Complaints about Windows 8 appear to be mostly lack of knowledge

CalBear

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Yes, I like to try something new/better/different. I installed the CP/M mod in my TRS 80 Model III to see what it was all about. Turns out it added lots of capabilities. It wasn't very nice to have to reinitialize the floppy drives every time you changed a disk. Similarly there are some things in Window 8 that won't be as convenient as they were in Windows 7 or even XP.

Reading many of the complaints on Forum postings I look for responses that tell me the new way to do things and usually find it may be even better than the old way. Not always of course. "Windows 8 Secrets" just released has been a great help in understanding the improvements in desktop and how to use "Metro".

Every serious productivity (power) user will have to climb that learning curve but the results should be as good or better than Windows 7 and they may even find they enjoy some of the Metro apps.
 
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Not my first time come across with this kind of judgement.

People mostly speak out of their preferences in using Windows as their part of daily life activity. That is why it matters to them venting anything that not meeting their preferences. Knowledge if any, isn't the big deal in this situation.
Some like Metro, and speak it out.
Some don't, they do the same thing. But surely speaking about something met and unmet will fall into different ways. That's perfectly normal. At least to me.

People who like metro will have their time enjoying and exploring it.
People who don't will demand how things to be as close as their preferences.
What I understand is, both group are actually within learning process by different ways.

But, judging people who like and dislike (complain or not complain about) Metro UI just based on their lacking/not lacking knowledge is something that I will never do. ;)

Kevin
 

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You make a good point. However, a year from now how many people who use Windows 8 will still be complaining? Yes, there will be some but most will have gained the knowledge that allows them to easily do everything they did with Windows 7 and more.
 

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Frankly, I find that most people that LIKE metro are in fact the ones that "Lack Knowledge".

They lack the knowledge of how people that REALLY use computers REALLY use them!

Metro is nothing but a commercial, playskool, walled garden tacked on piece of junk that does nothing for and even gets in the way of real productivity.

But to each his own...
 

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..... Never mind.. brain fart.
 

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Frankly, I find that most people that LIKE metro are in fact the ones that "Lack Knowledge".

They lack the knowledge of how people that REALLY use computers REALLY use them!

Metro is nothing but a commercial, playskool, walled garden tacked on piece of junk that does nothing for and even gets in the way of real productivity.

But to each his own...


I don't see much use for Metro yet, but it may get better. I like desktop because it has some nice new features and I hope the faster boot holds up when there are lots of programs installed. It is completely as usable for productivity applications as any previous version of Windows.

Regarding complaints.... Wow did I complain when I first tried Windows 8 and couldn't figure how to turn the darn thing off. But now that I have more knowledge it turns out to be as easy as in XP or Win 7, two or three clicks. Actually I use a desktop icon for one click reboot or shutdown.
 

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Hehehe...

But seriously. When your job requires you to have multiple monitors and 6-10 programs running at once and the need to have several of them visible at all times, then no Metro itself is completely unusable. Course the Windows 8 desktop is still usable, but all the horn blowing about the end of the desktop and Metro isn't "worse" just "Different" comes from people that seem to not actually work on projects that really USE the windowing interface. But in a lot of cases it's vital. Metro as it is just does not cut it at all in those situations.

I get Metro, I think I get it more than most (The advertising platform alone is going to make MS $$$ like never before). I cringe at the direction it's taking us to be honest :(
 

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Just because someone else doesn't get where I'm coming from, doesn't mean that I don't get Metro... it's use, it's limitations and Microsoft's entire philosophy behind it's push and the various ways they plan on reaping profits from it.
 

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Profits... what a terrible thing :)

At this point I don't see any real attraction to the Metro apps for me. I can see where folks that spend most of their computer time consuming content will probably find them useful, but not so much on a 24-inch monitor.

I'll have to admit that when I was using Wordstar and Lotus 123 I didn't see the great attraction for the use of a mouse. Well you know how that ended up. Perhaps I'll fall in love with some Metro apps when I see what's actually available and running from the Store.
 

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Biggest complaint about people looking at Windows Phones? Not enough Apps. Biggest complaint about the Black Berry Playbook? Not enough Apps. Whether Microsoft is bound to make profit (OH NO!!) with Apps is irrelevant, users want Apps.
 

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I've seen that happen a few times where someone complains about a feature missing, then later told it's simply accessible right here. I've also seen a few people literally could care less for Windows 8 because of the Start Screen, or some people just avoiding the Start Screen with some GOD awful fly-out based start menu replacement (Windows Xp anyone?), that FINALLY, FINALLY start using the Start Screen in a way they used the start menu for, and FINALLY started to warm up to it.

As for app profits, really? A HUGE chunk of current app selection is free, even on Windows Phone 7, most are free. The ones that aren't are usually games and some utility apps. In the Windows Store, and probable Windows Phone Store, apps are/will be $1.49 to both keep crap apps out and keep developers' pricing the same as on other platforms. I believe Microsoft takes 30 percent of each app sale, so they make about 47 cents per purchase, leaving the developer a good dollar for each app, versus about 70 cents for a $0.99 app in apple's app store.

Then there's limited functionality complaints........ UGH.
Photo (16).jpg
Really right now, really? Would it KILL you to AT LEAST PUT IN AN EFFORT? There isn't limited functionality, and if there are legitimate complaints, they're usually trivial. Start Screen acts the same as start menu, but with different app launching functionality. It can be a metro app, or Desktop app. If you have multiple monitors, and multiple programs running daily, how is a Start Screen that is only evoked on one screen when you evoke it on that screen a limitation?

But these have been my observations. I've been using Windows 8 since almost 12 whole months now, in a few weeks, and I've loved it since I first installed the Developer Preview and exclaimed, "Whoa!" at it when the Start Screen appeared. I had a slight learning curve the first week, but smoothest of sailing ever since! :D
 

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I didn't start complaining about W8/Metro by lack of knowledge. I had a look at the Metro Start Screen snapshot and this sufficed for me to say "No. No they are kidding?! No way I will want that on my computer!". And that was the snapshots posted on Microsoft's blog and other reputedly serious websites.
That was the thing that stopped me straight on the spot. If an OS is designed with this sort of philosophy I don't want to use it already, even before testing it. I have spent hours reading about W8, and what I read confirmed my feelings. I do know it's possible to configure or disable Metro. But this new Modern UI is realy not attractive to me. TBS, I may use W8 in the future and that's why I'm expressing my opinion.
 

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My 64-bit Enterprise RTM 90-day trial is rocking along
nicely now. I've sorted my openGL issues, and am using
a combination of the Start screen and Classic Shell.

Yes, I use both ATM, it's a good way to get used to the new
setup, and I find I'm slowly starting to use Metro more.

And, with 25+ years experience, 18 of them on Windows, I'm
certainly no 'newbie' or lacking in knowledge.

I can happily live with Win 8 now that I've 'tamed' it, and
it IS growing on me.

But yes, I DO want transparency back. On THIS machine
any performance hit is non-existent, and I do like a bit of
eye-candy.

After all, it's ME who has to look at it all day......
 

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Congats, Kat.
You have followed the same path as myself. Next step for me, already passed, once I has custmised the Metro screen and got used to, was to turn off classic. Now, no visible start button, but I know it is there and takes me back to the Start (Metro) Screen. No great difference from Windows 7. I am only using the pure metro programs for a couple of the silly, time waster games.
 

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There are some good points being made. Still - can anybody tell me why I should use Windows 8 rather than Windows 7 (on a normal desktop).

I have been playing with Windows 8 since day 1 - not as a 'production system', but still trying out a lot of functions. I have no problem with the 'Metro', in fact I find it better than the traditional start menu. The problem I have is that there is no really attractive new function in Windows 8 that would incent me to spend any money on it. My Windows 7 systems run very well and will probably still run for a looong time.
 

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There are some good points being made. Still - can anybody tell me why I should use Windows 8 rather than Windows 7 (on a normal desktop).

I have been playing with Windows 8 since day 1 - not as a 'production system', but still trying out a lot of functions. I have no problem with the 'Metro', in fact I find it better than the traditional start menu. The problem I have is that there is no really attractive new function in Windows 8 that would incent me to spend any money on it. My Windows 7 systems run very well and will probably still run for a looong time.

My favorites are the new Program Manager and File Explorer (was Windows Explorer). I particularly like the fact that Program Manager will tell you which programs are using CPU, Memory, Disk and Internet. I monitor disk and internet activity all the time with two small program windows in the right upper corner of my second 24-inch monitor. It really bugs me when there is data going in/out over the internet and I don't know what program is doing it. Of course its something reasonable with Norton or Windows or whatever but I would like to know. My other reason for upgrading is to learn about and maybe eventually to enjoy some Metro apps.

Are these enough reasons to "recommend" an upgrade? No, probably not but I like to experiment. That's why I'll probably go for a dual boot as I have now with the preview version. Its easy to configure my data/email files so they are available from either system. I want to make sure my many applications and programs used for document/spreadsheet/website development work okay before completely committing to Windows 8.

Other ideas of Desktop improvements are probably good for a new thread... or replies here.
 

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whs. In spite of my obvious liking for Windows 8, I reluctantly have to say, to your first sentence , None whatsoever. I understand there are one or two quite advanced features, which, perhaps, a minority use. I am a fairly straightforward user and, frankly, am still hunting for those "under the hood" features which the pundits are often repeating.
Unfortunately, I am a new program/OS freak, and like to dig into them as soon as it is possible!
 

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Program Manager will tell you which programs are using CPU, Memory, Disk and Internet
That is the same as the Resource Monitor in Windows 7.
 

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