<p>I figure it’s time to upgrade my PC from XP to Windows 7. But then heard the news that Windows 8 will be issued next month.</p>
<p>Anyone know if W8 will be a complete departure from previous MS/OS, meaning that my XP programs won’t work on W8?</p>
<p>My P4 machine has a 2Gig limit of RAM. Will that be practical for W8?</p>
<p>I know that Microsoft plans to drop customer support for XP soon. What are Microsoft’s intentions for W7</p>
<p>^ ^</p>
<p>You still have a around couple of years before Microsoft stops supporting XP. </p>
<p>As for Win8…if it is like the beta’s I’ve been playing with…major departures is the replacement of the “Start button” with a cumbersome tablet button interface that’s fine for tablets, but adds more cumbersome steps for desktop users and in tablet button mode…needlessly wastes much screen real estate. </p>
<p>What’s more ironic is that due to the recession and understandably gunshy attitudes due to the Vista fiasco, many corporate IT departments I know of have only upgraded from XP to Win 7 after they released the first service pack as of late 2011. Most corporate IT departments aren’t likely to be big fans of rolling out another upgrade several months-year after having finished the previous rollout…especially when the new OS isn’t perceived to have much added value and is unproven beyond 2 betas. </p>
<p>Also, 2 GB is fine if you’re just using it for basic internet and office apps. If you’re hoping to do multimedia editing like photoshop…ain’t gonna cut it. Then again, you’d be nuts to try anything really higher end with a P4 based machine. </p>
<p>If you need to do more, it is probably time to get a new machine.</p>
<p>I’ve been hearing good things from the usoft people about W8, more functionality, more multi-platform friendly, etc. They typically wait for a while after a new OS comes out to make sure its not too buggy, but they are jumping on this one immediately.</p>
<p>Do not get W7 with an old computer with 2G RAM. All of your old XP software will have to run under an emulator.</p>
<p>Want to try W8 for free? They have the release preview available on the Microsoft site. Make sure you have backup disks made in case of problems.</p>
<p>My corporate office is planning to upgrade to win 7 next year. i really don’t think that’s too strange. We just moved to XP about 5 years or so ago from windows 2000.</p>
<p>I think Windows 8 is going to be a disaster.</p>
<p>First of all, businesses are probably not going to be keen on an interface that seems explicitly designed for the recreational user.</p>
<p>Second, this is a radical departure from the previous Windows OS’s of the past, and while it may score well with new customers I think it will drive many experienced users away - it is essentially an entirely new system that you have to learn, and they have not communicated sufficient advantage to be worth it. It was like that car (a Saab?) that was steered by a joystick - whether its better or not, I spent years getting good with a wheel and pedals and would like to stick with that thank you very much.</p>
<p>I am not familiar with 8, but I would never in a right state of mind to “upgrade” to 7, the worst software, tne most user un-friendly, in my case it was paired with the switch from very user friendly laptop to HP. it was a disastour that lasted for many weeks, hours spent with help desk. They eventually gave up and asked our “service” company to send somebody from out of town. It finally helped and I was back “to serve” as opposed to being served.</p>
<p>If you think 7 is the worst then you obviously haven’t tried ME or Vista.</p>
<p>Or, apparently, 8.</p>
<p>"If you think 7 is the worst then you obviously haven’t tried ME or Vista. "</p>
<p>-I am not trying anything on my own, I have to use whatever I am given at work. Oh, well, it is not essential as to actually having a job and I am very thankful for that and everything that comes with it. After using 7 for many months though, I still do not like it at all.
I wonder how people feel about 8 in comparison to 7.</p>
<p>Argh!!! You all are scaring me. I really like XP but since I’m upgrading my hardware I don’t want to be inconvenienced by legacy software when Microsoft drops its customer support of XP in 2014.</p>
<p>^ ^</p>
<p>You’ll be getting Win 8 as of later next month with any new machine. If you want Win 7, buy now and if you later decide to get Win 8…heard there’s a nominal charge for it…like $15 bucks or something like that.</p>
<p>We’ve been using the beta version of Windows 8 for months. I have mixed feelings about it. It’s VERY different then any other version. My son always gets the beta versions and then we get the new ones free. I like windows 7 alot. </p>
<p>I agree that if you are a new user, it would be easy to catch on to, but it has so many hidden buttons that make it frustrating. I usually just start off in the 8 version, but go to my old firefox homescreen because I’m so familiar with that.</p>
<p>There are a few things in Win7 they got rid of from XP. Quick Launch bar is gone, instead they mimic the style Apple uses, though if you’re crafty you can make your own Quick Launch bar. The old Windows Power Toys addons no longer work. The basic Explorer window inside of Windows looks a bit different. Stuff isn’t compacted as much and there’s more window panes to deal with (again, I feel they’re trying to go closer to the Mac look). The control panel has been redesigned…yet again.</p>
<p>I disagree with a lot of the design changes they made in Windows 7, but I do like the increased stability over XP (which, itself, was pretty good at being stable). Probably going to skip Windows 8 and see what they put out afterwards.</p>
<p>I beta tested 8 and hate it. Really can’t find a single positive. I enjoy 7 and XP was fine, too. 8 should bomb.</p>
<p>
I had both. I seem to skip over the good versions. And I’m probably getting a new computer in the next few months, which probably means that 8 won’t be good either.</p>
<p>(In fairness, I liked both ME and Vista.)</p>
<p>“I disagree with a lot of the design changes they made in Windows 7”
-Exactly! As a programmer, who has written lots of on-line appications for various employers, one thing that we ALWAYS strive is to be user-friendly and that includes CONSISTENCY, from old versions to new versions and even between different application, so that human beings DO NOT NEED TO ADJUST over and over and focus on task at hand instead of spending considarable time on adjusting to new screen even though it is only one new screen. Here we are talking about huge application that affects millions of users. Switch from XP (which I loved) to 7 was simply shocking.</p>
<p>If you get Window 8 Pro when you buy a new computer (i.o.w. an OEM version), you should/will have the ability to downgrade to Windows 7 for free if you want. There will likely be some manufacturers who will do this for you, there were when WIndows 7 first came out and a lot of people wanted to stay on XP.</p>
<p>If you can’t live without the Start button, there are already free apps you can install that will give you one.</p>