My question is how much better is Win 8.1 than Win 8.0? If 8.1 is very similar to Win 8.0 I'd go with Win 7.
Go For Windows 7 or Windows 8.1?
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Originally Posted By: demarpaint
My question is how much better is Win 8.1 than Win 8.0? If 8.1 is very similar to Win 8.0 I'd go with Win 7.
8.1 brought a whole host of improvements, much more than you typically see with a "point" version increase.
http://gizmodo.com/windows-8-1-review-little-changes-make-a-big-differenc-1446625571
As with Windows 8, you can stay completely away from the new "modern/metro" interface if you choose, with any number of both paid and free tools. You essentially get a faster and better-performing version of Windows 7.
My question is how much better is Win 8.1 than Win 8.0? If 8.1 is very similar to Win 8.0 I'd go with Win 7.
8.1 brought a whole host of improvements, much more than you typically see with a "point" version increase.
http://gizmodo.com/windows-8-1-review-little-changes-make-a-big-differenc-1446625571
As with Windows 8, you can stay completely away from the new "modern/metro" interface if you choose, with any number of both paid and free tools. You essentially get a faster and better-performing version of Windows 7.
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
My question is how much better is Win 8.1 than Win 8.0? If 8.1 is very similar to Win 8.0 I'd go with Win 7.
8.1 brought a whole host of improvements, much more than you typically see with a "point" version increase.
http://gizmodo.com/windows-8-1-review-little-changes-make-a-big-differenc-1446625571
As with Windows 8, you can stay completely away from the new "modern/metro" interface if you choose, with any number of both paid and free tools. You essentially get a faster and better-performing version of Windows 7.
Thanks for the info. It doesn't seem like an update I'd want to pay for. Win 7 is working OK and Linux Mint 17 is awesome.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
My question is how much better is Win 8.1 than Win 8.0? If 8.1 is very similar to Win 8.0 I'd go with Win 7.
8.1 brought a whole host of improvements, much more than you typically see with a "point" version increase.
http://gizmodo.com/windows-8-1-review-little-changes-make-a-big-differenc-1446625571
As with Windows 8, you can stay completely away from the new "modern/metro" interface if you choose, with any number of both paid and free tools. You essentially get a faster and better-performing version of Windows 7.
Thanks for the info. It doesn't seem like an update I'd want to pay for. Win 7 is working OK and Linux Mint 17 is awesome.
Having used both, I'd probably pay up to about 40 bucks for Windows 8 over 7, if I already had 7. 8 has a lot of nice features that 7 doesn't have, and performs better to boot. I certainly wouldn't pay the $119 that Microsoft is asking for 8 to upgrade. If I were choosing on a new computer where I could get either, there's no question which one I'd pick.
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Having used both, I'd probably pay up to about 40 bucks for Windows 8 over 7, if I already had 7. 8 has a lot of nice features that 7 doesn't have, and performs better to boot. I certainly wouldn't pay the $119 that Microsoft is asking for 8 to upgrade. If I were choosing on a new computer where I could get either, there's no question which one I'd pick.
I hear ya. For $30-$40 I might give it a try on my laptop, but re-installing everything again and setting it up the way I like it takes time. Maybe a winter project, but I doubt I'd ever get it for $30-$40. Sorry MSFT.
Having used both, I'd probably pay up to about 40 bucks for Windows 8 over 7, if I already had 7. 8 has a lot of nice features that 7 doesn't have, and performs better to boot. I certainly wouldn't pay the $119 that Microsoft is asking for 8 to upgrade. If I were choosing on a new computer where I could get either, there's no question which one I'd pick.
I hear ya. For $30-$40 I might give it a try on my laptop, but re-installing everything again and setting it up the way I like it takes time. Maybe a winter project, but I doubt I'd ever get it for $30-$40. Sorry MSFT.
Both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are good operating systems. I really liked Windows 7 and I had some regrets moving on to Windows 8.1. But as long as a person using a desktop computer has the Start8 software, which costs about $5.00, Windows 8.1 runs much the same as Windows 7 and is improved in some ways.
But since Microsoft is apparently going to support Windows 7 until at least 2020 there is no problem staying with Windows 7. I like Windows 8.1 (with Start8) but I still have some mixed feelings about leaving Windows 7.
I can't understand anybody staying with Windows XP or Windows Vista. Both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are far superior.
I am hoping that Microsoft does a good job with Windows 9.
But since Microsoft is apparently going to support Windows 7 until at least 2020 there is no problem staying with Windows 7. I like Windows 8.1 (with Start8) but I still have some mixed feelings about leaving Windows 7.
I can't understand anybody staying with Windows XP or Windows Vista. Both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are far superior.
I am hoping that Microsoft does a good job with Windows 9.
Originally Posted By: Mystic
I am hoping that Microsoft does a good job with Windows 9.
I don't regret getting Win 7 on my new Dell. It will be interesting to see what Win 9 ends up being due to all the feedback that MS has gotten on Win 7 and Win 8/8.1. I'll probably just run Win 7 until 9 comes out, and if it looks really good then upgrade then.
I am hoping that Microsoft does a good job with Windows 9.
I don't regret getting Win 7 on my new Dell. It will be interesting to see what Win 9 ends up being due to all the feedback that MS has gotten on Win 7 and Win 8/8.1. I'll probably just run Win 7 until 9 comes out, and if it looks really good then upgrade then.
If Microsoft is capable of learning from its mistakes Windows 9 should be better. Without Start8 I would not even consider Windows 8/8.1. Not for a desktop computer.
Microsoft needs to figure out that there are still hundreds of millions of Windows desktop users in the world.
But like any other big corporation they will probably not listen to customers. Only if sales are low will they pay any attention. Windows 8/8.1 has not sold anywhere near as many copies as Windows 7. So I think they are paying attention now. The bottom line is always profits.
A lot of the executives responsible for Windows 8 design I think are gone. And Microsoft knows they have to make Windows 9 useable for desktop users. So my best guess is that Windows 9 will be pretty good. Microsoft better hope it is good. They can't afford too much more bad press.
Microsoft needs to figure out that there are still hundreds of millions of Windows desktop users in the world.
But like any other big corporation they will probably not listen to customers. Only if sales are low will they pay any attention. Windows 8/8.1 has not sold anywhere near as many copies as Windows 7. So I think they are paying attention now. The bottom line is always profits.
A lot of the executives responsible for Windows 8 design I think are gone. And Microsoft knows they have to make Windows 9 useable for desktop users. So my best guess is that Windows 9 will be pretty good. Microsoft better hope it is good. They can't afford too much more bad press.
people have been saying microsoft can't afford any more bad press since windows 3.1
windows has nearly 100% of the business desktop market share, and that isn't going to change anytime soon, bad press or not.
windows has nearly 100% of the business desktop market share, and that isn't going to change anytime soon, bad press or not.
I downloaded Linux Mint last week, and I have to say it is much improved from the last time I tried a Linux distro.
For someone that just wants to surf the web, write emails, and write simple letters and make simple spreadsheets, it probably is satisfactory.
Installing it was unreasonably difficult. Installing alongside XP on the computer in my ham shack, it did not install a boot manager as the release details said it would, although it did resize and repartition the hard drive.
After struggling with that issue for a few hours, I decided to just repartition the drive and do a clean install.
The 32 bit version of cinnamon would not run on my computer. It would get to the desktop and freeze. The 32 bit version of mate took a half dozen or so tries to install as it would randomly stop reading from the dvd drive while copying files. Finally, about 2:00 AM, it ran all the way through. Mate looks a lot like the old OS/2 presentation manager.
I'm not really sure what I can do with it. I installed the FireFox OS simulators into FireFox, but I can't seem to get the computer to recognize the FireFox phone yet. I expect there is an android toolkit for Linux, but it won't run any of my other software.
I guess I can look into the emulator programs. I don't think the computer this is installed on has the power or memory to run virtual machines.
For someone that just wants to surf the web, write emails, and write simple letters and make simple spreadsheets, it probably is satisfactory.
Installing it was unreasonably difficult. Installing alongside XP on the computer in my ham shack, it did not install a boot manager as the release details said it would, although it did resize and repartition the hard drive.
After struggling with that issue for a few hours, I decided to just repartition the drive and do a clean install.
The 32 bit version of cinnamon would not run on my computer. It would get to the desktop and freeze. The 32 bit version of mate took a half dozen or so tries to install as it would randomly stop reading from the dvd drive while copying files. Finally, about 2:00 AM, it ran all the way through. Mate looks a lot like the old OS/2 presentation manager.
I'm not really sure what I can do with it. I installed the FireFox OS simulators into FireFox, but I can't seem to get the computer to recognize the FireFox phone yet. I expect there is an android toolkit for Linux, but it won't run any of my other software.
I guess I can look into the emulator programs. I don't think the computer this is installed on has the power or memory to run virtual machines.
I attempted to install Mint 17 (32 bit) on an old HP Pentium 4 and it failed at disk partitioning. Tried several times with different techniques and disks, gave a strange error balloon with only question marks in it.
Tried Mint 13 next and it worked perfectly.
Tried Mint 13 next and it worked perfectly.
Originally Posted By: Win
I downloaded Linux Mint last week, and I have to say it is much improved from the last time I tried a Linux distro.
For someone that just wants to surf the web, write emails, and write simple letters and make simple spreadsheets, it probably is satisfactory.
Installing it was unreasonably difficult. Installing alongside XP on the computer in my ham shack, it did not install a boot manager as the release details said it would, although it did resize and repartition the hard drive.
After struggling with that issue for a few hours, I decided to just repartition the drive and do a clean install.
The 32 bit version of cinnamon would not run on my computer. It would get to the desktop and freeze. The 32 bit version of mate took a half dozen or so tries to install as it would randomly stop reading from the dvd drive while copying files. Finally, about 2:00 AM, it ran all the way through. Mate looks a lot like the old OS/2 presentation manager.
I'm not really sure what I can do with it. I installed the FireFox OS simulators into FireFox, but I can't seem to get the computer to recognize the FireFox phone yet. I expect there is an android toolkit for Linux, but it won't run any of my other software.
I guess I can look into the emulator programs. I don't think the computer this is installed on has the power or memory to run virtual machines.
Interesting... My experiences have been the opposite. Every computer I've put a Linux distro on (either Mint MATE/Cinnamon or Ubuntu) has been incredibly easy and fast. In fact, MUCH quicker than the last install of a Windows OS. One of the times I installed Mint MATE, I timed it- from power on and beginning the install to surfing the web was 13 minutes flat.
I downloaded Linux Mint last week, and I have to say it is much improved from the last time I tried a Linux distro.
For someone that just wants to surf the web, write emails, and write simple letters and make simple spreadsheets, it probably is satisfactory.
Installing it was unreasonably difficult. Installing alongside XP on the computer in my ham shack, it did not install a boot manager as the release details said it would, although it did resize and repartition the hard drive.
After struggling with that issue for a few hours, I decided to just repartition the drive and do a clean install.
The 32 bit version of cinnamon would not run on my computer. It would get to the desktop and freeze. The 32 bit version of mate took a half dozen or so tries to install as it would randomly stop reading from the dvd drive while copying files. Finally, about 2:00 AM, it ran all the way through. Mate looks a lot like the old OS/2 presentation manager.
I'm not really sure what I can do with it. I installed the FireFox OS simulators into FireFox, but I can't seem to get the computer to recognize the FireFox phone yet. I expect there is an android toolkit for Linux, but it won't run any of my other software.
I guess I can look into the emulator programs. I don't think the computer this is installed on has the power or memory to run virtual machines.
Interesting... My experiences have been the opposite. Every computer I've put a Linux distro on (either Mint MATE/Cinnamon or Ubuntu) has been incredibly easy and fast. In fact, MUCH quicker than the last install of a Windows OS. One of the times I installed Mint MATE, I timed it- from power on and beginning the install to surfing the web was 13 minutes flat.
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