Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99!

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How you liking WHS 2011, Iggy?

I recently switched from FreeNAS to WHS 2011 on my one NAS server and I'm loving it so far.

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Windows 7 is the new XP, I have no doubts about that.

Just like people absolutely refused to give up XP when Vista (or even 7, for awhile) came out, same thing will happen with Windows 8 and W7.  There's really no valid reason for any desktop user to go for it, and despite MS's claims everyone will just love the tile experience, people will avoid W8 like the plague on desktops.

Even at $40, I see no valid reason to "upgrade".

Not sure I would chalk it up to desperation, but more following the Apple model of cheaper, more frequent updates.

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99% of the people commenting in threads about Windows 8 here have likely not even tried it.

Walk the walk, then talk the talk - for or against.

I've used it for months, I've earned my right to comment about it, lol.

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You need to do your homework on what the different Windows 8 variants actually are (RT and Pro).

RT (ARM version) is very much a tablet only experience, but I readily agree W8 Pro and the hybrid Metro/traditional user experience it offers is still a complete nightmare to use on x86.

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My point exactly - Windows 8 is entirely forked.

Windows 8 RT for ARM devices.  These will not run standard x86 code, obviously - though recompiling for RT is supposedly "easy".  Loading of apps on these devices will occur in a very similar manner as iOS uses, ie; MS Marketplace.
These devices are the ones going after the iPad and Android tablets, consumption and simple data entry devices.

Windows 8 Pro:  for x86 devices, the "Surface" Pro type tablets with x86 chips and your standard desktop machines.  Installing apps on these will follow the same routine as it does now with Windows, no limitations.

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NT wasn't marketed towards the end consumer in the least, of course it didn't support games well.

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I found Windows 2000 absolutely bulletproof as well.  In fact I still have it on a machine at my shop, running along just fine.  Machine doesn't do a heck of a lot, sits there and prints invoices, but rock solid.

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The reasons for dropping the Metro moniker were not at all to do with public outcry, it was due to a trademark conflict.

For those interested in MS server offerings, feel free to buy WHS 2011 for $50 OEM.  Works a treat and no tile/metro stuff in sight.

That being said, MS's advertising and lack of clarity between RT and Windows 8 is staggering and it will bite them.  I had a friend of the family pre-order a Surface RT tablet, they travel a lot and the guys wife just loves this Windows shareware game she's been playing for years.  A weird, goofy little breakout type game that likely only 200 people on earth still play, a game that will never get ported to RT.  He figured "Windows is Windows" and bought the thing.

Said game is a Windows x86 game, not Windows RT.  He's essentially bought a $600 paperweight, the little game she planned to play on the machine will not work in the least on RT.  To say he's pissed off is an understatement.

MS's advertising on this is sketchy and extremely misleading to the common man.  I know the diff between RT and Windows 8, and know they don't mix.  But most people just see "Windows" and make an assumption of "hey, it's windows, this will work".  It won't, traditional x86 Windows programs will not work on RT in the least in their native form, even if you could sideload them.

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As I said, they travel quite a bit.  They figured it'd be a lot easier than lugging their 6 pound older WinXP laptop around, and figured the Surface RT machine would kill two birds with one lighter and more compact stone and allow her to play her little game, check her facebook, email, and etc. when they were on their vacations down south.

So not purchased solely for playing a shareware game on, but definitely a big factor that's now out the window entirely.

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I ask again - John, have you tried Windows 8?

I hate the tiles nonsense as much as anyone else and I will not be upgrading to 8, just curious if you have tried it.

It is delusional to think they are going to kill the "install what you want" on the open Windows 8 (non RT) version.  Even Apple hasn't gone that gonzo yet.

MS to Adobe:

MS:  "Hey guys, we're changing what we had for 30 years - you now have to make a special version of Photoshop and I'm afraid that means you can't sell it anywhere but our stores and the users will not be dealing with you on your own product at all.  OH, by the way - we take 30% of the profits"

Adobe (and every other major vendor):  "**** you"

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Many of the statements made about the doom and gloom about W8 ushering in some Big Brother scheme aren't just paranoid lunacy, but stuff easily proved 110% incorrect by anyone even remotely up to date on the status of the product.  Even if you are five years in the past regarding the modern computing era, you can see how silly this is.  The idea that MS would not allow people to run anything other than the store served apps would bankrupt them, since MS's main source of income is from Enterprise.  Enterprise has no time for bull**** like submitting their very close to the chest, highly private apps to anyone for "approval", much less MS.

It's depressing here when intelligent people don't actually go hands on with a product, and don't bother to actually read up on easily checked facts before yammering on like some old man on a rocking chair wielding a shotgun.

We can all get on the same page and bitch and moan about how W8, OSX, or whatever OS *IS NOT* an Amiga OS and therefore is useless, but at the end of the day, get hands on and for chrissakes actually read materials that aren't 2 years old on the matter before you smack talk.

MS has never asked anyone to "sign in" to MS services to use the OS, or tried to sell services upon install, and they never will.

I'm a MCSE/MCSA.  I hate Windows 8, so I am not about to pander to MS on this one, but at least *I* know why I dislike it  

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Always baffled me why people don't use slipstreamed versions for installs.

I've been using nLite for years and can't imagine not using it.

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I like how all the people that have no intentions of ever trying W8, or have never tried it yet - are completely and painfully oblivious to the fact you can run it in normal desktop mode if you like.  You're free to dislike what you like, but Jesus - do some fact checking, lol.

I've got it on one of my machines now with nary a trace of "Metro" around at all.  It's a heck of a lot snappier than W7 was on the machine as well, machine boots in under 10 seconds from cold boot (SSD's, obviously).

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Been using Win 8 since it launched.

Got rid of all the Metro/Modern UI crap.  Boots into desktop by default, much faster than W7 did.  Functions as well as W7, with the extra perks W8 brought on the desktop side.  W7 was stable, but W8 is bulletproof thus far for me.  I do not see the Metro/Modern GUI at all at any time on this machine.  It is not rocket science to get rid of the Tiles.

Would I recommend you buy an OEM version of W8 to replace W7 on your current PC?  No.  She's still heavy on cramming the tiles experience down your neck by default, and unless you are willing to get rid of that on your own time you will find the mix and match Desktop and Tiles experience jarring.  It's not for everyone.  Either is stinky blue cheese, but I'm not picketing cheese shops - I simply don't eat blue cheese

I know it is common sport around here to riff on MS, but can't help but feel the vast majority of people slagging the product off are the same guys that used to slag off MS-DOS when the Amiga came about and we tried to do the "mouse envy" superiority act on the pee cee guys.  Reminds me of the old platform pissing matches we had in the day, when we actually had a foothold as Amigans.  We don't have that foothold anymore.

It was dumb then, and it's dumb now.  Use what you like, but for God's sakes - don't comment about things you haven't even tried.  Worse yet, don't buy into Press Mentality.  Find it odd here that the ones screaming the loudest are the types still denouncing Tablets, like they are a flash in the pan.  Just because you don't see value in them, doesn't change reality.
Throwing on an Amiga shirt and spitting at old Apple and MS flags doesn't change reality.  Love Amiga for what is it - a real fun hobby alternative.

I'd be happy to sit here and tell you everything I hate about Windows 8, and why I don't recommend you buy it at any price unless you know what you are doing.  I'd also be happy to sit here and tell you how, now that I have it tweaked, how I am very happy with it.