Microsoft retracts Windows 7 PC end-of-sales deadline

LF, it's not that bad. It can actually be fun. And that is from someone who does not like 8 either, LOL.

But seriously, there are some nice features in Windows 8.1. It takes some getting used to the new UI, but that is no rocket science. And with a touchscreen, some things are even easier. And you don't have to use touch all the time. That's only for tablets.

SIW2 said:

I know what you are getting at. Ironically for the simple stuff, it is great.

If you want to do more than that, it can involve a bit of work.

It doesn't have the depth of GUIs if that makes sense. Windows enthusiasts will have learned a lot about windows over a few years , commands, reg tweaks, etc. They will often forget it took them quite a while to learn that. Then when they go to Linux , they are back to square one with the slightly geeky stuff.

Agreed. I believe that is what I meant about that. Gui is lacking. Ironically, old versions of ubuntu had a more in depth GUI. New versions do not for some reason.... it's weird.

They just had to switch to unity

whs said:

LF, it's not that bad. It can actually be fun. And that is from someone who does not like 8 either, LOL.

But seriously, there are some nice features in Windows 8.1. It takes some getting used to the new UI, but that is no rocket science. And with a touchscreen, some things are even easier. And you don't have to use touch all the time. That's only for tablets.

I've worked with 8.1 some (I forgot my notebook while on a trip back in November and my hosts let me use an 8.1 machine while I was there). While an improvement on 8.0, it still felt cumbersome and awkward. I saw no advantages over Win 7 so I see no sense in upgrading to 8.1 when I have three Win 7 retail licenses and one OEM and Win 7 will be good to 2020.

For desktop use, touch screens would destroy my shoulders (I have enough problems with them as it is).

This is actually good news for me since I am planning to buy a new computer in a few months and I still have the chance of getting Windows 7 on my new pc. I guess I won't have to stay with my 6 year old computer until its hardware dies.

Computer0304 said:

This is actually good news for me since I am planning to buy a new computer in a few months and I still have the chance of getting Windows 7 on my new pc. I guess I won't have to stay with my 6 year old computer until its hardware dies.

If you buy a PC without touch, Win7 is a better option. 8.1 is faster though and has a smaller footprint.

LF - I would not upgrade either and spend extra money for 8.1. But if it came with the machine, like on my new ASUS Transformer, it is workable. But the Transformer has touch.

Here is what I don't understand. Windows 7 was made for touch as well, and works great with a touchscreen. Its part of the reason as why Microsoft made a taskbar with giant square icons vs the old way. They made it that way so when you touched it with your finger it was easy to tap.

See here:

My favorite ways to use touch: Jump Lists, Snap, Shake, Peek, and more

and here:

Windows 7 made easy: Optimizing for touchscreen devices - Feature - Notebooks - CNET Asia

I have used windows 7 on a touch screen and it works great. Its not gimmicky ether, compared to windows 8. So why have windows 8 at all? If your getting windows 8 for touch, there really is no point. Microsoft wants one OS for every kind of device which is why it released windows 8. It fails at that.

Yes windows 8 supports more fingers. So what? Are you really going to use more than 2 fingers at once? At least 7 supports multi-touch.

Good point. And even Vista supported touch. I had been playing with a Vista touch PC and that worked pretty well.

Wolfgang, how do you like using touch screen? It seems OK on my Android phone, but It seems would be cumbersome of a tablet. Did your ASUS Transformer come with the keyboard dock?

This is the Transformer. Great little machine and very fast. The screen is excellent - even I can see well on it (with my reading glasses).

When it is docked, I use mainly the Bluetooth mouse (don't like pads). But the wife prefers the pad (it is really her baby but I have to make all the setups and system stuff).

Touch is there for when you use it as a tablet, but sometimes I just hit a tile with my finger when docked. Would not think that it is comfy to use touch all the time when docked.

Alrighty, thanks, looks like a good system.