News - Windows 8 preview take-up is relatively sluggish

[Noxvayl]

Stardock is fixing the metro interface: http://www.neowin.net/news/interview-stardocks-ceo-gives-an-update-on-start8

So everything that has been complained about in this thread will be fixed by a free application.

[YenRug]

If you aren't interested in the metro part there are hacks that allow the old start menu to return. If you only want the desktop part, you might actually find the metro live tiles useful (tells you when to check facebook or emails without opening a browser).

This is the thing, unless I'm playing a game my PC is sat with Outlook and a browser (usually with a tab pointing to Facebook) open all the time. I don't need a Metro tile to tell me that I have new mail or updates on my FB wall; if I want to check them I go look at them, I don't see the point in constantly opening and closing programs, it's not like I'm using a mobile phone where you want/need to keep resources freed up. I'm in the position where I'll be looking at getting a new PC around November, I suspect MS is going to be pushing hard for Windows 8 to be installed on new builds by then; if they give you the option to switch to the desktop permanently, I'll probably go for it. If not? Well, time to try out Windows 7.

[tigertop1]

I have been using windows 8 since the 'developer' version was available.

I am still not sure who it is aimed at or what it is for. No matter how hard it is sold I cannot see those who have windows 7 or even those who are upgrading from XP or Vista preferring it to W7

If it looks like a lemon , tastes like a lemon, and smells like a lemon it is prbably a lemon.

C'mon Microsoft let's concentrate on Windows 9 now and see if you casn produce a worthy successor to W7

[pollaxe]

Stardock is fixing the metro interface: http://www.neowin.net/news/interview...date-on-start8

So everything that has been complained about in this thread will be fixed by a free application.

I use Start8 and it addresses some of the issues with Windows 8 but not all of them (We'll have to see what future builds bring, too.)
It's also not a good sign that a third party app is needed to fix what the user base is complaining about!

I've recently been trying it on Parallels on a 2011 MacBook Air and it's been better experience on that than any desktop I've used, mainly due to the Mac's trackpad. I still don't like Windows 8 in its current form though and as a desktop O/S I don't think it delivers at all.

[IronWarrior]

Ugh, that Start8 start area looks as ulgy as hell.

Does it have a normal Windows 7 look? If so, I be happy.

[davidcrofter]

I really think Microsoft are guilty of trying to force a product on the public that most of them simply have no interest in - this is a tablet operating system in everything but name, no matter how Microsoft try and dress it up.

They should have called it "Microsoft Tablet OS" and be done with it.

Why would I want to buy a touch-screen monitor for my desktop pc or use it for that matter?? That would mean I would need to be within arms length of my monitor at all times to do the easiest of tasks - something that I can safely say I am not and don't plan to either ... pc lounger for the win.

[davidcrofter]

Colleague here made the comment that if Microsoft gets their way then we'll either be needing glasses or spend most of our time doing neo-nazi style salutes to operate our PC's. If didn't believe the latter until he demonstrated - after which it was coffee-spray time for me ... And dammit, he's right, most folks leaning forward to poke a screen DO tend to end up with near-salute.

Oh, and how come a 19" screen is okay for close work - but a 22" isn't? Not looking for an argument, merely interested since I do have a 23" screen that I could lean forward and poke.

The main problem is that you are having to lean forward to poke the screen in the first place - no way would I want to be sitting within touching distance of my 24" monitor which is something that Microsoft simply haven't factored in ... fine on a small touch-screen which is what this OS is aimed at.

[Noxvayl]

Ugh, that Start8 start area looks as ulgy as hell.

Does it have a normal Windows 7 look? If so, I be happy.

Microsoft are reportedly removing legacy start menu code meaning it will no longer be possible to use other start menu applications like StartMenu7 or ClassicShell in Windows 8.

Stardock's approach is to reduce the size of Metro to make it more functional for a PC so it should work in the final version of Windows 8, so as far as I can tell I don't think you'd be able to make it look similar to the W7 start menu. They are also being cautious with other features before release just-in-case Microsoft block the ability to implement those features. Microsoft do seem to be on a witch hunt against start menu's, Vista and 7 have worse start menu's than XP, which is why I'm using StartMenuXP, and now they bring out Metro "because people are pinning programs rather than using the start menu"... I think they are mad.

[tickleonthetum]

We bought a touchscreen monitor when Windows 7 came out, and disabled the touch side of it within 4 weeks. It is just too unwieldy to use on the desktop, and gives you arm ache! You're also forever cleaning the screen to get rid of finger marks!

There is little that you can do in desktop programs that benefit from Touch and in fact many are a lot harder to use. Serious graphics work is nigh in impossible as Touch is no where near accurate enough, and I will continue to use a mouse + Graphics Tablet.

Touch screens look cool in films but in reality are a pain in the neck (well arm actually).

No, Windows 7 will be staying for us unless MS make the Start screen/touch features optional and bring back an optional start button...

There will always be a need for distinct formats:

Phone = Most Basic.
Tablet = Phone 'Plus'.
Laptop = Travelling Desktop in a sense.
Desktop = Professional users/Power Users.

These 4 formats do not need to be merged!

[Noxvayl]

...
There will always be a need for distinct formats:

Phone = Most Basic.
Tablet = Phone 'Plus'.
Laptop = Travelling Desktop in a sense.
Desktop = Professional users/Power Users.

These 4 formats do not need to be merged!

Agreed; when ever a device gets merged into another it lacks functionality that the devices had separately for example smart phones rarely last more than a week on standby while my phone almost manages a month on standby and there is a similar difference in talk time. I can do without apps and the internet but I like to be able to contact family in emergencies and like to be able to be contacted if there is an emergency. I guess I am not willing to give up on the improved features of more focused devices in order to have less devices and to have my most productive devices handicapped in order to cater for overlapping features for different devices is unacceptable.

Thankfully I am happy with Stardock's fix(Start8) and look forward to seeing what features they add to it, the difference between me getting Windows 8 and not lies with Start8.

[0iD]

From what I've seen of Win 8 running in VM it's the new Windows Me, it's pointless user unfriendly pants. It's far too touch screen-centric to be a universal OS. Win 7 is like XP, it works ok so people will be unwilling to swap.

[wasabi]

Some of the under-the-hood stuff is quite cool, but I tried Win 8 in a virtual box and got infuriated by Metro in 10 minutes. Never mind the one app at a time iphone/Android ripoff mindset, you couldn't even use the mouse as a virtual hand to drag the damned Metro menu screen which is just pap. UI is not for desktops, although i might give it a pop on my netbook if I get bored and the upgrade path from Xp is really cheap.

Prediction - will make vista look like a roaring success, but the fault will be all MS and not Nvidia and printer manufacturers this time.

Micrsoft need to remember their business users and forget chasing Android / Apple at home - they lost already..

[watercooled]

Agreed, but while Windows Vista/7 offer significant underlying improvements over XP, there's not much of a reason to upgrade to 8. Yes there are CPU scheduler improvements but they'll be in the next Windows version which will hopefully be worth using; do MS now have a tick-tock schedule, where they release an OS with a load of unnecessary rubbish no-one likes, then use the next release for the worthwhile version, after the public have done their beta testing for them?

Of course, there's always the possibility they'll needlessly release another DirectX version and make up some reason they can't backport it, forcing gamers to upgrade...

[crossy]

Agreed, but while Windows Vista/7 offer significant underlying improvements over XP, there's not much of a reason to upgrade to 8. Yes there are CPU scheduler improvements but they'll be in the next Windows version which will hopefully be worth using; do MS now have a tick-tock schedule, where they release an OS with a load of unnecessary rubbish no-one likes, then use the next release for the worthwhile version, after the public have done their beta testing for them?

Nicely put, and probably quite accurate - remembering the problematic Win95, WinME and Vista. In which case, maybe we should lobby Redmond to be able to put down pre-orders (at a sizable discount of course!) for Windows9 - seeing as that'll be stupefyingly brilliant (if the tick-tock theory holds).

Of course, there's always the possibility they'll needlessly release another DirectX version and make up some reason they can't backport it, forcing gamers to upgrade...

That's assuming that EA etc force insist on DX12 (?) for their games. If it looks like Windows8 isn't going to sell in bucket loads then I'd suggest that the games publishers would stick with DX11 to guarantee the maximum potential market.

Of course, I've got the perfect riposte - if they insist on using DX12 (and therefore Windows8) then I'll either skip that game, or get it on my XBox (720?) when it comes out.

[Zeven]

I haven't tried Windows 8 yet and I probably won't until it actually comes out but when so many people, including those more knowledgeable than I, are complaining about it, then I believe it to be a sure sign for me to avoid Windows 8.

[watercooled]

You do, of course, get a couple of people saying the complaining is just because it's something new/progress or whatever, and of course they have their opinion, but that reasoning is IMO complete nonsense; why should everyone accept and like something simply because it's new? I heard similar comments about Vista, but even now Windows 7 is out, people haven't suddenly started liking Vista, you only have to look at sales/usage figures comparing the two...