Upgrading to Windows 8

Well I am writing it pretty late, But just wanted to have the first hand to hand with this new operating system first before writing this.

I just upgraded to this software and after a month of hating it I started liking it. I am using a Sony Sr laptop, which came with Vista Professional and was just a 1 version shortly to get a free upgrade to Windows 7, so let say due to low income or no apparent direct advantage of  windows 7 over windows vista sp2 (and the price) I never upgraded to Windows 7.

But on Oct 26 2012, Microsoft launched Windows 8 with such low price tag (£ 20) that it seemed possible to try out this new OS. I purchased it and installed it and got something like this :

No My computer, not explorer, nothing like my windows use to be and best of all NO SHUTDOWN BUTTON !! Face the HORROR OF METRO UI.

But there was a light, if you press windows key + D, it will show the regular old desktop WITHOUT START MENU, and if you press windows key to open start menu, the pathetic mobile like interface will show up.

Hence it is designed to frustrate the first time user big time, in the beta and RC releases there was a option to bring back old start just by editing a registry key, but that don't work here.

Verdict : Windows 8 is not designed for desktop PC (anything without touch screen), that why Microsoft is giving so cheap upgrades, and all these years you wanted to use the linux or mac but you didn't because you are so comfortable and cozy with the windows classic UI, it is the right time to chase your dream and change your OS.

But wait, so is there is no way to use to Windows 8 on normal desktop PC, though windows 8 UI is pathetic but it comes with some features you want to have :

1. Very cheap upgrade for XP and vista user (Upgrade this is your chance, how ? will tell you in a while).
2. Fast boot, sleep, hibernate and shutdown.
3. Light weight, have a classic desktop but not start menu.
4. It is windows, all your games run here.
5. Pro edition were never so CHEAP.
6. Better firewall and Windows Defender. and many more I haven't checked it out all (I am excluding all the new UI features, because that sucks)

Now if you can get your classic UI back, it is a great deal so how to do that. Well there are 2 classic way and one little over the top way but all of them seems to work fine.

1) CLASSIC SHELL

The classic shell project is there for a while and it provides classic start menu like environment, like windows XP and vista for those who don't want to move away from their roots, but with a Windows 8 Metro UI disaster, this software is nowadays is "talk of the town".

Features

1. It is Free.
2. It windows 8 Ready
3. Disable Metro UI (Windows 8 start menu), but its is still there with key combination like shift + windows.
4. Bring back your classic windows key functionality back.
5. Also provide many other desktop and explorer UI mods to make it look more like the classic feeling in every way.

Some Concerns
It is a great software and it is free, there are few feature loss, like search in start menu is not that fast, instead of windows classic sign you see a SHELL at its place, less glossy, Its UI is more like XP and Vista Hybrid than complete windows 7 clone, but very Stable, I used it for a month, only once my PC hanged because of Classic Shell, it is an actively developed project and promise to deliver more in the future). 

Overall it is a great software to try and use for a long time.

2) Pokki 

This Japanese sounding software are there in the market for a while, it not only comes in windows 8, it also comes for windows XP , Vista and 7, and it provides a parallel type environment for the start menu, and an environment to like metro, but much more integrated with windows Desktop and classic UI rather than sending the user to whole new dimensions.

Features

1. Give start menu like feel.
2. Free.
3. More than a simple start menu, provide games and store like environment

I never used this software but it seems very promising and a free thing to try, people with windows 7 are also using it, because it is not just a start menu, it is a rewritten start menu.

3) Start 8
If you want to bring back the old classic menu with the old classic look and feel of windows 7. This $ 5 product is the way to go.

Features:

1. It brings back the windows 7 experience completely.
2. Nicely integrated with Metro UI, you easily bypass it, but don't really loose it.
3. Fast search, very nicely integrated with windows search. (Not as good as windows 7 or vista, but if you are a regular user, you won't even notice the difference.)  
4. Intelligent pining : like windows 7 it understands that which I item you regularly use and it comes up in front.

Overall  a nice experience for windows 8 "DESKTOP" user and $ 5 is completely worth them self. (Obviously you can sell a $ 20 software for £ 20 OS). I use it, it never crashed or hanged, and I like it.


A Useful advice : Should you upgrade to Windows 8?

1. If your PC is so old that it's drivers for Vista or 7 are not supported.
2. You already having Windows 7 Professional editions on a non touch screen environment. (In this case you can upgrade but won't give you much advantage.
3. Like me if you stuck with Vista and your computer manufacturer provided support for windows 7, because most of Windows 7 Drivers are compatible with Windows 8.

NOTE: Do not trust Microsoft upgrade adviser. Half of the program it say work do not work specially drivers. (I upgraded from Vista and it was a nightmare)