Discussion on:

The first 10 things you should do to a new Windows 8 desktop installation

What other configuration changes, tweaks, and tricks do you recommend for a fresh installation of Windows 8?

What are the 10 things that should be done to a new Wim8 install?

to be taken to the blog post.

Instead, what are or can be provided to make people use Win8 for seriously purposes?

1. Find old Windows 7 installation disk.
2. Install Windows 7.

hell id even conider going to windows 98 again over windows 8

Historically, similar comments always propose installing Linux.

.

.....buy a Macintosh.

Come on, Mac fanboys! This thread isn't scorching enough yet!

Ah, if only Jason Hiner had posted. THAT would have got people going (still don't get why Jason gets so much flak around here, but then again, I'm relatively new here).

then I'm a known nutcase.

nt

He's accused of shilling for more companies than Billy Mays.

Should we start a Jason Hiner appreciation thread? Maybe a 'best-of' blog?

Sorry, Jason. Just trying to lighten the mood.

HMFIC is reserved for military use.

Jason is the PWIC (Person What's In Charge).

nt

nt

.

Wouldn't recognize sarcasm if it kicked them in the meat & veg.

nt

Step 0. Wipe drive with DBANto ensure all traces of abomination are gone.

At least try and engage those you disagree with in a reasoned debate.

Edited for typo

How can you have a reasoned debate with people who make such absurd comments in the first place?

Rick

Have you tried Windows 8? Windows 8 and Windows 7 are practically the same operating system - one just has a bigger Start button.

...thrusts the interface formerly known as Metro upon you.

IFNAM = Interface Formerly Known as Metro

LAME.

One takes away my start button and replaces it with a touch oriented piece of crap (my personal opinion). I have tried Windows 8 and so far have found nothing to look forward to in the desktop/laptop computing space in which I work and play.

and apps with no Minimize, Maximize, or Close buttons.
And a completely different method of shutting down.
And a multitude of other new behaviors.
And an interface that brings nothing to desktop systems.

Yours is a good list, by the way, but while others are overreacting, you're ignoring the learning curve.

Yeah! Don't you know the baby-boomers are the largest population demo? Their needs, the inability to learn and adapt, must take center stage in all innovations. How dare you young-uns ignore them? How dare you? You're probably wondering, "If the 'boomers don't like change why aren't they using a Mac which has basically remained the same for 20 years?" That's a good question but irrelevant here. Don't make me pull off the highway!

As a baby boomer myself, I have to disagree with your comments. I love to learn new things and I love to learn to take advantage of new advances in software. Heck, even my 91 year old mother is still more capable of learning new things than many of the people on this forum seem to be.

No, it's not us baby boomers that are the problem. The real problem is that there are a handful of people in the world who would rather spend 8 hours a day on forums like this, posting comments about how hard it is to learn anything new, and how hard it is to adapt to minor changes in an OS interface, rather than spend a few hours a day actually trying to learn something new.

Rick

He's been on an ageist rant ever since he showed up a few months ago. He was MIA for several weeks; it looks like the library has repaired its Internet connection.

Pops, I told you that library joke a while back ago. There's no recycling it. But now I see what rick was referring with his 8 hours online comment. You pretty much know who coming and going in here. (Psst, you don't have to comment about EVERY SINGLE ARTICLE.)

So you're in the minority of your age group. When I pop in a major upgrade to the the company's system 100% of the complainers (requesting a rollback) were born between 1946-66. Though you may be happy to know that less than half of those baby boomers actually do the complaining. I do my best to ease them into the new stuff but all those pharma and finance TV commercials have made them a spoiled bunch. I blame Ozzie and Harriet Nelson... well, Harriet mostly because she like to coddle. LOL

I'm surprised they haven't organized into a T (for tech) Party inside the company with a focus on trying to stretch XP to the next 15 years.

I'm sure 100% of the complainers are older people. There is no doubt that, as we get older, everything gets harder to do. While many of us realize that continuing to exercise our bodies and our minds will help us stay in healthy and stay active, it is quite clear that there are also many of us who just give up and allow our minds and bodies to deteriorate with age.

Younger people do not have these problems, so of course, it is only going to be older people who you will see whining and complaining about how hard it is to learn anything new.

The only point I was really trying to make in my first response to you was that not all of us baby boomers have let ourselves go. And, in fact, even some of our parents still keep moving forward, in spite of being old.

I also see that you got my other point about people spending their entire days on these forums, rather than spending a few hours here and there actually doing something productive with their time. As I've said elsewhere, I think this creates a situation in these forums, where people who don't like to learn new things are over-represented, because they can afford to spend their entire days posting comments about how hard it is to learn anything new. On the other hand, those of us who are still able to learn are more inclined to spend our days learning and doing new things, and thus don't have that kind of time to spend in these forums. This creates that impression that the world is full of old-farts who can't learn anything new and can't handle any change in their daily routine, when in fact, many of us older people can, and do learn new things and do handle changes in our daily routines.

Rick

and now retired, and I love to play with something new. BUT it has got to offer me something good, and as my hours on this earth slip away, not force me into trying to learn how to do something that I know perfectly well how to do.

I tried Linux Mint with the Cinnamon interface on my ancient laptop a few weeks ago, but within the day had replaced it with Xubuntu. That was far easier to learn.

I'm not sure if that's sarcasm I detect in your post. I'll go with 'no' and play this straight this time. Ignore me if I'm wrong.

The Baby Boomer generation aren't to blame for not wanting to learn new things. I think the problem is with a vocal minority of users who don't want the hassle of having to re-earn or adapt. These people are across all generations for anything from laziness to mild tech-phobia. These people are the same sorts who will moan about their TiVo interfaces being updates, remote controls being different between brands and SmartTVs having too many options. For some, the computer is a necessary evil and they just want it as easy as possible (i.e. the same as it was). Once some of them realise how easy Win 8 can be to operate they may actually change their stance.

As for the Mac comment, Macintosh OS underwent a major change with the release of OS X. Some old-school mac users really struggled with the change although, admittedly, it has remained largely the same since. Much like Apple's iOS system.

The question you pose: 'Why aren't people using old-style tech if they don't wanna change?' (paraphrased) isn't irrelevant to this debate at all. If people shy away from Win 8 because they don't want to change then they could:
a) miss out on something that might actually suit them better
b) Hold back further innovations or changes

All I'd ask is that people give something new a go before making their minds up. So far I've seen nothing but preemptive dismissal from the 'What's wrong with Win7?' crowd so far. I think as a tech-loving community we could be a little more open minded.

Anyway - I can't hang about for 8 hours debating this. I have work to do

The problem is there is no debate. No comparing the merits or advantages of upgrading one's system. If you make a comment or question about the subject the responses you receive are just verbal tantrums. Nothing's worse than watching old men crying.

I don't think everyone here counts as an industry person. Unless you want to count a guy in a room banging away at an old Packard Bell as an industry guy.

Why don't we scrap this Interweb altogether and return to BBS via modems? It might take me the far side of 2 seconds to learn it but I can adapt.

You're right to a degree but I've found plenty of reasoned debate to be had in plenty of the Win 8 and MS surface threads so far. Unfortunately it is shot through with reactive negativity which sort of kills interesting conversation on the topic. If (you) feel negative about (it) then tell us why and lets explore that. Not a single one of us will have all the answers, hence why stuff like this helps and can be interesting..

I suppose until the majority of us have really had a chance to play with Win 8 in our own environments we won't be able to effectively see why we should upgrade. As the launch passes and more and more people give it a crack this may become more apparent and a debate had.

It is sad that these forums seem to make our industry look like it is full of nothing but whiners and incompetent people who are unable to learn anything new. I think what it comes down to is that these forums just attract people who'd rather spend all day posting senseless comments about how hard it is to learn anything new, rather than actually spend a few minutes learning how to take advantage of something new.

Rick

I have to agree, Rick and Charlie. I usually get a negative vibe from threads like this where arguments seem to revolve around how users want to use windows the same way they've always used windows and how dare Microsoft change things so drastically.

Rick, I do think some people have taken your comment to heart though - personally I didn't see it as an attack against anyone (and I can be negative about some subjects, too). Let me address the vote imbalance for you.

Look, everyone - despite what you may think of Rick's comment he does make a very good point that Charlie's comment before it also makes well - W8 IS very much something new, something.....different. Before we dismiss this how about we see what new stuff we can really do with W8 (touch or otherwise)? Give it a chance and if it still doesn't meet your needs, pick the OS that suits them instead.

that create the trouble.

nt

This forum is a good way to identify IT jobs that will soon open for someone new.

I have made the same comment several times in response to those who say they can't handle learning anything new.

Rick

We have a lot of whining to do, as we have to deal with lousy programming,
usually a lack of drivers or support for 12 months or more, due to the lovely licensing fees MS charges, and then we have customers who expect miracles, when all we can supply are mackerels (fishy type support) Makes me not whine but try and forget I carry a hammer for such purposes. (to use in a most satisfying way)
We dont whinge but pray it will not ruin our reputation when MS bombs out...My notebook is always full of excuses to use for various situations, and I've used them all including sledging MS!

But Windows 8 works with pretty much all the existing Windows 7 drivers. I have yet to find any existing hardware or software that works with Windows 7, but won't work with 8.

Yeah, if you have some 15 year old sound card or laser printer that you're determined to continue using, you will likely have a hard time finding a suitable driver for Windows 8... unless there is already a driver for Windows 7, in which case it will almost certainly work with 8.

Rick

This is exactly the non-debating I mentioned above. Re-read his post. It's the total opposite of constructive criticism - he's got a hammer. Then there's the desire for Microsoft to "bomb". Jonno, here, wants the most predominant OS maker to go. So why is he using it? It defies logic. It does not compute.

If they don't like Microsoft then they should get a Mac or Chrome or replace Windows with Linux instead of that "Whiners Moi" garbage.

Several times, in fact. I still don't really understand what his point is. It sounds like he is saying that Microsoft products are designed with "lousy programming" and that there is a lack of drivers or support for 12 months or more, due to some supposed licensing fees MS charges. Then he says that all he can provide is "fishy type support," which sounds to me like he is saying he lacks any personal ability to provide support to his users. So, perhaps he is in the wrong field? I don't know...

Then he goes on about carrying a hammer, and worrying about his reputation when "MS bombs out." But it would seem to me his reputation is already shot, if he can only provide "fishy" support to his users.

So... who knows... I don't get it...

Rick