Thoughts: Windows 8.1 Update 1 looks worse than ever before...


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And these screenshots say it all...

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Microsoft has truly lost their mojo with this update, mashing things together that truly shouldn't be. This honest to God, looks awful, and really isn't needed. What should have been done here is to adapt desktop apps to the task switcher at the side... Where it doesn't have the potential to interfere with app's functionality. The person at Microsoft who thought to have the taskbar appear over Metro apps was a good idea, should take a second look at this, and the issues it's going to cause.

 

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is going to cause more grief than fix. C'mon MSFT unfrak yourselves. This functionality is completely unwarranted.  :angry:

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Taskbar over metro apps needs a little work, but the rest Looks great to me. Judging by the video of the one guy testing the update he said the taskbar over metro apps was fantastic. Though I can see where in this particular case there is some overlap, but i'm sure MS will figure out some way to fix it.

 

The issue about the task switcher on the side is with a mouse and keyboard its annoying.

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Taskbar over metro apps needs a little work, but the rest Looks great to me. Judging by the video of the one guy testing the update he said the taskbar over metro apps was fantastic. Though I can see where in this particular case there is some overlap, but i'm sure MS will figure out some way to fix it.

 

The issue about the task switcher on the side is with a mouse and keyboard its annoying.

It's no more "annoying" than the taskbar is when it's hidden. Works and feels just the same.

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Microsoft has truly lost their mojo with this update, mashing things together that shouldn't. This honest to God, looks awful, and really isn't needed. What should have been done here is to adapt desktop apps to the task switcher at the side... Where it doesn't have the potential to interfere with app's functionality. The person at Microsoft who thought to have the taskbar appear over Metro apps was a good idea, should take a second look at this, and the issues it's going to cause.

 

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is going to cause more grief than fix. C'mon MSFT unfrak yourselves. This functionality is completely unwarranted.  :angry:

 

Lots of others think the Start Screen looks awful as well and I am betting a team at MS is working on these changes and if they didnt think they were a good idea, or needed, they wouldnt be doing it.

 

MS has been doing some back peddling lately and just seems to me a little out of touch with the end user.

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It's no more "annoying" than the taskbar is when it's hidden. Works and feels just the same.

 

That's another annoying thing I hate, is when people hide their taskbar.

 

They don't call this a "Leak" for nothing.

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It does look stupid, but the solution is simple: Metro apps should not be fullscreen and should respect metrics of the taskbar. Metro apps appear to have more flexibility regarding screen size, proportions and layout than control-ridden Win32, so I assume it'd be an easy fix.

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Lots of others think the Start Screen looks awful as well and I am betting a team at MS is working on these changes and if they didnt think they were a good idea, or needed, they wouldnt be doing it.

 

MS has been doing some back peddling lately and just seems to me a little out of touch with the end user.

Backpedaling? Not that I've seen, these changes aren't that. Backpedaling would be to remove functionality, not alter it. Win8.1 U1 would be a solid update, if not for these desktop to metro changes. If I'm going to be fighting this taskbar showing up while trying to work inside a Metro app on my desktop, then I might not update to this release.

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When the taskbar is set to "Hide automaticaly" it works exactly the same for desktop apps. It always has been like that, Update 1 isn't going to change this for Windows 8.1's metro apps.

I think when its done, the app will be resized and render above the tasbar,not the taskbar overlaying the app, like a desktop app.

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"Back peddling" -> Microsoft is integrating Metro even further in the desktop and adds improvements so mouse users can use Metro even better and you call that back peddling?

Lots of others think the Start Screen looks awful as well and I am betting a team at MS is working on these changes and if they didnt think they were a good idea, or needed, they wouldnt be doing it.

 

MS has been doing some back peddling lately and just seems to me a little out of touch with the end user.

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Backpedaling would be to remove functionality, not alter it.

 

Backpedaling wasnt the correct word...but MS has been making a lot of changes recently with their products because of people who are not happy with their decisions.   If MS had these changes from the start, Win8 would of really exploded and gotten much less negative responses.

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When the taskbar is set to "Hide automaticaly" it works exactly the same for desktop apps. It always has been like that, Update 1 isn't going to change this for Windows 8.1's metro apps.

true,but what im guessing is you can have the taskbar always be there,since they are also adding an app bar, giving the illusion the app is running in the desktop.

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"Back peddling" -> Microsoft is integrating Metro even further in the desktop and adds improvements so mouse users can use Metro even better and you call that back peddling?

 

I meant it by MS doing one thing, then reversing their decisions because of major consumer backlash. X1..Win8....

 

Backpedaling wasnt the correct term.

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now, all they need to do is make it so metro apps don't go beyond the task bar.. kinda like how windows work on 8 desktop.. and earlier.

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Microsoft has truly lost their mojo  [...]  looks awful, and really isn't neededWhat should have been done here  [...] Windows 8.1 Update 1 is going to cause more grief than fix. C'mon MSFT unfrak yourselves. This functionality is completely unwarranted.   :angry:

 

Uh? Obviously you're just scared of change. So stop whining and continue using Windows 8/8.1 if you can't handle these improvements.  I'm sure Microsoft knows what it's doing better than you do.

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Microsoft has truly lost their mojo with this update, mashing things together that truly shouldn't be.

Yes, like a desktop OS and a mobile phone touch OS. At least they are trying to correct their mistake now; you must learn to accept change.

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It does look stupid, but the solution is simple: Metro apps should not be fullscreen and should respect metrics of the taskbar. Metro apps appear to have more flexibility regarding screen size, proportions and layout than control-ridden Win32, so I assume it'd be an easy fix.

 

The solution's even easier than that - Don't put a desktop-style taskbar where it doesn't work and isn't needed. This just looks stupid, and if it makes it to release, this superfluous taskbar needs to be optional.

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I'd still prefer a greater focus on the Metro side. It needs to be made more robust, not turned into the desktop. It's not the 1990s anymore.

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This is an excellent move:

 

 

we've also noticed that on desktop PCs without a touchscreen, pictures open by default in the Windows Photo Viewer, while audio files open by default in Windows Media Player. Pictures used to open in the Metro-style Photos app, and audio files used to open in the Metro-style Music app. On machines with a touchscreen, content opens in the Metro-style apps.

 

 

 

Yes, you're right, but this is coming from a near final build.

 

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/7/5390024/windows-8-1-update-1-boot-to-desktop-ui-changes

Yeah, I mean, I was just messing with you, but I don't know what to tell you.I understand your concerns, but personally I welcome a centralized way of switching between Metro and Desktop apps. 

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This is an excellent move:

 

Yes, I agree, heck I still use Windows [Live] Photo Gallery as my default viewer. It's photo editing capabilities still do not match the Metro app.

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