Windows 8.1 - Review from a Windows Veteran


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The desktop will disappear just like the command line did before it. It's only a matter of time.

http://m.windowsitpro.com/windows-8/windows-desktop-death

 

Metro will likely not last any longer than the life of the current design fads, and will be quickly replaced by a truly modern interface paradigm - not a old bloated XP-esque GUI trying to act like one.

 

The desktop is still a requirement for actual meaningful work, and will continue to be until such time as there is a paradigm to succeed it - not regress it.

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Are you serious?  What about server administration using PowerShell?  

I administer all my servers via the GUI.

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Fusion, I appreciate the review. I came to a hard conclusion that, WE HAVE TO make Windows 8/8.1 what we want with 3rd party apps.

 

to give you an analogy of what I mean: When I was in the military, there were times when all we had to eat were MRE's. After a while, the only way to mix things up was to use the included hot sauce packet(the third party element). It was rough... but we learn in the military, as I'm sure alot here were as well in the military, we get by the best we can and do what we can to make things we like. creature comforts i guess.

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The desktop will disappear just like the command line did before it. It's only a matter of time.

http://m.windowsitpro.com/windows-8/windows-desktop-death

 

The command line technically isn't gone, the GUI just came in and provided more functionality. The Modern UI apps and Start Screen will not replace the Desktop, it doesn't provide greater functionality.

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The command line technically isn't gone, the GUI just came in and provided more functionality. The Modern UI apps and Start Screen will not replace the Desktop, it doesn't provide greater functionality.

 

Not yet, at least. I can't see any functionality that the desktop provides that Modern can't with a little more refinement. The desktop's main benefit is the greater selection of software available, but that will change with time. And the Start Screen is vastly more functional, to me at least, than the clunky Start Menu ever was. I don't mind the desktop sticking around - it works better with the programs I have - but please don't force the Start Menu on me again! It was the worst "feature" of Windows 95, and shouldn't have been kept for 17 years.

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Stop trying, it is not happening, Metro Start Screen is inefficient for desktop users and desktop users know the difference between a Dekstop computer and a tablet that barely can keep up using a browser and some tabs opened.

 

The Start Screen is inefficient compared to the Menu? I can find what I want in seconds looking though the screen - big, easily discernable icons in a layout that I can easily adjust to my liking, as opposed to a clunky text list that I have to dig (either in the Start Menu settings or in the Documents and Settings folders) to make any changes to. Ten minutes adjusting the Screen to my liking, and it's 100x better than the Menu ever was.

 

Of course, Search levels the playing field, but that's not the point I'm making,

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I agree. It feels like I'm not in control of my computer anymore. I think a major part of that is how sync is accomplished, where I cannot use many features or even programs if I'm not signed into an account with a MS id.

 

And something about the UI just feels... harsh. It's moreso on the metro side, but the desktop style feels "harsh" too. Maybe it's the lack of Aero glass?

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Not yet, at least. I can't see any functionality that the desktop provides that Modern can't with a little more refinement. The desktop's main benefit is the greater selection of software available, but that will change with time. And the Start Screen is vastly more functional, to me at least, than the clunky Start Menu ever was. I don't mind the desktop sticking around - it works better with the programs I have - but please don't force the Start Menu on me again! It was the worst "feature" of Windows 95, and shouldn't have been kept for 17 years.

 

The Desktop's main benefit is having floating, resizable windows.

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For supposed nerd and geeks you all are really making a bigger deal out of win 8/8.1 than it is, you've lost no control of your system, hell with 8.1 you can just load into the Desktop and not see the Start Screen and completely ignore it if you want, you can install a program to bring back the dumb Start Menu so many are so attached to for some reason, AND you've gained a faster and better OS in the process

 

You all need to stop being such luddites, set aside you irrational hatred of change and realize Win 8.1 is actually really nice 

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But no one uses it anymore. It's not the main feature of the OS like it was. It's been regulated to a tool advanced users use to perform small tasks not easily performed in the GUI.

I use the command prompt all the time. Granted, I wouldn't class myself as your normal user, but my point was more that the command prompt has not disappeared. It is readily available for those that want it. We have a choice. If we want to use it we can, but at the same time the average user still has their desktop for a more GUI-friendly view. This is why I struggle to understand the idea that we are being forced away from our traditional desktop for the tablet OS instead of just being given the choice. As Apple have shown, you can have a mobile OS and a desktop OS that work together perfectly fine.

Anyway, I'm going to get hold of a copy of 8.1 sometime in the next few days and give it a go. However, like fusi0n I don't think I'll ever be really able to get involved with this direction Microsoft has chosen.

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I use the command prompt all the time. Granted, I wouldn't class myself as your normal user, but my point was more that the command prompt has not disappeared. It is readily available for those that want it. We have a choice. If we want to use it we can, but at the same time the average user still has their desktop for a more GUI-friendly view. This is why I struggle to understand the idea that we are being forced away from our traditional desktop for the tablet OS instead of just being given the choice. As Apple have shown, you can have a mobile OS and a desktop OS that work together perfectly fine.

Anyway, I'm going to get hold of a copy of 8.1 sometime in the next few days and give it a go. However, like fusi0n I don't think I'll ever be really able to get involved with this direction Microsoft has chosen.

The command prompt is to the desktop in Windows 8.... Buried inside another operating environment. You're looking at Windows 8 as a mobile OS, but what Metro is doing is allowing Windows to scale to any device - big or small. Apple devices are limited by using an upscaled operating system. I can't do nearly the amount of things on an iPad as I can do on my Surface. I can then hop to my laptop or desktop without loosing my workflow. The Metro environment also is beginning to fix many of the grievances the decaying Win32 environment has - sandboxing apps, unified control panel, etc.

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Used 8.0 for a day or two a couple months after it was released.  I didnt like it.  Been on 8.1 (Enterprise, at work) for a couple days and it is a large improvement.  I can live with it now.  Still a little ways to go for my liking, but it isnt horrible.  Still do not like the start screen.

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My problem with Windows 8 isn't so much the lack of start menu, it's when you hit the windows button you get blinded by this blue/purple screen.

This is even worse if you have multiple monitors. Say you're watching a video on one screen and you just want to launch another app to work on, bam, video gone whilst you search for whatever it is you're looking for

I only really use the start menu for launching apps, it brings up a discrete search bar where I can launch practically anything.

I do the same in OS X (cmd + space) which at times I prefer because I can do quick simple calculations too!

 

Microsoft has created a touch-screen OS for desktops, and it just isn't working

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My problem with Windows 8 isn't so much the lack of start menu, it's when you hit the windows button you get blinded by this blue/purple screen.

This is even worse if you have multiple monitors. Say you're watching a video on one screen and you just want to launch another app to work on, bam, video gone whilst you search for whatever it is you're looking for

I only really use the start menu for launching apps, it brings up a discrete search bar where I can launch practically anything.

I do the same in OS X (cmd + space) which at times I prefer because I can do quick simple calculations too!

 

Microsoft has created a touch-screen OS for desktops, and it just isn't working

Then launch the start screen on the other monitor. You can invoke it on any monitor you have running. Also, you can customize it so it's not purple anymore. 

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Then launch the start screen on the other monitor. You can invoke it on any monitor you have running. Also, you can customize it so it's not purple anymore. 

Have they changed it so that it doesn't launch on all screens at once?

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Have they changed it so that it doesn't launch on all screens at once?

 

Yup. It doesn't blank out or affect what's on the other monitor anymore, either. I run Skype on my second monitor while I'm gaming.

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Have they changed it so that it doesn't launch on all screens at once?

Yeah, metro is now able to run independently of your monitors.

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Upon installing 8.1 I played around with the start screen for awhile, said Meh....still hate you and proceeded to re-install Start8. Once thats done, I like it better than 7. I just wish they hadn't removed disc imaging and the ability to have "Previous Versions" on a single HDD setup.

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that's not really a fair comparison as that was all that was available then

 

the Surface & WP is coming in at at time with those products you mentioned already saturate the market. people go with what they know works. they don't often chance trying something new when it costs a bit of money

 

I keep hearing that excuse but the reality is if it were a compelling product it would sell on it's own merit. It isn't, it's selling slowly. The public are speaking.

 

For supposed nerd and geeks you all are really making a bigger deal out of win 8/8.1 than it is, you've lost no control of your system, hell with 8.1 you can just load into the Desktop and not see the Start Screen and completely ignore it if you want, you can install a program to bring back the dumb Start Menu so many are so attached to for some reason, AND you've gained a faster and better OS in the process

 

You all need to stop being such luddites, set aside you irrational hatred of change and realize Win 8.1 is actually really nice 

 

Yes, how silly of us? How dare we voice our own dislike. Because someone else likes it we should just take their word for it and go along with the crowd. Obviously you know more about my usability needs than I do

 

:pinch:

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For supposed nerd and geeks you all are really making a bigger deal out of win 8/8.1 than it is, you've lost no control of your system, hell with 8.1 you can just load into the Desktop and not see the Start Screen and completely ignore it if you want, you can install a program to bring back the dumb Start Menu so many are so attached to for some reason, AND you've gained a faster and better OS in the process

 

You all need to stop being such luddites, set aside you irrational hatred of change and realize Win 8.1 is actually really nice 

 

 

I keep hearing that excuse but the reality is if it were a compelling product it would sell on it's own merit. It isn't, it's selling slowly. The public are speaking.

 

 

Yes, how silly of us? How dare we voice our own dislike. Because someone else likes it we should just take their word for it and go along with the crowd. Obviously you know more about my usability needs than I do

 

:pinch:

 

This is quickly becoming an argument, can we stop this now please.

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