Windows 8?

[Piff]

Desktop computer getting very slow - one I build myself and runs Windows XP.

Either the interweb is very slow tonight or PC is on its way out

Just had a look at possible replacement and the major manufacturers now seem to be shipping with Windows 8

Anyone have any experience with Windows 8
We have Windows 7 on a laptop which seems quite stable.

 

[davidjpowell]

Works well and faster than w7

 

[John]

If you've noticed a gradual decline in the computer, it's Windows gradually clogging up with shyte. A wipe rebuild will take it back to the performance you started with - but it is a PITA sometimes.

A sudden decline could be hardware, or your Internet. Using the computer at another 'less popular' time may prove one way or the other.

Or you can go down the road of trying to diagnose.

If you want to change anyway, Windows 7 is rock solid these days.

Windows 8 is quite a bit different to Windows 7 - might be worth having a go on it if possible before you buy.

You need to be off Windows XP before July 2014 anyway as that's when the security patches stop.

 

[davidjpowell]

Windows 8 is as different as you want it to be. Mines different. My mothers, who is slow to accept change and bugs me with phone calls looks the same as W7 courtesy of a £3 add on...

 

[Piff]

Got a windows 7.5 phone which I'm quite happy with.
Understand that windows 8 is a stage further.
Concerned that microsoft produce turkeys from time to time (Vista) so want to be sure that 8 is ok otherwise I would try to get a pc with windows 7. just seen an advert for a 7 pc, with an upgrade to windows 8 for £15 if taken by 31/1/13.

As for a wipe/re-load, done it before and it is very time consuming (not that setting up a new pc the way you want it isn't!). Just feel that it may be time to move on for the sake of £300 - £400

 

[John]

Windows 8 (internal V6.2) is built on from Windows 7 (internal V6.1) so anything that works in 7 should be fine in 8 - and it also means 8 should be rock solid...

I've lost count of the number of times I've re-installed XP on PCs since 2001 - even at best, it is a pain. Windows 7 is much easier although I've done that considerably less (less than 10 times so far).

I didn't like the new 8 interface at first but I've sown the seed and since I first dabbled with it (when the RC was released Autumn last year I think it was), I've warmed to it.

At the end of the day, they can't stay on the old Windows 95 model forever, and the interface doesn't really change anything.

For ordinary users - they just want to start programs and not get bogged down with the internals.

For the those who need to dig further, there's no change.

 

[After Shock]

I was Advised to stuck with 7 untill 8 becomes mire stable.

Urban myth?

 

[markjay]

Windows 8 is simply anothet step in the gradual evolution of Windows XP and Windows 7.

If you can look past the annoying Metro UI (which you can ignore by clicking on 'Desktop') and you can live without the 'Start' button then what you get with Windows 8 is simply a very stable and very fast Windows 7.

I have been using it on several PCs with no issues.

 

[Geezer]

Windows 8 is as different as you want it to be. Mines different. My mothers, who is slow to accept change and bugs me with phone calls looks the same as W7 courtesy of a £3 add on...

I would be interested in details of this.

 

[markjay]

There are a few utilities out there for Windows 8 that allow you to go straight into the Windows Desktop without going through the Metro UI, and that bring back the Start button. Just Google it...

 

[Deleted member 55947]

I'm in need of a new desktop but one of the programs I use and depend on is an 8 year old Sage Line 50 and I don't know if it'll run on Windows 8. It's an expensive program and I ain't happy about buying a new one

 

[Colin_b]

Windows 8 is simply anothet step in the gradual evolution of Windows XP and Windows 7.

If you can look past the annoying Metro UI (which you can ignore by clicking on 'Desktop') and you can live without the 'Start' button then what you get with Windows 8 is simply a very stable and very fast Windows 7.

I have been using it on several PCs with no issues.

I've been playing with it, and its OK. Can't say its faster, or indeed slower, or more stable than 7 which is pretty damn good. I'm not sure that the why upgrade question is answered. (for a home user).

W7 and an SSD is pretty good, fast and reliable. If a new box comes with W8, no problem.

 

[artyman]

I would have thought that slowness is more likely a net problem, with more and more people streaming movies, the data being shunted about is bound to be clogging up BT's archaic system.

 

[davidjpowell]

I would be interested in details of this.

Start8 for Windows® 8 - Bringing back the Windows Start menu

plenty of others

 

[John]

I was Advised to stuck with 7 untill 8 becomes mire stable.

Urban myth?

Hmm, not unwise to wait a while to see what falls off 8. However, the difference here is that 8 is a step on from 7 which is stable. It was true that Vista was a pig of an OS and one was wise to wait until at least SP1. However, Vista was quickly made the devil and suddenly a much-improved 7 appeared 3 years later. Call me cynical but MS increased the internal version of Vista to 6 (XP and Windows Server 2003 are 5.1) and changed it massively. They had to - XP is shocking on security in comparison. Once all the developers had got everything working on that sh***er Vista (internal V6 - see above), suddenly everything worked fine on 7 as a result! Quel surprise. Saying that, some stuff that I tested didn't work on Vista and does work in 7 - so they must have brought back some compatiblity from XP (XP emulation excepted).

I'm in need of a new desktop but one of the programs I use and depend on is an 8 year old Sage Line 50 and I don't know if it'll run on Windows 8. It's an expensive program and I ain't happy about buying a new one

If it works on Vista or 7, it's very likely it will work on 8. If you are running it on XP, whilst you can look it up (there's bound to be other articles on it) to find out if it is compatible (not certified or not supported doesn't mean it wont run - just Sage wont support it, assuming they do now).

Failing that, you can run it in 'compatiblity mode' but I've not had much success with that.

If not, you can run XP emulation - but this is a little bit 'JCB to crack a nut'. Typically, the Home versions can't do this so you need to buy Pro or Ultimate - may not be worth it.

If not, upgrade. If too expensive, can you run it on a second older computer just running XP and nothing else?

 

[wemorgan]

I've W8. On reflection I would have been happier to stick with W7. W8 offers me nothing new I want and has significantly increased my mouse miles - it seems too focused on the touch tablet format to be 100% compatible with laptops.

On the plus side I can say that W8 with a SSD is very fast, but then I'm sure so would be W7 with SSD.

 

[Deleted member 55947]

Thanks for that John. It currently runs on XP and isn't supported by Sage. An up to date copy is about £700 so I might try and find someone with W8 and load it onto their computer to see if it works

 

[davidjpowell]

A couple of thoughts

There are now some tremendous cloud based accounting programmes that are subscription based. Far easier to use than sage, but it depends on the complexity of your business. Kashflow and Xero worth a look.

Slightly off topic, but my mother has a 9 year old dymo label printer, no W8 drivers available for a model at that age. She rang dymo to see what she should buy to be told they would send her a new one out with a label to return the old. Pretty impressive service.

 

[Deleted member 55947]

I've just checked out the comparability and it's a no no. Seems to be loads of complaints about Sage's lack of help as their products don't seem to run very well on 64bit although that's typical of them as they want everyone to buy a newer version

 

[davidjpowell]

Sage is great for accountants, but not anyone else.

Since I ditched them I have far better information than I ever had, my invoices look far better, are sent in a modern format and get paid faster and with less interaction from me...