We have been gradually converting to Win8 Pro since its release. We tend to bottom dwell on workstations, resulting in a hodgepodge of Vista and Win7 machines over the years, all Home versions of the OS. The opportunity to move to Pro for $40 a seat was irresistible to the guy who had to create user profiles for every employee on all those workstations.
The Results with 9 workstations (everything from XP nettops to brand new quad-core machines) on Win8?
1. We have had two driver issues: Neatdesk scanners and HP LJ P1505n are both promising Win8 drivers in "December or January." The scanners work, but not well. The printer is parked.
2. We abandoned Symantec antivirus in favor of the built in Windows Defender. (Pinching pennies and the reviews say it is as effective, if not as elegant.) Windows Defender doesn't like Amazing Charts Importer. Thinks it is a trojan, and requires us to create an exception to let it run.
3. Amazing Charts otherwise runs fine, although you can't install the full version with SQL to use as a "main" computer. Wonder if AC is going to update to newer versions of SQL....???
4. The Metro Interface is stupid on a desktop, but quickly overcome when we instructed staff to think of the start screen as a Start Menu that insists on taking up a whole screen. (We are on dual monitors, so the visual difference between the stark Metro and Desktop is jarring, but doesnt' affect function). I'd forgive the interface issues if Microsoft would at least let Active Directory control the programs on the Start screen.
5. For multi-user workstations, all that cloud connection stuff is worthless. (Hey Microsoft, have you noticed how many businesses have built their cloud structure on Google? And, no, we're not going to change to Live just so we can get your Live Tiles to work.)
6. The Metro apps are annoying because they insist on being full screen (see discussion above on the attempt to make Win8 a cross-platform OS). We promptly remove them from the Start screen and reset the default programs for things like PDFs.
7. Enough about interface... the guts of Win 8 are awesome! That 4 year old nettop with 1 gig of ram? Perks right along. That aging Vista machine with 2 gig of ram and single core processor...born again!
8. Upgrade pain? So far, only one machine has balked...finally did a "Keep Nothing" install and it took. Oddly, it was a 6 month old Gateway Win7 machine with minimal software on it. Go figure.
9. Software hiccups - - other than the limits on AC, and the 2 driver problems - - none.
10. Didn't spring for the Windows Media Player - - "we're working here!" and haven't found a need for it. (Supposedly they've omitted it from Pro to avoid the licensing fees for the codecs.)
The Verdict? 9 machines down, 5 to go.
Win8 - you may not be the belle of the ball, but you've got some moves.
