Computer guys, should I be switching to Windows 8?

SolidSqual
SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
edited November 2012 in The Clubhouse
Guys,

My gaming and music server rigs both have Windows 7. Should I be making the switch to 8? Others I know say the load times on 8 are Amazing, but I am worried about compatibility.

Mike
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited October 2012
    I'd wait and let others be the bata testers. Windows has a long history of issues with new versions. I'll say this , Windows 8 looks pretty damn cool and I hope there are little to no issues with it. Compatibility is always a concern , hopefully moving forward the most important things that people use today are all supported. I understand moving forward but man Windows really needs to think here.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,420
    edited October 2012
    from what i understand it's the same as 7 but with touch screen so no mouse is needed.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited October 2012
    Read this: http://pikigeek.com/2012/07/28/valve-and-blizzard-execs-condemn-windows-8/

    I don't know how much of this is true, but it gives me great pause.
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited October 2012
    Yeah, I see no reason to go to 8 right now, and I wouldnt suggest doing it just to do it. Given from what little I have read about the GUI as well its not something you want to do.

    I am actually debating purchasing another couple Win 7 licenses just so I have em to use incase I get something with Win 8 on it already.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • Lost240
    Lost240 Posts: 176
    edited October 2012
    I would wait until they get all the bugs out.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited October 2012
    I tried Window 8 and did not like it. I"m sure it'd be fine on a touchscreen, but on a regular computer I didn't care for it at all.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited October 2012
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    I tried Window 8 and did not like it. I"m sure it'd be fine on a touchscreen, but on a regular computer I didn't care for it at all.

    Thats the sense I'm getting when seeing it used by other people. I'm wondering if Windows 8 can be avoided altogether and just stay with Windows 7.

    Do you think new gaming machines will require 8 a few years down the road? Or is 8 strictly for tablets and an afterthought for PCs?
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited October 2012
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Thats the sense I'm getting when seeing it used by other people. I'm wondering if Windows 8 can be avoided altogether and just stay with Windows 7.

    Do you think new gaming machines will require 8 a few years down the road? Or is 8 strictly for tablets and an afterthought for PCs?

    I wouldnt think its Windows that will be the limiting factor on games so much as DirectX. Many games are still using DirectX 9 and 10 and I think we are on DirectX 11 now. I wouldnt worry too much about it.

    I think the market will be heavy into Windows 7 for a long time, and most game companies dont want to jump on the bandwagon just for early adopters. It will be a couple years min before games have to be run in the Win 8 enviorment.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,008
    edited October 2012
    I'm still on XP pro at home.
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  • DMara
    DMara Posts: 1,434
    edited October 2012
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Guys,

    My gaming and music server rigs both have Windows 7. Should I be making the switch to 8? Others I know say the load times on 8 are Amazing, but I am worried about compatibility.

    Mike

    No, you shouldn't switch to Windows 8 for those rigs. You'll need touchscreens to enjoy it. It's not like they cut off Windows 7 tomorrow.

    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Holy ****, read this: http://pikigeek.com/2012/07/28/valve-and-blizzard-execs-condemn-windows-8/

    I don't know how much of this is true, but it gives me great pause.

    Read the comments below the article and you will see how inaccurate it is.
    Gears shared to both living room & bedroom:
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    Living room:
    LSiM707's / LSiM706c / LSiM702 F/X's / dual JL Audio Fathom F113's / Parasound Halo A51 / Panasonic 65" TC-P65VT50
    Bedroom:
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    Other rooms:
    Audioengine AP4's / GLOW Audio Sub One / audio-gd NFB-3 DAC / Audioengine N22
    audio-gd NFB-10.2 / Denon AH-D7000
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  • Cigar Man
    Cigar Man Posts: 4
    edited October 2012
    I make my living in IT and I would stick with Win 7. Win 7 is what Vista was supposed to be, very well done OS and a big improvement from a recovery/maintance standpoint. Windows 8's claim to fame is that it uses an interface known as Metro, which turns everything into an app to make it more tablet ready, like a smart phone. If you are not using a touch screen you are just out of luck with Win 8. Win 8 is trying too hard to be a tablet-compatible GUI, it undermines the desktop/laptop user in a major way. I am runing WinServer 8 currently and that is a winner, someone mentioned load times and on the server side Win 8 is flat impressive. But it has been out for a while already.

    I am really not that impatient that I need my laptop to boot in 8 seconds..... a solid state drive does almost the same thing for Win 7....:loneranger:

    Unfortunately, the laptop as we know it will eventually go the way of the desktop due to the migration of everything into a tablet **** wireless device, but we have a few years left. Some other manufacturers are doing some very inovative things with GUI laptops, check out the new ASUS laptops, some very kewl new looks from this once minor player..... shows what a bit of creative thinking can do for a company, something MS sometimes struggles with....:mrgreen:
    "A Cigar is a bananna for the monkey in your soul."
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited October 2012
    Stay with Windows 7 unless you have a specific want/need to move to Windows 8.
    Jake
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  • Syndil
    Syndil Posts: 1,582
    edited October 2012
    Aside from the new tablet-friendly UI, the big thing with Windows 8 is the Microsoft Store. The MS Store will be a digital content delivery platform, just like iTunes is for Apple stuff, or Steam is for games on the PC. This is what has the industry in a tizzy much more than the UI. If Windows comes bundled with its own content delivery system, then what reason does Steam have to exist? It really has me worried, as I am heavily invested in Steam.

    RT-12, CS350-LS, PSW-300, Infinity Overture 1, Monoprice RC-65i
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited October 2012
    "Steam"? What is "Steam"?
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited October 2012
    BlueFox wrote: »
    "Steam"? What is "Steam"?

    Steam is the bomb-diggity!
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  • DMara
    DMara Posts: 1,434
    edited October 2012
    Cigar Man wrote: »
    Unfortunately, the laptop as we know it will eventually go the way of the desktop due to the migration of everything into a tablet **** wireless device, but we have a few years left. Some other manufacturers are doing some very inovative things with GUI laptops, check out the new ASUS laptops, some very kewl new looks from this once minor player..... shows what a bit of creative thinking can do for a company, something MS sometimes struggles with....:mrgreen:

    ASUS didn't do a good job with the new ASUS Taichi: it got dual screens but only one is touch-enabled; also, ASUS uses below average SSD's. I went with the Dell XPS 12 because of the screen resolution, Samsung SSD, and 8GB RAM.
    Gears shared to both living room & bedroom:
    Integra DHC-80.3 / Oppo BDP-105 / DirecTV HR24 DVR /APC S15blk PC-UPS
    Living room:
    LSiM707's / LSiM706c / LSiM702 F/X's / dual JL Audio Fathom F113's / Parasound Halo A51 / Panasonic 65" TC-P65VT50
    Bedroom:
    Usher Dancer Mini 2 Diamond DMD's / Logitech SB Touch / W4S STP-SE / W4S DAC-2 / W4S ST-1000 / Samsung 52" LN52B750
    Other rooms:
    Audioengine AP4's / GLOW Audio Sub One / audio-gd NFB-3 DAC / Audioengine N22
    audio-gd NFB-10.2 / Denon AH-D7000
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited October 2012
    Thanks for the answers guys. You really cleared things up.
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  • Syndil
    Syndil Posts: 1,582
    edited October 2012
    BlueFox wrote: »
    "Steam"? What is "Steam"?

    http://www.steampowered.com

    RT-12, CS350-LS, PSW-300, Infinity Overture 1, Monoprice RC-65i
    Adcom GFA-545II, GFA-6000, Outlaw Audio 990, Netgear NeoTV
    Denon DCM-460, DMD-1000, Sony BDP-360, Bravia KDL-40Z4100/S
    Monster AVL-300, HTS-2500 MKII
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  • cowtrimmer
    cowtrimmer Posts: 201
    edited October 2012
    Windows 8 might be worth checking out in 6+ months after they get some bugs worked out. Until then its Vista time for me. :lol:
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,616
    edited October 2012
    Running Windows 8 Pro, love it
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,616
    edited October 2012
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Holy ****, read this: http://pikigeek.com/2012/07/28/valve-and-blizzard-execs-condemn-windows-8/

    I don't know how much of this is true, but it gives me great pause.

    That article is incredibly stupid and wrong.

    If anything it is Windows 7 with Metro over top, Metro is just the start menu to the desk top, nothing more.

    To give you an example, Paint Shop Pro 7 works on Windows 8... and that is OLD. Every program I had before works like a champ. Windows 8 is also much faster than 7, IMO.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,601
    edited October 2012
    I had to rebuild my music server after a motherboard flake out.
    So, of course, my windows doesn't like the new MB, and gives me the
    YOUR COPY OF WINDOWS ISN'T GENUINE. I have downloaded 8 and paid
    the $39.99 to upgrade. I'll see how it goes. There's only three things that
    need to run on this machine, so it's a good test mule.
    Other than stuff like this, I'd never do it.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • badchad
    badchad Posts: 348
    edited October 2012
    Cigar Man wrote: »
    Windows 8's claim to fame is that it uses an interface known as Metro, which turns everything into an app to make it more tablet ready, like a smart phone. If you are not using a touch screen you are just out of luck with Win 8. :

    So if you have a desktop computer, can you (literally) not use it? or is it just more cumbersome?
    Polk Fronts: RTi A7's
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  • DMara
    DMara Posts: 1,434
    edited October 2012
    badchad wrote: »
    So if you have a desktop computer, can you (literally) not use it? or is it just more cumbersome?

    Yes, you can still use it on a desktop computer without a touchscreen. However going that way only allows you to experience its "Windows 7" facet, so it makes more sense to hang on to Windows 7.
    Gears shared to both living room & bedroom:
    Integra DHC-80.3 / Oppo BDP-105 / DirecTV HR24 DVR /APC S15blk PC-UPS
    Living room:
    LSiM707's / LSiM706c / LSiM702 F/X's / dual JL Audio Fathom F113's / Parasound Halo A51 / Panasonic 65" TC-P65VT50
    Bedroom:
    Usher Dancer Mini 2 Diamond DMD's / Logitech SB Touch / W4S STP-SE / W4S DAC-2 / W4S ST-1000 / Samsung 52" LN52B750
    Other rooms:
    Audioengine AP4's / GLOW Audio Sub One / audio-gd NFB-3 DAC / Audioengine N22
    audio-gd NFB-10.2 / Denon AH-D7000
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,616
    edited October 2012
    DMara wrote: »
    Yes, you can still use it on a desktop computer without a touchscreen. However going that way only allows you to experience its "Windows 7" facet, so it makes more sense to hang on to Windows 7.

    This again is not true...

    All of the features of metro are fully active, for instance on a toushscreen you would swipe downward to close a program where as on a desktop you click the top of the window and drag it downwards...

    The Metro interface is sweet!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • DMara
    DMara Posts: 1,434
    edited October 2012
    VR3 wrote: »
    This again is not true...

    All of the features of metro are fully active, for instance on a toushscreen you would swipe downward to close a program where as on a desktop you click the top of the window and drag it downwards...

    The Metro interface is sweet!

    But what are you going to do with that? On a desktop without a touchscreen users still run their appplications the old ways, dragging and dropping have been there forever. The Metro interface is designed mostly for touchscreens, not for a standard LCD. And almost all applications will still run in the "Windows 7" desktop environment instead of Metro's.

    Here's a very good Windows 8 review: http://www.gamingexaminer.com/windows-8-review/18643/
    Gears shared to both living room & bedroom:
    Integra DHC-80.3 / Oppo BDP-105 / DirecTV HR24 DVR /APC S15blk PC-UPS
    Living room:
    LSiM707's / LSiM706c / LSiM702 F/X's / dual JL Audio Fathom F113's / Parasound Halo A51 / Panasonic 65" TC-P65VT50
    Bedroom:
    Usher Dancer Mini 2 Diamond DMD's / Logitech SB Touch / W4S STP-SE / W4S DAC-2 / W4S ST-1000 / Samsung 52" LN52B750
    Other rooms:
    Audioengine AP4's / GLOW Audio Sub One / audio-gd NFB-3 DAC / Audioengine N22
    audio-gd NFB-10.2 / Denon AH-D7000
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,616
    edited October 2012
    Yep... but the advantage of the Metro is I can have everything "open" on the start screen without having anything open...

    It shows me my facebook, my mail, everything in one shot. To say it is useless on a desktop is silly... IMO
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • kuntasensei
    kuntasensei Posts: 3,263
    edited October 2012
    I love the Metro interface on my Windows Phone 7.5 phone... but after 15 minutes with it on a laptop, I wanted to claw my eyes out. Without a touchscreen, it just isn't intuitive. I may change my tune on it eventually once they've had time to iron out the kinks, but for now, I see it as a step backwards, at least on a desktop. I do appreciate Microsoft trying to do a unified interface across the various devices though.
    Equipment list:
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  • PrazVT
    PrazVT Posts: 1,606
    edited October 2012
    Just install 'Classic Shell' for when you are in desktop mode; you'll get more of the regular Windows 7 experience when you're not doing metro'ish stuff. that's what I did and everything is working well.
    ALL BOXED UP for a while until I save up for a new place :(

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    KEF Q900s / MIT Shotgun S3 / MIT CVT2 ICs | KEF Q600C | Polk FXi5 | BJC Wire | Signal / AQ ICs | Shunyata / Pangea PCs | Pioneer Elite SC 57 | Parasound NC2100 Pre | NAD M25 | Marantz SA8001 | Schiit Gungnir DAC | SB Touch

    2 Channel:
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  • DMara
    DMara Posts: 1,434
    edited October 2012
    VR3 wrote: »
    Yep... but the advantage of the Metro is I can have everything "open" on the start screen without having anything open...

    It shows me my facebook, my mail, everything in one shot. To say it is useless on a desktop is silly... IMO

    IMO on a desktop without touchscreen the Metro is more of an eyecatching feature, it's like a page full of shortcuts which you can still design on the Windows 7 desktop screen.
    Gears shared to both living room & bedroom:
    Integra DHC-80.3 / Oppo BDP-105 / DirecTV HR24 DVR /APC S15blk PC-UPS
    Living room:
    LSiM707's / LSiM706c / LSiM702 F/X's / dual JL Audio Fathom F113's / Parasound Halo A51 / Panasonic 65" TC-P65VT50
    Bedroom:
    Usher Dancer Mini 2 Diamond DMD's / Logitech SB Touch / W4S STP-SE / W4S DAC-2 / W4S ST-1000 / Samsung 52" LN52B750
    Other rooms:
    Audioengine AP4's / GLOW Audio Sub One / audio-gd NFB-3 DAC / Audioengine N22
    audio-gd NFB-10.2 / Denon AH-D7000
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