Monday, August 11, 2014

Making The Switch From Windows 7 To Windows 8

Windows users are generally hesitant when it comes to upgrading to the latest Microsoft OS. And, this is for a good reason. Microsoft sometimes fails to meet with user expectations, and many users later go back to the old OS they upgraded from. This has happened this time around as well. Soon after the release of Windows 8, the internet was flooded with Windows 7 vs Windows 8 comparisons pointing out many flaws in the new OS.

Is upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8 a good idea?

Windows 8 is a different OS altogether, and has an entirely different user interface. The OS options and settings are arranged in a different way, and the Start Menu has been completely removed from the platform. So, all the Windows 7 vs Windows 8 arguments start with these changes in the OS design and user interface.

Clearly, Microsoft designed this new OS Metro UI for touch screen devices. Microsoft took cue from the popularity of touch screen oriented operating systems and tried to apply the same concept in latest Windows OS. This was indeed necessary, but the way they went about it was somewhat wrong.

Microsoft introduced the same smartphone-style UI in the desktop and laptop versions of Windows 8. So, if you are going to switch from Windows 7 to Windows 8, it might be a good idea to first install the trial version to see if you can manage to use the Metro UI on a traditional mouse and keyboard device.

Though Windows 8 is designed to work in the desktop mode too, this does not function as smoothly as the full version desktop operating systems like Windows 7 or XP. Clearly, the desktop mode is meant only as an optional feature as Microsoft bet heavily on their new Metro UI.

Therefore, if you want to upgrade to Windows 8, it is better to go to Windows 8.1 OS directly, which comes with the option for booting to Windows desktop mode directly. Yet again, you will not find the Start menu in the desktop mode either. In Windows 8.1 though, there will be a Start button, which will give some of the useful OS options and a link to the Windows Start Screen apps instead.

If the online rumors are true, the full Start Menu will come back in Windows 9 OS. So perhaps, you should wait until then before you upgrade from Windows 7.