5 ms·

8.1 was the last decent version of Windows.

by bakugo 4y ago

BLKNSLVR 4y ago
The introduction of the hybrid interface in Windows 8 was the beginning of the end. The new 'Setup' versus the old Control Panel and how there's some crossover, but not complete. God, they messed things up. Yeah, I think 7 was the last good version. 8.1 was "sorry for 8.0" but the damage was done and the path forward (wonkily sideways and backwards) was set.
- gtirloni 4y ago
  > The introduction of the hybrid interface in Windows 8 was the beginning of the end What's this end your are taking about? People day that about every new version of Windows at least since the 95 release and it doesn't seem to be happening.
  - somebehemoth 4y ago
    I took this comment to mean that "for this person" it was the beginning of the end. I feel the same way. Windows 8 and onward got really weird really fast for a lot of people who used Windows for decades. I'm not saying the old style is better for everyone, just me.
    - BLKNSLVR 4y ago
      I actually meant it globally, but if I was a better person I would have meant it "for me, personally" ;) > I'm not saying the old style is better for everyone, just me I'm on the same page. But also, I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with getting used to the new interface, except it doesn't show all the things the old interface had, some of which I use(d) frequently enough to be annoyed about their absence, meaning that I'd have to go back to the old interface, in turn meaning that I can't yet forget the old to make brain-space for the new. I find this infuriating, possibly because it highlights my brain's personal tech-debt; some kind of "curse of knowing".
      - somebehemoth 4y ago
        I agree with your "curse of knowing" sentiment. Learning new things is much more fun when new things are demonstrably better. I don't think that many of the changes to Windows since version 8 are demonstrably better. Thank you for taking my comment in the way I intended.
- tenebrisalietum 4y ago
  This is one reason I really like Linux and the BSDs. There is a total separation of UI from OS, and due to the command line heritage of UNIX, strong functionality is available without a desktop environment at all. This is also another reason the web has taken over from the desktop.
jeroenhd 4y ago
Windows 8 was an utter failure of a UI design for anything but tablets. I'd go back further. Windows 7 was the last user friendly OS Microsoft has released, in my opinion. Windows 10 was a desperate attempt to take the 8 framework and stuff it into the desktop, but I don't think it's all as well-integrated as Windows 7 was. It's a shame. The Windows 10/11 kernel is a marvel of technology. I just wish I could run the Windows 7 UI on top of it (and disable all the obnoxious tracking).
2OEH8eoCRo0 4y ago
7 was great. 8 was okay. 10 is great but I don't like the encroachment of ads. Why do I have an advertising ID now? Why do I have ads in my start menu and lock screen? 11 is even worse by the looks of it. The decline definitely began at 8 and has accelerated recently.
- gtirloni 4y ago
  I had Win 10 Pro and now Win 11 Pro and never saw any ads. Is this something in the Home edition?
  - Tempest1981 4y ago
    Try explorer: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/file-explorer-pop-up-asking-me-to-use-onedrive-how/50796289-1fe3-478f-b817-5282b0f502fa https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/file-e...
  - 2OEH8eoCRo0 4y ago
    I have Win 10 pro and noticed a magnifying glass icon in the start menu with something about soccer that presumably would open Edge. Ie. An ad. There was a setting i never saw before "occasionally show suggestions in start" that I had to disable. Zoinks! There are also lock screen ads by default called "windows spotlight" This is the kind of user disrespecting stuff that I switched to Fedora for. I paid for your damn operating system. Stop jerking me around
- counttheforks 4y ago
  > Why do I have ads in my start menu and lock screen? Serious question. How do I enable ads on my windows 10 install? I reinstalled a while ago and don't feel like I've done anything special and windows has not shown me any ads that I am aware of. My lockscreen is a randomized background, which I quite like, and a prompt for my user & password. Nothing else. My start menu was shrunk in width to get rid of all of those tiles and just shows a list of software I have installed, and can be searched by typing in it. No ads, unless you count the "recently added" section listing software I installed recently.
- 4y ago
spacechild1 4y ago
Hard to tell if this sacarsm or not :-)

8.1 was the last decent version of Windows.

by bakugo 4y ago

8.1 was the last decent version of Windows.

The introduction of the hybrid interface in Windows 8 was the beginning of the end. The new 'Setup' versus the old Control Panel and how there's some crossover, but not complete. God, they messed things up. Yeah, I think 7 was the last good version. 8.1 was "sorry for 8.0" but the damage was done and the path forward (wonkily sideways and backwards) was set.

gtirloni 4y ago
> The introduction of the hybrid interface in Windows 8 was the beginning of the end What's this end your are taking about? People day that about every new version of Windows at least since the 95 release and it doesn't seem to be happening.
- somebehemoth 4y ago
  I took this comment to mean that "for this person" it was the beginning of the end. I feel the same way. Windows 8 and onward got really weird really fast for a lot of people who used Windows for decades. I'm not saying the old style is better for everyone, just me.
  - BLKNSLVR 4y ago
    I actually meant it globally, but if I was a better person I would have meant it "for me, personally" ;) > I'm not saying the old style is better for everyone, just me I'm on the same page. But also, I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with getting used to the new interface, except it doesn't show all the things the old interface had, some of which I use(d) frequently enough to be annoyed about their absence, meaning that I'd have to go back to the old interface, in turn meaning that I can't yet forget the old to make brain-space for the new. I find this infuriating, possibly because it highlights my brain's personal tech-debt; some kind of "curse of knowing".
    - somebehemoth 4y ago
      I agree with your "curse of knowing" sentiment. Learning new things is much more fun when new things are demonstrably better. I don't think that many of the changes to Windows since version 8 are demonstrably better. Thank you for taking my comment in the way I intended.
tenebrisalietum 4y ago
This is one reason I really like Linux and the BSDs. There is a total separation of UI from OS, and due to the command line heritage of UNIX, strong functionality is available without a desktop environment at all. This is also another reason the web has taken over from the desktop.

jeroenhd 4y ago

Windows 8 was an utter failure of a UI design for anything but tablets. I'd go back further. Windows 7 was the last user friendly OS Microsoft has released, in my opinion. Windows 10 was a desperate attempt to take the 8 framework and stuff it into the desktop, but I don't think it's all as well-integrated as Windows 7 was. It's a shame. The Windows 10/11 kernel is a marvel of technology. I just wish I could run the Windows 7 UI on top of it (and disable all the obnoxious tracking).

2OEH8eoCRo0 4y ago

7 was great. 8 was okay. 10 is great but I don't like the encroachment of ads. Why do I have an advertising ID now? Why do I have ads in my start menu and lock screen? 11 is even worse by the looks of it. The decline definitely began at 8 and has accelerated recently.

gtirloni 4y ago
I had Win 10 Pro and now Win 11 Pro and never saw any ads. Is this something in the Home edition?
- Tempest1981 4y ago
  Try explorer: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/file-explorer-pop-up-asking-me-to-use-onedrive-how/50796289-1fe3-478f-b817-5282b0f502fa https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/file-e...
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 4y ago
  I have Win 10 pro and noticed a magnifying glass icon in the start menu with something about soccer that presumably would open Edge. Ie. An ad. There was a setting i never saw before "occasionally show suggestions in start" that I had to disable. Zoinks! There are also lock screen ads by default called "windows spotlight" This is the kind of user disrespecting stuff that I switched to Fedora for. I paid for your damn operating system. Stop jerking me around
counttheforks 4y ago
> Why do I have ads in my start menu and lock screen? Serious question. How do I enable ads on my windows 10 install? I reinstalled a while ago and don't feel like I've done anything special and windows has not shown me any ads that I am aware of. My lockscreen is a randomized background, which I quite like, and a prompt for my user & password. Nothing else. My start menu was shrunk in width to get rid of all of those tiles and just shows a list of software I have installed, and can be searched by typing in it. No ads, unless you count the "recently added" section listing software I installed recently.
4y ago

spacechild1 4y ago

Hard to tell if this sacarsm or not :-)