Recommended Posts

Anyone else go right back to Windows 7 after playing with 8 for a little while? I think it's kind of a mess and definitely not ready for prime time.

Me, I gave it a chance and really like it, but being a beta it was a bit iffy with some apps, I don't like having to go to the Metro screen whenever I want to open Explorer, so I guess I ended up pinning it. They really need to allow people to enable the start menu, or this is going to flop hard.

I hope they bring the start menu back. I believe they said metro will be disabled by default for desktops and non-touch screen laptops, so people can transition into it.

Well see though. I hear way too many requests to bring back the start menu.

Yeah after a few hours I got tired of it.... whereas up until the CP was released I was using the developer preview which to me was better.... (boots were simple and didn't require a reset to switch OSes and they seemed to have taken away the ability to use the scroll wheel on the left side of the screen to switch between apps)

Yeah I downloaded it and played just for a minute before work and was excited. After about an hour when I got home, it wasn't for me and I've spent the night reinstalling Windows 7. I guess that'll teach me to use a VM next time.

  • Like 2

I think there should be two modes or verisons for Windows 8. On my non-touch laptop, everything is just so awkward. I have to scroll my touchpad or mouse up and down to scroll horizontally.. and I have to take additional steps to just go to Control panel or run Windows Updates. I think Microsoft has long long way to go on this one.

Lol you guys got it all wrong. I haven't used my mouse for Windows 8 at all.

Windows explorer is Windows key + E (or if on the SuperBar it's Windows Key + top numbers on keyboard)

Anything I want to search for is the same as windows 7 albeit just full screen search now.

I don't know what you guys are complaining about.

The only chance I get to use metro is when my computer boots up, no search queries, just click & go.

After I'm on the Desktop I just do:

  • windows key
  • first few letters of program/settings from control panel to files and anything really
  • enter key

Simple, fast.

Metro pops for a half a second and my program/file/setting is already loading.

Although I'm not used to the full screen search, just the little search box that windows 7 used to be. It's no different from it.

I'm using it right now, and I really like it, but I'll probably go back to windows 7 tomorrow. I actually had no problem getting used to the metro UI and really like the apps that they have included. My only problem with it is that I wish it was all Metro and not Metro / Aero.

Lol you guys got it all wrong. I haven't used my mouse for Windows 8 at all.

Windows explorer is Windows key + E (or if on the SuperBar it's Windows Key + top numbers on keyboard)

Anything I want to search for is the same as windows 7 albeit just full screen search now.

Windows key + search query + enter. The same for control panel settings, files and pretty much everything.

I don't know what you guys are complaining about.

Windows key + search query gives apps, you have to make an additional click if you want to get to settings or files, unlike in Windows 7.

2 hours is not enough time to judge an entire operating system. On the Developer preview I didn't really like it for the first 48 hours, but once I got used to how the OS worked and learned the gestures, I began to catch on and really enjoy the experience. Although my time is spent mostly in the desktop UI, the Metro apps really are much nicer than the apps that were around before. For example the mail app is much, much faster than Windows Live mail and the live tiles make it worth the switch.

Windows key + search query gives apps, you have to make an additional click if you want to get to settings or files, unlike in Windows 7.

No you don't, to search settings it's Windows Key + W.

Windows + F is to search files. Easy.

I gave it 1 hour and it was enough for me to NOT like it at all. I'm back to Win7 and I feel right at home. I much prefer OS X or Win7. MS wont get any money from me if Win8 stay that way. It may be fantastic for a touch screen, but it's crap for desktop use. And suddently, it's okay to learn new keystroke to do things? Wow, this seems backward in evolution.

How do you close/quit a Metro app? Do they stay open all the time?

And why do I feel like I'm dealing with 2 OS at the same time: Metro and Desktop? What does Win8 want to be?

I installed it on a VM, and on my wife's laptop early this morning. We both used it for our normal stuff all day long. We also both have (and absolutley love) Windows Phone 7.

Reverted the laptop to a Windows Home Server backup from last night, so it's back to normal.

The biggest issues for her were:

1) No ability to print in Mail

2) No Favorites in Immersive IE

3) No Search from Address Bar in Immersive IE

4) Not great for multi-tasking. She usually has multiple brower windows open, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Mail. While the multiple browsers can be addressed on the regular desktop, in that view there is no way to know if you have new instant messages or emails.

Overall it was not a great experience.

From my point of view (as a .NET developer) I was also disappointed. Doing simple things (like printing) seemed impossible and the apps are far from beta quality in my opinion. Switching back and forth between the start screen and the desktop (again, in Visual Studio all day long) seemed unnatural. I instant message with my wife all day long (even though we're in the same house, I'm in my office upstairs, so it's just easier) and switching between Visual Studio, to the start screen to get a new IM was a mess. I couldn't stand it.

  • Like 2

Gonna give it a try later when I have time to download/install it. It looks surprisingly good on that 82 " screen. I didn't think it would work on larger screen devices, but it looks like I might have been wrong.

How does the performance compare with Windows 7?

And why do I feel like I'm dealing with 2 OS at the same time: Metro and Desktop? What does Win8 want to be?

Like I've been saying in the thread, you're using it wrong. You're not supposed to stay in the metro interface, as a desktop user it's just an extension of Windows 7's orb that makes searches except it's fullscreen.

If you spend more than literally one second on metro you're doing it wrong. The search feature is fantastic, much better improved to find what you need. I don't use the mouse whatsoever on Metro. People just don't know how to use Windows 8 yet.

No you don't, to search settings it's Windows Key + W.

Windows + F is to search files. Easy.

While I didn't directly state it I was hoping that I implied it.... that having to learn 3 different shortcut commands to search quickly, which you don't have to do in Windows 7 is the main problem I was getting at. The average user is going to be making the extra click to get to what they want. For me they're adding more steps to do something... :/

While I didn't directly state it I was hoping that I implied it.... that having to learn 3 different shortcut commands to search quickly, which you don't have to do in Windows 7 is the main problem I was getting at. The average user is going to be making the extra click to get to what they want.

If anything Windows 7 has all those result types mixed together. It's so nice to have them separated so that you can find what you want. Not sort through each type files/windows settings and take a few seconds to click on what you actually want.

Then again that will only benefit power users, the only people that it's not benefiting is people who can't adapt to changes when there's actually tools to get what you want faster. The latter not being an opinion, but dare I say that having more shorcuts (tools) is a fact.

I installed it on a VM, and on my wife's laptop early this morning. We both used it for our normal stuff all day long. We also both have (and absolutley love) Windows Phone 7.

Reverted the laptop to a Windows Home Server backup from last night, so it's back to normal.

The biggest issues for her were:

1) No ability to print in Mail

2) No Favorites in Immersive IE

3) No Search from Address Bar in Immersive IE

4) Not great for multi-tasking. She usually has multiple brower windows open, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Mail. While the multiple browsers can be addressed on the regular desktop, in that view there is no way to know if you have new instant messages or emails.

Overall it was not a great experience.

From my point of view (as a .NET developer) I was also disappointed. Doing simple things (like printing) seemed impossible and the apps are far from beta quality in my opinion. Switching back and forth between the start screen and the desktop (again, in Visual Studio all day long) seemed unnatural. I instant message with my wife all day long (even though we're in the same house, I'm in my office upstairs, so it's just easier) and switching between Visual Studio, to the start screen to get a new IM was a mess. I couldn't stand it.

Metro IE has the same Windows key shortcuts that IE9 has: Win-E for search, Win-L for address entry.

Like I've been saying in the thread, you're using it wrong. You're not supposed to stay in the metro interface, as a desktop user it's just an extension of Windows 7's orb that makes searches except it's fullscreen.

If you spend more than literally one second on metro you're doing it wrong. The search feature is fantastic, much better improved to find what you need. I don't use the mouse whatsoever on Metro. People just don't know how to use Windows 8 yet.

Sorry, you're wrong. That "new" full screen start menu, Metro, is not just a new start menu. Metro apps are going to be around and you'll have to deal with Metro apps and Desktop apps and it's not gonna be pretty. And they don't seem to integrate all that well. If you're in the desktop and you get IM message in a Metro app, unless you have that apps on the "side" of your desktop screen, you have to switch over. It's crazy. The desktop seems to be for "old stuff" and Metro is going to be "futur stuff". But for now, it's a mess.

Sorry, you're wrong. That "new" full screen start menu, Metro, is not just a new start menu. Metro apps are going to be around and you'll have to deal with Metro apps and Desktop apps and it's not gonna be pretty. And they don't seem to integrate all that well. If you're in the desktop and you get IM message in a Metro app, unless you have that apps on the "side" of your desktop screen, you have to switch over. It's crazy. The desktop seems to be for "old stuff" and Metro is going to be "futur stuff". But for now, it's a mess.

If you don't like to use the mouse on the Metro screen, then learn to use it as a search box.

So with that, try to use just your keyboard and it's not a mess to get from desktop to metro and vice versa. It only takes a couple of keystrokes and you don't lose momentum. If you want to complain the only thing that you could really complain is for the few moments for metro to load for you to type what you want (if you're not already in

So no, I'm not wrong.

Everybody just has to get rid of whatever they used to think they knew and learn to adapt and see that it's actually better than they thought.

  • Like 2

If you don't like to use the mouse on the Metro screen, then learn to use it as a search box.

So with that, try to use just your keyboard and it's not a mess to get from desktop to metro. It only takes a couple of keystrokes and you don't lose momentum. If you want to complain the only thing that you could really complain is for the few moments for metro to load for you to type what you want.

So no, I'm not wrong. You're just arguing because you don't like it, and we all get that. Everybody just has to get rid of whatever they used to think they knew and learn to adapt and see that it's actually better than they thought.

Why is this the prevailing mindset? that we should just accept whatever a company puts out and be happy with it? The world today is really bizarre...

Why is this the prevailing mindset? that we should just accept whatever a company puts out and be happy with it? The world today is really bizarre...

No, but do you really think a company like Microsoft is dumb enough not to know what the difference is between Desktop users and Tablet users?

I don't know why people complain about Metro when you don't have to use it the majority of the time. Sure, you can bring up settings, but who really stays in settings longer than a few minutes? Your desktop experience will mostly be on your desktop and that's where you'll stay the biggest percentage of your time. Metro doesn't get in your way (once you used to it you'll only see that screen for quick moments). The only reason Metro would get in your way is if you didn't know how to use it. But the same can be said about any OS which people have no experience with.

It's not that I have a prevailing mindset. But I also want my point of view to be heard, backing it up with facts and tips. All I hear is opinions, but I don't see anyone trying to provide solutions or ways to make the switch easier for past pre-windows 8 users. I'm trying to help and at the same time try to explain to people that it's not as bad as they think or hear it is. Isn't that what a tech community is supposed to be about?

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • I notice how you dodged the questions I had about the racism shown by ignorant, gullible, cowardly people when the Poles, like your partner, were the immigrants. Ahem. I wonder how you'd feel if native born Brits suddenly treated you as "dirty crooked immigrant" for being half Trump-American? If they ordered you to leave and "go back to your corrupt country" (on the other side of the Atlantic), would you go? The truth is based on facts as supported by evidence. As requested in your previous posts, I have used the facts in your own post to show everyone the truth.
    • US citizens are paying to their government, who could use that to fund healthcare and tuition and relieve the costs of these for citizens instead of making tax breaks that overwhelmingly favor the rich. I'm not saying that tariffs are the correct solution, but what else would they be used for? What else could Trump have in mind for wanting them, if he hasn't figured out that labor costs are higher in the US?
    • I’m in need of a new chair and it sounds like the backrest cannot be locked? I also sat on a Herman miller and was devastated that it couldn’t be locked also, what is going on with chairs. I want to be able to lock the backrest into any position but not even the Herman’s do that
    • Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 Ergonomic Office Chair review: The Ikea of chairs by Steven Parker I've reviewed a few gaming chairs over the past three years or so and generally found them to score well in our reviews. SIHOO reached out asking if I was interested in taking a look at their flagship chair, the Doro C300 Pro V2. I never got the chance to check out its predecessor, but the V2 is described as an "Adaptive Ergonomic Chair." It became available to buy in April of this year. Let's get things rolling with a closer look at the specifications and features. Specifications Doro C300 Pro V2 Model Ergonomic Materials Mesh Back and Seat; Soft PU Coated Armrests Height adjustability 45.5 - 53 cm / 17.5" - 20.9" Seat (w+d) 52 x 43 - 47 cm / 20.5" x 16.9" - 18.5" (adjustable) Backrest 52 – 60 cm / 20.5" - 23.6" (adjustable) Lumbar support Mesh built-in (adjustable) Armrest adjustability 8D Bionic Armrests Rocking angle 105°, 120°, 135° (fixed) Neck support Mesh built-in (adjustable) Net weight 27.3 kg / 59.64 lbs Weight support 150 kg / 330 lbs Colors Black, White Warranty 5 years (upon registering) Price $499.99, $539.99 Introduction At first glance, it looks like a chair that in another life wants to be a Herman Miller; It certainly looks like my Aeron Remastered, but the Doro C300 Pro V2 has quite a few more features and costs quite a bit less. SIHOO says that it is made up of a "DynaCore" system that tracks your movement and synchronizes the headrest, backrest, lumbar support, and armrests as you shift, twist, or recline. They also say that the "SyncroFlex Backrest" molds to your spine, which kind of describes how the mesh fabric works in most ergonomic chairs, but anyway. Below are the meat and potatoes measurements for the chair. Here is the same tech sheet, but in inches. Durability I would be remiss to not talk about the various durability testing this chair underwent before coming to market, as this is claimed on the product page. First of all, the chair is BIFMA-, SGS-, and TÜV-certified. As for durability, the tests undergone were: 100,000 Castor cycles tested 120,000 Armrest cycles tested 120,000 Recline cycles tested 120,000 Gas lift cycles tested 60,000 Armrest durability cycles tested 120,000 Rotation cycles tested Nothing about weights testing, though. Now that's all disclosed, now onto my own personal findings. Assembly The Doro C300 Pro V2 came in two large boxes (1) (2), and everything was packed very well, protecting the different parts of the chair. In the box, there is a folded sheet that explains the 12 steps to assemble it; they are: Remove the bottom cover on the aluminum base; Insert the five legs into the aluminum base and use ten screws to fasten them; Insert the castors into the legs; Replace the bottom cover on the bottom of the aluminum base; Place the Class 4 Hydraulics gas cylinder into the aluminum base; Screw the bottom part of the arm rests, taking care of the orientation using two screws on each side; Use three torx screws to fasten the footrest to the bottom of the seat; Fasten the backrest to the seat using four torx bolts; Fasten the armrests to the backrest using four Torx bolts (two on each side), taking care to note the orientation; Place the chair onto the Class 4 Hydraulics gas cylinder; Insert the headrest into the top of the backrest; Use two torx screws to fasten the headrest to the backrest. There's also an online guide you can refer to. Carefully unpacking the two boxes took around 15 minutes because almost everything is wrapped in plastic and protective foam; the chair assembly itself took around an hour. I say in the above assembly steps to take note of the orientation, because it's not obvious which way around the bottom portion of the armrests go, and although there is an L and R on the bottom of the armrests, it also wasn't clear from the instructions which was actually left or right, facing the chair, or in the seated down orientation? Anyway, I ended up putting the bottom portions on the wrong sides, and after securing one of the armrests, I discovered that although it was on the correct side, the armrest base could rotate a full 360°, but not when bolted to the chair, so I had to remove it, rotate it, and then bolt it back on. Truly an Ikea experience! Also, to complicate things further, although all the parts are labeled from A to X (yes, that's 24 parts) unhelpfully, these letters do not appear on the parts themselves or the package with the bolts, screws, and washers. There's also a pair of protective gloves in the box, but I think they were made for much smaller hands than I have. Even my friend, who is 5.1, had difficulty putting them on. Once assembled, I needed to sit down. Anyway, as I said, it looks quite similar to my Herman Miller. And here is the back of it. If you look at the product page and on Amazon, it seems like a lot of thought has gone into the chair itself and what it's capable of, but there is no mention at all about the castors, and this is an area where I think the chair trips up quite quickly. I found it difficult to move the chair in any direction. I asked a friend who came to visit me earlier this week to test my findings, and she said that the wheels were "no good," so it definitely isn't just me. I am 6'2 myself and a big guy, I work from home and gained a few pounds from mostly staying in and the hell away from other people. However, the Doro C300 Pro V2 is rated for up to 150kg (330lbs), which in my case is used well within its max rating. Ergonomics The number of adjustments you can make, right up to setting it in nap mode — which I haven't fully tested yet — is what you'd expect from a premium chair. Yes, you can go up and down (max 7.5 cm adjustment), rock back and forth (with tilt adjustment), and lock the chair between three stages of 105°, 120°, 135°, which is not quite as flat as the AndaSeat I tested at 160°. Some thought has also gone into the "8D" armrests, too, which are cushioned but quite firm; you'll only know it if you press hard into the PU-covered tops, which give about half a centimeter, but it's enough to ensure your skin won't get awkwardly stuck to it in warmer (or sweatier) conditions. It almost feels like plastic and is very easy to keep clean. However, the armrest positions move far too easily, and I am not sure what that "elbow" function is. Maybe it is good for a short person with short arms, anyway, I never used it and kept it flat at all times. There are eight levels of adjustment for the armrests, they are: backwards, forwards, swing left/right, height up and down, tilt, and 360° rotation, which can be handy for desk clearance. As I said, the armrest pads shift far too easily, which could give off an ergonomic vibe, but who wants the armrest sliding when you are shifting weight? The height adjustability does lock into place when lifting and adjusting. Comfort This is ultimately what it boils down to at the end of the day, right? Quite a lot of reviews praise the comfort of this chair, and I don't disagree that the mesh seating is quite comfortable. I am used to the material from my daily Herman Miller. However, the backrest cannot be locked into place, and this is actually a feature; as you shift or recline yourself on the chair, the backrest moves with your body. It took some getting used to. The lumbar gives ample support, but I would have preferred an adjustable one built into the seat base, as this causes the backrest to move up and down at will. Again, as with my previous chair review, this chair is also rated for tall people, but nowhere in the product documentation does it say how tall. Being 6'2 myself, I'm happy to say that the backrest is tall and wide enough, and thought has been given to being able to adjust the neck rest, but as others have mentioned in their reviews, people as tall as 6.2ft is about the limit for the neckrest. Conclusion What I didn't like The footrest is rated for 15kg (33 lbs), which to me seems a bit light, and after looking online, it seems like a chair footrest for adults must be at least twice that rating. In all honesty, they are just hollow metal tubes, so it is not recommended to let a kid sit on them. I also feel like it doesn't really go out far enough for my height, so that kind of puts the dampener on me being able to use it regularly. I'll just have to continue to use my subwoofer as a footrest! I do not like the armrests being able to shift around as easily as they can, and they are a little too forward-positioned in the chair to comfortably sit close to my desk, because even in the lowest height position, they don't allow me to go under the desk like is possible with my Herman Miller. I also feel like this chair could have been delivered partially constructed, especially the armrests on the seat, and why the aluminum base wasn't already pre-constructed (without the castors) is baffling, considering it would have fit in one of the two boxes that way. The instructions also need to be clearer. On the pamphlet, there's an A to X listing (which is also used in the steps), but none of the physical parts use this lettering system! What I did like I'll be honest, I haven't used it for very long, just one week, and seating comfort is subjective after all! Any spills wiped straight off it, the stitching, and the lines look great, not a fray to be seen or stitch out of place. It looks kind of cool, too. My favorite feature of these seats is the nap mode. While you're not lying completely flat, it leans far back enough to make you easily doze off after a heavy gaming or working session. Overall, this chair offers plenty of comfort features. The MSRP does vary quite a bit depending on the region, at £549.99 in the UK, and €580 in Europe, and $599 before tax in the U.S. However, shipping is free, which is a bonus for such a heavy item. Is it worth it, though? At three years' warranty, I think it's a decent deal. Another firm out of Germany sent me a free replacement hydraulic gas spring for a chair that failed after almost four years, so it was well outside its two-year warranty. My advice is to always try, as you might have the same luck I did. If I could fault it at all, it would be the constant shifting of the armrests and backrest. Where to buy Although the footrest variant normally costs $539.99, it has been discounted to $469.99 on the official website in Black or White. In fact, the non-footrest variant is only $40 cheaper. On Amazon, it currently costs more at $499.99 links below. Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 for $469.99 (official website) Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 for $499.99 at Amazon US SIHOO provided a free sample without any review or pre-approval. Good to know This Amazon link is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Conversation Starter
      jessse3334 earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Reacting Well
      JuvenileDelinquent earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • One Month Later
      Excellence2025 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Excellence2025 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      flexorcist earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      506
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      207
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      151
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      73
    5. 5
      macoman
      62
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!