Reviews - Windows 8 - Part Three: Desktop

[HorneyJ]

There is a few issues Mr. Gates needs fix but these are all tiny tweaks which can be implemented in a service pack in maybe a month? all other complaints are for the users to adapt, I'm not saying it'll be quick or easy but it will be worth it especially when using touch screen monitors.

[Jonj1611]

Here's a trick from Windows 7 - for things you want to run on startup with admin privs use the task scheduler to launch them. It's possible to run them with the highest privileges and with no UAC prompt. See http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/win...-scheduler/616 for an example which still applies today. Software can programatically set this up for you and so it's really down to the authors not being compliant with the security model (for example, CCleaner used to hit UAC but they've now fixed it).

For stuff you run manually, and only on occasion i'd advise you live with it - after all it's there to protect you and whilst not bulletproof it's an extra level of protection nonetheless. I'm a developer and I run UAC at default level on all my systems (and i've even made our own software compliant with it too).

If none of that helps there is one other trick..

No, what he means is the shield icon that appears. With UAC turned off you get no warnings or prompts just that shield icon.

I run it with it off personally, but thats a personal choice.

[Jonj1611]

Erm seems the quotes are quoting the wrong people, twice in this thread I have noticed it

[cjs150]

There may be a bigger problem with UAC. Because the admin user priveleges are not super priveleges as per W7 there may be some programs that do not run. I have had this already on one program but managed a work around

[dangel]

No, what he means is the shield icon that appears. With UAC turned off you get no warnings or prompts just that shield icon.

Well depending on who you were quoting - what's the problem with that? You turn off UAC and expect prompts?
I leave it on because I very rarely trigger it anyway and because of the obvious benefit of elevation.

I think in 8 disabling UAC also kills MUI apps since the sandboxing relies on it (vague recollection).

[Jonj1611]

I didn't say there was a problem? I was saying what his problem was. And no think I wasn't understood properly, I know you don't get prompts but for some reason you still get that icon, which before when it was switched off you didnt get prompts, warnings or the icon either.

I have turned it off but haven't had any problems as of yet with apps or anything else. I spend 75% of my time on the desktop but haven't had anything yet with the UAC icon.

[OilSheikh]

Windows 8, designed by primary kids.

[tribaljet]

After restoring the start menu and tweaking Explorer beyond what's available by default, my Windows 8 RTM installation doesn't even show the main Modern UI "window".

The available Creative beta drivers are working flawlessly on the Creative USB devices I have. I was quite impressed to see that Microsoft did manage to add to its driver repository a lot of very up to date system drivers, akin to what used to happen on Windows 2000 and earlier, only causing issues with WLAN switching hotkeys.

All in all, Windows 8 is a faster and lighter on resources Windows 7, as long as people take the time to disable/bypass most Modern UI features, IF they intend on using Windows 8 simply as an optimized Windows 7 rather than going head on with Modern UI.

[dangel]

I know you don't get prompts but for some reason you still get that icon

It's simply indicating something that requires elevation (and therefore has risk) which you could argue is still a good thing. Either way, no biggie.

[loftie]

"The Devices charm won't let you. And if you're thinking the App switcher would be a good alternative to Alt + Tab, think again, it only lets you switch between Windows Store apps; desktop programs aren't listed at all."

Or you can just use Alt-Tab and have it list all metro and desktop programs

[deejayburnout]

some nice tweaks with the task manager and copy dialogue but too little for me. If it ain't broke......................

[mikerr]

PIN numbers and picture passwords provide new authentication methods

Sorry but ouch - Personal Identification Number numbers ?

[Savas]

Sorry but ouch - Personal Identification Number numbers ?

So? You found a typo, good for you..

Anyway, I really want to move to Windows 8 for the performance improvements and the enhancements to Window 7, but based on the comments about it distracting you and the blue screen with the unhappy face, really makes me think they have come up with this OS purely for tablet users who spend less than an hour on it and have completely forgot about the rest of the people who actually work on their computer.

Based on history; Windows 98 was an improvement to 95, XP was an improvement to Millennium, Windows 7 was an improvement to Vista. Windows 8 is probably going to be replaced very fast by something to make everyone happy now.

[Awaibamaboornt9]

This was quite an objective review. Probably more than 50-60% of Windows 8 users will not do anything than check their email, watch a YouTube video and browse some pictures. People like us who hang out on this forums don't make more than 10% of the Windows user base.

[crossy]

Anyway, I really want to move to Windows 8 for the performance improvements and the enhancements to Window 7, but based on the comments about it distracting you and the blue screen with the unhappy face, really makes me think they have come up with this OS purely for tablet users who spend less than an hour on it and have completely forgot about the rest of the people who actually work on their computer.

Based on history; Windows 98 was an improvement to 95, XP was an improvement to Millennium, Windows 7 was an improvement to Vista. Windows 8 is probably going to be replaced very fast by something to make everyone happy now.

My eldest kid got a new laptop with Windows8 on it for Christmas (HP Envy dv7) and she's pretty impressed with it. That said, I don't think she really "gets" MUI apart from the fact (so she tells me) that it gets out of the way quite easily.

Her old dad (me) on the other hand is still less than impressed: she's got four MUI apps that refuse to update, with no explanation why they failed (and, more importantly, no clue how to solve the issue); when I got an account setup it seemed to insist on a network-aware "roaming" profile only for me to then have to switch it to a "local" account because I needed admin rights, (because I needed to install AV etc)

So, as you say, I'm looking forward eagerly to Windows9 when they'll have all the issues sorted out. In the meantime boring old Windows7 is fine and dandy for me.