What did people do when Windows 95 came out?

[Colonel Travis]

Fair enough, that's probably why you hate Metro, the minimalist style, and that's why I like it, sort of reminds me of the old DOS interfaces.

Nah, I think Metro in theory is a huge leap forward. In reality, maybe not so much. For example, without the start button you're going back, in a way, to the Program Manager concept before Windows 95, when there was crap all over the place. Then MS wised up and said - hey, let's put a Start Button down there. BOOM! Crap gone.

I don't have any gripe against minimalist style in general, although the definition of "minimalist" can, ironically, cover a huge swath. For example: Start Button vs. Metro - which is more compact and tidy and no-nonsense and not in your face 24/7? I'd say Start Button wins the minimalist contest hands-down. But that's just me.

 

[BillWindows]

Fair enough, that's probably why you hate Metro, the minimalist style, and that's why I like it, sort of reminds me of the old DOS interfaces.

Nah, I think Metro in theory is a huge leap forward. In reality, maybe not so much. For example, without the start button you're going back, in a way, to the Program Manager concept before Windows 95, when there was crap all over the place. Then MS wised up and said - hey, let's put a Start Button down there. BOOM! Crap gone.

I don't have any gripe against minimalist style in general, although the definition of "minimalist" can, ironically, cover a huge swath. For example: Start Button vs. Metro - which is more compact and tidy and no-nonsense and not in your face 24/7? I'd say Start Button wins the minimalist contest hands-down. But that's just me.

I think we'll all learn to live with Metro, if not immediately sometime in the future, people have a habit of adapting. I think Microsoft has done well to clean out all the rubbish and left a lean mean OS, now it's just a matter of organising ourselves. I'm sure people will figure out ways around Metro if they don't need or want it.
I'm looking forward to see the new batch of Windows 8 tablets, say what you will about Metro, but I think these tablets will be a boon for business.

 

[mdmd]

This was the desktop for the past 17 years.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Not my desktop.

 

[mdmd]

Before (like in Windows 95) there was an option to hide the desktop icons,
users had to do alot of "housework" to keep their desktop clean.

Everyone did not have a clean and tidy desktop.

There had to be endless hours of configuring
to get that "start menu" just right !

 

[FSeal]

Before (like in Windows 95) there was an option to hide the desktop icons,
users had to do alot of "housework" to keep their desktop clean.

Everyone did not have a clean and tidy desktop.

There had to be endless hours of configuring
to get that "start menu" just right !

And how does metro fix that? IMHO it actually makes it a LOT worse.

Have you seen what happens to the metro screen after about 10 software installs??? It's far more messy than the start menu and will require even more clean-up to keep neat

It's a step backwards on that account.

 

[mdmd]

I am not trying to convince or sell the start screen.

opinions vary,
I do not believe it makes it worse.
Editing the start screen is much simpler and faster than editing the legacy start menu.
Click a tile is quicker and easier than searching thru 14 layers of start menu links.
Pinning stuff to your taskbar is like having tiles on your taskbar...easy.

Some folks on this forum have said they don't want to learn or know how to use 8.
They just want their Windows 95 start menu or Windows 7 start menu and that's it!
Basically, they want a new OS but it must be the same as the old OS!
Yikes!

................
Actually, ... some may not know this ...

if you install mega programs,
you can go to the start screen and right click 20 or 30 tiles at once,
and unpin all of them with 1 click.
You could unpin 100 tiles with 1 click.
They would still all be there in the "all apps" area.

Many would say it's a step backward but,

...the start screen could have every tile unpinned
except the desktop tile.

Nice and clean.
Add a few apps.
Add a few tiles.
Pin a few to the taskbar.
Nice and clean.

What's wrong with that?
again... not trying to convince.

I have seen some comments by folks who find the start screen to be offensive.
...

On this thread I am making the point that users of Windows 95 and up
have always had to spend alot of time configuring stuff.

 

[fdegrove]

Hi,

I think we'll all learn to live with Metro, if not immediately sometime in the future, people have a habit of adapting. I think Microsoft has done well to clean out all the rubbish and left a lean mean OS, now it's just a matter of organising ourselves. I'm sure people will figure out ways around Metro if they don't need or want it.
I'm looking forward to see the new batch of Windows 8 tablets, say what you will about Metro, but I think these tablets will be a boon for business.

Tablets aside, if you reread what's written then the obvious conclusion is that we're back to W95 or worse. IOW it's once again up to the customer to find workarounds to get rid of all the nuisances he/she does not want.

I'm sure it's been said a zillion times but having to learn to live with something is the most undemocratic idea I've ever heard since enlightened despotism.....
Fortunately we can also NOT buy the crap. I know I won't unless I'm offered some more options such as getting rid of everything Metro on my desktop.

Cheers,

 

[killericarus]

I'm amazed at you guys metro is nothing more than an advanced speed dial. Lol everyone bashed windows for not having the ability to be more user friendly well now it is and everyone is so used to it not being that they balk? So the only thing I see is there are a lot of permission issues they stepped up the game and made it possible to prevent a lot of user error wich is on thing linux will never ever have. Anyone ever use windows blinds or windows fx the tech in win 8 has been used on destops of xp and vist and 7 for quite a few years now its just properly integrated so it won't crash the shell and won't have to restart. Allmost all issues with windows have been dealing with restarts and driver installs or updates. And bsods now finally the majority of these issues will be none existant of cours new issues will arise like network security and permissions. We now have a shell that is almost bulletproof apps can crash without a bsod that took twenty years to make happen

 

[Colonel Travis]

Some folks on this forum have said they don't want to learn or know how to use 8.
They just want their Windows 95 start menu or Windows 7 start menu and that's it!
Basically, they want a new OS but it must be the same as the old OS!
Yikes!

Who are these people? Maybe they're out there, I don't read every post. But the bulk of criticism does not come from people who don't want to learn - it is precisely because they've learned 8 that they don't like it. I don't want a new OS that's like the old OS. Why would anyone? It doesn't even make sense. Critics know your POV far better than you know theirs.

again... not trying to convince.

Yes, you are. Why can't you even admit that? Who cares if you're trying to advocate Metro? This is a forum dedicated to 8 - you would think there would be more dedicated 8 people out there.

 

[mdmd]

I guess I am dribbling.
Not scoring any points.
Oh well.
It is Windows and in Beta and will always have issues.
I do not get it!
Many have had problems with freezing, crashes, driver problems, dual boot problems, etc, etc...
I have had no problems. Period.
It has worked perfectly in every aspect.
I think every aspect of 8 is fresh, new and very effective.
Here, I am advocating.

Many do want a new OS that's like the old OS.
Start Menu - Start Menu - Start Menu etc...
Yeoh!

I loathe the Start Menu!

 

[Haxcid]

I don't want a new OS that's like the old OS. Why would anyone? It doesn't even make sense.

I agree. I do not see myself upgrading my gaming machine at home for windows 8 unless it performs so well that it cannot be ignored. Right now a 12 second faster boot time is not enough. It however is enough for my work laptop. Anything to eek out every ounce of performance from this under-whelming dell. Windows 7 is working for me at home, I like 8 on my work laptop, when I am at home I don't find myself wanting to make the change. Not like I did with Vista to 7. (user interface completely aside)

 

[Coke Robot]

I am not trying to convince or sell the start screen.

opinions vary,
I do not believe it makes it worse.
Editing the start screen is much simpler and faster than editing the legacy start menu.
Click a tile is quicker and easier than searching thru 14 layers of start menu links.
Pinning stuff to your taskbar is like having tiles on your taskbar...easy.

Some folks on this forum have said they don't want to learn or know how to use 8.
They just want their Windows 95 start menu or Windows 7 start menu and that's it!
Basically, they want a new OS but it must be the same as the old OS!
Yikes!

................
Actually, ... some may not know this ...

if you install mega programs,
you can go to the start screen and right click 20 or 30 tiles at once,
and unpin all of them with 1 click.
You could unpin 100 tiles with 1 click.
They would still all be there in the "all apps" area.

Many would say it's a step backward but,

...the start screen could have every tile unpinned
except the desktop tile.

Nice and clean.
Add a few apps.
Add a few tiles.
Pin a few to the taskbar.
Nice and clean.

What's wrong with that?
again... not trying to convince.

I have seen some comments by folks who find the start screen to be offensive.
...

On this thread I am making the point that users of Windows 95 and up
have always had to spend alot of time configuring stuff.

If you tried to clear that much out from the start menu, it would take A LOT more clicking to delete individual links and folders, clicking OK to delete, and clicking back open the start menu since it would close sometimes doing that. That was something I did last after a new install of 7, it was also not my favorite thing to do.....too tedious.

 

[Colonel Travis]

Many do want a new OS that's like the old OS.
Start Menu - Start Menu - Start Menu etc...
Yeoh!

I loathe the Start Menu!

That's awesome. I don't. Our opinions cancel each other out - see how it works? That doesn't make yours or mine better than the other, it means we think differently. It means we use our computers differently - and THIS is why people don't like Metro. It forces them to use their computer in a way that they find counterproductive, as well as counterintuitive. It's a lot deeper than just wanting a Start Button.

 

[Coke Robot]

I'm amazed at you guys metro is nothing more than an advanced speed dial. Lol everyone bashed windows for not having the ability to be more user friendly well now it is and everyone is so used to it not being that they balk? So the only thing I see is there are a lot of permission issues they stepped up the game and made it possible to prevent a lot of user error wich is on thing linux will never ever have. Anyone ever use windows blinds or windows fx the tech in win 8 has been used on destops of xp and vist and 7 for quite a few years now its just properly integrated so it won't crash the shell and won't have to restart. Allmost all issues with windows have been dealing with restarts and driver installs or updates. And bsods now finally the majority of these issues will be none existant of cours new issues will arise like network security and permissions. We now have a shell that is almost bulletproof apps can crash without a bsod that took twenty years to make happen

That's good way to put the Start Screen, a better speed dial. I think to me it's like the Windows Phone 7's alphabet jump list where you tap a letter tile, and it makes a mosaic you can you jump right to songs or whatever that start with Y. On the Desktop, I think it's like that. Go to the Start Screen, click on a program you use sometimes, go back to the Desktop. Repeat if needed.

 

[Haxcid]

Many do want a new OS that's like the old OS.
Start Menu - Start Menu - Start Menu etc...
Yeoh!

I loathe the Start Menu!

That's awesome. I don't. Our opinions cancel each other out - see how it works? That doesn't make yours or mine better than the other, it means we think differently. It means we use our computers differently - and THIS is why people don't like Metro. It forces them to use their computer in a way that they find counterproductive, as well as counterintuitive. It's a lot deeper than just wanting a Start Button.

Agreed. I use 7 at home so I can get stuff done quickly. I am on my time and don't want to waste it. At work I use 8 on my laptop where I am less concerned about priductivity and get things done in a timely fashion. LOL!

I have users that I finally weened off of 98 only 2 years ago because they refused to give it up. Can you imagine trying to move them from xp to 8 metro... They complained that XP was to different from 98. I know what you are going to say... and here is my counter before hand... IT is a service based industry and the like all service based industries the customer comes first so there is no forcing the metro UI on people when there is an alternative. Something I think MS has forgotten along the way.

 

[mdmd]

Maybe MS will introduce Windows 7.5 or Windows 8.1
It might happen!

I do not believe, for the average user, it is deeper than the start menu.
For a large percentage of forum contributors, it's the start menu.
They want NO METRO START SCREEN.
...that means they want it to be the same as Windows 7.

I previously have not mentioned gamers.
I suppose gamers would like 8 to be better for gaming.
No opinion here, never used games.
Never used tablets, do not have a smart phone.

... Not really sure how 8 could be better for desktop production.
Tile punching doesn't seem difficult to me.
... anyway, back to the start menu ...

I don't hear many complaints about the explorer ribbon.
Only a few complaints about the charms bar.

There are technicians on this forum that have analyzed 8 and given it a failing grade on several points.
This is a new design, right?
It might fail, but I do not think so.

One has to learn new, adapt to new, right? (I guess)
Or stay with 7.
Go with Linux, Apple.
That's OK with me.

What did people do when Windows 95 came out?
They learned how to use the new Operating System.

 

[Coke Robot]

Many do want a new OS that's like the old OS.
Start Menu - Start Menu - Start Menu etc...
Yeoh!

I loathe the Start Menu!

That's awesome. I don't. Our opinions cancel each other out - see how it works? That doesn't make yours or mine better than the other, it means we think differently. It means we use our computers differently - and THIS is why people don't like Metro. It forces them to use their computer in a way that they find counterproductive, as well as counterintuitive. It's a lot deeper than just wanting a Start Button.

Agreed. I use 7 at home so I can get stuff done quickly. I am on my time and don't want to waste it. At work I use 8 on my laptop where I am less concerned about priductivity and get things done in a timely fashion. LOL!

I have users that I finally weened off of 98 only 2 years ago because they refused to give it up. Can you imagine trying to move them from xp to 8 metro... They complained that XP was to different from 98. I know what you are going to say... and here is my counter before hand... IT is a service based industry and the like all service based industries the customer comes first so there is no forcing the metro UI on people when there is an alternative. Something I think MS has forgotten along the way.

Windows 98 being used in the year 2010?!

 

[Coke Robot]

What did people do when Windows 95 came out?
They learned how to use the new Operating System.

Yep.

 

[Coke Robot]

I have three other people testing Windows 8 Release Preview with me. Two have been using it since Developer, the other has been using it since the Consumer Preview. Though totally different that what they're used to, they actually like using Windows 8. I even probed into the reasoning and it boiled down to the following: no annoying popups at log in, faster and consistent speed, it's just different, and the Start Screen. One told me that the Start Screen is actually kind of pretty. The have been usability issues, but that was quickly resolved.

What actually made this interesting for me was that I was able to get a common PC user's perspective on this huge change. And what really shed some light was the fact that none of them really ever used the start menu in Windows 7 because what they needed was already pinned to the Taskbar. I was told that one didn't even bother with it. That struck me because I always clean up the start menu on every system I work so it's better to find programs and not search through folders. The design of the Start Screen eliminates.