5 reasons to upgrade to Windows 8

Commentary:

(MoneyWatch) Mark your calendar. This Friday, Oct. 26, is the big day; a day that Microsoft has been working towards for 3 years. No, I'm not talking about Bill Gates' birthday -- that's on October 28. I'm referring to the day that Windows 8 is officially available for purchase on new PCs and as a standalone upgrade for your existing computer. Is Windows 8 right for you?

There are a lot of things to like about Windows 8, but make no mistake: There are a lot of rough edges in this newest edition of Windows as well. Today, let's take a look at some of the most compelling reasons to step up to Windows 8, and for some counterpoint, check out some reasons not to upgrade as well.

It's the cheapest upgrade in the history of Windows. Microsoft is offering Windows 8 for the surprisingly low price of just $40 -- at least for the next few months. Even if you don't have any immediate plans to upgrade, at that price, it might make sense to grab a copy now and just put it on the shelf for a few months until you're ready to experiment.

• Windows 8 marks end of desktop era
• Why Windows 8 might be good for your business
• 5 reasons to avoid upgrading to Windows 8

Sync with the cloud. Windows 8 finally embraces online storage and online synchronization, and it does this in both big and little ways. You might already know that Microsoft's SkyDrive service is now baked into both Office and the Windows file system, so you can save and open online files from pretty much anywhere. But what might be less obvious is that your overall PC settings are synced to the cloud as well. That means if you have more than one computer running Windows 8, they can all share the same personalization settings, so you only need to configure one PC and all the others will fall in line automatically.

File History lets your open previous versions. Recent editions of Windows have had a little-known feature called Previous Versions, which (on a good day) let you recover older versions of files in case you needed to "roll back" to something you did a week or a month ago. It was well hidden and difficult to use. But Windows 8 has built on the foundation of Previous Versions to give you File History, and it promises to make it much easier to recover older versions of files.

There's an app store. You might not think this is an especially big deal, but it is. Microsoft doesn't talk about this much, but the Windows ecosystem -- the community of developers writing and releasing new software -- is in decline. Windows might still be the biggest OS on the planet, but developers are abandoning it in droves to release apps for sexier platforms like iOS and Android. By supporting developers with a store, Microsoft hopes to reinvigorate the platform and bring fresh, exciting new software to Windows. Without a store, Windows best days might well be behind it. And that means Windows 7 software will continue to get less and less varied and interesting.

One paradigm for all your devices. This has been an off-again, on-again strategy for Microsoft since the 1990s, but imagine for a moment how simple life would be if all of your computing devices -- from PC all the way down to your tablet and phone -- worked pretty much the same way, and even shared settings and personality. That's what Windows 8 offers -- assuming you like the experience of using the OS to begin with, you can transition from Windows 8 on the desktop to Windows 8 on a Surface tablet to Windows Phone 8 -- even the Windows 8-like interface on the Xbox home entertainment system.

Windows 8 is the most significant change to Microsoft's operating system since the move from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95. The difference: Windows 95 wasn't especially controversial; Windows 8 is. What's your take? Will you be upgrading? Check out my 5 reasons not to upgrade tomorrow, and sound off in the comments today.

Also read 5 reasons not to upgrade to Windows 8.

[brandonwoodson]

I was skeptical at first, but it came installed on my new Asus desktop PC. It has taken some getting used to, but here is what I like about it:

1. Device detection/drivers installed - I didn't have to do anything to print to my Canon printer via Wifi. It just worked!

2. Different backgrounds for dual monitors - I know this is small and nitpicky but previous versions of Windows did not allow for this. Alone it's not worth switching over for, but it's a nice bonus.

3. If you're like me and want to use your old desktop, you still can. It doesn't force you to use the tiled start screen if you don't like, but it's there when I want it.

4. Once you get out of the habit of looking to the start menu for all of your programs, you realize that the start screen has everything you want.

[kurn3]

I hate Windows phones. They are not very popular, so why make a desktop look and act like a phone or tablet that very few people like?

[NYScorch]

OK. Folks, there are many comments here that are completely irrational and at best show people to be incapable of actually doing some thinking and testing.

First, The speed of Windows 8 is amazing. I had an old Dell Inspiron E1705. This thing was at the end of it's life. Battery wouldn't charge, it was slow to start up, and compared with new machines in my house it just wasn't worth turning on. So I tried the Win 8 preview and was so wowed that I bought the Pro Version when it came out. This old laptop circa 2006 now starts in 23 seconds. In 30 seconds I can be logged in and checking facebook messages, email, or even be typing away in Office 2007. YES It's that fast. The only problem is that Intel won't put out win 8 drivers for the graphics cards so it uses the generic win 8 legacy drivers and you do lose a little (netflix, and hulu apps won't work) . .but now in my house this is the best and fastest machine to get into basic web, email, document editing beating out my new dell laptop with the i7 processor by MINUTES.

The only reason every PC in my house is not getting it is because DDO (dungeons and dragons online) nor Rosetta Stone yet are proven to work. Once that happens everything is going that way. So far my only win 8 experience has been with that really old laptop. I can't wait to try it on newer hardware.

[NYScorch]

Yes Win 8 prompted me to buy a new battery for this old laptop.

[NYScorch]

Yes Win 8 prompted me to buy a new battery for this old laptop. And almost forgot with Win 8 Pro, you have both the RT and the Desktop Interfaces. It's actually refreshing. And my wife who hates change has taken to it really well, going to it first to check email and such simply due to it's speed.

Also, if you install the desktop Skydrive App, it works just like drop box with 2 minor changes. 1 is you get more space than dropbox, BUT 100 MB per file . . for it to sync. So . . I have both installed and working just fine.

[TheGodstrider]

These seem like 5 reasons to stay with Windows 7, Seriously who actually wants this waste of time watered down version of windows 7? I wouldn't buy it even if it was free.

[dsliesse]

I see no reason to upgrade. I don't have a smartphone (never have bought into the nonsense of needing to be connected 24/7). I don't have a touchscreen device (who wants a screen full of fingerprint grease, anyway?). I need real computing power, not what's available on a tablet. I don't use Microsoft Office. I don't need an app to instantly tell me what the weather is outside (I'm still capable of looking out the window). I don't need any of the other typical app features. The Internet still isn't available everywhere, so I'm not interested in cloud-based applications. I don't pay specifically for "cool." For someone in my position, this is Microsoft's dumbest move yet (well, maybe except for Bob).

[a1a4me]

None of these are valid reasons to upgrade.

1) Cheap is great unless your computer hardware is too old.
2) There are plenty of free cloud services that integrate with more than just Windows OS. (dropbox, sugarsync, box.net...)
3) File history is also available 3rd party and for free. (sugarsync, mozy, carbonite)
4) App store? Really? How about download.com? Kinda the same thing.
5) Unless you were an "early adopter" of any other technology - then it is a complete change in paradigm. (iOS, Android, MacOS, Linux...)

Looking back over Windows' history - every other release is a mess. Wait for Windows 9.

[hypnotoad72]

1. Why should we rely on the cloud? What if it goes down? The bandwidth needed for larger files might become expensive given the telecoms... What if hackers steal data from it? What if hackers hack accounts they way they infiltrated iTunes and left people who tied their laptops and phones together in a real mess, with the company saying "Not our problem" (despite it clearly being their problem)

2. Why do I care about the app store, giving MS a 30% cut of work they didn't make in the first place? I'll sell my apps at the store and earn 100% of what I worked hard to make. Why do MS, Apple, and others rob developers of the ability to earn? People paid for their platforms, there is no reason to rob developers whose works prop up their platforms to keep them going with good apps.

3. One paradigm for all devices... just like iHack: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/ This one combo isn't unique, either, but people aren't going to care either way. They want ease of use, just like how their brains work (e.g. "no thought required).

[dorasm]

In your dreams.

Cloud backup, apps that don't even work in Windows, and cross platform whatever are reasons to upgrade to a new operating system that likely doesn't even work?

Excuse me?

What hallucinogen did you eat for lunch?

And I won't be using any new operating system that doesn't use a desktop. If Microsoft thinks anyone is going to do that, we'll all be switching to Linux.

[hypnotoad72]

Amazon went down last week, for a while... wasn't the first time...

And these are major, responsible vendors.

If the big boys can't keep it up 100% of the time, which is going to be a necessity for profit and productivity and other posh words starting with the letter "P"...

And keep in mind, the article feels like a fancy advert. MS, Apple, Google, any technology company all do this sort of thing.

1. The press needs to earn money
2. The press does this by putting out articles for people to read
3. Anything that grabs attention will be used, and not always with any thought put behind it because the ratings mean more to them... -- in short, advertisers pay for space the press offers
4. To maximize the profit potential, the press charges more money for articles more likely to be read/seen by many


To expand point 3:

Advertisers raise up the cost of their products in these ads to help compensate for the costs. If you don't like ads, write the company and demand they stop making the ads and then double-demand the cost-savings trickle down to the consumer (and we know that won't happen because their profit margins are more important than the readers/viewers/target markets...)

The press is not "liberal".

It's "capitalist".

As are the advertisers.

[BizHacks Dave]

Windows 8 has a desktop -- the same desktop Windows has had since Windows 95.

[Osprey4]

I'm currently playing with Windows 8 on a preview laptop with touchscreen. It's unbelievable how much easier it makes navigating the internet. I'm not a smart phone user so using a touch screen is completely new to me, and already I miss the opportunity to touch the screen when in front of my desktop. I really think Microsoft is onto something that will allow us to operate all our devices with the same skills.

Yes, the conventional desktop is there when you need it, for example, when using productivity software with keyboard and mouse.

[hypnotoad72]

KEY WORDS:

"touch screen"

Chop off your fingers, use a mouse, then get back to us about Win8...

Thanks!

[ptath2]

I have been running the consumer preview since it came out, and at first it was differnt ( and it still is)but I have grown accustom to some new ways of doing things (searching, sharing, and even the start screen)that make my Win 7 experiences seem cumbersome by comparison.

I will be upgrading all my machines this coming weekend, the caveat I would give MicroSoft and at this poin its to late, is they should put a good tutorial for the average user because it is so different. There is the YouTube Video of the guy who put it front of his father with now explanation (other than how to get to the legacy desktop mode), and while father like the "Modern" interface he had no clue to work the corner to get back to it. That will be the challenge.

[hypnotoad72]

I'm updating, solely because I'd read one needs Win8 and VS2012 to create Windows Phone (WinRT) apps. At $70 (MS has the $30 rebate)...

And given the price was originally $199 for Pro, now marked down to $70, plus a $30 rebate, combined with every bit of negative or nitpicky press against the inferior new UI, Microsoft is definitely taking a huge loss just to get it out the door... even despite all the offshoring they've done while taking taxpayer money in return but before I digress...

Noting Microsoft encouraged piracy in the past (see link below) to grow marketshare, they'll do anything. Would anyone expect anything less?

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/07/23/100134488/

I'm surprised MS hasn't given Win8 for free...

And when MS will fess up to the Windows Vista Ultimate Edition goodies they promised but never delivered on, just like how you or I would do if we wanted to cheat customers but then go out of business... oh, wait, MS doesn't need to play by morals or ethics but, golly gee whiz and there I go on the ethics slant again... how dare I question a "successful" company...