News - Microsoft confirms “key aspects” of Windows 8 will change

[HEXUS]

However firm recently surpassed 100 million Windows 8 licences sold milestone.

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[Djini]

"Sold" <> "Bundled with a new device"

I know people who've avoided buying one PC over another because it came with Win8.

[Ceryndrion]

Overall, I quite like windows 8, however, it would have been a better experience if it had come with the option to use a start menu rather than start screen, but that's my only real annoyance.

[crossy]

Hmm, I agree with most of what's said here - unlike "New Coke" though, there is stuff to like about Windows 8. I was recently "lucky" enough to see a laptop and an AIO user on it side-by-side and it was impressive how much faster the AIO user was able to get "into it" with their touchscreen than the "conventional" laptop.

Said it before, as soon as Kinect-for-Windows or LeapMotion controllers become widely available I think we'll see a lot of the Window8 hate disappear. Especially if Microsoft also patch it to remove some of the dafter design decisions - like hiding the power-off control.

[jnutt]

I don't know what all the fuss is about. I use windows 8 64bit at home and its great. Initially takes a little to get used to it but all in all I like it and wouldn't go back to W7.

[superscaper]

I've been using Windows 8 since August as my main OS. I think there are a few overreactions to it but there are issues with it too. The "metro" interface seems to freak a lot of people out. And I admit I find little to no use with it using it on a development laptop without a touchscreen etc. But I'm using my win8 machine daily and hardly even touch the metro interface, the desktop is still there. And desktop apps are what I use daily.

The other big sticking point, the Start button. Can't say I miss it now. I use Launchy for opening applications etc anyway and I'd do the same even with Win7. If a fully fledged start button came back I don't think I'd even use it as it's far slower than using the keyboard.

[gagaga]

Win 8 fine, but it needs one of three things (and a user who can be bothered to learn gestures):
1. Touchscreen
2. BIG touchpad (i've got a Samsung servies 9 with the macbook sized glass pad and it's great)
3. Multi button mouse with scroll wheels etc

Had it as my main OS since one of the later previews and now find Win 7 on the work PC a bind.

[WiranDPA]

I can't really understand all the fuss about having no Start Button. I mean, one thing is having no Start Menu, the one thing the Start Screen tries to replace. But no Start Button? It is still there, just invisible in the corner, same as Aero Peek/Desktop in the opposite corner of the taskbar.

[CK_1985]

I'm definitely looking forward to Blue, but I have to say I'm really pretty happy with Windows 8 in general - and I really don't understand why people hate it so much!

My only real gripes (and hence my change wishlist for Blue) would be:
- Put the power button somewhere that makes sense
- Allow content to be shared from the desktop

If the new 'start button' is, as rumoured, just a button at the bottom left of the taskbar to take you straight to the start screen, then that is COMPLETELY pointless - given that mousing down to the bottom-left corner brings up a start screen shortcut already. More often than not you'd probably overshoot the start button, hit the bottom corner and bring up the shortcut anyway!

[Brewster0101]

Would seem only the 'love camp' are on these threads this afternoon.

"Sold" <> "Bundled with a new device"

I know people who've avoided buying one PC over another because it came with Win8.

When buying recent laptop I avoided any with windows 8. Windows 7 works 100% well for me, Windows 8 offers nothing other than the hassle of learning to use an inferior OS.

[MaddogPepper]

It seems to me that the only people who hate Windows 8 are people who have never actually used it and are brainwashed by the "No Start Button" hype campaign the media have started.

I have been using Windows 8 since it came out last October, I am a desktop user I never touch the Metro UI and I find the new start screen far easier to use than the old start menu once you get used to it.

Come on people move with the times!

[shaithis]

I've been up and down, up and down, with Windows 8.

I am as fast with the Win8 GUI as I am with Win7....some things are faster in one compared to the other but it's much of a muchness.

The last of my Windows 8 issues were recently resolved.......by nVidia grr. As usual, crummy drivers @ release.

If I have the choice in future, I will probably run with MUI except for in virtual machines where MUI can be a bit of a pain at times when viewing consoles in windows....

[ET3D]

"Sold" <> "Bundled with a new device"

I know people who've avoided buying one PC over another because it came with Win8.

If people decide to pick a Windows 8 laptop over a Windows 7 one, that's certainly a Windows 8 sale.

Would seem only the 'love camp' are on these threads this afternoon.

When buying recent laptop I avoided any with windows 8. Windows 7 works 100% well for me, Windows 8 offers nothing other than the hassle of learning to use an inferior OS.

As someone said above, those who hate Windows 8 are those who haven't used it. You've already decided it's an inferior OS, even though it's better than Windows 7 in several aspects.

[Saracen]

Win 8 fine, but it needs one of three things (and a user who can be bothered to learn gestures):
1. Touchscreen
2. BIG touchpad (i've got a Samsung servies 9 with the macbook sized glass pad and it's great)
3. Multi button mouse with scroll wheels etc

Had it as my main OS since one of the later previews and now find Win 7 on the work PC a bind.

Let me put it this way .... the OS is part of what's needed to get a tool (the PC) to do it's job. There is nothing I want my PC to do that will benefit to any significant extent from either a touchscreen or a big touchpad, and my current mouse does everything I need of it with a couple of buttons and a single scroll wheel.

So, whether it's me, with a large hardware-colour-calibrated screen for photo use, or a user in an office who needs to be about to write letters, send/receive email and operate an accounts package, what on earth do we want touchscreens, etc, for?

If Windows has an interface that benefits from touchscreens etc, fine, let the user choose to enable it, such as at install time. Then, those with touchscreens or big touchpads can touch their screens to their heart's content, but why oh why did MS think it was a good idea to shove it down the throats of everyone else?

[Phage]

I have W7, W8 and OSX at home and W8 is OK. I only miss the network diagram/map that W7 used to do, and having to pay for Media Cemtre is a bit of a rip off. As an OS though, it's fine.

[GI_Biochip]

I used W8 for about 15 minutes, then went back to my W7. I found it too awkward to use and wasn't willing to learn it's new gimmicks. I like my desktop, start menu and start button.