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Post by sordello on Jul 18, 2013 19:49:10 GMT -5
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Post by donalgdon on Jul 20, 2013 11:42:56 GMT -5
Honestly, I don't hate 8.1. I've been running it in my Dell into which I installed a second HD by removing the internal DVD and it's not really that bad, but the user interface needs a lot of work. The tiles are nice and modern, but the basic functionality in most of the stock apps is just abysmal.
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Post by Holy Schist on Jul 20, 2013 21:04:27 GMT -5
Moving between the desktop people know and tablet style interface can be a nuisance.
My kids know Apple's platform best and really liked Windows phone and Surface tablets.
We'll have 8.1 soon and it might be a similar .1 change to Windows 3.1 which made a big difference.
As far as laptops, I prefer it with the large multi-touch track pad on Macbook than with touch screen laptops.
People who are having issues going between desktop and start screen should just alt + tab to go between programs just like Windows has been for ages.
My personal Win 8 instance is a virtual machine in a laptop
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Post by sordello on Jul 20, 2013 21:32:24 GMT -5
Honestly, I don't hate 8.1. I've been running it in my Dell into which I installed a second HD by removing the internal DVD and it's not really that bad, but the user interface needs a lot of work. The tiles are nice and modern, but the basic functionality in most of the stock apps is just abysmal. It seems the way to go if you want touch screen ability. The tiles do look modern but given Microsoft's history of good aesthetics, I thought they were rather minimally plain. Speed and stability are always pretty good selling points! Odd you should mention Dell. I am thinking of selling my Motorola Xoom tablet and repalcing with this: www.dell.com/au/p/xps-12-9q33/pdat least here in Oz, Dell has a solid reputation for quality. I tried a non Dell netbook long ago but got frustrated at certain software limitations. There was still a sense of "if you want to do that, then use a real computer!" |
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Post by sordello on Jul 20, 2013 21:54:45 GMT -5
Moving between the desktop people know and tablet style interface can be a nuisance. My kids know Apple's platform best and really liked Windows phone and Surface tablets. We'll have 8.1 soon and it might be a similar .1 change to Windows 3.1 which made a big difference. As far as laptops, I prefer it with the large multi-touch track pad on Macbook than with touch screen laptops. People who are having issues going between desktop and start screen should just alt + tab to go between programs just like Windows has been for ages. My personal Win 8 instance is a virtual machine in a laptop I suspect the Windows XP analogy in the article probably doesn't apply this time 'round. There is a revolution going on in gadget types and interconnectivity and 'cross-platforming' and 'clouding' that probably won't allow people to stick with an OS that is 3 or 4 years old. |
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Post by Holy Schist on Jul 21, 2013 8:06:53 GMT -5
Honestly, I don't hate 8.1. I've been running it in my Dell into which I installed a second HD by removing the internal DVD and it's not really that bad, but the user interface needs a lot of work. The tiles are nice and modern, but the basic functionality in most of the stock apps is just abysmal. It seems the way to go if you want touch screen ability. The tiles do look modern but given Microsoft's history of good aesthetics, I thought they were rather minimally plain. Speed and stability are always pretty good selling points! Odd you should mention Dell. I am thinking of selling my Motorola Xoom tablet and repalcing with this: www.dell.com/au/p/xps-12-9q33/pdat least here in Oz, Dell has a solid reputation for quality. I tried a non Dell netbook long ago but got frustrated at certain software limitations. There was still a sense of "if you want to do that, then use a real computer!" Most of the systems I know well are business or enterprise so I don't know that model. Dell and HP are my preferred brands for quality Windows systems. That convertible machine would give you more software options than an RT Windows tablet. That software would also be same if you got the Surface Pro. I took another look at software for ARM processor but would still sick with Intel personally for any larger ticket purchase because a lot of my Windows use is for older or Intel CPU software. Most would be fine with the now reduced price Surface RT. US pricing has a 13" Macbook Air with 128 or 256 GB less expensive than that Dell. That explains my lack of interest in many Windows laptops because Apple still has the best track pad, best physical design for laptop, and I just run a Windows 8 virtual machine. On aesthetics, the simplicity of the Microsoft tiles or taking your Mac apps in full screen mode is nice. Many people have not ever figured out fast switching between applications whether Mac or Windows and I think that makes change hard for them. There is a misunderstood or not considered advantage the "store" method of apps from Apple and Microsoft to consider. We know the state of governments spying, and if you follow the news you can see much or most of tech doesn't like it. Getting your software from Apple's or Microsoft's store is a better guarantee for many that software they've downloaded is not a criminal network spying. |
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Post by Holy Schist on Jul 21, 2013 13:19:30 GMT -5
I just noticed this:
Of course life's not that simple. The price drop on Surface RT is part of it, and happened with a big write down.
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Post by sordello on Jul 23, 2013 6:07:47 GMT -5
I just noticed this: Of course life's not that simple. The price drop on Surface RT is part of it, and happened with a big write down. Wow! That was funny. That is the kind of ad that should get an award - brilliant. "Do you still think I'm pretty?" Too good! Personally, I'm not so sure all the professed 'affrontery' from the Big Boys about the government spying is genuine. They are disseminating the remarks they are required to, to keep their customers. I suspect the hotel rooms have been booked for a long time and the connubial meetings between the NSA and Silicon Valley are keeping the condom machines empty! The physical keyboard of the Dell is an enticement to me, as is the 12 not 10 inch screen. |
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Post by Holy Schist on Jul 23, 2013 7:42:02 GMT -5
Personally, I'm not so sure all the professed 'affrontery' from the Big Boys about the government spying is genuine. They are disseminating the remarks they are required to, to keep their customers. I suspect the hotel rooms have been booked for a long time and the connubial meetings between the NSA and Silicon Valley are keeping the condom machines empty! The physical keyboard of the Dell is an enticement to me, as is the 12 not 10 inch screen. In a touch, pinch and zoom world the resolution and quality of text display is a personal priority. It's 900 pixels top to bottom, but you hit on why I like Windows 8 on my Macbook Air that is also priced competitively with that Dell. On the legal and government stuff, there are articles that show some tech company lawyers putting up resistance or a fight better than other pockets. The convertible laptops seem to be love or hate. I can get where Kindle app or just reading news would be nice tablet style but they will not be thin and light like a tablet. My bias remains and I consider the Macbook Air as probably best personal computer period or ever. Light, tough, versatile, powerful, second to none industrial design, and the king of battery life. Add that software with that hardware gives you one of the best "free" suites of software for a commercial product. I recently found a reason to maybe consider an Apple Retina model and that's 4 cores so you can have 2 core virtual machines and Intel chip extensions. Don't forget Windows 8.1 gets release to manufacturers soon. I think August, and there's new hardware coming too. |
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Post by donalgdon on Jul 23, 2013 10:32:57 GMT -5
One great thing is that, in 8.1, you can choose to boot directly to desktop, which I prefer over the boot to "Metro" tiles Start menu, which is the default.
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