RTM is ugly as heck

[burtie]

I installed Enterprise N, and tried downloading WMP12 from Microsoft website, it passed validation and allowed me to download it but won't install.
Sticking with VLC player for now until the Pro leak pop's up from one of my trusted sources.

 

[jakediddy]

I just want to point out that centered text in title bars hasn't been used by MS since Windows 3.1.

 

[FSeal]

I just want to point out that centered text in title bars hasn't been used by MS since Windows 3.1.

Well metro is somewhat of a throwback to Program Manager and the running of fullscreen DOS apps from Windows 3.1

Those that forget the past are condemned to repeat it?

 

[jakediddy]

I do like the Metro style - just not the desktop window chrome. I use my TV as my primary display with an occasional visit via Remote Desktop. When in the context of a home theater PC the new Start screen and Metro apps are great (IMHO of course) due to the lack of visual noise. Personally I'd like to see Windows 7's chrome used on desktop apps.

 

[FSeal]

In the case of a single screen HTPC I can see the interface working well. Mine is dual screen though, I control what goes on on the projector from a console next to my chair, in that case Metro is not too useful.

Probably the one really great use of Metro on the desktop that I can envision is having a touch screen monitor All-In-One computer hanging on or embedded into the wall that you could touch to wake from sleep, check weather and traffic quickly then have it go back to sleep. Just a monitor on the wall, no KB/Mouse. A single screen HTPC setup comes close to that scenario as well. That's about the only use for Metro on a desktop machine that I've found so far.

 

[jakediddy]

+1 on the idea FSeal

I'd like to get a tablet installed in my kitchen and/or bed room for things like that

 

[crawfish]

In the case of a single screen HTPC I can see the interface working well.

I don't think it makes any sense for that. I explained why here:

Metro might make a tiny amount of sense for HTPC purposes if Metro tiles were nested like folders are. As it stands right now, sure, you could have a bunch of unrelated apps "unified" in a weak sense by the Metro start screen, but they would appear in a sea of apps that have no business being presented alongside programs designed for a 10' interface. This is important, because you'll be bouncing in and out of apps to the Start screen to switch. Maybe you can just try to stay in your little island of disconnected media apps. I guess if you're adept with Autohotkey and remote control hacking you could configure keys to launch the various major "apps", functionality that's already part of the unified 10' programs like Media Center and XBMC. I guess if you want to be Metro all the way, you have to figure out how to make, say, the Music app stop playing when you switch to the TV app and tune in a channel. Remember, all these apps are disconnected. They're unified only in the most superficial of ways by the Metro Start Screen. OTOH, I'd like my TV app to be displayable in a window that doesn't take up the whole screen, that I can size and place wherever I want, which is completely at odds with Metro.

And I concluded in a follow-up:

OK, I guess you could take everything off the Metro Start Screen except for the multimedia apps to eliminate people getting themselves lost. But you still have to account for the lack of coordination between these presumably separately developed apps, which I touched on earlier. Metro is just a generic program launcher. It is a 1' touch interface grafted onto a desktop OS by Microsoft's desperation over losing the mobile market. It is not a 10' interface. That it works to some limited extent at 10' is incidental; it's a side-effect of needing to use huge interface elements to accommodate fat fingers at 1' and remote controls sending keystrokes to the program with focus. One could cobble something together literally in a day that would be just as functional and bring the same capabilities WRT to being the switchboard for your multimedia apps. As with Windows 8, then all you'd have to do is write the apps, because none of them currently exist. LOL. And good luck on that; the HTPC was never mainstream, and it and the 10' interface are only becoming less and less relevant, as can be seen by Microsoft making Media Center a paid upgrade and eliminating features such as starting the computer in Media Center.

I've seen nothing to change my mind on any of this.

 

[Fredledingue]

This is going to be a disappointment for the optimistic hopefuls. There is no change, or customisation, available for the Metro. Only thing is, by default, there are not so many icons showing, which gives you the option to load it up as you see fit. View attachment 7576 In my case, I also found that ye old Classic menu did not do it's thing automatically, and go through to the legacy desktop. I had to load it manually into the "startup" folder. I am using the Metro as a menu, so it didn't bother me too much - just curiosity. Early days, but other than that, no mind blowing changes. I did think it booted up a tad slower.

I just opened this screenshot in full screen and started to read aloud all the tiles. It sounded so ridiculous it wasn't even funny. Like "Poeple" and you see two impersonal figures, "Messaging" and you see a smiley flipped on the side, "Weather" and you see a sun or a cloud with a sun behind, "Stocks" and you see a chart (going up of course), "Store"... no comment. Seriousely? All symbolized and childish 2D. So depressing. What's the difference with a classic desktop except that the tiles are just larger icons? Makes no sens whatsoever to hae such a thing.

 

[Fredledingue]

I do like the Metro style - just not the desktop window chrome. I use my TV as my primary display with an occasional visit via Remote Desktop. When in the context of a home theater PC the new Start screen and Metro apps are great (IMHO of course) due to the lack of visual noise. Personally I'd like to see Windows 7's chrome used on desktop apps.

I agree. As a DVD player interface or a digital TV transcoder interface it must look good. But my computer is a little bit too sophisticated to be used with Metro.