I've had a lot to say about Windows 8, but here are my final thoughts

J4rrod

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I'm directly copying this from a comment I left on an article that was discussing Windows 8; but as the title implies, this will probably be the last thread I start on here, because frankly, it seems that no matter what, Win8 haters are going to hate, regardless of whether they give the OS an objective chance or not (I can tell you one thing, some of the criticisms I read on here make it obvious the author hasn't even booted Windows 8). But yeah, here is what I'm leaving you all with.

The original article can be found here: Does Apple Love PCs More Than Microsoft? | TechPinions

First, before I get started, I must point out the most obvious thing in Windows 8, yet what most people seem to completely ignore, the desktop is still there. It's the same desktop that is found on beloved Windows 7, and better. Every function you could perform on Windows 7 (desktop) you can still do on Windows 8, but at a lesser cost, since Windows 8 is FAR less resource hungry. You can still multitask brilliantly, use snap, peek, gadgets, etc. The only difference is the Start menu is gone. That's it. Now, you're thinking "but that's the biggest omission they could've done," but not quite.

Now, I will layout for you some reasons why the Start screen is better than the Start menu. First, let's be honest with ourselves, the Start menu has become far less important since Windows 7, thanks to the Taskbar. The Taskbar offers far more convenience & functionality for the items you use most on your PC than the Start menu ever could, and yes, you can still pin things to your Taskbar in Windows 8; however, I do understand that the Start menu has its purposes.

One of the main purposes for the Start menu was quick access to system controls, i.e. control panel, explorer, run, etc. You know, things you wouldn't necessarily want to pin to your Taskbar. Did you know that if you right-click where the Start menu used to be, you can a quick jump list to all of these commonly used programs?
Another awesome feature of the old Start menu was the ability to simply hit the Start button, then start typing the name of the application, file, etc. that you're looking for and it would appear in the list for you; did you know that this still works with the new Start menu? Just type!

It's no secret that these functions, that still work in Windows 8, were 90% (if not more) of the functions of the Start menu. For the other 10%, that's where "Pin to Start" comes into play. Personally, there's nothing more painful that having to go through a list of program names just to find the one I'm looking for, which was the case on the Start menu. Now, that's no more. You can literally pin anything in the OS to start (yes, even desktop applications), and instead of just being small text that could take a bit to find, it shows up as a big, nice tile, which is very easy to find and click. Heck, I've seen Start screens that have been filled up with Desktop tiles. You make your Start screen yours.

Now, let's talk about Metro apps. The first thing I want to discuss is your complaint over how the apps are full screen. I'm pretty sure I seen a poll one time (not sure what site) that asked about PC usage, specifically how many windows were open, on screen, at the same time. The resounding majority said they, most of the time, they only have one screen open, working with one program, in full screen.

My second point about Metro apps is the second word in that phrase, apps. People love apps. Nowadays, especially with the general public, the question about a consumer electronic is "does it have/how are the/how many: apps." There's an app craze. People don't even realize that it's short for application, they just know that app = cool/fun. That's where Windows 8 will attract, because it has an app store.

Let's now talk about Windows 8 on the upcoming machines. With the coming of Windows 8, there are going to be mainly three different ways to experience the OS: an ARM tablet, an x86 tablet, and a traditional PC form (desktop, laptop, etc.). You've already stated that you believe that Windows 8 will be fantastic on a tablet, and I couldn't agree more. It has features that destroy the competition, and it's no secret that Metro is an aesthetically attractive interface. So, let's go ahead and say the ARM tablet will be great with Windows 8. Now, let's look at the group of consumers who want a tablet that can completely eliminate their need for a separate computer. An iOS or Android tablet certainly isn't going to do the trick, and that's where x86 tablets come into play. With an x86 tablet, you get the best of both worlds. It's an amazing tablet OS with full computer capabilities; there's really no compromise. So, let's go ahead and say that x86 tablets will be a hit too.

Two out of three down; let's look at traditional PCs.

Let's get right down to it, traditional PCs are controlled with mouse/trackpad and keyboard, for the most part. I could go on and on about how I think Windows 8 works very well with this type of control, because I do, as I've ran the developer preview, consumer preview, and now release preview since day one. Sure, there's a learning curve, but wasn't there also a learning curve from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95? Did people (like you) complain then, too? Of course! But, I'm going to discuss what, again, people seem to ignore - the future. Have you seen some of the amazing form factors of upcoming Windows 8 laptops, like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga? It's insane! And in a good way. Microsoft has developed an OS that is pioneering, because it's encouraging hardware manufacturers to create unique form factors that have the potential to be the "next big thing." Then, I hear the complaint "forcing hardware manufacturers to put touch screens on their PCs will drive up costs substantially." I'm not denying this claim, but there was a time when the common computer had only 1-4mb of memory, and 8mb of memory cost $400; by the logic of what I hear today, Microsoft should've never made an OS that required/ran better on 8mb of memory.
I hope I've made some sense here. You must look at the big picture when talking about things like this. Microsoft is risking and betting big on this OS, and just like before, they're getting bashed for doing just that. With the huge UI change from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95, and now from Windows 7 to Windows 8, people will be frightened, but in the end, it will be successful, and pave the way for future technology.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope I've made sense here, I really do.
 

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people will be frightened

Huh?

We know you like it - that's fine

Some people don't like it.

It is not hard to understand
 

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Frightened?

Sounds like a "talking point" just like the other nonsensical bull about "fear of change" MS keeps blathering about.

Nope, maybe, just maybe the Metro UI doesn't work well in the desktop and laptop productivity environment. It's not fear, it is REALITY.
 

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I change my mind.

Right click and pin to start is very easy.

You can pin almost anything immediately.

Flipping between start page - desktop - app is very easy.
Very fast.
You can have 10 programs running, 7 apps open,
quickly switching with 1 simple click.

All it takes is getting to know the mouse gestures.

This is really different.
Finding the tiles you use often is easy.

8 is the metro explorer shell.
You can stay with 7.

I am bored with Windows 7 and Linux.
 

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8 is the metro explorer shell.
You can stay with 7.

I am bored with Windows 7 and Linux.

:haha: The OS is not an end in itself. Being "bored" with the OS is about the highest praise I can think of for an OS or any other program that's not just for entertainment. If Windows HE solves actual problems for you that Windows 7 does not, that would be interesting to hear about, but giving "boredom" as your reason for switching just comes across as superficial.
 

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I doubt this is the last you will say... lol.
 

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I actually dislike the legacy start menu.

I like:
1) the new explorer ribbon
2) 3D tiles
3) flipping pages
4) metro internet explorer
5) free apps
6) the new task manager look
7) mouse gestures
8) pin folders to start
9) Win + X
10) Charms Bar
11) snapping pages

etc... good enough for me

I never had to upgrade from ME, to XP, to Vista, and 7 to solve problems.
The OS is an end to me. An end to boredom.
 
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Once you learn that you can pin Desktop items to the Start Screen, things become a LOT, LOT, LOT, better than before. Why some things aren't there by default is a valid question, as I'd like to be able to have those things there, as do I bet a lot of people.
 

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Yes, you like a kids OS, great. Most people don't however.
Frightened, man the os is just crap for touch screens. Nothing more , nothing less.
 

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Once you learn that you can pin Desktop items to the Start Screen, things become a LOT, LOT, LOT, better than before. Why some things aren't there by default is a valid question, as I'd like to be able to have those things there, as do I bet a lot of people.
That is not a solution! Switching between these two environment is unpleasant and slow, and if I want to look for a program I don't need a fullscreen research.

Now, let's talk about Metro apps. The first thing I want to discuss is your complaint over how the apps are full screen. I'm pretty sure I seen a poll one time (not sure what site) that asked about PC usage, specifically how many windows were open, on screen, at the same time. The resounding majority said they, most of the time, they only have one screen open, working with one program, in full screen.
But weren't Americans so fond of individual freedom? The fact that the majority behaves in a particular way does not mean that my experience has to be limited/uniformed.
My second point about Metro apps is the second word in that phrase, apps. People love apps. Nowadays, especially with the general public, the question about a consumer electronic is "does it have/how are the/how many: apps." There's an app craze. People don't even realize that it's short for application, they just know that app = cool/fun. That's where Windows 8 will attract, because it has an app store.
I don't care about names, people do? Fine, call them apps, the problems with them is that they are NOT customizable, and they work one at a time. If they care so much about words than they should not cal this Windows: this is not Windows at all, they want fullscreen and a single layer of programs(/apps/applications/executables, call them the way you want), where are the Windows?

Using desktop is not a solution, it leaves you out of innovation and leaves you with an unconsistent environment that doesn't benefit of the new features. Problem is, nowadays MS think innovation lies in doing what apple do and limit user experience, so that everyone behaves the way they want
 

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Once you learn that you can pin Desktop items to the Start Screen, things become a LOT, LOT, LOT, better than before. Why some things aren't there by default is a valid question, as I'd like to be able to have those things there, as do I bet a lot of people.
That is not a solution! Switching between these two environment is unpleasant and slow, and if I want to look for a program I don't need a fullscreen research.

Now, let's talk about Metro apps. The first thing I want to discuss is your complaint over how the apps are full screen. I'm pretty sure I seen a poll one time (not sure what site) that asked about PC usage, specifically how many windows were open, on screen, at the same time. The resounding majority said they, most of the time, they only have one screen open, working with one program, in full screen.
But weren't Americans so fond of individual freedom? The fact that the majority behaves in a particular way does not mean that my experience has to be limited/uniformed.

- Please tell me you're not being serious here? Your experience does not have to be "limited/uniformed," because you don't have to use Metro apps if you don't want to, and you can still use your Desktop as in Windows 7. Now you even have more freedom, a freedom to choose if you want to run Metro apps or not.

My second point about Metro apps is the second word in that phrase, apps. People love apps. Nowadays, especially with the general public, the question about a consumer electronic is "does it have/how are the/how many: apps." There's an app craze. People don't even realize that it's short for application, they just know that app = cool/fun. That's where Windows 8 will attract, because it has an app store.
I don't care about names, people do? Fine, call them apps, the problems with them is that they are NOT customizable, and they work one at a time. If they care so much about words than they should not cal this Windows: this is not Windows at all, they want fullscreen and a single layer of programs(/apps/applications/executables, call them the way you want), where are the Windows?

Using desktop is not a solution, it leaves you out of innovation and leaves you with an unconsistent environment that doesn't benefit of the new features. Problem is, nowadays MS think innovation lies in doing what apple do and limit user experience, so that everyone behaves the way they want
Yes, sadly, people do care about names. I am giving reasons as to why Windows 8 fits with today's generally ignorant society; that's what the general public is today - ignorant. Like I said, they were the word "app," and they automatically thing it's cool.

Using desktop is a solution, because you have the option, at any time you want, to go into it, and it's a better, less resource-hungry version of the desktop you know and love. It would be unconsistent if the Start screen and the desktop didn't talk to each other, and you couldn't Pin things from desktop to Start (which DOES need work, I should be able to pin individual files).


I think the biggest and best thing that would happen in Windows 8 for the desktop would be this: when you're on the Desktop and you hit the Search button in the Charms menu, a sidebar pops out for you to search apps/files/folders, instead of the entire screen being covered up by the list of app/files/folders. Would this solve yours and everyone else's issues (for the most part)?
 

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Putting the small fast and efficient start menu back would solve 99% of the complaints here I think!

It's pretty freaking simple.

If MS wanted to do something AWESOME they would integrate metro "apps" into the desktop on desktop computers. Make a MetroDesktop that kicks ass in both worlds in a single unified interface instead of the frankenstein design they came up with.

But that would be work.

Just put the GD start menu back and a boot to desktop option and in 2 minutes everyone would shut up!
 

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They don't want to do that.

The whole point is to keep sending you to the the start screen - that is where the aggressive marketing of online services happens.

If they let people navigate around with a start menu - most won't go anywhere the metro stuff - except perhaps for a weather or map app. on the odd occasion.
 

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I agree with most of that, but:

1/ why cut out those with small lower resolution screens? Our money is as good as anybody else's, even if our pockets may be smaller too.

2/ why does metro not enforce UAC within its domain, not just refuse to run Apps if UAC is disabled in the desktop?

3/ why require Windows Live accounts for full functionality and not local accounts? Our money is as good as anybody else's, even if we do not want to live in Microsoft's pockets.

4/ why is it so easy to unpin and even uninstall all the apps from the Metro interface, and they don't grow back (or do they?)
 

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They don't want to do that.

The whole point is to keep sending you to the the start screen - that is where the aggressive marketing of online services happens.

If they let people navigate around with a start menu - most won't go anywhere the metro stuff - except perhaps for a weather or map app. on the odd occasion.

That is all absolutely true... and yes, so of course they won't. That's the worst part. When you realise what their plan actually is and it's NOT to make a better Windows experience :( It's to trap you into a "cloud" of Microsoft services and opportunities to continuously pay and pay and pay.

The OS itself is forcing people into MSs continuous revenue stream model. That's just not right. Even if Google OS and OSX won't play fair with competing services, at least it seemed like Windows did, mainly because windows itself didn't offer any, Windows 8 is the end of all that. It's a bit like how to get the best G+ experience you have to use Chrome because it has built in functionality for Google services. That's just "not right". It's of course their prerogative... but it's not user friendly at all.

Were heading in the wrong direction with all this. Soon we'll not be able to choose which service from which provider is the best, the OSes themselves will make that choice for you and then you end up having to stick with one company alone to get good/maximum functionality. What if I want a Windows desktop and a google tablet and an Apple phone? That choice is increasingly less and less viable as we move "forward" like this and get forced into vendor lock-in on every front.
 

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Please tell me you're not being serious here? Your experience does not have to be "limited/uniformed," because you don't have to use Metro apps if you don't want to, and you can still use your Desktop as in Windows 7. Now you even have more freedom, a freedom to choose if you want to run Metro apps or not.
Wait a second, having the option to use the desktop is great BUT:
1. I am continuously forced to switch to metro to search for things, launch programs, open files, because I have to use the new fullscreen start menu, that acts like a second desktop
2. Using desktop just means being cut out of the main innovations of Win8 UI. What if developers abandon desktop and just create metro apps? What if Skype becomes a metro app? Sticking with the old is not a solution, because people will eventually step to metro and the majority of the new additions will only work with metro. Besides Metro apps have cool features, the charm bar is useful (I know it works on legacy but it just feel out of place there), Cloud integration is great, and also touch support!

I infinitely thank MS for letting me use Desktop, but I hope they realise that this new UI is inferior, and the best solution is not to "separate" but to "integrate" keeping the best out of the two!

It is not that difficult! Metro is 2D, there are not layers of apps one above each other, there is just a monochromatic (and useless) background and a main layer used by a single app at a time (2 if I have a High res monitor apparently). Why not giving us back the workspace that we are used to? Infinite layers and movable Windows. This OS is called Windows for a reason...


If MS wanted to do something AWESOME they would integrate metro "apps" into the desktop on desktop computers. Make a MetroDesktop that kicks ass in both worlds in a single unified interface instead of the frankenstein design they came up with.
Exaclty, which is basically the same thing. Make tiles work on Desktop, so that I have all their marketing in my workspace, and make their apps work in windowed mode!
 

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I'm so proud of this thread right now lol. No one is saying "omg I hate metro it's so ugly and stupid and useless I hate you MS," but we're now making good conversation.

I really think the idea I had earlier would do so much in solving everyone's problem - when you use the search option in the Charms menu on the Desktop, it should not cover up the entire Desktop so you can search for apps, but it should remain a side pop-out menu that allows you to search for apps and files and allow drag-and-drop. Do you guys think this is a good idea? I submitted this through multiple ways in hopes that MS sees this.
 

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J4rrod, lots will disagree, but I think MS has it right.
Going to CB, clicking search, then apps (full screen view),
to return to desktop is simply a 1 stroke gesture along the left side and punch the desktop tile.
1 second.
 

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Oh, I'm sorry. You mentioned drag n drop.
Well, you can right click (on the all apps page full view)
and pin to taskbar (bottom left of screen)
if you want to ... (put something on the desktop)

anyway ...
 
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I'm so proud of this thread right now lol. No one is saying "omg I hate metro it's so ugly and stupid and useless I hate you MS," .

Because we are tire to say so, it's start to be "at nausea" to talk about the dislike and like of Windows 8, There no need to talk about what will be better, MS don't listen. Here my final thoughts about Windows 8;

I'm force to learn it because some of my customers in few months will purchase a Dell with Windows 8 and it's me who will have to fix their problems or explain them how it work. Fortunately I mainly have corporate customers, so they usually consults me before purchase something so my answer will be easy "Stay with Windows 7"

Actually I already inform them to purchase some extra copy of Windows 7 in case they plan to purchase new computers in the next 2 years.
 

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