[rescue] Win 8 FUD - was Re: NeXTSTEP or OPENSTEP?

[Laurence Brevard]

At 10:28 AM 8/11/2014, Liam Proven wrote:

  On 11 August 2014 19:05, Raymond Wiker <rwiker at gmail.com> wrote:
  > You realise that this amounts to throwing away and replacing all
  the stuff
  > that people are actually complaining about?

  You know, this is really so far from the truth that it amounts to
  bare-faced FUD.

  The *only* significant difference between Windows 7 and Windows 8 is
  that the Start menu has been replaced with the Start Screen, i.e. the
  Modern interface.

I'm in 100% agreement with Liam here.

I have been supporting Windows and Linux and iOS and (to a lesser extent)
Mac OS X for some time. I am effectively head of IT for a startup that's
my main activity. I also support quite a few individuals and small
businesses.

I run everything - my main laptop is a Mac Book Pro with Windows 7
Ultimate BOOTCAMP (directly bootable or, more normally, as a VM under
VMware Fusion). I also have various Linux flavors available - mostly as
VMs but with some hardware systems as well.

The amazing FUD over Windows 8 seems to have been from the default START
screen confusing and scaring the heck out of people.

Very few (basically NONE) of the people I support or know seemed to
realize the START screen was just the Start Menu (albeit
non-hierarchical).

Especially with the 8.1 update it is very easy to never use the START
screen or "Modern" apps at all - even with no third party software.

Then, there is ClassicShell ( http://www.classicshell.net/) Free /
Donation -ware which provides your choice of old Start Menu styles
(including XP) and can completely hide the START screen.

I was able to transition an older client from XP to Windows 8 with
classic shell setup to look exactly like her old XP system and she never
even thinks about being on the dreaded Windows 8.

I have purposely left my Windows 8.1 systems without the crutch of the
Start Menu and it's really no big deal. I'm even getting somewhat used to
a few of the "Modern" applications - including the Mail App.

Meanwhile, back to packing and loading. I'm about 2/3 through a huge move
from San Jose, CA, to the Austin, TX, area (Cedar Park).

LAURENCE C. BREVARD
http://www.BrevardAndBrevard.com