Windows 8 review: The thing blows

http://twitter.com/ericdano ericdano

Goddamn Goblins!

lomifeh

The aliased text and the flickering is driving me nuts. Video content was good though.

JohnDoey

Looked great to me.
http://twitter.com/AlexDaUkrainian Alex Novosad

No flickering here.

Merckel

Every IT Dept. Head should watch this before going over their own “technology cliff.” The best OS should be transparent to the user. Windows 8 is a brick wall between the user and applications.

I’m staying with Windows 7 (running via Parallels on my Mac)

ImageStealer

I’m with you. In fact I just bought my wife a new basic box. Really had to hunt around to find one with Win7, but got one. Plan on staying there.
VirtualMark

That’s a real good way of summing up the problem!

Guest

What a stupid troll. Making bullshit presentation just shows how incompetent this self-proclaimed freelancer that can’t get a job. Heck, better hire an 11 year-old kid.

http://intaligo.com/ InRussetShadows

Let’s see your animation, Flash, scriptwriting, speaking, and audio skills. Oh wait. You’ve already demonstrated your writing skills (hint: you left out an article in sentence two, and you don’t know what a troll is). And if he’s freelancing, what are you doing besides demonstrating the fine art of projection? My geez. Grow up.
CAugustin

Yeah. Attacking the guy and his style and not a single argument where he’s eventually wrong – who’s the troll here?
JohnDoey

Your attack on the messenger only implies you have no rebuttal to the message.

What are you doing with Windows 8 today that is working better than 7?
sexcontent

Go play next to a hornet’s next Troll!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=667055279 Drew Russell

I honestly cannot wait for someone to ask me about Windows 8 now just so I can describe it as a “goblin that randomly appears, farts in your face, and then disappears” over and over again.

Merckel

Why puff WIndows 8 with that description?
- RJT
  
  I asked for and got my money back from Micro Soft. What a total mess!

Franko65

“Charms Bar”? speechless

http://cbrueggenolte.de/ Carsten Brüggenolte

Is it really called “Charms bar”? didn’t know till now and still can’t believe it.
- waynewerner
  
  “Charms bar” sounds so dirty

ruebenramirez

I do wish this presentation had left out the additional cruft of a shot at humor, but there were some decent points made.

http://twitter.com/jitterted Ted M. Young

Yes, using PowToon allows you to make fancy looking videos, but I found this video had so much ranting and cursing, I couldn’t focus on the facts. Lots of curse words and screaming works well for daytime TV, not for technical reviews.

JohnDoey

You should definitely avoid the Internet going forward if cursing makes you faint.
http://twitter.com/billyrazzle Billy Razzle

You can’t curse on daytime TV.

http://jeffk.eu/ Jeff K.

I have to use the “Metro” interface because I work with Windows Server and the things that I have done to make my work at least as fast as with Server 2008 (which uses Windows 7′s Aero) would make someone laugh… I have shortcuts everywhere that I never had to have before because these were a couple of clicks away. Put this on top of the fact that I work over Remote Desktop and it makes the interface horrendous…!

And the funny thing is that Windows Server 2012 is actually pretty much a must have upgrade over 2008 in terms of new features…

Domicinator

I heard that originally Microsoft said that the server versions would allow admins to turn Metro off and just use the server OS in “classic mode” and then later took it back and took the option away by the time the consumer previews came out.

I can’t imagine any admin wanting to deal with this OS in its current form, or wanting to roll it out to any clients on their network. It would be problems upon problems upon problems with compatibility and user frustration. On top of all that, you have the pain in the a$$ of having to deal with it on your server as well. I imagine a lot of companies will be sticking with 7 or moving to Mac, and that would be a wise move.

Microsoft’s last bastion in my house was my old Windows 7 gaming PC that I built 6 years ago. It was reformatted and sold to a co-worker last week. Full time OSX Mountain Lion now.

walrus1887

Wow so you spent 30 minutes with it and then made a thirty minute video bashing it. Real nice. You must be an expert…. guess that’s why you are still freelancing….

http://www.facebook.com/followthecode Roman Rodriguez

still freelancing? Are you insinuating that he should be working from someone? It is way better to be self-employed than to spend your efforts making someone else rich….

JohnDoey

“It’s not enough to have new ideas — you have to also stop having old ideas.” — Edwin Land, founder of Polaroid

With iOS, Apple accomplished the above. With Windows 8, Microsoft did not.

The first iOS mobile device had a 4–8 GB SSD and 1 GB was used by the minimalist, modernized, mobilized variant of OS X. The first Windows 8 mobile device had a 32 GB SSD and 20 GB is used by a big fat classic desktop Windows installation. The old ideas weigh Windows 8 down.

sigh~

wow… the ipad is a book and the mac a printing press… on a Windows discussion..

Domicinator

I used the “consumer preview” for a couple of weeks and promptly uninstalled it. If it’s not on a tablet it makes no sense, and even on a tablet it’s not that great.

http://www.BarnesFamily.com/ davebarnes

Watched it all. Agree with everything based upon my experience of trying to use W8.

http://twitter.com/AlexDaUkrainian Alex Novosad

Ditto.

2TurnersNotEnough

He came across as a little whiny toward the end, but after using and developing on W8 for a few weeks, I can definitely empathize.

FYI, the gesture to terminate an app is to drag the mouse from the top of the screen to the bottom. Though, like iOS, apps are not expected to be terminated by the user.

My other favorite was to discover how to shutdown or put my PC to sleep. that now resides under the setup icon in the Charms Bar. Right where I expected it (not really).

satcomer

This open many doors for Mac & Linux. I can see that in my minds eye and businesses will eventually go with Linux at work and Macs at home.

Cerabix

Honestly, I can’t stand most of Mac’s software either. Itunes pales in comparison to the Zune software, google drive is far more useful as a cloud system then either mac’s or window’s. Both appstores (and androids) aren’t nearly as user friendly as steam’s system and I don’t know anyone in my age range (25) that can even remember using anything other then a browser based email service.

http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

It’s the juvenile insults from defenders of Windows 8 that really tell the story.

http://www.facebook.com/rajene.harris Rajene Harris

haha took the words right out of my mouth, honestly the calendar messages, whose birthday it is , whose messaging you shouldn’t be popping up every 5 minutes! and I had to google and research a lot to move around effectively in windows 8…kind of disappointing in how excited i was

kazaakiller

I am a windows fan, but I have to tell you the first 30 mins with windows 8 I felt the same way this guy does. I almost downgraded back to windows 7 but once I took the time to find out how to use it, its simple.

The big secret is the 4 corners of your screen is where everything can be found.

Bottom left corner->left mouse click=metro interface Bottom left corner->right mouse click=Advanced controls(ie. control panel, device manager etc.)

Top and bottom right corners=charms bar(settings for the app you are currently viewing). Top left corner=view or navigate too the apps you recently opened.

And if you want to close an app just click the top of the screen and pull it down like as if you are throwing it away.

To prevent all these bad reviews I think MS should have put a 30 second video together explaining this when you first install it.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=588494204 Matt Wingett

Hi, this pretty much reconfirmed my experience with Windows 8, though I’m a little less desperate in my response to it than this guy seems. He does sound rather like a spoiled child, but the points he makes when you strip all the emotional immaturity away are correct, and the information he gives about continuity, conveyancing etc are really good.

For the type of usage I have for this system, it struck me that the Metro screen was probably irrelevant.

In response to these needs, I installed Classic Shell, a third party app that gives you back your start menu and bypasses the Metro screen entirely on start up. After all, the Metro screen seems rather irrelevant.

Then, while I was working the desktop environment further issues to do with the apps appeared.

An example – having used skype many times on previous versions of Windows during meetings to discuss documents I am working on, I tried the same with the Skype app on this system. That initially presented a problem. It appeared that you either have to use Skype as provided in full screen, OR you view your documents.

In response to that, I initially uninstalled the Skype app and installed the desktop version of Skype to get the traditional feel as I acclimatised.

However, as I have discovered more about the system, I see it is possible to have an app on the left side of the screen using the Snap Left option. You get Snap Left by taking your cursor to the top left of the screen while an app is on, revealing smaller apps icons. After that, you right click to reveal the Snap Left option.

So, I realised I had acted in haste in uninstalling the Skype app, and will reinstall it and try that out.

Our reviewer’s response represents a serious piece of feedback to MS.

Setting up a more familiar interface for laptop / PC users with the option of exploring Metro functionality would have been wiser than dropping you into a bewildering new environment with no hints. I had the same sensation when I first played the classic game Myst all those years ago. Now that I have started to acclimatise, I begin to understand the Metro screen. Without that acclimatisation time and a sense of curiosity rather than judgementalism, I would have been as dejected, whiny and teary as our reviewer here.

Let’s face it, the Metro aspect of the system is designed for touch screens, as our reviewer says. It doesn’t translate well to non-touch.

Regarding touch, I can see all those bright young kids at MS getting really excited about touchscreens and saying: “Touch is the future”, and forgetting what the present is: that most people use Windows on PCs and Laptops and don’t give a toss about touch. Some, like me, even think that touching the screen just means you end up having to wipe it more often. Staring through a layer of residual sebaceous secretion to use a computer feels strikes me as distinctly lo-tech. I am reminded of Douglas Adams’s tail about the Golgafrinchams being wiped out by a highly virulent disease spread by telephone handsets after they expelled all the telephone sanitisers from their planet. I dread to think what substances we stare through when looking at touch screens, especially considering how many sights are designed to be viewed in an onanistic context.

But I digress.

That all said, a little perseverance and the use of Classic Shell is recommended. That start menu makes all the difference!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Pamela-Dearborn-Gagliardo/1789858374 Pamela Dearborn Gagliardo

Actually, considering this was a major corporation that ‘designed’ W8, I think he was fairly constrained in his comments.
Madman

Seriously? You should receive a Sainthood recommendation from Microsoft, or you work for them, or you must be pretty desperate for an operating system. This guy is basically summing up how nearly every normal average every day user feels that has touched this piece of crap.It has nothing to do with sounding like a spoiled child, it has to do with customer satisfaction and people paying good money for a product or service that is a substandard piece of shit.

Rob

The points about Win8 are decent, but the presentation is an obvious rip off of Zero Punctuation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PBaGj2jpkA&list=PL58FD3A7244B64B99) right down to lifting only watered down. I’ve got no problem with borrowing a concept and improving on it, but this is much more boring.

dogface

Windows 8 is the most disgusting operating system for a desktop computer I have seen. I would not use it if they gave it away for free. I don’t just dislike it, I hate it! I never actually hated an operating system from Microsoft before this. The main reason is that I have no choice. I want a desktop operating system for my desktop. Windows 8 looks OK for a touch device, but since I have no choice in my desktop OS I will not buy any Windows 8 device and I will advise all I know not to buy Windows 8 devices. Screw you Microsoft for trying to jam this abomination of an OS down everyone’s throat. I will defiantly give Linux a try.

Joseph

Linux is the way the go

Mike Hodson

I’m in college for Computer Engineering. (I just included that to show that I know how to use a computer well) Anyway, I downloaded Windows 8 Pro 64-bit from MSDN a while ago. It came packed in a very nice ISO with a product key along side. I have a friend that installed Windows 8, loved it, and wanted me to try it out also. It was very easy to install. I made a partition just for Windows 8 so that I wouldn’t have to loose my Windows 7 in case I didn’t like Win8. The Windows 8 install was smooth and easy.

      My friend and I were confused when Win8 was showing how to bring up the Charms menu. We were confused because it was continually showing an animated mouse pointer go to the top right corner, open the charms menu, and repeat. We thought maybe it was wanting us to do what the mouse was doing only to find out that it was just reloading the same thing over and over similar to an animation you would see while at a loading screen in a video game.

 After that confusion was over, Windows 8 launched strait into the Metro. (which is not called the Metro anymore, but I don't care and still call it the Metro) My first reaction to Windows 8 "This isn't the desktop. I don't like this." I hated that Windows 8 boots strait to the Metro. My natural instinct telling me "This is new and scary and I don't know where I am." Upon quick survey, I found a large square with a picture of a flower on it that said Desktop. I clicked it and everything was right with the world again. Or so I thought at least. I knew it was coming, but I didn't want it to be true. The start button was gone and there was no coming back.

Now, my friend had been using Win8 for a while now and knew the “swipe” commands. He demonstrated launching the charms bar, changing basic settings, searching the Metro screen, opening the Metro by clicking the bottom left of the screen, and multitasking. I use a 2 monitor setup all the time, 1 being a monitor and the other my laptop screen. I prefer to do most of my computing on the monitor portion because it’s larger and has a 1080p resolution. What I didn’t know when I went home for break, was that multitasking on the Win8 Metro only works if your monitor exceeds a certain resolution. My laptop screen’s max resolution was indeed not large enough. I considered that just a small problem and went back to using Metro on my big screen.

I’d been using Windows 8 for about 3 months and I had decided that this is my favorite OS ever. (even though you have to make Windows accounts and Xbox accounts to use some of the built in functions) Either way, I loved Windows 8 for what it was, a full OS that I could also use to play Jetpack Joyride on in Psychology class while switching over to MS Word when the Prof walked past. It truly was a glorious time, until it turned for the worse.

I, like most computer users anymore, don’t shut down my computer every time I’m done using it. I just Lock it and let it go to sleep. Never had any problems and I still do it today. Oddly enough, Win8 did have a problem with this. (for some odd reason) I just got back to my room and unlocked my computer when a friend came in and said “food?”. So I locked my computer again and we went to dinner. When my friends and I got back we decided to play some Minecraft like we often do. (although when I first started using Win8 I couldn’t play Minecraft on it because it needed an accelerated driver that my graphics card maker hadn’t released an official version for. So I had to download an assortment of beta and early release version to finally be able to play Minecraft. Not really a Win8 problem, but still obnoxious.) Anyway, I unlocked my computer and started to tool around when it suddenly slowed down and locked up. For some unknown reason, Win8 had just frozen up and nothing worked, not ALT+TAB, WIN+D, CTRL+SHIFT+ESC, or even CTRL+ALT+DEL. So I did a hard shutdown.

Hard shutdowns hadn’t been a problem before with my Win8. I had done it a few other times, as well as my battery dieing a few time. When I forgot to mention earlier is that when you install Win8 you get this cool little boot manager type dealy. Normally I would power on my computer and choose between Win7 or Win8. Now however, a white =( told me that I had an error (the same error I received when I had done a hard shutdown before) and I restarted my computer again to clear the error and boot into Windows. After my restart I was greeted with the same error as before, this time I had less hope. It instructed me to use my Windows 8 repair disk. I did so, and when I booted into the disk, it all seemed to go smoothly until I launched the repair function.

After launching the repair, it would go into an endless spinning of the little “thinking” icon. I tried this a few times and the same would always happen. I couldn’t boot into Win8 because it was broken and I couldn’t boot into my Win7 because Win8 controlled booting. I feverishly tried booting into the Win7 Install to try to restore Win7 booting functionality. Which was again met with an endless thinking cycle. (Meanwhile no one on the Internet seemed to have ever had this Windows 8 problem) I had my friend check my hard drive for failure in case it wasn’t an OS problem at all. The tests came back fine. Which meant that whatever I ended up doing to fix this, it was now going to have to be drastic. Finally, I broke down and booted into Parted Magic. (a fantastic free USB-bootable mini OS that is great for drive cloning and drive partitioning and pretty much anything you’d ever need for maintaining and fixing a hard drive problem) Using Parted Magic, I launched the partition manager and had to cut all ties to Win8 by deleting it’s partition whole. After a moment of silence for all the data lost, I rebooted my computer and Windows 7 was bootable again.

That whole ordeal was about a month or 2 ago. I still miss my Win8 and fully intend to re-install it at a later date. For those of you who think that’s a stupid idea, I will always chase the great times I had with Win8. Even if Windows 8 utterly failed and I had to force myself to delete all the data I had and loved on it that I will never see again.

All-in-all, I think that sums up my Windows 8 experience. Also, I love websites where I can share my opinion without having to link an account to my post. (even though I’m going to link an account anyway)

Fergus

Thank you! Thank you! So happy to know it’s not just me. A product recall is the only answer. I am so fed up with windows 8.

HipKat

This is the most brilliant review ever. +1

Jace Copier

Wow, my experience was completely different from this video. For me, Windows 8 is great. I think a part of the video explained it perfectly. It was just like when Microsoft Office switched to the Ribbon… Many people were lost. The difference was, I learned to adapt and actually prefer the ribbon over the old interface. Same thing for Windows 8… Sure, I agree, it was confusing at first, but so was the ribbon.

Well I gave Windows 8 a chance and the more I used it the more I fell in love with it. If I really want to go back to the Windows 7 experience, I click on desktop. Sure the start menu is gone, but a quick search (Win + Q) and I find anything I need and faster than using the old start button. If my 4 year old son can pick up this OS in a matter of minutes, its cant be that bad.

Windows 8 may not be for everyone, but I think this video is a little too extreme. Weather app popping in your face? What are you doing, cause I have never had that problem.

Closing a metro app? When you use an iPad and you are done with an app, where is the close button for that app? Why is it ok for iOS to not have close buttons for an app, but not ok for Windows? Did you not figure that out on the iPad either? Sheesh.

I get it, some people enjoy how things currently work and do not want things to change; stick with Windows 7 then. For me, I am really enjoying Windows 8 and don’t want/need to go back.

But if you ask me, if a child can learn how to use this easily, so can you: http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-8-so-easy-a-child-will-show-you-how-to-use-it

Nathaniel

Honestly, how is the ribbon interface in any way comparable to “modern ui”? While the ribbon increases productivity and efficiency (albeit not by much), the modern ui makes everything take about twice as long- I don’t have a huge screen, but I don’t see why I should be forced to do all sorts of ridiculous mouse gestures in order bring up oversized menus, “charms bars”, and start menus that fill the whole screen!
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1262486425 Pierre Ducasse
  
  not at all if you don t know how to use it its not my fault . you can open the calc app for example within 3 secs and 4 keystrokes
- Jace Copier
  
  The ribbon interface is comparable because it was a drastic change with the UI where many people complaigned about it when first introduced (referenced in the video). People are now doing basically the same thing with “Modern UI”. I went in with an open mind and looked for ways it can be useful and fell in love with it. Just like the ribbon, I now miss the new start menu when using Windows 7.
  
  If you don’t like the charms bar… don’t use it, Microsoft doesn’t force you to, but it is useful when used properly. Like I said, Windows 8 may not be for everyone which sounds like you fall in that bucket… so stick with Windows 7 or whatever your OS of choice may be. For me, I love the live tiles and the charms bar. I agree with you though, using the mouse to navigate takes longer, which is why I use keyboard commands (Win+Q for search and Win+C for charms are 2 of my favorites).

guest

Thank god I am not the only one that has an issue with windows 8.I am returning my laptop back to the shop tomorrow for refund and will either find a laptop with windows 7 or get a cheap reconditioned one and put what I like on it til something better comes out.I am not great on computers but up until now have had no issue figuring out what I needed to know or learning it but for the computer illiterate person like me WELL this shit is definitely a fail.I was actually adviced against windows 8 from friends that are very into computers and some are programmers but unfortunately all the laptops in the shop were windows 8.After having it for a number of days I know for me I wont get to grips with it and neither do I have the time to do so.Am taking it back to shop tomorrow and they either put windows 7 on it free of charge or they can refund me and take the laptop back.For the majority of people like myself who arent so into computers windows 8 is a huge fail

guest

As one computer literate friend said to me windows 8 is designed by techs for techs.It is in no way designed for your average person that is not interested in figuring out a puzzle before actually using it for what you bought it for.U can stick windows 8 up your arse

guest

wow while actually watching this video I was sent back to the apps page(start page)whatever you call it without touching a damn thing.says it all really

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=681358953 Wade Spruill

I just purchased a new laptop that has Windows 8 on it. Much like the maker of the video, I have used windows since 3.11. This is the biggest piece of crap ever released! Even the Edsel had potential to be good! I usually have multiple windows and programs running at one time. This has all bee a complete waste of My time and Money!

K Read

I am still using XP. Had Vista removed and XP installed and really like it. Looking to getting a new computer and don’t know if I should use windows 8 or have my XP reinstalled. The pros and cons on 7 and 8 make the decision very difficult. Someone, please, give me some guidance on this one. Thank you

another guest

What a nonsense vid. I’m using computers for 30 years but I don’t recognize anything in this vid. Weather popping by itself? I bet you screwed with the settings, never happened to me. It’s true some things are on a different place, for some things you even need more clicks. But if you say you don’t get anything done on it, it says more about you then about win8. It’s new and differs from what they done before. So you get a learning curve, is that so bad? Nah it’s just people scared for new things, or who want to hold on to the old no matter what, that make nonsense vids like this. If you get used to it win8 is just as good, maybe even better.

Magpie

I trust that your ability to evaluate this garbage is better than your command of the English language. I object to using an operating system that looks like it was designed by Fisher Price for the exclusive use of pre-schoolers. The few people who try to defend this nonsense seem be doing their best to make it usable by installing the Start button and similar. I have an operating system that has all the features they are trying to put back, is 100% usable, fast, stable and has decent graphics. It is called Windows 7.
sexcontent

Troll

Charlie

Back in 1999, I obtained my MCSE certification through Microsoft. I followed it up with an A+ certification from Comptia. Since that time, I’ve earned a living as a computer technician.

The introduction of Windows 8 has been an absolute nightmare, not only for me but for my customers. I have actually had business people in tears on the phone, desperate because they absolutely had to get something done, and couldn’t figure out how to do it. I sympathize with them; I often couldn’t figure out how to do simple, common tasks in Windows 8 either. And I’m not a stupid guy, and I’m by no means technologically illiterate. (I program for fun in VB6 and C++, and am learning Python).

This operating system is a lurching, staggering, vomit-in-your-crotch disaster. Vista and Windows ME were like stupid, illiterate couch potatoes; but Windows 8 is different. Windows 8 is the Adolph Hitler of operating systems. It is drastically, dramatically evil. There isn’t any plainer or more accurate way of stating it.

Personally, I’ve made the decision to transition to Linux. But that path won’t work for most of my customers; for them, I’m recommending Apple Macs. This isn’t a great solution – Macs are considerably more expensive than Windows boxes – but my customers time is also worth something. If we value their time at as little as $100 per hour, the 20 or 30 hours spent achieving some level of Windows 8 literacy simply isn’t worth it. Macs become the cheaper solution.

I’m quite angry with Microsoft for releasing this OS, and all the more so for using their huge worldwide clout to force it into peoples lives. The amount of anguish that they’ve caused in the lives of common people is truly breathtaking; and I’m certain that they’re aware of it, but they simply don’t care. And that leaves me coldly furious. There is no measure of corporate responsibility here; indeed, this is the kind of self serving, uncaring behavior more commonly associated with psychopaths.

I’m a techie. I’m a geek. But most people aren’t; they use computers as a productivity tool, as a means to an end. Microsoft has decided, for their own self serving reasons, to put the productivity of the planet on hold while people are forced to stop what they’re doing, throw out every scrap of computer knowledge they ever had, and learn computers – again – from the ground up.

The arrogance that they’ve exhibited is staggering. If they lose their position as the dominant software publisher on the planet, it will be no more than they deserve.

Mkondrak

time to move on from windows 95, buddy
- harr
  
  If i wanted a zune on my computer i would go out and blow my brains out. Ill be switching to a mac thank you.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1293068439 Arthur Cote
  
  XP has been the best os for me, so far.
Alan

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!! You are so right on with this assessment. Just tried to help someone with this and I as well am very computer literate… or so I thought till this steaming pile came along.
Rob Paul

I totally agree with you. I’ve moved on to Android. What Google is doing and has done has finally made my computing nightmares disappear. Googles Project “Butter” says it all.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002528272447 Craig Eckel

I have my Bachelors of Computer Engineering and the same question keeps popping up with respect to Windows 8. How did so many people over at Microsoft let this unusable operating system out the door? It’s amazing that things as simple as folder creation in email, POP3 support, and background images didn’t seem to matter much.

Bubba

Just bought a new laptop and I am being held hostage by WIndows 8 and feel like shit because I bought this operating system well actually I had to take it as it came with the laptop…. Major piece of sht. No Start button. Stupid bar on the right keeps appearing. Microsoft did you idiots even try this SHT before inflicting it on me?

Hurfs

Install Win8 startbutton then well in desktop mode it is just the same as windows 7

http://www.facebook.com/cheyao.hsu Cheyao Hsu

i couldn’t agree with you more windows 8 is a HUGE HUGE disappointment

http://www.facebook.com/people/Pamela-Dearborn-Gagliardo/1789858374 Pamela Dearborn Gagliardo

He nails it to the nth degree. Trying to make this abomination work has caused my BP to go sky high, leave me babbling obscenities under my breath & finally concluding that this OS passes all categories right into EVIL. When I saw, finally!, why the #)#(**@ cursor seemed possessed & jumped entire screens I was both astounded & horrified that MS had somehow combined a ‘swipe’ motion with using a touchpad. I thought I was going crazy. One day, silly me, I tried to change the font size, LOL, never, ever was able to achieve that used-to-be vanilla command with the BS I encountered with W8. Now, understand, I am both a ‘grandma’ & also started using computers when we had mainframes at SLAC & I was programming physics calculations into the papers I produced for the physicists I worked for. So, in a manner of speaking, this wasn’t my first rodeo. We got a lovely Lenovo laptop as a wonderful gift, however, since W8 is the only option it comes with, have finally said enough of this BS & are returning it. This is really sad when MS, as he said, foists this POS on the unsuspecting & doesn’t even offer an alternative. We would have happily kept our new laptop if we could have installed Windows 7 on it – ha, maybe in a parallel universe. Whoever has caused this horror to be foisted on us, let the punishment fit the crime.

Joseph

Window 8 was design to follow Mac Os x Idea.

Microsoft went to move in the same direction as mac,Becoming exclusive. So that we will no longer be able to install 3 party software wit out have to go true Zune just like Max true I tune.

Now Microsoft as is personal store, pad, an phone now just watch..The best is to come..Linux is on is way, and believe me Linux will take over the market jut watchhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/ces/9002390/CES-2012-Linux-Ubuntu-TV-launched-by-British-firm-Canonical.html

Michael J P

OMG… this is so honest. Trust me. I have gone through all the upgrades during the years. I have been on Windows 8 and I am savvy when it comes to Windows (really … to rate my knowledge…which person can…hmmm…LOL). I have been on for a few weeks and I do have a touch screen which should make it more friendly….hmmm… let say not. I get around but… as a professional in the corporate world…all I can see is….HELP…the poor HELP Desk… what were they thinking. Enough about that… now the real problem…to downgrade my touch screen…OMG

w4h

window 8 + stardock = window 7 + happy me

Frank

I am nearly 70 and even I with no computer skills until 6 years ago can operate this system with ease after studying it for a bit.The problem is with the touchy touchy bit.I have a new laptop and the answer is to invest in the wedge mouse(blue tooth)by Microsoft.This little gadget solves all the problems I had with controlling the cursor on the screen for scrolling and general operations.You can use on any surface,even your lap.I have used it while the dog was laying on my lap.While a little confused even she accepted it.

The other good thing is that all my old software works with it and boy it’s fast .(Photography video and cartography) Boot is fast also.I migrated from XP to this without touching Vista or Windows 7.I love this system and how it works.Stick with,like all things new you have to use your brain for a little while and then it just clicks.You will all be using this system in a year or so……Contented pensioner.

PBO_Go

I have been using WIn8 as well as my family on several machines and not one of us have had these problems. In the end, you need to get a different job as technology appears to have passed you.

PBO_Go

BTW, Every new install of Win8 I have seen tells you about the Charms bar and how the OS operates.

Ez

my new laptop came with windows 8…I only use my laptop when I’m in a very calm place.

http://unlimitedskye.tumblr.com/ Micael

this isn’t a review imho

http://www.facebook.com/nascartrumpet89 Alexander Grewe

i don’t like windows 8 at all there is not much you can do right from the start, i am not go to get it i’m staying with windows 7. windows is a big disapointment .

Steven

I upgraded to Win8 and I do not like it. It is not as reliable as Win7, which I think will be around for a long time like Win XP.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1262486425 Pierre Ducasse

stupid video I figured out how to close apps with alt f4 as usual or you have alt tab or just hit the win key and the unexpected popping apps didn’t have those but prefer desktop version than app version for Skype for example

Bob Williams

Will Windows 8 be Microsoft’s undoing?

Bill Hart

When IBM introduced the 360 series of computers about 1964 they sold us on the story that, from the largest to the smallest, things would work the same — that was why they were called 360 — the whole circle.. Crass lie, as it turned out! (The 360-40 always seemed to need special treatment, for one.)

BUT, to make things worse, NONE of the old programs used on the 7000-series machines would work. Not just a re-compile;they had be rewritten from the ground up, because the data word lengths differed. Payroll stopped working (that is bound to be an attractive effect!). So I got the feeling that Mr Esso and Mr, Mobil and General Foods and all backed Thomas Watson Jr into a corner at a cocktail party and said “Don’t you EVER do that to us again!” — and IBM didn’t. Regardless of CPU design or OS details, they kept things basically upward compatible for years.

Seems to me that Steve Ballmer is too young to have been through that trauma, and nobody ever taught him that lesson.

Rosco

Just this last weekend, I was at a conference, the speaker had a set of images, and requested an PC and projector to show them as a slideshow. Well the PC they supplied had Win8. And no way in hell could they figure out how to show the images full-screen and be able to click or press page down to get the next image. Ended up had to get another PC with Win7 to do it. If something that straight-forward is impossible to work out in 15 mins, something is wrong.

lulu

I just bought a new laptop that came with Windows 8 and I HATE IT. I want my life back !!

Will

Thanks Jim, I downloaded a preview edition of Windows 8 last year. Every time i tried to leave informed, useful feedback, it would digress into a profane rant. You have articulated everything I was incapable of saying. I eventually stopped trying to give feedback, believing that this was the new “Microsoft Bob” and it would soon be only a bad memory. I can’t believe they actually released it. There are only two ways this can play out. MS will quickly make a patch that allows it to start and run in desktop mode, or this time next year MS will be out of business.

http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/ Peace By JESUS

Almost all my software works under W/8 pro, but i have no real use or desire for the playground type metro, and so Classic Shell is critical. Also Right Click Extender allows you to add a lot of things to the right click menu, while Windows key and Q will bring up all your apps and the search bar (hit Esc twice to get out) and Windows key and i will bring up PC Settings, and Windows key and E will bring up Windows Explorer and your drives,

I bought W/8 pro 64bit DVD upgrade (from XP MCE) for 30.00 with the 40.00 NewEgg/Visa rebate (which takes over a months to get and must be used in 6) when they had it on sale in December (you can still get it for 42.00 thru MS till 1-31), and installed it on a 7 year old Sony 2.8ghz 64bit rig.

But it will not play DVDs by default, and while you can get the media center upgrade for free til 1-31, you have to pay 10.00 afterwards, which is likely needed to play DVDs legally, and yet WMP still could not play some DVDs that VLC player could, for which MS tech support apologized to me.

All the hardware works except for my analog sound card, but it works with a .99 cent USB sound card (ebay), and even at the highest resolution my video card the desktop goes a little beyond the edges.

Collin Goldman

This guy has problems…

I figured out most of this stuff that he brings up just by dinking around on a laptop in a Costco store!! Haha, he needs to rethink his priorities

http://twitter.com/HermesHaller #ONCE Ramón Vásquez

I took the first consummers edition test and didn’t like it. I reached to the same conclusion as the guy in the video: Win8 was made for tablets and smartphones not for PC’s/notebooks (not even the touchscreen type). I think that Microsoft will fly high with this OS on mobile tech, but it will probably go down in a worst way than Windows Vista -I call it “Bosta” (horse shit in spanish). I’m staying on W7. It is a very good OS. Maybe I go back to Ubuntu… if it finally improves latest editions.

http://twitter.com/HermesHaller #ONCE Ramón Vásquez

I took the first consummers edition test and didn’t like it. I reached to the same conclusion as the guy in the video: Win8 was made for tablets and smartphones not for PC’s/notebooks (not even the touchscreen type). I think that Microsoft will fly high with this OS on mobile tech, but it will probably go down in a worst way than Windows Vista -I call it “Bosta” (horse shit in spanish). I’m staying on W7. It is a very good OS. Maybe I go back to Ubuntu… if it finally improves latest editions.

Pete

I’d say this was a good review if you didn’t try so hard to be like Yahtzee.

Sandra

Thank you for reassuring me that I am not an idiot! How long till I can go back to my mac??

Windows8Hater

He is right. Windows 8 Sucks, sucks, sucks, sucks, sucks! Did I leave out that it sucks? It is not intuitive. It is not user friendly. It sucks! I knew it would be a challenge. And I admit. I can resist change. I am not “change friendly”. But I looked forward to expanding my horizons. I looked forward to something new. I knew there would be a learning curve. But not this. Please no more. Where can I get my old Windows OS? Please Windows 7 come back. Please!!!!!!!!!

Frenchy1

I have windows 8 installed and windows 7. I keep going back to windows 8 as I keep falling into the trap in thinking that it cant be that bad! Wrong. It is not intutative in the slightest and leaves you thinking that the effort of learning the new operating system is not worth the trouble. I will stick to windows 7.

eng Naffi

I just bought a new laptop i study agriculture engineerig and have lotta stuff to do…i started windows 8 late at night…and couldnt stand it for 30 minites….vant wait for tomorrw to downgrade to windowsn7 !!! it bkows !!!!

fred

windows 8 son of VISTA

DmitryD

I couldn’t agree more. This system is the worst nightmare that I have ever seen and I have been using PCs for 20 years. The only thing that I can disagree with is that I believe that people responsible for creating that … should be shot (preferably twice) not fired so they can never ever do this again.

Jonwa

Nice review, i appreciate people who don’t scream and shout when doing a funny take… keeps it professional yet entertaining.

I am a professional 3D Artist & love Windows 7, its clean, simple and does what i want it to do.. which is multi task.

I couldn’t agree more with your ideas about continuity.

Why did they remove the start button/bar from the desktop… was that seriously hurting anybody? Why destroy sand remove something that was perfectly fine and functional. I think they have become carried away with trying to be fancy. I absolutely hate the fact that the apps in Windows 8 take up the whole screen.. if i wanted them to do that i would expand them etc.

http://www.facebook.com/richard.kent.7 Richard Kent

This review is so spot on I bought a new desktop and was forced into Windows 8. Windows 8 is simply put a “disaster”. Stapling the metro interface over the older interface is simply a disaster. If I thought I could go back to Windows 7 I would. I have been using computers since 1984 and have a degree in computer science and this is simply the worst effort from Microsoft I have ever seen. In addition the OS has frozen no less than 10 times in 30 days. I had to do a hard reboot. I am done with Microsoft!!

LoveWin7HateWin8

I LOVED IT!!!! Used Windows 8 all day and really tried. No go. People defending Windows 8 have Financial interests in screwing over Naive people or they are Delusional. This system MUST be booted out of existence and soon. What was so wrong with Windows 7 that Balmer’s Loins were Grinding to explode such a dump? This is NOT a case of Early Adopters going mad. This is not the same as when XP came out and people disliked it over 2000. Or when Vista came out, or when 7 came out. They were almost congruent in their MULTITASKING effort. Read Carefully. Multitasking. The INPUT device and OS did not get in the way. I have 10 windows open right now. I just needed to Turn off my mouse pointer while typing. I hit the Windows key, typed Mouse, Settings, and bam, done, all without losing this Window. Can you do that on Windows 8 without jumping through hoops? NO. Also, the Moment I laid eyes on that Balmer, I KNEW this guy was a Snake Oil sales man. He’s a douche. A Schmuck. He’s Microsoft’s Steve Jobs. Atleast Steve Job KNEW what he was doing. How can such people be allowed to make Millions of Dollars? HOW? What kind of world are we living in? Why? It’s eas to say “Speak with your Wallet” But so many MASSES of Morons will simply put up with it. You want to stop this Mess? Don’t Vote with your Wallet. Vote with your VOICE. Start in your HOME. Show your families WHY this is not good. There is a reason Windows 8 is Cheap. It will give you LOTS of headaches. Sure it is FAST. But what Good is FAST when it takes you LONGER to get what you want done?! This OS makes itself a little Faster than Windows 7, while accomplishing to make the USER Operating it to get SLOWER and DUMBER. This is like Driving a Ferrari on a Race track after you’ve swallowed the Max Payne Bullet time Pill. Also, The User GUI is about the Ugliest thing I have EVER seen. I urge everyone to PLEASE Not buy a computer that comes with Windows 8, or Request an Alternative, or simply Go Mac. Are you a Microsoft Head Honcho reading this? GET RID OF BALMER! Throw him in a Jail. He’s a thief. Snake Oil salesman.

LoveWin7HateWin8

Just had another encounter with Windows 8 at Best Buy. Please tell your Wives, Girlfriends, Sisters, Daughters, Friends, Husbands, Brothers, etc to NOT buy this Piece of Junk!!! Those Best Buy and Retail Store employees want to make a buck. Don’t Give it to them. Don’t give in. I HIGHLY Recommend when you buy a PC, go to an Online store and ask them to send you what’s called a Barebones PC. Then Install your OWN Operating System. It may sound Daunting of a task at first but I assure you it will be worth it. I am happily running Windows 7 Professional and XBMCBuntu on 2 Barebones PCs. They do what I want. You can change the Skins, Colors, etc. The whole GUI. Oh by the way, Mr. SaggyBallSack Balmer, I DO use the Start Menu. I use it ALL the time and it doesn’t take up the whole screen so I know whats going on on the screen. Speak out. Don’t Buy this JUNK. It APPEARS to be Free when you buy a New computer but it’s NOT FREE. You Pay for it included in the Price of the Computer no matter what anyone says. Stay away from Dell, HP, Acer, Etc Etc, They are FORCED to sell this crap. If people stop buying it, They will Cause a Riot to Microsoft and they will begin to DITCH Microsoft. It wasn’t enough that Microsoft messed with DRM and changed the entire audio stack on Windows 7 (XP was better and offered more Freedom at the cost of higher latency) But Windows 8 takes the DRM Cake and shoves it down our throats. Windows 8 Defenders, put your money where your mouth is, Oh yeah, you put your mouth where Balmer’s ballsack is… I am so furious!

http://www.facebook.com/johnny.waygood.7 Johnny Waygood

For years now Microsoft has had this growing obsession with minimalism, starting with the impossible to use Windows Media Player, and culimating with Windows 8.

Microsoft is obsessed with the idea that you must have 100% of the screen visible for viewing content. Toolbars or buttons or anything functional like that must be tucked away somewhere because they reduce screen space.

In the past, most programs were customizable enough so that you could turn off and on menus, buttons, or toolbars to your liking, so that you could determine how much of a balance between functionality and appearance suited your particular preferences. I think that was the way to go with the PC.

For devices with small screens such as cell phones or tablets, obviously toolbars and buttons would take up too much space, but with the size of desktop screens growing exponentially every year, toolbars or buttons on the screen don’t really get in the way, so the minimalist approach for the PC is all the more irrelevant.

My other concern with Windows 8, since Microsoft intends to move us all to touch screen desktops and away from mice, it seems like it could get really tiring if you are working for hours and have to hold your arm up to touch the screen instead of using a mouse where you can easily rest your arm on the desk. If you are reading this on a desktop, just try to hold your arm up and pretend your screen is a touchscreen, I can’t see doing that for any length of time.

Jace Copier

I agree that working solely with a touchscreen for 8 hours a day would not make sense; however, I do not think Microsoft is attempting to get rid of the mouse/keyboard. For heavy tasks, it still is much easier to use a mouse and keyboard.

Also, I think you are right about customizing toolbars/buttons. it is nice to have control of what tools I want to see. I think what you are missing though is these apps still exist, just not in the metro world.

The same functionality that exists in Windows7,Vista, XP is still there. To me, if I have a laptop with a touch screen, its like merging my laptop with my iPad. I can use the desktop world when I need to do heavy tasks, and the metro world for lighter tasks, like reading news, watching youtube videos etc. I get the best of both worlds and can switch when I need to.

Bob

This OS is perfectly suited to those who use and love their phones. For the rest of us, who use our computers for more than email, facebook and weather updates, well, we’re screwed. So far the only people I know of that love this OS are those who could never get their computers to do more than beep at them. They use their phones extensively and somehow have been able to just make this OS work for them, instantly. Wow. Oh, and the others I know who love it, sell it and want you to buy it. Anyway, for anyone like me who longs for a computer that doesn’t have a phone interface plunked on top of a desktop interface, long live win7. I remember when vista came out and MS had to give in to demands to allow computers to be sold with xp. I’m expecting the same to happen now with win7. Regardless, I just bought my wife a newer laptop with win7 anyway just in case MS does not come to their senses.

Alan Don

brilliant thank you. I have told friends to listen. we are actively collecting old xp systems they will be much sought after one day.

alandon1@hotmail.com

ibjbf

do not waste your money..Its garbage

Jose Pereira

Windows 8 is really a nightmare, It is even worst than Windows Vista.

Ed Trivers

Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to Mac I go.

BobTheBuilder

I like the passion in the review and one cant really argue with the points made. I have run Win 8 from the release preview throughout and now run pro.

The fact is I use the desktop view for work and the metro stuff for play. If there was an MS supported way to turn of metro and go straight to the desktop with a start bar – that would be useful…

… oh yeah that’s Windows 7!

Oh and by the way my 8yo daughter hates it and my 7yo son only likes it for the games. Not a good sign based on two pretty savvy little people.

Diane

Oh yes, I think everyone that had a hand or even a finger in the making of Windows 8 should be made to watch this video every day before they start working. By the way, how does the MS company get any work done. I wonder if THEY use Windows 7?

Wonderful video and I’m soooo very glad I watched this. But now I’m scared. I was thinking of a new computer. Yikes! Really, I cant even buy windows 7 anymore.

Bob

Gift Windows 8 to someone you really dislike. It’s crap. My son-in-law is a Mac user and I have been a PC user … lots of rivalry and jabs, but Mac is not as user friendly. I also swore I would never get a Mac. So, I bought a new PC at Christmas. Windows 8 is terrible, hard to use, no way to go to your home page, nothing intuitive at all. I just got a Mac!!! Microsoft with go the toilet if they stay on this alimentary tract.

Cristin

Omg, I totally thought I was crazy and I was doing something wrong but, it is that stupid goblin farting in my face! Thank you for this! Now I know that window8 is poop! (Yeah window)

Sean Kearney

Utterly hilarious and so true. Believe it or not they actually hired a team of usability experts to design this monstrosity. I think Homer Simpson could have done better.

John Rupert

Spot-On Brother; what a frigging nightmare Windows 8 is. Its as if either the Window 8 Software Engineers all went out together one night (or during work one day) and did a bunch of crack cocaine, and then wrote and produced Windows 8. The intergalactic level of incompetence on behalf of Microsoft Windows on this important issue shows their clear efforts to simply understand that most of their customers are general business owners like myself, as a private investigator, which does not require me to spend 50 hours per week at my desktop, but in the field 70%-plus of my time where I am actually making money and later report on my field work, about 25% of my time.

So, what was once 70-80% of my valuable time in the field verses my 25-30% of time in the office has now become mentally dyslexic at the force-fed directives of Windows 8, where I now allocate 80% of my frigging time just trying to make the program work in a time efficient manner, creating massive lost time in the field; my bread and butter.

Its as if Windows is trying to kill American Business or to self-destruct by imitating of Apple’s OS, and while Windows fails to understand that the reason we have remained long-time Windows/Microsoft customers is because of their previous common-sense approach of being user-friendly, now to the contrary, its as if they are trying to place themselves into an attractive software company LBO by Apple.

The behavior of Microsoft/Windows clearly shows their blatant disregard for their long-time customers, and in their galactic creation of a product that is so incredibly difficult to use that it will typically force us customers to call in for Microsoft/Windows support – support we have to pay for. Maybe that’s their intent. When Bill Gates left, common sense at Microsoft/Windows went out the door.

Thank you for your candid and truthful blog about this subject of Windows 8. Its good guys like you that give us a voice; much appreciated.

HDK

You are so right, and even though others are posting that there are various ways to find some of the features you are saying are hard to get to, they are just those loser 30+ year old guys living in their parent’s basement without a job and have the time to actually hunt down solutions to these ridiculous IU problems ::”I created Spock out of ASCII characters, by hand”:: …yet for us working people who work hard daily to stay out of our parents basements we don’t have time to hunt and peck the system ::”I need my TPS reports yesterday:: …Windows 8 is trying to be the iPad killer, yet you can’t kill Patient Zero with another Patient Zero, that just creates anew breed of zombie, which we don’t need ::”Need Shiny Screen”, drool:: …Windows 8 is for those who get distracted by shiny objects…It isn’t for those of us who are actually productive…so, Microsoft…Get a clue…Apple is the creator of mindless zombie following software, were as Microsoft is the creator of hard working, really getting the job done software! Yet with Windows 8 it appears Microsoft has been infected……::MEDIC!!!!!!….Ambulance sound::

Also, they should have named windows 8, “Microsoft PANELS 1.0″ because it is NOT Windows…It’s like it is Halloween at Microsoft or something ::Ghost floats in and moans::

Windows 8 is really windows Panels with a Windows name draped over it like a bad sheet with holes in it. ::Little kid, sheet falls on top of him….”I’m windows 8″::

Windows 7 will live on as the last true Windows OS, and it’s quite shocking that Microsoft has actually tried to kill Windows 7… ::Bullet Shot, and ricochet:: by not allowing OEMs or just about anyone to sell it any longer…this violates the Geneva convention in some manner I just know it. ::Squabbling bureaucrats::

The consumer isn’t happy ::Grumpy face guy::

Windows 8…err, Microsoft Panels 1.0 will die a quick death though, as Microsoft has already turned its back on it with Windows Blue…(Windows Blew?!?) ::record scratch::

so everyone, get ready for Windows 9 (Blew?!)…and for another learning curve that looks like a U turn at 90 MPH…::Screeching tires::

Could be worse, Microsoft could have taken the “Beta Fish” design a bit father and called it Microsoft Portholes… ::Ship horn:: yet I am sure the Iceberg virus would have sunk that OS on its maiden release…. ::Guy in front of Microsoft store points and yells “Iceberg ahead”::

Yet I digress…Windows 8 plain and simple just SUCKS, yet if you look at the big picture (IMAX!?) ALL Microsoft OS releases that end with a 0 actually do suck….Windows 2000 = NT 5.0 – SUCKED, Windows Vista = NT 6.0 – SUCKED, Windows 8 = NT 7.0 – SUCKED….yet anything ending with a 1 (Update?!) didn’t suck….Windows XP = NT 5.1 – Didn’t suck, Windows 7 = NT 6.1 – Didn’t suck, Windows 9 (Blew?!) NT 7.1 – Projected Not To Suck….That is if Blew, I mean 9, is a REAL version of windows and not just PANELS 2.0…then it could really suck…. ::Guys with picket signs saying Windows 9 might sucks::

So anyway…Things in the Microsoft world are looking like Southern California during Earthquake season ::earth cracks in half:: maybe the Mayans were right, that 2012 was actually the end of the “Virtual World” as we know it…Microsoft destroyed the world we Windows users have so loved for so long, and now…now it’s all over…the multi-tasking interface of Windows is looking more and more like…like….Apple. ::Microsoft Logo with a bite out of it::

Oh, the inhumanity of it all… At least I could find this website as I am using windows 7…::Record Scratch:: :: Slow motion montage of the guys from office space beating up Windows 8 in a field to the song ‘We’re not going to take it” by Twisted Sister::

Andy Thompson

Just superb. Sums up everything I thought during the 5 mins I tried Windows 8 (well done for sticking it out for 30 mins). I wanted to like it – my 2005 iMac was dying and I thought maybe Windows 8 might be worth a go. Nope. Bought a new iMac and couldn’t be happier.

Frankie

I hate windohs 8

Aaron

Love your video, thank you! Am sharing this with all of our end users (have been telling them to stay away, but they don’t all listen!)

bluizs

Windows 8 SUCKS!! Your desktop is cluttered with your start menu if I would have wanted MAC I would have purchased a mac MICROSOFT QUIT TRYING TO CHANGE YOUR CONCEPT TO MAC!!!

jack

I am studying for my bachelors in computer information systems. I can honestly say that not one person i go to school with likes winblows 8. Every one of my family members that had a winblows 8 went back to windows 7. People that think its just “new” just like computers were they have no control. Winblows 8 is a rip off of Mac os lion. Ever since winblows 8 came out all i have touched in linux. windows 7 was not bad, i just could not imagine ever using windows 8 for anything productive. Maybe if i just sat around playing angry birds all day i would like it.

Adam

I loved my iPhone, Windows 8 and the Lumia line of phones is amazing. I couldn’t take this seriously when I read Jim’s background. Former Macworld editor. No bias there.

MG

Thanks for making me laugh, I was really enjoying this review until it just stopped and posted, “An error occurred. Please try again later.” Internet explorer keeps locking up. This is the 5th time this morning. We also could not create a recovery disk and spent hours with tech support when the system failed. I’ll try to watch the rest of this review later. Its not so funny when you really do have a project pending and deadlines to meet. We’ve had our new computer for less than a month.

Gordon Cuffe

I was going to buy a new laptop today with windows 8 on it. I used it in the store for a half hour then was so upset with this new operating system that I choose not to buy the laptop. I need a better laptop so I will have to find a refurbished one with windows 7 on it.

Sooz

Amazing feed! This made me feel so much better about hating my new lap top! Nice job guy!

http://www.facebook.com/vasquezmk Melinda Vasquez

Why doesn’t the most important function on w8 work, access to the Internet??????

fedup

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! I am a 66 yr old semi-retired lady who works from home, and had to run out and buy a new computer when my laptop died. Everyone thinks it’s me when I say this Win 8 is weird. I’m proud to say that I did find the Control Panel, but can’t find the Recycle Bin -even though the icon is on desktop. Had it! After a week, I’m taking the computer back to the store.

Ken

Man do I AGREE. This product sucks so bad it is deafening. I sure would like to get my $ back. The ‘people’ app sucks. I have a bajillion contacts with info that is important to me. Could I bring it over? Not a chance. Because it’s an app they told me. Even Vista had the info right. I could go on and on. Oddly enough the Windows 8 reviews search really hardly mention reviews. Now Google just sells ads wanting to look like real information. But that’s another rant.

User24

Windows 8 is absolutely the worst. I predict that it will suddenly disappear quicker than ME did, and will be that very embarrassing subject that Microsoft would like to forget ever happened.

OldHand

So, I’m an old guy, not a developer, but have used PCs back to Visicalc on an Apple IIe. I’ve used every version of the Mac OS and every version of the Windows/DOS world (except Vista). I have 7 at work and Snow Leopard at home.

So, here’s the true user issue. We’re all out there trying to get our work done. I want to learn new things, but not the basics of how a computer GUI interface works. Saab tried a car with a joystick instead of a steering wheel. It had a lot of advantages, except for the twitching-puts-you-into-a-ditch thing. Windows 8 falls into the same class.

I want, and need, to be productive. I sat down with my head IT guy and looked at 8. We both had a look of fear on our faces. Not in using this ourselves, but the idea of installing it across our factory. How on Earth do we teach “normal” people.

When you pull up the Metro screen, you see tiles labeled “Mail”, “Contacts” and “Calendar.” What do you think the normal person would think? That it might take you to your email, schedule and people? Nope. They take you to some internet log-in screen. You have to go to the “Outlook” icon to do what you think these icons do. And corporate email is still through Outlook.

I put off the ribbons as long as I could. I’m good at them now but I still hate them. I’m not sure what we’ll do when our Windows 7 boxes die. Because there is no way we can let 8 in the door.

anonymous

After reading a good chunk of the comments, I noticed that the majority of people have the same opinion, that windows 8 sucks, BUT there’s two trains of thought of who it’s good for: The people who are “average, everyday users” in the workplace, or students, etc. who need a computing, productive machine think that windows 8 was designed for techies, by techies. Those who are more computer literate, in the computing world, think that it’s an insult to their intelligence. For the most part, BOTH agree it is not intuitive, and that it sucks.

Someone suggested that Microsoft release a regular OS, and release a “surface OS”, I think is how they phrased it. I want to let those who have never had a touch device with a OS on it that Windows 7 had a touch interface, but it could be easily ignored and the regular windows 7 interface was easily used. My husband has a Samsung Series 7 Slate (which, is in my opinion, something Microsoft said “hey, Samsung, do this for us until we can release our own hardware. The Surface is a slightly smaller version.) and he loves it. It’s a fully operational OS, but it can have a tablet interface if he wants (but never does.) He loves using OneNote to take extensive notes in his classes. It works great. PLEASE do not suggest to Microsoft that the tablet, or touch users want a UI like windows 8, I can assure you, we do not.

Over the weekend, I went into the Microsoft store, and almost left in tears after an hour trying to play with windows 8. Not only that, almost every single tablet that had different modifications to make it look/feel like a laptop had issues with connectivity to the keyboard. VERY frustrating. Eventually I figured a few things out, calmed down, and I purchased a Surface. However I am seriously considering returning it and buying a Slate online. My husband’s Slate with Windows 7 is so much more efficient in almost every way, including the touch capabilities. It is SO frustrating trying to get the keyboard to pop up on the surface. Only if I am in a recognized text box will it pop up in apps that I accessed from the metro interface. In the desktop interface, I have to select the keyboard from the task bar with my stylus, because for some reason the task bar won’t be pulled up with my finger. On the windows 7 slate? All you have to do is touch the screen with 4 fingers. Boom. Keyboard. When he’s browsing the internet, if he wants to go back a page, he does the swipe motion. That works for me too, but ONLY if I’m in the internet on my desktop. When I access it from the Metro, it swipes thru the apps. WHY are there two different ways to pull up the same thing in different interfaces if it is a touch device? Why are there two different interfaces period for almost everything? It is so frustrating to have my e-mail on my computer, and know that is RIGHT THERE, but it will be counter-productive to multi-tasking because it will take up the WHOLE SCREEN.

If you want a touch device, and one that has a fully functional OS, the Slate is the way to go. Stay way from the Surface. Oh, and you can’t install windows 7 on it and expect the attached keyboard to work. That is the only benefit of the Surface over the Slate, is the optional attached keyboard instead if the Slate’s Bluetooth keyboard.

Kind of a long, rambling, perhaps mis-guided post, but for those of you who are wondering what it’s like on a tablet/touch device there you go. The Slate was the perfect blend of a fully-functional laptop combined with the fun, ease, and writing capabilities of a tablet. The surface is not as frustrating as a non-touch windows 8 computer, but it’s not much better.

Guest

I couldn’t agree more with your assessment People who say they like it are just trying to prove they “know something we old tech-heads” don’t know! It’s laughable! I would not be surprised if SP1 overhauled entirely. The best move Microsoft could make it to recall this hideous OS! They two days I used the Customer Preview I warned over 200 people in my client base to buy Windows 7 off the shelves before September 2012 ended and Windows 8 would be replacing Windows 7.

Microsoft! Do the right thing and abandon this abomination for Desktop and Laptop users. It’s “the right thing to do”! Bring back Windows 7 with some nifty upgrades but stick with what has worked since Windows 95. You don’t see people riding bicycles with the handles bars mounted behind the seat!

http://www.facebook.com/pcgolfer Lee Acer

I couldn’t agree more with your assessment, and people who say they like it are just trying to prove they “know something we old tech-heads” don’t know! It’s laughable! I would not be surprised if SP1 overhauled the OS entirely. The best move Microsoft could make is to recall this hideous OS! Two days after I used the Customer Preview version I warned over 100 (Windows XP Users) in my client base to buy Windows 7 PC’s off the shelves before they were to be replaced by W8 at the end of September 2012.

Microsoft! You don’t see people riding bicycles with the handles bars mounted behind the seat!

artour

Even Tintin hates Windows 8.

Rileyvette

Thank goodness I can take the new Dell I bought at Costco back. Will try and find a Windows 7 or XP. Windows 8 is a nightmare, Even Vista beats this shit!

http://www.facebook.com/pcgolfer Lee Acer

Windows 7 is a success after an unsuccessful version of Window Vista. Windows Vista demanded huge resources which could not be provided with lower cost machines. People were happy with the performance of Windows XP and many are still holding on tightly to those machines. However, Windows 7 will satisfy everyone who liked XP or Vista. Windows 7 is missing a few applications that were in XP and Vista e.g. Outlook Express/Windows Mail and movie Maker (both XP and Vista). The concept behind removing these programs was to make the operating system sleek. Now it’s up to the user as to which email program and movie maker they may want to install on Windows 7. I suggest Windows Movie Maker 2.6 and downloading Windows Essentials Suite but only choosing Windows Live Mail during the installation.

FACTS: No Start Button & No All Programs Menu. Where are the desktop icons? They are in the desktop folder but on the desktop? I could go on and on but the video covers every important aspect of “what is wrong” with Windows 8.

Windows 8 is too different from its predecessors. It will be liked by younger generations but not people over 50 (in general). Older users who are use to clicking a Start Button are not going to find one, it’s gone, and so is the All Programs menu. So where does one start? Good question. I had studied Windows 8 Customer Preview for two days. I had to be ready for those who are not my clients (my clients are XP, Vista and 7 users) but get referred to me.

It might be important to consider that not all technological innovation is, necessarily, to be equated with “progress.”

Nimrod

Thank you so much for this review. I thought it was just me, but I now realize this is a common problem. Even as I type this random goblins are popping out to fart in my face and some seem to keep pulling my chair back hard when I lean forward.

I am by no means a techie and don’t have any real knowledge of programming or advanced pc knowledge. I am just a professional who has been using microsoft since my parents bought me my first IBM in high school which used windows 95. At the time I could barely figure out how to get on the internet.

In my opinion, XP was the most user friendly OS to this day. I don’t know why microsoft forces new OS’s on us constantly.

As you mentioned, the real tragedy of windows 8 is for grandpa and grandma. My parents are in their 70′s and I was finally hoping to buy them and teach them how to use a PC for the first time. They might have been able to figure out Vista or 7 but how on earth could they ever learn this. I would have to drive over to their house every time the goblin jumped out and farted because they would not have the long term PC experience to navigate back.

At the moment I am lost. Do I exchange my new laptop for one with windows 7? Should I downgrade this one back to 7? Should I just finally defect to apple/mac as I have done with my cell? Or should I finally just toss out all technology, get off the grid and go live in the forest and keep a journal of my thoughts about how much I miss tv?

Undecider

The thing to understand about those of us who lament the “change” in Windows 8 is about productivity. When you support an organization from hundreds to thousands or more users, and you are the front line tech on the phone or in person, you don’t need to have to deal with “culture shock” because Microsoft wanted to be hip.

Some of us don’t have time to tinker and “figure out” how to do a restart or open “Computer.” Windows 8 hits you with a bunch of useless news and nonsense content tiles. For the vast majority of users who are busy with their lives and go to work to get a job done, the last thing they need to be surprised with is a radically different interface.

The majority of the corporate workforce does not sit at home in front of a computer at drinking MS Kool-Aid. They don’t read computer publications. They are the ones who have been using MS Office from the early days and were shocked by the MS Office 2007 ribbon menus. They were then blasted by the newer interface of Vista and 7. However, that transition pales in comparison with what awaits them with Windows 8.

And therein lies the problem. For the “corporate world,” Microsoft needs to ease the pain of the transition for those who have the years of logic based ‘muscle memory’ and who have memorized locations of menus and keystrokes. They are the ones who work for a living. They couldn’t give a rat’s behind about tiles and bells & whistles. On Friday they went home with a Start menu at the bottom left. After Monday morning with tech refreshes going on over the weekend, they won’t be happy coming in to see tiles and no start menu.

These people have work to do and the Help Desk doesn’t have the time to field hundreds or thousands of call from users trying to figure out which way is up. This is what MS needs to be cognizant of. As long as there’s a “classic mode,” Windows 8 will have a much better reception.

jamjam

Steve jobs dead that’s why…

http://www.facebook.com/richard.elms.52 Richard Elms

It is the worst, most frustrating and totally incompetent operating system I have ever had the misfortune to come across!

http://oldrags.tumblr.com/ Katie R

I’ve been considering getting a desktop for my 84 year old grandma, but I don’t know how she’ll ever be able to figure out W8. The different rules for the start screen and the desktop would probably be hard for her to pick up on as someone who’s never used a computer before (I know it can be for me at times). Guess I’ll have to make a purchase quickly before all the 7′s are gone…

MacPC

I searched the web for Windows 8 Sucks for exactly the same reasons you described on you video. I just spend a good part of four hours on two 2-hrs sessions trying to figure out how to change the so called “CHARMS” to a “normal” set of icons to move from one app to another or just to EXIT windows. And even worst than anything else, I installed W8 on VirtualBox on my Macmini – which is like moving from total friendliness to a punch-on-the-nose-and-don’t-complain kind of a welcome. W8 locks users out. So I am out.

http://www.facebook.com/saibarspeis Alexandru Dan

Since it’s appearance this OS has been nothing but a let down and a disappointment to everybody I know (and I know many many computer literates).

There’s no point in talking too much about it, just don’t buy it and insert your foot wherever somebody in your company decides to upgrade to this mess of an OS.

Kely

Some of you aren’t getting it. Why should you have to learn a new Operating System approach when you’re paying for it? It should be serving you, not directing you. If you’re going to waste all your time trying to figure out how to help Microsoft by learning it their way, why are you paying them? Some people think they’re being altruistic by “given Windows8 a chance”. Are you kidding me? Why not kiss the Devil on the lips too being such the nice guy that you are.

Go get free software and learn linux or be consigned to the future hell-holes that will be a part of MS-Earth. You can even just get Ubuntu and it does all the work for you, is super user friendly, AND you can get it free… I don’t like Ubuntu because it’s TOO easy and reminds me of MS. That’s just me, though. Ubuntu is the way to go if you don’t want all this heartache, imo. Too bad it’s free. No one respects that. Still, you can pay money and have a Ubuntu system loaded. You’ll never go Windows again unless you’re a massochistic freak.

Just wait ’till you get slammed with the dreaded Automatic Repair loop of Windows 8 and find out your product code is encrypted in the BIOS and you can’t ever leave the MS dungeon…they have no intention of letting the public go if this version succeeds. Oh well, a fool and his money is soon parted… how’s that instant-gratification going for us now?

Kelly

I guess I should add you probably can’t get a live CD of linux on your new hardware if it came with Windows 8 because, in essence, Microsoft owns your whole computer now that they have their UEFI in the BIOS. Turn it in for a refund while you still can is my advice. I won’t get near the system because without the BIOS loading a different kernel. You are owned…

http://www.facebook.com/HUDINIBLONDINI Yehuda Leib Blonder

The Entire thing about Windows 8 Okay! Here I go off about Windows 8!

I bought my laptop in June and they said when I bought it that I would be able to Upgrade my laptop to Windows 8 for $14.99. so I did it. When Windows 8 came out everyone said that it’s a great Operating System, so i decided to upgrade my laptop. When i first upgraded it was so annoying, because there is no start button, so i got so frustrated, but i was able to find a way to get a start button and then everything was getting much easier. One day my laptop started getting very very slow, so I had to call up my laptop company for them to try to help me fix it which they weren’t able to fix it over the phone. And then all of the sudden all of my information was getting lost and not working, so i called the company back and had to get all the way up to a case manager which i was hoping for them to get me a new laptop, because it was the second time my laptop was broken in the summer. But the case manager was telling me that i have to downgrade to Windows 7, so i had to get my recovery discs and start doing it, but it stopped in the middle of doing it, so i called my case manager tells me that i have to send my laptop in for repair. Oh and then he tells me that my computer wasn’t made for Windows 8 which i told him that it was, because that was part of the package when i bought my laptop in June.

Basically what i’m trying to say is that Windows 8 SUCKS AND I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE!!!!! Windows 8 is really meant for a tablet and a touchscreen computer/laptop. NO ONE SHOULD BUY WINDOWS 8!!!!!!!!

IT_Architect

I’ve been a CTO for two large companies before starting a consulting company. I’ve been using it for about a year. It’s a requirement of my vocation to use and be familiar with the latest and greatest. Windows 8 would be off my computer today if it were not for Windows 8.1 due to arrive within the next couple of months. It either fixes that mess you aptly described, or I’m going back to 7. I helped someone else out temporarily by installing LibreOffice on a computer until MS Office came in. Others looked at it and things started to unravel. They really liked and were more productive with Office 2003, but nobody wanted to be thought of as a dog too old to learn new tricks. I’m more inclined to believe that this mess is intentional to buy back their stock. Their WP7/Zune/Metro/Modern interface, poor mufti-tasking, and app control brought their mobile devices from 26% to less than 2% of the market share. Even the dimmest among us would not expect success from such a combination..

LoveWin7HateWin8

I think IT_Architect is correct. That monkey Ballmer is a salesman, not a decision maker. He may be a top level executive, but at the core, he’s a peddler. There are other controlling interest minds at work. Microsoft isn’t shooting itself in the foot. They can afford to lose half their money just to gain control back. But they will never be at the top again. That is a scary thought, because the next runners up aren’t exactly bent on making our lives better either. They all want Control. It’s best to support the underdog, since they are what drives competition.

windows8hater

you nailed it, this goddamned operating system is my mothers and everyday she needs help and everyday I try going through the rational way of doing things or at least the way a pc user expects things to work and everyday I get so frustrated I end up cussing up a storm and damning her machine to hell!!!! if you never considered apple products maybe now microsft’s betrayal we’ll give you that push to try it out. if anything you can throw windows 7 on your mac as well as keep there os…

VKnowles

Wow, this guy is very melodramatic. Windows 7 and Windows 8 are very similar. In fact, a lot of the apps/settings from Windows 7 can still be found in Windows 8. Microsoft is known to leave past functionality throughout their Operating Systems. In fact, all of the major Operating Systems do this. They promote change slowly.

GUIs just provide the essentials, a place to click and a means of traversing. If you understand these simple concepts, and STILL can’t traverse any GUI you interact with, a performance test shouldn’t even be on your radar.

I, on the other hand, think you are capable of traversing various GUIs and you’re just being dramatic. My answer to that? Get over it, it’s just another GUI interface.

Now, if Windows 8 only listened when you turned off UAC? The damn thing is so locked down it doesn’t matter if you’re an administrator. WHY MUST I RUN STUFF AS AN ADMINISTRATOR WHEN I AM AN ADMINISTRATOR. That’s my frustration.

niico100

Funny he skipped Windows 7 – which is really good.

niico100

It’s easy to, mostly, fix it – just get the start button back (many apps do this) – then you’re largely back to Windows 7.

The only pain then really is accidentally opening the metro screen – which is uber irritating but not a big deal, you can still get stuff done (I use it in Parallels on Mac OS every day).