Windows 8

[-Marc-]

I just bought a new Sony Vaio a couple of weeks back and I can not stress how sick I am of this shite sack of a program. It freezes often, you can't do the simple tasks as easy as before, if I drag my finger over the touch pad in the wrong place it brings up the time an date etc etc etc.

I thought I'd get used to it but the more I use it the shorter my fuse gets. Does any one else have a similar dislike for it? I actually want to put Windows xp on it now, hell Windows 95 would make me happier right now. Unfortunately it seems that a lot of new computers with Windows 8 can't have anything older loaded over it??? Possible internet BS?

[Delboy]

Classicshell.net could be for you.

I've not gotten around to doing it yet but Cluck recommended it to me. I don't have the freezing issues with Win8 on my new build, so could be hardware related? But I am struggling with finding things I could get to in 2 or 3 clicks before.

I'm persevering as I'm getting there now, but if it tests my patience I will go the classic shell route.

[sideways14a]

WIndows 8 does not freeze or crash, however its user interface is a dogs breakfast.

[-Marc-]

That looks interesting, thanks!

I can't understand why they've made everything harder to use, it feels like it's been designed solely for touch screens. I had to use shortcut keys to forward an email earlier as I couldn't figure out how to do it on screen!

[-Marc-]

Opening emails via the tiles is where it seems to get stuck on mine.

[sideways14a]

Just use desktop mode and never bother with the shit that is metro.

[-Marc-]

Yer I think that's what I need to do really.

[Cluck]

Windows 8, without Classic Shell, is the biggest barrier to productivity on a PC since Windows 3.1 came along. It's beyond a fcuking disaster. I was at a trade meeting recently and a guy from Microsoft was doing his best to demonstrate how much better the new interface was. All I could think was "that's all very well and good, but it makes working in multiple programs more bloody awkward and if I wanted to type the name of a program to launch it I'd go back to DOS. Fcukwit ."

I have it on my office PC (I have to, it's on most PCs I'm now selling ) and the most damning indictment I can give it is that I still don't think it was worth the £20 upgrade from Windows 7. At least with Classic Shell I can do a day's work without putting my foot through the screen though.

Have you guessed? I'm not a fan .

[sideways14a]

Windows blue isnt far away, lets hope its brought back aero and the desktop in full.

[-Marc-]

Ahh good, I'm glad I'm not alone. I think my misses thinks I'm going to smash our new laptop which, if I'm honest has been pretty close a few times.

Why does it not seem to support a lot of pictures as well? Sites I used to be able to see pictures/videos on are now invisible to me???

[Delboy]

If I was using mine for work I'd have set fire to it by now, but I'm 90% gaming on this PC so most of the time it's no issue past the initial set up fumbling around.

I don't have the issue with web images either tbh, have you updated everything fully/got the latest flash player etc?

[-Marc-]

Pretty sure it updated on initial start up.

[mattkeeber]

I've ditched 8 now and gone back to 7.

Worst upgrade ever.

[mandelbug]

I must be a freak, I love Windows 8, I have a Surface as well and Lumia 820. I put Windows 8 on my laptop as soon as it was available and ran it at work as soon as it was out on Volume License. On my laptop I tend to be in desktop mode and use Modern UI as the new start menu.

[Asht_200]

Classicshell + Windows 8 makes a very nice experience for me - I'd say better than Windows 7

[Cluck]

There are a couple of small things I (the ability to see multiple copies in one window and being able to pause one copy operation and resume it later to name but one) but I was perfectly happy with Windows 7. Windows 8 has made me 0% more productive in a given day which is the main reason I feel it has been a waste of £20. How the hell I go about convincing customers it's worth £20 I don't know, especially as a lot of them are still on XP and would have to re-install all their software if they 'upgraded'.

I'm sure, with a touchscreen, it's a very different matter but for single-screen, keyboard and mouse users, it's simply not a big enough leap forward to get enthused about .

[skyshack]

I might be getting my office PC upgraded from Vista to Win7 in about 3 months time.

I might be retired before they get around to moving to 8.

[Vez]

Windows 7 lasted around 3 hours for me, before reinstalling windows 7. The biggest bug bear for me, wasnt the lack of start menu or metro, but the loss of Aero! All the windows are white with white borders, there is no contrast between them, so if you haev a load stacked, you simply cant pick the one you want as there is no contrast between them! Bloody useless operating system!

[stu_]

I got Windows 8 on my new laptop too. I'm not usually a Windows user but convinced myself that I'd just use it.

It's almost good.. but it just feels like they've just shoehorned a desktop into a mobile OS. The swipey stuff and the new menus are nice but the transition between the start screen/full screen apps and the Desktop is pretty unnatural. If they sorted that out and a few other things it would be fine. Maybe it helps that I don't have to use it for work!

[weiner_patrol]

I read some Windows 8 stuff on this blog:
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/Window...ThereItIs.aspx

Does help with other things but I also think it hinders. I actually do like the windows key + start typing the name of the program. But the shut down button is dumb.