Win 8.1

[#1]

I have just spent a most weary, exhausting day helping a friend set up their new laptop, driven by Win 8.1
Is this the worst operating system ever written?  Has Microsoft any future?
Regards...

[#2]

Windows 9 is due next year, its basically a mixture of all the good bits of Windows 7 & Windows 8 
Windows 8 will bring the ease of use of Windows 7 with the performance & security of Windows 8.
I've tried Windows 8.1 on a PC & hated it, but my phone runs Windows Phone 8.1 & it's actually a real joy to use 

[#3]

setup?
are you referring to literally installing it and getting to the point where you can work happily or are you referring to the OOB experience where you type in the key and then follow the on screen instructions until its finished the few minutes of setup ?

unless w8.1 is vastly different from 8.1pro it was a struggle to go wrong with it, and the only strange part was needing to go into the metro page and hit the down arrow key to pick the installed programs to be pinned to the start bar /added as new live tiles, but only strange because it was a new way of doing things (which could still be achieved the old way of trawling through the program files folder and selecting the individual .exe's you wanted as shortcuts/pinned)
I managed it without any major hassle and without needing to look at any support documentation, although it would of been a lot simpler with a touch screen

[#4]

Windows 8 (and 8.1) is tolerable. I have never really liked it like I have with Win7 or XP (or 2K)
Once you get the hang of the shortcuts which let you do similar things to the earlier systems you can get around pretty quickly.

[#5]

Thank you so  much everyone for the very rapid and useful responses.
I have received the recommendation to use the Stardock s/w advertised on http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/
Apparently the Metro page is hidden and Win 8.1 opens on the Desktop, as we expect!
I'll give  it a try in a few days time.
Regards....

[#6]

The first thing I do when I log on is press the Windows key and D - that will bring you to a normal desktop.
Windows and X will bring up a semi useful menu
Windows and L will lock the screen instantly

[#7]

once all the updates have been done unless the laptop is touch screen it should default to booting into desktop mode, which would render paying for stardock or similar products pointless,
I say this having installed w8.1pro on 4 laptops and 2 desktops and having them all do the same thing.
failing that you can edit the startup options using msconfig and choosing the tickbox of boot to desktop (unless this is only available on the pro version)
there are a lot of web pages and blogs that give advice about different ways to configure 8.1 and even a full list of hotkey functions you can use to launch various functions, feel free to ask if you have a specific question though, who knows might even be able to help

[#8]

Most Windows 8.1 PC's I've set up recently have been fairly sensible (W8.0 was AWFUL) but clearly "different".
The main thing that is still "wrong", especially on desktop systems, are the power management defaults.
And finding apps initially is weird until you get used to it.
And setting the tile background to be the same as the desktop should be easier - an option when doing the desktop one (tick box?) would be obvious and simple.

[#9]

What I found from HP Win8.1 laptop I bought 4 weeks ago was it took ages to get rid of all the partner software - the first week was really bad.

[#10]

The thing I've found about Windows 8/8.1 which a lot of people don't realise is that you can push the Windows key (or the start button) and just start typing there (even though there's nowhere visible to type). It behaves exactly like Vista and Windows 7 did in that regard.

[#11]

Windows 8.1 has an option to boot to desktop, it can be found by right clicking on the task bar then click properties then click the naviagtion tab and just tick the first box under where it says start screen.
Another good little program i have been using is classic shell and since using it this pc has felt very much like a windows 7 pc and i can honestly say i have had no issues for a very long time.
I will also be honest and say i can't stand windows 8/8.1 metro screen and if i could not use something like classic shell then i would probably go back to winows 7.

[#12]

Many thanks to all those who kindly responded to my posting.
Besides the suggestions from the PlusNet Forum, I have received interesting comments from a Microsoft Forum Moderator and realise that if nothing else, I am certainly not alone in my initial miserable and disappointing experience with Win 8.1
I have decided to try Start8 and propose to return to the tasks early next week!
Regards and thanks everyone....

[#13]

Must confess I now like Win 8.1 after some initial disappointment.
The UI is very configurable
You can set it up to boot directly to the desktop with the apps list as the first thing you see when you click the start button, and at that point it looks and feels almost like Windows 7.
I have actually come to like the metro start screen which I get when I click start. You can sort and group the applications on the start screen and label the groups . By unpinning all the junk that is there to start with (right click/unpin from start) and pinning the apps I want rapid access to, I have configured a start screen that is more convenient than having all the app shortcuts on the desktop, and de-clutters the desktop.
The underlying OS is very stable and seems extremely robust. Networking is easier and more convenient than Win 7 and works very intuitively.
And the handwriting recognition ( I have been a fan/user of pen based tablets since 2003) is excellent.
Yes there is a cost in setting up the start screen and UI to do exactly what you want, and a few things are a bit different and take effort to figure out ( like moving tiles around on the start screen), but if you want it to simply behave as Win 7 it will do that - if you want to customize it to take advantage of the "extra" features it is a very configurable UI.
I currently run two desktop boxes and a Surface Pro 3 tablet - all on Windows 8 ( I also have XP, Win 7 and Unbuntu Desktops floating about either as real or virtual machines for various specific ( old)  tasks)

[#14]

Sorry but I liked Windows 8 from the word go and Windows 8.1 is even better (especially on my non-touch office computer). OK so there's a learning curve but once there I wouldn't want to go back.

[#15]

Thanks for your comments, DRJ.
Actually, the decision-maker regarding the set up of my friend's new PC is her 12-year old son.....so far as he's concerned it's completely intuitive....knowledge/experience from iPlayer and smartphone.  So his word is law!
I am now converted, believing that it's best to adopt the latest procedures, tailor-making where necessary.  After all, although I'm still on Win 7, it's very tailor-made to be as I prefer it.
Regards.....