Is there any good reason to purchase Windows 8 for rMBP instead of Windows 7?

[Broadus]

A 25-year PC-only user, I'm transitioning to Mac when my refurbished rMBP (mid 2012) arrives this afternoon. And with 25 years worth of PC files, I need to install Windows on the rMBP, probably along with VMware Fusion 6.

My inclination is to buy a copy of Windows 7, but I was wondering if there is a good reason to order Windows 8, with the updated 8.1 being released soon.

Also, is there a "best place" to order a copy of Windows?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[MJL]

A 25-year PC-only user, I'm transitioning to Mac when my refurbished rMBP (mid 2012) arrives this afternoon. And with 25 years worth of PC files, I need to install Windows on the rMBP, probably along with VMware Fusion 6.

My inclination is to buy a copy of Windows 7, but I was wondering if there is a good reason to order Windows 8, with the updated 8.1 being released soon.

Also, is there a "best place" to order a copy of Windows?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

Why do you need windows - is there a Windows program that you cannot find some equivalent under OS X for?

If you put all your windows data on an (external?) ExFAT partition then both Windows and OS X can see it. I'm only running windows because I have one business application that I cannot find an alternative under OS X for.

The only thing that do not work are the HTML links in Favourites in IE and saved IE pages. The rest works fine.

There is not much difference between 7 and 8; you can use Classic Menu and boot directly into the desktop menu. Windows 7 is supported to 2020, 8 to 2023. Windows 7 Professional has some XP virtual facility, 8 doesn't (never bothered with the XP part).

 

[jrs22]

I was a 30 year PC user when I bought a cMBP last year. I needed Microsoft Access so I bought the basic OEM windows 8 from B&H photo and installed it under Parallels. I went with Parallels because it came free with my computer. Since I'm running Win 8 in a virtual machine I bypass the Win 8 menu and go directly to the individual MS Office apps. I find win 8 stable and unobtrusive in this setup, and I'm sure that if I needed to spend more time in the win 8 environment I could adapt to it as easily as I moved from Vista to OSX.

 

[whiteonline]

Since you are running on the Retina display, purchase Windows 8. The high-DPI support is much better than it was in 7.

Edit:

Now that I have re-read your post. Wait for 8.1 of course. My recommendation still stands however. The 8 start screen is just a gigantic start menu. Get past that, and you're fine.

 

[Broadus]

Nota Bene

Thanks for the replies.

I have an academic suite called Nota Bene that is Windows-only, though I understand that version 10 (almost out of beta) is supposed to work well under WINE). I was thinking about getting VMware Fusion and a Window OS in order to continue using it.

Interesting about Windows 8 over 7 with respect to retina. Thanks for that.

Were I to get Windows 8 now, would 8.1 not be a free update?

Thanks.