Extremely Upsetting

Calhoun · Feb 14, 2013

I grew up (well, relatively - I'm pretty young) using Windows in various flavors. About five years ago, I saved up enough to get a Macbook. I was very happy with the Macbook and it worked quite well. I don't necessarily privilege Mac over PC. I'm just saying that at the time, the Mac was best for me.

Now it is five years later. The Mac was pretty tough, so it's still trucking. But slow, and things freeze a lot. I can still run Photoshop and Skype, Firefox and iChat. Still, I needed a new computer. I figured I needed to start the process of saving for another Mac again, and that this one would need to keep running for at least another year.

I went on a cruise with my family in early January on the Carnival Legend. There was a raffle on the boat, and I entered. My surprise, a few weeks later I was told I had won a new computer. I was overjoyed and couldn't wait for it to be delivered. I had fantasies of Photoshop working faster and running Second Life, Skype calls with group video, things like that.

Well, it arrived.

It has Windows 8.

I am so disappointed I can barely look at the thing. I tried to get some simple programs up and running but accidentally ended up merging my mom's Microsoft account with my own Skype account (luckily, I could unmerge them). To do the simplest of things I have to google them, and Googling is nearly impossible because tabbed browsing doesn't seem to work, being that the website is full-screen. Also, the only thing that seems to resemble a back button does not work. I tried going to Desktop mode, but the only program that could be launched from there was Internet Explorer, and I had to google how to get back to the main screen. Some of the instructions I got from Google were patently wrong, as well.

My mom paid for everyone to go on the cruise, so, by extension, she is responsible for me getting the laptop. She really, really wants me to like it. She keeps saying "You'll get used to it." I want to believe her (and also not disappoint her by being an ungrateful leech), but I don't know what to do. I mentioned having a friend wipe the whole thing and install Linux, and she begged me not to do it. I'm going to try to broach the topic of wiping it and installing 7 (which I have worked with before), but if she has an equally histrionic reaction to that, what should I do?

Is there any way to make 8 more like 7? Get rid of this nonsense where you have to google everything before you can do it? Tabbed browsing the old-fashioned way?

rmeigs · Feb 14, 2013

Couple of things.

First, on this forum you’ll find those who really like Win8 and those who don’t. Those who don’t are generally not very helpful. Their advice is often to get rid of Win8, but it is a very powerful, stable, fast and secure OS.

I like Win8, but as with all new things, there is a learning curve. But if you think of it like Win7 with a different start menu, you’ll find it much easier to use. So, with that mindset, when you boot Win8 its goes immediately to the new start screen. Just click on the desktop tile and you are now at your desktop like Win7. I do 90% of all my work from here and never have to deal with the new start screen. There is not much you can’t do from here that you didn’t do in Win7.

To make it even more like Win7, install one of the many Start Button replacement apps like Start8: Start8™ for Windows® 8 - Bringing back the Windows Start menu . I used this for the first month until I knew my way around Win8. I’ve since removed it.

Here is a good tutorial on Win8 that I found very helpful: The Missing Windows 8 Instructional Video - Who moved my Windows 8 Cheese? - YouTube

One last tip, when in an app or the start menu and uncertain, right click. Amazing what you can do from there.

labeeman · Feb 14, 2013

You can also install Firefox on the desktop and get back to something you are used to.

phillipduran · Feb 14, 2013

HAHAHA!

Best
Story
Ever

Calhoun said:
Well, it arrived.

It has Windows 8.

I can hear the screeching-to-a-halt music score as I read those lines.

Tough luck man.

You might have some downgrade rights or you could always pick up a copy of Windows 7 and do a wipe and reinstall. Maybe sell the rights to a sequel of your story. This could be an upbeat early summer blockbuster.

<cue movie announcer voice> "From the lows of Windows 8 arises new hope. An uplifting story of the downgrade installation of Windows 7."

I'd watch it.

Lee · Feb 14, 2013

Don't you just love these guys. . .

Now normally when someone new comes to this or the Seven Forums I like to give them a big welcome, albeit when they come here to just whine about how bad win 8 is there will be no big welcome just "Here comes another one" . . .

ARC1020 · Feb 14, 2013

Calhoun said:
Is there any way to make 8 more like 7? Get rid of this nonsense where you have to google everything before you can do it? Tabbed browsing the old-fashioned way?

1) From the Start Page (press Windows Key on keyboard to open/close Start Page) start typing 'Control Panel', then right click on it and select 'pin to start'.

2) Open Control Panel and in the top right corner where it says 'view by', select 'small icons'.

3) Go to Control Panel > Internet Options > Programs and select 'Always Open Internet Explorer on the Desktop' and also tick 'Open Internet Explorer Tiles on the Desktop'.

4) Go to Control Panel > Default Programs > 'Set your default programs' and set the default programs you want to open different file types (instead of them opening in Metro Apps).

5) Go to Start Page, right click the icons you don't want on the Start Page and select 'unpin from start'

6) Go to Start Page, right click on the background then go to 'all apps' in the bottom right corner. Go through what you want pinned to the Start Page, right click on ones you do and select 'pin to start'.

In short, you can ignore Metro Apps altogether and just use the Start Page as a Start Menu for launching programs. If you really want a start button, then there are lots of programs out there to bring it back such as Classic Shell.

4wd · Feb 14, 2013

hahahaha++ reminds me of my first 'date' with w8, shock & abomination. Now, as mentioned in posts above, it can be used like w7, am using Classic Shell and installed all the usual programs etc, never need to use or see any of the ugly tiles and all the other mess, and it works well and is fast. Once having gone past the initial consternation, try adjusting and modify it to your liking (and if not happy, install w7).

Calhoun · Feb 14, 2013

Lee said:
Don't you just love these guys. . .

Now normally when someone new comes to this or the Seven Forums I like to give them a big welcome, albeit when they come here to just whine about how bad win 8 is the will be no big welcome just "Here comes another one" . . .

I'm not whining; I am entitled to my opinion. I read the rules of the forum, and liking Windows 8 is not a prerequisite for being here. On the other hand, if you yourself are able to use and enjoy 8, more power to you, and I wish you success in your future computing. It's quite possible that you simply learn quicker than I do.

Calhoun · Feb 14, 2013

ARC1020 said:
Calhoun said:

Is there any way to make 8 more like 7? Get rid of this nonsense where you have to google everything before you can do it? Tabbed browsing the old-fashioned way?

Click to expand...

1) From the Start Page (press Windows Key on keyboard to open/close Start Page) start typing 'Control Panel', then right click on it and select 'pin to start'.

2) Open Control Panel and in the top right corner where it says 'view by', select 'small icons'.

3) Go to Control Panel > Internet Options > Programs and select 'Always Open Internet Explorer on the Desktop' and also tick 'Open Internet Explorer Tiles on the Desktop'.

4) Go to Control Panel > Default Programs > 'Set your default programs' and set the default programs you want to open different file types (instead of them opening in Metro Apps).

5) Go to Start Page, right click the icons you don't want on the Start Page and select 'unpin from start'

6) Go to Start Page, right click on the background then go to 'all apps' in the bottom right corner. Go through what you want pinned to the Start Page, right click on ones you do and select 'pin to start'.

In short, you can ignore Metro Apps altogether and just use the Start Page as a Start Menu for launching programs. If you really want a start button, then there are lots of programs out there to bring it back such as Classic Shell.

Thank you so much!

znod · Feb 14, 2013

Check out the threads below; they may help some. It's hard to find something that says everything you might like to know all in one place. Posting these links is my best, but undoubtedly inadequate, attempt. They probably will help if you want to begin using Windows 8 in a manner that pretty familiar to you.

On (Almost) Using Only the Desktop and

Share Win8 Tutorial-Related Improvements for Mutal Benefit.

Be sure and install the browser of your choice, and use it from the desktop. Leave IE as the default; doing otherwise can make for unanticipated problems. If you want to use IE from the desktop, then go desktop > start IE > Go gear icon > Internet options > Programs > Open internet explorer tiles on the desktop.

Believe me; the desktop is your friend (check out what my desktop and start screen look like in the second link above). Also, quickly learn the basic key combos I mention toward the end of the second link.

musiclover7 · Feb 14, 2013

It is true, there is a bit of a learning curve for sure, but the OS is actually an improvement over 7 once you get past it. At the end of the day, they definitely should have given users more choice regarding some of these major things that they changed, but they didn't so we either have to settle, or find 3rd party software that will restore old functionality.

Installing a start menu replacement as said, will help you feel more at home in the OS. I have now uninstalled all of these on my system and been running with just start screen now for a few weeks in an attempt to try to get used to it. I still cannot see what Microsoft was smoking when they designed the start screen, but I am to a point where I pretty much never use it, so it does not bother me as much as it used to. I personally, don't like running 3rd party apps in my OS that tweak the gui if I do not have too, so at least for now, I am trying to get by without start menu replacement. That said, I have used them all, and definitely recommend them if you are looking to get back to Windows the way it always was..

If you do decide to stick with the Vanilla OS and continue using the start screen, you will find that once you have loaded about 5-10 apps into your system, your start screen will start to look extremely messy. Contrary to what Microsoft has advertised, it is not very customize-able and personable. The customization options are rather pathetic actually, when compared to even other tablet interfaces on the market at this time. If you are something of a power user, who likes to run apps like Adobe Creative suite, or Visual Studio Bundles, etc. etc., your start screen is going to get littered with icons every time you load a new app, that will make finding what you prefer to run very difficult. You will find yourself scrolling and searching through your start screen looking for a particular app. Can be really frustrating.

So, what I have started doing, is just pressing the start screen button, and immediately typing the first few letters of the app I am looking for. This functionality has been in Windows now for several versions. In Windows 8 though, I find myself using it exclusively...

znod · Feb 14, 2013

Calhoun said:
I'm not whining; I am entitled to my opinion. I read the rules of the forum, and liking Windows 8 is not a prerequisite for being here. On the other hand, if you yourself are able to use and enjoy 8, more power to you, and I wish you success in your future computing. It's quite possible that you simply learn quicker than I do.

Very well said.

Coke Robot · Feb 14, 2013

Well then, welcome!

On the mac books, they should have touchpad gestures. Your Windows 8 laptop should have a gesture enabled touchpad as well. Swipe a finger from the right side of it to the middle, opens the Charms. This piece of UI is pretty important as this is what you'll need to use the most in Windows 8, Start and Settings especially. A finger swipe from the left will switch apps. A finger swipe at the top or bottom opens the app command bar, which if you were using the immersive Internet Explorer 10 as you were, you would see all the tabs. On Start or elsewhere, pinch to zoom on the touchpad will enter semantic view. Pretty cool! On some laptops, they have settings that can be changed, for example a finger drag from the top left corner of the touchpad to the middle can let you snap apps.

That top/bottom swipe will be used pretty often in the new part of Windows 8.

Also, go to File Explorer (the little file icon on the Taskbar on the Desktop) and go to all the Libraries like Music, Videos, Pictures, Documents, and right click on them. Hit Pin to Start. Do the same with Computer, Downloads and/or Recycle Bin. Then swipe open the Charms, hit Start, pinch to zoom, tap then end of the Start Screen (if the Start Screen is already lengthy, if not, you can just use the mouse pointer and move it left, or scroll left with the scroll gesture) and you'll find the new tiles. Click and drag is what you do to move them, moving them around the tile groups will sometimes show a translucent vertical bar that indicates a new group can be made. Arrange the tiles how you tile.

There are some nice apps, like Skype, Music Info, ReddHub, MovieGuide, Bing Weather (actually all of the Bing apps) that are probably worth your while. The Mail, People, Messaging, and Calendar apps are iffy, use them if you want, unpin the ones you don't, uninstall them if you don't want them.

Also, I'd suggest to install Decor8... Just because you know?

Your mother is correct in thinking if continue to use Windows 8 longer than an hour, you'll end up liking it.

rmeigs · Feb 14, 2013

Calhoun said:
I'm not whining; I am entitled to my opinion. I read the rules of the forum, and liking Windows 8 is not a prerequisite for being here. On the other hand, if you yourself are able to use and enjoy 8, more power to you, and I wish you success in your future computing. It's quite possible that you simply learn quicker than I do.

Calhoun, You're very welcome here. And expressing one frustration is perfectly OK, cause Win8 can certainly bring them out.

BillWindows · Feb 14, 2013

Lee said:
Don't you just love these guys. . .

Now normally when someone new comes to this or the Seven Forums I like to give them a big welcome, albeit when they come here to just whine about how bad win 8 is the will be no big welcome just "Here comes another one" . . .

I made a bit of a joke yesterday about a British comedy called, "Waiting to Die", that's what it's starting to get like on here.

pparks1 · Feb 14, 2013

rmeigs said:
First, on this forum you’ll find those who really like Win8 and those who don’t. Those who don’t are generally not very helpful. Their advice is often to get rid of Win8, but it is a very powerful, stable, fast and secure OS.

I don't like Windows 8, but I like to think that I am still helpful on these forums. I will not tell you that it's not fast or stable (just look at my signature block). I just find that I don't like it. I don't like the way it looks, I don't like the 2 intertwined desktops and how they coexist with each other. I don't like the lack of flexibility and customization that we had in previous versions of Windows. I don't like the fact that the new "apps" are all full screen and i cannot have more than 2 on a screen at any one time. I don't like touchscreens, I don't want to have to get new peripherals to enable touch gestures. Regardless of how to access the Charms bar, i don't like the fact that I have to pull out this hidden menu from the left side of the screen. But with all that said, I'm not going to tell you to get rid of 8 and use 7 instead. I'm going to leave that choice up to you and what works better for your personally. You may not be bothered whatsoever with these things that I don't like.

rmeigs said:
To make it even more like Win7, install one of the many Start Button replacement apps like Start8: Start8™ for Windows® 8 - Bringing back the Windows Start menu . I used this for the first month until I knew my way around Win8. I’ve since removed it.

I agree that the 3rd party tools will make adjustment less of an issue and things like the Start Menu are still very well suited to the classic desktop. However, I generally speaking don't like 3rd party customization tools like this and they often lead to decreased performance, stability or security concerns. So, the fact that I HAVE to use a 3rd party utility to simply get a start menu back really burns me. It should have been an option, plain and simple, direct from Microsoft that I could have re-enabled had I chosen to do so. And regardless of how silly or petty that sounds to some, it's my opinion and I've stuck to it from day 1.

Coke Robot said:
Your mother is correct in thinking if continue to use Windows 8 longer than an hour, you'll end up liking it.

Typical blanket statement that doesn't apply to all people. I've sure as hell used Windows 8 longer than an hour and I didn't end up liking it. I learned to get around and I dislike it less, but I am far from liking it.

A much better and more accurate statement would be, "I'd take the advice of your mother and try it out for a while, you might find that with a little bit of time you end up liking it" Liking it is a possibility, not a foregone conclusion.

BillWindows · Feb 14, 2013

I went back to Windows 7 for the first time in over a month yesterday, I couldn't wait to get back to Windows8. Much cleaner faster and easier.

If I could sell my 4 copies of Windows 7, I'd sell them for $20 each.

How on earth I ever put up with that stupid Start Menu is beyond me, not that I used it much, and Explorer 10 is way faster than 9.

Dragon Drop · Feb 14, 2013

What I don't get (referring to the forum in general, not just this post) is that even those who dislike the Start Screen seem to think that simply because it's the first screen that appears, you are therefore obligated to USE it as the gateway to every other screen.

The suggestions made here will work all right. But if you're going to use only (or almost only) Desktop apps, why use the Start Screen as a place to launch them from? It just means you have to keep switching back and forth between the Desktop and Start Screen all day. That's not making Windows 8 anything like Windows 7.

The way to make Windows 8 more like Windows 7 is to use it just as if the whole Metro environment, including the Start Screen, simply doesn't exist. Put icons on the Desktop or Taskbar for everything you use. The only time you have to see the Start Screen is when you turn the power on. Then you just go to the Desktop and stay there. The Start Screen is your gateway to the Desktop, and the Desktop is your gateway to everything else. You don't have pin or unpin any tiles; just ignore all the tiles. Let them be there if they want to. The Desktop is your world.

Nick Wright · Feb 14, 2013

I`ve been using Start8 for some time now and find that it has helped me tremendously in transitioning from windows 7 to 8.
I initially used it to (temporarily) disable metro apps , hot corners and the charms bar.
This left me with what for all intents and purposes is an Operating System identical to Windows 7.
Now don`t mis-read me here - there are still things about windows 8 that really bug me. Its supposed to be faster and more stable than windows 7 but in my experience of it , its not. I am suffering from numerous freezes and crashes which simply did not happen in windows 7. I`m getting very used to seeing "Not responding" in the title bar whenever I execute anything slightly taxing to it. And thats for most Applications. -I don`t think its my hardware because I`m running a quad-core with 8GB DDR3 RAM on a very new computer.
That said - it is exactly the same as running win 7 but without the addition of a third party Anti-virus - the built in defender has been improved and seems to be doing a good job.
Having gotten over my initial reluctance to entertain metro or the new gestures etc I have now turned them back on. and am slowly dipping my toe into the water with them. -The hot corners are growing on me , as is the charms bar.
I still can`t stand Metro Apps though - its like going back to DOS programs and they are not suited to multi tasking. However ,nasty as the Metro Apps are - you still have the option of using desktop apps that you are already familiar with.
With any new operating system , time ,use and experience will make you more conversant.So I would urge restraint until you are absolutely sure that Windows 8 is not for you.

SIW2 · Feb 14, 2013

Sorry to hear you have been inflicted with win 8.

You could try start is back. StartIsBack - real start menu in Windows 8

It is $3 bucks for 2 licenses. You can try it for 30 days.

It tames some of the major annoyances of Metro and related cancers.

It does not stop the surveillance and tracking.

The (better for you, it seems ) alternative is to install win 7.

You might have so called "downgrade" rights. That means if you have PRO installed right now, you can install win7 instead without having to buy another license. That is the theory. Not always easy unless you are a bit of geek, like some of us.

You can just buy a copy of win 7 and install it to save faffing around.

It is still selling well - way above win 8 in Amazon best sellers ( no surprise there ).

No 14 here: Amazon.com Best Sellers: Best Software

Calhoun said:
I grew up (well, relatively - I'm pretty young) using Windows in various flavors. About five years ago, I saved up enough to get a Macbook. I was very happy with the Macbook and it worked quite well. I don't necessarily privilege Mac over PC. I'm just saying that at the time, the Mac was best for me.

Now it is five years later. The Mac was pretty tough, so it's still trucking. But slow, and things freeze a lot. I can still run Photoshop and Skype, Firefox and iChat. Still, I needed a new computer. I figured I needed to start the process of saving for another Mac again, and that this one would need to keep running for at least another year.

I went on a cruise with my family in early January on the Carnival Legend. There was a raffle on the boat, and I entered. My surprise, a few weeks later I was told I had won a new computer. I was overjoyed and couldn't wait for it to be delivered. I had fantasies of Photoshop working faster and running Second Life, Skype calls with group video, things like that.

Well, it arrived.

It has Windows 8.

I am so disappointed I can barely look at the thing. I tried to get some simple programs up and running but accidentally ended up merging my mom's Microsoft account with my own Skype account (luckily, I could unmerge them). To do the simplest of things I have to google them, and Googling is nearly impossible because tabbed browsing doesn't seem to work, being that the website is full-screen. Also, the only thing that seems to resemble a back button does not work. I tried going to Desktop mode, but the only program that could be launched from there was Internet Explorer, and I had to google how to get back to the main screen. Some of the instructions I got from Google were patently wrong, as well.

My mom paid for everyone to go on the cruise, so, by extension, she is responsible for me getting the laptop. She really, really wants me to like it. She keeps saying "You'll get used to it." I want to believe her (and also not disappoint her by being an ungrateful leech), but I don't know what to do. I mentioned having a friend wipe the whole thing and install Linux, and she begged me not to do it. I'm going to try to broach the topic of wiping it and installing 7 (which I have worked with before), but if she has an equally histrionic reaction to that, what should I do?

Is there any way to make 8 more like 7? Get rid of this nonsense where you have to google everything before you can do it? Tabbed browsing the old-fashioned way?

Extremely Upsetting

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