Windows 8 is the New XP

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
75,399
Everything you read these days concerning Windows 8 is pretty negative all around. Many users say ‘why can’t Windows 8 be more like Windows XP’?. Be careful what you wish for: Windows 8 and XP share many of the same early characteristics and criticisms. For all of you who made the switch from Windows 95 to XP, you were not all that taken by the new operating system either, lest all we forget. :D

And its new interface is so hideous and unusable that customers who are forced to use it will trip over themselves finding ways to restore the old Start menu.
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Have an iPhone and iPad so don't care for Metro interface one bit.

Last time I checked, my desktop is not a tablet. It's got keyboard and mouse hooked up to it. And my 27" LCD is not a touchscreen either.

Oh, but you can install mod for Start Menu. LMAO.

Staying with W7.
 
Pretty much what I thought the first time I read someone whining about why they couldn't just keep XP around. When XP released no one could stand it, myself included. After SP2 it was a decent OS, and SP3 which was almost a rewrite made it nice. But for years people would describe XP as if Bill Gates had released the AntiChrist upon the world.

Personally I think Win 7 is very good, and think Win 8 needs an auto detector for touch screen on load. Without touch you should get all the under the hood upgrades without the touch-centric UI. I'd pay 50-60 bucks for that.
 
I never thought Xp was bad looking. My problem with it was that it had a variety of problems that were started to be addressed with SP1, which is when I dropped Win2K for it. My personal OS progression was:

Win 3.x
Win NT 3.51
Win95
Win95 OSR2
Win NT4
Win 98 SE
Win2K Pro
Win XP SP1
Win 7 SP1

I have no problem with change that looks like a move forward but Win 8 has a backward vibe to it that just turns me off. Same with my customers, they just don't like Metro. I have customers who still don't want to upgrade from XP and several of them were early adopters of it (pre-SP1).

Looks may not be everything but then again, looks do make a difference. Unless you are drunk at the bar at closing time. :D
 
And its new interface is so hideous and unusable that customers who are forced to use it will trip over themselves finding ways to restore the old Start menu.

LMAO. about right.
 
Great read. People act as though Microsoft has never gone through this type of thing before and that there's never pockets of resistance to the things that Microsoft does. This quote from the article is what is key:

In the next two years, even the worst-case estimates suggest that the PC industry will sell 500 million new PCs, many of them equipped with touchscreens on which the Windows 8 interface will make perfect sense.
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Windows 8 is new, as more and devices get out there with touch capabilities, are more Modern UI apps are developed, attitudes and knowledge will change.
 
Sounds silly. This argument could be made for absolutely anything that people don't like.

You don't like ISPs putting really low caps on your internet usage? Well, you also hated Windows XP, so your opinion on what is bad isn't to be trusted.

I think the fact that XP turned out to be great, despite initial reports is more of an exception rather than a rule that makes everything that we complain about actually brilliant...and us too stupid to realize it yet. I think most things that appear to be garbage turn out to be just that...with the occasional exception like XP.
 
CorruptedOne said:
I think the fact that XP turned out to be great, despite initial reports is more of an exception rather than a rule that makes everything that we complain about actually brilliant...and us too stupid to realize it yet. I think most things that appear to be garbage turn out to be just that...with the occasional exception like XP.
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But in this case we're talking about the same things, an OS and UI and people also got the UI thing wrong with Office 2007 and the ribbon. The thing is that people have made judgments about Windows 8 looking at it only on a desktop and with very few Modern UI apps. The amount of new hardware and software coming with Windows 8 is unlike any prior version of Windows. Until the new hardware and software is account for no of us is seeing the whole picture.
 
A simple checkbox "Use Start Screen or Start Menu" would of solved every last negative review out there.
 
i see zdnet is still making bullshit sensational articles.. must be a slow day
 
Hah, don't make me laugh. When XP launched in 2001, it was a completely different era than where we are now. Back then, the desktop computer was the dominant computing device, with laptops just only beginning ever more popular and Apple just being a minor blip in terms of market share. With Windows 95/98/NT/ME/2000 running on over 95% of desktop/mobile computers prior to XP's launch and no real competitors to threaten Microsoft, XP's acceptance and dominance was predictable.

Now? In 2012, it's a totally different case. Number of shipments of smartphones and tablets recently overcame the number of shipments for PCs and that downward trend for PCs is expected to continue, as more and more consumers are dumping their desktops and laptops, now that smartphones and tablets satisfy most of their computing needs. Unfortunately for Microsoft, their share of the smartphone/tablet market is very extremely small, with other players such as Apple and Google dominating that market. Microsoft will be climbing up a mountain when they release Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.

With a lot of decisions Microsoft has decided to make with Windows 8, it really does seem like Ballmer's previous statement about "Windows 8 being their riskiest release" may hold true.
 
Considering Windows 8 is made specifically for a fad device that occupies an awkward niche between laptops and smartphones, but is ending up on hardware for which it isn't designed like desktops, I'm pretty sure it's gonna end up a lot more like Windows ME.
 
jmilcher said:
It would have been a great start, but ultimately I don't think it would have helped much.
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I don't see why not, other than the new start screen, Windows 8 is a great OS that expands on 7 in all the right ways.

The original post talking about XP is faulty in a few ways. At least XP start screen maintained similar functionality as the 2000 Start Menu, with just new features. Plus with XP it was very easy to roll back to the 98/2000 Start Menu. However, Windows 8 does not grant you that ability, you are basically thrown into the deep end and told "learn to swim", Microsoft is basically being an ass hole. The new start screen completely changes the way you operate your desktop computer when there was no need to change it.

Microsoft has recently said they plan to be more "like Apple" yet even Apple acknowledges that you cannot have a unified desktop/tablet/phone OS. Balmer and all of his fanbois are fools.

"The only people that like Windows 8 are navel lint gazers that use a computer to check their facebook, goof on twitter, and that's about it. People that PRETEND to like Windows 8 are MS's paid shills. For people that actually use a computer to get things done, it's a pile of turd." ~ Some guy on Youtube.
 
Riskiest yet... yes. But it seems Win8 should have just been a tablet/portable release. Consumers are much wiser in 2012 and rely much more on online reviews etc. Win 8 will struggle...
 
Kainzo said:
I will NEVER switch to Windows 8. NEVER. I will sooner go to Linux.
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I've been using Linux for a while now and it hasn't ever really managed to become the only OS I use. Mostly, that's the case because I'm just too lazy to completely switch and because I occasionally need to have MS Office so formatting and junk doesn't get messed up by an open source office suite. This whole business with Windows 8 has sorta pushed me more towards using my TinyCore laptop though.
 
And then there's the 3 year old kid who quickly uses Windows 8 like its just another OS.

*sigh* I bet he's just too young to realise how hard using Windows 8 is like. :cool:
 
BDS23 said:
And then there's the 3 year old kid who quickly uses Windows 8 like its just another OS.

*sigh* I bet he's just too young to realise how hard using Windows 8 is like. :cool:
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Lol. I wouldnt say it is "apple simple" but the learning curve is surely reduced over previous versions of windows.
 
To be honest, I've been running Windows 8 for a couple weeks now on my laptop and it has so far felt out of place. I was a Windows 8 supporter before I tried it out, parroting the same things about how people commonly are against staunch changes. Now, having had first-hand experience with it, the UI (formerly known as Metro) really does feel like it belongs on a tablet or phone. I don't need a tile with information about Stocks or MSN Messenger on my PC. It's nice and all how you can just start typing to find anything, and it seems more expansive than the start menu, but still it hasn't won me over yet. Also, accessing settings for these apps, I guess you could call them, is not as direct as it is on Windows 7.

It's only fair to give it more time, and since it's on my laptop I am not using it nearly as much as I would if it was on my desktop. So far, two of the drivers for the laptop do not work, so that's disappointing. Maybe I'll eventually come to appreciate the new UI, but there's too much useless information on that start screen right now. I'm sure I can delete the tiles I don't like, but then what is the point of the start screen if I don't really have any use for most of its content?
 
I thought XP was great from the start. I ran the beta and RC of XP. No more quirky Soundblaster crashes that Win98 had.

8 can pull an E.T. for Atari 2600.
 
bigdogchris said:
A simple checkbox "Use Start Screen or Start Menu" would of solved every last negative review out there.
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How about options for:

- Disable start screen.
- Aero glass or similar.
- Start menu.
- Disable going into Metro entirely.
- An option to have drop down menus in folders. It is just quicker with a mouse.

I would have already bought a copy of Win 8 if I were given the option for all of those.
 
7 is the new XP. There's no way in hell businesses/enterprises are gonna put up with Metro in a workplace.
 
I have been saying this for months. People went retarded over the xp GUI.
 
Flogger23m said:
How about options for:

- Disable start screen.
- Aero glass or similar.
- Start menu.
- Disable going into Metro entirely.
- An option to have drop down menus in folders. It is just quicker with a mouse.

I would have already bought a copy of Win 8 if I were given the option for all of those.
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So allow the option for Windows 8 to be Windows 7. As I have said many times I don't necessarily disagree with this but then how does that advance the cause of Windows 8 beyond desktops. That's the core issue facing Windows in this new era of computing where fewer people, especially consumers, need or even want desktops.
 
heatlesssun said:
So allow the option for Windows 8 to be Windows 7. As I have said many times I don't necessarily disagree with this but then how does that advance the cause of Windows 8 beyond desktops. That's the core issue facing Windows in this new era of computing where fewer people, especially consumers, need or even want desktops.
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The problem with the internet commentators is that none of them can read. MS has said time and time again this is not meant to replace win7. This is a consumer release, not meant for the Enterprise. If people commenting on this were capable of reading before making declarations, they would know this. Read more post less.
 
schizrade said:
The problem with the internet commentators is that none of them can read. MS has said time and time again this is not meant to replace win7. This is a consumer release, not meant for the Enterprise. If people commenting on this were capable of reading before making declarations, they would know this. Read more post less.
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Yeah, Microsoft hasn't at all mentioned how Windows 8 relates to enterprise business users.
 
The core of the outrage is the average user looking at it and going "it's for a tablet"....it wouldn't have been designed around the x86 architecture at all if that was really the case.

Either way, more amusing spin....wait a week for pete's sake. I get to start supporting people on this OS this upcoming week. It's going to be amusing to say the least.
 
Flogger23m said:
How about options for:

- Disable start screen.
- Aero glass or similar.
- Start menu.
- Disable going into Metro entirely.
- An option to have drop down menus in folders. It is just quicker with a mouse.

I would have already bought a copy of Win 8 if I were given the option for all of those.
Click to expand...

So you're saying you'd pay for WIndows 7 when you already own it? This makes no sense at all. Metro IS Windows 8. The desktop mode is a legacy interface...if you don't like it, stick to 7 and save yourself some cash.
 
BDS23 said:
And then there's the 3 year old kid who quickly uses Windows 8 like its just another OS.

*sigh* I bet he's just too young to realise how hard using Windows 8 is like. :cool:
Click to expand...

Did the video actually show the 3-year-old navigating the mouse? Or could it have been someone else?
 
snowcrash said:
Last time I checked, my desktop is not a tablet. It's got keyboard and mouse hooked up to it. And my 27" LCD is not a touchscreen either.
Click to expand...

Exactly. But MS doesn't care because this is a necessary step in their unification plan.
 
schizrade said:
The problem with the internet commentators is that none of them can read. MS has said time and time again this is not meant to replace win7. This is a consumer release, not meant for the Enterprise. If people commenting on this were capable of reading before making declarations, they would know this. Read more post less.
Click to expand...

SkribbelKat said:
Yeah, Microsoft hasn't at all mentioned how Windows 8 relates to enterprise business users.
Click to expand...

Microsoft never told enterprises to stop Windows 7 migrations for Windows 8. Yes, Windows 8 is meant to replace Windows 7 but as with all versions of Windows and the history of upgrades Microsoft expected that since people were already moving to Windows 7 in the enterprise that many or most would skip Windows 8 upgrades across the board.

However, if an enterprise is looking at bringing in tablets, no matter how much one may hate Metro Windows 8 does have all of the enterprise capability of Windows 7 and can run all of the enterprises' desktop software more easily than any iOS or Android and the development tools would be very familiar to Windows developers.

While many say that Windows 8 isn't for the enterprise, it's as much for the enterprise as tablets are and I have a feeling that Windows 8 will make it into the enterprise space faster than many think especially with the emergence of bring your own devices.
 
mustang_steve said:
So you're saying you'd pay for WIndows 7 when you already own it? This makes no sense at all. Metro IS Windows 8. The desktop mode is a legacy interface...if you don't like it, stick to 7 and save yourself some cash.
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Actually Microsoft has never officially called the desktop legacy. It's a UI metaphor that has been around for a while and will continue to exist for many years to come I think. I just don't see how it's possible or even practical or good for Microsoft to see the desktop go away, not until whatever might replace it in full is 100% backwards compatible.
 
MajorDomo said:
Everything you read these days concerning Windows 8 is pretty negative all around. Many users say ‘why can’t Windows 8 be more like Windows XP’?. Be careful what you wish for: Windows 8 and XP share many of the same early characteristics and criticisms. For all of you who made the switch from Windows 95 to XP, you were not all that taken by the new operating system either, lest all we forget. :D
Click to expand...

not really the new xp because it was hard to convert vista and 7 to xp without using alot of 3rd party software that is not from MS and that will eat the memory.

Windows 7 explorer.exe has been already ported to Windows 8 so you'll have the original Microsoft start menu (with search, drag&drop, etc) and an option to disable metro.
 
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