windows 7 or windows 8 for bitcoins

[accord01]

Which is better?  I am buying a new laptop and can't decide between the two.  which is more secure and compatible to new softwares?  Also, the price seems to be better for windows 8 laptops.

[crazy_rabbit]

Windows should be avoided at all costs, regardless in my opinion. That said you can get either laptop and instal ubuntu alongside it or run ubuntu from a USB stick. AVOID windows for dealing with money. AVOID, AVOID, AVOID.

[accord01]

2 questions: If i run ubuntu alongside windows, could windows malware infect the ubuntu?

Do you mean installing ubuntu from usb stick?  Wouldn't it be real slow if your entire os is on a usb stick?

[Quartx]

2 questions: If i run ubuntu alongside windows, could windows malware infect the ubuntu?

Do you mean installing ubuntu from usb stick?  Wouldn't it be real slow if your entire os is on a usb stick?

1. Malware are Operating System specific, no operating system have the same vulnerabilities.

2. There is this thing known as a live cd/usb , basically u install Ubuntu on USB and just boot from it aka portable Ubuntu. And yup you are right it will be slow.

Personally I suggest dual booting, Ubuntu on one partition and Windows on the other. Linux is always best for crypto related stuff due to less garbage processes running, you can always have the bare minimum on linux

Hopes it clears any doubts

[deepceleron]

Many laptops that ship with Windows 8 are incompatible with Windows 7, the manufacturer doesn't have drivers available. This is the worst, because even if you want to install Windows 7, you can't. Check the manufacturer's support page for that laptop model, and be sure that it has more than only Windows 8 drivers for download.

Windows 8 is not bad for running Bitcoin, it is just bad.

If you want to run full Bitcoin-Qt, it will be painfully slow on a laptop; it works best on a fast PC with a SSD. If you use a light client like Electrum, the speed of your computer doesn't matter so much. If you use a web wallet (not advised), you can use your phone's web browser.

[CounterStrike]

Im using window 7, I believe both window 7 and window 8 security is pretty bad. But if you have long password wallet and don't download random stuff then you should be fine...

[Ecurb123]

Upfront, I don't which is more secure between win7 and win8, but if I were to choose I'd generally take the newer of the two. However if you're serious about security I'd go with Linux, yes there will be a learning curve but it's not that bad, you do it once and it's done.

[HellDiverUK]

Windows should be avoided at all costs, regardless in my opinion.

Don't talk shit. 

[grue]

2 questions: If i run ubuntu alongside windows, could windows malware infect the ubuntu?

Do you mean installing ubuntu from usb stick?  Wouldn't it be real slow if your entire os is on a usb stick?

1. Malware are Operating System specific, no operating system have the same vulnerabilities.

then again, a windows virus could plant a virus on the linux installation because it will have full control of the disk, so live cd or usb is best for security.

[Abdussamad]

Many laptops that ship with Windows 8 are incompatible with Windows 7, the manufacturer doesn't have drivers available. This is the worst, because even if you want to install Windows 7, you can't. Check the manufacturer's support page for that laptop model, and be sure that it has more than only Windows 8 drivers for download.

Windows 8 is not bad for running Bitcoin, it is just bad.

If you want to run full Bitcoin-Qt, it will be painfully slow on a laptop; it works best on a fast PC with a SSD. If you use a light client like Electrum, the speed of your computer doesn't matter so much. If you use a web wallet (not advised), you can use your phone's web browser.

Electrum works on Android too. Never tried it myself but it's supported.