26 replies to this topic

[Alaskan Nobody]

Hey it is me again, and for those who do not remember (and I would not blame you) my computer died some time ago, preventing me from joining in for what felt like a VERY long time.
ALSO! my apologies if this has been asked before, my internet time is currently rather limited, preventing the full searching of the forum.

HOWEVER!
I got some new computer parts and am in the process of putting together a new desktop.
About the only piece left I need to find is a new operating system, and am looking for some recommendations.

Specifically, I am looking at windows7 and 8, as they are the only thing I could expect to run this and all the other games I own, and am looking for advice or preferences between the two.

What I know: windows8 is newer and designed to appeal more toward the tablet user crowd, a crowd that I am very much not a part of - but would seem to be expected to outlast windows7.
7 being older, is debate-ably more stable, and is what is listed in the recommended specs for about everything (I have found it interesting that 8 is not..)

any answers and help would (as usual) be very appreciated)

[Narcissistic Martyr]

Windows 8 has some compatability issues with some older games (Crysis for example) but they can be worked around.

Windows 7 works fine but it will become unsupported sooner so I'd probably (and I did) get Windows 8.

[Sen]

Windows 8 is leaps and bounds better than windows 7. The under the hood improvements to the O/S are absolutely phenomenal. I'm not sure what the guy above me means with compatibility issues. . everything that is compatible with Windows 7 is compatible with windows 8 [older legacy programs may require that you run them in compatibility mode, but that was true in 7 as well]

Windows 8 has been gifted with a relatively bad reputation based solely on the graphic interface: The addition of the start screen, which many argue does not belong on a non touch interface PC, and the loss of the start menu, which the start screen replaced. Personally, I always hated the start menu anyway, so in my case that wasn't a factor. The start SCREEN essentially becomes a huge GUI start menu on it's own, only you have the option to install apps as well. I know some people are kinda "WTF, APPS?", but lemme tell ya, I use the hell outta the netflix and TuneIn Radio apps

All in all, I love windows 8. They added a keyboard shortcut [Windows key + X] that makes navigating around *SO* much easier than windows 7. FOR THAT ALONE I will never go back. Also, check up on Windows 8.1 [also called windows blue] which is just hitting preview status this week and will be released in a few months [I use "few" loosely].

Ultimately, if you're not sure, go to your local Worst Buy or Fail Mart and play with it for a half hour or so. Ask the overworked underpaid employees questions about it. My words mean absolutely NOTHING if you get to the store and find you can't stand working with Windows version x as opposed to windows version y.

Good luck ^^

Edited by Sen, 26 June 2013 - 05:31 AM.

[red stapler]

Sen pretty much covered it.

8 is pretty sweet if you can wrap your head around the concepts of "the start menu is now full screen" and "apps = tablet, programs = desktop".

[Badconduct]

Linux Ubuntu is free. Steam can be installed, and some games do work. Mostly indie and Source engine.
https://www.winehq.org/

...anyone with me? no?

Edited by Badconduct, 26 June 2013 - 06:19 AM.

[Guardian00]

You can make a partition only for you OS and programs (50-100GB) and the rest of the disk for your files, it make easiest reinstall OS and updates. Example: you can only format the parition with the OS leaving untouched the other.

You can try Win 8 or do like me: Use 7, and try 8.1 when its released late this year.

[Guardian00]

Badconduct, on 26 June 2013 - 06:14 AM, said:

Linux Ubuntu is free. Steam can be installed, and some games do work. Mostly indie and Source engine.
https://www.winehq.org/

...anyone with me? no?

Me, but it need MWO, maybe in one or two years when it have more game options.

I use an old Celeron @ 1GHz and 324~MB RAM with ubuntu server to run mumble and teamspeak servers.

[Oderint dum Metuant]

Sen, on 26 June 2013 - 05:30 AM, said:

Windows 8 is leaps and bounds better than windows 7. The under the hood improvements to the O/S are absolutely phenomenal. I'm not sure what the guy above me means with compatibility issues. . everything that is compatible with Windows 7 is compatible with windows 8 [older legacy programs may require that you run them in compatibility mode, but that was true in 7 as well]

Windows 8 has been gifted with a relatively bad reputation based solely on the graphic interface: The addition of the start screen, which many argue does not belong on a non touch interface PC, and the loss of the start menu, which the start screen replaced. Personally, I always hated the start menu anyway, so in my case that wasn't a factor. The start SCREEN essentially becomes a huge GUI start menu on it's own, only you have the option to install apps as well. I know some people are kinda "WTF, APPS?", but lemme tell ya, I use the hell outta the netflix and TuneIn Radio apps

All in all, I love windows 8. They added a keyboard shortcut [Windows key + X] that makes navigating around *SO* much easier than windows 7. FOR THAT ALONE I will never go back. Also, check up on Windows 8.1 [also called windows blue] which is just hitting preview status this week and will be released in a few months [I use "few" loosely].

Ultimately, if you're not sure, go to your local Worst Buy or Fail Mart and play with it for a half hour or so. Ask the overworked underpaid employees questions about it. My words mean absolutely NOTHING if you get to the store and find you can't stand working with Windows version x as opposed to windows version y.

Good luck ^^

Pretty much this, 8's bad rep is because people don't like change, specifically the change to the UI.
As an actual OS it performs brilliantly, sleek,slick and from my own tests done on my machine it's much better under the hood in a system resources sence, yet at its core it's still windows 7.

With the addition of a form of start menu in an upcoming update there's really no reason not too.

[Barbaric Soul]

Take it however you want, but Microsoft themselves used a Windows 7 PC, not Windows 8, to demo their Xbox One, just two weeks ago.

source- http://www.techpower...ulls+a+fast+one

Edited by Barbaric Soul, 26 June 2013 - 04:04 PM.

[Badconduct]

Barbaric Soul, on 26 June 2013 - 04:03 PM, said:

Take it however you want, but Microsoft themselves used a Windows 7 PC, not Windows 8, to demo their Xbox One, just two weeks ago.

source- http://www.techpower...ulls+a+fast+one

It was probably in development pre-Windows 8. Migrating it over just gives more room for error.

And I think they've learned a lesson in the past about trying to use a new OS in a real world demo, things go wrong.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Thanks for the feedback!

I had looked at Linux years ago, but while I am not computer illiterate, I am no where near literate enough to try and make Linux run all my games.

I wasn't worried about the interface for 8 being 'bad' so much as counter-intuitive (and I am not sure that that is the term I am looking for... >.< ) to what I have been trained toward, on account of having used (and abused?) all of the older windows interfaces short of 7, and the lack of anything I've seen requiring it.

Another note I have been somewhat concerned about is that we (me and my brother) have had trouble in the past getting my Vista computers to recognize his Xp -and I would like to note that that is about the ONLY problem I ever had with Vista, and that was -relatively- easy to fix.
-anything like that on the newer OS's?

Edited by Shar Wolf, 26 June 2013 - 06:17 PM.

[Sen]

Quote

[color=#959595]Take it however you want, but Microsoft themselves used a Windows 7 PC, not Windows 8, to demo their Xbox One, just two weeks ago.[/color]

I could cite the cost of migrating an entire company from one O/S to the other. I could cite bargain basement bulk purchase deals on EoL hardware to shave a few bucks off the bottom line to pad investor pockets. Badconduct had a really good point as well.. but as a PC gamer I *HAVE* to say it:

It's probably because the Xbox One hardware/software set is so antiquated windows 8 couldn't interpret it, even in legacy mode Honestly, I"m surprised they didn't do the demo in windows 3.1!!!

ok, I got it out of my system. . I feel better now

[Guardian00]

Almost all hardware have their 8 version of drivers. Maybe very old or not popular hardware make troubles, you can try SlimDrivers for autodetect and install driver or HWiNFO to check hardware and search for their driver manually.

Shar Wolf, on 26 June 2013 - 05:53 PM, said:

Another note I have been somewhat concerned about is that we (me and my brother) have had trouble in the past getting my Vista computers to recognize his Xp -and I would like to note that that is about the ONLY problem I ever had with Vista, and that was -relatively- easy to fix.
-anything like that on the newer OS's?

[Catamount]

Barbaric Soul, on 26 June 2013 - 04:03 PM, said:

Take it however you want, but Microsoft themselves used a Windows 7 PC, not Windows 8, to demo their Xbox One, just two weeks ago.

source- http://www.techpower...ulls+a+fast+one

Yeah... Microsoft at E3




Anyways, that painful memory aside, my vote's on 8

[Gremlich Johns]

Narcissistic Martyr, on 25 June 2013 - 09:35 PM, said:

Windows 8 has some compatability issues with some older games (Crysis for example) but they can be worked around.

Windows 7 works fine but it will become unsupported sooner so I'd probably (and I did) get Windows 8.

By that time, the successor to Win 8 will be available. witness XP, it is still very popular. (not by gamers, of course)

[Badconduct]

I just switched to Windows 8 today.

No complaints so far, everything works fine. A little on the ugly side, but it's not bad once you get used to it.

Not sure about the missing start menu button... tend to have most of my links in a folder on my desktop anyway.

Downloading 8.1 preview now...

[Catamount]

Is it true the 8.1 start button we've been promised over and over just takes you to the Metro interface?

If so, Microsoft has just perpetrated the best troll over.

[Patrick Wolf]

Catamount, on 30 June 2013 - 11:49 AM, said:

Is it true the 8.1 start button we've been promised over and over just takes you to the Metro interface?

If so, Microsoft has just perpetrated the best troll over.

It is true. It just takes you to the metro interface still, no start bar sadly. There was a news post on toms about it a while ago

Edit* found it: http://www.tomshardw...reen,22848.html

Edited by Patrick Wolf, 30 June 2013 - 12:01 PM.

[Oderint dum Metuant]

Catamount, on 30 June 2013 - 11:49 AM, said:

Is it true the 8.1 start button we've been promised over and over just takes you to the Metro interface?

If so, Microsoft has just perpetrated the best troll over.

Correct on both counts, I currently have 8.1 on my TS3 hosting machine.
In its current form it serves no purpose...

[Halfbreed]

In my opinion Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit is the best right now.