Windows 7 or 8 for non touchscreen pc

tyw7

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

I'm not sure what you're meaning here, the BIOS splash screen should still be there although depending on whether the system is configured to boot in UEFI rather than legacy it may be fast enough to skip the Windows loading screen.
John

The BIOS Splash screen is the "extra" step in Win7 just before the OS loads.

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

Pressing Win+D will also take you to the desktop mode or more simply clicking any icon the start screen that isn't a touch mode UI. You can start in desktop mode simply by setting the machine to run explorer at startup which I wouldn't say is a hack as it is supported natively.
John

Yeah you would have to start an explorer window and then close it. No way to launch directly to desktop.

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

Or rather than trial and error, spend a couple of minutes reading a guide - I don't really understand people's reluctance to do this, my Win8 touch machine came with a small leaflet that explained the basic touch gestures which makes it easy enough to find them and no steep learning curve required. If you type in the start screen it will automatically find applications and files for you and unlike Windows 7 the search does actually work so there is no need to hunt around. For non-touch systems you can simply ignore the touch portions of the OS and use it much like Win7.
John

Umm yeah... When you are typing a document and you want to find another you launch the start menu, which is rather jarring.

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

Not sure if you've reversed your interface but top left should be multi-tasking and bottom left is the start screen/power user menu, upper right and lower right have the charms bar (Win+C) which contains the power menu and shutdown option.

John

Whoops... I meant upper right

Johnmcl7

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

I use a "bog standard" off-the-shelf PC on Photoshop CS6 and it works just fine - I don't need "overclocked hex core hyperthreaded processors with their own automated overclocking"

If you need to do that to your PC I would hazard a guess that your machine is overloaded with "apps" which are slowing it down drastically............and if you have to "optimise the performance with the new task manager interface"..............well, no further comment.

Totally and completely wrong on all counts so perhaps don't hazard any more guesses. It's nothing to do with 'overloading with apps' (!), it's simply a case of ensuring programs are making efficient use of available resources as it can cut hours from render, export or compile times. Even some applications that boast how multi-threaded they are still only use handful of the available cores leaving the rest sitting idle. Windows 8 itself handles the workloads across multiple cores better and its task manager shows at a glance how well resources are being used whereas the old task manager in Windows 7 shows very little of use for modern systems.

You recommended sticking to Windows 7 for 'proper' applications, I pointed out legimate technical reasons where Windows 8 is better in that regard - making mocking comments in response is just childish.

John

banger9365

tyw7 wrote: »

Another thing I hate is the two interface. It feels like the two seperate halves don't get along with each other.

My review:

Windows 8 is released today on October 26, 2012. I went to my local PCWorld store to test it out. My first impression of it is that it is "different." It marks a radical difference from the Windows we use to know. Starting from Windows 95 up to Windows 7, the basic Windows interface looks pretty much the same: the start menu in the lower right hand corner and the desktop.

Boot up process
With Windows 8, the first thing you would notice upon booting up is that the BIOS splash screen is gone. So as the Windows start up screen. These are now combined into one. Windows 8 start up sound is disabled by default but if you turn it on, it sounds exactly like Windows Vista. Also, it boots up into the Metro Windows Start Menu (or as Windows call it Modern UI) rather tan the desktop. Note: For legal reasons, Microsoft wants users to call the Metro UI as Modern UI. In addition, if you want to go back to the traditional desktop, you have to click the desktop icon on the Modern Start Menu. That will throw you to the desktop, which feels like an app since it too can be closed by dragging downwards. There isn't any way to bypass the start menu and boot straight into Windows (well there are many ways but they are merely hacks as they're not "official" i.e. not supported natively)



Windows 8: A tale of two interfaces
Windows 8 feels bolted on. Settings made in the Windows 8 metro screen does not necessarily translate to the desktop app and vice versa. Thera are different settings for metro app. For example, when I log out of Chrome on the desktop app, it still signs me in in the Modern UI Chrome app. Also, I can't delete users from Chrome app.

I feel Windows is designed for touch as I find it easier to browse Windows 8 on a touch PC than with a mouse and keyboard. For example, with the Internet Explorer Modern UI app, to bring up the URL bar after it disappear, on a touch PC, you just swipe downwards. However, with a mouse and keyboard, I spent about 10 minutes doing various actions. I even consulted the PCWorld sales guys and he doesn't know. In the end of random clicking, I found that right clicking on a blank space in the app brings up the start menu. Another example is that to close Modern UI apps, you will have to click on the top and drag it downwards or press "alt+f4".

Another chagrin I have with Windows 8 is that stuffs are thrown all over the place and it's hard to find it. Also, searching for the stuff is also one step longer Windows 8 search does not search files. There is an extra step to choose that. In Windows 7 to find the option to delete Internet Explorer history, I have to click on start and then type in "delete"--> Start --> Delete to find the option to delete IE histories.



In Windows 8, it's right hand corner (or lower right hand corner or the start button on your keyboard) --> Search. Then type in "delete" and select settings and then you will find the option to delete the history.Win8 Start --> Select Settings --> Delete

Step 1:


Step 2:


Windows Explorer (or in Windows 8 lingo File Explorer) now sports a new ribbon UI. This interface was first introduced in Microsoft Office 2007. Gone are the menus.
File Explorer with Ribbon showing:


File Explorer with Ribbon hidden (default):


I find this irritating since file options is hard to find. In Windows 7 it's tools --> Folder options:



However, in Windows 8 it's View --> Folder options



In the desktop settings, aerosnap to view two windows side by side still work.



The option to switch apps remains as alt+tab. It can be used to switch between desktop and metro apps.

Windows 8 task switcher:


Windows 8 task switcher with metro apps and desktop programs running:


Windows 7 task switcher:


However, aero switcher no longer present. Just in case you guys don't know what that is, this is aeroswitcher in Windows 7:



Pressing that combo brings up this screen:


Windows in Windows 8 feels flatter and more "digital looking." Unlike Windows 7, which sports a glossy look, the Windows 8 windows feels flat and bland. Here are the two Explorer windows shown side by side with the Windows 7 window on the top and the Windows 8 window on the bottom



The Explorer window in Windows 7



The explorer window in Windows 8

As well as a new Explorer window, Windows 8 feature a revamped task manger, which is certainly better than Windows 7's as shown.



Creating program shortcut is a pain in the !!!!. To do that, right click the app. A menu will open at the bottom listing the options available for the app / program. Click on the 'Open File Location' button. You'll be kicked out to Windows Explorer to the folder containing the app, and it will be highlighted for you. Right-click on it and select "Send To->Desktop (Create Shortcut)". You will now have a Desktop shortcut for your app!

Final remarks

Windows 8 feels faster and slicker, although I did manage to "freeze" an Internet Explorer window on the store PC (I think I broke it cause every time I bring up Internet Explorer, it freezes). However, it feels more touch orientated. Doing things on Windows 8 is a series of just trial and error. Files and settings are thrown all over the place and there is a steep learning curve. The user have to click various things before, a ha! I found it. Also, the upper right hand corner or lower right hand corner is the new start menu. Ther isn't any "visual" cue with Windows 8 unlike earlier windows. It's all hover and out pops the Window. Oh here's some advice of how to turn off Windows: to turn off, upper right corner, power, turn off. Or go to desktop and press alt+f4.

Note
I'm using Google Chrome rather than the native Internet Explorer since it's easier to simply junk all the settings after I use it. I feel it's more "portable" as I can easily sync all my settings to it and delete it in one go after I'm done. Also, it has Adobe Flash Player bundled so no need to worry about out dated Flash. In addition, it doesn't need admin privileges to install.

Useful links:

• Windows 8 survival guide: http://gizmodo.com/5955139/windows-8-survival-guide-all-the-tips-tricks-and-workarounds
• How to Not Get Lost in Windows 8: The Best Shortcuts and Tricks: http://lifehacker.com/5955162/how-to-not-get-lost-in-windows-8-the-best-shortcuts-and-tricks
• 8 Things We Hate About Windows 8: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/8_things_we_hate_about_windows_841
• Windows 8 Review by MaximumPC: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/windows_8_Review

why the copy and paste
you should live with it its a lot better than any review you can give and you do not need the useful links rubbish once you know how to use it,
you cannot beat real world useage

the thing is most people are going by what xxx said about it ,or they installed it and found they have no idea were anything is,so they do not like it and the other is when people say install xxx and yyy to get get ddd and bbb back ,leave it at stock play with it and you will find it will work fine with out all the crap others install to make it look like the last operating system

tyw7

banger9365 wrote: »

why the copy and paste
you should live with it its a lot better than any review you can give and you do not need the useful links rubbish once you know how to use it,
you cannot beat real world useage

the thing is most people are going by what xxx said about it ,or they installed it and found they have no idea were anything is,so they do not like it and the other is when people say install xxx and yyy to get get ddd and bbb back ,leave it at stock play with it and you will find it will work fine with out all the crap others install to make it look like the last operating system

Copy and paste? It IS my own review... no copy and pasta from anyone :mad:

Unless you count copy and pasting it from my blog.

mart44

Regarding the two interfaces, maybe Windows 9 will change that. If it includes a traditional Desktop at all, I hope there will be a clear choice between using one interface or the other. I'm happy to use Metro on my computer and feel I could do without the Desktop keep showing up. It's a bit of a nuisance to have to keep going from there to the Metro interface.

I've overcome the annoyance to a degree by making some Desktop wallpaper that looks the same as the Start Screen. It doesn't alter the fact that there is a dual interface but I think it does at least give a more integrated look:

Mondez

Short overview in my opinion is that if you use your computer like you would a tablet to just read stuff online, watch videos, look at pictures and then Windows 8 will serve as well as Windows 7 (and indeed as well as android, linux, OS X or iOS). If you actually want to do work and create stuff on your computer, the new interface gets in the way and the disconnect between full screen only metro stuff and programs you actually plan to do stuff in is jarring.

penrhyn

When I upgraded my desktop to windows 8 I assumed that the apps on the metro screen would launch instantly like they do on my Nexus 7, they don't they are sluggish in the extreme, the PC has an i5 processor so its not slow. My advise for the netbook would be to stck to 7 and upgrade the memory.

banger9365

penrhyn wrote: »

When I upgraded my desktop to windows 8 I assumed that the apps on the metro screen would launch instantly like they do on my Nexus 7, they don't they are sluggish in the extreme, the PC has an i5 processor so its not slow. My advise for the netbook would be to stck to 7 and upgrade the memory.

not sluggish on my pc ,x58 i7 8 gb ram

booler

We seem to have two polarised camps here?

booler

Incidentally, when I bought my latest PC in August I registered for the low cost upgrade and I have heard no more about this. Where do I get this if I decide to go for it?