5 reasons not to upgrade to Windows 8

Commentary:

(MoneyWatch) Microsoft has gotten quite good at staying on schedule. After the engineering train wreck that was Windows Vista -- it shipped several years late despite shedding virtually all of its promised new features on the way to manufacturing -- both Windows 7 and Windows 8 have stuck to a tight 3-year timeline while delivering pretty much everything Microsoft intended. Windows 7, in particular, was hailed as a notable success for Redmond. This Friday marks the release of Windows 8, which can be had for just $40. Yesterday, I described five reasons you might want to upgrade; today, let's flip that coin over and talk about why Windows 8 might not be right for you.

There's not a lot here for desktop PC users. Most of the excitement -- for good or bad -- around Windows 8 is in the new modern experience, which is sometimes known as Metro. The Metro interface is very touch-centric and is optimized for mobile devices like slates -- that's obvious from the iPad-like full screen app approach. So if you're a normal business user on a desktop or laptop, then you'll probably spend most of your time in the traditional desktop. And there aren't many changes there. Sure, there are a few, like the new ribbon on Explorer folders and enhanced multiple monitor support, but at the end of the day it's hardly worth the cost to upgrade.

There are dramatic and confusing changes to the interface. Business users in particular don't like change, and Microsoft has gone out of its way for 25 years to ensure lots of continuity with older versions of Windows. In Windows 8, though, Redmond has thrown the baby out with the bathwater. The Start menu is gone and can't be restored, for example. Granted, the new modern Start Screen does more or less the same thing and doesn't take but moments to learn, but the fact remains that it's different and you'll need to learn it.

• Windows 8 marks end of desktop era


• Why Windows 8 will be good for your business


• 5 reasons to upgrade to Windows 8

It's a schizophrenic operating system. Here's the biggest concern: You have both the traditional desktop and the new modern experience. They are different -- radically different -- and share the same operating system. Desktop apps don't run in the modern experience and modern apps don't run on the desktop. It reminds me of the ancient days of Windows 3.1 in which you might need to run desktop apps and DOS apps simultaneously. It wasn't pleasant then, and this won't be pleasant now.

Simple tasks are more difficult. Part and parcel with the new UI is that common tasks are in new places, and you'll have to figure out where they are now and how to perform them. A great example: Shutting down your PC now takes extra mouse clicks and is hidden away in Settings instead of being right on "top" in the Start menu.

Modern apps might dumb down the PC. Good news: There's now an app store filled (well, perhaps "filled" is an overstatement) with modern apps. These apps are touch-friendly and seem to be modeled after the iOS model of doing a few things well. Great, I suppose, but Windows programs typically offer a tremendous amount of power, flexibility, and customization. Does that mean the entire personality of Windows apps will change -- for the dumber and simpler -- as the Windows Store fills with apps? Will Windows become just a more bloated version of the iPad, and it'll be more difficult to do rich and complex tasks?

As I mentioned yesterday, Windows 8 is the most significant change to Microsoft's operating system since the move from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95. What's your take? Will you be upgrading? Sound off in the comments.

[Windows7-Worshiper]

The HELL with Windows 8! Windows 7 is truly the first and last "real" and "only reliable OS" Microsoft has created, and after Windows 8 takes over, unless Microsoft allow Windows 7 and it's support to last longer than XP and/or Vista, I'll more than likely run XP Home Edition and Windows 7 on either my custom-built PC's or dual-boot them with an Apple 17" Macbook Pro laptop!

I will never run Windows 8, nor will I endorse it or promote the abomination that is Windows 8, just like Vista, Windows 8 is an anomaly in the history of Microsoft Windows OS's and all of Human History!

[krakatoa-boiler]

Windows 8 Metro mode should be reserved for tablets and mobile devices while Desktop mode is reserved for desktops and laptops. Apple got it right, how come Microsoft can't? (Typed from Mac Mini running Lion.)

[banzai6]

Couldnt get windows 8 to work. While attempting to install sql server express, it had a problem shutting down and then failed to start up ever again. No wonder there is no shutdown menu, they had to remove it because it didnt work ! What a complete joke.

[danwat1234]

Reaon #1; Solution: Download and install Start8 to restore the Windows 7
startmenu and to hide Metro.

Reaon #2; Solution: Download and install Start8 to restore the Windows 7 startmenu and to hide Metro.

Reaon #3; Solution: Download and install Start8 to restore the Windows 7 startmenu and to hide Metro.

Reaon #4; Solution: Download and install Start8 to restore the Windows 7 startmenu and to hide Metro.

Reaon #5; Solution: Download and install Start8 to restore the Windows 7 startmenu and to hide Metro.

Windows 8 offers a new task manager, new Explorer, under the hood optimizations, Smart Screen filter and more.

[MichaelFromSeattle]

In my opinion, if you're going to stick with Microsoft, then Windows 7 is the best overall choice. And don't get intimidated by the threats of the discontinuance of Upgrade support, as all you really need is Kaspersky Internet Suite for protection from harmful downloads. Microsoft releases Upgrades (patches) for its operating systems because the Windows operating systems have always been insecure, and a major reason for this is that Microsoft farms-out its engineering services, so continuity is lost. What you get is code that tastes great with marinara sauce.

[MichaelFromSeattle]

I think it's high time that Microsoft's victims, both present and potential, switch over to Linux. Microsoft is ossified and as responsive to customers' needs as a corpse.

[sksdanno42]

windows 8 is just windows 7 with a new skin and a bunch of road cones sitting in front of everything you want to get done making the whole experience very pretty but very confusing. I will be going back too win7 tho i wish ms would release directx 10&11 for xp then would be VERY happy

[Advanced3dgaming_owner]

I have used windows 8 extensively, As a PC power user who has been in the it business for a long time, I gave windows 8 a fighting chance, and as it turned out I went from hating it to loving it, once i got used to all the eye candy, i realized its just a new paint job with new features, some of which where great, I am totally against running it on older net books however due to resolution limitations, however I found the desktop version to be utterly viral in the way that my love fore it spread more and more daily, then came the part where i put my powerhouse PC to the test, and found when I fire up certain games through Valves Steam client, they just simply would not launch. No errors, No messages, nothing... just nothing, so after days of putting all my Knowledge and Google to use, I had finally found an answer to my problems, format my SSD, and install windows 7, probably not for good, but for now...

[BronxDad1956]

I tried the windows 8 briefly. I use a standard desktop computer with a keyboard and mouse. I found the new Metro to be very confusing and not really meant for standard desktops. Finding what you wanted to do or your programs was quite difficult. The boxes took over my screen and seemed overplay. I prefer Xp or windows 7. I also use ubuntu which is a free source operating system. All of these are far superior. When you have a good thing why fix it to break it. Don't make sense. Windows 8, no good.

[kurn3]

I will downgrade to Windows 7 if I ever get a new desktop pc. Microsoft just released another Vista as far as I'm concerned.