Windows 8 Snap

Dave, thanks for your reply. I haven't tried it because I actually like the interface; but HTG is usually pretty good about updating; and since the comments are all from October, I assumed that it was still relevant. Can you tell me when they were pulled out and I'll notify HTG so that they can pull this article.

Note to Dave: You are correct - I saw October and didn't look at the year of the comments which is 2011 not 2012... that was my bad.

Also, I watched the video posted by tanzanos... I did notice that they were using the beta to display the issues. There have been numerous changes from the beta as expected. Yes, I do agree with the image being a bad move initially - also I agree that the menus have been hidden quite oddly; but once I figured them out it's been quite simplistic to get around. Again, learning curve; I still don't get the hiding the access to control panel etc which you can get to by right clicking the start window from the desktop and see a context menu which shows numerous options.
 
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I tried to do a search: I typed "device manager": Nothing! I typed "uninstall": Nothing! Closing applications by dragging them to the bottom? If this is not an OS strictly designed for touch screen.... Dear me! I spent 1 week at a friend's Win 8 and sorry but this OS totally lacks intuition. Has an even worse search than win 7 and it just isn't designed for PCs and certainly not designed for the professional in mind.

I tried and gave up. I will stick with win 7 until MS stops supporting it and hope that MS comes up with another OS designed for PCs and not smartphones. Sorry DREW, but I suppose I am just too stupid to be able to use Win 8.
 
Who said that you must like Windows 8? The world would certainly be a boring place if we all thought the same. If you don't like Windows 8 then fair enough, you tried it and didn't like it. Where's the wrong in that?

Personally I like it but I'm certainly not going to try and sway the minds of others.
 
of course you can dislike it; everyone is free to like & use whatever they want. That said, it is important be said, for the sake of other people, that are accurate, & fact based, not coming from subjectivity.

Ergo, w/out any intent to sway or argue, please, allow me to set the record straight & nothing is to be taken personally nor as an insult to on comment on anyone's intellect.

I, really, thought this ground had been covered, already...

1. One can search for Device Mgr but, in can be found w/out searching, @ all, on the Power Users menu - Rt Clk @ the Bottom-Left Corner.
2. I don't know where or how you were Searching that you get "nothing". IF one begins typing anywhere on Start it goes to Search. There is a Search icon in the Charms Bar. Win+Q > Search Applications, Win+W searches Settings & Win+F searches Files. And when at Search Applications one can simply move down to the other (2) categories. Windows 8, actually, searches, quickly & easily, w/ fewer steps & clicks than, before; plus there are more things that one can get to directly, w/out searching, @ all, than, before.
3. Closing APPs can be done by dragging down BUT, that is not the only way. I prefer just Rt Clicking an APP on the Switcher Bar & selecting "Close" there. I find it easier & more intuitive or natural (I'm old & conditioned to such methods, lol).
4. Windows 8 is not designed strictly for Touch. I, like many, have been using it for over 9 months, very easily & enjoyably on a non-Touch machine
5. Windows 8 is designed for ALL devices is just as happy on a PC as anything. Again, I, and many others, are, indeed using PCs and it's just fine on them.
6. One for the major focuses in terms of design goals w/ Windows 8 was enterprise. Many of the technologies, features and improvements in Windows 8 are for corporate concerns, interests & needs. W/out listing all the specifics, business environments are excited about Windows 8 because of increase ROI, less demands on IT man-hours, less demand on H/W and job-specific, helpful APPs, that as an added bonus, they can easily design & build for themselves.
Anyone is, of course free to use 7 until whenever but, that has no bearing of the fact that MS does not need to design another OS for PCs. Windows 8 has been, purposely, designed for both mobile devices and PCs. The same will be true for Windows 9 when it is released 3 years from now.

Personally, I like Windows 8, too. But, that, certainly, doesn't mean anyone else will or must. We can only state realities, not make horses drink. As long as they are happy horses.

Cheers,
Drew
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OK! I guess I am in the wrong forum. The only replies I get here are basically that windows 8 is perfect and even business people are excited about it.

You people simply are doing what MS does. You are polite but you always support the product to the fullest as if your life depended on it; so much so that you totally fail to UNDERSTAND the problem!

The problem is NOT if windows 8 is good or not. The problem is NOT if windows 8 is powerful or not. The problem is MS REMOVED VITAL OPTIONS THAT MANY PEOPLE NEED AND WANT! It is about RETAINING the options we have had for over a decade now.

Do you people even bother to look at the lack of interest win 8 is generating? Why do you think 3rd party applications are in such demand? Applications that simply give users the OPTIONS that MS REMOVED. Applications that give the options yet retain the speed and other improvements.

Windows 8 is NOT intuition based. It is a Hide and seek OS designed for touch screen. Win 8 is win ME and Vista revisited!
 
I have to wonder at your astonishment that users in this forum like Windows 8. It is a Windows 8 forum after all.. No os is perfect and neither is windows 8 but rather than concentrate on the negatives I'd much rather go with the positives.
Windows 8 up to now has sold over 4 million copies which kinda throws your suggestion that no one is interested by the way side. You said yourself that you dislike windows 8 and I'm prepared to except your opinion that you think Windows 8 is trash, why can't you except mine?

Surely it's better to agree to disagree and move on?
 
You want to have your view; let us have ours. Both happy in them & it's all good. As is worthwhile discussion for people w/ interests regarding Windows 8. And hence, why we are here.

Cheers,
Drew
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Tanzanos. Looking back through your posts so far on this site, unless you have since decoded otherwise, you have not even installed it on your own computer? I can see also, a rather unique attitude, that you did not even like windows 7?? I must confess that your second sentence, in post #27 finally got me to post in this thread. I, for one, am by no means a Microsoft dedicated fan. The company and its products have faults, as do most others in the is world. You will find plenty of critic on this forum and other, similar sites. Such criticism does, quite often, lead to a more in depth discussion on more MS integrated sites, with, sometimes, good feedback. I think if you install Windows 8, and follow some of the alternative suggestions here, from as you suggest. MS "fanboys", you may find that Windows 8 can be adapted, without hacking, to be used as it was in legacy OSs, with the added advantage of an improvement in performance. If, on the other hand, you should really make up your mind that it is not for you, perhaps you would care to visit our companion forum for Windows 7 and read a few useful ideas there for making life better. Of course, your third alternative is, as you yourself have suggested, is to load up a linux distribution and join a linux forum. I can see that most of those have an astronomical number of threads on how to use the programs.
 
Davehc, If you read my posts about win 7 and win 8 you will see that my only problem with both was the lack of classic menus and a horrid search. Win 8 I have used on a friend's PC and I simply cannot come to terms with the fact that it is a touch screen OS ported over to PCs. MS is a monopoly and my professional software will not run on linux. Also Macs are just as bad. XP was so intuitive and user friendly. I agree that both 7 and 8 may have superior advantages over XP but what good are they when in order for me to use them I have to first install 3rd party applications.

I am angry because I know that when 7 will stop being supported by MS I will have to stop using my professional software because I simply cannot understand the hide and seek non intuitive win 8. I feel cornered and am very angry.

Why did MS remove the classic menu option????? Why are they forcing METRO and not giving me the option to have my PC boot directly to desktop and TOTALLY bypass METRO permanently??? If 3rd party software can do this without affecting the performance then why did MS remove them???

I have bought win 95, 98, 98SE, ME, XP, and 7. I have used at work unix and win 2000. I have always supported windows yet I feel that MS being a monopoly is basically forcing on us a totally user unfriendly environment in order to move onto tablets and smartphones.

But what is the use of trying to make a company listen to its users criticism when forums are governed by people who simply will not accept such criticism and always support MS products to the fullest and refuse to accept that many people are upset. If I used my PC only for entertainment then I could not care less but it will affect my work and this I cannot accept.

Please explain why even before win 8 was released a plethora of 3rd part applications were released that basically make the OS do what its predecessor did by default. If I cannot express my complaints about win 8 in a win 8 forum then where should I. MS simply refuses to even reply to e-mails.
 
Did you access the beta program and make your feelings plain there? Also there are plenty of tweaks before you need to start adding third party software like booting directly to desktop. Admittedly if you want a menu like windows 7 the your gonna have to install something or other to replace whats been improved on :) (my opinion).
 
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Perhaps you are making too much of your view of the problem? You may have already read of various ways to make the "Metro" menu into a perfectly useable start menu, All your installed third party apps can be pinned in there. The shortcut to the legacy desktop is there also.But this is old news and the means easily found by googling or even perusing forums such as this. Since the first Windows release, I have, within moments of installing the OS, quickly turned to, and installed, my favourite apps - often replacing the built in ones, which did not come up to my requirements. As you refer to your professional software, I have to assume that you, also, install a number of third party programs to this end. What is your problem with installing a third party start menu, such as classic, (about 3 minutes) which takes you directly to the legacy desktop, so that you may never see the metro tiles again - that being your desire. Maybe you should look on this OS, also, from another point of view. It is the first one on the market, which has successfully offered a tablet/portable OS with the option to use it as a full desktop OS.
 
Windows XP UI, Good for PC.

Windows 8 UI Bad for PC.
EXACTLY! win 8 is like the SUVs; Made to satisfy the weekend warriors who want to do some off road (smooth dirt roads) and the street driver who wants to sit higher than everyone else. SUVs are a compromise and win 8 is a compromise.
 
Some of the replies in here truly do suprise me. This somehow look to me like thread with 1 against Windows 8 (and before) & neutrals who are pointing out good & less good items regarding Windows 8.

I can understand that people who are new to Windows 8 do look suprised and confused at first sight, but, that's at first sight...

For example, I showed my dad (73 years) Windows 8 a while ago (Release Preview) and let him putter around it without giving any explenation... Guess what, he totally hated it and gave up soon after (same can be seen in many YouTube video's).

Though he used to work with Windows 7 for quite a while now, when Windows 8 got out I offered him to buy it now since it's very cheap and his Windows 7 installation got worse and worse (mostly due to malware/virusses that do leave there traces). I installed it for him, got his Office suit on it, configured his email.

When I brought him his laptop back, I just explained few basics regarding Windows 8 (remembering how he suffered at first try). 2 days later I called him asking if he had any problems whichever they may have been...

His answer in this was rather straid forward: He loved it, liked it, found it much easier to work with, lot faster and many items he had issues with before he now found easily.

What I'm trying to say in this is quite simple. Even though there are many people who "hate/dislike" Windows 8, there are also many people who "love/like" Windows 8. It's all a matter of opinion, personal experience, personal needs/requirements/desires. Some found it hard to abandon the "start menu" and to accept "start screen". Though in a way the Start Screen is the same, if not beter & even more intuitive.

You can put the tiles you want or remove what you want. So you can have the look you wish for. If you cannot find that in Start Screen, then use 3th party software which allows you to have what you want. Every OS has it's strengths and it's weaknesses. It's up to the user to make of it how they choose and how they like.

Labelling it as bad, horrible, worst OS ever, ..., ... is useless. Windows advances, technology advances. You can choose to either keep hanging with "old" technology or move on. Whether it is a Windows OS or other OS, people do have the liberty to choose and take the OS that fits there needs best.

I for one have also tried Windows 8 since the very first test version got out. At first I didn't liked it as well, I kept holding to the start menu which in first version was still available. But I moved on. I learned how Windows 8 worked, how the Start Screen worked. I don't find it a pain in the ***, I find it easier to work with, faster & saves me lots of time. Even though some software ain't compatible with Windows 8 at present time, they'll will in near future...
 
Thank you, TDB. We are seeing & hearing more & more comments like yours. The trend will grow. A bit more time, a bit more enlightened editorials, a bit more of people giving it a fair, open-minded go. I'll just add the Start screen and its Tiles can be used & become very appealing to many people. It is, also, easily possible to not use it AND not add any 3rd party (old start) things and still use Windows 8 very nicely.

But, already, (following Oct. 26th we are hearing more & more saying they like it rather than all the misguided, misinformed negatives being bantered about during the summer.

Thanks for your input. Your remarks are well put & valid. There certainly is more to be gained from being positive in how we look at and approach things; Windows 8 is no exception to that truism. Takes folks a while sometimes to see past or look beyond Start to things they may appreciate and enjoy in Windows 8

Cheers,
Drew
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I searched the web for the so called advanced features of Win 8. All I found that was touted was the fast boot times. Will someone please actually give us the advantages (real ones) that win 8 has over win 7? If one insists that win 8 uses less resources then this is not an advantage per se as contemporary hardware can handle preety much anything one can throw at it as far as resources go. I use my PC with win7 for games and professional 3d solid modelling and rendering. Although I have the i7 920 with 6 gigs ram and gtx 560 GPU I have no problems with speed. Win 7 is slow when it comes to boot times but as a professional I only boot once a day.

Win 8 is designed for both touch screen (tablets and smartphones) and for PCs. Anyone who is in the products design and development field will tell you that such compromises always either gives an advantage to one over the other or compromises on all the differing uses this compromise is aimed at. Surely you all can see this.

I would like an unbiased comparison between win 7 and win 8. So far I have spoken to professionals and students who have actually tried win 8 and they have expressed their desire to remain with win 7. It is little wonder that about 26% still use win XP (mostly professionals) and over 47% win 7. Yes win 8 is new and is sure to gain more users but my point is that win 7 has been around for a while now and yet XP is still hanging on. The reason is win 7 got rid of classic start menu and most people do not know about the 3rd party software that bring back classic menus. Also the same goes for RIBBON.

Is it little wonder that the person who was responsible for the development of win 8 left MS?

Now for the UNBIASED comparison please :)
 
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Now for the UNBIASED comparison please :)
Since you always try to twist words of the onces who are replying to your questions, let me ask a different question... What is, from your point of view, the advantages of Windows 7 (or earlier) compaired to Windows 8...
And please don't come with Start Menu & not booting to Desktop straith away...

I will eagerly await your reply where you'll convince me Windows 8 ain't better then it's predecessors... Cause for now I haven't seen any valuable fact from you that confirms that.

Hopefull you'll provide me with some usefull answer regarding this, otherwise this is just something like feeding the troll... In other words, waste of time & completely useless...
 
Since you always try to twist words of the onces who are replying to your questions, let me ask a different question... What is, from your point of view, the advantages of Windows 7 (or earlier) compaired to Windows 8...
And please don't come with Start Menu & not booting to Desktop straith away...

I will eagerly await your reply where you'll convince me Windows 8 ain't better then it's predecessors... Cause for now I haven't seen any valuable fact from you that confirms that.

Hopefull you'll provide me with some usefull answer regarding this, otherwise this is just something like feeding the troll... In other words, waste of time & completely useless...
The lack of an intuitive environment is basically the biggest flaw of win 8. The lack of options such as classic menus, and booting to desktop. Why do you think these two are not important? I specifically stated that I searched the web for the advantages win 8 has over win 7 and basically all I got was boot speed and low resource hogging in win 8. If you think these are the only thing that matters in an OS then we have nothing more to discuss. I admit I do not know the hidden features that win 8 has that are superior to win 7. Now why don't you enlighten me with an unbiased comparison? As for the advantages of win 7 to win 8? Well both have the disadvantage of a not efficient SEARCH and the lack of Classic menus option.

But to cut things short; win 8 lacks the intuition of previous versions of windows.
 
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