Not really....
... I wouldn't want W8 for free even when I can.

I'm looking to buy a new laptop at the moment, and it turns me off when it has W8 listed as the OS.

Luckily I just learned there's a free downgrade possible to W7.

performance wise it is superior. That is one thing they got right with win8. Windows 7 is a performance down grade but upgrade of everything else.

only true dumb fucks say shit like that.. durrr me windows 7 is the best durrrr. god i wish i could beat the shit out of you. oh and you even said it your self you want to DOWNGRADE to w7 lol stupid ass

I'm pretty sure that even if only 5 guys in the entire world knew about the security hole Windows 8 sales wouldn't be any higher.

Windows 8 isnt selling because of that stupid start screen that microsoft is forcing on us. Thats a stupid comment to make. Windows 7 sold very well and was also pirated a lot so saying this is the reason windows 8 isn't selling well is stupid.

I must agree Mr Steve this is the first windows release I have not even touched after looking at it.

I played with it for about 30-45 mins in the Microsoft store last week and have never felt more confused about using a computer in my life. I had an easier time learning how to use a Mac in high school because the lab only had them instead of PCs.

windows 8 IS SELLING... there was a line at several stores for it, i have it, and so does a lot of people. The thing is though its not THAT big of an improvement over w7 so does it justify 60$, its kinda up in the air...

That is for sure. By the way Linux Mint 14 is out now, dl live dvd now.

Haven't had winos on my laptop for years thanks to them. All for free, but I did donate once because I felt like supporting these people...

If they make that start meny screen an option instead of compulsary then I would want windows 8. Just give us the start button back. I used windows 8 Release preview with a start button hack and it was much quicker than windows 7 in all ways.

I doubt many people besides you would get it. The average consumer probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between 7 and a Metro-less 8.

I saw some laptops have W8 installed in a shop last week so I thought I give it a try. I've known of the lack of a Start button for months and yet I kept going for that tiny lower left corner in order to explore the OS. I really don't want to be updated on every little piece of info my friends or the world have so the self updating tiles are rather useless.

Looking at the overall desktop view...it looked so bland! MS must really wanted us to go Metro that badly! I didn't want to stay in the shop for long so I wasn't sure if there anyway to make the whole desktop look less bland.

MS could have two market (traditional desktop users and Metro users) in its hands right now but instead by forcing everyone to use one, it alienates one. Instead of charming desktop users to accept the new UI or give them time to settle in, they are forcing them to change. Last time I checked, no one like to forced into something.

@Somebody "MS could have two market (traditional desktop users and Metro users)"
MS have done this With PR and RT.

I really don't get why people are making a big fuss about not having the start menu anymore. I have been using Windows 8 for about 3 months now and I can say I have not once missed the start button.

You install a program it puts the icon on the start screen for you and you can pin anything you want to the start screen to and also cerate groups.

I also find it quicker to own applications by hitting the start button and then click on the pin on the new start menu. If you want to use the pc like a pc nothing has changed but the start menu that is it.

The new UI is not touched on anything on my pc apart from when I hit the start button.

The New UI is to be used on touch screen devices that you want to use like an ipad or android tablet IE not for work.

Going back to the RT version of windows this is the touch version of the OS as this is designed to compete with the IPAD and Android market as it is designed around the Market place plus Office RT and Pro is to be used by heavy workers but can be used as a tablet as well if you have the Surface Pro (Out soon or even the new Samsung Samsung XE700T1C which is a I5 with 4GB if ram that comes with a Keyboard Dock as well as a tablet form factor.

Windows 8 will not be for everyone just like OSX, IOS, Android and Chrome are not for everyone but people who keep complaining about the new start menu come on it is not a bad thing offers more than the old start menu plus with this being windows it can be edited and you can add one of many of the 3rd party old style menus.

Windows 8 has a lot more + points than - and is an all round better OS than Windows 7 which is another + as Windows 7 was not a bad OS at all.

Right? One button click to the "classic" start menu... oh, the horrors...