[RESOLVED] WIN 8 YES NO

[jerryhillman]

I have Win 7 prof with 4 of ram. Win 8 cost $39 now and
on Feb 1st is going up to $189. I cannot decide is I should
upgrade to Win 8. CONCERNS:

Wii all my programs in 7 run in 8?

If I install and don't like it is there an easy way to revert to 7.

Can a START button be added.?

What happens to all the desktop incons on my 7 computer?
Where do they go?

Will I be able to download apps and use the mouse to open
them in place of a tough screen?


Jerry

[jdc2000]

If I install and don't like it is there an easy way to revert to 7.

I would suggest making a system image backup before installing Win 8. Then, if you decide to revert, you can just restore that image.

Can a START button be added.?

There are several options to add a Start button and/or get rid of the Metro interface.

[Steve R Jones]

Jerry - if you want to spend the rest of your life here getting help-> switch to Win 8

If you'd like to not visit here as often-> stay with Win 7

[jdc2000]

Will all my programs in 7 run in 8?

Most should work OK. It is hard to know without knowing what programs you currently have installed. If you have Office 2003, that might be a problem. Also unknow is whether SeaMonkey will work or not.

[Welshjim]

jerryhillman--
"Will all my programs in 7 run in 8? "
Run the Upgrade Assistant
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...e-to-windows-8

I do not plan to go to Win 8 until my next PC--some years off, I hope. I will get Win 8 as part of that purchase so I am not going to take advantage of the $39.99 offer.

[cdroman]

We use Win8 on the desk top most of the time. You can set up icons etc. on the desk top the same way as Win7. Win8 to me is just a bit quicker Win7. Have to admit that I have almost no apps in Metro.

When you download and install applications they usually install a short cut on the desk top and Metro screen that you can mouse click to run. If not you can make shortcuts to click on.

We have 2 notebooks and a pc with Win8, a pc and notebook with Linux, and 2 pc's with Win7. My younger son has a Win8 pc, a Win8 touchscreen notebook and a Win8 cell phone. None of us have had a problem with the Win8 systems.

[jseidel]

What happens to all the desktop incons on my 7 computer? Where do they go?

No one else jumped in on this one so to answer, nothing will change. They will all be there as before on the desktop. The only thing missing from the desktop is the START button.
J.

[jseidel]

Jerry - if you want to spend the rest of your life here getting help-> switch to Win 8
If you'd like to not visit here as often-> stay with Win 7

Love it.
J.

[jerryhillman]

Thanks for all the advice. I will stick with win 7 and
wait until I buy another computer to get Win 8.
I would have to do an upgrade, not a clean install and
I don't like that. May cause problems.

Jerry

[HAN]

Random thoughts on Win 8...

I have worked with one Windows 8 PC so far. IMO, it's different enough from Windows 7 that many "typical" users will not be pleased. An example... I could learn to deal fairly easy. My brother would be completely lost. No exaggeration. He would be lost! I consider myself reasonably geeky. He would be what I believe is a typical, John Q Public user. Remember that there are stores giving Windows 8 user classes! Did you see any Windows 7 classes at Staples? They don't do that for no reason! http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marke...-8-offers.html

The PC I set up is touchscreen. Having it allows me to run the PC with the mouse or the fingers. I have decided that I would not want a Windows 8 machine without touchscreen. It works with a mouse but it's clearly designed for the fingers. And IMO, it works best that way.

Secure Boot that comes with Windows 8 could be an issue for users that want to use programs that boot outside of Windows (image restoration, live Linux environments and so forth.) See my post http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...recovery-discs

The added security features that come with 8 are nice (Secure Boot aside.) The native USB 3.0 support is great. And so forth. The question is, is it enough to outweigh the GUI and other changes for people like my brother?

My advice is if you are considering Windows 8, go to a retailer nearby and give it a serious test drive. Then decide based on your own feeling about it. Once you seen it and personally checked it out, then come back here with your questions. When you are finally ready to make up your mind, you'll be more at ease that you've made the right decision for you!

[cdroman]

That's true, if they try and do things other than surf the internet. My wife does nothing on her pc but surf the internet, so she knows how to get Chrome going and away she goes. She would be lost on any OS, which I guess is the average user. Windows 8 is slick on touch screen but personally I like it on my regular non touch screen. Actually I don't care for touch screens, even for my cell phone. It's nice that there are many choices out there.

[jseidel]

I have come to like Windows 8. I think of the new Start screen as an overlay of the desktop that can be fully customized rather than the former button with a pop up menu. After using Windows 8 for two months it has grown on me. My Windows 8 Start screen which is my favorite feature:

[cdroman]

here's mineScreenshot (1).jpg

[Welshjim]

How do you comfortably use a touch screen on a desktop? My present, non-touch screen monitor is further from me than an arm's length. I would have to be continually hunched over to touch the screen.
And the cleanup of the screen. Maybe they should sell gloves specially for touch screen users.

[jdc2000]

Actually, they do have gloves for touch screens. They don't have arm lengtheners though.