I've actually used 8 since the original public "beta." I still have the last "beta" that came out before the production version (the "release to manufacturing" or "RTM" version) running on a couple of laptops.
First, I was relatively impressed that I really didn't see that much that was crashtastic on either of the "betas": I spotted only a couple of things that were buggy, the biggest of which was that every now and then you couldn't select a bunch of files off a server and copy them elsewhere; you could only copy one file at a time. I can't even remember the other thing I reported. Some sort of display issue that never cropped up again.
However, I wondered what the entire point of Windows 8 was, from a desktop standpoint. Laptops or tablets? Easy to understand: if you have multitouch, Windows 8 is sorta designed around it. It's not quite as seamless as using a Mac under 10.8 ("Mountain Lion"), but it's a lot better than Windows 7. However, unless you're one of the insanely few folks that happen to have either a multi-touch-screen monitor or have a multi-touch input pad (I'm in the latter group), there's no real reason for Windows 8. It's only slightly faster than 7 and you've got to contend with that "we're no longer calling it 'Metro,' but it's Metro" interface which does away with things like the Start menu.
Today, I found a good reason to use Windows 8: if you've got more than two monitors, it's really kewl. Primarily because Microsoft has realized that around 16% of folks do use multiple displays. I have three and an app that allows me to us my iPad as a fourth. Unfortunately, Windows 7 and earlier only allows you to have the "Start" taskbar on ONE display. Multiple displays? Shell out some bucks to buy a 3rd party application. Windows 8 not only allows you to use a taskbar on multiple displays, it gives you a few different ways of doing it.
Also, mainly for techies, there's a command to put "your" Windows installation on a USB stick. I haven't had a chance to play with this feature, yet.
So, I cautiously recommend Windows 8 on the desktop just because of those features, especially if you've got a new-ish PC (bought between June 2, 2012 and, for time travelers, January 31, 2013) and can get the $15 upgrade. It's $40 to get the upgrade package from another version of Windows, which may or may not be a good deal: most multiple-monitor software retails around the $20 range, which can add more functionality to your Windows experience. I also think the other features are subject to the 80/20 rule: 80% of folks will use only 20% of Windows 8's new features.
There is a free 90-day trial* of Windows 8 available. Note that a) it's not an upgrade: you'll be installing a brand new copy of Windows and b) once the trial expires, you can't buy a key to upgrade to "retail": you have to reformat your hard drive.
I'm probably going to install Windows 8 on my desktop at work in a few days. I'll probably do my "main" home PC as soon as a new version of my iPad/screen software comes out.
* It's been tested for a theoretical 270 days, if you use the slmgr -rearm command at the end of 90 days -- I tested that as soon as the trial came out, actually -- but there could be other considerations, so YMMV.
First, I was relatively impressed that I really didn't see that much that was crashtastic on either of the "betas": I spotted only a couple of things that were buggy, the biggest of which was that every now and then you couldn't select a bunch of files off a server and copy them elsewhere; you could only copy one file at a time. I can't even remember the other thing I reported. Some sort of display issue that never cropped up again.
However, I wondered what the entire point of Windows 8 was, from a desktop standpoint. Laptops or tablets? Easy to understand: if you have multitouch, Windows 8 is sorta designed around it. It's not quite as seamless as using a Mac under 10.8 ("Mountain Lion"), but it's a lot better than Windows 7. However, unless you're one of the insanely few folks that happen to have either a multi-touch-screen monitor or have a multi-touch input pad (I'm in the latter group), there's no real reason for Windows 8. It's only slightly faster than 7 and you've got to contend with that "we're no longer calling it 'Metro,' but it's Metro" interface which does away with things like the Start menu.
Today, I found a good reason to use Windows 8: if you've got more than two monitors, it's really kewl. Primarily because Microsoft has realized that around 16% of folks do use multiple displays. I have three and an app that allows me to us my iPad as a fourth. Unfortunately, Windows 7 and earlier only allows you to have the "Start" taskbar on ONE display. Multiple displays? Shell out some bucks to buy a 3rd party application. Windows 8 not only allows you to use a taskbar on multiple displays, it gives you a few different ways of doing it.
Also, mainly for techies, there's a command to put "your" Windows installation on a USB stick. I haven't had a chance to play with this feature, yet.
So, I cautiously recommend Windows 8 on the desktop just because of those features, especially if you've got a new-ish PC (bought between June 2, 2012 and, for time travelers, January 31, 2013) and can get the $15 upgrade. It's $40 to get the upgrade package from another version of Windows, which may or may not be a good deal: most multiple-monitor software retails around the $20 range, which can add more functionality to your Windows experience. I also think the other features are subject to the 80/20 rule: 80% of folks will use only 20% of Windows 8's new features.
There is a free 90-day trial* of Windows 8 available. Note that a) it's not an upgrade: you'll be installing a brand new copy of Windows and b) once the trial expires, you can't buy a key to upgrade to "retail": you have to reformat your hard drive.
I'm probably going to install Windows 8 on my desktop at work in a few days. I'll probably do my "main" home PC as soon as a new version of my iPad/screen software comes out.
* It's been tested for a theoretical 270 days, if you use the slmgr -rearm command at the end of 90 days -- I tested that as soon as the trial came out, actually -- but there could be other considerations, so YMMV.