I prefer Windows 8.1 Over the Other Versions of Windows
Windows 8.1 comes with full support of USB 3.0, unlike Windows 7. It also installs easier than Windows 7 and has a more modern feel. People who claim there is no start menu are wrong. You just click on the Windows symbol on the lower left and you are taken to the start menu, which is easy to customize (as it is in Windows 7 and 10). I work with manipulating files a lot, and I like the revisions to my computer (called 'This PC', but you can change the name to whatever you want). I love the built in features such as news feeds that Windows 7 lacks. There are also a number of freeware programs that allow you to tweak Windows 8 even more to your liking. Of course, all this takes time. It took me over 12 hours to back up all my user files to USB drives, burn a DVD with all the hardware drivers for my PC, install Windows 8.1, install all the hardware drivers, download and install over 300 updates, reinstall all my applications, and reload my user files (all 500,000 of them). As you can see, you need to know what you are doing if you are going to upgrade your operating system. I would not recommend a clean install of Windows 8.1 over a working Windows 7, its just too much trouble. But for a new computer build, or replacing a lost Windows 7 due to a hard drive failure, I say go for Windows 8.1 over Windows 7 or 10.
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