Apps vs Programs Question

Ron AKA

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As I understand it in the new Microsoft invented vocabulary, Apps are applications run in the new Metro operating system, and Programs are run in the old standard Windows operating system. I am finding I have absolutely no need for these "Apps" and want to minimize or eliminate them from my system. When I installed Win8 about two months ago, I knew I would upgrade to 8.1 by year end, and have not put a lot of effort into customizing the interface. I just let software install as it wanted to (standard defaults). Now, I'm starting to get prepared for the 8.1 upgrade and would like to do it right this time, and minimize to the extent possible the intrusion of Metro and Company. I see that one interesting feature of 8.1 is the ability to delete all Apps from the system, which brings me to my question.

When I click on the Charms Search I get a screen with the title of Apps. However, it has more than just Apps, and is actually a useful screen as it appears to assign a tile for all executables on the computer. It is a useful screen and I believe(?) it is maintained in 8.1. In 8.0 the screen lists what appears to be Apps first, and then Programs to the right in a somewhat hieratical manner. However, mixed in with these "Apps" are some of what I would call programs. For some reason Windows decided to put real programs like Photoshop Elements and Photoshop Lightroom in with the Apps. So, in Windows 8.1 if I select to delete all Apps will I lose Elements and Lightroom along with the built in Apps that Microsoft forced into my system?
 

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You could be right, but I have no knowledge of any way to delete all the apps. I am using 8.1
But 8.1 does have the option to boot straight through to the legacy desktop, thus avoiding the modern screen. Having done that, if it is the path you prefer, there is no reason to need the modern screen again.
 
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There is no difference between Programs and Apps, they are just words.

appsl.jpg
 

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It is a question of splitting hairs, possibly. Programs, referring to those we have been accustomed to in Windows 7 and earlier, run automatically in the legacy desktop by default. Apps, from the Store, run in full screen mode . But, as the picture shows, in spite of MS themselves having made a virtual difference, they still tabulate all, under "Apps".
But, already, colloquially, if you refer to "Apps", it will be assumed you are talking about those already in the modern screen and as well as many in the store.

Essentially, it is meaningless.
 

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... So, in Windows 8.1 if I select to delete all Apps will I lose Elements and Lightroom along with the built in Apps that Microsoft forced into my system?

Curious, what apps did Microsoft force into your system?

Edit: Oh wait, I forgot... All the default junk one may not want or need ? Like News, Mail, Travel, Finance, Maps, Food, Social Media messaging, etc... I got rid (UNINSTALLED) of those in minutes.
Uninstalling metro programs should not affect installed Win32 based desktop apps. (apps = applications)

Basically, if you want to minimize the start screen, just unpin everything.
 
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Something like this won't affect your desktop programs.

dropss.jpg
 

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Both are Programs, but I always refer to my iPhone programs as Apps, and my Desktop Software as Programs. I refer to MS tile things as "Crap" or "Junk"

I tried out a Multi-Recording [DEL]app[/DEL] Crap from the store, what CRAP! It was a 10 buck app. No Thanks, I'll stick to Pro Tools.
 

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I refer to MS tile things as "Crap" or "Junk"

Oh, have you tried Netflix? Since I do not have Cable Television, Netflix is an awesome alternative. There have been improvements in the metro program. My insurance company has a nice free metro application and prints insurance cards better than the desktop app. HD Weather, IHeart Radio, free PDF Reader, Background Wallpapers HD, Best Buy, National Parks, Babbel, Pinball FX, Music Maker Jam, Slacker Radio, Daily Motion, Vevo, You Tube Downloader, The Big Picture, SlapDash Podcasts, Chicago Times, USA Today, LeMonde, Clubbing TV, etc...
Oh, I see, nothing to see here :zip: :doh:
 

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I have all those on my iPhone. I can log into my Progressive Insurance app and show the cop my Insurance Card if I can't find it in my glovebox. Uh... NO Windows 8 app for that. I can print the Card under certain circumstances. I have FileExplorer with which can connect to all of my Windows computers and pull files from, save them in my phone and then upload them to my Box, Dropbox, or Google Drive or Skydrive accounts. Needless to say, I use Quicken, and I enter purchases into my iPhone app. When I open the PROGRAM on my PC, all the purchases are there downloaded and VERIFIED through my connection to my bank. Oops, there IS no Quicken app for Windows 8.

I got my phone which is better than unplugging by tower and my 40" HDTV and dragging them around in my car, even if I could DO that, there are simply very few Windows 8 Tile Craps that are actually useful. I even have VLC iPhone app and there IS none for Windows 8.

For every one useful Netflix app there are hundreds of thousands of Junk Crapapps. I suppose some people just love worthless games, mislabeled VLC fake Video players, and whatever crapola shows up in he search when you type what you are looking for, and it's usually some 10 buck tutorial app.

I've said it before in the news area, there is one and only one really good Windows 8 Tile, that's Angry Birds. It's a quality app, just as good on Windows 8 as it is on my iPhone.

The issue is, I use my Desktop for completely different uses than my Mobile Device be that a tablet or a phone. The Metro interface is merely a convenience, and it is not convenient, because it STILL lacks any quality apps.

Within one year of iOS store, there were thousands of very useful apps, some of the ones I use are still original versions that have worked great from iOS 1 to 6. Well, the Windows 8 Store has been live for a year - WHERE are the apps?

None of the things you spouted are useful as Tile apps, but they are useful as Websites if they exist as such.

BTW - I agree with you on one thing, your Start Screen looks like mine kind of. But that is never seen.
 

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I apologize Ron AKA but I get annoyed by metro bashers who do not use the modern UI.

I have all those on my iPhone.
I don't have an iPhone or SmartPhone. (or tablet)

NO Windows 8 app for that
Is that Microsoft's fault?

there are simply very few Windows 8 Tile Craps that are actually useful
We will never agree.

None of the things you spouted are useful as Tile apps, but they are useful as Websites if they exist as such
We will never agree.

It is interesting to me how so called Windows 8 specialists do not understand WinRT.
 

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You could be right, but I have no knowledge of any way to delete all the apps. I am using 8.1
But 8.1 does have the option to boot straight through to the legacy desktop, thus avoiding the modern screen. Having done that, if it is the path you prefer, there is no reason to need the modern screen again.

I was going by the screen shot they show in Step 1 of this article on The Metro Hater's Guide to Windows 8.1. But, looking at it more carefully there may be a previous step which is not shown, which is to check off each app that you want to uninstall. On the first read I was thinking there was a single box to check off to uninstall all "Apps".
 

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BTW - I agree with you on one thing, your Start Screen looks like mine kind of. But that is never seen.

As a point to help the thread topic, my start screen is clean but not empty.
There are at least 30 metro applications installed.
All of which can be accessed by a single key stroke, then selecting from the list.

Unpinning start screen tiles will not affect installed applications.
 

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There is no difference between Programs and Apps, they are just words.

View attachment 30476
My "Apps" screen does not look like that. I would post an image of it, but my Print Screen function does not seem to work when I display that screen. In any case I have the Apps text in the top left as shown, and then under that two colums of what I assume are "Apps". Then to the right of that there are more boxes with headings, and a set of boxes for each general heading. They are even in alphabetical order of the headings. Makes a bit of sense. Again, perhaps just my bad assumption, but I assumed it was designating the ones on the left which are centered under the Apps title were the apps, and the stuff on the right the Desktop programs.
 

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I apologize Ron AKA but I get annoyed by metro bashers who do not use the modern UI.

I have all those on my iPhone.
I don't have an iPhone or SmartPhone. (or tablet)

NO Windows 8 app for that
Is that Microsoft's fault?

there are simply very few Windows 8 Tile Craps that are actually useful
We will never agree.

None of the things you spouted are useful as Tile apps, but they are useful as Websites if they exist as such
We will never agree.

It is interesting to me how so called Windows 8 specialists do not understand WinRT.

Yes, it IS MS's fault actually.

Anyway we don't have to agree, Metro is a big thorn, totally useless. Look, even without a Mobile device, windows 8 offers NO tiles that serve any purposes. Even Droid is better, and I hate Droid too. But even on Droid I can find ALL of the apps that are there by default in the Apple App store.

It's MS fault cos they ALLOW these crappy fake apps into the store, just like it's Apple fault when they do the same thing, I blame Apple AND MS for this superfluity of worthless cack. It's MS fault cos all they care about is making MONEY, not servicing our purposes, so from the start there has not been one real quality Productivity app. Every single original app was designed to plug into already existing Websites like Facebook, And facebook even did not have a tile app until recently, all of the rest of them are fakes.

And Yes. I know a LOT about Windows 8, and the RT section of it. I know how to use it, maintain it and most importantly IGNORE it. Look, it would be great if there were comparable apps that are in every other mobile device, but there just AIN'T - They are not there, and it is MS practices of letting every 12 year old developer put an app in the store which is either a copy of something else or otherwise totally worthless.

So I call programs that go into Smartphones Apps which is what everyone else calls them, and I call Desktop Programs, Programs. I think crap is too good a word for what I wanna call MS tile stuff.
 

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    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
My "Apps" screen does not look like that.

That is a minimized All Apps screen. You can get it to look like that by selecting the tiny minus sign in the bottom right side of the screen or by pressing CTRL and rolling your mouse wheel.

appspointer.jpg

As you can see, the apps as listed are not apps but shortcuts that are also defined as an app.
 

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    Totally silent. No fans at all.
There is no difference between Programs and Apps, they are just words.

View attachment 30476
My "Apps" screen does not look like that. I would post an image of it, but my Print Screen function does not seem to work when I display that screen. In any case I have the Apps text in the top left as shown, and then under that two colums of what I assume are "Apps". Then to the right of that there are more boxes with headings, and a set of boxes for each general heading. They are even in alphabetical order of the headings. Makes a bit of sense. Again, perhaps just my bad assumption, but I assumed it was designating the ones on the left which are centered under the Apps title were the apps, and the stuff on the right the Desktop programs.

By the default definition, ALL apps are Programs. The word APP has been used in the last 5 years, even longer because my Treo had "Apps" - But Apps can be defined differently, because they are totally different than Programs. They are installed differently, Apple Apps are in an IPA package, cYdia apps are in another kind of package. Windows Programs are installed from an EXE file which sometimes is connected to an MSI file, which is the case with certain MS updates and Feature installers.

If you look at the usage of the word "App" in media in the last 4 years, it is mostly used in reference to something on a Smartphone. So while the absolute definition of an App is a Program, by current Urban usage of the word it means a Smartphone Program.

Anyway, anyone who wants can use any MS tile (c)app they want, it don't concern me at all, and I'll use one when I find one or two that do what they claim, and with over 100 of these things installed, there is only one, Angry Birds.

But my main use of a PC is strictly for running Programs installed via an EXE file that run in Desktop Mode, because thats what I've always used it for.
 

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    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
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    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
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    Works 550w
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    MSI "M-Box"
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    Water Cooled
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    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
It is a question of splitting hairs, possibly. Programs, referring to those we have been accustomed to in Windows 7 and earlier, run automatically in the legacy desktop by default. Apps, from the Store, run in full screen mode . But, as the picture shows, in spite of MS themselves having made a virtual difference, they still tabulate all, under "Apps". But, already, colloquially, if you refer to "Apps", it will be assumed you are talking about those already in the modern screen and as well as many in the store. Essentially, it is meaningless.

I will be the first to admit I don't understand what Microsoft was trying to do with Windows 8 other than to try and make money by selling to smartphone and tablet users. That said I was of the understanding that "Apps" or perhaps more correctly called "Metro Apps" in software coding terms really were different. For example I don't think you can take one of their built in Apps like "Photo" and run it from the Desktop in a regular Window. Or can you? I've only clicked on them once or twice and hated them. It gave me nightmares about thinking I was working with a giant cell phone screen! And isn't the reverse true? I didn't think you could take a standard desktop Windows program and run it in the Metro full screen cell phone mode.

Please forgive my ignorance about the Metro stuff. I bought Windows 8 to get the latest Windows technology, not the latest cell phone technology.
 

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    HIS Radeon HD 7770
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    Asus PA248Q
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    Hard Drives
    128 GB 840 Pro Samsung SSD
    2 x 1TB Seagate Barracuda (Storage Space - Simple)
    PSU
    Antec 550
    Case
    Antec Sonata II
    Cooling
    CoolerMaster TPC 812
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Quickfire XT Brn - wired PS/2
    Mouse
    Roccat Lua - wired USB
    Internet Speed
    15
    Browser
    IE10
    Antivirus
    MS Defender
I will be the first to admit I don't understand what Microsoft was trying to do with Windows 8 other than to try and make money by selling to smartphone and tablet users. That said I was of the understanding that "Apps" or perhaps more correctly called "Metro Apps" in software coding terms really were different. For example I don't think you can take one of their built in Apps like "Photo" and run it from the Desktop in a regular Window. Or can you?
NOPE
I've only clicked on them once or twice and hated them. It gave me nightmares about thinking I was working with a giant cell phone screen! And isn't the reverse true? I didn't think you could take a standard desktop Windows program and run it in the Metro full screen cell phone mode.

Please forgive my ignorance about the Metro stuff. I bought Windows 8 to get the latest Windows technology, not the latest cell phone technology.

Look "emdemd" has found a bunch of them he liked, and I'm happy for him, that they exist for his purposes, but they do not exist for mine.

So I shunt the Start Screen aside. I made it look nice for when it shows up, and I even have 100 bleeding Metro Apps installed, cos despite how much I hate it, I am HOPING that I will find one or two useful apps. Not yet!

But on the other hand Windows 8 run nice and fast and smooth and as a Desktop OS I love it.

On the other hand, you CAN run a Desktop Program on a Cell Phone, I have Dospad installed on my iPhone, and it opens a fully working copy of Windows 3.1. I have all kinds of old Dos games in there and they run great, especially Wolfenstein 3D.

What I love about by iPhone is that there are at least 15 or 20 very well designed Apps that allow me to connect to my PC and perform various tasks, and when I think of it, I really don't need the same apps in Windows 8, because the point is, I'm Controlling Windows 8 from my Phone, not from within itself. Otherwise I would be sitting in front of my PC.

But I don't HAVE to, because I can control my PC with WiFiSendServer that connects to a Windows 8 Remote Mouse, or I can use Remote Mouse, which was just updated to include Stylus Entry. So Now I can draw on my Paint App using that. Or I can explore all of my folders and files and move things from one PC to another or even to another PC at a different location- So that when I get to that PC, the files I need are already there. Or, I can watch my VLC playlist and control it with VLC Remote.

And I have already asked the dev for VLC Remote to make a Windows 8 version, he hasn't yet, not for RT, only for the 8 Phone.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
But my main use of a PC is strictly for running Programs installed via an EXE file that run in Desktop Mode, because thats what I've always used it for.

Fine, and most will agree with you. But that's only 1/2 half of the OS. The Windows 8 specialists who think they know all about Windows 8, are mostly experts with the desktop app.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Server 2012 / 8.0
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7 QuadCore 3770k
    Motherboard
    Asrock Extreme 4
    Memory
    16GB Crucial Ballistix
    Graphics Card(s)
    intel embedded gpu
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster Z
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC / Westinghouse
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Plextor pcie msata
    PSU
    Rosewill Silent Night 500W Fanless / PicoPSU
    Case
    open bench - no case enclosure
    Cooling
    Silverstone HEO2 Passive Silent
    Keyboard
    logitech washable K310
    Mouse
    logitech wired
    Browser
    ie / maxthon
    Other Info
    Totally silent. No fans at all.
Just because I hate it, doesn't mean I don't KNOW all about how it works and how to use it, thats a misconception.

Besides, it's the Desktop side that we are responding to in these forums, very rarely the Metro side.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
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