Windows 8/7 question

drvnbysound wrote in post #17075291
Microsoft is scheduled to support Windows 7 through 2020. That's quite a life span, which is why I stated that I'd likely skip right over W8.

Mainstream support for Win 7 SP1 ends January 13, 2015. After that date there will be no further design changes or feature development, you will have to pay for telephone support, unless you buy an extended hotfix agreement all you will get is security hotfixes.

-dave-m- wrote in post #17075443
Mainstream support for Win 7 SP1 ends January 13, 2015. After that date there will be no further design changes or feature development, you will have to pay for telephone support, unless you buy an extended hotfix agreement all you will get is security hotfixes.

I understand that completely - it just happened a few months ago for XP. I currently have (3) custom built desktop machines running - media server, CCTV server, desktop. I'll soon [relative] be adding an unRAID system. I'm certainly familiar with their support process.

drvnbysound wrote in post #17075291
Microsoft is scheduled to support Windows 7 through 2020. That's quite a life span, which is why I stated that I'd likely skip right over W8.

That is good news, but there are still lots of people who have to buy new computers for whatever reason. My point was only ever that such a person should not have to compromise on the hardware just because it's got an OS they don't like.

Tiberius wrote in post #17076608
That is good news, but there are still lots of people who have to buy new computers for whatever reason. My point was only ever that such a person should not have to compromise on the hardware just because it's got an OS they don't like.

There are options, if the PC comes with Win 8.1 Pro you can downgrade to Win 7 through Microsoft(no charge). If you already own a version of Windows 7 and will no longer use the original computer you can use the product key on the new computer(you may need to call phone support to activate it), they may refuse if it was an OEM version. You can also still buy Win 7 at many retailers, costs extra but if a person really hates Win 8.1 that much they will put up with the cost. There really is no need to compromise on hardware.

http://www.microsoft.c​om …hts.aspx#fbid=J​ejzZ__B4bG

-dave-m- wrote in post #17076767
There are options, if the PC comes with Win 8.1 Pro you can downgrade to Win 7 through Microsoft(no charge). If you already own a version of Windows 7 and will no longer use the original computer you can use the product key on the new computer(you may need to call phone support to activate it), they may refuse if it was an OEM version. You can also still buy Win 7 at many retailers, costs extra but if a person really hates Win 8.1 that much they will put up with the cost. There really is no need to compromise on hardware.

http://www.microsoft.c​om …hts.aspx#fbid=J​ejzZ__B4bG

Agreed. +1!

I've heard that the next version (Windows 9?) will be similar to W7, and the "Metro" interface will be an optional, but not default interface.

-dave-m- wrote in post #17076767
There are options, if the PC comes with Win 8.1 Pro you can downgrade to Win 7 through Microsoft(no charge). If you already own a version of Windows 7 and will no longer use the original computer you can use the product key on the new computer(you may need to call phone support to activate it), they may refuse if it was an OEM version. You can also still buy Win 7 at many retailers, costs extra but if a person really hates Win 8.1 that much they will put up with the cost. There really is no need to compromise on hardware.

http://www.microsoft.c​om …hts.aspx#fbid=J​ejzZ__B4bG

This may be true, but if a person can buy the windows 8 machine that has the hardware they want and spend an hour making it behave much like windows 7 for free, why would they decide it is better to pay more for either a machine that comes running 7 or a downgrade to 7?

Tiberius wrote in post #17077076
This may be true, but if a person can buy the windows 8 machine that has the hardware they want and spend an hour making it behave much like windows 7 for free, why would they decide it is better to pay more for either a machine that comes running 7 or a downgrade to 7?

Why would they decide to shoot Nikon instead of Canon? Why would they decide to shoot landscapes instead of portraits?

Just because you may not see a reason to use Windows 7, doesn't mean someone else won't have their own reason to do so. Back in 2008, I downgraded numerous machines at work from Vista to XP, because our work was not yet supporting Vista (and never did).

drvnbysound wrote in post #17077232
Why would they decide to shoot Nikon instead of Canon? Why would they decide to shoot landscapes instead of portraits?

Just because you may not see a reason to use Windows 7, doesn't mean someone else won't have their own reason to do so. Back in 2008, I downgraded numerous machines at work from Vista to XP, because our work was not yet supporting Vista (and never did).

I think you misunderstand me.

Let's say I am looking for a new computer. I want a 1 terabyte hard drive, a high end graphics card, a bluray drive and 8gig of ram (just for the sake of example). I also am not a fan of Windows 8.

Now, I find a WIndows 8 machine that has everything I want, but I also find a Windows 7 machine that has 750 gig hard drive, a mid range graphics card, a DVD drive and 4 gig of ram.

I have a few options.

1. I go for the Windows 7 machine, loosing out on the specs I wanted just to avoid an operating system I don't like.
   
2. I go for the Windows 8 machine and spend money to purchase the Windows 7 OS so I can downgrade, or I pay a bit extra to get the Windows 8 machine and get the store to downgrade it.
   
3. I just buy the Windows 8 machine and spend an hour or so setting it up so it works like Windows 7 for free.
   

1. It doesn't have the glass/aero style
   
2. There's a link to the start screen at the top of my start menu
   
3. I have a different kind of tool bar in things like File Explorer (which I quite like, it gives me more functionality and makes things clearer)
   
4. It says Windows 8.1 if I look at the system specs
   

My point wasn't that they'd try to make their Nikon menu system like that of a Canon, but rather that people choose to do things for strange reasons - and those reasons may not (and don't have to) make sense to you.

Just as you've said above...

Tiberius wrote in post #17078459
Now, to me, it seems like #3 is by far the best option.

To YOU, that may be the best option, but not everyone will agree.

drvnbysound wrote in post #17078476
My point wasn't that they'd try to make their Nikon menu system like that of a Canon, but rather that people choose to do things for strange reasons - and those reasons may not (and don't have to) make sense to you.

Just as you've said above...

To YOU, that may be the best option, but not everyone will agree.

For $3 and 15 minutes setup time I seriously see no difference between my Win 7 and Win 8 desktop other than Win 8.1 being a more efficient/faster OS.

Have you actually tried Win 8.1 with StartIsBack+, booting to desktop, Charms/corner navigation disabled and logging into a MS account disabled or are you basing your opinion on using a stock Win 8.1 setup?

If I couldn't tweak Win 8.1 to get things set up to feel like Win 7 then I'd completely agree with you. Frankly I'd probably switch to a Mac before using Metro, charms, corner nav, etc. on a desktop. And I hate Macs ...

Bob_A wrote in post #17079149
Have you actually tried Win 8.1 with StartIsBack+, booting to desktop, Charms/corner navigation disabled and logging into a MS account disabled or are you basing your opinion on using a stock Win 8.1 setup?

I haven't had to.

I'm basing my opinion on the premise that people will make decisions to use X for whatever reason they want, and that decision doesn't have to agree with what's best for anyone else.

I've not disagreed, that W8 can look/feel like W7. Sure. But there will still be people who don't want W8 as their underlying OS, for whatever reason.