Helpdesk Challenge – tell us what you think of Windows 8
Have you upgraded to Windows 8? If so, we want to hear your experiences of living with Microsoft’s latest operating system.
Windows 8 is a big play for Microsoft, and one that’s been long overdue. The tablet computing revolution spearheaded by Apple knocked Microsoft for six, forcing it to rethink its approach to its traditional Windows operating system.
The result? An all-singing, all-dancing (according to the relentless adverts) tile-based operating system that claims to be just as at home on a laptop as it is on a touchscreen tablet.
We know Windows 8 does some things right – for example, our tests have found that the Windows 8 security features are on a par with the best security software we’ve tested. But we also know that many users have found frustrations in adjusting to the new operating system.
If you’ve installed Windows 8 onto your existing PC, purchased a new Windows 8 laptop or desktop, or picked up a tablet like the Windows Surface RT, we want to hear from you.
Installing Windows 8
Getting started with Windows 8 on an existing PC isn’t always as straightforward as can be. For example, we recently installed the new operating system on a perfectly respectable, 18-month old laptop running Windows 7, and encountered no end of trouble with repeatedly having to roll-back and reverse the installation due to compatibility issues being flagged up halfway through the process.
Have you encountered any similar issues, or has installing Windows 8 been a breeze?
Using Windows 8 with a touchscreen
Microsoft has made a big deal of the touchscreen approach of Windows 8, but how have you found getting used to using traditional Microsoft tools like Word and Excel with the option to prod and poke at the screen?
Using Windows without a touchscreen
For many people who’ve installed Windows 8 onto an older PC with no touchscreen display, there may be a nagging feeling you’re missing out on half the fun. How have you found using Windows 8 with just a mouse and keyboard for scrolling through the tiles and commands?
Would you recommend Windows 8 to others?
Now here’s the big one – based on your experience of using Windows 8, would you readily tell your nearest and dearest to install it, or to buy a Windows 8 device?
- Windows 8 features guide - all you need to know about Microsoft’s new system
- Best Windows 8 laptops – we round up new laptops running Windows 8
- The Which? tablet buyers guide - choose the best tablet for you
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cdnhome
I have Windows 8 supplied with a Lenovo laptop. Overall it is quicker than Windows 7 and Windows Defender seems to work well as the Security software. I haven’t found a program which won’t run on it yet. My only complaints are the nuisance of getting to desktop, the power off options and specifically the annoyance of having to buy Windows Professional just to get Windows Media Center which was free with Windows 7. I haven’t bought Professional and use other free (but not as good) software to do the same job.
I hope the new 8.1 will resolve some of the issues and more importantly will be a free upgrade.
CATH
I hate Windows 8. I am using it on a laptop and it is clearly designed for a touchscreen tablet. I want a x to close a window, not try to drag the top of the window down. It can be hard doing that on a laptop. Why would anyone think that’s better on a non touchscreen device? Not having the Start menu is a bizarre decision. I can’t find anything. I find myself switching between the old desktop view and the new tiled view to find various things. I uploaded some photos to My Pictures, but could not work out how to make a new folder in the new view.
It might be great on a touchscreen, but would recommend avoiding on a laptop.
Jan Elliott
Well…. what can I say…. most people have said it all – nothing is where you’d normally expect to find it… if you manage to ‘trip over’ what you want you can’t find it a second time! It took me ages to find the controls to locate and contact to a network that I knew was there, I just had to log on to it!
And…. when I did that d****mn Bing search engine!!!! I actually had the URL, but it put me onto the search and I couldn’t get off it!!! In the end I went into PC settings and, after searching, scrolling, playing, taking time I didn’t have (because I was at a presentation) that I needed a particular web site for…. I eventually managed to shut the thing off! Now that my PC just uses Internet Explorer finding my specific site was easy!
I for one am going straight to “www.classicstart” to switch back to the old, normal, user friendly, start up page! Has no one at Microsoft heard of that phrase “If it ain’t broke…. don’t fix it!”
I just hope using the screens to perform this download is easier than trying to use anything else on Windows 8….
Oh… sorry, didn’t mean to beat about the bush, maybe I shouldn’t just said it straight…
I don’t like it!!!
Jan Elliott
On looking through your pages, recommendations etc… and looked at some video on using Windows 8, it would appear that, it’s good’ish on and for touch screen hardware… but loading it onto a ‘normal’ PC isn’t too clever…. it is really hard work!
hebe
It never seems to do the same darn thing twice the same way. Trying to teach my wife how to use it is totally frustrating because what she has learnt to do doesn’t work the next time and when I eventually sort it out I can’t remember what I did!
I agree It’s infuriating getting Bing when you don’t want it.
The touch screen is very variably sensitive (but I suppose that might be Dell and not M’soft’s fault.) – it defeats the whole object & we are finding it easier using a wireless mouse and going on to Desk Top for much of the time.
No manual came with it and the current guides don’t address many of the problems we encounter. It won’t operate my 4 year old Canon colour printer and Canon say they don’t intend to make a soft ware update.
If this was a car I would quite possibly demand my money back. – It’s a case of Microsoft trying to be Apple and failing miserably. Why didn’t they try it out with more of ordinary Joe Public and this could have been avoided What a shame when it could have been so good.