"The most important change, as Thurrott hears it, is that Microsoft will finally be bringing back the full Start menu to the Windows 8.2 desktop mode. Unlike the current Start button that Microsoft added to Windows 8.1, the new Start menu will be much more like the one Windows users have known and loved since Windows 95. Thurrott also says that the new version of Windows will allow for Metro apps to run as floating windows on the desktop screen, something that users can only do right now if they’ve installed third-party applications such as ModernMix."
Swiping is not a good option for me because the edges and corners are not well defined on a virtual partition screen where you run side by side with the host.
That's a cool setup! More than I care to handle. 8.1 is enough. Cool wallpaper
I have concluded over the past 2 years that most of the analysis of 8 in virtual partitions have limited functionality and the effective conclusions might be skewed. The edges are important. On the other hand, if full screen apps a.k.a. tifkam is a nuisance, then no amount of positive feedback will be well received.
Are you in Florida? I noticed your time in the screenshot. East Coast
As far as the functions in virtual go, I have not yet noticed any restrictions. I run 6 systems in virtual - the other 5 are all Linux. The problem with 8.1 is that it is not designed for the desktop.
For me, virtual is the most convenient way because I have to maintain only 1 set of systems. They are all on an external SSD and when I go to one of my other homes, I just pack the SSD. For 8.1 I need only 1 product key because VMware Player is the system for it, not the box on which it runs.
If you like to know more about virtual, check my videos and tutorials which I stored on Skydrive. It is a 2 page PDF which gives you all the links. Right click on the skydrive icon for download and double click if you want to explore it in your browser.
I just drag it to the left edge until it minimizes to a thumbnail, then slide it down to the corner. In Windows 8.1 the thumbnail will flip over when you hit the sweat spot, then when you release your mouse button its gone and closed.
A Desktop device using several (often LARGE monitors) needs to operate differently without wasting all that screen real estate ---windowing Metro apps would actually make these far more useful - the current crop are about as useful as a Chocolate Teapot.
Not necessarily true -- often in Engineering etc you want to OVERLAY stuff to see changes etc (e.g printed circuits) . Also you might want to ENLARGE a small piece of a picture / spreadsheet on ANOTHER monitor or even on part of the same monitor.
@ Coke Robot -- your ideas are fine but there are many ways of working OUTSIDE I.T which require all different manner of screen configurations -- a ONE SIZE FITS ALL does not work in the real world -- even smart phones are beginning to see the limitations of the Swipe tile mechanism of launching and running apps - especially when you have a LOT of apps - and even on a smart phone it's annoying at times having to usually work in full screen mode -- the latest Samsungs now allow some type of multi windowing which can be very useful if you have a phone with a decent size screen (S4 / S5 for example).
Being able to resize a Metro App/Window and let it float on top of another open Window could be advantageous for certain apps. Similar to Media Player running in the Now Playing mode. Right now to have that functionality you have to have Metro open on one screen so you can see your live tiles. That uses that whole monitor. What if you could just drag that one live tile over by itself and drop it on your desktop. Or resize the open app so its not full screen. You can do Metro snap but that's a bit clumsy and trying to keep it on screen all the time can be a pain depending on what else is displayed on that monitor.
To keeping your hands on the trackball ( I also use one). I just drag them down to the lower left corner until they flip over.
