IMHO, Windows 8 with Start8 pretty much is Windows 7.1. Some improved tools (Task Monitor is much more useful) and very few UI tweaks, but everything else is W7, but faster (from what I've read).

I was in a cell phone store yesterday (Three UK) and they are offering a free upgrade to W8 when you get a Win phone 8 from them. I asked why this was being done as he was pushing it quite hard in an attempt to get me to buy and the shop assistant told me off the record that WP8 wasn't exactly flying off the shelves and W8 hadn't been a huge hit either. This is obviously just gossip but makes you wonder.

This link is now dead.

I have an old laptop (~4-5 yo) running Vista that had been my daughter's. It was running very slow, taking a long time to load web pages and such. I ran virus and spyware checks, removed a lot of programs, and cleaned up the startup programs, but still didn't run well. For $15 I bit the bullet and did the upgrade, there is a learning curve, but the system browses the web fine now, which is about all I plan to do with it.

This may have been mentioned earlier in the thread, but its getting too long to go back and check now. I just can't remember...but anyways, Microsoft has stated that the hardware requirements for Windows 8 are less than Windows 7, which is also less than those for Vista, so in theory your 4-5yo vista running laptop should run Win8 better.

Also, I noticed in the news a few minutes ago, Microsoft is saying it has sold more than 40 million UPGRADES of windows 8, which is a faster pace than Windows 7, again, according to Microsoft, not me.

Exactly my thoughts also.

Start8 is a great utility. Hopefully the developers will make their fortunes out of a Microsoft oversight :D

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-not-take-over
"Gorilla arm"

I've seen and tried Win8 at a number of trial kiosks set up in shopping malls around the world. I'd much rather use XP. The only reason I'm on Win7 now is because when I last upgraded my PC and laptop and went to install XP, I found that the disc no longer worked. The very first thing I do on an new install is revert the interface back to the Windows 2000/XP "Classic" version. Otherwise it simply isn't useable.

I don't want "Shiny" and "Flashy". I want functional.

Funny review of Windows 8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=WTYet-qf1jo

Dont agree with all of his points, but its still pretty funny.

Trying Win8 at kiosks, you were probably forced through the Metro/Modern/that-which-shall-not-be-named interface.

Find a machine with Start8 that defaults to the desktop. I've been using it for months and had to work on my in-law's PC last weekend running XP. Ack!

If you're more comfortable sticking with an interface you know, that's fine. But it doesn't mean it's better.

I spoke with my in-laws this weekend. They said that after a little while finding where things were, they found the new UI better, faster, etc. Being in their 60s/70s, I think they're a decent test case.

Or Classic Shell which also happens to have the advantage of being free (with the option to donate).

Better and faster than what? My machines run Win7 (except my thin clients, all of which are service machines, and run either XP or XPe). Win8 offers no improvement over Win7 EXCEPT the Metro interface which, to my way of thinking, is not an improvement (I'm happy with Android on my phones and tablets, and have no interest in a touch-screen powered PC with a similar interface). Even if Win8 offered the exact same functionality as Win7, but with a slight speed advantage, I can't think of any reason why I'd want to adopt it -- I remember the long quest for Win7 drivers (some of which never were written, resulting in having to abandon long-cherished hardware), and have no desire to repeat the process with Win8. All my software is optimized for Win7. I don't want to upgrade just to gain compatibility with an OS that offers me no advantages.

Win8 reflects something that I've noticed developing in the hardware field: the dumbing-down -- in fact, the infantilizing -- of computers and computer-based gear. A camera that can play games? A phone app that beeps if someone else with the same app walks by? Tablets for which 90% of app development is gaming? And now, a PC OS designed, not to allow you to do work -- to actually DO something -- but to keep up with your social networks?

No thanks.

The moon must be full: I quite agree.

And as with Jimmie76, I again recommend:

I've suggested that to embattled Win 8 demonstrators who were fighting a losing battle with uncertain customers. One of them told me he was going to bookmark that page so he could inform people how they could get the XP/7 UI out of their Win 8 machine.

That is not entirely true. Windows 8 offers better performance over Windows 7 straight out of the box. I'm talking about faster boot sequence, it has a better core usage, a faster browser (IE 10) and I can keep on going. :)