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Windows 8 Opinions
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cgc
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Oct 20, 2012, 01:32 PM
 
I spent a few hours playing with Windows 8 (preview) and liked the UI and general snappiness but WTF is up with their App Store? App installation is easy but app uninstallation isn't very intuitive. If I install an app the old way (e.g. via an installer) I can uninstall it via the Add/Remove Programs control panel, but if I install an app using their store I have to go to that stupid Metro thing and uninstall it (never got around to that as I trashed Windows 8). WTF? Could it be less intuitive? On OSX I can install using the AppStore, dragging the app to the Applications folder, or using an installer but they are all removed the same way. When will Windows stop doing things just to be different? I like the new look of Windows 8 but I despise that stupid Metro screen, the "modern Metro apps", and their App Store.

Anyone figure out how to make Windows 8 more like Windows 7? I installed the Start8 menu by StarDock which is nice but even then it segregates "Modern Metro Apps" from normal apps and puts them ALL in one folder? That makes perfect sense, right (being sarcastic, it's stupid). I may still buy Windows 8 since I use Windows Vista 32-bit Business (got free from college) and can upgrade for $40 but holy cow Windows 8 is quirky...lots of promise though.
     
mduell
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Oct 22, 2012, 01:04 PM
 
On non-touchscreen devices, using multiple Metro apps at the same time is even more painful than using mutliple apps on the iPad at the same time. Really quite an achievement.
     
shifuimam
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Oct 25, 2012, 12:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by cgc View Post
When will Windows stop doing things just to be different?
o.O



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shifuimam
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Nov 3, 2012, 07:56 AM
 
We originally put Win8 RTM on an extra desktop we had here, but didn't use it very much.

Then this week we got an excellent deal on a Lenovo ThinkCentre AIO machine with a 23" touchscreen. Metro is significantly better with a touchscreen. That said, Windows 8 itself does have some pretty nice new features - the ribbon in Explorer is cool IMO, and I absolutely love that they integrated Process Explorer with the native Task Manager - it's infinitely more useful now. There also other cool new features, like the ability to have any gesture you want to unlock your tablet or computer.

I think Metro may come in to its own as more people adopt Windows 8. Remember, both XP and Vista got significant improvements to the OS after the initial release - Vista was unusable when it first came out, but after SP1 it was my choice OS until 7 came out.

There is a registry edit you can do to revert Win8 to a non-Metro interface with a normal start menu. This was primarily put in for Server 2k12, but the functionality exists in Win8 as well.

I'm very interested to see what other apps come out for Metro. We're going to be putting this machine in our dining room to use while we're in the kitchen, so we are more interested in touch-oriented apps rather than a traditional OS experience.

I won't, however, be switching to Win8 on my main machine any time soon. I'm very happy with Win7.
Sell or send me your vintage Mac things if you don't want them.
     
cgc  (op)
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Nov 7, 2012, 02:59 PM
 
I agree, if you have Windows 7 and no touchscreen, then there's no reason to go with Windows 8. I went from Vista Business to Windows 8 and it's much better but Metro is so annoying and unproductive I skip it (using Start8). I installed a few Metro apps and then deleted them right away as they were difficult to use. Also hate the Windows app store since there's no search so it's trash. All in all not a bad OS just Metro needs to be disabled.
     
seanc
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Nov 11, 2012, 03:56 AM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
There is a registry edit you can do to revert Win8 to a non-Metro interface with a normal start menu. This was primarily put in for Server 2k12, but the functionality exists in Win8 as well.
Care to share?
Server 2012 has some useful features and I think it feels like it's one of the fastest server OSes since 2003, but I really don't find it as productive with Metro.
The 'best' workaround I found was to pin the Administrative Tools folder to the taskbar.
     
cgc  (op)
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Nov 15, 2012, 07:42 AM
 
Originally Posted by seanc View Post
Care to share?
Server 2012 has some useful features and I think it feels like it's one of the fastest server OSes since 2003, but I really don't find it as productive with Metro.
The 'best' workaround I found was to pin the Administrative Tools folder to the taskbar.
shifuimam should have said, "there was a registry edit you can do ti revert Win8 to a non-metro interface..." That was removed once they released Windows 8 from beta. Metro is horrible without a touchscreen.
     
seanc
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Nov 15, 2012, 11:36 AM
 
Originally Posted by cgc View Post
shifuimam should have said, "there was a registry edit you can do ti revert Win8 to a non-metro interface..." That was removed once they released Windows 8 from beta. Metro is horrible without a touchscreen.
Oh good! I thought she knew something the rest of the world didn't.
     
   
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