Windows 7 vs Windows 8

Which do you prefer and why?

For meh, I am always torn between the two as I prefer Windows 7 more overall, but I love how fast Windows 8 boots and I feel that it is a bit snappier when I am running EXE Setup files

Examples, if I try to install ASUS Virtual Camera Utility, in Windows 8 it installs faster than you can blink your eyes, in Windows 7, it hangs a sec before starting to install. Using the same IRST Drivers I don't know what that brief lag and it's not just that example

Otherwise Windows 7 beats Windows 8 by 10 to 15% in the benchmarks I have run

Interface wise I dont mind both because I use StartIsBack for Windows 8 so I'm all good

I keep formatting my laptop every week and installing Windows 7 then next week format and install Windows 8, I am so

Windows 7

1. Looks better (aero, login screen, window controls etc.)
2. No online account integration, no windows store, no Skydrive
3. No metro ui
4. Start menu doesn't take up the whole screen
5. Start menu has shortcuts for personal folders, my computer, control panel, network etc.
6. Task manager doesn't open in stupid view by default
7. UAC can be completely turned off without losing functionality
8. Doesn't call home as often, no phising filter or whatever it's called in windows explorer.
9. Can be activated by both KMS and loader
10. Widely supported, better compatibility
11. Has windows update notifications on the system tray
12. Boots faster for me, overall performance is the same
13. Programs that have both a desktop and metro component don't want to default to crapware (like Skype)
14. Has media center without paying extra or the need to mess around
15. Programs can change file associations
16. MSE has a tray icon and can update its database without windows update, its notifications don't disappear after a few seconds - Defender can do neither
17. Windows gadgets exist without the need to hack them into the OS
18. Can pin windows installer based so-called advertised shortcuts to start menu (startisback can't do that)
19. Runs my VPN client fine, W8 requires some registry modifications (inconvenience)
20. Programs are not called "apps"
21. I don't see the word "swipe" on the screen ever (except here)
22. No annoying charms (disabling loses functionality)
23. Less integrated spyware (Bing etc.)
24. Systray is not buggy, input icon doesn't turn itself on after disabled
25. No lock screen (turning off is an inconvenience)
26. System restore doesn't need system policy settings to be turned off
27. No font issues in Firefox, HW acceleration works fine
28. MSE doesn't freeze context menus for seconds, Defender does
29. No need for SSE2 and NX, I can install it on any computer I want
30. Snipping Tool doesn't require an extra click
31. Start menu search box can be used like "Run..."
32. I can turn off the search indexer service without breaking half the OS functionality
33. Start menu has MRU list, start screen doesn't (it can't even sort by name, LOL)
34. Chess Titans, Minesweeper. (Metro versions are full screen and redesigned for 3-year-olds...)
35. Game explorer hidden (inconvenience)
36. Very informative blue screens made for the lesser minded...
37. .NET framework no longer installed by default
38. etc. I could probably think of more if I really had to

 

I prefer Windows 7 because of the UI being optimized for Desktop non touch use. That and I like my desktop gadgets and visually can not live without Aero Glass. While Linux is not Aero Glass it also is not as visually annoying as Windows 8 on the application borders.

 

I really like 7. But I can't take the poll because I've not even seen 8. Though when I see my friends son who just got a new system with 8 on it - curses.

Does 8 really have all those issues you listed? That would be a good reason to come up with 8.1 quickly with fixes.

 

If I have Windows 7 on a computer, I won't go out my way to install 8, but if I have a computer with Windows 8, I won't go out of my way to install 7 either. I haven't experienced any of the technical issues the OP describes. The UI differences are there, but whether, you like them, don't like them or don't care is more of a personal preference.

The poll really needs a "I don't mind either" option and this horse has been beaten to death, reanimated and beaten to death again at least twice (just saying). As long as people voice their opinion and don't start flamewars (like it happened in many other Windows 7 vs 8 threads), this thread will stay open, but given the amount of threads we got on the subject already and how heated some of the debates were in those threads, I will lock this one at the first sign of trouble.

 

I've been running Windows 8 for awhile now. I think it is perfectly fine. I do think Metro is ridiculous for a desktop OS, but I hardly ever see Metro. I must admit to liking the Metro 'People' app with FB, Twitter updates etc. (don't tell anyone). My VPN works fine under 8. I think the easy Windows 8 refresh is great. Note that I was on Mac OS X for 14 years before switching back to Windows in 2012. I do wish that Microsoft would improve the things that need improving instead of wasting time on Metro. Windows Explorer can be improved even though I use Directory Opus exclusively now. Also, Windows Search is appalling compared to OS X's search. Anyway, I don't think anyone need be too terrified of upgrading to 8. It runs quite a bit better than 7 on older hardware too.

 

Yeah I gave him links to 2 alternative start menu fixes and eightforums.com, but for a non-tech working person (meaning - not much time to figure new things out) is just annoyed at not being able to easily adapt.

There is only one thing I disliked about 7 when I first started using it: the ability to delete folders in the left pane of explorer so easily and the focus issue. I'm just very careful about using that added ability and delete in general now. Hyper vigilant.

I told him I'd help him fix it up just so I could experience 8 - maybe I'll get that chance soon.

 

If there is one thing MS screwed up badly on with windows 8 is including a tutorial on how to use it given the radical UI change. The appalling excuse of a tutorial they show when you install windows 8 for the first time is just downright ridiculous.

 

Yeah, I'm really slow to adopt the new stuff - worse, it's taken me a year to venture out of the Dell Precision threads, LoL.

Probably the one thing people resist most is giving up choice (and flexibility). According to http://forum.notebookreview.com/windows-os-software/727378-july-2013-windows-8-market-share.html the Start Menu returns in 8.1.

When Dell gave the M6600/DDPA the ability to scan fingerprint into UAC prompt in 7, I've acclimated even more.

The help thing Tijo mentioned is of the sort the software industry has been doing last 10 years, not helpful. The old school help files used to be really good. Probably the one thing that gets my goat is that we have all this ability and the internet to disseminate help but the material has shrunk - like we should intuitively know this stuff.

 

Ok, so when I press the start button it actually starts like an engine, and I don't get any menu items? Just kidding

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Oh, I see now, I've been self-sheltering. I'm taking heed of the warning Tijo gave. I'm outa this thread.

 

So far things have been ok in the thread, there is no sign of it being locked yet.

 

Just switched back to Windows 8 because no matter what drivers I use on Windows 7, there is always a slight 1 to 2 sec lag when I launch an EXE file for example but with Windows 8 it launches instantly

 

I don't have that delay in Windows 7.

 

While off topic, I would agree there is no delay with windows 7 here either. Then again I have a SSD for the primary drive...............

 

I really only use Windows8 when I have to. Sometimnes I have Win7 driver hiccups, but that about summarizes Windows8 versatility. lol.

 

yeah i know i've always ued win 7 before. Its just with this laptop seems to not like the Win 8 drivers being install on windows 7 and ASUS has a windows 7 drivers section for my specific laptop model, but there are no drivers yet, its empty

 

That doesn't even compute-drivers are from the company that makes it for the hardware and windows doesn't need drivers beyond what it has it's own to work with general hardware. Maybe you should invest time and see if your drivers are up to date first for the right O/S as well and then one can decide what is the real culprit with driver problems are.

Well that would mean you not going to benefit much from going to W8 because they won't support it. W8 drivers are most likely different enough and made so it won't install on W7 machine and why you would want to do that is beyond me when you listed Asus has W7 drivers for it.

 

I've tried to be unbiased, reasonable, and rational in my approach to windows 8, but this particular OS has bucked me at every turn. It really all boils down to the UI. It simply makes the things I normally do more difficult, and it really is a headache when trying to help friends troubleshoot their machines. It is not a bad OS by any means, just incredibly annoying. I find touch on a desktop/laptop to be about as intelligent as screen doors on a submarine. I'll be using win 7 on both my machines until MS decides to release an OS with a functional-for-me UI.

 

"Chess Titans, Minesweeper. (Metro versions are full screen and redesigned for 3-year-olds...)"

Don't forget Spyder Solitaire.


Essentially everything listed in the OP can be fixed easily. Win 8 requires a significant time committment to customize. I made a long list of changes and haven't found anything that I couldn't fix, although this took many hours or my time.

For me Win 8 is much superior to 7, but I would never recommend it to someone not interested in spending a lot of time working to set it up.

 

Intel d00d, sounds like you really ought to dual-boot! Surely it'd be quicker than reinstalling Windows weekly?

Some interesting negatives you listed. In particular that you can only really disable UAC with a registry hack. What I'd like to know is whether setting UAC to "Never Notify" but not using the registry hack would disable Virtual Store. Aside from the pop-ups, the Virtual Store is my #1 complaint about UAC (though to be fair, it's not that bad to work around it simply by never installing anything to C:\Program Files, now that I'm aware of that work-around). Programs wanting to start in Metro mode also seems like a legitimate complaint - I wouldn't want that in a desktop-centric environment. Programs being able to change file extension defaults, I can see both sides. On the one hand, it's handy - install the GIMP, and you're able to choose exactly which files you want to make it the default for. On the other hand, there's also shady auto-switching, like programs that invite Google Chrome along for the ride and make it your default for everything web-related. So it's good that the latter isn't possible in 8, but bad that the former isn't possible. My guess is the Windows 8 version is better for the average user, and worse for power users. The System Restore one is also interesting, though I don't understand if that means it can't be disabled in the Home editions or not. I tend to favor disabling System Restore, as it's never worked the few times I've tried to use it.

I haven't used 8 enough to have an opinion on whether it's better than 7. I'm skeptical of 8 mainly because I don't see much value in Metro for the desktop user. And I tend to prefer convenient defaults with a little bit of customizing (for which I think XP does really well, and 7 appears to do better than 8) over having to customize a lot to get in a good working state. In part because if you don't know about the customizations to start with (such as how I didn't know about disabling/working around Virtual Store when I first had Vista), you end up spending a lot of time fighting the OS to do what you want it to do, which is exactly what shouldn't be happening in a good OS. Though I realize I'm also in the power-user demographics. So a lot of the changes that are good for regular users, as they make it harder to mess things up, aren't beneficial for me. Such as the changes in file extension behavior in Windows, from showing it by default and always including it when renaming (3.11, up through somewhere in 9x I think) to hiding the extension but including it when renaming if shown (XP) to hiding the extension and not including it when renaming even if shown (7). For me, the Windows 3.11 behavior is preferable in that case, and with a change of a setting I have it set up like that in XP; for most people the Windows 7 behavior is best.

 

Regarding file associations in Windows 8, every time you install a new application that can open the same type of file, you'll get a pop up on the right upper side of the screen that you can click on to choose which default program to use. Just click on the message and choose the program you want, if it doesn't appear when you install the program, it will appear the first time you open a file of any type that has multiple programs that haven't been set yet. That will allow you to choose even from the metro and desktop version, i.e. when opening a jpeg file for the first time, you'll get to choose whether to use the metro photo app or the Windows picture viewer on the desktop.

Regarding booting to metro, 8.1 is bringing booting to desktop back, no start menu, but booting to desktop is still a nice touch.

System restore: I can still disable it on Windows 8 Pro at least, I just tried it on two different Windows 8 computers.

 

I have no business being in here but does this summarize W8.1 pretty well? Microsoft takes a mulligan with Windows 8.1 | ZDNet

What no "start menu" well actually a start menu that's better but it takes two clicks to get there.

I just wish they'd make the whole thing a-la-carte and get it over with. Database style, piece together your front end. Eventually.

Though some of the earlier ones were must upgrades.

 

or...do this to never get that screen again:

If you don't want Windows 8 to tell ask you everytime you open a file that you have new apps that can open this file!

Here is how to disable it:

1) Press the Window Key + R to pull up the Run Dialogue Box

2) type gpedit.msc then hit Enter

3) In the Local Group Policy Editor, go to:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer

4) Find the "Do not show the 'new application installed' notification"

5) Double click on it and set it to to Enabled, then apply, then click on OK

Now Windows 8 will not keep on nagging and bothering you about this every time you run a file

If you are using Windows 8 and not the Pro version, then you do not have the ability to run the Group Policy Editor, in this case, you can download the below registry file, double click on it and merge it into the registry to have the values added, then restart your computer!

Disable new app notification.reg

 

Honestly, I prefer to keep the notifications, they appear only once per file type or program depending on the situation and they are rather non intrusive. I can understand why some might want to remove them, but I'm fine with the notifications.

 

yeah not a deal breaker it just bugs me that Windows 8 asks me for each file type. I have specifically told it for example to give all defaults to Firefox so no need to ask me when I double click on an *.html file that there are other programs that can handle this extension. Totally useless to pro system users like us