Was Windows 8 the final straw for you?

[LongRunner]

This poll is dedicated to Windows 8 and its much-maligned Metro interface.

Having had the misfortune to briefly use a new (ASUS — I know, I know…) notebook PC with it installed, I've decided that Windows 7 will be the last Microsoft product that I continue using. Having ruled out everything made by Apple (who have become even fiercer than Microsoft), this leaves GNU/Linux as the only future OS line with appreciable (if small) market share.

In the end, all that Crapple and M$ care about anymore is money, money, money, and I'll make whatever sacrifices are necessary to avoid their products. (I will probably still run Windows 7 on my main PC for a while yet, but I'm determined to be free from these and other mega-corporate strangleholds. $ON¥ is the other corporate goliath on my blacklist — with special emphasis on the black.)

I also dread the whole "Trusted Computing Group". While they are responsible for a few useful developments (such as self-encrypting drives), their attempts to lock down the PC platform would have disastrous consequences if they succeed. "Treacherous Computing" as it's sometimes referred to is, in my opinion, a very real possibility, not a scare campaign — although there are naysayers as always. But it's been proven time and again that mega-corporations do not (and never did) operate in their customers' best interests (remember what the tobacco industry did?), and improving education will be the only solution.

EDIT 2018-03-08: Observing what the free software advocates have to say, even self-encrypting drives are a bit dubious, given their proprietary firmware.

[c_hegge]

Metro is certainly a major gripe of mine with Windows Hate, BUT, that's what Classic Shell is for. Another issue I have with it are the fact that there is no way to get into safe mode without actually starting the computer normally first, as the F8 functionality was removed. Also, even though metro kind of comes into it's own on a tablet or phone, the app store is miles behind that of Google or Apple, and has generally had very little support from 3rd party developers. I also really hate how M$ really tried to push Metro down everyone's throat. It's all well and good including new features, but for crying out loud M$, MAKE THEM OPTIONAL!

As for Linux, I'd happily use it, but I have too many programs which I use a lot which only run on windows. So unless there becomes decent alternatives for FSX and Easyscope for linux (or WINE works well enough to allow DirectX games to work well), then I'll always be stuck with windows.

As for Apple, Don't get me started...