Windows 8 First Impressions

Philgates

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When I came across Microsoft's offer of downloading this new version of Windows for £24.00, I thought, what's the catch? Was there a catch? seems far too cheap a price for Microsoft, Well after installing and testing and every day usage, yes there clearly was a catch, and it is simply this, we have been conned into a new version of windows, which is simply a cut down concoction of windows 7, with a start interface that's clearly not desktop friendly and clearly designed for mobile and tablet devices. Why bolt this useless piece of software on to a desktop OS? Is Microsoft expecting users to, shift from their clearly superior iphone and android tablets and mobiles? If they are then they are deluded.

Some are heralding the speed of Windows 8, well that's not too difficult to achieve, given the way Microsoft have stripped down the graphical user interface, removing Aero Glass, Dynamic Icon resizing, to name but a few of the obvious software butchery that has gone on. Metro or Windows Live tiles, now where do I start with this! Firstly very poor deployment in quality of presentation as a concept, that is in no way going to be a threat to Google's Android, or Apple IOS 6 interface, and the usual Microsoft buggy experience in practice. Out of the box, there were too many Metro/Live tile apps from the Windows 8 market that failed to work correctly, from News apps to Net Radio to Video, all falling over on first run! Why was I not surprised, it's after all the Microsoft way. One can be forgiven for thinking that this version of Windows is a rather frantic attempt to keep up with the current revolution going on in the Google Android and Apple market.

In conclusion forget the Microsoft Hype, this was clearly a missed opportunity by the Giant to make sound progress on their Windows 7 version, Windows 8 is a miss match fudge of ideas, that clearly demonstrates that Microsoft are losing their way. With the wealth of resources both financially, and intellectually, it's hard to believe that this version of Windows is the best that Microsoft could have come up with, to say that this is a missed opportunity is an understatement, and I'm sure most will feel it's even a waste of the modest £24.00.
 

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it's a toss up depending upon the person. Some here absolutely love it, think it's brilliant and really wanted significant change (almost for the sake of change).

I'm in the same boat that you are in, it's not worth the $40 upgrade price. Doesn't make my life any better or easier than it is with Windows 7.
 

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Hello Philgates. Welcome to the Eight Forums.

Why bolt this useless piece of software on to a desktop OS?

There is a lot more going on here than personal preferences.
The term useless is pejorative and is IMO, inaccurate.

we have been conned into a new version of windows, which is simply a cut down concoction of windows 7

Sorry, I have not been duped by a confidence man. IMO, Windows 8 is a better OS than 7. My first impression.

This symbiosis of characteristics had to be intentional on the part of Microsoft engineers because the interface works so cleanly , all while the desktop offers the user the familiar interface and full-fledged applications we have all come to know and love for sit down productivity sessions.

The Microsoft Apps market, like the Android and Apple Markets, provide the user with the casual apps one would need for things like weather, news, sport highlights and gaming.

The two environments function as one to a point where they flow together in a way that forces one to forget that the OS is still just Windows. The user is engulfed by the experience once the learning curve has been achieved.

... don't care about cloud computing conspiracy theories. Maybe I should, but I don't.
My first impression of 8 user errors is mostly that many are trying to do something that they are not sure of how to do it. Trial and Error.
 

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Windows 8 is a miss match fudge of ideas

How did this thread get a 5 star review? By saying that Windows 8 is bad? I guess we should all abandon it. Maybe we can time travel into an alternate economic reality.
 

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Hi Mdmd, thanks for the welcome, I posted this before reading other threads, and clearly after doing some reading, I can see that Win 8 is not popular, though that's not a surprise to me. As for personal preferences, what else of significance is going on with this very poor live tile concept ripped from winmo and bolted on to our desktop OS? Sorry but I just don't get it, and people will vote with their pocket in the end, how many desktops and laptops have touch screen? If Microsoft want to regain some market share in the Mobile and Tablet market then fine, design the software technology specifically for those devices, with the usual Windows compatibility, no need to bolt on the very poor mobile tile interface on to our desktop, it's counter productive, not needed, not wanted! Do some of these software designers live in the real world? I suspect not!...............:thumb:
 

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I agree. I keep hearing that same phrase over and over. That Windows 8 is "useless". Or they say "unproductive". All of which are measurably false, since Windows 8 does virtually everything Windows 7 does. If a program launcher is the entirety of your universe, and it's the only that makes the OS "useful" or "productive", then I say you really aren't using your computer for much of anything.

Windows 8 is 99.9% of Windows 7, PLUS Metro (a subsystem that stays entirely out of your way if you don't use any metro apps).

If I didn't know any better, given the constant exact phrases being mentioned, I'd say someone is creating sock puppets.

Hi Mdmd, thanks for the welcome, I posted this before reading other threads, and clearly after doing some reading, I can see that Win 8 is not popular, though that's not a surprise to me.

It's not popular with a small subset of very vocal people. Every poll that's been taken has shown that it's about a 2:1 in favor of Windows 8 and Metro. And that's just in people that express an opinion either way. There are probably a lot more people that are unconcerned either way.

The truly interesting thing is how many people who WERE vocally against it have come around to either "It's not as bad as I used to think it was" or actually liking it. If you give it a chance, you may find it's not the evil spawn of satan you had convinced yourself it was.
 

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There will always be choice, thank goodness, and Windows 8 will definitely not be my choice, I will stick with Windows 7, after 3 days of this useless piece of junk, I'm off back to Windows 7!............:thumb:
 

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I agree. I keep hearing that same phrase over and over. That Windows 8 is "useless". Or they say "unproductive". All of which are measurably false, since Windows 8 does virtually everything Windows 7 does. If a program launcher is the entirety of your universe, and it's the only that makes the OS "useful" or "productive", then I say you really aren't using your computer for much of anything.

Windows 8 is 99.9% of Windows 7, PLUS Metro (a subsystem that stays entirely out of your way if you don't use any metro apps).

If I didn't know any better, given the constant exact phrases being mentioned, I'd say someone is creating sock puppets.

Hi Mdmd, thanks for the welcome, I posted this before reading other threads, and clearly after doing some reading, I can see that Win 8 is not popular, though that's not a surprise to me.

It's not popular with a small subset of very vocal people. Every poll that's been taken has shown that it's about a 2:1 in favor of Windows 8 and Metro. And that's just in people that express an opinion either way. There are probably a lot more people that are unconcerned either way.

The truly interesting thing is how many people who WERE vocally against it have come around to either "It's not as bad as I used to think it was" or actually liking it. If you give it a chance, you may find it's not the evil spawn of satan you had convinced yourself it was.



Who's buying Windows phones? so why bolt on this mobile interface to a desktop OS? Think Google & Apple will be laughing at this piece of software evolution, big financial mistake by Microsoft. Let's hope Google start to look at the Desktop OS Market, because Microsoft have lost the plot!
 

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I agree. I keep hearing that same phrase over and over. That Windows 8 is "useless". Or they say "unproductive". All of which are measurably false, since Windows 8 does virtually everything Windows 7 does.
But if I'm the end user and I'm slower using this new system...how is it not less productive? If these new metro apps barely work or take lots of time to figure out, how is this more productive.


If a program launcher is the entirety of your universe, and it's the only that makes the OS "useful" or "productive", then I say you really aren't using your computer for much of anything.
It's not just the program launcher, that's just the obvious visible thing. There are settings in the control panel, and there are also settings in the Charms bar settings. I personal much prefer the color schemes and rounded corners of Windows 7, I find the new grey windows and square corners to be terribly bland.

If Windows 8 was my only choice, I could use it. No problems. But since I have Windows 7 and I have a choice as to whether I want to spend my money on 8, I choose not to. Some could say 8 is useless to me as it doesn't provide me with enough benefits to outweigh what I consider to be costs.

It's not popular with a small subset of very vocal people. Every poll that's been taken has shown that it's about a 2:1 in favor of Windows 8 and Metro. And that's just in people that express an opinion either way. There are probably a lot more people that are unconcerned either way.
One doesn't have to just come to this site to see that more than just a "small subset of very vocal people" don't like Windows 8. It's not 100% unanimous either, but it's certainly not just a teeny tiny minority of people who don't like it. Many people are not concerned as they have Windows 7, aren't planning to upgrade or buy a computer and could care less about what version of Windows is out there. Heck, many of 'em might even be planning to simply buy an Apple when their Windows pc finally croaks.

The truly interesting thing is how many people who WERE vocally against it have come around to either "It's not as bad as I used to think it was" or actually liking it. If you give it a chance, you may find it's not the evil spawn of satan you had convinced yourself it was.
At first I thought it was completely awful and should always be avoided at all costs. I'm still not a personal fan, am not planning to use it myself...but have suggested that some people at work who are in the market for a new PC at least give it a shake before they decide for sure that they want to stick with Windows 7. Of the 4 people who have purchased a new PC, 4 of them at my place have stuck with Windows 7 after having not been impressed with the Windows 8 system that I let them use at work.
 

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pparks you have the patience of a saint, I can't be bothered to spell out the obvious, but it's clear to me Microsoft have lost their way, and as such are now under real threat from the competition, not a bad thing anyway, but as an end user, Linux and Apple are going to be the likely beneficiaries of Microsoft's corporate blunders, don't see this Win 8 taking off at all.
 

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I actually think that for many, Windows 8 will be fine and many people will simply tolerate and adjust to it. The average home user who buys a new PC, gets Windows 8 and is unhappy is not likely going to say, "hmmm, perhaps it's time to download and use Linux instead".

I take the time to write out my posts because I am passionate about technology and love using technology. I want people to realize that I'm not just an MS hater who will hate any and everything they do. I don't just read that WIndows is bad and join the bandwagon. And I'm tired of people saying that those of us who don't like Windows 8 and complain are simply wrong, don't understand or simply don't want to change. I'm bothered by the fact that some people cannot understand that some of us have differing computer needs and that we might have evaluated the product wearing different glasses and thus have a different opinion than they do. Remember, I've never said that those who like WIndows 8 are wrong, I've just maintained that it's not for me. I debate the issues because I'm wllling to keep and open mind and change my opinion if the circumstances change.
 

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But if I'm the end user and I'm slower using this new system...how is it not less productive? If these new metro apps barely work or take lots of time to figure out, how is this more productive.

I was at a best buy the other day, the Apple person asked me if I wanted to learn how to use it. I said no (to Apple training). If you don't want to learn or cannot learn how to use 8 and multi task effectively, then that is your problem. Don't use apps that have issues. You don't have to use metro apps at all unless you want to. Is there anyone forcing you to use a metro app? (not the UI) It is unfair to compare work productivity with home use. Getting your facebook issues resolved is not really relevant to work productivity.
Do you know what you are doing?
 

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I actually think that for many, Windows 8 will be fine and many people will simply tolerate and adjust to it. The average home user who buys a new PC, gets Windows 8 and is unhappy is not likely going to say, "hmmm, perhaps it's time to download and use Linux instead".

I take the time to write out my posts because I am passionate about technology and love using technology. I want people to realize that I'm not just an MS hater who will hate any and everything they do. I don't just read that WIndows is bad and join the bandwagon. And I'm tired of people saying that those of us who don't like Windows 8 and complain are simply wrong, don't understand or simply don't want to change. I'm bothered by the fact that some people cannot understand that some of us have differing computer needs and that we might have evaluated the product wearing different glasses and thus have a different opinion than they do. Remember, I've never said that those who like WIndows 8 are wrong, I've just maintained that it's not for me. I debate the issues because I'm wllling to keep and open mind and change my opinion if the circumstances change.

Er, I doubt the average average user knows what Linux is or knows how to burn an .iso. And Ubuntu is still a waste of time for me. I still have to edit fstab and add noatime for my SSD, and if I want maximum versatility I still have to manually mount all my HDDs. In 2012. I'm pretty certain Linux will always be a fringe OS.
 

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Windows 7 + £24.99 = Windows 8
I honestly think Microsoft has run out of ideas.. every couple of years they are coming out with a new Windows in order to keep hundreds of their people in employment and make billions in profit "The wheel is still the same shape after thousand of years" so Windows is still Windows what ever you call it.So for curiosity I paid the money and played with Windows 8 for a few hours..I think it is worth it ( otherwise I would have spent more in the pub :) Getting rid of the Start button was a bad idea so I downloaded a free program called "Start Menu X" (a better one from Windows Start) and "Gadgets Pack" So I got my Windows 7 desktop back..Therefore I don't understand why people wants to go back to Windows 7 because in a nut shell Windows 8 is no worse than Windows 7..it is a bit better..there are some nice touches to it if you study it carefully and it is a bit faster and more secure. Why people hate Metro so much ??? It will entertain your kids for hours...if you don't want to see it you can get rid of it with one click..but DO NOT mess about with registry in order to tweak Windows 8..it will give you problems without you realising .So you bought an icecream with a chocolate bar on top of it..if you don't like chocolate keep it for the kids, just eat the icecream :)
 

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You know ... I downloaded Win8 Pro yesterday and did an upgrade install to my system because I had nothing better to do yesterday. At that point my position was that the product was of no use to me but I was doing it to be fair. I had tested it for about a year (on and off) in VM's. Now that I've been running it for the last 24 hours and it's settling down I'm beginning to understand just a little.

At the very least the system works as well as my Win7 system did. The upgrade handled everything I have installed and everything is working so no need to do a rebuild. (I'm a developer so I have a TON of things on the system - it takes me days to settle a new box down).

The desktop isn't nearly as flat and gray as I felt it was when I looked at the RP. All the "themes" I had built were seamlessly moved over and the bordering on the windows takes on the color of the theme, not just gray. It's not at-all bad. I thought I'd miss "Aero" but I really don't.

As for Metro ... I'm not likely to use it heavily but, at the same time, I've downloaded a few freebies - news readers, Netflix and stuff like that. I have to say that they work just fine. Something I didn't expect, though: "Hanging Out" over in the Metro to read a news story or watch a movie is really kind of relaxing. When I jump over there the desktop stays exactly the way I left it but I kind of "put it away" to go relax. A dimension of the system that I had not considered. I don't know if MS intended anything like that but to me it's turning out to be like two systems in one: my workplace in the desktop and a place I can go relax in the Metro.

Weird, huh? I was SO against this one, too. I'm finding I actually like the thing - and since all my tools run fine in it I've lost nothing. I did this originally just to "review" the thing in a live environment for a few friends that asked. I had my Win7 system all imaged on the backup drive fully intending to restore it after I got done evaluating the thing. As it turns out I think I'll keep it.

-Max :)
 

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But if I'm the end user and I'm slower using this new system...how is it not less productive? If these new metro apps barely work or take lots of time to figure out, how is this more productive.

I was at a best buy the other day, the Apple person asked me if I wanted to learn how to use it. I said no (to Apple training). If you don't want to learn or cannot learn how to use 8 and multi task effectively, then that is your problem.
Right, but I can multi task effectively with Windows 7 without having to upgrade to 8.

Don't use apps that have issues. You don't have to use metro apps at all unless you want to. Is there anyone forcing you to use a metro app? (not the UI)
No, I don't have to use these apps. At the present time though, without the new apps, the new UI doesn't provide me much in terms on tangible benefits either. So, I can easily live without some of the other advantages of Windows 8, so i can live happily on Windows 7. It's quite possible that others might feel exactly the same way. It's possible that by my explaining it, might make a person reconsider their decision to upgrade their own home machine as they realize they are more like me than you. Thus, explaining my perceived shortcomings of these apps could help somebody else and that is why I do it.

It is unfair to compare work productivity with home use. Getting your facebook issues resolved is not really relevant to work productivity.
Do you know what you are doing?
Why is this unfair? Do you know how I work with my computer at home. My home and my work productivity are very similar. I'm a systems admin and I run and test similar things in my home lab and at work.

Facebook was just my example above, there could be many other things that cause issues as well. And I do use Facebook for work purposes. I have many friends and colleagues that I contact via Facebook soliciting advice, opinions or experiences. Same reasons why using this forum is ok for work too. I learn from here and apply to work.
 

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Mystere said:
a subsystem that stays entirely out of your way if you don't use any metro apps.
Not completely. You still need to click the Desktop Tile on Metro before starting to work. (unless you install a third party software)
pparks said:
One doesn't have to just come to this site to see that more than just a "small subset of very vocal people" don't like Windows 8. It's not 100% unanimous either, but it's certainly not just a teeny tiny minority of people who don't like it.
I think poeple learned more how to use W8 as a normal Windows OS and not be stuck in Metro as originaly tried by the pundits who tested it and badly reported about it. W8 is accepted to the extend you can use it as you did with previous versions of Windows.
Let's see in 6 months the stats that shows the daily use of Metro... (Not now because now everybody is testing it). I guess that less than 1% will use it other than to launch a desktop application. If they still use Metro to launch Desktop apps, which makes no sens whatsoever.
 

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As for Metro ... I'm not likely to use it heavily but, at the same time, I've downloaded a few freebies - news readers, Netflix and stuff like that. I have to say that they work just fine. Something I didn't expect, though: "Hanging Out" over in the Metro to read a news story or watch a movie is really kind of relaxing. When I jump over there the desktop stays exactly the way I left it but I kind of "put it away" to go relax. A dimension of the system that I had not considered. I don't know if MS intended anything like that but to me it's turning out to be like two systems in one: my workplace in the desktop and a place I can go relax in the Metro.

It's sort of like the old Unix Virtual Desktops, or Mac's "Spaces". Although both of those allow you to have virtual screens with any app.

You're absolutely right, it leaves everything on your desktop alone. No need to rearrange anything. no need to minimize or maximize windows. Windows don't pop up over things. It is "simpler", though some would argue it's too simple. That works really well from some kinds of apps, like media players, or readers, where you get rid of all the distractions.

Weird, huh? I was SO against this one, too. I'm finding I actually like the thing - and since all my tools run fine in it I've lost nothing. I did this originally just to "review" the thing in a live environment for a few friends that asked. I had my Win7 system all imaged on the backup drive fully intending to restore it after I got done evaluating the thing. As it turns out I think I'll keep it.

One of the problems with people that "review" or "test" an OS in a virtual machine, is that they don't have any of their productivity apps installed. As such, they never really get a true impression of how using it on a day to day basis is. They only focus on the new stuff, not how it works with their old stuff. this leads people to wrongly conclude that the system only works with the new stuff, or to simply forget that it's more than just the new stuff.

This leads to the conclusion of "Ok, I've tested enough. Now, let me go back to my old windows so I can be productive and get stuff done". If you truly want to test an OS, you have to have EVERYTHING you use on a daily basis in it, so you can understand how it fits into your workflow, not just how you THINK It will fit into your workflow.
 

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Mystere said:
a subsystem that stays entirely out of your way if you don't use any metro apps.
Not completely. You still need to click the Desktop Tile on Metro before starting to work. (unless you install a third party software)

Once again. The Start Screen is *NOT* Metro. It's part of Windows Explorer. It just *LOOKS* like metro.

There are at least two different ways to go directly to the desktop on boot, documented here:

How to Boot to the Desktop in Windows 8 & Skip the Start Screen | 7 Tutorials
 

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I am sorry, but to me this is just another parrot piece. . .:D
 

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