Windows 8 Problem? Maybe not.... or maybe so.

Trouble

Noob Whisperer
I've watched, waited and read literally hundreds and more likely thousands of posts, both here and elsewhere across the the internet, regarding opinions both pro and con as a result of folks dipping their virtual toes into the arguably troubled waters that is the Windows 8 Metro UI.
I listen to proponents claim that hey it works great right out of the box. And then listen to how they have spent considerable time, trial and error, customizing, adding quick launch toolbars, application folders, and tweaking the desktop with assorted icons and shortcuts, a start button here, and restart button there and throw in a stardock application overlay.
Sounds to me like most of these folks may be a bit in denial, as what they come up with as a result of this time spent working around an interface that almost must be customized in order for it to be somewhat easily navigated and useful, is most often a clunker of a compromise, that while it may be quite alright for a specific individual, its' uniqueness is what makes it almost un-useable in a typical office or other multi-user type environments.
So the, "Hey it works great right out of the box" argument doesn't fly for me.
Now these same people would argue that, Hey, you had to customize and tweak all the previous iterations of the "Start Orb / Button / Menu", well, actually no you didn't, not actually, and really, right clicking choosing properties and selecting a few check boxes, was, if you wanted to do so, a bit easier than reinventing the wheel or dredging up old clunky workarounds like additional toolbars, and quick launch (which I was glad to have seen semi-retired) or creating folders full of links that won't stay organized no matter what you do.
I'm all for new things, I run only Windows 8 (exclusive, not dual boot) on both my desktop and my laptop and I dare say I'm reasonably adept at navigating the interface (out of the box). But I think it may be time for some of us to admit that perhaps this just doesn't blow anyone's skirt up sufficiently to be called "Windows Re-imagined".
The only thing that I see being "Imagined" here at all is Microsoft attempting to secure a foothold in and bolster their market share of Cellular Phones and Tablets, and their hoping that their huge install base on desktops and laptops around the world will help them accomplish that with a cross platform OS.
While I wish them good luck and smooth sailing, I think that this might be a bridge too far.
Regards
Randy
 
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Randy, you raise a good & well-put point.

I for one will admit to making my Win8 Desktop so it works nicely for me.
Quick Launch, yes but, I've always used, liked & wanted QL. For me, QL in Windows8, isn't compensating for anything; it's just something I've always found handy & appealing & will continue to use as long as it's available to me.
Yes, I chose to have the Power button on Desktop, w/out having to do anything to get to it.
I use Desktop Toolbar which, also, has always been available & just as useful now (in 8) as ever.
Yes, I prefer an Applications folder on my Taskbar/on my Desktop... not, cus I hate the Start screen, not cus I can't figure out how to use it but, because, w/ the Apps folder I can stay @ Desktop & work from there. I just can't see bothering going to Start.

And, I still say, Windows8 is a lot more than the "Metro" parts. I don't have or see much interest in the Win8 Start screen, making it hard for me to get upset by it or over it. Hardly ever visit it, doesn't trouble me or get in my way, @ all.

I do see Randy's point, though. Especially if the Start screen is left out of the equation... 1st of all it works fine w/out Touch... & on the surface, that leaves, basically a Desktop, like always w/ a few navigation things that are unfamiliar & not a big deal to learn. Under the surface, there's a lot of 'goodies'. The benefits of these can be seen in practice. Do they mean much to the average user, maybe not. I notice & it's impressive... will 'they' care?, hard to say. There is a lot of tech enhancements that are solely aimed @ & because of Enterprise & business can appreciate such things.

I will keep feeling that ppl are so busy trying to swim through or even stay afloat in that "Metro UI', those so very "troubled waters" of it & I keep wondering why & worrying they aren't seeing the REST of the whole, big, picture that is Windows8.

It is true about market shares & the goal of having an OS good for both Mobile Devices and PCs & laptops. I do not agree that whilst building an OS for PDAs, it renders it no good for Desktops. Nor does it suffer w/out Touch... mouse& keyboard does fine.

I will say & not as a matter of being in denial or feeling there is anything to defend... there is a difference, I believe, between doing a couple things on Desktop to make things individually efficient & convenient and adding things to go retro, trying to make it something it's not.

Actually, as I told Microsoft a couple of days ago, when we were talking on the phone, initially on a non-related matter... MS has possibly hurt themselves or the adoption of Win8 by making ppl think they have to cope w/ this "New Metro UI". Some will think it's neat & cool, many will be scared off or turned off by it and miss all the value there may be in this OS. A big deal over a screen that I'm either removing tiles from it or occasionally doing a search on it... beyond that it gets damned little time, attention or concern from me.

Time will tell how Windows8 is received by the general public and biz, this fall & in several months following the final release.

I have heard/seen a lot from both ends of the spectrum. But, until it's a no choice thing in a new machine, it will be interesting to see if, all the hype about "Metro UI" creates excitement or does sales harm. There's a lot more than "Metro UI" to Windows8.

How that is perceived by the majority, remains to be seen.

Regards,
Drew
 
There's a lot more than "Metro UI" to Windows8.
I believe that those things that seem to make Windows 8 somewhat attractive an as alternative OS (performance enhancements) would have made an excellent Service Pack 2 for Windows 7.
Much the same as was done to Vista SP1, when they ported over the 2008 Server kernel to Vista and actually made it a far better OS.
 
Agree wholeheartedly. I did try to point this out in another thread. It is nice to have everything in the one OS package, but , leaving SP2 out of the frame, there are already many third party programs around, which can do many of the things proposed in Windows 8
 
Hi Randy

I agree with you, but for me at least I only have to do one thing to make it all work the way I want it to.
As I said in another post once I installed Classic Shell I didn't need any of the things I had tried before.

It gave me my start menu, all my links to Control Panel, etc. right where I'm used to seeing them.

Now I hardly notice that I'm not still working in my Windows 7 setup.

View attachment 257

I'd recommend giving it a try for anyone who's not that happy with the current interface.
And as I said in my other post, you can switch back and forth with a click so you don't have to totally abandon the standard interface.

I'm pretty sure that when I start using the final version of Windows 8, the first thing I do will be, to install Classic Shell.

Welcome to Classic Shell

Mike
 
My translator can't handle that!
I can usually get the gist of it, but this one has me stumped.
 
My translator can't handle that!
I can usually get the gist of it, but this one has me stumped.

What is that referring to, Mike?
By the way, your attachment will not open. Maybe it needs an edit? (Or maybe it's me????)
 
Hi Randy

When I posted that there was a post above it that looked like it was in Chinese?
It was just one line and from someone whose handle sounded Asian.
I'ts gone now!

I ran it through my translator and it didn't identify it.
Had the word Mong which is Chinese or Vietnamese in it but the rest was kind of weird.

Strange.

Mike

My attachment was just a picture of my desktop.
Same one I'm showing here, it worked when I posted it, and least in the preview.
I did save it as a .png file, I usually use .jpgs.

My Desktop.PNG.
 
This bit of confusion is on me and all my fault.
I was attempting to clean up some spam like posts we seem to be attracting from Vietnamese contributors and unfortunately Mike's post got caught up in my clumsiness and he was temporarily banned from the site for a couple minutes until I realized what I had done and corrected the problem. The attachment was likely another victim of my stupidity.
Again my apologies to Mike, a valued contributor here and on the Windows 7 site.
Regards
Randy
 
LOL. Have an extra beer today, Mike. Don't fret over it, Trouble. I have deleted whole threads by mistake, in a moderator role!
 
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