Windows XP vs. 7 and 8?

[Raz0r]

Windows 8 is nothing but garbage and they got rid of the start menu.

 

I encourage you to convince me otherwise.

There's a lot more work done under the hood to improve the OS - compared to that, the temporary loss of the start button is no biggie.

I'm using Windows 8 as if it were Windows 7 with no issues.

[LoU]

I use windows 8.1 and have no problems or issues so far. 

Only thing i disliked at the beginning was new "Start Menu" desigin, but now i get used to it.

There are few replacements for new UI Metro Start Menu around the internet so You can use it if You really don't like new one, so it shouldn't be such a big deal.

 

 

I have small netbook with windows 8.1, 1gb ram. Windows only uses 300-400mb where Win7 used 500-600 mb.

Performance is better with win 8.1.

[Jango40]

I tried that Metro crap for months, but it's just worse. Much worse.

[eezstreet]

I have been using 8/8.1 for a while now, but I'd strongly recommend 7 if you've just used XP. I can't even see myself using XP anymore. Everything just seems like a chore when I'm in my XP/2000 VMs. 8.1 and such do take some time to get used to, and there are some annoying quirks (ESPECIALLY ON LAPTOPS) but it's okay in general. I've never used the actual start screen for anything at all, but I like that it's more keyboard friendly (imo) than the start menu.

 

Only bug I've experienced in 8 is that sometimes the start screen will go completely blank sometimes. Also I don't like the new UEFI boot scheme or the ribbon, both make it harder to use.

[Didz]

all windows 8.1 did was go automatically to the desktop instead of the start screen and add a start menu BUTTON. There is no Start menu to it. So no I will never go to windows 8 or windows 8 whatchamacallit.

 

I encourage you to convince me otherwise.

 

[Jango40]

Ok, this changes everything..

[Futuza]

Win 8.1 + This = Happiness

 

EDIT: Darn it I've been ninja'd

Edited April 9, 2014 by Darth Futuza

[spior]

And I thought this thread couldn't get any funnier.

[Merek]

There's a lot more work done under the hood to improve the OS - compared to that, the temporary loss of the start button is no biggie.
I'm using Windows 8 as if it were Windows 7 with no issues.

 

 

The loss of the start menu IS A BIGGIE FOR ME. The start screen is utterly useless.

[Dusty]

So does Windows 8 perform better than 7 I guess? How about both vs. XP?

 

I've heard Windows 7 is supposed to be a bit smoother than and start-up/shut down slightly faster than XP... is that the truth?

[Merek]

nah windows xp is fine. so is windows 7. The ones i don't like are vista and 8.

[eezstreet]

XP sucks in terms of performance; both 7 and 8 perform better, are more secure, and are able to use newer apps/games running on DirectX 10 or above. Also, most XP installations (> 85% if I had to guess) are capped to 4GB (more like 2GB) due to being 32 bit, so you have that restriction there too.

[Dusty]

^If I don't plan to have more than 4 GB of RAM I don't need 64-bit correct?

 

However, does Windows 7/8 32-bit make use of all RAM up to the 4 GB? I know in Windows XP the max is 3.2 GB to be used on 32-bit, or at least, that's all my downstairs comp registers anyway in the System overview page.

 

EDIT: And if I go with Windows 7, I pretty much have to get an OEM right? Unless I want to spend 200+ on the retail version?

[Shadzy]

Dusty that is right re OEM version!

 

64bit will make use of more than 4GB RAM, and its encouraged to have to cater for upgrades to hardware upgrades (easier to do on their own, rather than new machine)

 

Im not sure if Windows 7 is an investment anymore, but with this Start menu coming to 8.1, maybe an investment can be made to 8.1 which makes more sense!

[IrocJeff]

^If I don't plan to have more than 4 GB of RAM I don't need 64-bit correct?

 

However, does Windows 7/8 32-bit make use of all RAM up to the 4 GB? I know in Windows XP the max is 3.2 GB to be used on 32-bit, or at least, that's all my downstairs comp registers anyway in the System overview page.

 

EDIT: And if I go with Windows 7, I pretty much have to get an OEM right? Unless I want to spend 200+ on the retail version?

 

If you are in college or know someone with a valid .edu e-mail you can probably pick up an OEM version of Windows 7 for about 30 bucks for ISO version through Microsoft Student Web-Store. When I was at UCF I got my copy of Windows 7 this way a few years ago.

 

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/edu

[Caudata]

Windows 7, definitely.

[Dusty]

So besides Windows 7 being more like XP and Windows 8 being more of a different style...

 

What else is there to consider? Does Windows 8 make any changes or improvements on Windows 7, feature wise, performance wise, compatibility wise with XP and 2000 programs? Any downsides? In the long run, besides staying supported for longer, does Windows 8 have any serious advantages over 7, or no?

[eezstreet]

Windows 8 improves the task manager and adds the Ribbon interface. File transfers are much more verbose. The startup speed is drastically cut from 7 (to near nothing). Microsoft Security Essentials is built-in. Metro is the only downside. The usual preloaded Metro apps are Mail, News, Weather, Sports, Skype, OneDrive, Finance, Travel and Cooking (I think). Some have Internet Explorer Metro as well.

[Sentra]

I see this thread has a lot of opinions, 8/8.1 is ***, Win7 is ***, XP is ***. But every Assassin's (Lord Revian's) answer is like "NO, I DON'T AGREE BECAUSE I DON'T AGREE, BLAH-BLAH".

If you think that XP is okay for you, Win7 is crap and Win8 is even worse than Win7, why are you asking? Keep using outdated XP, that's your answer.

Really, I hate that threads, when a TS constantly criticizes reasoned opinions about his question.

 

In order not to offtop: W8.1 for laptops (with classic start menu if required (but not necessarily, since after ~two weeks of use, you will realize that there is not need in it)) or for big screened PCs (or TV, like myself). PCs for work, business laps and so on - Win7.

[Dusty]

I wasn't the one that said any of that stuff