Windows 8
Windows 8 is an operating system for Microsoft devices that combines some aspects of the traditional Windows system with the Live Tiles look of Windows mobile devices. This design is meant to make Windows 8 ideal for use on traditional PCs, as well as tablets and other touch-screen devices. The user interface of Windows 8 is a set of Live Tiles that take the place of the Start menu in previous versions of Windows. You can search for a specific application within this interface to find the program you are looking for. Some applications are found in the Apps menu of the interface, but you can customize which programs show up on the Start screen. Review: Windows 8 is an ideal operating system for those who have a touch-screen enabled tablet or hybrid PC. At the same time, if you own a traditional computer, the learning curve of the Windows 8 interface may not be worth it, unless you are wiling to take some time to get used to the new interface. The main change from previous versions of Windows to Windows 8 is the lack of a Start menu button. All of the programs and applications are instead displayed as tiles as soon as you start up your system. These tiles are designed to make Windows more touch-screen friendly, but is not very intuitive for traditional PC users. Some applications and programs can be hard to find, although you can use the search feature to find what you are looking for. You can also customize which programs you see when you start up the computer. If you want to access the traditional Windows desktop, rather than the Start menu, you can click on the Windows icon. However, this Windows icon has different functions when you are in an application or program, making it confusing and difficult to get to the desktop view. Besides the lack of a Start menu and the difficulty in accessing the traditional desktop, the Windows 8 interface acts much the same as previous Windows versions. Compared to previous versions of Windows, Windows 8 makes it easy to set-up and connect to a network. You can also easily access all network devices in the file manager. If you are willing to learn how to customize the Windows 8 interface to work for you, it becomes a reliable and easy-to-use operating system.
- Live Tiles provide a visual look at all applications and programs
- Easy to set-up and connect networks to your PC
- Integration tools make it easier to connect to the Xbox, Skydrive, and cloud services
- Interface is easily customizable and search feature helps you find a program
- File system makes it easier to organize and find certain documents and files
- Very few problems arise with the operating system and when they do are easily fixed
- Contains new integration tools for cloud based applications, Xbox and Skydrive
- Interface is intuitive for tablets and other touchscreen devices
- Supports the use of multiple monitors at once
- New interface is difficult to get used to for previous Windows users
- Interface is hard to use with traditional computers that use a mouse for navigation
- Windows store does not offer a large selection of applications to install
- Lacks a traditional Start menu
- Tries to sell apps by placing ads on the interface
Windows 8 is an ideal operating system for those who have a touch-screen enabled tablet or hybrid PC. At the same time, if you own a traditional computer, the learning curve of the Windows 8 interface may not be worth it, unless you are wiling to take some time to get used to the new interface. The main change from previous versions of Windows to Windows 8 is the lack of a Start menu button. All of the programs and applications are instead displayed as tiles as soon as you start up your system. These tiles are designed to make Windows more touch-screen friendly, but is not very intuitive for traditional PC users. Some applications and programs can be hard to find, although you can use the search feature to find what you are looking for. You can also customize which programs you see when you start up the computer. If you want to access the traditional Windows desktop, rather than the Start menu, you can click on the Windows icon. However, this Windows icon has different functions when you are in an application or program, making it confusing and difficult to get to the desktop view. Besides the lack of a Start menu and the difficulty in accessing the traditional desktop, the Windows 8 interface acts much the same as previous Windows versions. Compared to previous versions of Windows, Windows 8 makes it easy to set-up and connect to a network. You can also easily access all network devices in the file manager. If you are willing to learn how to customize the Windows 8 interface to work for you, it becomes a reliable and easy-to-use operating system.
Alternatives to Windows 8
Windows 7
Windows 10
OpenSUSE
Ubuntu
Chromium OS
Linux Mint
Fedora
Xfce
CentOS
Sailfish OS
MacOS Sierra
Oracle Solaris
MacOS
Arch Linux
Xubuntu
Elementary OS
Lubuntu
