windows 7 or 8.1 for music production

[UltimateOutsider]

Windows 8.1 is faster. Way faster.

This is only true if you're talking about OS boot and application start times. Unless you spend most of your day restarting Windows and launching applications there are few performance benefits overall, and almost no performance benefits that affect music production.

That said, Windows 8 is generally fine and 8.1 is far better than 8.0, just in terms of usability. If you buy a computer that was made for/ships with Windows 8, use it.

[PatchAdamz]

At this point, you would be fine with either one.

[SODDI]

If you're just setting up a new computer, there is really not much choice. The most recent version is the best.

Windows 9 should be just around the corner. Lucky us. Then 7 will be unsupported shortly thereafter.

[Mivo]

No I mean, people who tend to complain about changing, and many elderly people don't like changing.

Working in social gaming, in my experience it is young people (16-25) who fight every change and moan endlessly about things not working like they used to (or not working how they feel they should be working). Older people, at least in this market, are more accepting of change because they are more likely to have realized that fretting over petty stuff is a waste of time that could be spent more productively.

But it's all just generalizing. I think today's "older generations" are vastly different from previous "older generations" (e.g. my grandparents). (I'm in my 40s, somehow. Not sure how it happened.)

[EvilDragon]

Windows 9 should be just around the corner.

W10. They're skipping a number.

[SJ_Digriz]

Old people who get angry about changing -> 7
The other people who prefer performance -> 8.1

I'm 43 and I like Win8 better for performance. Then again, is 43 really that old?

No I mean, people who tend to complain about changing, and many elderly people don't like changing.

That is a stereotype .. I'm 53, and am an avid user of bleeding edge technology and software releases.

[Zombie Queen]

fretting over petty stuff is a waste of time that could be spent more productively

True. Same about updating stuff.