Windows 8

[chibaka]

Fellow FG, I am contemplating the most heinous of sins, that is purchasing Windows 8 from microshaft. I have so far in my life only once given money to those thieves (not including OEM installs), but the time has come to maybe upgrade my XP machine. Any advice about the best place to buy? Online shop? Trip to the weird town that is Akihabara?

Looking for fresh install with new shiny discs, with the minimum of pain to my wallet. I already have a Linux machine, so that isn't an option.

Ta

[Coligny]

Do the 'buy a hd get oem price' trick still works ?

[wagyl]

If we are talking about a new computer, rather than installation DVDs and a licence, I have bought my last few machines built to order from Frontier http://www.frontier-direct.jp/

I especially like that you can choose how much RAM you want and choose not to have a Windows license and choose not to get yet another keyboard or yet another mouse.

I was really really happy when six years ago they offered a 5 year send back warranty, because that XP machine ended up with a quadrupling of RAM and six-fold increase in HD capacity through warranty repairs, but they no longer make the mistake of offering five year warranties.

That XP machine is now happily running Linux: this whole inconvenience and cost of upgrading from an adequate but end-of-life OS has meant that I finally took the plunge to learn about Linux: a possiblty less inconvenient learning curve and infintesimally less cost to upgrade. I did the same for my 80 year old mother's box, and both she and I are happy with the results.

... and as you have experience already, I feel compelled to ask: why do you think you need Win 8?

[chibaka]

Do the 'buy a hd get oem price' trick still works ?

You'll need need to be more specific, in English would be nice

I feel compelled to ask: why do you think you need Win 8?

I don't really need Win 8, for most things Linux Ubuntu is more than adequate. Occasional issues with hardware compatibility, scanners etc, but it works well.
But I have an XP machine, which is quite well spec'd, so if I can give it a refresh with Win 8 for a reasonable cost then I'd like to do it. XP has had a gazillion updates over the years, bloated like my waste line probably.

[J.A.F.O]

I have a not so legal answer

[Coligny]

If your question was aboot where to buy an aircraft carrier and not a windows 8 install DVD I recommend DCNS Brest naval shipyard over Newport News shipbuilding... I especially like that you can choose different scent for the soap bars for the men AND women showers...

Do the 'buy a hd get oem price' trick still works ?

You'll need need to be more specific, in English would be nice
.

In win7 days, buying some piece of hardware was used as an excuse to sell OEM discounted version of the OS instead of the full retail price...

[chibaka]

In win7 days, buying some piece of hardware was used as an excuse to sell OEM discounted version of the OS instead of the full retail price...

Haven't seen that, it may be an option even though I don't need hardware.

I have a not so legal answer

Those answers are just as welcome as the inexpensive kind

[IparryU]

I have a not so legal answer

Ya... Exactly...

Sent from my SC-03E using Tapatalk

[nikoneko]

If you can get it I would go with Win 7 instead of 8. I have not heard one single person from professional to home user who likes 8.

I also 3rd the umm questionable but works method.

[yanpa]

The Windows admin at my previous place of employment was quite fond of Windows 8. Mind you I think his training was sponsored by Microsoft or something.

First (and only time) I installed it (in a VM), I thought the VM's graphic adapter was stuck in 16 colour mode or something (seriously, it put me in mind of those old fullscreen DOS text applications, except with DOS at least you didn't have to play "hunt the magic pixel").

[Wage Slave]

First (and only time) I installed it (in a VM), I thought the VM's graphic adapter was stuck in 16 colour mode or something (seriously, it put me in mind of those old fullscreen DOS text applications, except with DOS at least you didn't have to play "hunt the magic pixel").

That's exactly what I thought on my only encounter with it on my niece's new Fujitsu laptop. Another highlight was finally working out you had to scroll horizontally through three screens of tiles for God knows what, random images of beautiful people etc to find a way to start Office hidden in the corner.

[Coligny]

Like for everything else...

windows8.jpg

Prophetic movie...

[American Oyaji]

Get Win7 if you can. Win8 is almost as bad as Vista

[Coligny]

Get Win7 if you can. Win8 is almost as bad as Vista

Wait !? you mean it's still better than millenium ?

[Russell]

I recently bought a Windows 8 laptop for my work, but I was so pissed off at my first encounters with it, that I did not touch it since (so much for a touch interface on a non-touch-screen).

Mind you, I asked one of our system engineers to set it up for me, which took him quite some time.

Maybe, I will start to use it in the future if they make it behave like Windows 7 without the bugs, but until then I will fall back on my Windows 7 laptops.

The only reason I did not switch yet to Linux is Powerpoint, but that piece of shit has degraded too in the last years.

And Apple, yekkhh....

[Coligny]

And Apple, yekkhh....

Yea... But aside from iTunes, still the most simple way to get shit done... Since 1984...

[chibaka]

Wait !? you mean it's still better than millenium ?

Ohh that brings back memories, and not good ones. A piece of shite...

[yanpa]

And Apple, yekkhh....

Yea... But aside from iTunes, still the most simple way to get shit done... Since 1984...

No one will be taking away my certfied Unix laptop, that's for sure.

[Coligny]

Wait !? you mean it's still better than millenium ?

Ohh that brings back memories, and not good ones. A piece of shite...

Troubleshooting windows might be the only thing that makes food poisoning a better alternative to spend the night...

[Coligny]

And Apple, yekkhh....

Yea... But aside from iTunes, still the most simple way to get shit done... Since 1984...

No one will be taking away my certfied Unix laptop, that's for sure.

Especially since the previous lube spill incident...

[J.A.F.O]

I have a not so legal answer

Those answers are just as welcome as the inexpensive kind

I am not sure if you use bit torrent however TPB has a wide assortment of Win 8.1 files. I can p.m. you the most prominent one if you like. Seems legit but I am not running on Win 8 either ... and not really intending to.

[J.A.F.O]

KAT is another alternative to TPB

[chibaka]

Thanks for the comments, work in progress.... Based on popular opinion, Win 7 seems the better option.

[Wage Slave]

KAT is another alternative to TPB

I see D is back as well.

[J.A.F.O]

KAT is another alternative to TPB

I see D is back as well.

Word!?! huh wonder if my old account is still good... Missed big D and his trident. Thanks for the heads up!

[Coligny]

Tee heee heee...

[FG Lurker]

The company has MSDN so I get to try out the new versions of stuff as it comes out.

Currently my main OS on my main computer is Win8.1. Overall I like it. It boots super-fast, is incredibly stable, and has no problems with my triple display setup. I haven't had any issues finding drivers.

The "start screen" takes a little getting used to but once you get rid of most of the default tiles it actually works pretty well. You can also just hit the windows button on your keyboard and just start typing the name of the program you wish to run. It brings up a list of applications that match.

The full screen metro-mode apps work well on tablets (I have a Surface Pro 2) but are ridiculous on desktops. I have two 24" 1920x1200 displays and a 27" 2560x1440 display. I don't need my weather app or music player to take up an entire screen. Thankfully it's possible to just avoid these full-screen apps and stick to normal stuff. Office runs as you would expect, as do browsers, mail clients, Skype, VLC, and all the dev tools I run.

I've never been an eye-candy guy when it comes to OSes so I have always disabled any extra graphics. Vista / Win7 Aero is absurd, IMO. I like the simplified Win8 display graphics, they keep the screen clean and free of clutter. I want to focus on what I am working on, not admire pointless graphical touches to the OS.

Overall if you are buying a new OS I would definitely buy Win8 or 8.1.