Windows 8 or 7. Which would you choose?

7. Had 8 and reverted to 7. No regrets. Windows 8 does not include some benefits like Windows Media Player. I use WMP to interface my tv adapter.

nbargolf wrote:
I personally wouldn't have 8. 8 is like windows cell phone interface. I hate it. Give me the 7 interface anytime.

This is the attitude that I don't understand. Win 8 is basically Win 7 with an OPTIONAL additional interface. If you don't like the Metro interface, don't use it.

Chris mentioned above that Linux can install different desktops so you can install the one you prefer. Win 8 is similar but you don't need to install/uninstall, you can switch back and forth at will.

With Win 8.1 you never need to see the Start screen since you now have the option to boot straight to the desktop. In Win 8 you only needed to see the Start screen briefly, long enough to hit the Enter key to go to the desktop.

Maybe MS should consider making the Metro interface a feature that could be added or removed from Win 8 just like other features.

Chris Bryant wrote:

strollin wrote:
You just explained why people use Windows instead of Linux. What percentage of overall computer users would have the know how to be able to deal with the issues you described here?

How many people actually install Windows? My other Laptop came with Ubuntu preinstalled from Dell- it's for my wife. She has had zero issues with it. All of the issues I pointed out were installation issues, and having choices- most people don't install windows, and nobody running windows has much in the way of choice.

That's a good point and I almost stated in my post that Linux would be OK if it came pre-installed primarily for people that only use their computer with the default apps and mostly stick with email and surfing the web.

strollin wrote:
You just explained why people use Windows instead of Linux. What percentage of overall computer users would have the know how to be able to deal with the issues you described here?

How many people actually install Windows? My other Laptop came with Ubuntu preinstalled from Dell- it's for my wife. She has had zero issues with it. All of the issues I pointed out were installation issues, and having choices- most people don't install windows, and nobody running windows has much in the way of choice.

I personally wouldn't have 8. 8 is like windows cell phone interface. I hate it. Give me the 7 interface anytime.

Chris Bryant wrote:
... I simply cannot see what people like about Windows...
... Don't get me wrong- I am familiar with Linux (and in particular, Debian based distributions)- there were a couple of issues which were easily dealt with (Debian Testing is just what it says- testing, as opposed to Stable). On bootup I saw an error (though it booted and worked fine). Opened a terminal window, typed 'dmesg' which lists all of the boot messages. The error was dealing with console display on boot, and told what to do to fix it- install 'linux-firmware-nonfree', so I opened the package manager and installed it.
I did forget about an option in the Debian installer to install an alternate desktop- it installs Gnome as default, and I prefer KDE, for a number of reasons, though there are many desktop environments available for Linux- the desktop is very much separate from the underlying OS. You can easily make it look and function just like any version of Windows or OS X, or you can make it work just like you want (what I do).

You just explained why people use Windows instead of Linux. What percentage of overall computer users would have the know how to be able to deal with the issues you described here?

I just inhereted a laptop with Win7 on it- albeit a low end model (Acer Apire). Used it for a week. I simply cannot see what people like about Windows, other than familiarity (and maybe a small handful of programs with no *nix equivalents).
Example- plug in anything to the usb port and windows searches for software for it, proudly proclaims it is installing said software, then informs that it is ready to use said usb item.

Ok- maybe if that is the first time that item was plugged in, though a simple flash drive really shouldn't need software installed, but if I unplug it and plug it back in, it goes through the whole thing again.

In linux I plug in a usb stick and a window pops up asking if I want to download pictures with Gwenview (or whichever of the hundreds of images apps I am using) or open it with file manager, or if it contains other types of files, it gives a context based option.

After a week I installed Debian Jessie (testing) using a usb drive which basically downloads the entire OS from the 'net, so everything is up to date. This took under 30 minutes, from the minute I booted in to the installer to having a working system, including resizing the Windows installation. Debian is *much* faster than Windows, even though I had disabled all of the desktop effects in Windows, and enabled them in Debian.
Don't get me wrong- I am familiar with Linux (and in particular, Debian based distributions)- there were a couple of issues which were easily dealt with (Debian Testing is just what it says- testing, as opposed to Stable). On bootup I saw an error (though it booted and worked fine). Opened a terminal window, typed 'dmesg' which lists all of the boot messages. The error was dealing with console display on boot, and told what to do to fix it- install 'linux-firmware-nonfree', so I opened the package manager and installed it.
I did forget about an option in the Debian installer to install an alternate desktop- it installs Gnome as default, and I prefer KDE, for a number of reasons, though there are many desktop environments available for Linux- the desktop is very much separate from the underlying OS. You can easily make it look and function just like any version of Windows or OS X, or you can make it work just like you want (what I do).

mr. ed wrote:
Well, I've read every single reply and it looks like Windows 7 trumps W8, according to most respondents. Sure gets confusing. Almost makes me want to keep my old XP OS but I realize it's only a matter of time before the change must be made.

I like the suggestions to install Unbuntu on my current laptop. I may look in to that. I priced some laptops at Walmart the other day and there are some nice units for around $600 or less (it appears that prices have come down over recent years). Thanks to all. I appreciate your suggestions and help.

I plan to keep using XP until something goes wromg. I might then fully install a linux distro, perhaps the kind of XP look-alike, Zorin. My looks at several distros leaves me with the feeling that you get what you pay for in an OS, especially w/r setting fonts and colors.

I am a minimalist, so I should be more into Linux, but it just seems…lacking, unpolished, maybe boring.

1492 wrote:
Windows 7/8 built-in Wordpad will open most MS Word .docx files, but formatting may not be correct in all instances.

Yes, you're correct. Formatting changes, and some Word operations don't work properly.

Don't have my Word disk here, but will look at the one I have again and make sure - but I'm pretty sure it's 2007, because I know it's not 2003 - it's not ten years old.

And, it (something?) automatically converts to docx - but, then it won't open them - so, if it won't open them, how does it convert them. That's what's so puzzling. OR, something else in the LT is performing that action, something I can't find or don't recognize.

And yup, WordPad will open it - PhotoShop won't even install - but PS installed and worked perfect on Wdw7 OS ... So, I've been using the native Microsoft Picture it! And Picture Editor -- neither of works as well as PS ... and each won't do all operations PS will, so I have to process all my images twice, in two programs. Matter of fact a third programs does one operations that neither native one does, so sometimes I actually use three programs for certain image processing.

I tried to make Word 2007 the default - but it seems Wordpad is the default at times, especially when docs come in email.

If I open a doc in Word 2007, then I save it in 2007 as doc. That works, but the next time I save an incoming email document in that folder, it converts ALL the word files in that folder back to docx again, and I have to open all files with WordPad again and save them again in Word 2007 doc.

Very frustrating, and a lot of extra time and effort. will have this in Wdw7 next week tho, so problem solved. I've tried often to keep up with the tech changes, but I simply don't have the background - and it takes me time and time and more time to learn it well - then, by the time I learn it, something new comes along and kicks me back to the training curve again. -- I feel like a ping pong ball,

Windows 7/8 built-in Wordpad will open most MS Word .docx files, but formatting may not be correct in all instances.