Avoid Windows 8!

I had the trial version and purchased the upgrade on line, After an entire day trying to find problems, I finally got it working.

Then today, I was doing a search on Bing and Windows started to place a B when ?I typed a letter. And added an h before selected words.

I rebooted thinking it was a short cut error. Now I can't log in! When I type my password, it puts the CAPS LOCK on when I type the number 1. And I cannot undo it,

I am sick of Linux talk, open source and free-ware crap. Almost every kid (under 35) that has worked for us over the years whined and cried about us having to buy licenses for MS products or compatible tools, they can do it better with a download from “yada yada” or it will run faster on Linux. It was always an integration experiment, full of dozens of downloaded plug-ins to make the last downloaded plug-in work that they read about on some blog, that failed and junior moved on to his next big gig touting his open source/garage programming skills.

When a Linux based (or any other non-MS OS) can run all the software that Windows can and still be faster, I’ll try it. If all you do is design webpages and social media crap then by all means try open source stuff, but with few exceptions enterprise apps run on MS servers and were designed on desktops/laptops running Windows, hate them or not.

Just like the people who think desktop and laptops will go away, try doing serious debugging from a phone or tablet screen.

Funny, on a push from the younger generation my company recently went to Macbooks running VMWare to host all the MS products we use to develop. So I ask the rhetorical question why don’t we just use Apple stuff or someone else’s? Then I say “duh” they are none, silly me.

Nothing silly about what I said.

I’ve encountered the same problems as the original poster, on my machines and on other people’s machines.

In all cases, it came down to hardware problems or dirty keyboard, or driver problems.

The OS was NEVER the problem. Not that it couldn’t happen, but, not that I’ve encountered or heard or read about, other than the member above.

You have already built a perception that, Linux is better, no matter what the reality in the real world.

Fact is that, when it comes to updates in Windows, I’ve never had to worry about them in my Windows 7 and Windows 8 machines, and didn’t really have any issues with XP machines.

For about 90% of computer users around the world, Windows is still the preferred OS, and it’s not because it’s what comes inside their purchases. People also have to upgrade from one version of Windows to another, and people still opt to upgrade to the next version of Windows, whatever it is.

Put a Linux machine next to a Windows machine in a computer store, and the Windows machine will always end up ahead, and be bought by the vast majority of consumers.

I have a dual-boot system in front of me, with Linux in a partition, and, try as I might, I can’t bring myself to boot into the Linux OS as often as I probably should. The reason being that, there really is no reason to do so.

Yes, it was silly, because he specifically stated the problem only started when he upgraded his OS. When a user can pinpoint exactly when the problem started like that, you can safely eliminate going down false roads such as the ones you suggested. I highly doubt that he spilled a can of pop on his keyboard WHILE he was upgrading to Windows 8.

Now, you say the OS was never a problem for you, but that just tells me that you probably haven’t had very much experience upgrading OSs, if you have never encountered an incompatible driver issue cropping up immediately after upgrade. If you had, you would probably recognize the symptoms he is describing fit that scenario to a T.

Understood.

To the original poster, adorno has a point. Try holding your keyboard upside down and tap gently to shake out any debris, or use some dust-off to blow it out.

If you still have the problem, try attaching a different keyboard to a USB port.

Another possibility is that you may have inadvertently put the keyboard in some kind of alternate state. Boot with the install DVD and Look for a “repair” or “default configuration” option to see if you can regain functionality.

You have already built a perception that, Linux is better, no matter what the reality in the real world.

Uh, again, no.

I use Fedora on one machine, specifically one with very old hardware, because Linux runs smoothly on it for the purposes I need it to (web, email, lightweight word processing) whereas WinXP no longer does. But it's only one of four "PC grade" computers I use; the others are a notebook with WinXP, a desktop with Win7, and an iMac with OS X (Lion). (Those are personal machines. I use WinXP Pro at work.)

Having used all of them, I can categorically state that the easiest machine to administer and keep up to date is the Fedora Linux box. The package manager handles everything behind the scenes for me, all I have to do is provide an admin password to approve updates. The Windows and Mac machines do the same, but only for a subset of applications.

It really depends on what you mean by replace. If you want to use it for email, Word Processing, Net Browsing, listening to music, etc. It is fully competent. I run Linux as my main box at home - and the above is what I use it for.

At work I have a Win 7 box that I use VNC to talk to Linux servers to engineering work.

If you want it for gaming - not the right platform. If you want it for video editing - not the right platform.

Finally - if you want Windows functionality - then use Windows! I’ll admit that Win 7 is the first reliable version I’ve seen since Windows 3.1! However, the guy was talking about Windows 8 - which is a NEW Bird altogether, and the advice to stay away from it for a year is well advised!

Lastly - something you ignored is that there is at least one version of Linux that your arguments mostly fall down on, and that would be Android ;-) It has 1 BIG Guy behind it, it has a stable interface, and the development platform is stable as well. Consequently - for total number of “seats” as it were... Linux beats Windows just because of all the phones it’s installed on ;-)

Windows 8 has been already for about a year, in developer version, and consumer version, and in prelease version. And, more than 10 million people, including development testers, have used it, for many different functions, and some people, including me, had it replace Windows 7 completely before the official production release last week.

Most of the negative had to do with the “Metro” UI, with many complaining about the colors and how ugly it was. But, myself, I never encountered performance issues, and none related to hardware. Now, with Windows 8, it’s even better than the preview versions, and much better than Windows 7. I can’t conceive of a reason why I would ever go back to Windows 7, or any other OS.

When it comes to Android, I did mention it in one of my previous posts in this thread. People don’t use Android as much as hey do the devices in which it comes pre-installed. To most people, the way the device works, is part of the design, and they don’t separate the hardware from the hardware. To most, it just works, just like a washing machine works, and people don’t have to worry about the inner workings. With a more productive machine, like a computer, people are aware of the OS and it’s features. Therefore, people do have to make a choice for what goes inside those more capable machines. On smartphones, people don’t conceive of the problems, if any, as being OS related, though the more technical will know the difference. When people purchase a smartphone, they either purchase an Apple device or an Android device, without thinking about the underlying OS. Samsung doesn’t have to inform people about the OS, although it’s undoubtedly mentioned in the instructions manuals. People just use those devices as if they were just hardware that respond to keyboards and screen touches, etc.

However, now that people are beginning to discover that, Windows 8 phones will come with the Windows UI, they’ll have to choose about which phone to get, because, they choose will make for much different user experiences. Upt till now, it’s been a choice of providers of service, with the device choice being secondary in a lot of cases. Now, people will be making a more informed choice about OSes, and complementing them with the OS and other software. The OS inside a device, no matter what he platform or form-factor, will be something that people will have to know something about.

“Always wait at least one year on any new O/S, always always always.”

Early adopters have more curiosity, money, risk acceptance than I choose to have.

My cousin, a career computer consultant, is very current.

I also listen to Leo LaPorte, The Tech Guy on the radio.

It is their business to adopt early, so most of us don’t have to.

“Linux is never a solution to any computing problem, unless you’re a techie who still loves to be hands on with the command line and feels comfortable with compiling and re-compiling and reconfiguring things.”

Maybe 10 or 20 years ago. Funny, I have used a variety of Linux distros over the past four years and have never had to compile anything; in fact, I wouldn’t know how. To use mainstream applications (e.g. web browsing, email, office programs, multimedia programs), compiling is not necessary. Linux will never replace Windows, we all know this, but it still fills a niche for people like me. For instance, Linux gives me the flexibility to choose the type of desktop interface that I want. I’m not stuck with Metro/Modern, or Unity, for that matter. I like the Windows XP look and feel that Linux can provide. Linux isn’t the virus/malware magnet that Windows is, even if Windows has improved. I don’t have to scan the hard drive with a battery of diagnostic programs such as Norton, McAfee, MalwareBytes, Ad-aware, ad nauseum. Security on Windows is a major preoccupation; on Linux, hardly a worry. Have you ever seen a Linux virus? I never have. Yes, Windows supports more hardware, peripherals and name-brand software than Linux, but that’s a trade-off that I can live with.

Linux virus?

Security for Linux comes by way of obscurity. However, yes, I’ve heard of plenty of viruses for the Linux. But, not something worth talking about, since, not too many people will have to worry about it. ;)

However, I’m happy for you. You found something that makes you happy, and I’m not about to take that away from you. I too discovered Linux a long time ago, but, I’ve never been excited about it, and I’m on the technical side of things, but, life moves on and, I’d rather have things done the easy way.

I guess am somewhat of a power user in Windows (95/98SE/Vista and now XP), but I have tried most all the Linux major distros, and think it has much potential. I sometimes spent much time trying to get it to do some of the things I quickly could do in windows (including getting printers to work or finding scripts for obtaining full R/W to all drives) or with supported freeware, but the time and energy to do so was overall too much when other things needed attention, or the software was not available (or would not run right under WINE).

And i would have to pay for certain codecs i need for video processing.

But i do have Puppy on a couple old rigs, which is good for, and for just doing surfing and word processing Linux need not requires much learning. I think Ubuntu and Linux Mint among others have helped in that. Yet the forums reveal the proportion of users who need to learn to do more complex things.

As for Win/8, most of the reviews have been negative, and i think for Windows desktops and laptops Win/7 will be the main OS.

And I am a big advocate of proven freeware, from Firefox to OpenOffice to and Bible programs to things like to AutoHotKey and PhoneTrayFree (works thru modem to give pop up called id and a record of calls, plus ability to zap telemarketers),

But may all be “online” with Jesus, and operate according to the Holy Spirit “OS!”

Regarding secuity, I think the Internet is like driving, and we must be careful where we go. Linux is less prone to viruses, but the restricted permissions for other drives, which most distros impose, was a problem for me. Vista had them also when i used it, but that could easily overridden it.

Having used Windows while on the web for about 10 hours a day for over 10 years and only experiencing two viruses, and being the only user (and with the http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm file and default firewall) i did not see the need for more security.

But Linux has its place and potential, and i hope it gets better.

I have used Windows on the Internet since Windows 95. I likewise use the hosts file on Windows machines in addition to multiple levels of security such as firewalls, Microsoft’s Security Essentials, Norton or Avast, MalwareBytes, etc. I have pretty good sense where not to “drive” on the Internet. I don’t pick up viruses using all of that protection, but it imposes an unacceptable (to me) level of CPU overhead. Not to mention the time to administer updates, review scan logs, etc. It’s a pain in the neck. I would rather do something else. Worse, most people are not as attentive to security as I am; I know this because I have cleaned up infected systems for a lot of people over the years. I have battled viruses for 25 years, since the DOS era.

I finally decided there had to be a more convenient way to surf the web than using Windows which is a virus magnet. Linux has proven for me to be a reasonable alternative. I still use Windows sometimes, strictly offline. Online, I use only Linux. If I really want to surf dangerously, I can boot a diskless computer from an incorruptible Linux CD, such as Puppy Linux. If I ever suspected a virus, all I would have to do is turn off the computer and POOF! the virus is gone.

It seems to me that Linux should be pretty immune to most Windows viruses - it has different permissions, different binaries, and no Registry. Therefore I think Linux is more immune than simply “security through obscurity”. So far as I can find, most Linux-specific viruses don’t exist in the wild, and they still require the user to be duped into installing something.

Thanks for your reply. I have never used Microsoft’s Security Essentials (and Windows Defender is too independent), and after Windows 9x, i have rarely run with an active resident antivirus, but i periodically will run anti virus scans and do use MalwareBytes, while regularly examining what is running and what is set to run (Autoruns is helpful for the latter, as is is WinPatrol, and Process Explorer for the former) and am careful in surfing and where i get software and what i open, etc.

Like maintaining a car, these are things which should be done but overall take little time. And i have experience in getting rid of persistent viruses and assorted malware on PCS of others, which i thank God i have not had to do on mine, except for a couple issues over many years, one of which was my fault.

Thus my CPU load is minimal, though with typically 70+ tabs open in Firefox (in only 4 rows by using TabMixPlus and the Noia theme) and often a dozen documents open, I use of most of my 3gb or ram over time. I tried OpenSuse 12 for a while last spring but that came up short (and after much time getting my printers to work, among other things) and the ram use was about the same. Thus a 64 bit PC is what is desired, but is too much $ right now.

But again, Linux is useful and attractive to many, and if they could do with it what Firefox has done then it will become more of an alternative to Windows. And which is helpful, like as we need AMD as an alternative to Intel (which recently excluded the Boy Scouts from any more donations, which is was a chief funder of).

I offered some suggestions a while ago for a Linux Mint version (http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=565693&sid=043779f2bc0a4dcccf1c34ea0cb27bbf#p565693) in trying to improve it, but while many flavors of Linux is one of its strong points, it also means that using each one can require learning like as with new version of Windows, and with different software repositories.

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