ZDoom

Nevander wrote:I'm inclined to disagree. I'd say stick with Windows 7 until you can't any longer. I myself stuck with Windows XP until they "dropped support" for it. Windows 7 and 8 are pretty much the same thing, except 8 is just worse on many levels. I hardly ever update my machine (I'm almost five update batches behind) and I never have problems, and I'm on Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Honestly if you are a smart surfer and just a smart PC user in general you won't need to worry about anti-virus or security updates that badly. They always tell you to make sure Windows is updated, make sure it's updated, yada yada. Pfft. And yea, stay away from Linux. It is not meant for gaming one bit.

Listening to people with such bad habits as you exhibit here is the best way to run into problems.

Seriously, the ONLY reason these days why someone would prefer Windows 7 is the start menu - and that's the most easily fixable thing around.

I concur with everybody else that goin 8.1 is the best option today. Yes, Windows 8 was irreparably broken, but that's 8.0, not 8.1!

I've been very happy with my Windows 8.1.

Graf Zahl wrote:Listening to people with such bad habits as you exhibit here is the best way to run into problems.

What bad habits? Whatever they are, they don't seem to be bad habits in my case to any degree.

Sticking to old OS versions until the very last moment is a bad habit. Recommending such behavior to others is just foolhardy.

Believe it or not, there may be features in the newer versions others may need!

I've been a little dubious about moving to 8 because of the look and differences....sure I went from XP to 7 when my oooold PC died but... eh I dunno xD

To be bluntly honest here, it doesn't really matter if you use Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. But I am only saying this only because Windows 10 will be free for those two major OS's (Windows 7 && Windows 8.1) if upgraded within the first year. So I would automatically assume that the individual will take advantage of this opportunity to jump to a newer OS version.

source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/about

Siberian Tiger wrote:To be bluntly honest here, it doesn't really matter if you use Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

Depends on what you need your computer for. I have to use software for work that depends on Windows 8 features so 7 is a no-go for me.

Graf Zahl wrote:Depends on what you need your computer for. I have to use software for work that depends on Windows 8 features so 7 is a no-go for me.

But what I meant was, which ever OS is going to be used (Windows 7 or Windows 8.1) - there will be a free upgrade path to Windows 10 with no additional charges. Now if the end-user refuses to jump to Windows 10 (despite it being free), then of course Windows 8.1 is the better choice as opposed to Windows 7.

The UI differences don't really bother me, it's the possibility of running into compatibility problems that has had me spooked at the prospect. I run a lot of old software/emulators/homebrew programs and I was always under the impression that 8/8.1 only ever provided a desktop mode through gritted teeth what with the emphasis being on tablets and smartphones. I'll be using the new rig for mod development as well as gaming, so I need to be sure that the current crop of ports/tools will function (I had a few issues with XWE when I first got 7, but granted that was my own fault for using XWE in the first place ).

Much like Fuzzball, I skipped Vista altogether when I discovered some of the issues people were having, particularly in the early days of the UAC (no, the other one), but the feedback regarding 8.1 here has been generally positive, and I'm always willing to learn my way around a new environment, so I'll be plumping for that.

You won't have many problems with the desktop mode. As has been stated before, Classic Start Menu is all you'll need to install, and only very few of the control panels remain "hidden" in the Start Screen afterwards (and it's mostly stuff like changing the lock-screen background). Most of the tabletified options can be disabled quite easily.

I agree with everything everyone said. If you get Windows 8.1, the first thing you should install is Classic Shell.
I hope someone will port Classic Start Menu to Windows 10, (When it's released) because from what I've seen, the Start Menu looks bleh. (And I like CSM's look)

AFAIK Classic Shell works on the Win 10 pre-release builds. Its developer will most certainly make sure that it works on the final release version.

Wooooo! Awesome :D
Unrelated/Offtopic (Sorry): Is there any way to make "Disable smilies" enabled by default on new posts?

phantombeta wrote:Wooooo! Awesome
Unrelated/Offtopic (Sorry): Is there any way to make "Disable smilies" enabled by default on new posts?

WTF kind of theme is that? #subsilver2masterrace4lyfe