Dear readers: How would you change or improve Windows 8?

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Dear readers: How would you change or improve Windows 8?[/h] Summary: Criticize or evangelize: some love it but many hate it: Windows 8. Dear readers, what changes would you make before you are swayed into buying Microsoft's latest offering?

By Zack Whittaker for Between the Lines
August 23, 2012 -- 12:28 GMT (05:28 PDT)


Windows 8 has been called many things: a "design disaster," an "unmitigated disaster," and even been likened to Vista, which is perhaps a little harsh. That said, it has also dubbed a "fresh start" for Microsoft.

The code is final, the hardware and computer makers have the finalized software, and ordinary users and enterprise customers will receive the updated Microsoft operating system later this year in October.


Yet many customers are wary over purchasing licenses or upgrading to Windows 8 in fear that the new interface is too confusing. That's the crux of the matter: people like to know where things are and on the most part do not like radical change.


In one real-life, hands-on demonstration of the barriers faced by ordinary users, Chris Pirillo sat his father down at a fresh install of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview (which has since been released to manufacturing albeit with a pretty weak 'tutorial') and left him to his own devices. It's painful to watch, but it rounds-up exactly how many feel about the design of the new operating system.

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[mdmd]

If so, then the person in the video from the article would not be looking for the start menu in the system tray.
The addons like fancy visuals, media center, ORB system, DVD support, etc.. does add somewhat to the Win32 code length. It would not be prudent to debate unrelated specifics. The 8UI is a separate entity.
Koko would have some difficulty learning how to pin and unpin installations.
Have a nice day.

 

[FSeal]

The difficulty with Metro arises when people that ARE smart and ARE conmputer savy try to get more complex things done and Metro completely counters that ability.

Metro was made to BE stupid, it limits choices and abilities specifically to make it easier to use for simple non-demanding daily consumerist like tasks. It is in fact MORE complex when you try to do something with it that it wasn't designed to do. That's the /problem/ with it when professional users try to deal with it. The interface is too stupid to be used in a professional manner.

Microsoft assumes that all those hard things are things that most people don't need, want or even know how to do so they hid them, but that makes it even harder on people that DO want those features.

The entirety of the Metro API including the advertising platform and completely new gui system adds probably 100 times as much bloat as the original start menu did. Hell the charms bar itself is probably equal to the "bloat" of the start menu even of you removed all of the rest of metro.

 

[Mustang]

The crux of the problem is: A smartfone/tablet OS/GUI will never double for a desktop OS/GUI.

And W8 is a smartfone/tablet OS/GUI which also tries to masquerade as a desktop OS/GUI, as an afterthought. And does a poor job of it.

 

[Night Hawk]

Even Samsung has introduced their own start menu for their own W8 pc's. I guess they know better tham MS what consumers want, lol.

Samsung's S Launcher feels like an old friend in Windows 8, brings back the Start Menu :: TweakTown USA Edition

That's a consumer orientated manufacturer using some good old "Common Sense" approach to the mess MS came up with!

The crux of the problem is: A smartfone/tablet OS/GUI will never double for a desktop OS/GUI.

And W8 is a smartfone/tablet OS/GUI which also tries to masquerade as a desktop OS/GUI, as an afterthought. And does a poor job of it.

The Metro proves to be a mesh mash of retorical nonsense and not any actual form of well thought out transition phase to bring in new functionality as well as a new look for the Windows OS! The Start screen looks like the beta wallpaper everyone simply wants to get rid of on first sight only guess what? You are stuck with it!

Apparently hindsight became foresight with MS when this whole new gui concept was dreamed up where you can't simply abandon things that work on any desktop type OS to simply slap a mobile gui in as a substitute without things being well thought out ahead of time. The lack of setup options being available to bridge the gap between desktop and mobile shows that hindsight was placed on the priority list!

 

[R0bR]

Metro is Windows dumbed down for chimps plain and simple. Simple knuckle punching of large icons to launch single full screen similarly spare (in design and functionality) apps so as to not confuse people or animals of little computer experience. Koko the Gorilla could use Windows 8, that's how dumbed down it is...

So what you are saying is that some 50% of the users of this forum have the intelligence of chimps? Most asinine comment I've seen on these forums yet.

 

[Night Hawk]

Metro is Windows dumbed down for chimps plain and simple. Simple knuckle punching of large icons to launch single full screen similarly spare (in design and functionality) apps so as to not confuse people or animals of little computer experience. Koko the Gorilla could use Windows 8, that's how dumbed down it is...

So what you are saying is that some 50% of the users of this forum have the intelligence of chimps? Most asinine comment I've seen on these forums yet.

He was referring to how MS dumbed down the gui not the user who finds it useless! Amd in actual fact over 50% who have already seen what 8 is bringing in are planning to skip 8 entirely! That wouldn't make them low IQed would it?

They are simply stunned at how MS trashed the desktop concept to move at the mobile market! I would say they have simply found 8 to be more frustrating and the need to addon this or that on and would rather wait until MS comes out with a more suitable upgrade from what is working for them in the here and now.

The blame is on MS for how they are bringing in drastic changes without any comprehension of what the typical "desktop" user is looking for since they have the monopoly! Greed on market shares comes before Practicality for most as the corporate design decision. 7 on the other hand was MS learning from all past mistakes to finally put together a working OS!

 

[mdmd]

Oops, slight misunderstanding, Ok.
This very likely could enrage the pack, but I was referring to dumbing down by leaving some of the legacy stuff in place. Dumbing down by leaving the ORB there. MS would be assuming the users are too stupid to figure out the start screen if they retained the ORB. ... From all sources out of MS posted online, MS considers the start screen a better option compared to the ORB system ... there was some controversy within the company on this point. The BOSS makes the decision.

 

[Night Hawk]

It's not only just the Start orb and Programs as well as Start menu most are weary about. But you have to weigh in how they tore apart the OS as far as how to find the various settings and functions you would generally expect to find all in one place being the Control Panel with a link right off of the Start menu. Now you have to go around in circles between popup right click menus, hidden settings bars, etc. making the entire process confusing from the start for most!

Now top that off with the usual reluctance to jump on each new version just because someone else likes it while you are set with what you already have especially when recent and not 12yrs. old! The continuing problem for any business on the other hand is the investment in hardwares as well as softwares which fetch a much higher cost then you and me would generally pay out! The software companies make their rewards duping the business sector while the business sector writes that off as the cost of doing business as usual.

Now MS decides to come out with an unproductive OS following the huge success seen with 7 overall. At least with the side bar in Vista you had the choice of the right click and uncheck option while the Metro is geared at pushing $$$ signs for you buy more from us at the average user. For most that's an automatic turnoff!

 

[mdmd]

 

[Kat]

Seems to be quite a few who haven't worked that one out yet, mdmd.

Quite a useful little menu....

 

[FSeal]

Metro is Windows dumbed down for chimps plain and simple. Simple knuckle punching of large icons to launch single full screen similarly spare (in design and functionality) apps so as to not confuse people or animals of little computer experience. Koko the Gorilla could use Windows 8, that's how dumbed down it is...

So what you are saying is that some 50% of the users of this forum have the intelligence of chimps? Most asinine comment I've seen on these forums yet.

In all honesty I believe that Microsoft themselves sees us that way. We are all Chimps to them. Consumerist chimps that will buy all their music and add-on features and apps and advertising while giving us a chimp like knuckle activated UI so we have little choice but to wade through everything they want to put in front of us. If you want to see where windows may be in a few years, look at where xbox is now, it's like going to the mall in order to watch TV. You are SURROUNDED by MS pushed advertising content to almost the complete exclusion of actually being able to play a game, which is then also full of ads sometimes.

I am personally insulted by the metro interface and by Microsoft after 20+ years of loyalty. I similarly railed against Microsoft Bob when that came out as being similarly stupid, thank ghod cooler heads prevailed then!

 

[pparks1]

Well, if nothing else, all of these changes have provided a ton of press and consumers have been inundated with information about Windows 8. Many might not even be truly interested, but want to see what all of the hype is about.

Microsoft is clearly seeing a trend with what some people are doing with their computerized devices. And they are taking almost a leap of faith to try to get to the market first with their OS designed to run on all of their devices, with a similar look and feel. No doubt, they are feeling the heat from the iPad...and as shocking as what it is, there are lots of sales of these iPad type devices that are eating into the PC market. And finally, they see the chance for revenue from store sales and recognize that Apple is currently reeling in that revenue from their own store and they want into that revenue stream as well.

What's hard to comprehend for many of us, is how we are going to properly shift from the applications and the experience that we have grown accustomed to for so many years into something else. In many ways, if MS is indeed trying to get rid of the classic desktop, they are effectively doing a whole new product...that probably shouldn't even be called Windows.

I think all of us can agree that Metro apps are in their infancy, and we will all be using typical "classic Windows applications" for quite some time to come. So, the part that stymies me the most is the fact that this change isn't being gradually introduced and built upon, but more or less foisted on us with no built-in mechanisms to work with it in more of a classic format. Just like MS has provided previous start menus as "classic" options in newer versions of windows...it would be more or less expected that these alternative mechanisms would be included here as well.

I'm past the point where I am slamming the OS, and I'm not going to belittle anybody or guess about how they use their computer. Windows 8, "is what it is". There are certainly things that I like, and there are things that I don't like. Some will view my dislikes as nothing more than little bumps in the road, while others will see them as mountains. It's up to the end users to decide if the OS is for them or not....and speak with their dollars. If this OS sells like gangbusters, well then MS is going to continue in this direction. If things don't catch on, sales drop, or people continue to persue alternative options, MS may make some changes. Either way, it's going to take some time to know for sure.

 

[SIW2]

Ther is a big market for that. Not surprised MS is chasing it.

A lot of people just want entertainment and a bit of chatter.

They haven't got time to cogitate - and can't be bothered, they have better things to do with their lives.

So they just jab a square to get to Fbook, jab a different square to play a game. If they have to pay - as long as it is only 99c a time - they don't care, they just do it. If they have a load of ads flashing at them - they put up with it -shrug their shoulders and after a while they get so conditioned they don't even think about it.

Some people would put up with having that on their pc as well. Others do mind.

There was thread about pc decrapifier - to remove manufacturer bloatware.

Tanya C asked:

"Does it remove Metro"

Hilarious, because there is some truth in it.

It would be interesting to see how efficient win8 would be without all the Metro stuff - get rid of that and free up a lot of resources.

MS have deliberately made Metro difficult to bypass completely e.g. by crippling explorer.exe

In all honesty I believe that Microsoft themselves sees us that way. We are all Chimps to them. Consumerist chimps that will buy all their music and add-on features and apps and advertising while giving us a chimp like knuckle activated UI so we have little choice but to wade through everything they want to put in front of us. If you want to see where windows may be in a few years, look at where xbox is now, it's like going to the mall in order to watch TV. You are SURROUNDED by MS pushed advertising content to almost the complete exclusion of actually being able to play a game, which is then also full of ads sometimes.

I am personally insulted by the metro interface and by Microsoft after 20+ years of loyalty. I similarly railed against Microsoft Bob when that came out as being similarly stupid, thank ghod cooler heads prevailed then!

 

[mdmd]

 

[Night Hawk]

MS wanted to make sure Metro was in everyone's faces no doubt on that one! One thing to remember was XP Pro x64 was the first 64bit Windows besides Server 2003 seeing a 64bit edition as well and the initial support wasn't to be found!

Likewise MS is trying to come out some new type of cross platform OS which would appear to be at best "LUDE and CRUDE" in comparison to the traditional desktop OS where each new version saw some new twists as well as Bells & Whistles to get accustomed to. The concept of bringing in an improved form of touchscreen support was eventual and needed. But how MS is actually bringing it in as far as 8 is concerned shows a total lack of continuity with it's own customer base!

Here I had hoped MS would have played it smart and introduced a progressive followup of 7 with the even better desktop OS to instead end up seeing a what? Should we call it a flop this early or not? Once I "get around to it" that is taking my sweet time I'll toss the 8 Enterprise on for a look at the developer release there to see what will be different from the RP.

I wouldn't be running the Enterprise or Ultimate equivalent seen with 8 while the next above Home Premium not Pro Plus would likely be the only edition considered at this point. As far as replacing 7 NADA! No way! Despite the immediate notice of certain improvements at the core and security levels the main layout beyond the Start screen as well as compatibility issues would be one of the main reasons for not going with any full featured edition.

 

[Fredledingue]

they are effectively doing a whole new product...that probably shouldn't even be called Windows.

If Balmer was smart he would issue a normal Windows 8 (without Metro) and another OS called something else (Metro is already under litigation, Doors would face similar copyright issues...). But ok, let's call it Metro for the sake of simplicity. Two OSes released side by side at the same time. One being the classic UI and the other displaying Metro + the classic UI behind it. Like that they could see which OS wroks the best. They could run both OSes a few years and maybe within a few years Metro would prevail. If not MS can still back up sales, and more importantly their reputation, with Windows Normal. Or both performing equaly or inequaly but both viable. Instead of this, they bet the farm on something untested in large numbers, and when tested in preview version recieved the worse reaction possible. It's a very stupid and very risky commercial strategy.

I am personally insulted by the metro interface and by Microsoft after 20+ years of loyalty. ,

That's exactly how I feel. "Does M$ realy think we need something like this? They must be kidding!" And when I read that Metro Start Screen wasn't even optionable I couldn't believe it. It was like a nightmare and thought i'd wake up soon. But no I wasn't dreaming. Incredible!

I similarly railed against Microsoft Bob when that came out as being similarly stupid

I even created an avatar to express this thought. Many similarities with B B. The concept is the same: Quick access to the few apps you are supposed to use most often. But not as commercial laden. B B was more friendly.

 

[Night Hawk]

The vote is in! 99% feel the way MS implemented Metro without any user end options is labeled "RETARDED"! The sad part of it is that once 7 is no longer supported and MS has taken Windows to the extremes of trashing the desktop concept by then What OS to run?!

You can't count on simply skipping 8 for what comes after since that will most likely continue of from where 8 leaves off! For 8 MS simply has decided to use more "hindsight" rather then follow up a success story with 7 where someone used some "foresight"!

Regardless of the other improvements at the basic level those simply get snuffed out of focus due to the negative reactions by most! Of course that may just be the MS strategy for promoting more 7 sales by saying "better grab 7 now while you can since you won't like what comes later!"

 

[R0bR]

One thing to remember was XP Pro x64 was the first 64bit Windows besides Server 2003 seeing a 64bit edition as well and the initial support wasn't to be found!

Actually XP Pro x64 was one of the first SHIPPED OS running 64 bit. There was a 64bit Edition of Windows NT 4 made to run on DEC Alpha Server, however Microsoft never released it because the Itanium hardware was not ready.

 

[Night Hawk]

That's where 2003 came into play when both AMD and Intel alike worked out the needs for the 64bit capable line up of cpus! When you then saw AMD64 on something you knew the cpu could address the 64bit kernel and how it was loaded into ram.

The theory for 64bit has already been around since any form of modern computing started but in the very early ticker tapoe, reel to reel tape days back in the 60s! Jobs brought in the desktop concept while Mr. BG brought in the OS for it only on hardwares not sold by the other! But you also notice once the 64bit capable cpus were out so where the 64bit flavors of other things like open source!

 

[pparks1]

The sad part of it is that once 7 is no longer supported and MS has taken Windows to the extremes of trashing the desktop concept by then What OS to run?!

Well, you have until 2020 before Windows 7 is no longer supported, so I wouldn't fret just yet.