Normal service is resumed as Windows 7's growth once again.....

All right, you two start behaving yourselves or I'm turning this thread around and driving back home! And just wait 'til your father gets home!

gregrocker said:

I did go way out in left field there, huh? The graphics orderlies are chasing me down.

Needed some shock therapy.

Once you been in the arty farty place mate we're on your coat tails forever.

Shall we agree 8 is a "polarizing" OS? I really can't comment on 8, as I have never used it in any form. I like 7, I will gladly stay with it until I cannot, or something better comes along. BUT, I can see people who's opinions I respect, who like 8.

They don't say everyone should too, but rather try to counter arguments that they see as false. No one ever said some things need to be changed, but that rather they can usually be easily done.

The counter argument is that these changes did not have to be done in 7. But 7 also required adding 3rd party programs, and that could be considered having to make changes as well.

I believe that the main issue is, making 8 work like 7. Much as people wanted/want to make 7 work like Vista/XP.

On the face of it, I don't like the idea of apps as they have been presented so far. Things as simple as exiting them, size on screen, and the idea that they (like the OS itself), will be subscription/pay. I'm not saying that there are not some great, free apps right now, just that the whole pay apps strategy MS seems to be taking does not bode well for the future.

I must say I don't like to see my friends fighting over it, but then, that's me.

A Guy

   Note

I got a few messages about this 4 step procedure, asking more information on how to make 8.1 behave more like 7. I have now edited this post to add information and tutorial links.

For the future readers of this thread:

Please use your own brain and see it yourself, do not believe the disinformation given to you without checking it yourself. The current version of Windows 8, the 8.1 Update 1, can be used almost exactly (additional features exist) as if it were Windows 7. You do not have to use any cloud services, at least nothing more you are already used to use in Windows 7, and you don’t have to use any Modern Apps a.k.a. Windows Store Apps.

Important to notice is that this will not take hours as you have read. Instead it only takes two or three minutes, that being a one time operation you don’t have to do ever again.

Here’s the 4 step check list, you can find more information at our sister site the Eight Forums for each of these steps:

1. Set up Windows 8.1 using a local account. See tutorial, step 18 shows how to set up Windows 8.1 using a local account instead of a Microsoft Account: Clean Install - Windows 8
2. When booted first time, set Windows to boot directly to desktop. See tutorial: Desktop or Start - When Sign in or Close apps in Windows 8 (time required: about 10 seconds)
   
   
   
   
3. Install Classic Shell or any other third party Start Menu replacement if you do not like the 8.1 default one. Free download: Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements (time required: a minute or two)
4. Images and media files: Launch Windows Media Player once accepting default settings. In doing this your media files will be played on desktop instead of the Modern Video App. Windows 8.1 Update 1 uses the Windows Picture Viewer (desktop) by default for viewing images so for image viewing you need to do nothing (time required: about 30 seconds)

Now your Windows 8.1 looks and behaves like Windows 7. Only things you need the modern UI for after this is to change lock screen background, add users and read PDF files (but then, Seven can't read PDF files by default). Windows 8 has a Modern built-in PDF reader app, but if you’d like to use a desktop reader as in Windows 7, the procedure is the same: you need to download and install a third party reader app.

Your PC will most probably also be faster and more reliable.

Kari

OK Kari.
About 3 weeks ago I read what you had written in the start of this thread and thought I have 2 Windows 8.1 Pro licences lets put at least one to use as something other than a VM and let me set it up on the bare metal and use my skill set to tweak it to look and feel like Windows 7 ie Desktop mode no Metro.
So I set it up first on a spare partition on a regular HD and set it to boot to desktop, installing classic shell, disabling the built in apps and setting files to open in my own programs, Foxit, Word, Winamp, Irfanview, ACDSee et al. The only thing that I miss is the eye candy of Aero. Windows 8.1 works very well and I am using it on my 2 main machines. I have since added it to a dual booting SSD with Windows 7 and I am about to put the other Windows 8.1 on another SSD recently purchased. Yes for the average Joe it is a PIA but with some work it is very nice. I can see the image is slightly better on 7 on the same hardware and I suspect that is due to Aero being in the mix. If they put that back in as an option in 8.2 or 9 that would be a winner. I don't care about fast boot times I just want it to work and do as its told.
So if you still have 7 don't bother but if you have 8.1 preferably with an ISO you should try it and set it to desktop if you want Windows 7 mode.
Note to MS
On next version of Windows (9?) include a Windows 7 Desktop mode either via an emulator or in the initial set up for power users. Add touch to touch devices and allow Metro stuff to be an option we can not only turn off but un-install, likewise should the user have a lower power device enable the new experience and allow the desktop to be un-installed should they wish. Try not to be master of all and end up master of none.

Kari said:

For the future readers of this thread:

Please use your own brain and see it yourself, do not believe the disinformation given to you without checking it yourself. The current version of Windows 8, the 8.1 Update 1, can be used almost exactly (additional features exist) as if it were Windows 7. You do not have to use any cloud services, at least nothing more you are already used to use in Windows 7, and you don’t have to use any Modern Apps a.k.a. Windows Store Apps.

Important to notice is that this will not take hours as you have read. Instead it only takes two or three minutes, that being a one time operation you don’t have to do ever again.

Here’s the 4 step check list, you can find more information at our sister site the Eight Forums for each of these steps:

1. Set up Windows 8.1 using a local account
2. When booted first time, set Windows to boot directly to desktop (time required: about 10 seconds)
3. Install Classic Shell or any other third party Start Menu replacement if you do not like the 8.1 default one (time required: a minute or two)
4. Launch Windows Media Player once accepting default settings. In doing this your videos will be played on desktop instead of the Modern Video App (time required: about 30 seconds)

Now your Windows 8.1 looks and behaves like Windows 7. Only things you need the modern UI for after this is to change lock screen background, add users and read PDF files (but then, Seven can't read PDF files by default). Windows 8 has a Modern built-in PDF reader app, but if you’d like to use a desktop reader as in Windows 7, the procedure is the same: you need to download and install a third party reader app.

Your PC will most probably also be faster and more reliable.

Kari

This is the finest reply I have read to make working with Windows 8 easy - kudos for one of the few truly intellectual posts on this topic Kari

While I don't want to appear intellectual I will say I don't like Win 8. No matter if it can be kinda/sorta made to look like a real OS like w7, it looks like crap with the flat, squared off, uninteresting windows and menus.

Yeah I did give it a try out for about a month and I still didn't like it. I needed no more time "to get used" to it. If it doesn't appeal to me after 4 weeks, it ain't gonna happen after 8 weeks. Or 15 weeks.

I don't try to tell anyone that Win 8 sucks, but what it is I don't like about it, not that it makes a difference why I don't like Win 8, Fords, Bleu Cheese, long walks on the beach, or anything else, my choice.

I'm not the type who will blindly follow anyone's recommendations without my own research/testing.

The preceding has been the opinion of the writer and does not represent the position of the management of Seven Forums or its sponsors.

Britton30 said:

While I don't want to appear intellectual I will say I don't like Win 8. No matter if it can be kinda/sorta made to look like a real OS like w7, it looks like crap with the flat, squared off, uninteresting windows and menus.

Yeah I did give it a try out for about a month and I still didn't like it. I needed no more time "to get used" to it. If it doesn't appeal to me after 4 weeks, it ain't gonna happen after 8 weeks. Or 15 weeks.

I don't try to tell anyone that Win 8 sucks, but what it is I don't like about it, not that it makes a difference why I don't like Win 8, Fords, Bleu Cheese, long walks on the beach, or anything else, my choice.

I'm not the type who will blindly follow anyone's recommendations without my own research/testing.

The preceding has been the opinion of the writer and does not represent the position of the management of Seven Forums or its sponsors.

You don't like Fords?! What's wrong with you, man?!