Back in 2009, Microsoft impressed the world with the launch of Windows 7, which is considered by many to be the best operating system that the company ever had for a computer. There’s no wonder why, as Windows 7 was stable and “it just works,” as Steve Jobs says. However, three years later, Microsoft decided to release Windows 8, and that was a relatively unexpected move from the tech giant.
The problem is that plenty of Microsoft users were severely disappointed about Windows 8. That operating system brought a different design than ever but a lot of problems. The new interface of the 2012 operating system came with a steep learning curve. Users had a lot of trouble navigating and finding essential functions, and the Windows Store also had some serious issues.
However, despite its undeniable flaws, Windows 8 can still be a decent operating system if you don’t necessarily want the best features that Windows 10 or Windows 11 have to offer. Let’s see why:
Touchscreen optimizations
Touchscreen devices didn’t exactly represent something new in 2012 when Windows 8 came out. Therefore, the operating system was designed with touchscreens in mind, as it was adapted pretty well for such devices. It’s true that such a change might have seemed premature at its time, but it paved the way for the touch-centric interfaces that are now everywhere.
Surely, touchscreens give the user that feeling of a modern device, compared to the age-old physical buttons.
A unified ecosystem
Perhaps not many people know that Windows 8 marked a significant step towards creating a unified ecosystem for various devices at once. Users were able to download and install apps that seamlessly work across laptops, desktop PCs, and tablets, thanks to the introduction of the Windows Store. This wise move laid the groundwork for later versions of Microsoft’s operating system, such as Windows 10, as a unified platform became a hallmark feature.
Security improvements
Windows 8 might not be nearly as secure as Windows 11, not to mention Windows 10, but it still introduced some interesting features that allowed Microsoft to prioritize security with the 2012 OS. Apps such as Windows Defender and Secure Boot are two of the best examples that we could give in this case. With Secure Boot, users are free to protect their system against malicious software by making sure that only signed and approved components of the operating system can be loaded during the boot process.
As for Windows Defender, it’s obviously Microsoft’s built-in antivirus solution, and it’s still being used on Windows 11 even today for good reasons. This software is able to provide a baseline level of protection, assuring users a reliable defense when it comes to common online threats.
If we look at the capabilities of Windows 8 with great attention, we can realize that the OS has a fair lot of benefits. However, it was received pretty badly mainly because of the drastic changes for the interface compared to the previous OS, Windows 7, as well as for the initial learning curve. Therefore, before claiming that Windows 8 is a horrible operating system, you should first know what are the needs and desires of the one who is considering installing it on his machine.
While you probably are also in the same boat as those who hate Windows 8, it would be nice to remind ourselves also about what the over-a-decade-old operating system did good for the world.
Microsoft usually tries to convince its users to upgrade to the latest operating system, but even so, it’s obvious that each and every person’s needs and wishes when it comes to computer software should be prioritized. In other words, Windows 8 can still definitely be the best operating system for a specific person.
Tim M. Hill helped bring Digital-Overload from a weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. He continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a writer to Digital-Overload, Tim mainly covers mobile news and gadgets.
