Everything You Need To Know About Windows 8.1

Courtesy of Beta News/Wayne Williams:

Most memorable part for me at least:

A Start Button
Microsoft hasn’t yet confirmed the return of the Start button in Windows 8.1 and there’s been no sign of it in any of the leaked builds. There have been lots of rumors about it though, with some people claiming it will be a traditional Start button with a Start menu, and others just that it will be there purely to open the Start screen.
In an interview with The Verge last week, Tami Reller, Windows division CFO, admitted Microsoft was aware of the outcry for a Start button. "We have heard that, we definitely have heard that and taken that into account," she said, before adding: "We've really also tried to understand what people are really asking for when they're asking for that".

Oh dear. Has Microsoft really not grasped what people have been requesting since before Windows 8 even launched? A Start button, Tami, with a Start menu attached.
Everything you need to know about Windows 8.1
 
I'm sorry, but this is sensationalist BS. MS is not made up of idiots. There are still millions and millions of desktop programs out there. If MS's goal is to get rid of the desktop environment and switch over to the modern UI, it will take at least 30 years, plenty of time for you to either familiarize yourself with Linux or grow old and die.

Novell was not made up of idiots. At one time they controlled over 65% of the network servers in the world. But they made really huge mistakes, didn't listen to their customers and in just 7 years were run out of the network OS business. Microsoft is going down the same path.

I don't think it's going to work the same way. Novell and MS at the time were having a death struggle with corporate seatings. MS won out and ever since millions and millions of software were written for windows. Nobody missed novell.

I just spent about 10 minutes trying to think of a viable alternative to windows. Can't think of any. Unless corporations are going to stop using computers, I don't see them moving away from MS any time soon.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
Well, right now my company has over 1300 PC's with over 1200 of them using OpenOffice instead of Office. We handle all email for those not in corporate via Office 360 and they access it through a browser. Many of our apps are web based and developed in house and for others, we could use cytrix. Yes, we have been talking about going to Linux for our PC's not in the headquarters.

Ok, I cringed a lot when the boss mentioned it and quickly tried to change the topic but we all worked it out that it is a possibility. Just let me keep my Windows servers is my only requirement!

What is happening is Corp users just aren't for the most part installing Windows 8 but buying the license and 'downgrading' to Windows 7. We are upgrading over a thousand PCs in the next year [200 down, 1,000 to go!] and not one will have windows 8 because we can't control getting past the Modern UI at startup. Plus, what corporation wants to add the security risk of having the windows store?

With so many apps being ported to the web, and Linux getting better over time [ok, it still sucks but getting better], Microsoft will start losing some of its corporate customers if they don't watch it. No, corp America isn't going to start buying Apple [twice the cost for the same hardware?!] but there are other options out there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8, 2012, 7, 2008R2, 2008, 2003, XP,SUSE
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA 640M 2 GB
    Screen Resolution
    1600X900
    Hard Drives
    Pair of 750 GB
And that's my point exactly. Has anyone interviewed anyone at MS that claims the desktop will be permanently removed? You guys on here are sounding like there's no desktop at all.

At what point in the W8 development/release cycle, did MS announce that they were eliminating the old Start Menu and "hiding" the Desktop?

If they announced, right now, that they are going to eliminate the Desktop, corporations would immediately start looking at Linux and Mac alternatives to their Windows PC (preparing for the time that support ends).

Well, right now my company has over 1300 PC's with over 1200 of them using OpenOffice instead of Office.
...
With so many apps being ported to the web, and Linux getting better over time [ok, it still sucks but getting better], Microsoft will start losing some of its corporate customers if they don't watch it.

I assume that those 1200 PCs are also used for programs other than office-style ones?
If not you could, easily swap to Linux and run Open Office on them.

Presumably the average worker isn't allowed to "tinker" with the OS/File System internals, so it makes little difference if they are on Linux distro or Windows.

No, corp America isn't going to start buying Apple [twice the cost for the same hardware?!] but there are other options out there.

Also, Apple may decide to do special deals for businesses (just to "stick it" to MS and the OEM suppliers).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 (64 bit), Linux Mint 18.3 MATE (64 bit)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    n/a
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II x6 1055T, 2.8 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASRock 880GMH-LE/USB3
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 1333 G-Skill Ares F3-1333C9D-8GAO (4GB x 2)
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    ATI Radeon HD6450
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    Realtek?
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    Samsung S23B350
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    1920x1080
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    Western Digital 1.5 TB (SATA), Western Digital 2 TB (SATA), Western Digital 3 TB (SATA)
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    Tower
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    Wired Optical
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    Linux Mint 16 MATE (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 17 MATE (64 bit) - 2014-05-17
    Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 16 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-11-13
    Ubuntu 10.04 (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-01-14
    RAM & Graphics Card Upgraded - 2013-01-13
    Monitor Upgraded - 2012-04-20
    System Upgraded - 2011-05-21, 2010-07-14
    HDD Upgraded - 2010-08-11, 2011-08-24,
There is only two apps that we let them use that isn't a web page or OpenOffice and those were developed in-house. We could fire up a cytrix server and have them operate those in a web site on a Linux box.

No, Apple isn't going to turn around and start pricing for businesses. That boat sailed a long time ago.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8, 2012, 7, 2008R2, 2008, 2003, XP,SUSE
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA 640M 2 GB
    Screen Resolution
    1600X900
    Hard Drives
    Pair of 750 GB
I feel compelled to reproduce here what a friend of mine in the UK just posted on another forum in response to similar posts to what has been written in this thread, thanks Terry:

The big difference is that all those things (Modern UI, no Start or proper mail client etc. etc. the list goes on) you mention are the playthings of youth compared to Windows which exists on 2 billion PCs, the vast majority of which are business, point-of-sale, end-of phone, day to day, real-world applications, vital to keeping the wheels of industry and commerce turning.
When the Telecom engineer comes to my house and takes out the tools of his trade, alongside the cutters, strippers and screwdrivers is the modern sine-qua-non, the laptop. When he flips it open, it's not Chrome or Ubuntu that pops up, it's W7, and he wants it for one purpose, to run his diagnostics, not to look like his phone, which incidentally he uses to make calls, not play music or watch movies.

Windows is an essential business tool, not just a youth social-networking interface. Sadly MS seems to have blinkered themselves to the latter and hence lost sight of the former.
The business user wants his tools to be designed for purpose. That's why a direct boot to the desired environment is not just the whinging demand of grumpy old men.

Imagine how annoyed you'd get if every time you got in your car and turned the key, Ford or GM decided in their wisdom that the way of the future was to ask you first if you'd like to select your entertainment choices for the journey before offering you a hidden option to start the engine.

MS can unify their interfaces to their heart's content. I don't care. (I don't own a phone or a tablet, so it's of no relevance or interest to me)
All I ask is that the one interface I do use, behaves in a way that fits the hardware and environment in which I use it.
All of the deleted W7 features can easily be made non-default options in W8 so that it maintains the corporate unity which MS is determined on. The keyword being options. There's absolutely no good reason except arrogance to deny them to the serious user.

So well said.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

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    Win 7 Ult SP1 + Win 10 Pro - (x64)
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    Alienware® ALX X58
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    Intel® Core i7-975 Extreme 3.86 GHz 8MB Cache
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    ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 Socket 1366 Core i7, Dual Triple Channel DDR3 Mem
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    24GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 6 x 4096MB
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    1792 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 295/Hauppauge HVR2250 TV Tuner
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    Onboard Soundmax® High definition Sound
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    Samsung XL2370 LED
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    1920 X 1080P
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    2 X 500gb SATA
    1 X 1TB SATA
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    (Non-RAID)
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    Alienware® 1200 Watt Multi-GPU
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    Alienware® P2 ALX Chassis with AlienIce 3.0 Video Cooling
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    Alienware® High-Perf. Liquid Cooling + Acoustic Dampening
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    Microsoft® Wireless Entertainment 8000 + Logitech® G15 Wired
    Mouse
    Microsoft® Wireless Laser 8000 + Logitech® G9 Wired
    Internet Speed
    1tbs
    Other Info
    Using non-RAID on purpose as I find it too fussy and temperamental.
:ditto:

Very well stated and as an application developer who creates content rather than consume, oh so true.

-jeff
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint and Windows 8 Pro
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    Asus G75VW
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    i7
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    Asus
    Memory
    16G
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia
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    17"
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 5400 rpm 1T and Seagate 7200 rpm 500G.
    Internet Speed
    30M down, 5M up
    Other Info
    Oracle Virtual Box
    Ubuntu 64 bit
I feel compelled to reproduce here what a friend of mine in the UK just posted on another forum in response to similar posts to what has been written in this thread, thanks Terry:

The big difference is that all those things (Modern UI, no Start or proper mail client etc. etc. the list goes on) you mention are the playthings of youth compared to Windows which exists on 2 billion PCs, the vast majority of which are business, point-of-sale, end-of phone, day to day, real-world applications, vital to keeping the wheels of industry and commerce turning.
When the Telecom engineer comes to my house and takes out the tools of his trade, alongside the cutters, strippers and screwdrivers is the modern sine-qua-non, the laptop. When he flips it open, it's not Chrome or Ubuntu that pops up, it's W7, and he wants it for one purpose, to run his diagnostics, not to look like his phone, which incidentally he uses to make calls, not play music or watch movies.

Windows is an essential business tool, not just a youth social-networking interface. Sadly MS seems to have blinkered themselves to the latter and hence lost sight of the former.
The business user wants his tools to be designed for purpose. That's why a direct boot to the desired environment is not just the whinging demand of grumpy old men.

Imagine how annoyed you'd get if every time you got in your car and turned the key, Ford or GM decided in their wisdom that the way of the future was to ask you first if you'd like to select your entertainment choices for the journey before offering you a hidden option to start the engine.

MS can unify their interfaces to their heart's content. I don't care. (I don't own a phone or a tablet, so it's of no relevance or interest to me)
All I ask is that the one interface I do use, behaves in a way that fits the hardware and environment in which I use it.
All of the deleted W7 features can easily be made non-default options in W8 so that it maintains the corporate unity which MS is determined on. The keyword being options. There's absolutely no good reason except arrogance to deny them to the serious user.

So well said.
:ditto:

Yes M$ needs to give us choice not arrogance.
 

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System One

  • OS
    Win7/8 Mint
    System Manufacturer/Model
    lenovo W530
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    intell i7
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16gb
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    512 gb ssd
    Other Info
    Around 13 million employes
:ditto:

Very well stated and as an application developer who creates content rather than consume, oh so true.

-jeff


And wholeheartedly seconded.

Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
I also posted it on Microsoft Answers Forum. I'm sure it will get an icy response there, if any.

;-)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 7 Ult SP1 + Win 10 Pro - (x64)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware® ALX X58
    CPU
    Intel® Core i7-975 Extreme 3.86 GHz 8MB Cache
    Motherboard
    ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 Socket 1366 Core i7, Dual Triple Channel DDR3 Mem
    Memory
    24GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 6 x 4096MB
    Graphics Card(s)
    1792 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 295/Hauppauge HVR2250 TV Tuner
    Sound Card
    Onboard Soundmax® High definition Sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung XL2370 LED
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080P
    Hard Drives
    2 X 500gb SATA
    1 X 1TB SATA
    1 X 3TB external eSATA
    (Non-RAID)
    PSU
    Alienware® 1200 Watt Multi-GPU
    Case
    Alienware® P2 ALX Chassis with AlienIce 3.0 Video Cooling
    Cooling
    Alienware® High-Perf. Liquid Cooling + Acoustic Dampening
    Keyboard
    Microsoft® Wireless Entertainment 8000 + Logitech® G15 Wired
    Mouse
    Microsoft® Wireless Laser 8000 + Logitech® G9 Wired
    Internet Speed
    1tbs
    Other Info
    Using non-RAID on purpose as I find it too fussy and temperamental.
I feel compelled to reproduce here what a friend of mine in the UK just posted on another forum in response to similar posts to what has been written in this thread, thanks Terry:

The big difference is that all those things (Modern UI, no Start or proper mail client etc. etc. the list goes on) you mention are the playthings of youth compared to Windows which exists on 2 billion PCs, the vast majority of which are business, point-of-sale, end-of phone, day to day, real-world applications, vital to keeping the wheels of industry and commerce turning.
When the Telecom engineer comes to my house and takes out the tools of his trade, alongside the cutters, strippers and screwdrivers is the modern sine-qua-non, the laptop. When he flips it open, it's not Chrome or Ubuntu that pops up, it's W7, and he wants it for one purpose, to run his diagnostics, not to look like his phone, which incidentally he uses to make calls, not play music or watch movies.

Windows is an essential business tool, not just a youth social-networking interface. Sadly MS seems to have blinkered themselves to the latter and hence lost sight of the former.
The business user wants his tools to be designed for purpose. That's why a direct boot to the desired environment is not just the whinging demand of grumpy old men.

Imagine how annoyed you'd get if every time you got in your car and turned the key, Ford or GM decided in their wisdom that the way of the future was to ask you first if you'd like to select your entertainment choices for the journey before offering you a hidden option to start the engine.

MS can unify their interfaces to their heart's content. I don't care. (I don't own a phone or a tablet, so it's of no relevance or interest to me)
All I ask is that the one interface I do use, behaves in a way that fits the hardware and environment in which I use it.
All of the deleted W7 features can easily be made non-default options in W8 so that it maintains the corporate unity which MS is determined on. The keyword being options. There's absolutely no good reason except arrogance to deny them to the serious user.

So well said.

Thank you for sharing this quote from another forum. It makes sense, to a certain point.

From my experience, people who use the PC for singular purpose are also terrible at upgrading. All the computers in our test lab still run on xp. Last I checked with the IT guys that take care of that, they said there's absolutely no plan whatsoever to upgrade those machines, hardware or software. Each one of them has a single purpose, and they do just fine with that purpose.

Yes, I admit that MS seems to be gearing windows 8 toward the braindead users and their social media crap. I don't even have a facebook account, so up until late last year I had no idea it was such a big thing nowadays. My life long friends started questioning me why I didn't have a facebook account so they could send me daily messages and stuff and I was like "huh?" So, I went ahead and created a facebook account and quickly got 13 friends. Then my elderly mom made a friend request. This freaked me out so I deleted the facebook account. Too weird.

Anyway, I suspect MS is pushing this bit about for various reasons.

(1) They already know they got a permanent footing in the corporate world. I can't think of any viable alternative. A number of years ago, some of us toyed with the idea of switching to Linux. I was a big Linux fan. So, I decided to put Linux on my machine and just used that for everything. I came to the conclusion that Linux IS NOT a viable option. Not user friendly at all. Anything that's serious you have to sudo your way through (for those who knows what I'm talking about). Meaning there's no interface for installation and tweaking that's friendly enough for the regular user. But worst of all, I went onto a Linux forum to ask some questions and instead of getting a straight forward answer I got a couple one-liners that assumed the question asker was a Linux 1337 and half a dozen "you're stupid, go away" answers. I tells ya, Linux users are the worst bunch of self-important 1337s I've ever seen.

(2) MS is trying to take a slice of the pie from apple and google. Look at how many devices already sold to the so-called brain-dead social media users? Studies have continued to show that most ipad buyers have no idea why they want to buy the ipad or what they want to use it for, just that they want to buy the ipad. Every time there's a new ipad out, people would wait in line for a week (literally) just to get their hands on one of the firsts. You just don't see this kind of following at MS stores.

And again, look at the attached picture. This is my sister's place. There are 5 asus transformer infinities and 2 galaxy tab 2's, all high end android devices. My sister and her husband got those devices early last year. They weren't cheap then. They ain't cheap now. When was the last time you heard of an MS computing device for each member of the family? I bet MS would love it if those were windows 8 hybrids instead of android ones.

(3) There is a general misconception about windows 8 that it's only meant to be used in metro. There are millions of desktop apps out there that will run just fine on the desktop of windows 8. If anything, MS marketing has done a crappy job at explaining to people that despite the new metro interface this is still a full windows operating system. All diagnostic tools, all in-house softwares, and everything else will still run on this thing.

It looks like a toy, but it is most certainly not.

Keeping those points in mind, can you really blame MS for trying to get a slice of the pie?
 

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My Computer

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  • OS
    windows 8
I guess my 6 OS's in a multi-boot here pale by comparison to that. ;-)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 7 Ult SP1 + Win 10 Pro - (x64)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware® ALX X58
    CPU
    Intel® Core i7-975 Extreme 3.86 GHz 8MB Cache
    Motherboard
    ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 Socket 1366 Core i7, Dual Triple Channel DDR3 Mem
    Memory
    24GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz - 6 x 4096MB
    Graphics Card(s)
    1792 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 295/Hauppauge HVR2250 TV Tuner
    Sound Card
    Onboard Soundmax® High definition Sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung XL2370 LED
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080P
    Hard Drives
    2 X 500gb SATA
    1 X 1TB SATA
    1 X 3TB external eSATA
    (Non-RAID)
    PSU
    Alienware® 1200 Watt Multi-GPU
    Case
    Alienware® P2 ALX Chassis with AlienIce 3.0 Video Cooling
    Cooling
    Alienware® High-Perf. Liquid Cooling + Acoustic Dampening
    Keyboard
    Microsoft® Wireless Entertainment 8000 + Logitech® G15 Wired
    Mouse
    Microsoft® Wireless Laser 8000 + Logitech® G9 Wired
    Internet Speed
    1tbs
    Other Info
    Using non-RAID on purpose as I find it too fussy and temperamental.
I would just kill to be able to turn on my pc and my firewire audio interfaces and instantly have the working everytime. Without having to run in test mode &/or boot up using the unsigned driver / advanced boot mode everytime! Multiple times until it takes!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I feel compelled to reproduce here what a friend of mine in the UK just posted on another forum in response to similar posts to what has been written in this thread, thanks Terry:

The big difference is that all those things (Modern UI, no Start or proper mail client etc. etc. the list goes on) you mention are the playthings of youth compared to Windows which exists on 2 billion PCs, the vast majority of which are business, point-of-sale, end-of phone, day to day, real-world applications, vital to keeping the wheels of industry and commerce turning.
When the Telecom engineer comes to my house and takes out the tools of his trade, alongside the cutters, strippers and screwdrivers is the modern sine-qua-non, the laptop. When he flips it open, it's not Chrome or Ubuntu that pops up, it's W7, and he wants it for one purpose, to run his diagnostics, not to look like his phone, which incidentally he uses to make calls, not play music or watch movies.

Windows is an essential business tool, not just a youth social-networking interface. Sadly MS seems to have blinkered themselves to the latter and hence lost sight of the former.
The business user wants his tools to be designed for purpose. That's why a direct boot to the desired environment is not just the whinging demand of grumpy old men.

Imagine how annoyed you'd get if every time you got in your car and turned the key, Ford or GM decided in their wisdom that the way of the future was to ask you first if you'd like to select your entertainment choices for the journey before offering you a hidden option to start the engine.

MS can unify their interfaces to their heart's content. I don't care. (I don't own a phone or a tablet, so it's of no relevance or interest to me)
All I ask is that the one interface I do use, behaves in a way that fits the hardware and environment in which I use it.
All of the deleted W7 features can easily be made non-default options in W8 so that it maintains the corporate unity which MS is determined on. The keyword being options. There's absolutely no good reason except arrogance to deny them to the serious user.

So well said.
Briliant! Says it all! :ditto:
 

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System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
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    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
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    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
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    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
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    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
Hi there
What about when the Gas meter guy comes round. These people used to have hand held "Psion" like devices - now they just use a Tablet -- so there ARE some valid business applications for tablets.

However I agree with the previous post (Ex_Brit above) -- In the Manchester (UK) apartment I've been renting while on contract in the UK I've had a Boiler repaired recently -- and what the Engineer does is use a standard computer (Ruggidized in some sort of Rubber Case with special screen protectors for use in "The field") with a couple of Crocodile clips / prods attached. After prodding around in the boiler the computer diagnoses the fault. -- I note though the computer the Engineer was using was still running XP BTW !!!.

A "Consumer grade" tablet would last about 3 seconds in that type of use - just a few drops of Hot water with Boiler scale remover falling on to the tablet would kill it stone dead in a few micro secs flat.

Actually I'd rather like one of those "ruggedized" computers -- apparently they were designed specially for the gas company - old IBM "Thinkpads" -- built like Battleships anyway -- we used to call those old IBM computers IBM ThinkTANKS !!.

(Lenovo doesn't do a bad job but quality builds were definitely the old IBM's).

Cheers
jimbo
 

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System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
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    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
I don't really know why there has been such an outcry about the start button, it may not be physically there, but if you just right-click the bottom left hand corner of your screen you'll find just about anything you could possibly need is there.
People really need to read manuals or look up what they need to know before installing ANYTHING!!! And definitely before ranting about a program. Win 8 does need improvement, (boot to desktop for PC -as most of us PC gamers will probably never use touch on our desktops), but all in all I like it. (and I have used every instance of Windows since 3.1 -didn't like, went back to DOS until they got it right - Win 98 SE - though I did try 95 and the first 98) and have moved to each new instance with very few problems.
I guess some people just don't like change.:rolleyes:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1 Pro 64 bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    BIMS (built it myself)
    CPU
    i7 3930k @ 3.8 oc
    Motherboard
    ASUS P9X79
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia GTX 690
    Sound Card
    Creative X-Fi Extreme Gamer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer X223W
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Cavalry 1TB - for backups
    Seagate 3TB external - most programs go here
    Samsung 840 pro ssd 512GB
    PSU
    Thermatake 850
    Case
    Cooler Master
    Cooling
    Thermaltake Water 2.0
    Keyboard
    logitech M710
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    50 Mb/s
I feel compelled to reproduce here what a friend of mine in the UK just posted on another forum in response to similar posts to what has been written in this thread, thanks Terry:

The big difference is that all those things (Modern UI, no Start or proper mail client etc. etc. the list goes on) you mention are the playthings of youth compared to Windows which exists on 2 billion PCs, the vast majority of which are business, point-of-sale, end-of phone, day to day, real-world applications, vital to keeping the wheels of industry and commerce turning.
When the Telecom engineer comes to my house and takes out the tools of his trade, alongside the cutters, strippers and screwdrivers is the modern sine-qua-non, the laptop. When he flips it open, it's not Chrome or Ubuntu that pops up, it's W7, and he wants it for one purpose, to run his diagnostics, not to look like his phone, which incidentally he uses to make calls, not play music or watch movies.

Windows is an essential business tool, not just a youth social-networking interface. Sadly MS seems to have blinkered themselves to the latter and hence lost sight of the former.
The business user wants his tools to be designed for purpose. That's why a direct boot to the desired environment is not just the whinging demand of grumpy old men.

Imagine how annoyed you'd get if every time you got in your car and turned the key, Ford or GM decided in their wisdom that the way of the future was to ask you first if you'd like to select your entertainment choices for the journey before offering you a hidden option to start the engine.

MS can unify their interfaces to their heart's content. I don't care. (I don't own a phone or a tablet, so it's of no relevance or interest to me)
All I ask is that the one interface I do use, behaves in a way that fits the hardware and environment in which I use it.
All of the deleted W7 features can easily be made non-default options in W8 so that it maintains the corporate unity which MS is determined on. The keyword being options. There's absolutely no good reason except arrogance to deny them to the serious user.

So well said.

What I don't understand, is how the proponents of tifkam can take such umbrage at such a sentiment. It seems so obvious, to me...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1 Pro, Desktop Mode
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Me
    CPU
    AMD FX-8150
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H
    Memory
    8.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 (9-9-9-28)
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 6570
    Sound Card
    Creative X-Fi Titanium
    Monitor(s) Displays
    PX2710MW
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080@60Hz
    Hard Drives
    1x1TB Western Digital WDC WD1001FALS-00J7B1 ATA Device Caviar Black -

    4 x 2TB Seagate ST32000542A -
    1 x 4TB Seagate External
    Case
    Antec
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D14
    Keyboard
    Logitech Illuminated Keyboard K740
    Internet Speed
    60meg cable
    Browser
    Cyberfox
    Antivirus
    AVG Security Suite
The outcry has been for the lack of a Traditional Start Menu, not Start Button. It's a play on words. In Windows 7 and earlier clicking the Orb (Start Button) would launch the Start Menu. In Windows 8 it takes you to the Start Screen. A fair number of desktop PC users would rather have the traditional start menu versus a start screen. Microsoft said hey we'll give you back your Start Button but guess what? It's not going to do what you think it will. They are listening, kind off, sort off.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Well, for me personally, the issue has never been with Windows 8 itself, although there are several aspects of it that I do dislike. But I simply worked around them, or used 3rd-party stuff. As I've done since Win 3.1

No, my issue is, and always has been, the direction Windows 8 is heading.

That's not my vision of computing, and I doubt it ever will be.


Wenda.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 'Ultimate' RTM 64 bit (Pro/WMC).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer AS8951G 'Desktop Replacement'.
    CPU
    i7-2670QM@2.2/3.1Ghz.
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB@1366Mhz.
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GT555M 2GB DDR3
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD w/Dolby 5.1 surround.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built-in. Non-touch.
    Screen Resolution
    18/4" 1920x1080 full-HD.
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 750GBx2 internal. 1x2TB, 2x640GB, 1x500GB external.
    PSU
    Stock.
    Case
    Laptop.
    Cooling
    Stock.
    Keyboard
    Full 101-key
    Mouse
    USB cordless.
    Browser
    IE11, Firefox, Tor.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro.
    Other Info
    BD-ROM drive.
I disagree that the issue is with the Start Button or even the Start Menu.

I think people associate the Desktop with the Start Button and that is what they are unhappy with. They want their Desktop back and they want it when they boot Windows. E.g. Avoiding Metro UI all together.

However, Microsoft wants to be rid of the Desktop (explorer.exe) eventually. Without the Desktop, the Start Menu or Button is useless. In the meantime, the Desktop is running simultaneously with the Metro UI and sucking up resources. Thus, they are anxious to discard the Desktop asap.

Personally, I'd prefer an interface option.. traditional Desktop or Metro UI.. but running as the same process. Currently, we're reliving the DOS beneath the Desktop UI days.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware m14x
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GT 650m
    Browser
    FireFox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Hi there
What about when the Gas meter guy comes round. These people used to have hand held "Psion" like devices - now they just use a Tablet -- so there ARE some valid business applications for tablets.
Gas meter guys still come around? Our gas and electric services are directly connected by computer, so they can read the meters from the central office and also tell if an outage occurs, etc. Oh, the wonders of electronics.......
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion p6230f
    CPU
    HP AMD Phenom II X4 810
    Motherboard
    FOXCONN ALOE
    Memory
    8 GBytes
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI/AMD Radeon HD 42
    Sound Card
    ATI/AMD SB600 - High
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SE198WFP
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 900
    Hard Drives
    Seagate ST3750528AS
    Browser
    IE 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
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