Roughly ten days ago, I installed the leaked RTM (Released to Manufacturing) build of Microsoft Windows 8 Pro on my primary desktop computer. I gave it ten days to win me over, or to make me hate it. Here are my thoughts:
In summary: Windows 8 has become the #1 reason you should buy a Mac.
These are the things I like about Windows 8:
Windows Explorer Ribbons instead of Toolbars
Task Manager
Microsoft Security Essentials is built-in, but rebranded back to "Windows Defender"
These are the things I LOATH about Windows 8:
Metro / Whatever the new UI/Start Screen is called.
Metro apps. All of them. Weather is pretty -- nothing more.
Lack of a classic start button.
Lack of a classic start menu.
Lack of option to turn classic start menu on / Metro off.
Did I say Metro yet?
Lack of a shutdown option on the start screen.
The new Metro-ish sidebar when you click on networking.
The Metro control panel.
The Metro Windows Update option -- why can't I pick updates in the metro WU client?
Segregation of Chrome Metro and Chrome Desktop.
I really hate Metro.
The side "swipe" menu.
The "Start" popup bottom left.
The Metro Tasks - anything to do with Metro.
Lack of folders in metro start
Lack of proper searching in metro start -- if I type "device" and there's no app with that name, but 10 settings -- WHY NOT JUST TAKE ME TO SETTINGS?
Aero Glass was removed. IMHO, that made Windows the most beautiful OS there was. They killed it. It's not off by default -- it's gone.
Apps have Metro and Desktop versions -- MAKE UP YOUR MIND. Oh, wait... more important:
Apps have Metro versions. Metro has metro versions. Metro is.
I am a text-book definition Microsoft fan-boy. I crackflashed Windows 7 and talked to everyone I knew about how awesome and amazing it was. I hate Windows 8. It honestly makes me want to ditch Windows completely. I'm downloading Ubuntu to test it as we speak.
Jay Baldwin is a follower of Jesus Christ residing in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and daughter. Jay is an Executive Director and Software Engineer (Web Ninja!), a self-proclaimed scriptural scholar, and an instrument-rated pilot. He's also an avid gamer, loves tennis, and has a black belt in Korean martial art Tang Soo Do.