As it happens, I do run Windows 8 on older PCs. But, testing operating systems is part of what I do for a living. Unless that’s also part of your job description running Windows 8 on an older PC is just a waste of time.

Oh sure, Windows 8 does boot faster and it has a few new features, but generally speaking Windows 8 with its “not Metro” interface is junk. I’ve been working with Windows 8 in one version or another for months now and there is simply nothing about it that would make me recommend it over Windows 7 or XP for that matter.

Metro, no matter what Microsoft wants to call it, remains a usability nightmare on a conventional PC. It may or may not be as awful on a touch tablet—I haven’t tried that so I don’t know—but I do know it’s annoying as heck on my non-touch enabled PCs.  The desktop, no matter what Microsoft may want, still works best with a Windows, Icons, Menu, Pointer (WIMP) interface, not Metro’s big, klutzy tiles.

Windows 8 belongs on older PCs like a fish needs a bicycle. More >