Microsoft Pulls Support on Windows 8

[Kev Williams]

The only appreciable improvement between XP and 7 that I like is 7's search function. Aside from that, nothing. And I'm still trying to figure out why my 8.1 computer takes EIGHT full seconds to bring up a folder- ANY folder- on my 'common' network computer, when all of my XP's and even my 98se computer displays the same folders INSTANTLY.

It is seriously frustrating, when trying to get work done, to have a computer go: >click< 1001-1002-1003-1004-1005-1006-1007-1008-Folder...

All my other computers, >click<-Folder.

The ONLY reason I use this computer is because it was a Xmas gift. And for some reason, it browses the net okay. Otherwise I would've sold it 3 Xmas's ago...

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

And I'm still trying to figure out why my 8.1 computer takes EIGHT full seconds to bring up a folder- ANY folder- on my 'common' network computer

I have an XP PC on my home network in the garage (CNC). When I had mapped a drive on it, I saw the same thing. Removing mapped drives from XP machines got rid of the delay. Now when I want to send files to the XP machine, I go through the Network section in Explorer. A little less convenient, but no more delay.

[Art Mann]

Windows 8 was a complete failure. Everyone I know who upgraded to it either immediately went back to Win 7 or cursed the day they "upgraded". Microsoft then tried a clumsy patch job to 8.1 but it still had the cell phone interface as the default. It was almost as unpopular as 8. Win 10 doesn't give you the smartphone user interface by default anymore and it is much more popular than 8 or 8.1. I would say the smart phone style interface was not what Microsoft customers wanted. They already had the most popular operating system on earth. Why change it? Why not spend the effort adding useful new features and restoring old ones that were previously eliminated?

Because that's what the majority of computer users want. They want something that just works, that they never have to look at or think about, that will let them be as shallow as they want seamlessly. That's what Microsoft's customers want, that's what they're trying to give them.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Microsoft then tried a clumsy patch job to 8.1 but it still had the cell phone interface as the default.

If you have ever read anything about Windows 8 or 8.1, it takes 5 minutes to download and install one of many Start Menu add-ons and you never need to see the Metro interface again.
I find Windows 8.1 much faster than Windows 7, and I use both daily (Pro versions of both)

Win 10 doesn't give you the smartphone user interface by default anymore and it is much more popular than 8 or 8.1.

It's more popular because they gave it to everyone for free.

They already had the most popular operating system on earth. Why change it

To make more money.

[Jim Becker]

Art, my suspicion is that Microsoft, for some reason, felt that folks would be moving to tablets and touch screen computers much faster than reality and forgot that many home users run computers into the ground before they upgrade. Or along the same line, they knew that, but were trying to force the market to move to touch interfaces. The bottom line is as you state...Win8.x really didn't make the grade with the public. Win10 is a breath of fresh air in that respect. It retains the ABILITY to support touch interface, but doesn't assume you have it or force you to move to it. Most folks who understand Win7 can get along fine with Win10 after a short learning curve around a few things that are formatted a little differently. Professor Dr. SMWBO is doing that this week...I bought her a new computer for New Years and she's getting it setup "her way" as we speak...

[Curt Harms]

The biggest knock I've heard about Win10 is the amount of personal/private data that could be sent to Microsoft and still be in compliance with the EULA. I'm not sure anybody outside Microsoft know what's being sent and stored.