Cheesegeezer 3087 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Ok, so I partitioned a drive last night and bit the bullet and installed 8.1 as a taster. Initial thoughts from my own opinion are...... it's horrible. Unfortunately my 55" TV isn't touch, so there is sooo much faffing about to navigate. It's added nothing from Win7 other than a touch interface, that quite frankly doesn't work for me on a mouse and keyboard rig. Maybe I'm missing the point of it, or not used it enough to get familiar with it. But it didn't recieved the Wife Acceptance Factor, so it's now shelved. I thought the windows squares in the bottom left was the new orb.... how wrong, it keeps putting me back to the metro page. And also..... get this.... M$ want me to spend £99 to get Windows Media Centre. I have to upgrade to pro first then I'll have it. Why can't it be a stand alone app. Maybe I'll persevere, but at the moment, I can't be bothered with it. Win7 all the way for me... it makes me smile now. Anyways thought I'd share me feelings and opinions on it. P.S. if I buy a new laptop and 8.1 is on it, it will be getting formatted and Win7 shall rise from the depths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhitmore 781 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Having used both Windows 8 on a desktop and tablet, I can tell you that it's great with touch, but horrible with a mouse and keyboard. I've now kept my HTPC, laptops, and desktops running Windows 7 (besides the server running WHS2011), and I can't see myself changing any time soon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesegeezer 3087 Posted November 14, 2013 Author Share Posted November 14, 2013 Gotta agree Scott, it seems good for touch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylanrellis 8 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 im rocking 8.1 on my htpc and it is blazing fast. better hardware support as usual, hate installing third party junk... even manufacturer drivers. nothing is more stable than native windows software/drivers. and since I found a reg tweak to disable the default underscan on hdtvs I didn't even bother installing the ati video driver... picture quality and performance is unreal. metro is a nice front end if you set it up with htpc friendly apps/launchers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CashMoney 94 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 I too, don't like 8, and I've updated more than a few customers to 8.1 and had a few looks/discussions afterwards about why they paid me to update to something that made so little difference to the previous 8 7 is my daily driver, and it's on my HTPC and it won't be changing any time soon. That said, having seen customers who are relatively new to computing use Win 8/8.1, even if they've used 7 before, it kind of makes sense. They think of the start screen as ... well, what it is, one big shortcuts screen. They usually have limited things they do, and just put those apps at the left side, hardly ever scroll to the right of the start screen and rarely see the desktop other than if they (quite rightly) use chrome or an office app. I get why they like it. I just don't like it myself I'm quite happy to put icons on my desktop and use them. For my customers at least, they pretty much all universally hate the slide from the left change apps and slide to the right bring up the charms because they are constantly doing it by mistake; a lot of call outs to simply get rid of it/adjust it. Most don't like the touch interface apps, like Skype and IE, and they pretty much all universally hate the email interface (but many use Outlook instead or go with Live Mail on the desktop, with a shortcut on the start screen). It's interesting to see when I'm out and about, but more people like it than I expected despite the above complaints, and having seen them use it, I now understand why. 8/8.1 just isn't for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gthrift 57 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 I have Windows 8 on my work laptop and it's growing on me. I despised it at first and still hate that the traditional start menu is gone. I can see it being great for a tablet from the limited amount that I've used my touchscreen. I've considered downgrading to Windows 7, but something keeps me from doing it... I'm not sure what. I have kept, and will keep Windows 7 on my HTPCs and desktop at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBers 6771 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 (edited) And also..... get this.... M$ want me to spend £99 to get Windows Media Centre. I have to upgrade to pro first then I'll have it. Why can't it be a stand alone app. P.S. if I buy a new laptop and 8.1 is on it, it will be getting formatted and Win7 shall rise from the depths £99? Damn! I bought a new PC earlier this year. It came with W8. Within an hour it was running W7 The words "barge" and "pole" spring to mind. Edited November 14, 2013 by CBers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psmc 8 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 I bought W8 when the free media center was available luckily and it was on a promo price of €40-50 at launch ...and i'm more than happy on it now a year in & a free update, using a mouse is not a problem either. The start menu screen tiles are quite handy all the programs on the pc in one place, the xbox Video rental service & Netflix & Weather apps are a great additions as is the search function and i haven't seen a blue screen in over a year Most of the bad reviews online i found non issues like missing start the tiles etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper11 63 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) Well Win 8 is about as polarizing as it comes. I get some of the complaints, but then I also think sometimes people take their personal complaints and then tell everyone to avoid it because its junk, even if most people don't have the same opinion. For me personally, I've been handling the transition fine. I got several copies of 8 back during the launch deal and have now upgraded all but my main htpc to 8/8.1. One thing that makes me scratch my head is that somehow I have been able to use 8 just like I had been using 7 and can easily avoid the Metro side of things and yet many people complain that 8 doesn't work like 7 at all and its all different. I think one reason for that is that I don't live in the start menu or rely on it. Starting in Win 7, my desktop had a few desktop icons and then a row of pinned apps across the bottom. I even pinned control panel there for quicker access vs the start menu. 8 comes around and bam, I'm still using it just as I did in 7, nothing has changed. In 8, I can right click on the start button and get to all the admin controls and shut down functions that I was use to with 7. The lack of start menu hasn't hurt my usage at all. I agree that the metro side is more about touch, but again, it hasn't gotten in my way usage wise. With 8.1, I can set the pc to boot straight into the desktop, so I literally can avoid the start screen if I choose (not to mention disable things like the corner hotspots, etc). The improvements in 8 on the desktop side are a series of small things, but put them together and they are enough for me to want to be on 8 and not 7. Little things like performance improvements, smaller memory footprint, a range of ui improvements like the task manager overhaul and file transfer dialog box changes, etc, etc, all are meaningful to me. Now as it pertains to the htpc, I'm eager to upgrade mine because I think the Start Screen has a lot of potential as a media landing pad on a 10ft ui experience. The full screen apps of metro make a lot more sense as a media experience on a tv then on a monitor. It feels like the next step for media center. I can get a remote to work with the start screen just fine and then all it comes down to is that apps support remote control, or at least keyboard inputs I can bind to my harmony. This way, I can only have tiles related to my htpc experience and the system will boot straight to that dashboard. MBT is the final piece that I will need to test things out more and then make the switch. Edited November 14, 2013 by trooper11 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkadius 219 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 It's good to here that you guys are getting on with it. For me it's not really my cup of tea and as I stated I went into it with an open mind. But the thing that really pi55ed me off was the fact M$ wanted more money and by this I mean a hell of a lot more money just for the priviledge of having WMC, that has always been in a slightly improved version of the basic. Believe me I'm fine with change, I own a lot of apple products and apple do change very frequently and I pay for all my apps so I'm also accustomed to all this. Gotta agree with you on the 10ft UI and metro start page, I can see that being quite useful. Unfortunately for me the £99 for WMC is a deal breaker for 8.1. What would have made sense would have been to ask during install, was a question... if this was a touch device or Desktop mouse/keyboard setup, then apply logic to that single question as to how 8.1 would be set up automatically, rather than having to read up on how to disable this, boot into desktop mode, etc. That is exactly what I've been thinking/saying to others. Microsoft should have shipped Windows 8 with 3 options (Touch, desktop, hybrid) with desktop having you never going to the start screen even when pressing the Windows key but instead the classic start menu. This would address a lot of the criticisms. Give us, the users the CHOICE of what we want to use. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylanrellis 8 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 couldn't agree more trooper. in all honesty no one uses the traditional start menu anyway, and if you did it was a pain trying to pop through all the nested folders n junk. can have all the icons you like on the desktop taskbar and start screen. driving with a mouse is no worse than in seven. uses less hdd space, perfect for ssd's. fact is everyone wants a faster leaner windows, that is windows 8/8.1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhitmore 781 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 But the thing that really pi55ed me off was the fact M$ wanted more money and by this I mean a hell of a lot more money just for the priviledge of having WMC, that has always been in a slightly improved version of the basic. I believe that is because they didn't include the cost of the licences required for WMC in Windows 8 to keep costs down. Therefore if you want WMC, you have to pay for those licences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkadius 219 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) I upgraded all the HTPCs in my home (5) to Windows 8 at the beginning of this year and just last month to 8.1. I couldn't be happier with Windows 8 over Windows 7. Even my brother who has owned Macbook Airs and Mac Pros fell in love with the new interface of Windows 8, he now owns his own Surface Pro 2 because of it. Windows 8/8.1 is basically Windows 7.9 so I see absolutely no problem using it like Windows 7. There are tweaks/apps that enable the classic start menu if that is something you want. Windows 8/8.1 just feels so snappier. It did take me a few weeks to get used to it but I decided to stick it out. My primary desktop running Windows 8.1 I have enabled the boot to desktop mode so I never have to go to the Start Screen, it has made my experience that much better. As for shortcuts that I want to use how it was on the classic windows start menu, I simply assign them to the Quick launch menu. I am on the desktop about 99% of the time, very rarely do I use the start screen simply because I don't have a touch interface. I agree though, Media Center should be FREE seeing as it has not been updated in years. I feel as though the media and people in general simply crucified Windows 8/8.1 by word of mouth or by writing so many slandering articles which created a bad impression. So anyone that uses it is immediately skewed towards disliking it because everyone else hates it without making the effort to use it for a while. People seem to want things to stay the same but as history in technology has shown nothing can remain static indefinitely just how MediaBrowser 3 is a progression/evolution of MediaBrowser 2. MediaBrowser 3 at its core is still MB2 but is definitely a step in a new direction, it is "different". We all had to learn all over how to reconfigure our servers going from MediaBrowser 2 to MediaBrowser 3 . Sure it might be an inconvenience at first but in the long run it IS better in many ways than MB2 and we just have to stick it out if we want those cool new features that MB2 didn't have. Edited November 14, 2013 by Starkadius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesegeezer 3087 Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) I believe that is because they didn't include the cost of the licences required for WMC in Windows 8 to keep costs down. Therefore if you want WMC, you have to pay for those licences. windows 8.1 is near enough 90 quid. for the pro version its a hundred quid more. windows 7 home premium.... £70 includes WMC, win 7 ultimate £140 Maths isn't my strong point, so I'll leave that to you EDIT: Oh and these are features you get along with WMC for the pro. 1. Provides enhanced data protection with BitLocker and BitLocker To Go to help keep your information secure. 2. Enables you to host a Remote Desktop Connection on your own PC so you can connect to it when you're using a different PC. 3. Allows you to join a domain so that you can connect to your corporate or school network. Edited November 15, 2013 by Cheesegeezer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhitmore 781 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 windows 8.1 is near enough 90 quid. for the pro version its a hundred quid more. windows 7 home premium.... £70 includes WMC, win 7 ultimate £140 Maths isn't my strong point, so I'll leave that to you Fair enough I don't pay much attention to the price. Free MSDN account ftw 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesegeezer 3087 Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 Fair enough I don't pay much attention to the price. Free MSDN account ftw You luck ole So and So Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhitmore 781 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 You luck ole So and So http://www.microsoft.com/bizspark/ You're welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesegeezer 3087 Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 It's good to here that you guys are getting on with it. For me it's not really my cup of tea and as I stated I went into it with an open mind. But the thing that really pi55ed me off was the fact M$ wanted more money and by this I mean a hell of a lot more money just for the priviledge of having WMC, that has always been in a slightly improved version of the basic. Believe me I'm fine with change, I own a lot of apple products and apple do change very frequently and I pay for all my apps so I'm also accustomed to all this. Gotta agree with you on the 10ft UI and metro start page, I can see that being quite useful. Unfortunately for me the £99 for WMC is a deal breaker for 8.1. What would have made sense would have been to ask during install, was a question... if this was a touch device or Desktop mouse/keyboard setup, then apply logic to that single question as to how 8.1 would be set up automatically, rather than having to read up on how to disable this, boot into desktop mode, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikuf 663 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 Cheese apply for bizspark i got approved same day (make sure you have a domain etc if you don't i can lend you one ) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all4dom 73 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 I thought about going to 8.1, but looks like you guys convinced me not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhitmore 781 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) Cheese apply for bizspark i got approved same day (make sure you have a domain etc if you don't i can lend you one ) Mine runs out next year. Not sure what to do after that Edited November 15, 2013 by swhitmore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesegeezer 3087 Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 Cheese apply for bizspark i got approved same day (make sure you have a domain etc if you don't i can lend you one ) Come here and let me give you a hug you ole tiger. I have a domain, not done anything with it...(errr... Yet) but it's registered, I'll give it a go, thanks Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylanrellis 8 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 wmc only costs $10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebr 14924 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 wmc only costs $10. On what planet? I agree with most of the sentiment in here. I can't stand 8 as a desktop interface but it is an excellent tablet/touch interface. On my surface 2 I found it much easier and more powerful than either android or iOS. But, it absolutely does not fit my work flow on my real computer. I, however, am far from the standard user. Also, I still just cannot get into the ugly window style in 8. I have grown to like most of new metro style design (see our new web site) but still think the standard window frames/title bars in 8 look like something is broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaefurr 1337 Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) I have 7 / 8.1 dual booted right now, At first I didn't care for the metro stuff and I kept bouncing back and forth between 7 and 8, especially since I've had so many problems with apps working. But the more I use 8 the more I like it. I reinstalled 7 around the time I installed 8, and 8 is definitely the faster one, plus it also seems to boot into windows a bit faster, and this is without a windows 8 fast boot BIOS. The last PC I built for my mom had a fast boot and even without a SSD it boots into windows 8 in like 20 seconds. Anyway, I was very skeptical to try 8 at first because of all the complaints I had heard about it and the metro start screen, but honestly I spent 75% of my time on the desktop, and clicking the start to open an app/program isnt a big deal since the transition is smooth and fluid. Yes it might take 2 seconds longer sometimes to get to an app, but it can always be pinned somewhere else. Plus its nice to have all the windows 8 store apps, thats a nice feature for me. While I felt like I would never switch off 7, booting back into 7 again and it feels.. Simple This is just my opinion, but both are good OS's, 8 still has its issues but im sure they'll be worked out eventually. Edited November 15, 2013 by shaefurr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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