Programming C, C++, Java, PHP, Ruby, Turing, VB
Computer Science Canada 
Programming C, C++, Java, PHP, Ruby, Turing, VB  

Username:   Password: 
 RegisterRegister   
 Windows 8
Index -> Off Topic
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
View previous topic Printable versionDownload TopicSubscribe to this topicPrivate MessagesRefresh page View next topic
Author Message
btiffin




PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2013 4:06 pm   Post subject: Re: Windows 8

Points well taken gentlemen. And yes, the analogies are a little contrived and exaggerated, but I'm old and stuck in my belief. Windows and Macs are built for non technical consumers, for the "winning" benefit of the few.

You don't have to buy into my opinions, and your life will be just fine. But I do doubt you'll get invited to the types of parties that Guido, Bjarne, Carl, Linus, Giancarlo, and Matz get invited to though. I love programming, and I'm hard pressed to think of a name of any computer scientists that rose to fame from Microsoft and Apple, other than Microsoft and Apple. Ok, maybe the Woz.

I'll also add, for anyone reading along, that ignoring Windows is a recipe for losing, so it really is best to be able to use it fluently, but again, do yourself a favour and try programming using an alternate OS. I think you may find the same thing that I found when I was in my 20's. Windows and Macs are for using, not really for computing. Turns out billions of humans are happy with that, just like the millions of Ford Focus drivers are happy to watch races from the stands.

One last one. I do hope an SP1 is out soon with a return to a menu. Using Search to find applications and utilities is getting old, really fast. Luckily mintty is ok for spawning regular Windows executables from a semi comfortable command shell.

Gandalf; unjustified propaganda, or a frustrated old fart tired of trying to show wifey how Metro works? Smile And completely amazed trying to help her help people surfing the Jack Russel Terrier forum she co-admins, using Windows machines riddled with enough malware and viruses to (oh, I don't know, let's just say there are enough malware occurrences that non technical people actually notice and freak out). And all they want to do is Like +1 the pretty pictures of puppies.
Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor
sponsor
wtd




PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2013 9:49 pm   Post subject: Re: Windows 8

btiffin @ Mon May 06, 2013 3:14 pm wrote:
It's like a race car driver entering a race with a Ford Focus


You do know that some of the fastest race cars in the world are built on top of the (even wimpier than the Focus) Ford Fiesta, right?
[Gandalf]




PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2013 9:58 pm   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

Hey, it's hard to come up with a better outlet for your frustration than propaganda. Smile Especially when the cause is noble.

On a side note, while I've often found cause to use Cygwin on Windows, I also find it a huge pain forcing even that small bit of Linux onto Windows. Line endings, paths, permissions, file extensions - all of it is painful - almost as if Windows were resisting...
btiffin




PostPosted: Tue May 07, 2013 12:50 am   Post subject: Re: Windows 8

wtd @ Mon May 06, 2013 9:49 pm wrote:
btiffin @ Mon May 06, 2013 3:14 pm wrote:
It's like a race car driver entering a race with a Ford Focus


You do know that some of the fastest race cars in the world are built on top of the (even wimpier than the Focus) Ford Fiesta, right?


And how many people get to trick out Windows so it can win races? Oh wait, that'd lead to lawsuits or jail. Sad

It would be kinda sweet though, unleash Windows source code on compsci.ca members, get it stripped down and decrufted. Windoors. That could be cool, but sadly ... not in the cards.

Cheers
btiffin




PostPosted: Tue May 07, 2013 1:22 am   Post subject: Re: Windows 8

Gandalf; I'll admit to being pleasantly surprised. Cygwin on Win 8 seems more performant than on Win 7. And the Win 7 laptop has more power. Umm, except for the distracting sidebar thingy when absentmindedly moving the mouse 'to the wrong place', almost a smooth experience.

Cheers

nextday edit
By coincidence, my nickname is Blue.
Quote:

Microsoft is retooling the latest version of its Windows operating system to address complaints and confusion that have been blamed for deepening a slump in personal computer sales.

The tune up announced Tuesday won't be released to consumers and businesses until later this year. The changes, part of a software package given the codename "Blue," are a tacit acknowledgment of the shortcomings in Windows 8, a radical overhaul of Microsoft Corp.'s ubiquitous operating system.


Complain on compsci.ca ... shit happens. Smile
randint




PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2013 10:07 pm   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

Dual boot setup Linux and Windows, if you still cannot leave Windows behind.
btiffin




PostPosted: Sun May 12, 2013 1:09 pm   Post subject: Re: Windows 8

randint; Not sure if you were talking to me or not.

I should add more context to my old guy grumbling to the august members of the compsci.ca board.

I'm not saying that consumers don't have an easy life with Win/8, it's designed and built for consumers.

I'm grumbling to up and coming software developers. Windows is not designed for software development. Never has been, probably never will be. There are very few millions to be made when designing for developers. There are billions to be had designing for the vast majority of the human population that is NOT literate in programming.

The intent of my grumblings is to lead the less than 1% of the population to think hard about any decision to develop software using Windows, when powerful and quite reasonably priced alternatives exist.

On dual boot; randint. Get a Win 8 laptop with UEFI boot roms and the see how dual boot goes for you. I can only assume an above average level of computer literacy for anyone embarking on this endeavour and it is a right royal pain in the behind now that the world has MS sponsored UEFI boot 'protection'.

Let moms and office paper movers use Windows, and keep up with Windows literacy, but in my humble old guy opinion, developers that work in Windows only are missing out. I find that sad and worthy of grumbling.

Again, no one here has to listen to an old fart yelling at kids to get off the lawn. Working in Windows can pay the bills, and shopping at Walmart can save you money. You don't have to care that you'll make an old man cry a little inside, that's his problem, not anyone else's.

Cheers
mirhagk




PostPosted: Sun May 12, 2013 1:30 pm   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

I agree that every software developer should at least try development on linux, because the skills you learn will help you in any environment that requires you to think and discover things on your own, a world without buttons, tooltips and all the nice things that make software usable.

Inevitably at some point you'll have to use the command line to install some software, or set something in your path. Windows does not prepare you for this, but using linux for a bit will.

I don't agree that linux is better for every instance, a lot of the design philosophies make things very customizable, but very difficult to use. For instance a lot of the editors suggested to use for linux are made to work with any language, which means plugins and extensions are required to get any of the features you can get out of the box with other IDEs designed for specific languages. I dunno about you guys but I like the new extension for VS that lets you right click a function and generate corner cases.
Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor
sponsor
btiffin




PostPosted: Sun May 12, 2013 5:57 pm   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

It's not just GNU/Linux. i5/OS, z/OS, OpenVMS, all computer operating system built for computing and not simply consuming (though many don't come cheap, nor are they easy or legal to get home copies of). GNU/Linux has just about the lowest barrier to entry as the world has to offer, so it's not a bad place to explore and practice in.

But, once again, living in the pack is safer, and decreases the odds of being eaten, so it's not all for naught.

And (this is old guy speaking), never met an IDE I've liked. Not a single one. Find them to be the equivalent of training wheels and not the productivity enhancers they are usually advertised as. That's is totally a personal preference, kind of like favourite colour or type of music. Your mileage will definitely vary. It is best to hobby and practice with tooling that makes you feel comfortable and not try and fight your inner child.

Cheers
Harryhenryhola




PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 4:12 am   Post subject: Re: Windows 8

I have just purchased a HP Pvilion g4 with OS Windows 8.
I tried Win7 but I didn't like it so I have been using Win XP.
I don't know pretty much about Win 8 even though I have been using it for more than one month. Sad
klarakos




PostPosted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 5:11 am   Post subject: Re: Windows 8

When at first the windows vista came to the market then i thought that will much better from the windows XP. however in certain time i found that that was not so good some gaming company made their game suitable to windows vista. i now think that some company go for that with windows 8.as the version is changing.overall in my view i think that windows 7 is much better than windows 8.not only for the gaming sector but also for the design and also for the other sector of windows 8.
Srlancelot39




PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:12 am   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

Windows 7 is a better OS than 8(.1) overall, I believe. The main advantage/advancement with Windows 8 is the increased performance and efficiency.
That's what I was told by Coldkick at least Razz
Nathan4102




PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 12:41 pm   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

I've just installed windows 8.1 on my new SSD And I kind of like it, I find it a lot easier to use for the most part. What don't you like about windows 8?
Srlancelot39




PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 1:44 pm   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

Same here actually (just sort of in reverse order)! My new laptop has Windows 8.1 and I swapped out the 1TBHDD for a 128GB Samsung SSD. I really didn't want Windows 8 initially, but I had no choice. Now, after having used it for a while, I really don't mind it and some of its unique features I like. The main thing I dislike(d) is the overload of apps you get. I've put quite a lot of time into removing most of them.

One thing I really love is the automated BSOD haha! I downloaded some poorly written software for something, and it caused a BSOD encounter. Fortunately, I didn't need to do anything but sit back and watch the system fix itself. Razz
(If it can't fix the issue after 3-5 attempts, which takes about 1 minute total with an SSD Wink, it displays a nice, simple, UI with various options including Restart Using Last Known Working State. This has always worked for me whenever I've needed it)
Raknarg




PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:18 pm   Post subject: RE:Windows 8

So far my experience with windows 8 is more or less like windows 7, not really different
Display posts from previous:   
   Index -> Off Topic
View previous topic Tell A FriendPrintable versionDownload TopicSubscribe to this topicPrivate MessagesRefresh page View next topic

Page 5 of 6  [ 77 Posts ]
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
Jump to:   


Style:  
Search: