Windows 8 upgrade site up and running

Redress said:

So some one who works designing things on a computer is a moron about computers, as are many others in the game design community, but you know better? Yeah, I believe that....

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First off designing things on a computer does not make you a computer expert. It makes you an expert in the programs you use to design stuff, but in working with Windows and doing stuff outside your designing duties? Plus chances are the guy uses Mac.. since that is the "hip" thing to use these days despite its limitations and price.... and since the "designing and graphics" industry tend to use this overpriced piece of junk for their work. And because of his comments about the new start menu, then I clearly see a man who has not seriously worked on a Windows 8 machine. You can, if you want, not use the metro interface. Pin stuff to your taskbar or desktop like you always have done... there is no need to use metro. That the metro interface makes a lot of things for the average user much simpler and easier.. well these "experts" tend to forget that.. funny no? I know for one that a windows 8 machine will make it much easier for my mother who knows nothing about computers. Big ass icons saying Internet, Mail and such are perfect for that.

Secondly the Steam guys are pissed because they are not only piss poor programmers, but now they will have serious competition in selling outdated games to unsuspecting people. Like it or not Steam aint installed by default (thank god!), but the Microsoft Store is. Which do you think the game developers are going to flock too for revenue? The Steam guys are nothing but sore loosers that finally have to up their game and produce a product that WORKS! Offline Steam sucks donkey balls and far from everyone has 24/7 internet, not to mention starting a game in Steam takes what feels like days. Add to this XBOX integration in Windows 8, and you have a very serious Steam competitor... and knowing how people hate Steam, it wont be long before they are out of business unless they start to improve their ****ty software.

Is Windows 8 perfect? no of course not. Is Metro the end of the world? No of course not, but it will take some getting use too.. just like the Start button did back in the day. Everyone is bitching about the Metro interface but few talk about all the other improvements in Windows 8. I for one is looking forward to the social media integration possibilities. Pressing on contact and being able to choose if I want to Skype him, mail him, IM him, SMS him, Facebook him and so on.. brilliant and much needed. And then there are of course all the improvements underneath.

I'm staying away. Absolutely staying away.

PeteEU said:

errrr... Windows 8 has the same requirements as Windows 7, which has the same requirements as Window Vista. Hell Windows 7 without AERO has the same requirements as Windows XP!

Plus from all the reports out there, Windows 8 is a considerable under the hood improvement in performance on Windows 7.

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Well, we'll let you check it out since you like to get in on everything that is new. After you fully research it, come back on and tell us all the problems you had with it. I still haven't left XP so show me, I'm from Missouri.

bicycleman said:

Well, we'll let you check it out since you like to get in on everything that is new. After you fully research it, come back on and tell us all the problems you had with it. I still haven't left XP so show me, I'm from Missouri.

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Well you will be leaving XP soon.. since Microsoft will stop supporting it in 2014 Plus your machine must be ancient

Pete, the hardware is still state of the art. I am running DDR-2 4 Gigs of RAM, Quad-core Intel, and I could see that I might want to upgrade in the future, but Skyrim is doing well, and as long as I can play the latest game, I will keep what I have. It is only when I decide to upgrade that I will just get a copy of Windows 7 or 8 and go from there. I refuse to try any of the upgrade versions to Windows 7. Been there done that with XP Home Edition. I still own a licensed copy of Windows 2000.

The way I see it, Win8 is designed for the future. That future will include the demise of the keyboard and mouse. Touch screen, motion detection and voice control will be the norm in 10 years or less. Now, I'm not afraid of being on the cutting edge. I will alway try new stuff...even if it is not fully developed for the mass market yet.

Having said that, here are my intentions:

1. I will buy Win8 at the discounted price and sit on it. I'll wait till I can get a 27" touch screen that I can afford and, at that time, install Win8. I don't see the need to abandon Win7 until I get the touch screen.

2. I will buy a Win8 tablet later this year...or early next year. I have an Asus TF300T w/keyboard dock and I love it, but I would love even more to have a tablet with a Core i(x) processor that I could run actual Windows programs on.

3. When someone finally comes out with a Win8 smartphone on a pay-as-you-go plan, I'll be getting that, as well. I want all my devices to be on the same sheet of music.

megaprogman said:

I am seriously thinking of getting a windows 8 slate when they come out.

at $200, its worth trying.

We have 6 android devices in the house these days, time for a new toy.

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Guarantee you that thing is going to suck. $200 windows slate? Suckocity is unmeasurable!

Mycroft said:

The way I see it, Win8 is designed for the future. That future will include the demise of the keyboard and mouse. Touch screen, motion detection and voice control will be the norm in 10 years or less. Now, I'm not afraid of being on the cutting edge. I will alway try new stuff...even if it is not fully developed for the mass market yet.

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Don't know about. No one really does any serious office work on a virtual keyboard with no mouse. Maybe architects (and insurance providers) are one of the few professionals who can get by without keyboard and mouse, but most office workers will not be seeing their input devices change much.

1. I will buy Win8 at the discounted price and sit on it. I'll wait till I can get a 27" touch screen that I can afford and, at that time, install Win8. I don't see the need to abandon Win7 until I get the touch screen.

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How long do you project that out? 27" touch screen? Wowzers. I got Win7 on a SSD and I see no reason to upgrade for a long, long time. Thing is crazy fast. 22 seconds from cold boot to fully operational. If ain't broke, don't fix it.

2. I will buy a Win8 tablet later this year...or early next year. I have an Asus TF300T w/keyboard dock and I love it, but I would love even more to have a tablet with a Core i(x) processor that I could run actual Windows programs on.

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Indeed, but don't the I series have significantly worse power performance then the ARM and TEGRAs? If you have to keep charging every 3 hours, that's damn annoying. My Nexus 7 can go a week with moderate usage without charging.

3. When someone finally comes out with a Win8 smartphone on a pay-as-you-go plan, I'll be getting that, as well. I want all my devices to be on the same sheet of music.

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They have Windows 7 prepaids. Don't want to try that? I think the Nokia Lumia 710 comes prepaid these days.

bicycleman said:

Pete, the hardware is still state of the art. I am running DDR-2 4 Gigs of RAM, Quad-core Intel, and I could see that I might want to upgrade in the future, but Skyrim is doing well, and as long as I can play the latest game, I will keep what I have. It is only when I decide to upgrade that I will just get a copy of Windows 7 or 8 and go from there. I refuse to try any of the upgrade versions to Windows 7. Been there done that with XP Home Edition. I still own a licensed copy of Windows 2000.

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Hmm unless Microsoft retroactively changed their licensing rules back to before Windows XP, then if you have used that copy of Windows 2000 on a pc... then that copy is "dead".. aka bound to that PC.

obvious Child said:

Don't know about. No one really does any serious office work on a virtual keyboard with no mouse. Maybe architects (and insurance providers) are one of the few professionals who can get by without keyboard and mouse, but most office workers will not be seeing their input devices change much.

You'll notice I said "the future". I'm not talking about now...but 10 years down the road.

How long do you project that out? 27" touch screen? Wowzers. I got Win7 on a SSD and I see no reason to upgrade for a long, long time. Thing is crazy fast. 22 seconds from cold boot to fully operational. If ain't broke, don't fix it.

Not sure...maybe a year or so. Until I get it, I'll be patient. My Win7 rig works good, as well.

Indeed, but don't the I series have significantly worse power performance then the ARM and TEGRAs? If you have to keep charging every 3 hours, that's damn annoying. My Nexus 7 can go a week with moderate usage without charging.

My Asus w/keyboard gets 13 hours of constant use on a charge, but yes...that's an issue I'll be looking at.

They have Windows 7 prepaids. Don't want to try that? I think the Nokia Lumia 710 comes prepaid these days.

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My Android is good for now...until I can get a Win8 phone. Not interested in Win7...that's a dead end.

I dunno Mycroft. I don't see lawyers ditching keyboards ever. The amount of **** they have to type. No way on a virtual. I could POSSIBLY see accountants moving over in twenty years if the software will allow it, but even then calculations still gotta be done in large amounts outside. But my friend used to work at an insurance provider and the claims specialists walked around with iPads. Some professions I can see moving over, but some never.

My friend has the transformer with the keyboard. The extra battery really helps. But I believe the biggest reason why Intel basically lost the entire tablet market was power consumption. The competition had tiny power requirements that simply made it no contest in picking the processor. Even Atoms draw significantly more power then a comparable ARM or TEGRA.

obvious Child said:

I dunno Mycroft. I don't see lawyers ditching keyboards ever. The amount of **** they have to type. No way on a virtual. I could POSSIBLY see accountants moving over in twenty years if the software will allow it, but even then calculations still gotta be done in large amounts outside. But my friend used to work at an insurance provider and the claims specialists walked around with iPads. Some professions I can see moving over, but some never.

My friend has the transformer with the keyboard. The extra battery really helps. But I believe the biggest reason why Intel basically lost the entire tablet market was power consumption. The competition had tiny power requirements that simply made it no contest in picking the processor. Even Atoms draw significantly more power then a comparable ARM or TEGRA.

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Don't you think lawyers can learn to stop typing and start talking to their computers? Anyway, as I said, I think touch, motion and voice is the future.

The battery and length of time between charges will be something I'll look at in a Win8 tablet. The Surface has a pretty hefty battery, but as yet there are no specs on battery life. One thing for sure, Microsoft and other manufacturers of Win8 tablets will have to build in comparable battery life...or face seriously reduced sales. I think they all know that.

PeteEU said:

Gonna buy the full version when it comes out. Should be about 60 bucks or so.

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60 bucks? When I bought Windows 7 it cost me 300 dollars for two computers since windows no longer allows thier key codes to work on more than one computer. Pissed me off. Tried to upgrade my wifes computer and mine and found that out.

And no, I'll not be buying Window's 8 unless I buy a computer that already has it on it. In fact I will never buy another Window's OS if I have any say in the matter what so ever.

Kal'Stang said:

60 bucks? When I bought Windows 7 it cost me 300 dollars for two computers since windows no longer allows thier key codes to work on more than one computer. Pissed me off. Tried to upgrade my wifes computer and mine and found that out.

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They never did. One key per computer. Now days however the key does not die with the computer, so you can install it on another machine but only if the first machine is "dead".

Also depends on what version you bought.

PeteEU said:

They never did. One key per computer. Now days however the key does not die with the computer, so you can install it on another machine but only if the first machine is "dead".

Also depends on what version you bought.

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Actually with XP you could install it on up to 3 computers before the windows authenticity verification would no longer be accepted. With 7 the windows authenticity verification code no longer worked after one computer.

Mycroft said:

Don't you think lawyers can learn to stop typing and start talking to their computers? Anyway, as I said, I think touch, motion and voice is the future.

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No. Ever try editing a large document on a tablet where you don't have a real keyboard and mouse? Furthermore, it's far faster to type then it is to speak. And many people actually formulate thoughts faster via typing then they do by speaking.

Kal'Stang said:

Actually with XP you could install it on up to 3 computers before the windows authenticity verification would no longer be accepted. With 7 the windows authenticity verification code no longer worked after one computer.

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Nope.

The license rules for XP and Win 7 are the same.

2. INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS.
a. One Copy per Computer. Except as allowed in Section 2 (b) below, you may install one copy of the software on one computer. That computer is the “licensed computer.”
b. Family Pack. If you are a “Qualified Family Pack User”, you may install one copy of the software marked as “Family Pack” on three computers in your household for use by people who reside there. Those computers are the “licensed computers” and are subject to these license terms. If you do not know whether you are a Qualified Family Pack User, visit go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=141399 or contact the Microsoft affiliate serving your country.

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Hence your copy of XP was a "family pack", which you can install on 3 pcs, and your windows 7 was not... or not registered as a family version.

I'll upgrade after SP1 comes out, I don't trust any software company's initial releases, I want to know where all the bugs are and it's not going on my system until all of them have been fixed.

PeteEU said:

Hmm unless Microsoft retroactively changed their licensing rules back to before Windows XP, then if you have used that copy of Windows 2000 on a pc... then that copy is "dead".. aka bound to that PC.

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My Win 2000 copy is an OEM version. I never registered it, and I have used it on countless PC's. I have even downloaded all the drivers needed for each hardware device, whether it is a laptop or desktop. Now, XP changed all that and made it so each copy was married to the PC.

PeteEU said:

Nope.

The license rules for XP and Win 7 are the same.



Hence your copy of XP was a "family pack", which you can install on 3 pcs, and your windows 7 was not... or not registered as a family version.

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Thanks for that clarification. That had me mystified on why certain copies of Windows 7 were so much more expensive than the others. When I finally switch, I plan to get the most advanced copy of Windows 7 or 8, which I think is the "Ultimate" version.

Windows 8 for the desktop is a frustrating and useless tool. For the tablet or mobile device it's probably great. I'm going linux for desktop (this from a guy who has used every MS OS from 3.11 on) and will do VMs for when I have to do windows. I'm sick and tired of MS's adoption of Steve Job's philosophy of making the user use the computer the way he thought they ought to. Started in Vista, then they went the whole hog with windows 8.

bicycleman said:

My Win 2000 copy is an OEM version. I never registered it, and I have used it on countless PC's. I have even downloaded all the drivers needed for each hardware device, whether it is a laptop or desktop. Now, XP changed all that and made it so each copy was married to the PC.

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Actually OEM changed not XP. In fact the first versions of XP in OEM were exactly the same as your Wind 2000 copy. Problem was with the internet, piracy was much easier than before, and OEM versions were leaked to the net. Hence Microsoft had to change the OEM rules, so that OEM as you know it from your Windows 2000 copy went poof, and there came various limitations. From this came the activation hell we all have to through.... even OEM versions. For one OEM versions either have to be activated or have limited number of installs possible.

clownboy said:

Windows 8 for the desktop is a frustrating and useless tool. For the tablet or mobile device it's probably great. I'm going linux for desktop (this from a guy who has used every MS OS from 3.11 on) and will do VMs for when I have to do windows. I'm sick and tired of MS's adoption of Steve Job's philosophy of making the user use the computer the way he thought they ought to. Started in Vista, then they went the whole hog with windows 8.

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I must admit I have been thinking about Linux for a while, but each time I install it or run it, I hit the same problem.. so much to learn and it is alien to me. On top of that, my games do not run on it. Hence it is a non starter for me, just as Mac is... (other than I dislike Apple business practices).

PeteEU said:

I must admit I have been thinking about Linux for a while, but each time I install it or run it, I hit the same problem.. so much to learn and it is alien to me. On top of that, my games do not run on it. Hence it is a non starter for me, just as Mac is... (other than I dislike Apple business practices).

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I feel your pain and agree. I've a bit more direct experience with linux so it will be a tad easier. But that's how much a hindrance windows 8 will be to my work that I would even consider switching primary operating systems. Also agree on the Apple stuff, besides it's near everything I hate about the current MS OSes. In my book, everything should be customizable and I should be able to go back to classic view and layout.

clownboy said:

I feel your pain and agree. I've a bit more direct experience with linux so it will be a tad easier. But that's how much a hindrance windows 8 will be to my work that I would even consider switching primary operating systems. Also agree on the Apple stuff, besides it's near everything I hate about the current MS OSes. In my book, everything should be customizable and I should be able to go back to classic view and layout.

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Dont get me wrong, I would not have much problem switching to Linux but to me not only will it take time to figure out, but also everything seems have extra layers to be able to do anything in the damn OS. One thing I like having is, having my desktop change with different pictures every 10-20 seconds. That is actually quite hard to set up in Linux, where as in Windows it is 2 clicks basically. Yes you can download programs that does, but finding them is not easy to say the least, and getting the to work is often a nightmare especially if your pictures are not on the linux install drive..

I have had the same problem with OSX.. problem after problem once you get past the basics. I remember an OSX install that would not let me shut down the computer because Safari for some reason thought that the internet connection was still on... err it was lan, and when I say shut down.. you shut down! Man I got pissed that day, since Safari would not log off the internet connection either for some reason. How anyone could use such a POS operating system is beyond me.. has given me nothing but grief each time I am forced to work with it.

Linux distros have gotten better, but I still have not found one that screams "use me". Ubuntu was good till they changed everything.. hate the side bar thingy. Linux Mint is okay too, but I made the mistake of upgrading to their newest version.. bad idea.

So for now I will stick with Windows 7, and upgrade when Windows 8 comes out since I know from beta testing it, that the programs I use will run better in Windows 8. Metro is something you can get use too.. performance matters more. Plus the integration of the social things in Windows 8 appeals to me big time.