Is windows 7 professional the best version to get?

[sebastian869]

for gamer

 

[Kursah]

Windows 7 x64 Pro is a great OS, so is Windows 8/8.1 x64 (you can get a start menu in 2 seconds from Ninite.com too, which solves 90% of people's issues with Win8).

Both do very very well in gaming. I prefer 8.1 now...it's a little faster at everything for me.

 

[INSTG8R]

Yes. All you pay extra for in Ultimate is Bitlocker and all Languages available

 

[pigulici]

Yes, if you don't like to brag with fancy win 8.1 UI...

 

[Octopuss]

I think Home Premium is just as good. Or do you need to join a domain at home?

 

[LaytonJnr]

For a less experienced user, I think Windows 8.1 may be easiest, as us Windows 7 people will be losing 'official' support from Microsoft in just over six months, and the unofficial support can often feel quite daunting to a less experienced user. I used to hate Win 8, but now I'm kinda liking it.

Layton

 

[pigulici]

For a less experienced user, I think Windows 8.1 may be easiest, as us Windows 7 people will be losing 'official' support from Microsoft in just over six months, and the unofficial support can often feel quite daunting to a less experienced user. I used to hate Win 8, but now I'm kinda liking it.

Layton

Wrong...

 

[LaytonJnr]

Wrong...

How so?

 

[Toothless]

Wrong...

A quick Google had this there. Golly!

 

[pigulici]

- "For a less experienced user, I think Windows 8.1 may be easiest," - not so true for non-touch device, at least for what I have see at others
- " Windows 7 people will be losing 'official' support from Microsoft in just over six months" - it is "End of mainstream support" +"
The confusion here stems from Microsoft's maddeningly obtuse naming conventions. Leaving mainstream support only means that Windows 7 won't be receiving any new features or product tweaks, such as the forthcoming DirectX 12. Once a Windows desktop operating system leaves mainstream support, it enters the extended support phase—the very same support phase that Windows XP found itself in from early 2009 until its death earlier this year.

You'll still receive those oh-so-critical security patches during extended support, meaning that while Windows 7 won't be in active development beyond next January, it won't be tossed to the wolves of the Web, either. Hotfixes will still be provided, too, assuming they're security related. (Business can sign up for an extended hotfix support plan if your company wants hotfix support for non-security issues.) Extended support for Windows 7 lasts until January 14, 2020, and you can read Microsoft's Support Lifecycle for Windowsif you're still curious about how this works.

So, like I said: Don't panic. Windows 7 isn't being left for dead for a long, long time."

 

[LaytonJnr]

- "For a less experienced user, I think Windows 8.1 may be easiest," - not so true for non-touch device, at least for what I have see at others
- " Windows 7 people will be losing 'official' support from Microsoft in just over six months" - it is "End of mainstream support" +"
The confusion here stems from Microsoft's maddeningly obtuse naming conventions. Leaving mainstream support only means that Windows 7 won't be receiving any new features or product tweaks, such as the forthcoming DirectX 12. Once a Windows desktop operating system leaves mainstream support, it enters the extended support phase—the very same support phase that Windows XP found itself in from early 2009 until its death earlier this year.

You'll still receive those oh-so-critical security patches during extended support, meaning that while Windows 7 won't be in active development beyond next January, it won't be tossed to the wolves of the Web, either. Hotfixes will still be provided, too, assuming they're security related. (Business can sign up for an extended hotfix support plan if your company wants hotfix support for non-security issues.) Extended support for Windows 7 lasts until January 14, 2020, and you can read Microsoft's Support Lifecycle for Windowsif you're still curious about how this works.

So, like I said: Don't panic. Windows 7 isn't being left for dead for a long, long time."

See I wasn't quite certain about how far Extended Support would apply to. I don't disagree with what you're saying though. I guess what I've seen is that some people don't quite give enough merit to Windows 8 that it deserves. It's not perfect, but its definitely not as bad as it was. I plan to use Windows 7 for many years to come, as I personally prefer it.

Layton

 

[avatar_raq]

I am currently on windows 8.1 pro and I find it generally less stable than windows 7, which I used in the last 5 or so years. Most of the bugs were resolved with disabling the hybrid shutdown feature, which honestly did not make my boot any faster, but slowed down my shutdown! I am not sure why but it could be because my hardware is a bit outdated (see system specs) and doesn't support the new features (UEFI and what not).

 

[Hilux SSRG]

for gamer

HARDOCP says there is a small performance advantage. The article/review is specific for BF4, but that's sufficient to take for all game really.

 

[newtekie1]

I think Home Premium is just as good. Or do you need to join a domain at home?

Home Premium is limited to 16GB of RAM. So, no, it isn't just as good.

 

[eidairaman1]

Pro has alot of customization options-specifically gpedit.msc

 

[sebastian869]

For a less experienced user, I think Windows 8.1 may be easiest, as us Windows 7 people will be losing 'official' support from Microsoft in just over six months, and the unofficial support can often feel quite daunting to a less experienced user. I used to hate Win 8, but now I'm kinda liking it.

Layton

ARe u serious, im 9999999999.9999999999% sure u are incorrect they have vista to go through first and they just dropped XP so i think vista still has legs not to mention 7. I really need to know how the gui compares between win 7 and 8.1. is the desktop the same and do the samethings.

 

[avatar_raq]

The desktop is the same, the start menu of 7 is replaced with the start screen of 8/8.1 which hosts live tiles for metro (modern UI) apps. I used a free program (classic shell) to bring back the start menu of windows 7 and it works very well.

 

[pigulici]

I find more changes than just the GUI, 7 vs 8/8.1, under hood, and almost all I don't like, I am the guy who buy a safest car vs a faster one...I lived the Me era, the Vista era, and now I see 8/8.1 era look same, deja vu, I am too old for eat all PR from Ms...

 

[MxPhenom 216]

Windows 8.1 or gtfo. If you don't like the UI, get Start8.

Also what is the deal with your multiple threads about operating systems? Seems like spam to me.

 

[newtekie1]

I find more changes than just the GUI, 7 vs 8/8.1, under hood, and almost all I don't like,

I'd be interested to know what under the hood changed you don't like and why.

 

[rtwjunkie]

I'd be interested to know what under the hood changed you don't like and why.

Me too, especially since search function is faster and more intuitive, and file transfer speed is much improved!

 

[pigulici]

Well, I use Totalcommander for management/search of files(from xp era), and it is still very good compared with the default of windows, the only + for win8/8.1 I find to be that it was designed for low multicore cpu and low ram, the problem it is the most of softwares are not there(some video encoding software are , or some archiver/pack software, too less...), the cons:
- the uefi thing(which it was a great ideea as concept), make a nightmare to reinstall other windows or linux, so you don't own your machine
- the new "shutdown", in fact a hybrid hybernate(why lie, just call hybernate)
- mandatory Microsoft account if you install fresh win 8
- File History, which keeps incremental, versioned backups of the files in your Libraries (the default is every hour, which isn’t so useful if you work with documents, movies, photos, or other regularly-updated files)
- some early security guys at the begining of win 8 , told that win 8 send more info to MS, but not sure what, now, nobody tell anything(if it is or not true)
- Windows Store , another fail in the attempt to control what people put on their machine
- and so on...
I work in graphic field, the first feeling I haved after first boot in win 8, was, Wow, I missed the right windows install disk, it looked like win98se with more colors; for me, win 8, it is against productivity, if I wanna a Mac/Apple I buy one, MS try hard to copy the Apple/Mac ideea= high cost hardware+ good looking GUI +not so much productivity(if you can install no more than few software, you can't see/damage if it is a good/stable OS)+a lot of PR(you are the chosen people)+captive clients(very closed and controled ecosystem)...this is not for me, I look forward for Win9, meanwhile I use and recommend win 7 sp1 home/pro 64b...sory for offtopic...

 

[suraswami]

Windows 8.1 or gtfo. If you don't like the UI, get Start8.

Also what is the deal with your multiple threads about operating systems? Seems like spam to me.

Will Start8 work with 8.1?

 

[rtwjunkie]

Will Start8 work with 8.1?

Yes, it works perfectly. They update it every few months, and changes are usually based on the upcoming changes that have happened in the W8 lifecycle.

 

[newtekie1]

Well, I use Totalcommander for management/search of files(from xp era), and it is still very good compared with the default of windows, the only + for win8/8.1 I find to be that it was designed for low multicore cpu and low ram, the problem it is the most of softwares are not there(some video encoding software are , or some archiver/pack software, too less...), the cons:
- the uefi thing(which it was a great ideea as concept), make a nightmare to reinstall other windows or linux, so you don't own your machine

I assume you are talking about SecureBoot, not UEFI. Anyway, if you want to install something else, just disable it. If you motherboard doesn't allow it to be disabled then complain to the motherboard manufacturers, this isn't a fault of Windows 8. SecureBoot is a feature developed by the UEFI Forum(AMD, American Megatrends, Apple, Dell, HP, IBM, Insyde Software, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Phoenix Technologies), not a feature of Windows 8, Windows 8 just uses the feature(and various flavors of Linux do now too).

- the new "shutdown", in fact a hybrid hybernate(why lie, just call hybernate)

They don't call it hibernate because isn't isn't hibernate. And again, there is an option to use the traditional shutdown if you want. But you aren't really explaining why you consider this a con. Is faster startup times a bad thing?

- mandatory Microsoft account if you install fresh win 8

Ummm...No. I've installed Windows 8/8.1 fresh on all my machines, I don't have a Microsoft account. In Win8 there is an option right on the account creation screen when you first boot it to use a local account, in Win8.1 that option has been moved to the second screen after you enter jibberish for the username and password on the first screen asking for your Microsoft account.

- File History, which keeps incremental, versioned backups of the files in your Libraries (the default is every hour, which isn’t so useful if you work with documents, movies, photos, or other regularly-updated files)

Wrong again. It doesn't do it every hour, it keeps a previous version every time you save up to a certain number of versions(default 5 I think). It does not save a version ever hour. Microsoft Office 2013 does autosave the document you are working on every hour if you don't save it yourself though, which then triggers Windows to keep a previous version.

- some early security guys at the begining of win 8 , told that win 8 send more info to MS, but not sure what, now, nobody tell anything(if it is or not true)

So your con is that some random "security" guys, that you can't remember really, said that Windows 8 sends more info to MS, but you aren't sure what. Pay attention to the options when you first boot the OS and it tells you what, it also lets you disabled them(some are disabled by default). Most of it is the same stuff you enabled when installing Apps on your phone, like letting Apps use your picture and location to tailor the app to suit you better.

- Windows Store , another fail in the attempt to control what people put on their machine

How so? By providing an area for people to easily search and find apps that they want? Let me guess, you're one of those that believes you can only run programs from the Windows store, right? You can in fact install all the programs you can on Windows 7 exactly the same way you do on Windows 7. Their is no attempt to control what people put on their machines here at all, nothing even comes close to that.

- and so on...
I work in graphic field, the first feeling I haved after first boot in win 8, was, Wow, I missed the right windows install disk, it looked like win98se with more colors; for me, win 8, it is against productivity, if I wanna a Mac/Apple I buy one, MS try hard to copy the Apple/Mac ideea= high cost hardware+ good looking GUI +not so much productivity(if you can install no more than few software, you can't see/damage if it is a good/stable OS)+a lot of PR(you are the chosen people)+captive clients(very closed and controled ecosystem)...this is not for me, I look forward for Win9, meanwhile I use and recommend win 7 sp1 home/pro 64b...sory for offtopic...

All the under the hood improvements are actually very much FOR productivity. The Start Screen was the only draw back to that, and with all the options to get a classic start menu you can not use the Start Screen as an argument. All the improvements of Windows 8.1 make it far more productive once you install ClassicShell. The improve file transfers alone save loads of time, not to mention the much improved multi-monitor support(something anyone in graphics should love). All the cons you've listed, as well as your statement at the end, lead me to believe you are someone that hasn't actually used Windows 8.1 for any length of time, and clearly hasn't even bothered to do some research on some of these issues but instead just listen to what you've read on the internet.

Will Start8 work with 8.1?

I prefer ClassicShell. However, the funny thing is that Asrock actually bundled Start8 on the driver/applications DVD that came with my Z97 motherboards. I though it was a nice touch from them.