Reviewing Windows 8

I said I would review Windows 8 when I'd had a little time to explore it.

Pros:
1. It does seem to run faster.
2. Has a built in anti-virus/firewall (I just used the firewall on Windows 7) and other tools that help with performance.
3. The tiled UI does put everything at your fingertips (moreso if you're on a mobile device, I'm sure).
4. The tiled UI has applications that are easy to install and can be useful.
5. In the previews I saw, they said Internet Explorer from the tiled UI and the desktop did not mesh or keep things synced between the two. I don't know if that's the case, as I run Chrome. Chrome does so regardless of which interface you run it from.
6. If you are having trouble finding something on the desktop, you can go to the tiled UI and search or search using the charms, straight from the desktop, and it'll pop right up. You can then pin it to either (or both) the desktop task bar and the tiles.
7. The desktop pretty much is the same as Windows 7, with the exception of the start button, so for people more accustomed to that, it still is there and works the same. In fact, launching some things from the tiled UI brings up the desktop automatically, so they are linked.
8. Really nice if you're on a mobile device. Tiles, although rather ugly, are easy to see and touch, I'm sure.
9. Microsoft is running a special right now. Windows 8 is only $39.99 until January 31st (the main reason I upgraded). Also, Windows Media Center (which you need for watching TV or DVDs on your system) is free, again until January 31st, so long as your'e running Windows 8.

Cons:
1. Many people will tell you that compared to updating other versions of Windows, this is a breeze. They lie. I installed an upgrade from XP to Windows 7 without problem, only that it required an external hard drive. Granted, this was easier--to a point. But many people, many, including myself, have had trouble with Windows 8 getting all the way to the end, then restoring back to Windows 7 without giving a chance to really troubleshoot, and giving an error that says 'page fault in non-paged area'. I think this involves mostly third-party software or settings, although hardware could be at fault, according to some of the troubleshooting tips found on the forums. But the only thing that worked for me was installing without saving my settings and just my files. That worked like a breeze, but meant that I lost all my installed programs, some of which I was able to install, and some of which I just lost entirely.
2. People will tell you that if it runs under Windows 7, it will run under Windows 8. Not necessarily. I had a set of National Geographic DVDs that would not install back onto the machine.
3. No start button on the desktop. Okay, it's not too bad, but going to the tiled UI instead of just staying in the desktop and getting what I need is a pain if I'm not needing to.
4. The tiles, like I say, are pretty ugly. If you're using a mouse, clicking on the tiles are not too bad, but bringing up the charms or anything else involving the corners can be tricky. Also, you need a wheeled mouse to easily scroll through tiles on a desktop computer or laptop without a touchscreen.

In summary, this probably works great on touchscreens. But on a desktop it's a little unwieldy. Still, there are reasons to upgrade a desktop, according to the experts, such as the faster speed and extra tools. Still, I think the average user running Windows 7 will be more irritated by the changes than pleased. Unless you're a tech geek who has to have the latest, you may want to wait. On the other hand, if you are interested, then keep in mind the special pricing ends January 31st, so get going.

I hope that helps you. This is, of course, based on my experience. Your results may vary. :)

PS I will say Microsoft's support department on Twitter (@MicrosoftHelps) did reply to my plea for ideas with a suggestion. Unfortunately, I didn't see it till later. So I didn't try a clean boot. It might help prevent you from losing your programs.