Windows 7 vs 8. Any opinions or experience with Win8? - Page 3

**Ober Freak** · #21 02-12-2013, 01:48 PM

Hi folks,

For the "Big" Start-Button-Problem on Win 8 I use Classic Shell. Installing it was the first task to do after migrating from 7 to 8 (I also used it under 7 because I prefer the classic start menu).
It gives you almost everything you need and MS took from us.
It also has an option to skip the "Modern UI" and startup directly to the desktop.

**paulhbell** · #22 02-12-2013, 02:13 PM

I have just bought a new top spec laptop with windows 8 already installed. Using the windows 8 front screen I could not find anyway to explore my hard dive. I maybe just missed the tab for it, I don't know.

So I downloaded a program called start8 from stardock, it's only $4.99 for the full version. I now have a choice of the windows 8 screen or a windows 7 lookalike, but with windows 8 features.

I like the idea of using a tablet like interface, but microsoft should have given it's users a choice of having a start menu button.

One thing I must add, for anyone buying a new computer, try and get a SSD drive and have windows installed on that drive, bloody fast.

**lisatnp** · #23 02-12-2013, 02:39 PM

xp is still my favorite.
I have an laptop with win 7 on it and one with win xp.
I have messed around with my neighbors win's 8 and i do not like it.
( surprisingly because it's just my xbox360 in computer form now.)
I would but an older one off craigslist and just replace the batteries, rather then buy a new one.
( my neighbor is wishing that is what she did)
On my win 7 i do have to Google a lot of stuff if i can't find it, but i am getting used to it.

**lisatnp** · #24 02-12-2013, 02:41 PM

paulhbell, you can do that, there is a box that says desktop.
just click on it, it will bring up your desktop like on win 7 ( rather then tablet form)

**JohnM** · #25 02-12-2013, 03:58 PM

Reading through this thread has just made me even more determined to stay with XP. It works just fine for me, and MS threatening to stop supporting it doesn't phase me. I've still got a Win 98se rig up and running alongside the XP rig. Believe me, some of my old software won't run on XP let alone anything more modern.

The old rig started life in 1995 (No it's not an ATX Mb, it's an ATC) and saw upgrades from 95 to 95se, a brief vacation on NT and on to 2000, then back to 98se. I tried to up it to XP, but there is a limit to what an original Pentium CPU can handle. It still earns it's keep though ... it has CD, DVD and TV tuner on board and is hooked up externally to two VHS video recorders and a CD/vinyl/cassette HiFi unit. I do have a reel to reel tape recorder too, but it's not currently hooked up.

Ignoring Blu-ray, 3D, and Hi-Def (things I've not really found any use for), it will copy/archive practically anything I desire. It's not very fast, I grant you, but it's not needed for normal day to day stuff, so it can sit in the corner doin' it's thing whilst I use the primary (XP) rig or my (XP) laptop for most things. If they last anywhere near as long as the old Packard Bell, they'll see me out, but there is another (as yet unused) XP rig half built in the workshop, which I may get around to finishing one day. That one even has SATA facilities ... something else I've not needed to embrace yet. I've got seven HDDs running on my main rig, but they are all IDE. Superceeded maybe, but they still work fine.

It's an attitude of mind I guess ... I still run a 1969 car too. Why buy new when the old ain't worn out yet?

Johnny.

**John Bowden** · #26 02-12-2013, 06:19 PM

Ditto XP........... MS will stop support in 2014, by that time most hackers are working on virus for Windows 8, there really won't be a need to get any new support for XP.

Besides......... I already have all the software programs that I need to do anything thing I want.

Why buy new versions when I can do everything on the older ones?

**castlewalls** · #27 02-12-2013, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ober Freak

Hi folks,

For the "Big" Start-Button-Problem on Win 8 I use Classic Shell. Installing it was the first task to do after migrating from 7 to 8 (I also used it under 7 because I prefer the classic start menu).
It gives you almost everything you need and MS took from us.
It also has an option to skip the "Modern UI" and startup directly to the desktop.

This is the best option if you do NOT like the windows 8 GUI (it is a tablet GUI! not a desktop GUI!)

We picked up a desktop two weeks ago, girlfriend likes the Classic Shell to get around but thinks the Win8 environment is kind of nice so she can switch between the GUI's.

**castlewalls** · #28 02-12-2013, 10:02 PM

Dont bother with the Office document suite just download OpenOffice. Its FREE! has all of the bells n whistles that MS Office has

**paulhbell** · #29 02-13-2013, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisatnp

paulhbell, you can do that, there is a box that says desktop.
just click on it, it will bring up your desktop like on win 7 ( rather then tablet form)

I know about that, but that don't give you a start button, thats why I got start8 from stardock, works great.

**paper hollywood** · #30 02-13-2013, 11:51 AM

I completely sympathize with you. I learned long ago to put off OS version updates as late as possible. I'm still using XP-SP3 and will continue to do so until support runs out in April of next year. I've been using Windows since it started and upgrades have always caused grief one way or the other.

I will probably go to Win 7, but if I had to use Win 8 I would look around the web for one of the aftermarket utilities that restore it to the "classic" interface with a Start menu and all that. Heck, even in XP, I still keep everything in the old Win 95 mode. Unforch, the software business has never embraced the concept of "if it ain't broke don't fix it".