In my opinion 8.1 with Classic Shell is the best Windows experience. I never use the Metro UI (other than occasionally accessing settings), Windows store, etc. It runs and feels like 7 with some improvements to make it perform a little better than 7. 8.1 has arguably been the most stable version of Windows in the past 1-2 years - especially since January this year the patches on 7 and 10 have been a mess but 8.1 has had fewer problems. However it's possible we don't hear about them as much because of how small the 8.1 market share is. I plan to use 8.1 through 2023. There is nothing 10 offers that would make me switch, and I hate the idea of dealing with the forced updates and reboots as well as biannual feature updates that can break the OS or may otherwise override user settings and configurations. One complaint I have about 8.1 is that you can't us the OneDrive desktop app unless you use your MS account to login to Windows. I can map my OneDrive as a network drive or access it via my browser, but not having the desktop app to sync files to my PC makes it a pain. At least on 10 you can use the OneDrive desktop app if you are using a local account for logging into Windows.
Windows 8.1 has the following advantages over Windows 10: - a lot less spyware and crap. - more control over the OS. - better looking interface (that's objective but still...) Windows 10 advantages over Windows 8.1: - excellent telemetry and spying capabilities. But that's advantage for the government not for the end user. - can't think of any really.
I've moved to linux about a year ago, but before than I used Windows 8.1 with StartIsBack. I never upgraded nor used Windows 10.
For end user the OS itself should not matter. If you ask Joe Blog what he uses on his computer, the answer is usually "eh... Windows" No version number is almost ever known One might complain about forced updates in W10, but I have seen old systems (XP/&/8.x) that were as out of date that had to touch them in latex gloves (in case I also caught something as well) So for bog standard end user Windows 10 (with all its quirks) should be after all best option. But again, normal users do NOT care about OS, they care (and thats how it should be) about applications. Will this file open, will this picture display, can I play that file, will I be able to do something if connect phone with that cable, will my headphones work, will second monitor also show something if I connect it, will printer work, etc If all does work, then Joe Blog is happy. And it is all more likely to work on Windows 10 If you care so much about OS only then use whatever you feel is good to you.
@sebus But you are assuming that the end user is an idiot. Some people are very competent, if not more.
Windows 8.1 for me is one the best OS after Windows 7 the exception is Windows 10 Enterprise S no doubt, rest is only a lot of crap
Build 14393 is still the best build when it comes to speed vs. reliability, so it being the base for LTSB 2016 was my reason to switch to it. No problems with non-UWP games and no need for any Apps were reasons likewise. One thing Win 10 manages better by default is multi-monitoring. No problems with 4 monitors and even 95% of all programs will start on the monitor they were closed last. Having different scaling for each monitor is new too hence i would never go back but might move a certain time after LTSC 2019 is released.
@ s1ave77 yep I agree 100%, I use 3 monitors also and never had issues for games no problems same old games works fine here believe me since begining I never had some bsod/gsod; this build is simply perfect only need wait new build LTSC 2019 to see changes that M$FT make on it
Windows 8.1 works great on my 7 year old laptop, even better than Windows 10. Windows 8.1 also doesn't come with as much UWP app nonsense as Windows 10. And as an added benefit, Windows 8.1 gives you more control over updates. If I had to use Windows 10, I'd probably used the LTSB, but it should be the standard Windows 10 experience IMO.
My time with Windows 8.1 was very short, I was an early Windows 10 adopter starting with 1507, then 1511, then 1607 LTSB and now 1803 in wait for 1809. While Windows 8.1 was a good and solid OS compared to Windows 8 I never quite liked either of them. I can still miss Windows 7 sometimes but that nostalgia quickly comes to a halt. Windows 10 is here to stay in my life and I don't want to go back. My answer is, NO I don't prefer Windows 8.1 over Windows 10 in 2018.
Hmm well I myself am waiting for the new version of W10 LTSC to see what has "within the OS" because depending on the "content" I still prefer to stick with the compilation shown in my signature up to 2023 because the kernel of Windows 8.1 is extremely stable, I've never seen any BSOD, crashes etc The system flows like a charm, while I keep improving my knowledge in the OS's of open source aiming at the future...
Rest assure that Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 1809 will blow you away on all possible levels, it's gonna be a sweet release indeed!
What are you afraid of @Tiger-1? Windows 10 if configured properly is just as good if not better than Windows 8/8.1 on all levels. Microsoft haven't been spying on me and they sure haven't been knocking on my door or sent me mails/letters. I think you need to remove the tinfoil hat and start living, LTSC 1809 is a good start at least.