FlyerTalk Forums - Windows 8

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Rus (Post 22666324)

I am not sure what everyone is complaining about on Win 8.1. I use both desktop and laptop with 8.1 and i do not see any issues or usability problems at all. In fact, i find 8 is a lot better than Vista or XP.

in fact, 8.1 is better than Vista or XP (i have never use 7 because my last OS before 8 was Vista and i upgraded my desktop using the $25 promo MSFT had back then). My desktop is at least 6 years old.

as far as online account vs local sign in, the only disadvantage i can think of using online is privacy. With everything is sync at OneDrive, MSFT knows what you been doing, when you login, when you logout, when you standby your PC, i think it can create your usage pattern. For me, i use local sign in for both desktop and laptop

XP was great but needs to be allowed to die.
Vista got off to a rocky start and earned a bad rap from people who rushed upgrades with inferior hardware or a lack of driver support, and never really recovered its reputation.
Windows 7 was (is) excellent... It will be the next XP unless Windows 8.1 Update 2 or Windows 9 can restore usability to mainstream users. While some users are satisfied, overall Windows 8 has been a bigger flop than Vista.

Quote:

Originally Posted by javabytes (Post 22667101)

Not as big of a flop as Windows ME, though. :D :D :D

Anybody remember Microsoft Bob?

Quote:

Originally Posted by javabytes (Post 22668380)

Anybody remember Microsoft Bob?

Everytime someone types in Comic Sans I do. *shudder*

Windows ME had its upside. It was the first OS that I was able to get a home network setup knowing nothing about networking. Vista didn't bother me much either, it actually wasn't that bad and (for me) was quite an improvement over XP. The key being having hardware that is going to work with it. Too many people tried to use too old of hardware with too new of software and their experience is less than ideal. The software gets the blame. Oh well, 8.1 works just dandy for me on the two computers I have it installed on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPRich (Post 22665032)

They try really, really hard to get you to enter a MS/Hotmail/Outlook/etc. account when setting up the OS. I got suckered in the first time and re-installed to get a standard local account just on my machine. It's been a long time, but I remember having to search for some cryptic language that enabled it. You may want to start over.

After clicking backwards for a few steps, not agreeing to the terms, the acknowledging that the upgrade will fail, I was able to get out of the upgrade. It hosed Windows 8 for a bit. Took about 3 restarts for it to revert back to Windows 8 and actually boot up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by javabytes (Post 22666293)

It can sync your settings (think wallpaper, picture, favorites, browsing history, keyboard/language preferences, etc.) and saved passwords across computers where you use your online account to log in. Can sync your apps too, and since you need an MS Online account to use the app store anyway...

Disadvantages? Ehh... none really, that I can think of, apart from whether you think there are any security risks inherent in having that kind of data sitting in the cloud. You can still use your online account even when you don't have a connection (provided you've logged into the machine before). I just don't find this kind of thing useful, and I'd rather keep my settings and passwords out of the cloud.

I use my machine for both business and personal uses, so I really don't want to have my machine linked to a certain account. Plus it really just annoys me to think that Microsoft can track all my activity and link it to me in a personally identifying manner. And of course the generic concerns about having my this data in the cloud.

I think the trick during the install/update process is that you have to click the button to pretend like you're signing up for a new MS online account, and then on the next screen you have the option to sign in without an MS online account. I remember being furious that MS was trying to make me use an online account... then I found that buried in the menus (and was still irritated)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by javabytes (Post 22676729)

Thanks for this. I will give it a try.

I'm really liking this new 8.1 update, even on my touchscreen laptop.

I mostly spend time on desktop apps -- Chrome, Thunderbird (closest thing to integrated inbox), iTunes to sync iPods when I travel.

Also got quicken and Lightroom.

Tried some of the touch apps like Evernote. Hasn't really pulled me in but I use the touchscreen on desktop apps sometimes, mostly because the touchpad is so poor compared to the Magic Trackpad on my iMac.