Windows 8.1 first look: Finally, Windows the way you want

With Windows 8.1 Microsoft finally recognizes that a big portion of the world actively dislikes the new "Modern" interface and Start screen, and lets people downplay it, bypass it, or make it work the way they like. It doesn't solve the basic problem of Windows 8 having dueling interfaces -- one for touch and tablets, and another for the desktop and mouse and keyboard -- but it gives desktop fans enough options to make the operating system much better to use.
Big changes include the ability to go directly to the desktop when you sign in, and a whole host of Start screen customizations that make it more useful for those who primarily use the desktop. There's also now a not-particularly useful Start button that doesn't come close to having the features offered by the old school Start button you've come to love in earlier Windows versions.
If you're like me, what you care about most about is the go-to-desktop option, and changes that make the Start screen easier to use. You would expect that you'd get to those changes from the Start screen somewhere...but if you expected that, you'd be wrong. Instead, head to the desktop, right-click the taskbar and select Properties to get to the Taskbar and Navigation properties screen. There's a new tab here called Navigation. This is essentially command central for the new features for customizing the Start screen and booting to the desktop. It's got two sections: Core navigation and Start screen.

The bottom line
Windows 8.1 is far more configurable than Windows 8, and those who primarily use the desktop will be especially pleased to be able to go directly to it when they sign in. Also useful are the new features for customizing the Start screen, particularly for using it as an app launcher. This new version of Windows 8 isn't perfect, but this newfound power to tweak and customize makes it a far better operating system than the one that shipped.
Note: I'll have a more in-depth look at Windows 8.1 on Computerworld in several days.

Windows 8.1 first look: Finally, Windows the way you want it | Computerworld Blogs

 

[mdmd]

Yes, I know but the fact is that Win 8 is very buggy. On our forum we just found that it defrags SSD as if it were an HDD.
I just wonder WHY destroy an excellent OS like Win 7 ??
Last, I found the GUI look horrible with these "fluo" colors, don't you?

Yes, 7 is more stable now because it has been around for years with thousands of updates. Even so, 7 is not perfect. 8 is not perfect either. It has benefits and disadvantages. The metro can get very messy. I hide folders and files to clean it up. It is true, if you are using a desktop normally, a touch UI is not needed. ... yes, Aero was a nice feature. (is a nice feature)

There's alot not to like about 8. Not a fan of logging into a Microsoft Server everyday during login.
I did a re-install using a local account only. No skydrive.

 

[pulsar68]

Sorry Microsoft... this is THE Windows the way I WANT (until 2020)...

View attachment 24729

... and seems I'm not the only one...

Looking back, the start menu looks kind of funny.
A big box with some kind of appendage at it's top.
What was MS thinking.
Granted, it sure could cram in a lot of menu.
Every installed program would put shortcuts here, there, and everywhere,
until it was a convoluted mess of duplication.
Once a month it would need a trim or haircut.
It was good, but not good enough for another seven years.
Na na na na hey hey Goodbye.

I like how 8.1 does not put all the extra program shortcuts on start screen.
I decide what shows up, my control, yes.

That's what Microsoft says... actually, i.e. with SmartScreen, they'll collect everything you'll do/install on the OS... as NEVER before.
I disagree with the "new" Microsoft way

 

[Lee]

Yes, I know but the fact is that Win 8 is very buggy. On our forum we just found that it defrags SSD as if it were an HDD.

No it doesn't. I have no spinners, and to date the defrag program has yet to attempt a defrag on my three SSD's (been using 8 since Developer Preview)

 

[jacatdilly]

*I never had a problem with SSD defragging by itself. I can force it though. OS should detect and not defrag.

*I agree. I don't like it the way they are monitoring everything.
Case in point:
My regular Win8 drive is not using Skydrive. I don't upload anything to the cloud.
I have a cropped desktop background wallpaper of an island with snow on it.
I downloaded Win8.1 iso, burnt it to disc. Shutdown computer. Physically removed Win8 hard drive.
I connected up a different formatted hard drive. Booted up and installed Win 8.1. Logged in with same name, password as Win8.
Then I notice maybe 5 to 15 minutes later, the exact same cropped snow picture shows up on the Win 8.1 desktop.
I got kind of jolted, how could Win8.1 do that without any other drives attached?
Then it hit me, MS must have synched the desktop from Win 8 drive. I never told it to do it.
So even though I am not putting anything in cloud, MS has decided to do it for me.
So much for being in control.
I could see this could make for embarrassing consequences if out in public,
and ones second computer boots up to show a personal picture on desktop, for all to see!
I almost want to reformat and see if it happens again.

 

[Phone Man]

*I never had a problem with SSD defragging by itself. I can force it though. OS should detect and not defrag.

*I agree. I don't like it the way they are monitoring everything.
Case in point:
My regular Win8 drive is not using Skydrive. I don't upload anything to the cloud.
I have a cropped desktop background wallpaper of an island with snow on it.
I downloaded Win8.1 iso, burnt it to disc. Shutdown computer. Physically removed Win8 hard drive.
I connected up a different formatted hard drive. Booted up and installed Win 8.1. Logged in with same name, password as Win8.
Then I notice maybe 5 to 15 minutes later, the exact same cropped snow picture shows up on the Win 8.1 desktop.
I got kind of jolted, how could Win8.1 do that without any other drives attached?
Then it hit me, MS must have synched the desktop from Win 8 drive. I never told it to do it.
So even though I am not putting anything in cloud, MS has decided to do it for me.
So much for being in control.
I could see this could make for embarrassing consequences if out in public,
and ones second computer boots up to show a personal picture on desktop, for all to see!
I almost want to reformat and see if it happens again.

Are you using a Live account or Local account. If using a Live account and you are on the same computer with the same login maybe that is why it synced.

Jim

 

[Mystere]

Yes, I know but the fact is that Win 8 is very buggy. On our forum we just found that it defrags SSD as if it were an HDD.
I just wonder WHY destroy an excellent OS like Win 7 ??
Last, I found the GUI look horrible with these "fluo" colors, don't you?

That's simply not true. Windows 8 detects SSD's and performs a TRIM operation on them when defragging rather than a traditional TRIM. However, this is dependent upon the drive supporting TRIM, and in some cases that is not the case.. for instance, when combining multiple SSD's in a RAID array, TRIM is not currently supported (though I hear one of the new Intel SSD's will support this). This is a problem with the SSD technology, not with Windows 8.

 

[DooRules]

Most mobo's after the z68 now have trim in R0. Some require a particular bios and some don't but most if not all newer mobo's do have trim in an R0 array.

 

[Mystere]

Only if you use a modified option ROM. Most people don't have that.

 

[PhyllisColeman]

being the windows user form the very start at the time when i was new to the computing i expect the upgrade of upcoming of the existing win version come with the refined specs and proves most productive for its users

 

[CountMike]

Yes, I know but the fact is that Win 8 is very buggy. On our forum we just found that it defrags SSD as if it were an HDD.
I just wonder WHY destroy an excellent OS like Win 7 ??
Last, I found the GUI look horrible with these "fluo" colors, don't you?

Not true, Win8 triggers Trim for SSDs (instead of defrag) when " out of the box" and installed anew. Although there are some bugs I find Win8 somewhat more stable than Win7 but expecting any OS (or even applications) is highly optimistic but to say "buggy" is a bit of a stretch. Looking back just couple of generations, XP, without the SPs was a veritable "Bug city", Vista was a driver nightmare and 7 in the very beginning also had problems with newest hardware and software. Except for "Metro" and lack of start menu I doubt that too meny people would notice difference. For the "eye candy" I never had any use, always kept a nice simple picture on the desktop, just enough so it would not be a plain color but enough to give some contrast to icons. Insisting on perceived "beauty" is just plain childish but most people used third party stuff for that anyway. What do you think, why there are thousands upon thousands of themes on the net for all the windows out there.

 

[jeffrys]

Mystere sometimes i get mails with a PDF attachment, so i need to open that.

Also i invoices towards my clients and they always ask a PDF document.

But that wasn't your complaint. You said you need to convert to PDF because you had to send excel documents to Open Office users, but that's just not true since OpenOffice can open Excel documents.

Yes, of course having PDF functionality is useful, I was just questioning your reasons.

True that to, but when the client says i cannot open your Excel docu (not the PDF docu), what can i do? Can i throw out the client or do i help him?

So yes, i need to convert Excel to PDF, i learned that is the best and fastest way.

When the client says i cannot open your excel, then i help him. Most op them are business men and not interested in computers what so ever. They use it because they need them.

Windows offered a few year ago a patch to open older Excel docu's. Right now even i have sometimes troubles to open my own older docu's.

I sent that rescue file to some clients, but do you think they care or use it?


"Mystere sometimes i get mails with a PDF attachment, so i need to open that."

so yes, that too.

Anyway i am very happy with "Fixit", sorry i mean Foxit.

Jeff

 

[CountMike]

.PDF is very good and universal format. Even MS Office 2013 support it, print shops too. Finding a good app for it is not difficult either. Together wit a .nfo reader it is one of the first apps I install on a new system.