Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99!

[som99]

I have tested W8 in VM and I did not like it at all, I see no need for me to change on my Windows machine from W7.
Can't upgrade since I have not owned a genuine Windows copy since Windows 95. Since me like most build our computers ourself to get what parts we want we don't get any OEM licence and I can't justify the price tag of buying Windows when I dual boot Linux and use Linux more then Windows.

[k4lmp]

Well, I tried it, and still have it installed under VirtualBox on my Linux machine.  Don't like it at all.  The first time you run it, you have to log in through Microsoft, not locally, so they get your information, and all that got me was a call several times from someone who couldn't speak english, wanting me to pay them for keeping my computers running correctly.  It gave me great pleasure to tell him that I don't run Windows, I use Linux, and hang up.  I used to be a big Windows guy, and even still run XP on a couple of machines for stuff I can't run under Linux.  I just wish Linux would catch on, and give Microsoft some competition, but I just don't see that happening.  I also have a couple of Macs, and I like those really well.  I guess Mac has a better chance of giving them competiton, but usually Mac stuff is more expensive.  Although, if anyone has ever opened up a Mac, the build quality, in my opinion is great.  They really pay attention to detail.

[runequester]

On release date, donate the amount upgrading would have cost you to the EFF or your favourite linux distro

[TheBilgeRat]

You who have tested it - is it really faster than Windows 7? Mor stable? I myself perceive Win 7 to be quite fast already and certainly very stable.

I love the last one there, "eight is bigger than seven" :lol:. I'm sure I saw that in some movie...?

To Be honest, when I tested it it seemed just like windows 7 to me except with this really colorful first login screen (Metro).  I ran it in a VM which made it a bit buggy as I'm pretty sure Metro likes real Video card performance.  I would have probably upgraded my main win7 to it but I don't dink around with upgrades in the middle of the school year just in case I let the smoke out.  I can't speak to all the developer whining (looking at you, Steam!).  It really does seem like a decent MS product to me.

Having said that, since XP I always wait for SP1 before I upgrade.

[whabang]

As far as I can tell, Windows 8 is rock solid.

The Metro interface isn't that nice when you use a mouse, but it works on the Xbox, so I guess they're aiming for consistency or something.

I reverted to Windows 7 again - there's not really any point in upgrading if you already have Windows 7 and don't have a touch screen.

[psxphill]

Well, I tried it, and still have it installed under VirtualBox on my Linux machine. Don't like it at all. The first time you run it, you have to log in through Microsoft, not locally,

I have never logged in through Microsoft, you just click the create local account button during setup.
 

so they get your information, and all that got me was a call several times from someone who couldn't speak english, wanting me to pay them for keeping my computers running correctly.

Seems like you got a call from one of the boiler room scams. That is not Microsoft's fault.
 
"You will never receive a legitimate call from Microsoft or our partners to charge you for computer fixes."
http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx
http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/08/tech-support-phone-scams-surge/
 
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/913890/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgHQDhoAc6s
 

I reverted to Windows 7 again - there's not really any point in upgrading if you already have Windows 7 and don't have a touch screen.

The speed optimisations and the new task manager have me hooked & I don't have a touch screen.

[whabang]

The speed optimisations and the new task manager have me hooked & I don't have a touch screen.

I didn't notice any speed differences apart from Windows 8 booting a bit faster. The Task manager is sexy indeed, but it's not enough to make me pay for an upgrade.

[Digiman]

LOL desperate w@nkers.

Whilst Win 7 is a piece of sh1t compared to XP (for efficiency, I can simulate every atom in the world if you give me enough CPU/memory so yes 7 is no replacement for XP Pro and you're an idiot if you think it is sorry) it is far superior to the clusterfuk that is Win 8 with that stupid insistence on iOS style forcing you to hack it out of the system completely. It's like buying a bottle of coke and saying it's OK as long as you don't drink it.

Millions of PCs with that w@nk OS will be sold just like 95/98/ME/XP/Vista/7 before it, whether we buy 'upgrades' or not won't make a difference to the balance sheet in the accountants office of M$ LOL

Oh and you can clearly see since the death of Jobs Apple are slowly going back to their overpriced unnecessary bollox product upgrade ways with useless 'improvements' so they will be heading down the pan soon.

Oh wait neither of them will because there is NO ALTERNATIVE thanks to Jobs letting Gates have access to the Mac prototype and its OS. Great! Isn't it time Paul Allen/Steve Ballmer/Bill Gates died of cancer too? the filthy bastads for destroying what was once a fun pass time (using computers)!

[psxphill]

I didn't notice any speed differences apart from Windows 8 booting a bit faster. The Task manager is sexy indeed, but it's not enough to make me pay for an upgrade.

Justifying the cost is a different argument, but the download upgrades are temptingly cheap. Microsoft are terrible at retail pricing and marketing. They are doing better this time round, although I wouldn't actually buy a disc version from a store when the download version is so much cheaper. No matter what box design I got.
 
My laptop is about three years old and it feels much snappier than Windows 7.

[commodorejohn]

You're being paranoid.
 
When it no longer makes financial sense to include backward compatibility then I can imagine they will drop it. I don't see that happening any time soon though. There is more chance of Microsoft abducting you and taking you to their Area 51 facility to perform medical experiments.

I really don't think I am. That's the logical conclusion of pushing Windows towards a closed environment; if this succeeds, I really think it's only a matter of time.

Millions of PCs with that w@nk OS will be sold just like 95/98/ME/XP/Vista/7 before it, whether we buy 'upgrades' or not won't make a difference to the balance sheet in the accountants office of M$ LOL

That remains to be seen. Vista already proved that Microsoft aren't as almighty as they think they are, and there's been more negative reaction to Win8 before release than Vista had a year after. I doubt we'll get to see a release-day scenario where nobody buys it (much as I'd love that,) but I don't think it's a given that adoption is going to be widespread.

On release date, donate the amount upgrading would have cost you to the EFF or your favourite linux distro

That's actually a great idea - though I'll be putting it towards either ReactOS (a hell of a lot closer to the Windows I want than this crap) or Haiku.

[runequester]

That's actually a great idea - though I'll be putting it towards either ReactOS (a hell of a lot closer to the Windows I want than this crap) or Haiku.

Yeah, for sure. Any of the little guys can use the funds a lot more than the corporate giants.

[odin]

What is it with the aggressiveness in general on A.org lately?

[psxphill]

I really don't think I am. That's the logical conclusion of pushing Windows towards a closed environment; if this succeeds, I really think it's only a matter of time.

It's only the logical conclusion if your logic is biased. If Microsoft did that then nobody would upgrade and eventually jump ship. It's all just FUD.
 

That remains to be seen. Vista already proved that Microsoft aren't as almighty as they think they are, and there's been more negative reaction to Win8 before release than Vista had a year after.

There are plenty of apple and Linux fan bois to spread misinformation, as is evident from this thread. They'll have to come up with something else to bitch about when it ships, or get comical ali to help them.
 
"On April 7, 2003, two days before Baghdad fell to US forces, al-Sahhaf claimed that there were no American troops in Baghdad, and that the Americans were committing suicide by the hundreds at the city's gates. He made this statement while standing on the east bank of the Dijli (Tigris) River in the center of Baghdad. His back was to the river and reporters could see two American Army M1 Abrams tanks behind him on a road on the far side of the river"
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Saeed_al-Sahhaf
 
 

I doubt we'll get to see a release-day scenario where nobody buys it (much as I'd love that,) but I don't think it's a given that adoption is going to be widespread.

Admitting you'd love nobody to buy it proves how biased you are. I'm running it now and it's nothing like what you imagine it to be.

[runequester]

There are plenty of apple and Linux fan bois to spread misinformation, as is evident from this thread. They'll have to come up with something else to bitch about when it ships, or get comical ali to help them.

As the resident linux fanboy, it pretty much doesn't matter if Win8 makes pizza and gives you a wank in the morning. Windows is irrelevant to my needs, and irrelevant to the open source movement as a whole, other than a yardstick to measure against in one specific, limited area (desktop computing).

However, It IS interesting from a general technological perspective though, and the paths taken by the major players will of course influence the competition along the way. Since Microsoft is the 900 pound gorilla in the kiddy pool, when they move, it makes a splash.
Likewise, it will be interesting to see the piracy rates, compared to earlier versions. Will the lower price point convince people to buy it, or will they pirate it at the same rate as before.


And I can tell you with quite a bit of certainty that CommodoreJohn is certainly no linux fanboi

[commodorejohn]

Admitting you'd love nobody to buy it proves how biased you are.

Did I ever claim any kind of neutrality on this subject? No. No, I did not. I will freely admit it: I want this to fail, because it's a dangerous step in the wrong direction for what is currently the only really open commercial desktop OS, and it's also a bad design decision for Windows to try and target two wildly disparate devices with one UI. It's a bad idea all around, and it needs to fail correspondingly hard.

What you're doing here is conflating neutrality and objectivity to imply that, because I have an opinion at all, my opinion is "biased" and therefore valueless. By this logic, the only person whose opinion should be taken seriously is the person with no opinion at all, and debate is inherently pointless.

[commodorejohn]

And I can tell you with quite a bit of certainty that CommodoreJohn is certainly no linux fanboi

Damn straight. But that's another thread ;P