This post is more than three years old so may contain incorrect information, or opinions I no longer hold.
Windows 8 Isn't That Bad
So I recently mentioned that I would be moving away from Ubuntu in favour of ChromeOS. I chose ChromeOS because I wanted something that would work well, is stable and is fast.
I came to the decision after trying many, many Linux distro’s and none of them worked how I wanted them to work. Anyway, the decision to move away from Ubuntu got me thinking and it occurred to me…Do I have to use Chrome OS? What about Windows? I use Windows a lot in work and it’s what my background is in. However, trying the Windows 8 preview was far from a nice experience.
I thought I’d throw caution to the wind and install Windows 8, except this time I decided to buy a StartIsBack license to give Windows 8 a more “normal” feel.
Pleasantly surprised
I’ve been running Windows 8 on my machine now for around 3 days now and it is running extremely well. It’s fast, capable and pretty nice to look at. I’m yet to actually use the Metro interface, and I really don’t think I will be using it to be honest (as it’s god awful). My machine boots straight to the desktop and the performance is better than that of Ubuntu 12.04 that I was using previously.
Now some of you may say that I’m selling out because it’s proprietary software and that I previously said I would be moving to ChromeOS, so let me answer some those questions before they arise in the comments:
Proprietary software – Yes it is, however I’ve always said that I will use what I think is best for me. I don’t bear any affiliations with other companies just because I like the way they work or that they have a good moral standing. I need my machine to work and if I can work best in Windows then so be it.
The price – So what? I’m happy to pay for the software that works best for my needs. I’ve said in the past that I would happily pay for any Linux distribution if it met my needs.
ChromeOS cop out – Somewhat yes, but it occurred to me that I don’t want to spend over £300 just because I’ve decided to move away from Ubuntu (especially since my existing laptop is great). I got my Windows 8 license for £14.99 because my laptop qualified for the discounted upgrade. I may still turn to ChromeOS if Windows 8 doesn’t work out for me over time, but for now it’s doing the job nicely.
What about Virus’s – Well, in all the years I’ve been running Windows I’ve never had a significant infection that’s affected my data or my privacy. As long as the machine is kept up to date, I have good AV and I don’t go on any dodgy sites then I should be fine.
Is it forever?
Probably not. I’m sure at some point the lure (and fun) of the Linux desktop will draw me back – at the very least I’m sure I’ll end up dual booting very soon just for fun. But at the moment Windows 8 is working for me. Maybe I’ll get a Chromebook, maybe I won’t. Maybe Windows 8 will crash & burn and become the laggy mess that Windows usually is after a few months of use. I suppose only time will tell…
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