Can you survive in Windows 8's modern UI alone?

Can Windows 8’s modern UI replace the traditional desktop? That’s the question everyone’s been asking since Microsoft released Windows 8 last October.

Thus far, the consensus theory has been a resounding NO! There aren’t enough modern apps in the Windows Store, critics point out. And the full-screen view of modern-style apps isn’t conducive to PC-style multitasking, they say. And hey, the control panel is still located on the desktop!

But so what?

For all the gripes, no complainers have yet to answer the basic question: Even with these limitations, is it conceivable to spend all of your time in the modern UI, and shun the desktop completely?

Source

A Guy

 

[MaloCS]

Hmmmmm.

I work professionally, 10 hours plus a day in Windows 8. I've found that my productivity has remained the same, no better or no worse. I have set up the 'start screen' as a glorified version of the classic 'start menu' and have gotten very quick at navigating between both UIs. I'm probably faster in the new 'start screen' versus the 'start menu' because I feel it's easier to locate my applications due to the large, graphic intensive icons rather than having to study a huge scrolling list of application names.

Since switching to Windows 8 I've found I enjoy using Metro apps whenever I can. I use the 'I Heart Radio' and 'YouTube' apps every day and I'm constantly looking for apps that can replace my browser based computing. Since downloading the newest 'Office' suite I've come to love the Metro look and feel that Microsoft gave the software. I can't help it, I'm a minimalist at heart and I love the simplified, Metro styling. I wish Adobe would redesign their look and feel based upon the minimalistic, Metro style.

As far as working full screen I've been trying to use my day to day apps in full screen mode as much as I can. It took some getting used to as we'll as a comprehensive task bar menu to accomplish a full screen work flow but it was achievable and really not that much of a hassle if using an open mind. I've been doing this because I'm betting that at some point in the future, most software applications will be full screen only.

All in all, I've come to love Windows 8 and I hope Microsoft continues to refine and enhance it. I also hope that Adobe will continue to embrace their lean and mean apps like 'Ideas' and 'Touch' and trim the fat from their flagship programs.

FYI, I am a professional web developer and designer. I also create fine art using Photoshop, Illustrator and various programs on my iPad. In a nutshell, my computers are more tools then they are toys. I rely on my computer and it's operating system to earn a living.

 

[rmeigs]

Most people who use multiple monitors really do not want to go back to a single monitor.

So true. Having to do so would be a major setback to getting real work done, at least in my case.

 

[mdmd]

Most people who use multiple monitors really do not want to go back to a single monitor.

So true. Having to do so would be a major setback to getting real work done, at least in my case.

So I guess all the professionals that have been using laptops for 15 years don't do real work

 

[A Guy]

Hmmmmm.

I work professionally, 10 hours plus a day in Windows 8. I've found that my productivity has remained the same, no better or no worse. I have set up the 'start screen' as a glorified version of the classic 'start menu' and have gotten very quick at navigating between both UIs. I'm probably faster in the new 'start screen' versus the 'start menu' because I feel it's easier to locate my applications due to the large, graphic intensive icons rather than having to study a huge scrolling list of application names.

Since switching to Windows 8 I've found I enjoy using Metro apps whenever I can. I use the 'I Heart Radio' and 'YouTube' apps every day and I'm constantly looking for apps that can replace my browser based computing. Since downloading the newest 'Office' suite I've come to love the Metro look and feel that Microsoft gave the software. I can't help it, I'm a minimalist at heart and I love the simplified, Metro styling. I wish Adobe would redesign their look and feel based upon the minimalistic, Metro style.

As far as working full screen I've been trying to use my day to day apps in full screen mode as much as I can. It took some getting used to as we'll as a comprehensive task bar menu to accomplish a full screen work flow but it was achievable and really not that much of a hassle if using an open mind. I've been doing this because I'm betting that at some point in the future, most software applications will be full screen only.

All in all, I've come to love Windows 8 and I hope Microsoft continues to refine and enhance it. I also hope that Adobe will continue to embrace their lean and mean apps like 'Ideas' and 'Touch' and trim the fat from their flagship programs.

FYI, I am a professional web developer and designer. I also create fine art using Photoshop, Illustrator and various programs on my iPad. In a nutshell, my computers are more tools then they are toys. I rely on my computer and it's operating system to earn a living.

Good to hear some positive feedback

A Guy

 

[mdmd]

I work professionally, 10 hours plus a day in Windows 8. I've found that my productivity has remained the same, no better or no worse. I have set up the 'start screen' as a glorified version of the classic 'start menu' and have gotten very quick at navigating between both UIs. I'm probably faster in the new 'start screen' versus the 'start menu' because I feel it's easier to locate my applications due to the large, graphic intensive icons rather than having to study a huge scrolling list of application names.

Since switching to Windows 8 I've found I enjoy using Metro apps whenever I can. I use the 'I Heart Radio' and 'YouTube' apps every day and I'm constantly looking for apps that can replace my browser based computing. Since downloading the newest 'Office' suite I've come to love the Metro look and feel that Microsoft gave the software. I can't help it, I'm a minimalist at heart and I love the simplified, Metro styling. I wish Adobe would redesign their look and feel based upon the minimalistic, Metro style.

As far as working full screen I've been trying to use my day to day apps in full screen mode as much as I can. It took some getting used to as we'll as a comprehensive task bar menu to accomplish a full screen work flow but it was achievable and really not that much of a hassle if using an open mind. I've been doing this because I'm betting that at some point in the future, most software applications will be full screen only.

All in all, I've come to love Windows 8 and I hope Microsoft continues to refine and enhance it. I also hope that Adobe will continue to embrace their lean and mean apps like 'Ideas' and 'Touch' and trim the fat from their flagship programs.

FYI, I am a professional web developer and designer. I also create fine art using Photoshop, Illustrator and various programs on my iPad. In a nutshell, my computers are more tools then they are toys. I rely on my computer and it's operating system to earn a living.

Well said. Welcome to Eight Forums MaloCS.
Glad to read a well written post.

 

[Ray8]

I've relied on computers for nearly 30 years to earn a living (prior to that we didn't have computers) and in that nature of work, I have to say that Windows 8 would be utterly frustrating, as far as the MPI is concerned. In fact, the MPI would serve no functional purpose whatsoever over the traditional taskbar, screen and start menu shortcuts. But without the likes of Classic Shell, it would be an abortion of a system. My work always involves using the desktop to its fullest, not playing around with apps.

But I was prepared to give the apps a try to a certain extent and I've just finished testing ModernMix for the last week and while it's OK, it really doesn't answer the needs that I thought it would. First off, I would have been happy enough with the MPI and what ModernMix allows one to do with it, but unfortunately it doesn't work like Gadgets do in Windows 7.

Every time that you start up your PC, you have to physically select the apps that you want to be visible from the MPI. ModernMix remembers the size of the app, as set earlier, but does not open them automatically, nor into the layout that you originally chose. That means extra work moving them about. Unfortunately, ModernMix is not able to the emulate the Windows 7 gadget experience with Windows 8 apps.

Additionally, as I pointed out in another post, many apps aren't developed with resizing in mind, so these do not display effectively when windowed and resized. You end up having to scroll needlessly about in order to see information in the resized windows. If this remains the status quo, Microsoft need not really worry about the likes of ModernMix, people will probably tire of it soon enough.

However, why is it that whenever someone praises the MPI, it becomes a mutual back slapping/Kumbaya session? Are those heaping praise on a 'well written post' feeling somewhat lonely on the parapets?

 

[mdmd]

.........Are those heaping praise on a 'well written post' feeling somewhat lonely......

I had to look up the word parapet in the online dictionary.
I'll go back and reread your post but, yes. Totally lonely, ... I think "A Guy" said he does not use Windows 8.
There are not that many around here. Perhaps 50 out of 20,000 ouch ! Yikes !
In more than a year, I have read probably only about 10 well written positive posts (no spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors),... with agreeable content.

Your posts are very well written also, but you are in the opposition camp.
At least you do not double space every sentence.

 

[Dogmatix]

To answer the opening question on this thread:

No.

I like working from the (XP) desktop. It's not a question of working faster with this or that operating system, it's a question of comfort and convenience. I don't need to use that Start button often, as I have the thirty programmes my wife and I use most on less than half of the task bar (remember, on XP, the task bar icons are small and close together, not miles apart as on 7 and 8) and plenty of room to show running programmes, but I still prefer the XP desktop to anything 8 can offer.

At work, the organisation I work for has around 8000 workstations, all running XP, but intend to change to 7 later this year. I'm not sure I'm looking forwrad to that, as the change will also replace Office 2003 with 2007 (or even 2010; not sure which) with its pesky space-taking ribbon. I talked to a technical chappie, and he said that 8 is out of the question, as our work is very desktop-centric. They'd rather switch to Linux than go to 8, in its current state. But because we also use specially written software, and operating system change is a big thing, and takes years to prepare, which is why we're going to 7 only now.

 

[mdmd]

http://www.eightforums.com/windows-8-news/23902-microsofts-view-post-pc-world-im-not-bovvered.html