Consumer Reports recommends Windows 7 in most circumstances

[MrBungle]

I was scared of Windows 8 too because of all the touch features. But after upgrading from 7 and using Windows 8 for a couple of weeks, you couldn't pay me to go back to 7. I'm spoiled now. I actually started working from home more because my office doesn't have Windows 8 yet and I can get more work done on 8. That's my two cents. Take it or leave but Windows 8 is the future.

Nice to see the MS spin machine is aware of techspot...

 

[Guest]

MilwaukeeMike, I am sure that the buggy-whip makers and Kodak silver-halide group felt the same way. It is not a cardinal rule to not break convention.

 

[Butch]

I bought Win8 and used it for a few weeks and then went back to Win7. The reason is purley that I am a gamer and some of the games I play don't work on Win8. Other than that I didn't have any issues with it. In fact, I liked it. However, I did download and install StarDock's Start Menu app and spent most of my time in the standard desktop, not in Metro. I have a MS Surface and a Nokia 920 Windows 8 phone as well and I can tell you that MS has come closer to making my tablet, PC and phone all work together. Some very cool stuff is built-in. I add a bookmark on my browser and it's on my Surface and my phone automatically. I change the theme or background on my Surface and it propogates to my PC and vice-versa. It's closer to bringing all platforms together than anyone else and SkyDrive is awesome! It works better than DropBox, iCloud or Box combined. I think that MS has a winning solution here as long as they get the little kinks worked out (and they will with updates). If you are thinking of switching, I recommend staying with Win7 on your desktop, but the Surface and Win8 Phones are soooo much better than IOS and Android when you use Windows PC's. Just my two cents...

 

[Lurker101]

So, big announcement then? Win8 crappy for desktops, not so bad for touchscreen.

Is Consumer Reports regulated by the Bureau of the Bleeding Obvious?

 

[Guest]

For those of you who are miffed at the lack of a start button, there's the windows key directly under your "z" key. I suggest you actually give Windows 8 a good chance. It takes about 20 minutes to learn the new controls, and another 40 or so to get used to them, but once you get used to them, it's a solid OS that supports a lot more than you would assume. And yes, angry birds and fruit ninja both have windows apps. Now, is it worthy of an upgrade? Probably only if you're upgrading your computer anyway, or once it's caught on. But that was true of Win 7 when it came out.

 

[Guest]

What is Consumer Reports advice on Apple giving incremental updates in the form of a new product in 6 months.

 

[captaincranky]

Now, is it worthy of an upgrade? Probably only if you're upgrading your computer anyway, or once it's caught on. But that was true of Win 7 when it came out.

The truth of Vista and Windows 7, they actually required a pretty hefty hardware upgrade to give of their best. . XP's requirements are much lower than either one. So, you actually did need to buy a new machine for Vista or Win 7. Especially in light of the fact that manufacturers of existing peripherals were dropping the, "writing drivers for the new OS", ball.

When you come right down to it, this Win 8 garbage was shoveled out the door almost before a full Intel, "tic, tock cycle", occurred.

Ostensibly, (and arguably) Win 8 should not only run on hardware suited to Vista & Win 7 but should flourish, and possibly outperform either OS.

With that said, M$ has been making really stupid decisions. For example, hiring the same consultants as Apple, to "modernize" their logo. Money well spent, at least from Apple's point of view.

I shortcut virtually everything on my machines. So, I don't need the crap-a** toy block "Metro" interface, in order to relate to my computer as though it's a cell phone.

Nor am I at the mercy of the start button. I still like to post my photos as wallpaper, I like the task bar upgrade in Win 7. I like everything about the Windows 7 desktop.
As far as, "not giving Windows 8 a chance", I gave it the chance I believe it's worth. Which is none at all.

As for all the proponents of touch interface, are you really going to sit in front of a $400.00 IPS screen, and do all your work by smearing your fingers all over it. Again, I pass!