What's with the Win7 updates?

[Chris_Bryant]

I've had important updates listed on my one Win7 (virtual) machine every day since update Tuesday- updates Wednesday, Thursday and Friday- what's with that?
I can hardly wait to boot my laptop in to Windows- it's been around 6 months, should be a couple of hours updating 🙂

[drsteve]

I too like Windows 8. It took a little getting used to, but now I find it just as easy if not easier to use than 7. On startup I ignore the tiles screen, and click through to the desktop. I have shortcuts to frequently used programs on the desktop, and a few pinned to the taskbar. Placing the cursor in the bottom left corner and right clicking pops up a menu that gives access to add/remove programs, control panel, various administrative functions, command prompt, etc, similar to the start button that many people seem to miss. The search function will find anything on your hard drive almost instantly. The only issue I have is they limited some functionality on how wireless networks are managed--you must open a command prompt to perform some tasks that used to require only a mouse click--but most people won't ever go there so it's not a big deal.

[SCR]

The operating system interface that happens to be on my system is of little consequence to me. I'm from the DOS days and rarely if ever use the interface provided by any of the Windows versions. It's just not how I learned to use a computer.

Many complained about not having the Start Menu with Window v8 so Microsoft made it available. Quite frankly I never used the Start Menu from the second day I had a Windows based computer. I find it to be completely useless and time consuming. The task bar is just about as useless for me. Touch screen seems completely unnatural on a desktop system. But that's just me and it's not for many people..

I use other programs to create a menu systems to access programs, active windows and system tray that works for me. If Microsoft wants me to update the OS they have to give me something worth spending the money on, so far they haven't. I will probably be on 7 for some time to come or until I need a new computer. I'll be 75 when support ends for Windows 7 so it will a hard sell :R I don't for a moment think that I'm n the market share that Microsoft is trying to hit.

[shakyjay]

So far all the complaints I am hearing have to do with the user interface. There is much more to an OS than simply UI. Granted the UI has to have some appeal. I too at first glance did not find it appealing and agree that unless you are using a touchscreen it really does not provide an advantage. Having spent a little time with I would also say there is no disadvantage. Many seem to think it is more difficult. I think a fairer statement would be that it is different. But then as the world of computing evolves we should learn to expect that. I found that after the first 10 minutes using it I became familiar enough that even the difference wasn't a problem. As far as it not doing anything better I would disagree. If you turn your focus to what you don't see you'll find that it does boot up and shutdown faster. It has more security features built-in. It is faster and uses less resources. Much easier to set up things like multiple monitors.

[5er4ever]

I have 1 computer on XP, 2 on Windows 7 and 1 on windows 8.1

I do run Classic Shell on the 8.1 and I rarely am confused.

IMHO, I believe Windows 8 needs a touch screen and a person elevated above the machine so 'carpal shoulder' does not set in.

There is nothing about windows 8 that a normal user would be confused with but there are a few things that would frustrate support staff when trying to find their way around. I still prefer windows 7 over all the previous versions.

[fj12ryder]

^^^^^^Pretty much spot on. Nobody that I know complains about how complicated Win 8/8.1 is, they complain because it makes nothing easier than Win 7. It's not complicated, it's annoying, because almost no changes on it were done for any real reason. Why do you have to move your mouse up or down to a corner to access a menu? What purpose does that serve? But it sure is different, which I guess is the purpose of the whole exercise.

[horton333]

strollin wrote:

What I've always thought was hilarious when people say things about how bad Win 8 is and that it's hated is that Win 8 has a larger market share than all versions of OS X combined which is "loved" by many.

OS X hardware is much more expensive and it supports less applications, hence it's market share challenge. Win8.x and Win7 do the same thing on same hardware for the same market from the same company.
Speaking of Market share - Windows 8.x still has less than Windows XP.
The complaint is not so much it is hard to learn, it is why would they waste people's time with change for the sake of change - esp when the new is attempting to be all things to all platforms when of course that resulted in compromises that pleases two people I'm aware of: so far anway 😉

[strollin]

I've used Win 8 since the very first preview, I use it exactly like I use my Win 7 computers, even use the same set of programs. I once tried Classic Shell, thought it was useless so uninstalled it. I switch back and forth between my Win 7 and my Win 8 computers and barely notice the difference to the point that I don't even think about which OS I'm using. Win 8 is no more complicated than Win 7.

What I've always thought was hilarious when people say things about how bad Win 8 is and that it's hated is that Win 8 has a larger market share than all versions of OS X combined which is "loved" by many.

I don't hate or love Win 8 but there's nothing wrong with it, it's a perfectly usable OS. I've tried the preview of Win 10 and feel the same way about it.

[MrWizard]

When I got win 8, I installed classic shell.. no trouble navigating
I'd still be using XP.. If I could, but XP does not support 64 bit, multiple core processors, which my video rendering programs use

[horton333]

fj12ryder wrote:

For me Win 8/8.1 was change for change's sake. It wasn't easier to use than Win 7, and without changing certain aspects of it, it actually added steps to do simple things. Why?

My sentiments exactly (and some words are identical too!!).

[horton333]

I can now say I have heard one person who likes Windows 8 😉
I note it is so thoroughly disliked that when looking for a new computer for my son this Christmas both stores I went to were demoing all Windows 8.1 systems with OpenShell installed as even backtracking as 8.1 did is just not enough for most people.
I've been a computer engineer and played with computers since before there was a Microsoft and I have figured out everything from nanocode on up. I know a change for change's sake marketing mistake when I see one, and other than when I have had to to help others stuck with Windows 8.x I avoid wastes of my time that provide no benefit for time invested.

[fj12ryder]

My issue with Win 8/8.1 was not that it couldn't be used, and it was too complicated. My problem was "Why?". It wasn't being used on a phone, why make it look like a phone? It wasn't being used on a touch screen so why do you have to navigate on it like it had a touchscreen?

For me Win 8/8.1 was change for change's sake. It wasn't easier to use than Win 7, and without changing certain aspects of it, it actually added steps to do simple things. Why?

[shakyjay]

horton333 wrote:
I have yet to find *anyone* who likes Windows 8/8.1 enough to bother learning navigation all over again.

You know I've been seeing and hearing this since 8 first came out. Admittedly when I first saw it it looked different and somewhat intimidating. Not too long ago I got a new computer with 8.1 installed. I knew if I did not like it I could just revert back to 7. When I first set it up I sat down fully expecting to have a lot of trouble figuring it out. In reality it took me about 5 - 10 minutes to become comfortable. I was a little dumbfounded why so many folks were making comments like yours. Even though we have not met in person you have now at least met someone online who likes 8.1 and bothered to "learn navigation all over again". Although in reality the navigation really is not so different and is actually pretty intuitive.

Just in case you think I am someone who is new to this, my experience goes way back to before DOS. When windows first came out I was a DOS holdout for many years. Although I was familiar with and worked with Windows I did not run it on a machine I owned until Windows 95, did not change from that until Windows 98. Stuck with that until XP, which I really, liked for the longest time. So much so that even though I had computers with 7 and was comfortable with it, I kept one of my computers with XP until this past year.

[pasusan]

2oldman wrote:
Turn auto updates off. Get them when you want to.

This.

Or get them never if you choose.

[ReneeG]

hawkeye-08 wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
Yep, only got until January 14, 2020.

I better get on it, don't want to be left with unsupported OS. LOL

In actuality, this date is for the Extended Support only for Windows 7. Mainstream support ended January 13, 2015. Mainstream support ending means no new features and Extended support means that patches will continue to be distributed, so get them while you can.