 8.1. Love it, especially the fast boot or restart time. I also installed an SSD drive for the OS and other software, with a large hard drive as a secondary for all data, and that approach also speeds up the PC.

I have not experienced any significant problems, and would wholeheartedly recommend it.

No Gary, some time late in 2018, cures will be found for cancer, diabetes, and a host of other illnesses, which will serve to prolong life and add another 25-35 years to male life expectancy in the US.

We'll be around a long time.

Steve

Gary, I have a line on an iron lung from the 50s. You can use it till they come up with lung replacements!
Seriously I will settle for another 25 years, depending on the direction the U.S. takes.

Hi

Had win 8 from the very first day it was releashed. Later upgraded to win 8.1.
No issues at all. Learning time less than ½ hour.

Best: Very fast start up = app. 10 seconds...

Jørgen

What are the advantages of the Google Chrome Book....vs a PC laptop with win 7/8?
I looked at some but was turned off by the restricted storage space at 64G etc...I would need so much more like 500G-1TB to fit all my songs, files, etc..

Graham how was the transition to the WIN 8 OS using the tiles, vs earlier model OS's to navigate to everyday internet and file needs?

Google Chromebooks are perfect for people whose first computer was their Android phone. They already know the OS and are familiar with Google Apps. For them, there is no learning curve whatsoever. Young people on their way to college will find the Chromebook easy to use, inexpensive, and familiar. A brand new Chromebook suitable for college costs about $245.00.

Older Window's PC users will see few benefits from moving to Chromebook, except for one - price. Chromebook's OS is fast and requires very few resources. Add an extra hard drive and you'll have tons of storage for a minimal price. Better yet, add a card reader and buy ultra-portable SD cards. Amazon carries 128 Gigabyte SD cards for roughly $65.00 each.


If you wish your computer was more like your phone .... you just may like using Chromebook. If not, then stick with Windows.

Windows 8 works perfect with a touchscreen...

But it does not work well, with a mouse... And the start menu still is not back with 8.1 , tough using a 3rd party app brings it back for €5..


Using Ableton live and espescially Sonar with vsts on a 27" touchscreen under windows 8.1 works like a dream.. Also V-arranger should work very well with a touchscreen under 8.1


For tablets i would say the order of merit is apple-windows-android
for laptops i would say windows-osx-linux (because apple has no touchscreen support)
For servers i would say Linux-windows2012server

Anyway, most people prefer the things they allready know.... So thats old windows7 and before, just because they are used to that.

Little by little with all of your input here I am learning & leaning toward a WIN 7 based Pc & Laptop now that I understand more about what each alternative does and what would work better for my needs..

keep the info & opinions coming I appreciate it big time !!

Just a short note: there is no support for XP anymore...

yes that's why Im considering new PCs now..
I have been getting alerts all the time for XP.

DonM, lung transplants have been around a long time, and I was working in medicine when the first ones were done. We also had another procedure called a pluck, which was a combined heart/lung transplant. Back then they all died because of rejection phenomena.

Steve, at the rate I'm going downhill, I know I won't make it another decade, but if I do, that would be great. Asbestos is taking it's toll on my lungs, and at my age, a transplant is out of the question. And, Obamacare does not permit it beyond age 70 - it's in the same category with neurosurgical procedures over age 70 - not allowed. And for the naysayers, yes, I've read nearly 600 pages of Obamacare and it IS true.

Gary

People make a big deal about the tile approach. In all honesty, you would only use those, I think, if you had a touchscreen. In Windows 8.1 you can open to the Desktop just like you always would. I have all the apps that I use regularly along the bottom of the Desktop screen. One of those is Control Panel so you can access all the Windows stuff. On the far bottom left is a link to the tile view where you can see all the apps you have in a much better way than Windows ever showed it before (IMHO).

Don't waste your time with 7, go straight for the latest OS, it's the approach of the future, with a lot of advantages.

Graham,........I am gonna have to really go try win 8 somewhere and see what it can do for my needs. I agree the future will be a better fit with Win 8 down the road

The Top Ten ways a musician knows he’s getting older…

#10) It becomes more important to find a place on stage for your fan than for your amp

#9) You have to stop the song because your ibuprofen fell behind the speaker

#8) All your fans leave by 9:30

#7) You check the TV schedule before booking a gig

#6) You need a nap before, during and after the gig

#5) The only Rolling Stones you care about are in your gallbladder

#4) You start listing your truss as a business expense

#3) The only white powder you have is on your feet

#2) You actually ask the guitar player to "turn up"

And The Number One way.......… You don’t recover from a Saturday night gig until sometime on Tuesday.

Donny ... I am using Win7 on my desk top PC ... Lydia is using Win8 with no problems ... As Graham said, you an use the Desktop screen just like you are now ... But I think you are correct in trying out Win8 first ...

Well support for XP from Microsoft ended this week so it will be a haven for hackers unfortunately as there will be no more security patches for it. It has been said that any exploit to hack into XP have probably been held off waiting for MS to stop providing patches. XP is now dangerous. I am using Windows 8 and it is fine but Windows 8.1 is the way to go because support for 8.0 ends in 2016. Even though I have always used a Windows PC I have to say an Apple Mac is a very viable option. Not that it can't be hacked but because it is a minority it isn't being targeted ... yet.

I tried Win 8 when they provided a few months free trial, but reverted back to my Win 7 On Desktop PC. My updates are switched off but never had any hacking problems. I do an Image restore every few months to get back to a clean start.
I also use an ANDROID Tablet and the OS which is very slick. Pity Windows OS's have to be so very large.

My 2 cents. I have a dual boot Mac Book Pro, I run Windows 8 on one of the partitions, I prefer Windows 7 to Windows 8. Most of the time I'm logged into the Mac Books operating system, but certain programs I use work better for me on the Windows partition.

Donny or anyone else on XP until you upgrade

1. Stop using XP as an administrator. Use it as a limited user instead. Add an account as an administrator and then demote your existing account to limited user. This will stop over 90% of all the exploits out there.
2. Stop using Internet Explorer. Go with Google Chrome. It's far more secure.
3. Don't click on links in email.
4. Only get your software from original vendors.
5. Keep your anti virus software up to date.
6. Stop using Java.

You do these things, you'll be fine moving forward until you upgrade.

-

On Win 8.1 how is navigating with the TILES versus older Win OS versions..

Slight learning curve to it. The shortcuts below are helpful to speed and ease navigation. Any Win 8.1 user's best friend is the Windows key, it's a one touch key that switches between the Windows desktop and the tiles.

Windows-D: Go to the bare desktop. If you're in the Start screen, you just switch to the desktop. If you're in the desktop, it behaves like the Windows 7 hotkey, toggling between running applications and the bare desktop.
Windows Key: Switches between the Start screen and the last application used.
Windows-C: Shows the Charms bar.
Windows-R: Goes to the desktop and shows the Run dialog box.
Windows-E: Opens the computer, which enables you to use the file manager.
Windows-I: Pops up settings, where you can easily get to the Windows settings screen or shut down the PC.
Windows-X: Brings up the Simple Start menu, allowing easy access to key system-management apps, like the control panel.

I've been watching Win7 & win 8.1 demo videos and I have to say for my needs Win 7 is much more familiar and comfortable to use IMO.

That's why my buddy went back to Win 7 and that's also why I am staying with it.

It does everything I need, and I'm familiar with it..plus it's quite secure and pretty much rock solid.

Ian

That will probably be my choice also Ian.....

Now what kind processor, ram, sound card, vid card, HDMI, usb, and other specs do you people recommend, I know I need at least 1Tb storage.. I will have the PC built to my specifications as I do on all my desktops.?

As I am sure you know, you might consider an exterior HD rather than necessarily tying your storage to your PC. I have always had a USB HD to use anywhere I needed.

bernie I have a 1TB external here always for backup ....
having 500G-2Tb today is normal on a Pc..

I have two computers running Windows 8.1 and I enjoy using them.
I think most complaints come because they have changed how Windows works a so a learning curve comes into the picture. I know (I am 85 years old) people hate change but I find it to be challenging and interesting.
That said, I would buy an Apple computer next as I have an Ipad and love the OS. Lloyd

Donny, I was part of a class action lawsuit and got a new laptop with Win8. It Like to drove me nuts until I got the thingy that made the tiles disappear and gave me a more familiar look at the start-up screen thanks to inbetweengigs (Eddie).

A major pain in the A$$ for me is this:

The ;laptop came with a numeric pad. So, the mouse touch pad is more to the left. It's not in the center of the keyboard. Thus every time you go to move the cursor your finger will inadvertently touch the right side of the touch pad, and Win8 has some crap pop out on the screen from the right and the bottom of the screen, and you have to click it off the screen before you can click on what you were wanting to do.

Maybe without the numeric pad, which would put the touchpad in the middle of the keyboard it wouldn't be such a pain in the A$$ problem. Also in any situation to place the cursor in between 2 alphabets in a word, is another big pain in the A$$. It's weird no matter what anyone else tells you. I type email and type on Facebook everyday almost all day and after many months it's still a pain in the A$$ for me to correct spelling etc. I guess if you're not into Facebook or don't do email or any typing at all and just do BIAB and Cakewalk it's not that big a deal. If I didn't take Ativan, I would have lost it by now.

Do not get a laptop with a numeric pad or you'll regret it. Go see if you play with one. Now if you're crazy about challenges and have nothing else to do, get one. It sure as hell will keep you occupied trying to figure it out. Hey there's nothing wrong with challenges, but to me fighting an operating system on a new computer is not a challenge I look forward too. If I were a computer whiz it would be different.

Dnj,

I moved to Windows 7 from XP and its a great improvement in areas too numerous to mention here. Two pieces of advice are:

Run the Microsoft system compatibility checker to ensure that your hardware is compatable with Windows 7.

Secondly buy the Pro which I have or the Ultimate version as these allow you to run a virtual XP operating system within Windows 7. This could be useful for running older software or for running hardware, e.g. a scanner that has no Windows 7 driver.

The upgrade process from XP to Windows 7 is a breeze.

I'll not be upgrading to Windows 8 even if they paid me to do it.

Ian

Yeah, I hated leaving XP, which was the best system of all so far, but I did move to Win 7 and have gradually come to accept and even like it now.

I also have a Mac - my advise to anyone who has always been on a Window PC, don't get a Mac because it has been designed to be idiot proof and only idiots can survive them after having had windows.

I'm in line with Graham's views. I've only had mine for two weeks now, but everything seems to work seamlessly. I'm still occasionally using the mouse because the touch sensitivity on my screen and mousepad is very light and quick and a brush in the wrong direction will take you to a different program real quick. I toyed with going with the Surface Pro 2, but I feel the tablets have still a little way to go to compete with a laptop, IMHO. My new laptop looks and feels like my old one, so all I have to do is adjust to the touchscreen. Only drawback is that the screen constantly needs cleaning - curse and a blessing at the same time.

I think if you like Win7 and you're thinking of replacing it on your present equipment, I don't know where the advantage would be. Win7 is a pretty solid OS. I only went with 8.1 because I needed a new laptop. I hear MS is already looking to address issues with the start tile page vs the desktop - I like the tiles, but I miss the familiarity of the desktop and address bar access. I'm still learning and maybe some readers here can direct us neo's to a good source book or tutorial.

If you're going with 8.1 don't get anything less than 8gb RAM. I have a 1T HD and several USB for offsite storage. Check the I-core5 chips; there are two, 3373u(?) and 4200, which have some performance differences. If that's a biggie for you, read up and decide before you buy.

If you are using Window 8 or 8.1 just make sure to install http://www.classicshell.net/ which which brings back the classic Windows start menu. It is free but please donate to the developers if you like it. It brings back the traditional Windows desktop feel. If you need info on how to also bring back the Windows quick launch task bar icons just ask and I can tell you how to do that too.

Dnj,

Update to my reply. I forgot to recommend that if you decide to go to Windows 7 you should go for the 64 bit version. Software developers like Adobe are gradually only offering 64 bit versions, e.g Photoshop and Premiere.

Ian

Thank you Nigel & All for the help........this classicshell prog now makes win 8.1 more viable for sure..

Now watching this Classic shell demo...Win 8.1 is looking better & better...

Donny,

Please keep in mind that many of your current software programs may no longer work with win 8.1.

I would recommend you try it without the start menu for a while, pinning all your apps to the taskbar (at the bottom of the screen). I think you'll adapt just fine. Why add the extra overhead to your system if you don't need to?

You know you can always install classic shell later if you want.

Billy YES that is a big concern.........
one of which makes me lean toward WIN 7

I have a desktop and a laptop on Windows 8 and really like how it runs on both of them. It is blazingly fast and not very difficult to use at all. In some ways I like it more than my MacBook Pro and my iMac. Seems to me that Apple too is falling behind the curve. I saw a very neat 12.2 Galaxy Pro tablet that runs on Android and I'm very tempted to replace one of my iPads with it.
So far I have found no programs that will not run on the Windows 8 OS. However, I am not coming from XP either.
Deane

Deane. I have been using an ASUS Android Tablet for over 2 years.
Not knocking iPad but the Android has USB input plus other options that Apple either charge for or don't provide the option.
My ASUS is fast and so far been very reliable.

Best wishes from the UK.

I don't believe I have ever experienced a less intuitive, idiotic bunch of nonsense as Windows 8. The Microsoft Den of Thieves have finally created something that will eventually bring them down to earth... or below. I don't want apps on my PC. I want affordable, non-invasive software and security that does not constantly try to get you to pay for upgrades that don't work.

This company should have been split up or forced to close their doors several years ago. Monopolistic, manipulative money-grabbing baboons, hell-bent on forcing everyone to upgrade every two or three years, depending on how crappy their latest roll-out works or does not.

Anyone here using Linux or one of it's variations. Dang, I hate new learning curves but I'm sick and tired of hardnosed, effete, hubris laden organizations who cannot justify their miserable existence. Did I mention I don't like them very much? LOL!

Good luck to you poor schnooks who are now stuck with this garbage laden operating system. Windows XP was the most bug-free version and it's perfect for music production. Win 7 is okay and is certainly a better options than Win 8.

Dave

Hi Dave

Windows 7 leaves Windows XP way behind in every single department.

Windows 8 was designed to bridge the gap between tablets and the Desktop, thus allowing optimum use with both a touch screen and a keyboard and mouse, unfortunately they concentrated too much on the touch screen operation thus alienating most of their Desktop users, however the new team are now starting to fix this with updates, (Currently on Windows 8.1 Update 1) however in truth it will probably be next year before the optimum version is finished. (Code name is Threshold although some have speculated that the final name will be Windows 9, so as to get them out of the mire that Windows 8 got them into)

BTW Windows 8 is the best Windows yet for music, leaving even Windows 7 behind.

As to monopolistic, try Apple, as there systems are as closed as you can get, also support is dropped after about 3 years thus you have to upgrade to stay up to date. (Compare this with XP which was supported for about 12 years)

If you go for Linux, go for the Mint version http://www.linuxmint.com/ as the usual Ubuntu is just full of bloat ware these days. (I have been using Linux for about 17 years as an addition to Windows; however it is not suitable as a replacement unless you are happy with basic use. (Which to be quite honest covers most home users)
It is also limited with music as there are not drivers available for a lot of popular music software/hardware. (Home or small productions are fine though)

Hope this helps

Bill

Could not agree more!

To those who does not like Win 8: Come on, get in this decade... now...

Very fast, no problems with old programs, and come on: Windows 3 did NOT have a start button either.
I must be very bright, I learned windows nevertheless...

Jørgen

Please explain further?

Music software needs streamlined access to any hardware on the computer with no other software getting in the way, and Windows 8 can be optimised for this even better than Windows 7. (In most cases it’s as good as a MAC and in many cases better, which says something)

It really is an excellent OS spoilt by a poor desktop interface. (There are free workarounds until Threshold (Windows 9?) is finalised.

Hope this helps

Bill

Donny, I wrote my first newspaper column with an old, black, Underwood typewriter and erasable bond paper. Now those were the days. Carol was my copy editor and she was tough to work for.

Gary

I guess you are just plucked now lol

Yep!

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/workstations/z1-g2.html

If you want to use windows 8.1 as your DAW, try this HP Z1 with its 27" touchscreen, put ableton live on it and you are ready to roll... Just put it up in the position of you music stand...

And you will never want to move back to windows 7...