More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8

I found an interesting German website where they are selling laptops with Linux distros - and there is a big selection of distros from which to choose.

mjf said:

I totally agree with the positive comments re Windows 7 and maybe even a polished "standard" linux supported by software developers. I wonder though if a Lego user interface is the way new users will eventually go. The first Window style OS I remember was on the little Mac and I thought what a joke at the time except the joke was on me. The really "serious" computer users used Unix command line or maybe some propriety DEC PDP OS.

Well, what you say might be very well true for the bulk of the home consumer-base, where they just need 3-4 serious applications, limited multitasking and a dumbed down user interface.

But for company work it makes no sense to abandon the desktop environment for touchscreen and touchscreen-oriented UI, as it decreases productivity.
I suspect that unless some OEM takes action most will simply buy mass-licences of those programs that hack Windows 8 interface to make it more desktop-like. It's not like they are hard to deploy, and when you buy bulk stuff from Dell or Hp it's the easiest way.

If some known OEMs jumps the gun an start offering linux as an alternative system (and discounts the price for the win8 license), and makes BIOS/UEFI/whatever that have a "linux mode" that can be toggled so hibernation and other stuff will work on linux again even if the hardware can also accept the more stringent regulations imposed for Win8 compatibility. It's not hard to see that it might boost their sales.
Dell is trying a pilot project in its developer-oriented laptop. With VT-x enabled, no less.
It's pretty cool and has a nice screen, although it does cost a lot.

They say they don't offer linux to the masses due to techsupport issues, and hope devs and companies will be less reliant on techsupport. Seems like last year they got tons of positive feedback for their project. So if it sells well others may follow.

EDIT: btw, there are other more obscure OEMs that offer normal-looking high-end laptops with Ubuntu preloaded, like System7. If I had to buy a laptop I'd go with them.

Maybe you didn't read Dedo.

8 is about getting users into MS online services.

For you geeks, it will only get worse. As time passes, more and more companies will find innovative ways of ruining the accepted, efficient workflows, just for the sake of money. You will find yourself clicking ten times more buttons and options just to get what you could do so easily in the past, RE: Windows frigging 8.1 and friends. The normal menu is not coming back, ever, and you will see yet more forced online integration and similar crap cropping everywhere.

Then, it will become subscription based shit, with monthly fees and mandatory online checkins. Following the trend, you will get mandatory ads in every program, and it will be against whatever law or license agreement to remove them. You will not be able to install programs that were not preapproved by this or that company. And so forth. This is your bright future, and it will happen slowly, so that people do not resist violently.

If you do not want to end up an anally probed guinea pig in the money labs, you will be wise to boycott this latest Microsoft operating system thing, because it is an insult to intelligence, to poor people worldwide, and anyone with a basic sense of decency.

Final grade: FAIL. We're done.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/w...-8-1-beta.html

whs said:

I found an interesting German website where they are selling laptops with Linux distros - and there is a big selection of distros from which to choose.

That's not any surprise! A great deal of the Linux development comes from there and other European locations. While MS is the mainstream here Linux is to them the same! You can also see that for yourself when looking at the non US mirrors to download Linux flavors from and see the ".de" in the hyperlink.

x BlueRobot said:

I guess Windows 8.1 does give a improvement with being able to boot straight to the desktop, although not improvement we want the most - a Start Menu.

I could probably live with Windows 8.1 if I placed some of my programs on the taskbar and the desktop.

Boot to the desktop? Not happening here with the 8.1 on a VM and the constant need to log into an MSN account instead of press enter and keep desktop tile in upper left corner. Once I pass the Lock screen and login the same old Start screen with Apps on the bottom not right to scroll downwards instead is what you see.

In 7 I keep additional Quick Launch toolbars and everything works. On 8 and I can imagine 8.1 too much doesn't or is simply no longer due to MS removing it!

Sorry! I put the Preview on to see what little changes if any they made and I guessed right not much! I can't see dumping a known to be best version for tablet! It doesn't work here any! When you wait years version after version for the one extraordinary version to arrive it certainly ISN'T 8 or 8.1!

And that is precisely the part no one can figure as to why MS would try to devaluate themselves in the short to long term but not following up a success story with a strong competitor as far as the next "DESKTOP" version that is! I guess since MS knew it would be some time before people and companies alike were ready to move up from 7 with numbers still having arrived yet they could venture into Mobile/Tablet land for a go at the Fruit company and that one's new competitor the Google-itis crowd. 8 and 8.1 are still going to be what they were intended for just like Windows RT tablet... tablet... Surface Tablet!

The entire purpose of metro is to get users into MS online services, ads and other monetising schemes.

In 8.1 they have allowed skipping the start screen ( their main ad billboard ), and opting into their data collection stuff.

Why? Is it because they suddenly into Mother Theresa ?

No, of course not.

It is because they know some of us are aware of what metro is for. We have been making a lot of noise about it.

Therefore, they have decided to do it slowly, like boiling frogs.

Dedo understands it, that is exactly what he says here:

If you do not want to end up an anally probed guinea pig in the money labs, you will be wise to boycott this latest Microsoft operating system thing, because it is an insult to intelligence, to poor people worldwide, and anyone with a basic sense of decency.

Final grade: FAIL. We're done.

BTW google adsense is used on this site too, you don't see it because you are a member. That is completely different from what MS is trying to pull.

google adsense is ok, it's google analytics that I keep locked out with both noscript and ghostery that is a bit of a peeping tom.

But hey, that was a review of windows 8.1, so bashing anyone else than windows 8.1 would have been going OT.