More Than 3 Out of 4 Enthusiasts Reject Windows 8

[whs]

Out of curiosity is the upgrade from W8 to W8.1 free?

Yes, that's what they say.

 

[x BlueRobot]

I always think Windows 8.1 (Blue) as more of a service pack update to Windows 8.

 

[PaulGo]

Xbox One: The wobbly third leg of Microsoft’s non-desktop trifecta


...From a subjective standpoint, though, each of Microsoft’s new offerings is intrinsically flawed and bogged down by crippling policy decisions no doubt handed down from Microsoft’s besuited higher echelons. Windows 8 and 8.1, despite “responding to customer feedback,” still forces users to use the Metro interface, even when a touchscreen isn’t present. Windows Phone 8 is one of Microsoft’s most polished products, but a smartphone OS is only as strong as its app ecosystem, and due to its minuscule market share WP8 still lacks the ecosystem to pull consumers away from iOS and Android — an unfortunate Catch-22 if I ever saw one. The Xbox One, depending on your point of view, is either an awesome all-in-one living room box that plays games, or an awful DRM-restricted games machine that acts as an HDMI passthrough for your cable box — the very same thing that the tried-and-failed Google TV attempted to do.
How did Microsoft manage to take three exciting, technologically advanced products and turn them into mediocre, humdrum devices that have had all of the fun and adventure sucked out of them?

Full article at:

Xbox One: The wobbly third leg of Microsoft’s non-desktop trifecta | ExtremeTech

 

[Dallas 7]

I ignore the cloud-based aspect of it, but do use some of the 'apps' (God, I hate that word).


Wenda.

Me too! Seems like all I hear and read is app this and app that, app everything! I'm sick of "apps"! LOL

 

[Dallas 7]

Wait for two weeks or so for the W8.1 preview -- it might not yet be exactly what the users want but it's decidedly better than the current W8.

From all I have seen of 8.1 it is not good enough for the traditional desktop user. The 'Start button' is a joke and all the other functions are still geared to tablet users.

I don't want tiles nor a cloud nor any of those new apps on my desktop. And for my tablet I am well served with Android.......

My sentiments exactly whs! My computer has W7 and my tablet is an IPad. I did the same thing to W8
that M$ did to the desktop.....threw it under the bus.

 

[Juxxize]

I don't know if this link has been posted on this thread but I find it interesting ( and a little amusing ) that even Microsoft doesn't want to use Windows 8 , at E3 they were using a Windows 7 system to preview the new up-coming xbox one games

 

[PaulGo]

Microsoft is like a politician, " do what I say, don't do what I do".

 

[Layback Bear]

Microsoft have verified the old saying.
Talk is cheep.
Thanks Juxxize for the site.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Modern Business Practice

I don't know if this link has been posted on this thread but I find it interesting ( and a little amusing ) that even Microsoft doesn't want to use Windows 8 , at E3 they were using a Windows 7 system to preview the new up-coming xbox one games

Modern business practice dictates that you charge everyone for everything, even inside your own company.

The Xbox division would have had to buy the corporate version of W8.
They didn't want spend the cash, so they didn't use W8.

 

[Dallas 7]

I don't know if this link has been posted on this thread but I find it interesting ( and a little amusing ) that even Microsoft doesn't want to use Windows 8 , at E3 they were using a Windows 7 system to preview the new up-coming xbox one games

Now that's funny! LOL

 

[jimbo45]

Wait for two weeks or so for the W8.1 preview -- it might not yet be exactly what the users want but it's decidedly better than the current W8.

From all I have seen of 8.1 it is not good enough for the traditional desktop user. The 'Start button' is a joke and all the other functions are still geared to tablet users.

I don't want tiles nor a cloud nor any of those new apps on my desktop. And for my tablet I am well served with Android.......

My sentiments exactly whs! My computer has W7 and my tablet is an IPad. I did the same thing to W8
that M$ did to the desktop.....threw it under the bus.

Hi there

Wait and see until 8.1 is actually OUT-- the Boot directly to desktop seems like a good feature for starters and is OFICIALLY BACK in 8.1.

In any case even on the current W8 there's no need whatsoever to have ANY of those "New fangled apps" on your desktop either. They can stay on the Start screen (which in W8.1 you never have to even SEE) and in any case they can all be uninstalled / removed.

I've no problems with people riling about W8 but at least please make SALIENT points -- if you don't like Metro (And currently I HATE it too) there's no reason to even SEE it any more with Windows 8.1 -- BUT actually they've changed the interface so these apps can run in multi- window - multi-monitor mode so they can operate rather like the old gadgets did but better. I could get interested for example having a small re-sizeable window (Not full screen) showing real time Market data for example while I'm working.

I really wonder also how many current W7 users actually use the start button or even the menu once they've organised their systems - most people I know either run stuff from the Desktop or from the quick launch bar and only use the menu if they want to find something -- and even the current W8's search IMO is superior once you get used to it.

I in common with a lot of people don't like the current W8's start screen with endless tiles etc -- but 8.1 is looking good - even installing desktop applications won't spread loads of tiles randomly all over the place either too. -- I'd at least have a look at 8.1 when it comes out --you might be pleasantly surprised.

(Even with the current W8 I can run an almost identical desktop as I can with W7 -- Desktop icons still work and you've got the taskbar (aka Quick launch bar) which works exactly like W7. And for those that really can't live without a menu you can create a custom tool bar which works almost as good as the Menu anyway).

Desktop W8 screenshot enc - Desktop icons, Taskbar, and custom toolbar for pgms -- no need for any 3rd party stuff -- all basic Windows features.


Cheers
jimbo

 

[Night Hawk]

It was a bit more then just Metro or "Modern" and the Start screen for me but how they divided everything up placing some things in a hidden right click menu whereas the older Start menu saw "Settings>Control Panel", Administrative Tools, and other things leading off of one central point. With 8 the Crawler tool bar popup annoyance on the right side is another jab for the centralized being divided up in another hidden location "comfy for tablet" but not making any sense for the desktop platform which MS wasn't even interested in for W8 to start with! 8.1 or second edition is to end up more or less a hybrid OS to satisfy to some limited extent the frustrations of actual desktop users as well as the bad rep from bloggers 8 has been getting.

 

[Juxxize]

Quote: Originally Posted by jimbo45

I really wonder also how many current Windows 7 users actually use the start button or even the menu once they've organised their systems - most people I know either run stuff from the Desktop or from the quick launch bar and only use the menu if they want to find something

I use it all the time and I've got my desktop set up as I want it, so I would miss it if I was using Windows 8, I suppose a-lot of people must use it or miss it if it's been offered back ( of sorts ) to users in the new Windows 8.1 update , it's good that MS seemed to have listened to their customers on this .

 

[lehnerus2000]

Almost Daily

I really wonder also how many current W7 users actually use the start button or even the menu once they've organised their systems - most people I know either run stuff from the Desktop or from the quick launch bar and only use the menu if they want to find something -- and even the current W8's search IMO is superior once you get used to it.

I hate having icons on my desktop.
I only drop things there temporarily (I move them to the appropriate folders later).

My friend drops everything on his desktop and he can never find anything without a lengthy search.
His full HD screen is 50% covered with program icons (he also has a couple of gadgets and a bunch of Sticky Notes on it).

I use the Start Menu regularly (especially if I've had to reboot).

On my PC:

• My "Primary" programs are on the Taskbar (+ Customised Computer Management and Control Panel).
• My "Secondary" programs are in the pinned area.
• I use a combination of the Search box and "All Programs" (depending on my mood).

This is my Start Menu from last year (it is still basically the same).
I have my "All Programs" section categorised to eliminate sprawl.

Click picture for animation
​

-- and even the current W8's search IMO is superior once you get used to it.

That's debatable.

The W7 search leaves you on the Desktop (where your work is) and doesn't require the entire screen.
I don't even have the Indexing service running and yet it always finds the programs I search for (I don't use it to search for files).

Maybe they've fixed search in the W8 release version, but when I was using the previews (DP, CP, RP and Ent) it wouldn't show any results (for the searches I tried) unless I clicked on one of the categories (at the top right).

 

[bobafetthotmail]

Bah, I'm still in the bunker waiting that this tablet craze passes and MS returns to desktops and laptops in shame. It always sucked at touchscreen portable devices since CE and that portable XP or whatever it was called.

Anyway in this case MS got shafted big way because Intel is not anywhere up to the task of providing chips that manage to be better than ARM ones for tablet-grade devices. Does not matter that they make win8 for tablets (good or bad that it might be) if x86 tablets are far far worse than even basic android tablets (battery-wise they are laptops, if not worse, while an android device can pull on nearly all day long and do the same things albeit with different programs and OS). AMD isn't in a better position either.

There is at least another generation of x86 chips to make before they start to look viable in a tablet, and let's speak frankly, it's too late now to get in the tablet market, go figure next year with still immature technology.

Before they realize this detail, the better. x86 lost the current battle on tablets, better do their best to keep alive the other market (laptops and desktops) so that it may live to fight another battle on tablets at a later time.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...I really wonder also how many current W7 users actually use the start button or even the menu once they've organised their systems - most people I know either run stuff from the Desktop or from the quick launch bar and only use the menu if they want to find something -- and even the current W8's search IMO is superior once you get used to it...jimbo

That could make an interesting poll. I, for one, do use the start button; frequently. While I launch my most frequently used programs from the task bar and notification area, I have so many programs I only use occasionally (if I never use a program, I get rid of it), there is no way for me to keep track of them all or even remember what they are or that I have them (having ADHD doesn't help any). Win 8's search function alone wouldn't help me at all. I also use the start button to get to my data folders, My Computer, etc. I could put shortcuts on the task bar but there just isn't room. I don't like to keep my programs on the desktop; a list is much easier for me to read (I detest icons anyway—they eat up too much space and I can never remember what they represent—so imagine how I feel about Win 8's tiles). Hidden buttons are also problematic for me.

From the preview video I saw of Win 8.1, if M$ had offered that in then beginning, I might have considered trying it (sorry M$, too little too late). But, what was offered in the beginning was such a mess, when I built my present desktop, I decided to commit to Win 7 and bought three OSes; two retail versions of Win 7 Ultimate and one of Win 7 Home Premium. I'm still wondering why on earth I bought the last one since I'm not likely to have more than two running machines at any given time (currently, I'm running two and one has an OEM copy on it). Win 7 currently meets my needs and I'm committed to using it until it dies.

It's a pity M$ removed desirable features that were in Win 7 when it designed Win 8 and saddled it with the mobile machine UI because Win 8 did have some desirable improvements.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I hate having icons on my desktop.
I only drop things there temporarily (I move them to the appropriate folders later)...

I also detest icons on my desktop. I used to use the desktop as a place to temporarily drop things but, now that I'm using an SSD, to minimize writes to it, I keep shortcuts on the desktop to folders on my E:/ drive I use for temporary folders to drop things into. I also keep temporary shortcuts on the desktop to files on the E:/ drive that are works in progress.

 

[x BlueRobot]

I have two icons on my desktop: Computer and Recycle Bin. I have a few programs pinned to the Taskbar, and the rest of my programs I access from the Start Menu.

 

[HammerHead]

Desktop Icons

I have zero icons on my desktop.
Try this:
Right click on taskbar and select toolbars and check desktop.
Right click on desktop select view and uncheck show desktop icons.
All icons disappear from desktop and the taskbar has a place to click to view them.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

I use the desktop as I always did with XP (and Win 98 before it), has icons of favorite programs and stuff I'm working at the moment. Every week I engage in a trash collection mood and tidy up stuff.

Whenever I get a SSD I'm going to do the same, either re-locating desktop to another disk with a hack or screw the SSD and that stuff stays on it anyway.

Start menu is less-used but still I would not go without. Could seriously use a bit of redesign though.