More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8

Lone Browncoat · Apr 19, 2013

Then I am a dino.

whs · Apr 19, 2013

Lone Browncoat said:
Then I am a dino.

Nah, in case you are interested in a tablet, just don't go overboard. I paid $230 for my 32GB Nexus. That is an acceptable price for a toy. I would never pay $1000 or more for a MS Surface Pro or alike.

For me a tablet has to be small to be easily carried and it must not cost a bundle. And Android is a much better option than Windows because you find any app in the Google Playstore. The MS app store is pathetic.

Lady Fitzgerald · Apr 19, 2013

I don't have anything against tablets; I just don't happen to need one. I have far more use for an e-book reader, preferable for me to a tablet which can do the same thing (and more) but a serious cost in battery life. There is no way I would ever remember to keep the thing charged up (at least I can field change batteries in my e-book reader). I lived most of my life not being connected 24/7 and prefer it that way. I do carry a cell phone (dumb as rocks) for emergencies but it stays turned off until I actually need it (which is rare).

lehnerus2000 · Apr 20, 2013

Agreed

whs said:
Lone Browncoat said:

SIW2 said:

You might show them the delights of Linux Mint.

It runs on very low spec hardware and comes with Libre office, Firefox, email client, media player, etc.

Click to expand...

PCLinuxOS is fundamentally easier based on Mandrake/Mandriva.

Click to expand...

I find Mint (Mate Nadia)very easy and nice to setup. If you want to try it, here is a set of tutorials.

Agreed.

I installed it on my PC to replace Ubuntu 10 (which couldn't run my ATI card, no matter what fixes my friend and I tried).

Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit):

Installed in 14 minutes (the updates took another 10 minutes)
Ran all of my hardware out of the box (graphics, network, sound, etc.)
Played all of my media files out of the box (Banshee and VLC)
Ran my custom Ubuntu theme without modification

The only programs I've had to add are:

Wireshark
GParted
VMware Player 5

It actually feels quicker than Ubuntu 10 (e.g. the menus were a bit "sticky" in Ubuntu).

mjf · Apr 20, 2013

It's interesting how the discussion:
"More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8 "
has entered into a discussion on the future of the desktop/laptop. Not that is surprising because of the apparent strategic direction and the drop in sales of PCs.
I find it difficult to understand that tablets and desktops are clearly not seen as two different beasts. I cannot see how one replaces the other depending on the need.
I wish I had a cartoon with an office staff sitting in recliner chairs doing correspondence and accounts on their tablets. The engineers, graphic designers and photographers would need different colored chairs of course.

whs · Apr 20, 2013

Michael, you are right. As very often, this has happend.

Picture borrowed from John

sygnus21 · Apr 20, 2013

whs said:
For me a tablet has to be small to be easily carried and it must not cost a bundle. And Android is a much better option than Windows because you find any app in the Google Playstore. The MS app store is pathetic.

This I agree with. That said though, I nearly bought a Galaxy Note 10.1 but instead opted for an Asus 13 inch ultrabook as I needed something a bit more versatile and robust.

But going back to tablets, yeah, android is the better way to go app wise. And yes, the Win 8 apps store is laughable right now, but I'm sure that'll change in time.

gregrocker · Apr 21, 2013

The Asus Core i5 budget ($399) laptop offered at BestBuy over Easter weekend with Win8 is now on sale for the same price at Staples with Win7.

crankypenguin · Apr 21, 2013

mjf said:
It's interesting how the discussion:
"More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8 "
has entered into a discussion on the future of the desktop/laptop. Not that is surprising because of the apparent strategic direction and the drop in sales of PCs.
I find it difficult to understand that tablets and desktops are clearly not seen as two different beasts. I cannot see how one replaces the other depending on the need.
I wish I had a cartoon with an office staff sitting in recliner chairs doing correspondence and accounts on their tablets. The engineers, graphic designers and photographers would need different colored chairs of course.

I think it may have to do with the younger generation. I was brought up in the 80s and 90s so a desktop was the epitome of all that is grand, but today's kids and teenagers are brought up with tablets next to desktops and they don't seem to differentiate between the two. It is no wonder that PC sales are dropping. The older generation usually put together their own working desktop from parts; thus effecting the statistics since we don't buy *whole* computer sets, and teenagers and younger kids prefer their iPads, Nexuses etc etc. A tablet is just *cooler* to the younger generation it would seem, not to mention they can play all their games on consoles which offer graphics which are rather good. Back in the day, you needed a desktop to get good graphics for video games, not so much today.

sygnus21 · Apr 21, 2013

sygnus21 said:
but instead opted for an Asus 13 inch ultrabook as I needed something a bit more versatile and robust.

gregrocker said:
The Asus Core i5 budget ($399) laptop offered at BestBuy over Easter weekend with Win8 is now on sale for the same price at Staples with Win7.

For those that want a budget laptop, that may be a good deal. For that that want a little more umph and power, well...

gregrocker · Apr 21, 2013

I am not recommending the laptop but making a different point germane to this thread. I tried and returned the laptop which had a cheap plastic feel, buggy touchpad and misaligned keyboard. Frankly I'm shocked it calls itself Asus.

whs · Apr 21, 2013

gregrocker said:
The Asus Core i5 budget ($399) laptop offered at BestBuy over Easter weekend with Win8 is now on sale for the same price at Staples with Win7.

Nice, except it os out of stock at Staples. Shows how desperate people are for a Windows 7 laptop.

sygnus21 · Apr 21, 2013

whs said:
gregrocker said:

The Asus Core i5 budget ($399) laptop offered at BestBuy over Easter weekend with Win8 is now on sale for the same price at Staples with Win7.

Click to expand...

Nice, except it os out of stock at Staples. Shows how desperate people are for a Windows 7 laptop.

Or the fact that it's a cheap laptop. In which case it has nothing to do with what OS it has

gregrocker said:
I am not recommending the laptop but making a different point germane to this thread. I tried and returned the laptop which had a cheap plastic feel, buggy touchpad and misaligned keyboard. Frankly I'm shocked it calls itself Asus.

SIW2 · Apr 21, 2013

It's a better deal with 7 already on it - saves having to shell out to buy a copy of 7.

whs · Apr 21, 2013

Yeah, for $399 I would live with the cheap plastic. But the other complaints that Greg had were more serious.

gregrocker · Apr 21, 2013

I actually shrank Win8 to install Win7 in a Dual Boot and wasn't that impressed with performance for a Core i5 either, possibly due to only 4gb RAM which can be doubled.

I especially wanted to compare the claim that Asus optimized Win8 to run better so installed a third Multi Boot of a Win8 clean install which as per usual performed better than the factory preinstall.

If the touchpad was enabled the cursor jumped around uncontrollably which was only remedied by a notebook mouse. The keyboard felt chintzy and space bar didn't work right. Some commenting on the Staples version report similar: http://www.staples.com/Asus-K55A-BI5093B-156-Laptop/product_982655

I probably should have kept it longer since Best Buy has a generous 15 day full refund return policy but realized quickly I wouldn't be keeping this or even passing it on to anyone I care about, then become concerned it would get scratched or banged and void my refund.

SIW2 · Apr 21, 2013

I don't think it is the ram. This desktop has only 2gb.

Everything works great.

gregrocker · Apr 21, 2013

Yeah the lappy I'm using only has 1gb and an old Celeron and runs plenty fast, but on 32 bit.

whs · Apr 21, 2013

I have a Toshiba laptop with an i5 and 6GB of RAM. That thing is really fast. But I did replace the HDD with a SSD. I think that is the trick. Boot times are in the 18 second range and everything is very snappy - snappier than my desktop with an i7 and 8GB of RAM. But that system is overloaded with a Lot of stuff.

mjf · Apr 21, 2013

gregrocker said:
I actually shrank Win8 to install Win7 in a Dual Boot and wasn't that impressed with performance for a Core i5 either, possibly due to only 4gb RAM which can be doubled.

Now of course RAM is so cheap I'd just install an 8GB kit. But I haven't really found that 4 GB has been a limit even doing Photoshop type stuff.

Then $399 is pretty cheap don't you think? But I forget you need to add the 1.5-2x gouging factor in Australia.

More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8

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