Tango's Review of the NEW Windows 8.1 Spring Update

[TANGO1995]

See what's new with Windows 8.1 in the latest update, including easier mouse and keyboard functions, a new taskbar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLiIKmCidVw



This video is just my opinion on the update, do you agree with my sarcasm or
do you actually prefer 8.1?

 

[barnsley]

8.1 is getting there. Windows 9 has hope. Honestly doesn't bother me as much as it used to. They should've just put the taskbar etc in from the start. The optimisation of it is much better, especially with assigning tasks to cores correctly (i.e. not the Win 7 way). Because of that it improves AMD cpus performance no end, even with the cpu scheduling patch for W7, w7 is slower.

 

[SuB]

So is 8.1 legitimately better than 7 now?

I've kept it at a very, very long arms length due to the UI, I abhor it...

 

[SeekaX]

Win 8 will never have a chance with me, win9 maybe if it is required for DX12. Then i will have to set up a dual boot configuration just for CoD4 and Quake.

 

[The Gooze]

Just perfect!

 

[vorticalbox]

So is 8.1 legitimately better than 7 now?

I've kept it at a very, very long arms length due to the UI, I abhor it...

can always use classic shell (and other) to bring the start menu back, get the best of both worlds.

 

[Dicehunter]

So is 8.1 legitimately better than 7 now?

I've kept it at a very, very long arms length due to the UI, I abhor it...

Agreed, I wish they would of kept the look and feel of windows 7 and just did the under the hood stuff of windows 8.
I installed windows 8 and played around with it for a few hours but just found it annoying and ugly as hell, The small performance boost just isn't worth looking at that butt ugly OS

 

[barnsley]

So is 8.1 legitimately better than 7 now?

I've kept it at a very, very long arms length due to the UI, I abhor it...

Performance wise for AMD cpus it always has been the better choice. Its waaay more streamlined in the performance sense. However THAT EFFING UI and a lack of support for older games is why I (and many others who should have got 8) went for 7. TBH start8 and the others just made it like windows 7.

I must add, its fine as a touchscreen OS. My lenovo Yoga Pro is the perfect product for it imo

 

[Dicehunter]

Everyone I know personally has said they find windows 8 horrible, Even my dad who is a technophobe said "Son I dont know what this is but please get it out and put 7 back on" but the usual response to Windows 8 is -

 

[Kaapstad]

This is my Desktop, not everyone wants a load of clutter all over the screen.

I will be sticking with Win 7 for some time yet.

 

[Dicehunter]

This is my Desktop, not everyone wants a load of clutter all over the screen.

I will be sticking with Win 7 for some time yet.

Agreed, Clean is the best IMO -

 

[jamesriley94]

I've used Windows 8 since launch and tbh I actually really like it.

I've not experienced any lack of support for any kind of software at all, and I generally find it much faster.

Everyone who complains about the lack of start menu - the only time I ever used a start menu was when I needed a specific program in which case I clicked start and then started typing to search for the thing... That's exactly the same for Windows 8 so I really don't see the problem.

It's just learning a couple of tricks really like 'Win Key + X' which gets you most of the Control Panel settings, and that actually makes things easier than Windows 7 IMO.

The multi monitor support in Windows 8 is far better. You don't need to enable Nvidia Surround or Eyefinity, and Windows recognises each screen individually from the beginning. Tiles or whatever they call that these days only comes up on one screen too.

I will also add the Windows 8 driver support is far better. Pretty much all the wifi cards out there (modern ones at least), along with all ethernet drivers, are auto detected with Windows 8 so after a fresh install you don't need to worry about getting Internet drivers from another PC or disk just to get everything else downloaded.

The only complaint I really have is about the apps which are terrible - but I just don't use them so it makes no difference at all really.

After using it for a few days and getting used to it, you do end up finding it a lot smoother, and I prefer it by quite a margin to 7 nowadays.

 

[SieB]

I've used Windows 8 since launch and tbh I actually really like it.

I've not experienced any lack of support for any kind of software at all, and I generally find it much faster.

Everyone who complains about the lack of start menu - the only time I ever used a start menu was when I needed a specific program in which case I clicked start and then started typing to search for the thing... That's exactly the same for Windows 8 so I really don't see the problem.

It's just learning a couple of tricks really like 'Win Key + X' which gets you most of the Control Panel settings, and that actually makes things easier than Windows 7 IMO.

The multi monitor support in Windows 8 is far better. You don't need to enable Nvidia Surround or Eyefinity, and Windows recognises each screen individually from the beginning. Tiles or whatever they call that these days only comes up on one screen too.

I will also add the Windows 8 driver support is far better. Pretty much all the wifi cards out there (modern ones at least), along with all ethernet drivers, are auto detected with Windows 8 so after a fresh install you don't need to worry about getting Internet drivers from another PC or disk just to get everything else downloaded.

The only complaint I really have is about the apps which are terrible - but I just don't use them so it makes no difference at all really.

After using it for a few days and getting used to it, you do end up finding it a lot smoother, and I prefer it by quite a margin to 7 nowadays.

Glad there is someone who actually took the time to learn how to use Windows 8 and see it for what it is rather than talking crap and repeating what other people say about it.

I've been thinking of making a video to show how much like Windows 7 it is and that all this crap people say is just petite nonsense that really isn't a issue.

 

[Dicehunter]

If it didn't have the touch based GUI and tacky colours then I would use it but there's a lot about 8 I really don't like and most people who "Talk Crap" about it have given it a fair chance and simply don't like it.

 

[SieB]

If it didn't have the touch based GUI and tacky colours then I would use it but there's a lot about 8 I really don't like and most people who "Talk Crap" about it have given it a fair chance and simply don't like it.

What touch based GUI?

You do know you don't have to use the metro screen? And apart from that there is no touch screen GUI about it. It is exactly the same as Windows 7 apart from the Metro screen, which as I said, you don't even have to use.

This is the type of "talking crap" I am talking about, because saying it has a touch screen GUI is a load of crap.

You don't have to use it, and what is a mouse other than an extension of your finger? You point and click your mouse on icons, the same as you would use your finger on a touch screen.

Also, this is my Windows 8 desktop

 

[barnsley]

I've been thinking of making a video to show how much like Windows 7 it is and that all this crap people say is just petite nonsense that really isn't a issue.

I had to learn it with my new laptop. Even now I'm used to it I can't really appreciate metro. That is the only issue I have with 8 now they fixed some of the problems it has with software/games (Arma II apparently doesn't work for example) Its awful imo. Its just so OTT for when I want to do something vaguely computer-ish (e.g. get up command Prompt). It has some excellent enhancements over 7, such as how it interacts with touchscreens for example, but it really did not need metro and from the start it should have been something you could turn on or off. Installing a custom UI for windows should really only be something you do to make it look cool. It should NOT be something that is pretty much a requirement.

Also whichever silly c*** decided that metro was a good idea for server 2012 should be shot.

What touch based GUI?

.

Metro is defiantly designed around touchscreens.

 

[Dicehunter]

What touch based GUI?

You do know you don't have to use the metro screen and apart from that there is no touch screen GUI about it, it is exactly the same as Windows 7 apart from the Metro screen which as I said, you don't even have to use.

This is the type of "talking crap" I am talking about, because saying it has a touch screen GUI is a load of crap.
You don't have to use it, and what is a mouse other than an extension of your finger? You point and click your mouse on icons, the same as you would use your finger on a touch screen.

Saying that it has a touch based GUI isn't "Crap" so wind your neck back in, I'm dissing a piece of software not your mother ^_^
The OS is simply ugly, The skinning options "Custom Themes" are non existent and the whole interface looks like it was put together by someone with full body tourettes.
As I said I like the performance improvements but the general look of it makes me heave.

I had to learn it with my new laptop. Even now I'm used to it I can't really appreciate metro. That is the only issue I have with 8 now they fixed some of the problems it has with software/games (Arma II apparently doesn't work for example) Its awful imo. Its just so OTT for when I want to do something vaguely computer-ish (e.g. get up command Prompt). It has some excellent enhancements over 7, such as how it interacts with touchscreens for example, but it really did not need metro and from the start it should have been something you could turn on or off. Installing a custom UI for windows should really only be something you do to make it look cool. It should NOT be something that is pretty much a requirement.

Also whichever silly c*** decided that metro was a good idea for server 2012 should be shot.


Metro is defiantly designed around touchscreens.

Well said ^_^

 

[SieB]

Saying that it has a touch based GUI isn't "Crap" so wind your neck back in, I'm dissing a piece of software not your mother ^_^
The OS is simply ugly, The skinning options "Custom Themes" are non existent and the whole interface looks like it was put together by someone with full body tourettes.

I just get bored of hearing the same old crap.

The whole OS looks the same as 7 apart from the start screen. You don't have to use the start screen. Writing the whole OS off about something you don't have to use or look at is talking crap.

I have been using Windows 8 since it was released and before then I was using Windows 7. All these things people come out with are non issues and are silly little nitpicks that have no impact on how the OS performs or functions.
After using Windows 8 I would never go back to 7, Windows 8 is easier to use.

 

[Dicehunter]

If I could completely disable the start/metro screen *I know I don't have to use it but it's still there* and have all my custom themes work with windows 8 then I would use it but at the moment 99% of custom themes do not work with windows 8 and custom themes is one part about rigs I really enjoy

 

[barnsley]

If I could completely disable the start/metro screen and have all my custom themes work with windows 8 then I would use it but at the moment 99% of custom themes do not work with windows 8 and custom themes is one part about rigs I really enjoy

Disabling metro is easy to do . For now, just get Start8 or similar. Custom themes are more likely to appear now that 8.1 is getting the task bar etc. Personally I don't mind normal windows 8.1's look (with start8 that is) so I don't see the appeal for custom themes.
point in hand (taken from a google image search as my yoga pro lives at my work):