What would you like to see in Windows 8?

[Terabites]

Hmm.. the desktop's you refer to are you talking about something similar to 'workspaces' in linux?

I'd like to see a nice new GUI thats fresh, clean and elegant.

You've got my point Dark. I just can't resist (I can't do it either ) hacking the Microsoft website and posting that Windows 8 will be released in a week!
Imagine the faces of Steve Ballmer and any other Microsoft guy when they see their website all spoofed and goofed up!

 

[SmartEyeball]

It's too late for 'hope for' functions since most of the features are already decided on.

However it would have been nice to have the option for different coloured 'active/inactive' windows with aero enabled. It's one feature from the classic look that I miss.

 

[The Doctor]

+1 on the customization.
A good skinning engine that works with other programs like MS Office is sorely needed.
The 3 default colors that come with Office are lame. I'd like to skin Office 14 (& later 15) with my own colors/theme.

---------- Post added at 10:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 PM ----------

I think i didn't get my point across very well so I edited my last post. For clarity's sake, Windows get's installed on C:, D: get's populated with programs over time. At some point a clean install is issued to C: and will recognize all previously installed programs (wizard just for user-friendlyness).
If it was interpreted correctly,
How is it possible? How would the registry populate properly? Do teach...

Yes, I'm part of that population with 2 SSD's and a spinner, of which, I monkey around with setups all the time.

Britton30 is right, it is possible now, but it is VERY DIFFICULT unless you have good technical ability.

+1 on separating the OS from the User Profiles and other programs.
The Wizard would be great for clean re-installs of the OS on C:\ . It could ask you which programs and user profiles on D:\ you want to re-activate or re-use. It could advise you if the old user profile you selected is corrupt and not usable.

 

[Rolf]

Hoping for Windows Media Player 13 with native support for MKV in Windows Media Foundation.

 

[severedsolo]

+1 on the customization.
A good skinning engine that works with other programs like MS Office is sorely needed.
The 3 default colors that come with Office are lame. I'd like to skin Office 14 (& later 15) with my own colors/theme.

---------- Post added at 10:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 PM ----------



Britton30 is right, it is possible now, but it is VERY DIFFICULT unless you have good technical ability.

+1 on separating the OS from the User Profiles and other programs.
The Wizard would be great for clean re-installs of the OS on C:\ . It could ask you which programs and user profiles on D:\ you want to re-activate or re-use. It could advise you if the old user profile you selected is corrupt and not usable.

That's all well and good, and within theory a good idea. However, what happens if the reason you have to reinstall is because the registry is corrupt? Or because some piece of malware brought the entire system down, or left it unusable, if technically booting, and able to get to this wizard. Surely that would not solve the problem, as the malware/corrupted registry would not be there.

In fact, as the main reason for doing a clean install is because the installation is unsaveable, it seems to me having parts of it left over would be an awful idea.

Having the User Profile seperate from the OS is not particularly difficult as it is right now, it is just one line in command prompt.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

Just read this today on upcoming Windows 8.....
Microsoft officially unveils Windows 8 - Yahoo! News

 

[Breydel]

Back to the simplicity of windows 98

F.eks. why a Users folder ? There is allredy a login account for that purpose.
For gamers, Savegames is impossible to find, as they can be stored in 10 different locations within users. an annoyance for both gamers and developers. Keep them in the respective game folder, a profile can be created here. Say windows need to reinstall, most of your saves will be lost.

 

[ultrageoff]

What do I want?
1. I liked the 'Connect to' feature in Vista, which seemed to work better and be more user friendly than the Windows 7 equvalent, which I don't really understand even when I can find it. Q How do you delete a connection in Windows 7? A. With a Google search and difficulty! Vista had 'Connect to' right where you would see it on your first power up and it was supremely easy to use.
2. IE9 needs a separate Search box as in IE8.
3. 'Up a directory/folder' icon, as per XP!!!! Please!!! Looking through... and then clicking on... a breadcrumb trail is so much slower. And when you are navigating all the time, that matters.
Thanks!

 

[z3r010]

I'm not sure if I've posted this before, but all I want is the return of the XP flashing network icons!!!!!

 

[Frank1]

I'd like to see it where it doesn't tell me that I don't have permission to open a file that I made on my computer that I, and only I, own that's in my house.

 

[ultrageoff]

Heirarchic subfolders please

I had a great thing on my first Mac; a little add-on that meant I could get to any file, anywhere on my hard drive, instantly. What was it, you may ask? An heirarchic menu, and submenu, and subsubmenu, and subsubsubmenu... (as menu layers down as you have subfolders) drop-down from any drive or directory shown in the Start menu. It worked really snappily even on a 40MHz machine.
So hovering your pointer over 'Computer' in the Start menu would show all your drives and network destinations in a submenu. Then hovering on the name of any drive in that submenu would show a further submenu with all the folders and files held in the root directory of that drive. Flicking over to one of those folders would show all the files and folders inside it (in a further submenu). And then hovering over one of those folders would show... you get the idea. Just release the mouse over the folder or file (or program) of your choice and it opened. Sounds complicated to describe, but in practice it is really, really quick to use and I haven't found files anything like as easily since I had that old machine in 1992.

Think of a website's dropdown menu with submenus of submenus going down as many levels as the user has nested and you have the concept. :grin:

Okay, this is embarrassing! It is already implemented Just hover over the word desktop, bottom right corner and it's all there. If you right-click on the Toolbar, then 'Toolbars', 'New toolbar...' you can put any folder you like in the Toolbar and have an heirarchical menu of its contents and subcontents.

 

[Airbot]

I'm not sure if I've posted this before, but all I want is the return of the XP flashing network icons!!!!!

You did.

Just use this.

Network Activity Indicator for Windows 7

Looks like your first wish (multi monitor taskbar) is going to come about.

 

[The Doctor]

I'd like to see it where it doesn't tell me that I don't have permission to open a file that I made on my computer that I, and only I, own that's in my house.

I'll second that one.
I use Ultimate Windows Tweaker v2.2 to get around this. It works OK most of the time.
In the UWT Additional Tweaks menu you can add "Take Ownership" to the file and folder context menus.

---------- Post added at 09:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:58 PM ----------

I'm not sure if I've posted this before, but all I want is the return of the XP flashing network icons!!!!!

You did.

Just use this.

Network Activity Indicator for Windows 7

Looks like your first wish (multi monitor taskbar) is going to come about.

I'm with z3r010.
I'd like to see the return of a more informative network icon.

 

[BOO]

I'd like to see a better movie maker with more effects, a better MS paint with more stuff, to be able to have a 'theme shop' or something, where you can change the entire looks of the OS through 1 click, explorer that works properly, better security, cleaner and fresher looks, and more connectivity (to websites and friends)

 

[The Doctor]

The Theme shop idea is appeals to me, especially if it could be used in MS Office.
As someone who uses Office most days I'd really love to be able to change the color scheme from the Blue, Silver or Black. I'm currently using the Silver theme in Office 2010. I find it slightly less irritating than the other two.

 

[tseven]

After seeing the video I really hope they keep the tablet separate from the desktop version. While it may be useful if you plug the tablet onto a keyboard but I just don't see that much functionality for tablet users and I just don't see it working well with fingers using a desktop operating system. Also updating and security issues will make it a pain for tablet users. They need to build programs like office specifically for touch based.
Another good thing I hope is stylus based and having the option to use a stylus if wanting to use such.
The start screen needs a bit more work. It's not as interesting or innovative as the phone. It looks kind of boring. The desktop version also needs some more functionality and a change that isn't just a face-lift.

 

[JaidynM]

Cake.

 

[Imperfect1]

For me, the main wish would be for a practically unending number of CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS! That would be the best!

Microsoft, you've regimented the use of our computers your way, now let us control our own systems OUR WAY.

 

[ahriman]

<snip>
Microsoft, you've regimented the use of our computers your way, now let us control our own systems OUR WAY.

I see you've never used a Mac.
I'm writing this on my (first, only, probably last) Mac. I was really curious! Actually, the computer is nice to use.
If you want to do what Apple deigns to let you do.

I'm worried Microsoft is tending this way too now. Hope not.

 

[Coke Robot]

A lot of the above, my wish list is a new lovely sound scheme. I am getting so sick and tired of listening to vista's sound scheme. And also, get rid of the rest of vista's design, like Start Orb(from the latest video from Microsoft, I might be getting my wish of a Start Flag! :grin and get rid of the window control design. No more vista! And the Classic interface of 8, meaning Desktop, I think should be Metrofied out. I for one really like the Metro feel and design, it's clean and fluid, why not put it into the Classic interface?

On a side note for IE10, expand further on Pinned Sites so they become Live Tile like. So for example, you have facebook pinned to your taskbar, instead of having to open it up and have a little push notification come up, IE will stream on low priority any notifications you have. And for Outlook 15, don't need to have it open, the program will provide push notifications.