Windows 7 or chance Windows 8.1?

[DracoM]

Advice please.

[Bryn]

Unless you have a touch screen, I would suggest sticking with Windows 7. I bought a Windows 8 laptop (no touch screen) last Saturnalian season. I hated Windows 8 but things became more manageable when I installed a third party 'hack' (Pokki) which reintroduced the Windows 7 style desktop features. When I tried to upgrade to Windows 8.1 a month or so ago, after a couple of hours or so the upgrade failed to complete and I had to revert to Windows 8. Having now uninstalled the 'hack', I will try upgrading again over the holiday period.

[Vile Consort]

It's the time of year for turkeys, and that's where Windows 8 comes in. Stick to Windows 7.

[gradus]

I'm certainly no expert but it took me ages to get to grips with how Windows 8 works and I hate the dull colours used. So thumbs down from me.

[Russ_H]

Advice please.

I bought a new laptop earlier this year and it came with Windows 8 already installed. It replaced an XP
laptop. Windows 8 has a poor interface, but appears to be more stable. It would probably work well on
a touch screen device, but it does not suit a normal laptop. It does not have a "Start" button.

You can download free software from this site to bring back your Start button:

http://www.classicshell.net/

[johnb]

If I was buying a new laptop or PC I would get one with Windows 7 installed through the downgrade rights of Windows 8/8.1. This would then come with the Windows 8 DVD should I wish to change over at a later date.

A bit of explanation: Windows 8 comes with the rights to downgrade to Windows 7 BUT, from what I have read, it isn't exactly a straightforward process. Therefore most PC manufacturers who supply the business market provide machines which have Windows 7 preloaded and installed through those downgrade rights.

If you buy from a consumer orientated retail outlet, such as PCWorld, only Windows 8/8.1 will be available (such is the contempt with which they and Microsoft treat the retail punters). But laptops and desktops with Windows 7 installed (through downgrade rights) are readily available from online suppliers and the websites of major manufacturers (though you might need to navigate to the manufacturers business section)

[Edit] Just one thing I forgot to mention. My understanding is that if you buy a PC with Windows 7 installed through downgrade rights it is important that you create your own one-off "factory state" backup using, say, Acronis True Image, as the PC's own preloaded "factory state" restore might well land you back in Windows 8.

This is what I always do anyway with a new PC - do all the Windows updates and all the updates for any pre installed antivirus software. Then install Acronis True Image and do a one-off backup.

(I then install all the basis software I use, do all the updates, and take a second backup image - which I can then revert to at any time.)

[rauschwerk]

I've gone for Windows 8.1 because I had XP which won't be supported for much longer. I've had to buy a cheap laptop with XP on it in order to run such vital apps as the one which catalogues all my recorded music. My computer man tells me he can instal a free virtual machine in which I can run XP. He is going to sort that out after Xmas and I'll keep you posted. If I had Windows 7 I'd wait until support was about to be withdrawn before doing anything.

[Bryn]

I've gone for Windows 8.1 because I had XP which won't be supported for much longer. I've had to buy a cheap laptop with XP on it in order to run such vital apps as the one which catalogues all my recorded music. My computer man tells me he can instal a free virtual machine in which I can run XP. He is going to sort that out after Xmas and I'll keep you posted. If I had Windows 7 I'd wait until support was about to be withdrawn before doing anything.

I too have an aging Windows XP SP3 laptop I use for legacy software (such as Audio DVD Creator) which later Windows releases do not support. I intend to keep it updated as long as the support continues. Thereafter it will no longer be connected to the Internet or intranet, and only strongly anti-malware checked data will be passed to it via external hard drives, etc.

[Frances_iom]

why not install Mint15 (a packaged Linux system) - free - or try out Mint16 - you can usually install these alongside Windoze but my preferred approach is to buy a second harddrive and replace the original drive and install Mint on its own drive - you can try out Mint by using the CD Rom based version (often available as a CD attachment to one of the several Linux magazines) - you get a desktop similar to classic XP, lots of free software - the downside is that you have paid the windows tax due to the monopoly that Microsoft imposed on PC makers (you didn't think Gates deserved his billions did you) - the ACER range I've found to work well with Linux - based on experience I'd avoid HP (unless you are buying via a business supplier)as these appear designed to fail very shortly after the warranty runs out if not before. The cheapest approach is to buy an older 2nd hand machine - Linux systems usually make better use of the processor (eg you don't lose 50% processor cycles in antivirus checks) - the downside is that older batteries will have a reduced charge time - the shops selling these are often better technically and could supply and install the harddrive. Much microsoft software will run under the WINE package on Linux machines assuming you have the original install CDs - Libre Office is a free and excellent compatible replacement for MSWord.

[LeMartinPecheur]

If I had Windows 7 I'd wait until support was about to be withdrawn before doing anything.

I do hope this will be a long time. My local authority employer is switching to Windows 7 early next year, so I hope they've read the tea leaves correctly!

[DracoM]

Many thanks for advice so far. Looks as if a consensus is accruing?

[MrGongGong]

Linux
or if you don't want to mess with computers OSX
sadly i'm now of the opinion that all versions of Windows are just one pain in the arse after another
XP was ok then it all went wrong again
then half the schools I visit have Vista
which they have to replace because it doesn't work
and then they all get Windows 7
which then some replace
and then the drivers issues
and then it doesn't work
and so on and so on

life is far too short to waste on this crap
It's a moral dilemma as Bill Gates really is giving all his money away to make the world a better place so I feel I should help him
BUT
sadly , my OSX Snow Leopard and Lion macs are more reliable than any Windows machine I have had
I hardly use Mac software and they are no more expensive in real terms than the Sony machine I had before

[Frances_iom]

It's a moral dilemma as Bill Gates really is giving all his money away to make the world a better place so I feel I should help him
...

ill gotten gains by corrupt payments to Bush to stop the court case that would have broken the Monopoly arm lock that MS had (ie buy windoze for all machines you produce or pay the consumer ripoff price thus seeing your boards priced out of mass market)
Apple is growing just as bad - total monopoly lock in

[MrGongGong]

ill gotten gains by corrupt payments to Bush to stop the court case that would have broken the Monopoly arm lock that MS had (ie buy windoze for all machines you produce or pay the consumer ripoff price thus seeing your boards priced out of mass market)
Apple is growing just as bad - total monopoly lock in

That's capitalism for you
and despite what some might suggest Apple isn't the retail branch of Amnesty International

On balance stealing money from rich Americans and using it to eliminate disease in Africa is not such a terrible thing...

[Quarky]

Yes Linux is the answer - I am in agreement with Mr. Gong Gong.

Successive versions of Windows have increased the strength of the straitjacket into which we are put.

However Linux is not for the faint hearted. You are pitched into the raw frontier of computing, with glitches, reboots, update patches, being the order of the day.

It is possible to partition the hard drive so as to run Windows and Linux side by side. This is easy to do with Wondows Vista, but Windows 7 and more so Windows 8 put obstacles in the way of this. It can be done, but not if you want a quiet life.