October 26 is a much anticipated day for Microsoft Windows users.  By the end of the month Microsoft will have officially had its biggest release yet:  Windows 8.  I’ve had a lot of customers and people in my social circle comment and question the new arrival.  This week I decided to talk a little bit about Windows 8, what it is, and some things to consider before making the plunge.

Many people of held off buying new computers or repairing the old because of the impending release date.  Those who’ve tried to purchase a new computer recently have found bare shelves or limited selection.  I’ve had customers tell me they’ve driven long distances due to a minimal local assortment.

I’ve had a chance to use a demonstration version of Windows 8 and truthfully was very impressed.  The machine I tested it on was a laptop without a touch screen.  I’m gambling with a touch screen the experience would have been much better.  The large screen connects icons with programs, people, and most used applications.  Reading Microsoft literature and a sales brochure for Windows 8 tells a story of an operating system that was designed with tablets in mind.

The interface for Microsoft Windows 8 is relatively pretty but doesn’t seem (or feel) very practical for business use.  In fact, it really doesn’t seem that practical for anybody’s use.  If you’ve gotten used to the workflow using a start button and menu items, Windows 8 is going to require a drastic learning curve.  Applications will be launched from tiles and without a touch screen starting applications will be cumbersome.

Before making the change to Windows 8 you should strongly consider a handful of bullet points.  Primarily, Windows 8 is built on the Windows 7 foundation.  In reality, Windows 7 is also built on the Windows Vista platform.  So that really means we’re working with a dressed up version of Windows Vista.  Microsoft went to great lengths to fix the Vista bugs by retooling it to 7 and calling it a different name.  Swapping to 8 is no different.

While researching for this article I uncovered something I had completely forgotten about.  Windows versions are supported by Microsoft for 10 years.  That means Microsoft will continue Windows updates for 10 years after the launch date.  Microsoft Windows 7 will be supported until the year 2020 and at that point Microsoft will have something new ups its sleeves, I’m sure.

For those of you who may remember the launch of Windows Millennium, it was a very highly anticipated release.  The folks at Microsoft pushed customers to upgrade their current operating systems to the newer sleeker ME.  Those who did update from Windows 95 or 98 found it was really poorly done.  Based on history alone, I would be careful not to end up with another overworked operating system in a trilogy.  Windows 8 appears to be nothing more than a cheap facelift on an otherwise current system.

On a personal level, I’m not a big fan of change and believe in the adage, ” If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” Microsoft Windows 7 is pretty flawless and most of the bugs have been worked out during the Vista transition.  Some home users may prefer the interface over the traditional Windows interface; but, those I’ve talked to who have transferred to the pre-release version wished they hadn’t.  Business users will see no benefit to a tiled workspace.  My suggestion is to simply hold off and let your friends be the Guinea pigs.

(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner.  You can call him directly at (978) 919-8059) or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.