Windows 8

[Jayel]

free^* xbox music streaming in Windows 8 is awfully tempting.

[subbes]

*shakes head*

Upgrade to Windows 7 at the very least. So much better than XP.

Tell that to our sysadmin at work. I think I'm last on his list of upgrades because I need some interesting "legacy" apps to manage passwords.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Ah, I thought you meant your personal computer. Oh well.

[subbes]

I was running XP through Parallels, but Parallels is so futzed up that even a complete uninstall and reinstall from DVD can't fix it.

[ThunderPeel2001]

It probably just needs some Patriot Memory.

[Joewintergreen]

I've been using Windows 8 for quite a while too, including the previews, and upgraded to the RTM the day it became available on MSDN. I like it a whole lot - going back to 7 after 8 is surprisingly annoying in the same way XP is after using 7. I use my PC mostly to make games with UDK (and the other implied creative software you need) and play a few, and have no complaints at all.

The start screen is a huuuuuuuuuuuuge improvement over the start menu, which was a pretty dated design. A lot of people seem to be confused about it or think there's functionality missing, but everything is still there and works basically the same way. Most of my start menu use was always "press winkey and start typing to search" anyway, which works just as well here. I don't use Metro apps much except to check the weather or dock a twitter client sometimes but maybe that'll change as more stuff comes out.

Also, everything feels faster than 7, multi-monitor support is a billion times better, new task manager is great (has startup stuff built into it that you used to have to dig into msconfig for), copy/move dialogue is super verbose. Everything is just superior, I dig it. The only criticism I can agree with at any level is the worries about the store being relatively closed, but obviously you can just continue to download software through something else.

[brkl]

30€ + tax is pretty damn cheap. I'm definitely buying it. I ordered an SSD a few days ago, when that arrives next week I'll install this and see how I like it.

[pabosher]

Ok, screw it you guys. I have free access to Windows 8 Pro because of my University, and you've convinced me to upgrade my Laptop's OS. Let's do this shit.

[castorp]

I still use XP!

Me too, but at home.

Quick question: Would installing Windows 7 on my old 1,6Ghz/1GB netbook make a noticeable positive difference/be advisable? I use it mostly for Word, FTL, the internet and Boardwalk Empire.

[njoos]

Win8 has lower system requirements, and is also cheaper than windows 7. So if anything you should install 8, not 7.

[ThunderPeel2001]

And YES! There's a definitely improvement over Windows XP. Microsoft has a bit of software that will tell you how you machine will run, if you can find it. (Upgrade Advisor maybe?)

[Twig]

Ok, screw it you guys. I have free access to Windows 8 Pro because of my University, and you've convinced me to upgrade my Laptop's OS. Let's do this shit.

I also have Windows 8 Pro for free for the same reason (although I'm technically no longer a student! shhhh).

These impressions are pushing me over the edge a bit. U:

But I just did a fresh install of 7 when I got all my new hardware! ):

[subbes]

oh, hm, i should check whether my msdnaa account still works, 6 months after I graduated.

[Kolzig]

At work we still use XP, but by April 2014, we will all have Windows 7.

At home I use Win7 and I don't see that changing in a long time.

[brkl]

I've been using Windows 8 for a couple of days. The new solitaire is pretty sweet.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I've totally gotten used to Windows 8 now. It's pretty sweet, although I never use the Start screen (except as a replacement to the Start menu).

[brkl]

Yeah, it's got its quirks, but they were very easy to get used to. As a Start menu replacement it's fine, as the enormous menu tended to take up the entire screen anyway.