Mavericks versus Windows 8.1

Hi all!

I just wanted to share a few upgrade observations. Both Microsoft and Apple have recently released upgrades to their OS's. Since I have both a MBP and a Windows 8 laptop, I took the plunge and installed Mavericks. I also installed Windows 8.1 Not on the same laptops. Mavericks on my MBP early 2011. Windows 8.1 on a 4 month old Asus Q400A, i7, 8gb Mem, 750 HD, 14" laptop originally installed with Windows 8 OEM.
Talk about different experiences. Just for reference, the download file for 8.1 is 3+GB versus 5+GB for Mavericks. I can't really compare download times because I use different locations with different speed.

What really struck me was the difference in the process and the hassle level. The Maverick installation for me was very painless. I created a backup, ran time machine then let the update start. Total time from start to finish about an hour. When it was done I really had to start looking for the changes. I noticed the addition of iBooks and Maps. All my software was in place and seemed to be fine. I got the updates for iMovie, iPhoto, etc done. Actually those took longer to do. But overall painless. And everything works!

Now for 8.1. Went to the store, started the download, let it proceed overnight. When the download "finished" I was asked to input my product key. Okay....so I did... only to be told it was invalid...WHAT! So after several tries I shut it down and decided I would have to call Microsoft. They had a button I could click to purchase a new key...right for what $100?

The next day I started the computer to bring up the window that asked for the product key. Windows informed me it had to load a default profile which turned out to be a blue default screen with three tiles on it - the store, explorer, and desktop. Of those only desktop worked so I rebooted and I did get back the tiles. So I clicked on the now working store tile and was presented with the 8.1 upgrade again. I clicked on it and got a window showing about 2/3's progress for downloading the update....which I thought was done since it had downloaded all night. That took two hours in which during that time it had to check for compatibility. It didn't ask for a product key again. Very strange.

Well, after a couple of reboots and two very long waits while it updated a variety of settings, I was finally finished. I will have to pay to upgrade my little start8 program by Stardock so I can have my start button back that actually shows me my programs. They new start icon the update installed shuttles me back to the tiles. I don't know how others feel but I find the tiles cumbersome.

I realize Microsoft has to make an OS that will run on a wide variety of vendor's computers which make for a huge number of potential of problems. I use to think Apple was crazy for not allowing clones but not anymore. While the initial purchase price is higher for an apple product, the cheaper cost of software, ease of updating and a much higher quality product makes it worth it.

Just a few observations....

Lisa

lclev said:

What really struck me was the difference in the process and the hassle level. The Maverick installation for me was very painless.

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This has almost always been the case. OS updates/upgrades on a Mac have basically always been MUCH more painless than Windows upgrades. I'm not just talking the last few years...I'm taking decades!

Great to hear that your Mavericks upgrade went smoothly!

- Nick

Not that I'm an Apple fanboy or anything, but the hassles of Windows software and inexplicable errors, crashes, freezes, etc are the reasons I will NEVER purchase another of their computers. I actually enjoy running backups and updates and upgrades on my Macs. I don't think very many people can or will say that about a Windows machine.

I had to wipe a friends Win 7 laptop this week.
Nice and easy due to the recovery partition, but then spent two days installing all the updates. This with a download spreed of 76Mb.
Just one of the many reasons I will never go back to Windows.

docx said:

...but then spent two days installing all the updates.

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This is one of the things that drives me crazy about Windows OS installs and updates. Why the heck the updates, service packs, etc. take so darn long to download & install!!!

- Nick

Absolutely! Have worked with Windows for years and today I did my first clean OSX install with Migration Assistant from TM. What a dream, everything in it's place! Only way Windows comes close is having a backup of a freshly installed VM - unfortunately doesn't work with upgrades!

At work I am the IT. All the computers are Windows based. We have a few running XP (Yes, I know support ends next year.) the rest are 7. My "favorite" days are update tuesdays, which means I will be running around taking care of any issues that has caused.

Prior to purchasing my MBP I was a stanch Windows fan. I have been reformed, seen the light, and been converted. Just the update process alone is a huge difference. I keep singing the praises of Apple at work. Things like I can close my MBP, let it sleep, and open it back up with instant access. I have had to restart it very rarely. The longest install was Maverick and that was about 1 hour (not including the downloading.) Software installing is a snap and I can't recall ever having to restart afterward.

I keep telling them yes, the initial cost is more but in the long term I will not have to spend days fixing the mess a virus caused because someone thought that email was legitimate and now has infected all the share drive.

Well, I am singing to the choir...just wish my boss would bite the bullet.

Lisa

lclev said:

At work I am the IT. All the computers are Windows based. We have a few running XP (Yes, I know support ends next year.) the rest are 7. My "favorite" days are update tuesdays, which means I will be running around taking care of any issues that has caused.

Prior to purchasing my MBP I was a stanch Windows fan. I have been reformed, seen the light, and been converted. Just the update process alone is a huge difference. I keep singing the praises of Apple at work. Things like I can close my MBP, let it sleep, and open it back up with instant access. I have had to restart it very rarely. The longest install was Maverick and that was about 1 hour (not including the downloading.) Software installing is a snap and I can't recall ever having to restart afterward.

I keep telling them yes, the initial cost is more but in the long term I will not have to spend days fixing the mess a virus caused because someone thought that email was legitimate and now has infected all the share drive.

Well, I am singing to the choir...just wish my boss would bite the bullet.

Lisa

Click to expand...

Be careful, you don't want to put yourself out of a job.

I don't know what you guys are talking about, MS DOS 3.3 was a piece of cake to install. Only took me 10 minutes and I didn't even need an internet connection! ;P

lclev said:

At work I am the IT. All the computers are Windows based. We have a few running XP (Yes, I know support ends next year.) the rest are 7. My "favorite" days are update tuesdays, which means I will be running around taking care of any issues that has caused.

Prior to purchasing my MBP I was a stanch Windows fan. I have been reformed, seen the light, and been converted. Just the update process alone is a huge difference. I keep singing the praises of Apple at work. Things like I can close my MBP, let it sleep, and open it back up with instant access. I have had to restart it very rarely. The longest install was Maverick and that was about 1 hour (not including the downloading.) Software installing is a snap and I can't recall ever having to restart afterward.

I keep telling them yes, the initial cost is more but in the long term I will not have to spend days fixing the mess a virus caused because someone thought that email was legitimate and now has infected all the share drive
Well, I am singing to the choir...just wish my boss would bite the bullet.

Lisa

Click to expand...

Watch it you will talk yourself out of a job.

Charley, the days of Simple computers! MS Dos 3.3. The first DOS version on my first PC, a 286/16Mhz!

Okay, this will date me....I remember MS DOS 1.1.....ahhh the good old days...

Lisa

Linux is easier to update to a new kernel than Windows these days. Free and easy Mac OS upgrades make it easy to feel good spending a not insignificant pile of cash on a glass to get free beer. Glad your updates (both of them) were sorted out.

Spot on Charlie. Was stacks easier than OS 7.0 with its 21 floppies! And then the 7.0.1 update was another dozen!

Remember those book like folders and the white Apple system floppies? For a then +55 year old they presented a challenge!

I started working with computers in 1980 when IBM sold my school district 12 PC-XT computers with a whopping 128 kb of memory, two single-sided 5-1/4" floppy drives. I remember in our elementary we had several apple computers that had one floppy drive and to load a program it would read one side of the floppy then prompt you to turn the floppy over to load the rest of the program.

But updates were never a big issue!

Lisa

chscag said:

I don't know what you guys are talking about, MS DOS 3.3 was a piece of cake to install. Only took me 10 minutes and I didn't even need an internet connection! ;P

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LOL, you made me think of the old days of having to boot up with a DOS disk and then put the disk in you want to run.

Only company that could have ever gave Apple a real run for their money in the Computer/Desktop market would have been Tandy. Although they still used DOS, their Tandy Deskmate was by far the most advanced desktop software at the time. I dare say even a touch better then apples. But we all know what happened to them.

OP made a comment about Windows 8.x being cumbersome. Yea, if you and to name it with one word thats not profane. Cumbersome would be it. Something like launchpad would have been so much better for them to use and retain the desktop.. But they had to be different.

They say sometimes to grow one must step and think out of the box, well in Windows 8 case. They did a full split and ripped they stuff apart in a bad way..

Exodist said:

Something like launchpad would have been so much better for them to use and retain the desktop.. But they had to be different.

They say sometimes to grow one must step and think out of the box, well in Windows 8 case. They did a full split and ripped they stuff apart in a bad way..

Click to expand...

Totally agree. Launchpad is so much better visually making it easier to locate a program. Tiles, on the other hand, seem to stretch on forever and in a crowded mess of different sizes.

Lisa

Also totally agree. I actually use Launchpad for a few things like the utilities folder and a few others. Windows 8's Metro drives me crazy! It's find though on a phone or device.

XJ-linux said:

Linux is easier to update to a new kernel than Windows these days.

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Linux doesn't do much significantly better than any other operating systems but updating machines is one of them. Executing one command with a package manager to upgrade the entire OS without having to reboot (except to boot into the new kernel) is by far the best system. On top of that, you can have incremental rolling releases which mean that you never have to update much to be running the latest software of everything. If Apple somehow built that into OS X, I'd be elated.

OP made a comment about Windows 8.x being cumbersome. Yea, if you and to name it with one word thats not profane. Cumbersome would be it. Something like launchpad would have been so much better for them to use and retain the desktop.. But they had to be different.

Click to expand...

I was in the Fort Worth Naval Base Exchange today with my wife looking at the new computers they just put out. Most were Windows 8 machines. I played around with an HP and an Acer for a bit. You're right about Windows 8, I can't even think of what to call it much less be able to use it. The machines were nice but if I were to buy another PC I would immediately remove Windows 8 and replace it with my copy of Windows 7 x 64 bit.

The Exchange did not have the new Macs yet. Manager says they'll be in around the first of November. I'm interested in replacing our 21.5" 2011 iMac with a new 27" model. Good savings at the base because of no state tax and cheaper Apple Care.