Windows 8 huge price hike!

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Introductory price ended 31st Jan of just £25.

Now - £120 or £190 for Pro!

OUCH!
 
I really can't see how they can justify nearly 200 notes for these incremental updates in functionality, there is no way its really worth that in terms of benefit (to me anyway). But then I wouldn't install it if you paid me 200 quid.

I had the misfortune of rebuilding a friends Vista laptop... I forgot how much that OS sucked... So many updates.... So many reboots.... The UAC prompts drive me crazy.
 
Never mind that, it's impossible to buy and download any kind of Windows 7 at a reasonable price from a legit retailer, it's all Windows 8, I don't want it now or ever. Something's clearly wrong when it's easier to pirate the OS rather than buy it. Ho hum.

And before anyone whines at me saying I'm stealing etc, I'm not, I'm awaiting delivery of an OEM disk for my new build.

I was gutted to see software4students stop selling w7, they were always really cheap and convenient with their download delivery of the os.

Can't help but think that the £25 for the upgrade was about £25 too much...
 
I bought the upgrade last night before the offer ended, installed it with no trouble, I dont know what all the fuss about it is? I like it!
 
Good job I have MSDN access :p

Must say, I do like it. Fast, stable and the metro start menu is pretty decent once you get used to it. You can organise it how you like, search for programs and other stuff dead easily, dead quickly. I don't know what the fuss is about either!
 
i dont really see why everyone is getting their arse in a knot on this.

windows 7 was pre ordered at a cheap price and then went up, to not too disimilar prices to these. they then started dropping again as time went on.

you can still buy windows 7 oem too. probably wont be for much longer but then its not like you can easily source XP these days.

its the circle of (software) life.
 
cuthbert said:
I had the misfortune of rebuilding a friends Vista laptop... I forgot how much that OS sucked... So many updates.... So many reboots.... The UAC prompts drive me crazy.
Click to expand...

get used to that with 7 too, currently on over 100 updates post service pack.

and no new service pack being released. same reason theres so many vista updates, no new SP or rollups.

(im assuming youre not being daft and not applying service packs before running windows updates)
 
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Surely it doesnt really matter what operating system it is as long as it works:D
surely its the applications that matter ie photoshop, lightroom and whatever else you do on your computer or am I missing something?
Pete
 
We have had a developers' copy of Windows 8 on my daughter's laptop for the last year. recently my son deleted it and put Windows 7 back on it.


Steve.
 
LCPete said:
Surely it doesnt really matter what operating system it is as long as it works:D
surely its the applications that matter ie photoshop, lightroom and whatever else you do on your computer or am I missing something?
Pete
Click to expand...
The OS (well, the windows bit of it) defines the way you interact with the machine. I have to say I didn't upgrade - I'm quite happy with Win7 and could only see myself getting annoyed with the assumptions that are made about how I want to use my machine. Yes, I know you can make it look like Win7, but that isn't the point...
 
cuthbert said:
I really can't see how they can justify nearly 200
I had the misfortune of rebuilding a friends Vista laptop... I forgot how much that OS sucked... So many updates.... So many reboots.... The UAC prompts drive me crazy.
Click to expand...

Vista is largly the same as Windows 7 with a couple of tweeks to make it run better on older kit.

Vista was fine.

UAC is a fundamental part of the OS, it's there for a reason and should NOT be turned off just because you find it anoying.
 
Because it enables the use of UEFI? The use of hardware encrytable hard drives, it's touch interface, improved multi monitor support, the explorer improvements...

There are a myriad of reasons why you'd want to.
 
As a dreadfully smug Linux Mint user who's used Linux for some 6 years, I'm laughing my head off that people are daft enough to pay for a tenth-rate, slow, buggy operating system that's prone to viruses and crashes, when there's free distros of all flavours of Linux available for absolutely nothing, along with thousands of free programmes that'll run on them
(also for free!)......:D
 
Organnyx said:
As a dreadfully smug Linux Mint user who's used Linux for some 6 years, I'm laughing my head off that people are daft enough to pay for a tenth-rate, slow, buggy operating system that's prone to viruses and crashes, when there's free distros of all flavours of Linux available for absolutely nothing, along with thousands of free programmes that'll run on them
(also for free!)......:D
Click to expand...

But
Do lightroom 4 and cs5 run on them ??????????
 
keety said:
Which is a very silly thing to do.
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Not at all, it is a real pain in the backside!



Do you want to do this?

Are you sure you really want to do this?

Last chance now, the world might end if you press this button again?
 
Never tried, possibly you could using Wine, I have a choice of The Gimp, Digikam, Raw Therapee, Darktable, Raw Studio (and several others)
 
Organnyx said:
As a dreadfully smug Linux Mint user who's used Linux for some 6 years, I'm laughing my head off that people are daft enough to pay for a tenth-rate, slow, buggy operating system that's prone to viruses and crashes, when there's free distros of all flavours of Linux available for absolutely nothing, along with thousands of free programmes that'll run on them
(also for free!)......:D
Click to expand...

worse than an apple user, linux users..

Mikesphotaes said:
Not at all, it is a real pain in the backside!
Click to expand...

technically he is right, running as an admin and/or disabling UAC is leaving yourself open to potential nasties.
 
neil_g said:
worse than an apple user, linux users..



technically he is right, running as an admin and/or disabling UAC is leaving yourself open to potential nasties.
Click to expand...


Aye, "technically", but its been a good few decades since I needed nappies:lol:
 
Mikesphotaes said:
Not at all, it is a real pain in the backside!



Do you want to do this?

Are you sure you really want to do this?

Last chance now, the world might end if you press this button again?
Click to expand...

No, it's not.

You never need to run as an elevated user. Everything you do should be as a standard user. If you need to elevate to do something then elevate. Unix has been working this way for 30 years.
 
keety said:
No, it's not.

You never need to run as an elevated user. Everything you do should be as a standard user. If you need to elevate to do something then elevate. Unix has been working this way for 30 years.
Click to expand...

Sorry but I care not a jot (and even less about what Unix has been doing):lol:

Let's agree to disagree shall we?
 
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keety said:
No, it's not.

You never need to run as an elevated user. Everything you do should be as a standard user. If you need to elevate to do something then elevate. Unix has been working this way for 30 years.
Click to expand...

I'm a final year BSc computer forensics and security student, I'm constantly doing things that would make that UAC message pop up had I not disabled it. It'd be a right PITA. Disabling it is first thing I do when I have a fresh install of Windows. For someone who doesn't know what they are doing, then yes, you should probably keep it enabled. But guess what, in all the time I've had UAC disabled, I haven't been infected or hacked (well, unintentionally that is, I've installed viruses intentionally to test them on honey-pot like installations, not ones I'm using.).

Organnyx said:
As a dreadfully smug Linux Mint user who's used Linux for some 6 years, I'm laughing my head off that people are daft enough to pay for a tenth-rate, slow, buggy operating system that's prone to viruses and crashes, when there's free distros of all flavours of Linux available for absolutely nothing, along with thousands of free programmes that'll run on them
(also for free!)......:D
Click to expand...

8 has been more stable for me than any Linux distro, and I've used a fair number of them. It's also well optimized. As has been pointed out, compatibility is a huge issue. I don't care that you can get free programs that are similar, they don't work as well.
Linux distros are good for servers, netbooks and people who want to go on about how much better they are than everyone else, not much else.
 
keety said:
You never need to run as an elevated user. Everything you do should be as a standard user. If you need to elevate to do something then elevate. Unix has been working this way for 30 years.
Click to expand...

If there is no root shell on a *n*x box, the first thing to do on logging in is

sudo bash

Then everything works properly and you don't get annoying access denied type messages all the bleeding time.

In Windows, if I want to write a file into \Windows\SysWOW64 I do not want to be told I can't - if I try to do it from the command prompt while logged in as administrator UAC simply tells me to bog off, not even an elevate dialog box, you have to run through a windowing interface to allow the elevation dialog to trigger. Further, logging on to the root account (i.e. "Administrator") should give you privileges to do anything at all, not just the stuff Microsoft thinks you should be allowed to do. So, if I want to replace ntdll.dll or ntoskrnl.exe (I'll assume you know what those two files do) then I should be able to, no questions. If I do it wrong, the OS won't boot, but if so then that's my fault, I accept responsibility and it's fine.
 
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"Linux distros are good for servers, netbooks and people who want to go on about how much better they are than everyone else, not much else" - it's virtually bombproof, doesn't crash, is far faster than the execrable Windoze, and just "gets out of the bloody way" and lets you get on with computing, best of all it's free.......this desktop is running like a train on it ....
I find that many people can't be bothered to "learn the language of the foreign country" which helps you make the best of using Linux and realise there are other ways than insisting on using Windoze programmes, and there are some really excellent "native" ones for Linux - I'll stick with Linux, and continue shaking my head in amazement at people paying a small fortune to the odious Gates empire for what I consider to be a slow, clonky and inherently inferior system......
 
Organnyx said:
"Linux distros are good for servers, netbooks and people who want to go on about how much better they are than everyone else, not much else" - it's virtually bombproof, doesn't crash, is far faster than the execrable Windoze, and just "gets out of the bloody way" and lets you get on with computing, best of all it's free.......this desktop is running like a train on it ....
I find that many people can't be bothered to "learn the language of the foreign country" which helps you make the best of using Linux and realise there are other ways than insisting on using Windoze programmes, and there are some really excellent "native" ones for Linux - I'll stick with Linux, and continue shaking my head in amazement at people paying a small fortune to the odious Gates empire for what I consider to be a slow, clonky and inherently inferior system......
Click to expand...

As I explained, I have used many Linux distros, quite extensively too, learning a new operating system isn't a problem for me. I have also used many of the programs available for linux. I've used linux for servers before, and it's great for that. My original post still stands.
 
Organnyx said:
I find that many people can't be bothered to "learn the language of the foreign country" which helps you make the best of using Linux and realise there are other ways than insisting on using Windoze programmes, and there are some really excellent "native" ones for Linux - I'll stick with Linux, and continue shaking my head in amazement at people paying a small fortune to the odious Gates empire for what I consider to be a slow, clonky and inherently inferior system......
Click to expand...

It's not about that really. Look at android (technically a linux fork) and how it picked up with a bit of google push.
Linux needs better advertising, and better support from all other vendors to earn it's place on desktop. It's not far, but it does really need it.
BTW. I totally dislike what they did to desktop environments in the last several years since KDE 3.5, that was better than anything at the time. They went on to copy others, add bling and break things...

neil_g said:
worse than an apple user, linux users..
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:) Now you really have a good reason to hate me :D I love both

Organnyx said:
Never tried, possibly you could using Wine, I have a choice of The Gimp, Digikam, Raw Therapee, Darktable, Raw Studio (and several others)
Click to expand...

Photo editing is simply not there. RAW support is very poor. GIMP is amazing free editing app that can do a lot of work, but it has had not so much updates recently and fall well behind Photoshop. Lightroom has simply no real competition at the moment. All we need is adobe or capture1 support - perhaps send them a nice letter.

a mac is a better unix these days depending what is needed. There are cases where linux comes on top, like a lot of computation, engineering, protein work, or even as a web/email/media box.

as mac becomes too closed we need an alternative to fall back to - and that is linux. Please don't laugh but think about it.

Organnyx said:
As a dreadfully smug Linux Mint user who's used Linux for some 6 years, I'm laughing my head off that people are daft enough to pay for a tenth-rate, slow, buggy operating system that's prone to viruses and crashes, when there's free distros of all flavours of Linux available for absolutely nothing, along with thousands of free programmes that'll run on them
(also for free!)......:D
Click to expand...

Many people had no choice when buying a PC or a mac. The buggy OS is well catered for and well advertised - something linux needs to succeed as a desktop - OR perhaps a tablet/ARM if PCs do actually go extinct
 
daugirdas said:
:) Now you really have a good reason to hate me :D I love both
Click to expand...

nah i dont hate a particular set of users, i just find some linSUX (i can make funny psudo names too..) users think that theyre l33t system gods just for running it. i guess they need to feel important when youre running it on one of the ~2% of desktops with it installed..

:p
 
This Unix, Linux, windows, mac, discussion has gone on for years.
Let people just use what they want to use and be done with it.

It gets so school playtime in here sometimes.....
 
Agreed, I get fed up with the "holier than thou" Windoze fans, many of whom don't know what linux is like at all, and those who try it out, then grizzle that their Windoze programmes don't easily work in it.
No operating system is perfect, but having spent several years using Ubuntu, and latterly Linux Mint (following the issue of the appalling "Unity" interface for Ubuntu), if I ever have to use a Windows machine I have to keep reminding myself that the computer probably isn't faulty, that's just the slow and clonky way it works.....

There is a myth that you have to be some form of ubergeek to use Linux - I'm a "point and clicker", something like Linux Mint is very user-friendly, and "just does it" - so refreshing not to be forever reminded that "this is a Windoze machine, and don't you forget it", and would suggest that many people could gain a lot by dipping a toe in the water, perhaps by revivifying an old computer by bunging in a dual boot system of Mint, and then spending awhile getting used to the strange foreign country which it first appears to be.......
Around 6 years ago I had an old ex-corporate laptop that had slowed to a crawl under the burden of Windoze bloatware, that took forever to boot up, and was getting close to being taken out and shot - following the install, I suddenly found I had a real flier of a computer that booted fast, and "just got on with the job" - after a few weeks of getting used to programmes with unusual names I realised that I didn't actually need Windoze at all. The laptop gave me another 18 months of good service.
It isn't so easy to buy a new computer which isn't encumbered with it, but the likes of Ebuyer will flog you a barebones desktop with no operating system...... I resent monopolies, and would like to see more people using Linux, then the software companies would be forced to "port" their software for it (for those who must insist on the likes of Photoshop, which I do fine without........)
 
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Linux will never take off on desktop or laptop. The user base has not increased over the last 5 years, no matter what the Linux people say. It won't go anywhere and if anything use will drop over the next 5 years due to the rise of the tablet.

Although android is Linus, it only succeeds as it is nothing like Linux. Linux only works when the system is nothing like Linux.
 
Dale_tem said:
Linux will never take off on desktop or laptop. The user base has not increased over the last 5 years, no matter what the Linux people say. It won't go anywhere and if anything use will drop over the next 5 years due to the rise of the tablet.

Although android is Linus, it only succeeds as it is nothing like Linux. Linux only works when the system is nothing like Linux.
Click to expand...

The last bit makes little sense to me. Android is only where it is because of open source roots and a lot of google advertising dollars. Take either away and we are talking about some berries or something single glazed that never took of.

Anyway I shall leave you with 2 scenarios where linux (and android) may have brighter future than you'd think:

1) MS and Apple make everything into ipad or xbox standards (and they will if they are given a chance). Everything is locked down, minimal user control, and high subscription fees for everything - plain unusable for anything but the most basic tasks. Guess what's going to come to a rescue, so it better be there ready and waiting!

2) Quite a different scenario - most day to day things move to tablets, where MS has no ground at the moment. There are iOS, android, and it takes only small step for linux to get there and await for some Adobe apps.

Of course we are going to retain big workstations for big advanced jobs and guess what OS is on a lot of these!
 
Small step for linux???

I think you have missed a very big part out, yes linux may work on a tablet, but getting share of the market? dream on.

What is locked down?? When did MS lock anything down?? Stop trying to scaremonger and look at things how they are now and where they are going.

Adobe develop for Linux??? 'Hey I've got an idea, I know only 0.5% of users world wide use Linux, but I think we should spend x million dollars developing Photoshop for it. It will make us at least $10, but we will have to face the backlash of paid software on linux, 'I thought Linux was free', We will also need to invest a further x million in support staff due to the different flavours and the issues that creates.'

Yeah that will work.
 
Dale_tem said:
Small step for linux???

I think you have missed a very big part out, yes linux may work on a tablet, but getting share of the market? dream on.

I repeat it barely needs some adds on TV and magazines

What is locked down?? When did MS lock anything down?? Stop trying to scaremonger and look at things how they are now and where they are going.

have you heard about xbox or windows rt? project palladium from 2005 that failed due to public outcry?
ipad is not ms, but I guess you've heard about that too. Even android is heading that way.

Adobe develop for Linux??? 'Hey I've got an idea, I know only 0.5% of users world wide use Linux, but I think we should spend x million dollars developing Photoshop for it. It will make us at least $10, but we will have to face the backlash of paid software on linux, 'I thought Linux was free', We will also need to invest a further x million in support staff due to the different flavours and the issues that creates.'

porting applications is easier than you think. Look at libre office, firefox, and a lot of much heavier commercial software that you can't afford, ie schrodinger suite. they seem to sell enough to justify linux

Yeah that will work.

it will if people stop adopting such very antagonistic atitude. remember, competition is good. You don't want another monopoly from MS or Apple
Click to expand...
 
RT is not locked down?? It is different, rather than browse the web, the software company puts their software in the store. That is different to locked down. It does not have apple's 'You can't create that app' approach.

Are you complaining the XBox is locked down? The only unlocked consoles was the PS2/PS3 which allowed you to put linux on, that is now removed on the PS3. All consoles are locked down, always have been.

Competition is good, linux is not competition. You will need a hell of a lot more than tv adverts to make linux attractive. Linux would need to change which won't happen.

Apple can compete with the home user, but there is nothing that can compete with MS in the business world and I don't see anything on the horizon unless google combine Chrome OS and android.

Linux is a been there and done that type of thing for me, it has its place, mainly with hobbyists in the UK. Now I want something that works, needs less time to set up and maintain and is usable and doesn't limit me.

As for porting applications, I know more about software development than you think. DO libre and firefox sell or are they open source products ie no money really involved. As for specialist software, at the price they charge, they do what the customer asks, neither are a standard software company business strategy. We've had open office for how many years now and still it is hardly used and when it is installed by someone due to cost saving it is either removed very quickly by users or they do their work elsewhere to avoid it ;)
 
rssmrry said:
Never mind that, it's impossible to buy and download any kind of Windows 7 at a reasonable price from a legit retailer, it's all Windows 8, I don't want it now or ever. Something's clearly wrong when it's easier to pirate the OS rather than buy it. Ho hum.

And before anyone whines at me saying I'm stealing etc, I'm not, I'm awaiting delivery of an OEM disk for my new build.

I was gutted to see software4students stop selling w7, they were always really cheap and convenient with their download delivery of the os.

Can't help but think that the £25 for the upgrade was about £25 too much...
Click to expand...

Purchased a copy of Windows 7 from dabs this week, simple :)
 
The only thing that linux is short on is the ability to run some popular software - it's faster, safer and much easier to use than the execrable Windoze - I am utterly amazed that people spend a fortune on third-rate software. As for software companies not wanting to port their software for it, that's their loss - if it takes off as it deserves to, then people may still be happy to spend a fortune on software like Photoshop (and they'd have more in the kitty if they hadn't paid the ransom to the Gates empire........) The only reason for the preponderance of Windoze in the market is their sheer muscle and "dirty tricks" (Dell putting out laptops with Ubuntu as o/s? - we'll soon stop that by shoving the price of Windoze up for them) - that happened!

I've "made do" with the freebies that come with Linux for long enough that I'm quite happy without the "industry standard" programmes, that are often overpriced "overkill" for the jobs they are asked to do
 
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