UKC

Can't say I like Windows 8 so far
Don't like the loss of Outlook Express among others. With Windows 8 Mail I feel I've lost control over my emails.

Has anyone had Windows 8 and reverted to Windows XP?

(If something's working OK why "fix" it?)

In reply to FesteringSore: Try using Mozilla Thunderbird, it's far better e-mail client and free. http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/download

In reply to FesteringSore:

I would never go back to Xp if you paid me. Even when I put Window's 7 onto friend's computers, they too would not go back.

As for Window's 8, I will hold back not because it is bad but because of the learning curve required. That, and the fact that Microsoft can potentially remove softwareapps remotely.

Window's 7 for me, until I am forced to change, and I will more than likely jump onto Linux full time. We are getting less and less reliant on Microsoft and more reliant on Linux/Android and Apple iOS.

In reply to FesteringSore:
XP is virtually out of support, so its not a good idea to go back.
Most people skipped Vista and went on to Windows 7, and just as many seem relunctant to move to Windows 8.
I evaluated it as a part of a system test process and that was enough to put me off. Might be good for a tablet or home use, but not for work.

So I'll be sticking to Windows 7 for the time being (even though it's really Windows 6.1, but that's another story)

I certainly don't like the email system and I'm thinking of an alternative. There's one apparently called OEClassic. It's £20 but I feel it might be £20 well spent.

In reply to FesteringSore: I hate it with a passion! Wish I had formatted the HD on my new desktop and installed XP instead of Windows 8 that came pre-installed, I just don't see what the point of the 'Start' Window is.

Whatever you do, avoid upgrading to 8.1, that causes a major nightmare with emails!

In reply to FesteringSore: I despise Windows 8 and I have had it for about 9 months now. I feel it has taken my control about how i manage my desk top and documents away. I hate not having a start bar to access control panels etc easily. I'm not the most technologically minded but this system should be easy to use for people who are a lot worse than me as well! Besides the fact I do not have a smartphone/tablet etc the interface is not transferable to me and useless. I always start by going straight to the desktop and avoid the app's altogether.

In reply to FesteringSore:

I haven't even tried win 8 but the hate oozing through the internet is enough to put me off. happy with win 7

In reply to Beth-Cath-T: Ditto

Problem is, if you buy I new pc from somewhere like PC World(as I did) they now seem to come with Windows 8 whether you like it or not

In reply to FesteringSore:
Going back to Windows XP at this stage now would be a really bad plan. Microsoft is about to withdraw all support (it is after all a very old operating system), which means that after April it will be very dangerous to continue using it if you value your personal information.

If you don't like Windows 8 then my advice would be to buy Windows 7 and bear in mind that it, too, has a limited lifespan before security problems force you to upgrade or switch platforms.

In reply to FesteringSore:

If you need to use computers for anything other than wasting time, Windows 8 pretty horrible.

In reply to Trevers:

It can be made pretty much identical to 7 by installing Classic Shell or similar. FWIW, though, since I updated to 8.1 I am having hassle with wifi and with printer drivers.

Neil

In reply to FesteringSore:

Win 8 vs XP is a strange choice. It depends what you're using it for: that is what programs and on what hardware.

If you don't absolutely need Windows what about shifting to Linux, which is far more secure? Every version of Windows back to early 95 has a backdoor built in for the NSA and I'd suspect that newer versions might have even more spyware capability that has yet to be discovered - one of the main problems with closed source software.

I've used Win 8 for a bit. The main advantage was that it would start faster that Win 7. It also has a better Task Manager and is more suited to touch screens esp mobile and tablet PCs. It also seemed to come preloaded with far more junk programs than previous versions which again seems to be influenced by the mobile/tablet sales model.

I agree with others that Thunderbird is a great email client.

Also, I can't find anything resembling my email address book. Anyone seen anything?

In reply to FesteringSore:

Start faster? Aye, but you need that time because it's a toy instead of a tool for doing work.

Lost control of your emails? Yes, well Win8 is the Senokot of operating systems.

In reply to FesteringSore:

Windows Live Mail or the Mail from the tile on the home screen.

I've got both installed, tend to use Live Mail from the desktop as it looks more like what I'm used to, but can click on either to see the same messages.