[Windows 8]

True, and just because you like it doesn't mean it's an upgrade.

the reasons I like it are because it is an upgrade. take the ability to pause file transfers for example. it also has a lot of security improvements that windows 7 lacks.

All of the changes from Win7 can each be spun by the respective group into either an advantage or a disadvantage.

but not if someone is objectively speaking. how can one possibly argue that (for example) the new file transfer features are a disadvantage over what was previously offered, when they have more functionality?

Objectivity does not mean anything in the context of how well a tool works for you.

see above. if the features are better than their predecessors, then yes it means something. there can be no (honest) denial that it has improved features over windows 7, even if one doesn't like the os as a whole.

take windows vista for example. almost nobody liked it when it launched (?) but there can be no denying that it was a improvement over windows xp.

[Windows 8]

Read the above post.

Main points:

No dvd or blue ray support out of the box. (I hear you can pay extra for that though)

Smart screen filter is a front for big brother style ms spyware. It dials home and tells MS what you download and install.

Primarily touch based OS, it SUCKS with a mouse.

no DVD playback decreases the cost for consumers. how many people do you know that still use DVDs? if you require it, download something like media player classic.

That's exaggerated beyond belief. See http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/08/windows-8-privacy-complaint-misses-the-forest-for-the-trees/

even if it were an accurate portrayal of the feature, it's not like you can't turn smart screen off!

it's been working very nicely for me. seems like there are two categories: one group says it sucks with a mouse, yet another says it works fine.

its ugly

its clunky

its less efficient

"beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

...clunky? smaller footprint than windows 7.

how is it less efficient?

Not desktop friendly

Won't run Nuance Paperport 14

No start menu

Overall a down grade to Windows 7

I could keep listing, but I think you see the patern

thats bullhocky! explain how it isn't desktop friendly? because of the gestures like start screen, etc?

newsflash: if you use windows 7, you no doubt use gestures all of the time!

there are several improvements over the windows 7 desktop. for example, file transfer information now has graphs and heat maps to indicate file transfer speed. information is now presented in one window, instead of multiple confusing windows. you can now pause file transfers.

just a few more, from wikipedia:

Similar to Microsoft Office and Windows Essentials, the re-designed File Explorer (formerly Windows Explorer) uses the ribbon interface to enhance discoverability of commands and bring relevant commands to users depending on their file selection. For example, selecting photos in a folder brings up tools to rotate the photos and to start a slide show. The interface was selected to bring forward the most commonly used commands for easy access. The "Up" button (which advances the user back a level in the folder hierarchy) that was removed from Explorer after Windows XP has also been restored. Additionally, File Explorer features a redesigned preview pane that takes advantage of widescreen layouts.

File Explorer will feature a new user interface for copying and moving files, offering both a simplified interface and an advanced interface for users to monitor the speed of the operations. Users now view all simultaneous file operations in one consolidated window, and can pause file operations in progress. A new interface has also been introduced for managing file name collisions in a file operation, allowing users to easily control which conflicting files are copied

File Explorer can now mount ISO, IMG, and VHD files as virtual drives through simple right-clicks or the Explorer toolbar, as compared to Windows 7 where VHDs could be mounted in a less-discoverable way, via the Disk Management section in the Computer Management MMC, or by using diskpart from the command line.

New Task Manager

The tabs are hidden by default. This view only shows applications

Resource utilization in the Processes tab is shown using a heat map, with darker shades of yellow representing heavier use.

The Performance tab is split into CPU, memory, disk, Ethernet, and wireless network (if applicable) sections. There are overall graphs for each, and clicking on one reaches details for that particular resource The CPU tab no longer displays individual graphs for every logical processor on the system by default. It now can show data for each NUMA node

The CPU tab now displays simple percentages on heat-mapping tiles to display utilization for systems with many (64 or more, up to 640) logical processors.[17] The color used for these heat maps is blue, with darker color again indicating heavier utilization

Hovering the cursor over any logical processor's data now shows the NUMA node of that processor and its ID

A new Startup tab has been added that lists startup applications and their impact on boot time

The Processes tab now lists application names, application status, and overall usage data for CPU, memory, hard disk, and network resources for each process The new task manager recognizes when a WinRT application is in "Suspended" status

The normal process information found in the older Task Manager can be found in the new Details tab

what can the start menu do that the start screen can't??

the start screen still has instant search, pinning, and also live tiles, better screen estate, item grouping, etc.

just because you don't like it, doesn't mean that it's a "downgrade". in order to be a viable reference, you must separate yourself from bias (be objective), otherwise, your evaluations aren't worth crap!

[Windows 7 explorer for Windows 8]

You should. Also try to find a precedent of legal persecution for patching windows files to change ui with various programs.

Will do.

And I have no interest in legal persecution. I merely stated that it isn't (to my knowledge) legal.

Registering just to bash my work i consider trolling. Or obsessive agressive behavior, you call it.

Please, I don't wish for you to misunderstand me. I've only come here to prevent another Windows from being panned. Your patch is to my objective...how do I put it delicately? A fly in the ointment.

Now on the surface, this appears to be a contradiction, since people may actually want to use Windows 8 due to your patch. However, sometimes a product becomes such a convenient whipping boy that we lose sight of what it really is... Windows 8 is maligned in the same way, and by the same crowd of clueless tech bloggers. Your patch gives the impression that the start menu is absolutely necessary for the operating system to be usable, not to mention throwing out Microsoft's hard work.

[Windows 7 explorer for Windows 8]

You didn't. Someone else did (under applicable law), otherwise we wouldn't be having any kind of programs which change Windows UI.

The user of your patch doesn't modify any Windows files, but someone else does for you. ...Isn't that a loophole?

This talk is pointless because my work is legal for me. For you, it is too, unless you have a law which explicely disallows this.

Oh contraire. I wonder how Microsoft would feel about such an endeavor? Perhaps we should ask to make sure that it's O.K?

Also it's pointless because you troll.

...One post is trolling? That's new.

[Windows 7 explorer for Windows 8]

isn't this in violation of the EULA? oh yes it is!

"- You may NOT repackage, translate, adapt, vary, modify, alter, create derivative works based upon, or integrate any other computer programs with, the Product in whole or in part."

"- You may NOT decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer or otherwise attempt to discover the source code of the Product except to the extent that you may be expressly permitted to reverse engineer or decompile under applicable law."

Microsoft is not forcing anything on anyone, if you want to use a Start Menu, use Windows 7 or earlier. Or use a third-party program. I personally love the Start Screen. They (rightly) decided to move forward in Windows 8. Much like Windows 3.1 - > Windows 95.

Nevermind that the Start Screen still has instant search, pinning, and also live tiles, better screen estate, item grouping, etc.

If we had your way, we'd still be using the Program Manager.

They kept the new Start Menu until Windows 7. That gave it a good life of 8 years. Now we're on to bigger, better things.

When Windows 7 was in beta, adherents of the Classic Start Menu were told "it's time to move on", yet the same people who rebuked these adherents don't want to lose their Windows 7 Start Menu. Irony at its finest.

Oh and as for the people complaining about it being "hard to shutdown", do yourself a favor and press Alt+F4 while you're on the desktop.

If memory serves, you can create a shortcut in Windows 8 to shutdown or restart your computer. Place it on the desktop, taskbar, or pin it to the Start Screen.

To shutdown,

Shutdown.exe -s -t 00

To restart,

Shutdown.exe -r -t 00

Problem solved.