Should I upgrade to Windows 8.1? Currently on Windows 7.
Hey, so I'm looking at Windows 8.1, and the tiles seem a neat way to kind of organize programs, and get a cool workflow going. Seems it would benefit me, but EVERYONE hates the Windows 8.1 and keeps ragging on it, so it's keeping me from upgrading.
Has anyone here upgraded? What are your thoughts? Any compatibility issues with any programs you usually use?
I'd love to hear everyones idea about it. I'm running a really powerful machine, so I'm thinking of starting fresh and checking it out.
Thanks!
Has anyone here upgraded? What are your thoughts? Any compatibility issues with any programs you usually use?
I'd love to hear everyones idea about it. I'm running a really powerful machine, so I'm thinking of starting fresh and checking it out.
Thanks!
Replies
I actually feel like I would use the tiles, that's where everyones complaining. It wouldn't be too bad organizing project files and my favorite 3d programs really quickly to access.
It's just, I hear everyone rag on it. I want to make sure I don't upgrade and have upgrade remorse, and wish to have Windows 7, which a lot of people are saying I will have. I just don't see why I would, so I figure why not ask polycount if they have and see what they have to see.
I basically am wanting to upgrade for the tiles, but I feel like I'm not researching the correct information that makes everyone hate it so much.
Either way, they're 'going away' in 8.2. 'Going away' as in you no longer boot into the tile screen first.
Trust me, you can boot your software just as fast with your taskbar and desktop icons. If you're SUPER impatient and want to start your software asap, then assign keyboard shortcuts to them.
I finds windows 8.1 super frustrating because I do spend a lot of time in the nuts and bolts maintaining my friends PC. He had some bad compatibility issues, but he's not a 3d guy. His problems were on the hardware side of things.
i've also disabled UAC completely because i hate that and now the metro apps do not work at all, but i don't care since i can't stand them and don't use them...
Installed StartIsBack and now i have the start menu exactly the way it was in windows 7... i like StartIsBack because the way it's integrated, no new process for it
i'm running win 8 for quite some time now and i haven't had a single problem... related to win 8 directly...
I'll have to look into it.
The thing that kills me about 8.1 on this guy's machine is an issue with the mouse drivers. 8.1 duplicates the usb mouse interface drivers several times and it makes accessing the charms menu / start menu / windows peek thing impossible without 'windows+f' or some other hotkey. It's a reoccurring problem ever since he upgraded to 8.1.
I know it's not a common problem, but it affects this computer.
Overall pretty happy with win 8.1, after I got Aero Glass back in through glass8.
As an 8.1 user, I would say don't bother. The little additions don't really affect your workflow for the better and the navigation/apps still seem weirdly implemented for a desktop OS.
(Turned off the desktop icons as well)
I just hit the windows key, type in the first letters of what I want to start and done...
Just add your favorite folders/programs to the "startmenu" so it finds them faster.
It will also remember how often you selected a entry from the search results and move it to the top of the search list. (No mouse movement involved)
You don't even need to wait until the program has started, just repeat the process and hammer in what you want to start and it'll popup in a few seconds.
I organize my files via the standard explorer.
Installing the OS on a SSD is a must for best performance.
Another major plus is the overhauled taskbar, you can now have it on several monitors and only the windows on the monitor will be shown in the corresponding taskbar.
I honestly don't give a fuck about the difference between 5 and 10 seconds boot time.
There alot of tool out there where you can deactivate the
annoing sidebars or get the classic windows button back.
The start screen looks good and has some useful information (like the weather and news), but Metro apps are horrible - they're not for a working environment with mouse and keyboard. I would keep to Windows 7 until 9 comes out.
does it work smoothly with wacom tablets and cintiq's? windows 7 gave me quite the headaches in that respect. fixable but so damn annoying.
how does it deal when dual booting different windows installations/different windows versions?
note: i'm still on a machine running XP64 with everything working smoothly so no urgent need, but will have to get a new computer this year, getting a new OS seems inevitable... didn't like win7 much for the tablet woes and how they castrated the explorer.
That might just be a general driver issue, I'm experiencing the same problem in 7 with the latest drivers.
If you're on 7 right now and not doing a brand new build you're probably fine waiting. But if you're making a new rig, might as well go with 8.1
me too in 7.
My main greivance is wacom issues in newer versions of Max and said newer versions of Max's issues with 8. I actually use Max2010 on 8 cuz 14 doesn't like doing anything without major work interfering problems.