Windows 8 will soon be released but should you run out and buy it? The answer is probably no. Windows 8 is missing many of the core features of other Windows operating systems. It must be noted that Windows 8 is designed for touch screen devices although it will work on a conventional PC. For most PC users, the interface is not user friendly and does not have the most sought after features that most people want. The average PC user will not be happy with it. Windows 8 is more like the format that you might have on your Smart phone.
In addition to the change in format, this version of Windows is lacking many of the loved features of other Windows operating systems. For starters you will not have the familiar Start menu or task bar across the bottom of your screen. I know that app icons are great for a touch screen but they are very unfriendly in a normal PC environment. You also will not find the Windows classic or Windows basic theme in this release. They are both gone. There is no way to get even a remotely familiar desktop that we have used for many years.
Windows Explorer has also changed. The old command bar is now gone and is replaced by a thing called File Explorer. For someone who has used Windows for many years this can create a new learning curve and cause confusion.
If you liked and used the Windows Media Player on a regular basis, it is not included with Windows 8. It is available but you will have to purchase it separately. I know I use Media Player quite frequently but I would not be willing to purchase it if it is not included.
If you are a Windows user you are very familiar with the Blue Screen of Death. There is never a convenient time for this screen to appear while you are working. Windows 8 did not eliminate the blue screen but it did modify it to look less scary. All in all, it still means the same thing and that is that you have a huge problem but Microsoft can’t tell you what it is.
I am quite certain that there are other things in Windows 8 that are different from Windows 7 and once it is released, we will have a better idea of what other changes are actually there. Almost everybody that has tried this OS has found it to be horrible on a PC computer. Like I said, it is primarily designed for a mobile or tablet environment. My advice is to hold on to Windows 7 for dear life, as it is an excellent operating system that should give you many years of service. If you should decide to go with a Tablet PC, you might then want to explore this new operating system to see how well it stands up against Apple and Android. I guess this is actually the best way to compare this new OS. You cannot compare it to Windows 7 because it is nothing like other Windows operating systems but you can compare it to other tablet operating systems such as Android. Time will tell since the release date is now ready for the end of October.
Author: Joe Zelenak, CEO Advantage Computers
