Upgrade to windows 8 from 7 question

[jinkazama]

My small business had a corporate copy of Windows 7 Ultimate but our lisences just ran out when I went to install it on one of our new computers. So it wont validate via windows validation tool. We were looking to make the switch later on in the year to 8 but could I just upgrade to 8 now seeing how my windows 7 isnt validated? Trying to avoid having to buy a new copy of 7 just to upgrade in a couple of months anyhow

[SephYuyX]

Why upgrade to 8 at all?
Why not extend the amount of licenses you have?
Why not claim youre just reformating and get some "free" licenses?

[Intrinsic]

Why upgrade to 8 at all?
Why not extend the amount of licenses you have?
Why not claim youre just reformating and get some "free" licenses?

I vote option 3.

[xopher]

Why upgrade to 8 at all?
Why not extend the amount of licenses you have?
Why not claim youre just reformating and get some "free" licenses?

Other than the "modern" UI, Windows 8 is really good. Faster than windows 7, equally stable, and the task manager alone is worth it.

[jinkazama]

I like 8 a lot, really the only reason i ask. I could get the free license but why go through the hassle if I'm gonna get 8 sooner or later anyhow lol

[Kurokikaze]

Other than the "modern" UI, Windows 8 is really good. Faster than windows 7, equally stable, and the task manager alone is worth it.

This right here. I don't understand all the hate for Windows 8.

OP, if you see yourself making the jump to Windows 8 some time in the future you might as well go all in now. Theres going to be a bit of an initial learning curve for some users, maybe even for you. I know it took me a whole 15 minutes to figure out how to Restart without having to open CMD and typing in "shutdown -r".

[Uzor]

If you're going to upgrade to 8 you'll probably want to have some kind of quick-course for your employees. While a lot of them probably could figure it out on their own, there's always some technologically inept people that won't ever figure out how to do basic stuff like turning the computer on or off, open a program not on the desktop, and are not smart enough to google it.

[SephYuyX]

Other than the "modern" UI, Windows 8 is really good. Faster than windows 7, equally stable, and the task manager alone is worth it.

Reason being not to upgrade is because people are idiots.

Im looking at this from a business perspective.
The amount of support hours increase drastically when changes are put in to place for the little benefit there is from 7>8 for an excel desk jockey. How old are the users hardware? Are the people fairly tech savvy and can get used to new things quickly? etcetc.

Granted his is a small business, but it applies a little.

[Waraji]

Net yourself a W8 tablet/notebook and let the employees test drive it for a week or two each, see how they like it afterwards. This would possibly cut back on costs situated with support and training on the basic necessities. If all goes well, make the switch I'd say. It's going to be extremely difficult to resist the inevitable future that is touch based computer systems. Better to break it to them softly.

[chiyio]

Not sure that will really help, since the way you use 8 on a workstation is basically just like you use windows 7. I can really only think of 2-3 things you would need to teach people to switch from 7 to 8. How to get to the desktop (you click desktop from the start page), that the start menu is now a start "page", and how to shutdown/reboot. In a business environment I don't really see needing to teach any metro stuff at all since you won't really see/use it.

If they've been using 7 the "right" way, like pinning apps and stuff, the switch should be pretty much pain free.

[Minions]

Not sure that will really help, since the way you use 8 on a workstation is basically just like you use windows 7. I can really only think of 2-3 things you would need to teach people to switch from 7 to 8. How to get to the desktop (you click desktop from the start page), that the start menu is now a start "page", and how to shutdown/reboot. In a business environment I don't really see needing to teach any metro stuff at all since you won't really see/use it.

If they've been using 7 the "right" way, like pinning apps and stuff, the switch should be pretty much pain free.

Oh you would think that.... of course windows 7 and windows XP are not that different. You make that change and it takes YEARS for people to get adjusted. At least from a "school district" perspective. I imagine it should be equally similar in other work place environments.

People that don't totally grasp computers don't "pin" things. They look for icons on their desktop. If the icons change in any way they are completely lost. If something is no longer in bookmarks it will never be "found" again from their perspective. It's actually surprising how minor things can make "changes" hell.