Windows 8 - what features swayed you to buy?

If you have a desktop pc, and have switched/bought windows 8, what features or options influenced your decision?

There are enough love and hate threads on the topic, no need to go over that again. Ignore the fact that you may have a touchscreen or that you got a good deal on it or that you like to use the latest version.

I am looking for new features or tools/utilities, basically anything that you found exceeded previous versions in terms of features or functionality.

I will give you an example of what I am asking. In XP, the alt-tab (window management) was very basic. In win7, I really like the different ways you can use alt-tab type features (of which there are quite a few). It truly does increase my productivity in most any situation. That was one of the features that drew me away from a "faster" XP and move to win7.

So as one who has yet to see anything in win8 that really beckons me to use it, maybe others have some things I have missed. I don't need win8 unless there is a compelling reason to use it. So what would your reasons be?

Sul.

 

Not a feature per se, but the improved "core" of Windows 8 is the main reason why I decided to upgrade from Windows 7.

 

the only reason i use it is to familiarize myself with it as i work at a tech firm so its only a matter of time before our clients start requesting windows 8. so my answer is 'knowledge'.

interestingly, on my 'main' machine, a clean install of windows 7 used to blue screen at least twice a week. however my clean install of windows 8 has not blue screened yet so it does seem more stable. same hardware, software and 3rd party drivers. never did work out why it blue screened on windows 7.

i have to say that the more i use it, the more i like it. but thats maybe because i was dreading to use it in the first place.

edit- the only thing which is annoying me is that there is no easy way to remove the UAC (shield) icon from certain program icons even though i have UAC switched off. according to some reports you can remove it by modifying dll files but i should not need to do that.

example below

 

...my answer is 'knowledge'...

Same here - I will have to answer questions from users.

It's funny, I read your post in another thread about needing compelling reasons to upgrade and subsequently resolved to try to find some, for the average home user, that is - but as yet haven't succeeded. However, some home users who have upgraded tell me that they do in fact like the 'one-click-to-whatever' UI.

Nice Task Manager, but will still be using PE.

philby

 

I wanted the latest in Windows and once I learned that I can get the Metro interface to get off my face with programs such as Classic Shell, the decision was not hard to make.

 

i bought it because i liked that they removed Aero.
i thought it was worth 40$ just to get rid of the bloody sun-rays effect on the taskbar. lol

and that i can from the desktop setup to have a Windows Command Prompt at boot time.

and that the Windows Recovery Environment has a higher pixel resolution that Windows 7.

i'm a sucker for this stuff.
somebody shoot me already.

 

Well, that part was easy enough. You could disable Aero transparencies in 7, right?

 

It was included in the price (MSDN licence).

 

The first thing for me was just getting a jump on learning it early on for my work. I was also interested in the core improvements (performance, security, etc.). I also figured that I would regret it later if I didn't take advantage of the $40 deal.

The new UI really isn't as bad as I was afraid it would be. Once you realize that the 'start' screen is akin to holding up a tablet, it starts to make sense. I like having weather, email count, calendar events, etc., available at a glance. The whole of the UI still isn't terribly fluid, but I think that a lot of that will improve as more apps are made (not to mention Windows Blue, which I'm really curious about). After all, Android isn't that great until you install your apps and set up your widgets, shortcuts, and such.

 

Ah, yes, i can get it too for free (1x32 and 1x64 license) through MSDNAA, but i don't plan to install it anytime soon. I may do it if Windows 9 is even more "tabletized" and for some obscure reason i can't run something on 7 and need something else. Eventually, if 9 comes out with normal desktop, i will give away the keys of 8 to a friend or relative that likes tablets.

 

Hello,

- the advanced menu (right click at the bottom left corner) : enables you to reach specific areas faster than Win7
- better task manager
- better file copy handling
- better core security (http://arstechnica.com/information-...er-on-the-inside-under-the-hood-of-windows-8/)
- wanted to try the start screen !

But also for the fun of it

Regards,
Guillaume.

 

Same here. Also, it is the latest MS technology available and I want always the latest technology

 

It was the $40 upgrade price, an offer I though was too good to refuse, and so far I've purchased 2 licences.

I do appreciate the extra speed compared to Windows 7, and can live with Metro.

 

I have it inside a VM for occasional need of office 2013

 

It doesn't have anything that will sway me to spend money. Might get it for free using Dreamspark Premium though.

 

right, but i like the transparency.
not just the bloody sun-rays that comes with it.

anyway, i found that Win 8 seemed to be a little faster than W7.
speed increases are always welcome.

 

Quillaume, Windows7 users installing AppLocker hotfix (kb 2532445) see the AppContainer Integrity Level in stead of Untrusted (see Pic)

Any idea whether this is same AppContainer as in WIndows8 (after all the Windows 7.5 for smart phones had tiles, so maybe they developed AppContainer and Tiles earlier for this intermediate phone OS?)

 

8 is faster, safer, but the most importantly for me, it is cheaper. I do not use any 8's new functions or features, I find them odd.

 

I wasn't aware of this modification, I have no idea if it is the same.
All that I know of is that they are two different kernel versions : 6.1 (Win 7) and 6.2 (Win , although it does not answer your question.

Regards,
Guillaume.

 

Pretty sure that's nothing other than a Process Explorer display bug.

 

I think the question being asked is a good one. So far, I would have to say I have not found anything in Win 8 that makes me want to leave Win 7. I'm struggling to find any advantage in the new start screen or the new "apps" supplied with Win 8. Certainly running desktop applocations is smooth, but not noticable faster than Win 7.
To be honest, I'm not sure what the Metro interface is all about for a desktop/ laptop. It's always great to try something new, but I'm sure I'm like most people who simply go to the regular desktop as soon as the PC boots up.
Native DVD playback is gone, picture viewer is unusable... some room for improvement.
It's not that I don't like the tiles... but.... just no point. I'll continue trying, but I suspect I'll put Win 7 back on before the end of the weekend.

 

I was given a key for free, so it didn't take a lot of swaying to get me to upgrade. Improved security and performance are all it took. For me it's just like using Windows 7, but with background improvements that may or may not directly influence usability.

 

Not likely see http://tweakers.net/meuktracker/27155/sysinternals-suite-2011-12-05.html

Showing Low (IE10 and Chrome AppCointainer) see https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=337263

 

I was using vista. Windows 8 is faster and also uses less RAM and the upgraded price is attractive . I do miss the start menu in desktop mode and prefer windows defender have a context menu scan option. Now I may try some registry tweaks to add that.