Windows 8, ready for 8.1?

[Ardy123]

MS success has been largely through its biz practices not through the strength of its products. This is why they are having a hard time adjusting to changes in the marketplace, as change created new openings for competition.

[guncrasher]

considering the fact that even 64bit distros of linux run far more efficiently than any version of windows on less hardware, what is there to fix? you should do some real research on how bill gates got his microsux operating systems onto the retail pc market and kept it there. if current generations of linux had been available for free at the time gates was trying to push his crap out, we would all be running linux based computers. the day will come when microsux no longer has a stranglehold on the pc market...until then we're going to have to suffer through the crap.

I dont doubt that linux runs more efficiently.  I just wish it was a bit easier to use and install.  for example, last I tried I couldnt install it and I think it's due to my sli cards.  I thought about working around it, then find out that I may have problems with my sounds cards and it's possible some of my joysticks may not work.  then it's possible to take some hit on the fps playing aces high, if you can get aces high to play.

so it goes from how easy it is to install win7 and have aces high loaded and playing in less than an hour including win7 install time to maybe hours or days of research trying to figure out linux.

this is the part where linux needs a bit of work and that is to make it a bit easier to install.

not saying that win7 is better than linux but in the easiness of installing, win7 wins by far for now.  hopefully in the future linux comes on top.

semp

[-aper-]

The last good products from M$ were WinXP and Sidewinder joystick. This company will go broke in next 5-10 years. WTF were they thinking releasing the new OS if the first thing people do is installing third party utility that brings interface back to classic.

[Sol75]

The only way I'll get windows 8.anything is if it is on a MS surface pro.  I have tried windows 8 on a brand new laptop and it was infuriating to use.  They made almost EVERYTHING harder to do from a desktop user perspective, as far as I could tell after using it for 3 days.  My desktop didn't need a paradigm shift towards the same level of uselessness I find that most tablets bring to my daily computing needs.  The only tablet that could truly replace my computers is a MS surface pro (or nearly identical equivalent), so maybe win8 would work for me on a tablet that was actually capable of replacing my laptop and desktop.

Putting a tablet OS on a desktop or laptop is stupid.  So I'll skip win8 just like I skipped vista.  If they never release another desktop OS, I'll probably switch to apple or Linux on generic PC hardware.  If the BIOS gets locked down to only run windows, then I'll probably quit buying computer hardware altogether and just use my phone for everything.

That is exactly what I have purchased.  It literally replaces all computers except my gaming rig for me.  We used to have my gaming rig, 3 laptops, and an android tablet.  We wanted to upgrade, so we went with the Asus brand equivelant to the surface pro.  (the Asus brand is a little smaller, lighter, and is passively cooled, with better battery life, plus its cheaper).  We bought 3 of them.  one each for myself, the boss (wife) and our daughter.  We have since dumped all PC's except my gaming rig... with the keybaord dock hooked up, the tablet becomes a small screen laptop.  Then, you can hook it up to a monitor or TV for a larger screen if needed.  etc etc.  It is a full blown computer, in tablet form.  Nothing watered down or anything.  As far as Windows 8 goes.  I tried it and hated it on my laptop.  However, I absolutely LOVE it on this tablet.  It is definitely touchscreen optimized.  The solution IMO for microsoft, would simply be to allow the user to select metro, or "Classic" mode, that way they can pick and choose depending on their hardware, OR hardware configuration (such as automatically going to classic mode when docked to a keyboard, but switching to metro if the tablet is standalone, etc etc)

If they did that, they would have a definite winner in Windows 8.  As it is?  Windows 8 is only a winner for tablets.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Windows 8 is great for tablets and other touchscreen devices. It's miserable for desktop PCs, and it's ENTIRELY to do with Metro.

The 8.1 update isn't going to fix the main problem, in that Windows 8 is HORRIBLE to try navigating with a mouse. Putting the "Start Button" back, but just linking it to the Metro screen (which is already accessed the same way, there's just not the big obvious button) isn't a fix. They need to have an option for an ACTUAL "classic" start menu for PC use (there's a reason start menu emulators are about the most popular 3rd party apps for Win8).

That said, I do love how fast Win8 loads, and it appears to be very stable. They just need to have a Classic Start Menu option for devices lacking touch screens.

Second voice for Classic shell

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I dont doubt that linux runs more efficiently.  I just wish it was a bit easier to use and install.  for example, last I tried I couldnt install it and I think it's due to my sli cards.  I thought about working around it, then find out that I may have problems with my sounds cards and it's possible some of my joysticks may not work.  then it's possible to take some hit on the fps playing aces high, if you can get aces high to play.

so it goes from how easy it is to install win7 and have aces high loaded and playing in less than an hour including win7 install time to maybe hours or days of research trying to figure out linux.

this is the part where linux needs a bit of work and that is to make it a bit easier to install.

not saying that win7 is better than linux but in the easiness of installing, win7 wins by far for now.  hopefully in the future linux comes on top.

semp

Normally linux is far FAR easyer to install than windows. Your hardware must have been incompatible somehow or you just chose a bad distribution for yourself.

If you planned to use SLI and game windows games on linux then you were hoping a bit too much. While theoretically possible, Wine is still too buggy for comfort. With the introduction of Steam for linux, dozens of new linux native titles are emerging weekly however. AAA houses such as Infinity Ward (COD X series) and DICE (Battlefield X series) have showed strong interest to work on linux support.

[gyrene81]

I dont doubt that linux runs more efficiently.  I just wish it was a bit easier to use and install.  for example, last I tried I couldnt install it and I think it's due to my sli cards.  I thought about working around it, then find out that I may have problems with my sounds cards and it's possible some of my joysticks may not work.  then it's possible to take some hit on the fps playing aces high, if you can get aces high to play.

so it goes from how easy it is to install win7 and have aces high loaded and playing in less than an hour including win7 install time to maybe hours or days of research trying to figure out linux.

this is the part where linux needs a bit of work and that is to make it a bit easier to install.

not saying that win7 is better than linux but in the easiness of installing, win7 wins by far for now.  hopefully in the future linux comes on top.

semp

the linux distros i use are easier to install than windblowz. what linux distro were you trying to install? if it was something like arch, suse, gentoo or slackware and such, then i can see why would had problems with sli. try linux mint, there is a lot of information on how to either configure nouveau or get the nvidia drivers to work properly.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

the linux distros i use are easier to install than windblowz. what linux distro were you trying to install? if it was something like arch, suse, gentoo or slackware and such, then i can see why would had problems with sli. try linux mint, there is a lot of information on how to either configure nouveau or get the nvidia drivers to work properly.

I would recommend Sabayon, Zorin or Xubuntu. Mint has never lasted over 24 hours without something breaking when I've tried it. Sabayon is nice since it uses the latest packages, Zorin because it's made to work and look pretty much like Windows 7.

[gyrene81]

i dunno Ripley, i've had mint running on my work desktop for a year now and nothing has broken...no custom tweaks and i have steam on it as well. i'll look into the distros you listed for my next build.

[Ardy123]

Kubuntu here, no problems installing it. Steam works fine. At one point I had SLI working on linux... Nvidia had drivers that supported it (if I remember correctly).

[guncrasher]

the linux distros i use are easier to install than windblowz. what linux distro were you trying to install? if it was something like arch, suse, gentoo or slackware and such, then i can see why would had problems with sli. try linux mint, there is a lot of information on how to either configure nouveau or get the nvidia drivers to work properly.

all I remember is that it had the mint word associated with it.


semp