Is Windows 8/10 actually usable anymore?

[drivesafe]

I have been using both Macs and PCs since 1987 and have had strings of both.

While I have had times when new Mac operating systems have been a pain to get use to, but just under 2 years ago I bought a new Lenovo PC and in all the time since, I have not managed to get a single bit of use out of this piece of garbage.

I have wasted about 10 or so hours trying to set it up so I can use some new development equipment and have achieved absolutely nothing.

That amounts to less than 30 minutes of use ( wasted time is more like it ) pre month since I bought it.

I currently have a number of old ( some are very old ) PCs running Windows 98 and XP and find them great to work with.

The Lenovo has Windows 8 on it and it is like speaking a new, and unknown language. There seems to be next to no comparison between the old and new operating systems other than they are both on laptops.

I just don't have time to waste, trying to get this garbage to be of any use to me.

How do others find Windows 8/10?

[Graeme]

The screen on my laptop running XP died a couple of weeks ago so I bought a new laptop with Win 10 installed, a Lenovo as it happens but that's not the problem. I expected to migrate my old programs to run in 32 bit mode but no, it's going to be quite a task to set everything up using emulators, virtual machines etc. I'll get back to the conversion in a few weeks but am using the kitchen's TV in the meantime as a screen for the laptop. It's no longer portable though.

[sheerluck]

Windows 8, I absolutely hated. Windows 10 is much better, and much more Windows-like than the whole crappy tiles thing going on in W8. However, I have 64-bit edition of W10, and a number of the bits of software I'm using haven't caught up yet, so I have to use VMs a lot.

Where I used to spend maybe 12 hours a day on Windows based PCs and laptops, it's now 15 mins a day maximum.

[drivesafe]

Hi Dave, I spend, on average, about 70% of my computer time of Macs and 30% of my time, writing code on my ( old ) PCs.

This hasn't changed much in the last 8 to 10 years, but this new PC sees about an average use ( waste of time ) of less than 1 minute a day.

I have not been game to try Windows 10 as I can't get Windows 8 to work!

Both you and Graeme are simply confirming that I am likely to have problems running the gear I want to run on this PC, if I ever get it to work.

[sheerluck]

W10 is a lot more friendly (in my opinion) than W8, but still not as user friendly as W7. If you are struggling with 8, I don't think you've got anything to lose by upgrading.

I think I've used Macs fewer times than I have fingers. :D

[Graeme]

Win 8 was very quickly superseded by Win 8.5 but Win 10 is supposed to be much better. My wife's pc was upgraded from 8 to 8.5 then to 10 ASAP but that PC only runs standard, current s/w, not old or technical s/w.

Upgrade to Win 10 before starting to convert.

[Grentarc]

I skipped windows 8 and went straight to win 10.
I have been using x64 windows since XP, so I have always had to run a VM (or in windows 7 "XP mode") for some of my software.
I find win 10 to need more customising to disable the in built "features" I don't want running, and the fact an every day user has no control over if updates are applied is a small problem.

I have actually had less issues with my windows 10 install so far in comparison to my windows 7 on the same computer. Windows 7 used to hang at least once or twice a week (computer is on 24/7) whereas windows 10 is only once since I installed - current uptime is just shy of 24 days, and was turned off only due to blackout.

[isuzurover]

Linux.

[Northy]

Mac or XP

[Grentarc]

Linux.
I have a separate machine for Linux, especially seeing as I would have to run basically everything under a VM if Linux was my parent OS. As it is, I only have to run 2 pieces of software under a VM, and my Linux machine is a dual boot linux/windows 98 machine for very specific purposes.

[workingonit]

Yes, I use Linux on a HP laptop for web browsing, movie viewing, word processing, spreadsheet etc.

Don't play games, so no great loss.

Linux resides on a USB - effectively a fresh install of operating system every time I boot, needing to reconfigure a few tweeks - but beats dealing with compromised windows systems.

The HP laptop I use came with Windows pre-installed. Changed some BIOS settings to allow dual boot system. Only use Windows to communicate with Aust Tax Office.

Wanted to use some freeware CAD programs that come in Linux and Windows formats. Tried Windows 8 on a desk top machine, but it was a dog. Decided to get a new desktop machine with faster CPU more RAM etc so got a machine with Windows 10 pre-installed, which seemed an improvement on Win 8 by a long shot, but still not an uncomplicated layout like Linux. Once the warranty runs out I will probably turn the desktop into dual boot and run the Linux format of the CAD.

Since going to Linux my Windows use has probably dropped to less than 1% of computing time.

If I had to choose two windows systems it would be XP and 10

[SBD4]

Windows 8 was a complete waste of time (think of it like Vista). 8.1 was a marked improvement. Windows 10 is much better again and can be thought of as the bringing together of Windows 7 and 8.1 in terms of user interface. As Justin says there are things you should do on Win10 to tweak it from a privacy and functionality perspective.

In relation to older software and O/S's I find it easiest to virtualise the physical machine so that it can be moved on to any new hardware I run. That way there is less risk of an old machine going "puff" and me loosing any hope of recovery due to the age of hardware etc. Another good thing about VM's is you don't have to have a whole lot of physical systems kicking around taking up space. They all reside on a singe machine be it Mac or Window or Linux, just run up the VM you need and away you go.

If you are needing older style ports like RS232 etc then there are conversion interfaces that will provide that on new hardware.

Anyway, there are plenty of options that allow you to continue to use your old stuff while not having to be held back by their limitations.

[PhilipA]

I have Win 10 and it works just fine.

Really IMHO it is just Win 7 with some bells and whistles.
I never had Win 8 so migrated straight from 7 to 10.

If you right click the flag you get the Win 7 interface including control panel.

I guess old programs are a problem but they are a problem with any modern computer as is vica versa. Try loading a new app onto an old Ipad or Iphone.

My biggest beef is the time to boot caused by my paid Trend Micro which is the price I pay for being Virus free since 1985. Edge can be a PITA also as they do not seem to have solved the key speed problem yet, where you type something then wait a couple of seconds for it to appear but I do tend to type fast.

I looked at Linux on a small EEEPC . I found that the user interface of the low Ram usage ones was so simplistic that they were only for enthusiasts and that the more comprehensive interface versions took just as much memory as windows so what was the point?
Regards Philip A

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Windows 10?
If you are less than 70 years old and use a windows PC,, you might as well upgrade now 'cos shore as **** you'll end up with Win 10 sooner or later,,,

I dont have any tiles,, or windows reporting,, it boots straight to Google Oz,, most of my games work,, ( I am trying to move on from Rail Road Tycoon 2, though I have the music playing as I type--) and NONE of my reboots are caused by windows ,,

[isuzurover]

I have a separate machine for Linux, especially seeing as I would have to run basically everything under a VM if Linux was my parent OS. As it is, I only have to run 2 pieces of software under a VM, and my Linux machine is a dual boot linux/windows 98 machine for very specific purposes.

All my machines run linux and linux alone, apart from 1 work laptop and 2 lab desktops that need to control exotic devices which only come with windows software. However none have anything newer than windows 7. My work hasn't certified anything newer than windows 7 for deployment.

[cafe latte]

I use Linux at home and Windows at the fire station, and most recently at a couse Iwas on fore the firies. I HATE with a passion windows. Linux is slicker, faster and suff is free. I renently downloaded the free cad program too, a similar program is 400 bucks on Windows and no better.
If you are not a gamer I cant imagine why anyone would want a windows computer.
Chris

[Grentarc]

. I renently downloaded the free cad program too, a similar program is 400 bucks on Windows and no better.

I am using Fusion360 from Autodesk and it is free for startup/hobbiest/student etc. Only down side to it is that it is cloud based, but has android app so I can design on the PC and then access from my tablet when I need to show someone designs.
I hate Linux GUIs, I only use Linux via command line/terminal sessions. Personal preference I guess - always used windows for desktop environment - and Linux has mostly been for server applications, with my home Linux machine being used for running different scripts etc - although I did once convert a 1st Gen blue iMac to running Yellowdog Linux just for the fun of it.

[firsttracks]

if your going to buy a laptop to use a laptop,and you dont need a huge gpu buy a macbook pro. And i hate apple (the company). its not all about the software or hardware it's both. The one area mbp are killing it is the track pad. 95% of windows touchpads are junk. ive recently switched back to windows 10 and loving it, it still needs improving.

[cafe latte]

I am using Fusion360 from Autodesk and it is free for startup/hobbiest/student etc. Only down side to it is that it is cloud based, but has android app so I can design on the PC and then access from my tablet when I need to show someone designs.
I hate Linux GUIs, I only use Linux via command line/terminal sessions. Personal preference I guess - always used windows for desktop environment - and Linux has mostly been for server applications, with my home Linux machine being used for running different scripts etc - although I did once convert a 1st Gen blue iMac to running Yellowdog Linux just for the fun of it.

I was at a course the other day following with a Windows computer. Again and again I got the blue screen of death.. This does not happen with Linux and it is free!! :)
Chris

[Grentarc]

I was at a course the other day following with a Windows computer. Again and again I got the blue screen of death.. This does not happen with Linux and it is free!! :)
Chris
Linux still hangs, just ask my ubuntu VPS. And as stated, my desktop is used for many purposes, I built it myself, so not an off the shelf system, and I have had 1 crash in 12 months.

[theresanothersteve]

Windows 8/ 8.1/ 10 are fine if you are prepared to think of them differently to the Windows operating systems that came before.

8 was a pain, always going to the start screen (tiles). 8.1 and 10 are better, booting to a desktop on a PC.

In some ways its like the introduction of the Microsoft Fluent Ribbon (aka the ribbon) in the mid naughties. Everyone hated it, probably more because it was different, than any inherent problems. And most people complain now if they go to a menu driven interface.

There are 2 things you need to remember with Windows Operating systems post Windows 8:

1. Don't bother trying to navigate through the start screens or menus to open a program, just type its name in the windows search box.
2. Right click the start button to open a context menu to get to behind the scenes dialogs, such as control panel.

Once you get over the fact it is different you will find it easier. My wife, a ludite who hates change, is now using 10 with Office 2016 without complaint.

[stewie110]

I find that the user 'paradigm' of windows 8 and 10 is focused towards touch based interactions. Yes you can use a mouse etc but there are many gestures etc that took me a while to figure out. Personally it is a huge step backwards for my productivity.

Here is a link for a Google search that may help. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Windows+10+gestures&hl=en&sa=X&as_q=&nfpr=&spell=1&ved=0ahUKEwj14Pa9luXOAhUCJ5QKHZebB28QvwUICg