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


Recommended Posts

To get back to what the thread is about, the way I understand it, you're not going to see the task bar in Metro-style apps, unless you absolutely intend to. As it is described, it seems to work the same way as it does on OS X in full-screen apps, where you have to move the cursor to the screen edge on the bottom and then continue moving in that direction in order to bring up the Dock.  So you probably don't have to worry about  revealing it accidentally. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To get back to what the thread is about, the way I understand it, you're not going to see the task bar in Metro-style apps, unless you absolutely intend to. As it is described, it seems to work the same way as it does on OS X in full-screen apps, where you have to move the cursor to the screen edge on the bottom and then continue moving in that direction in order to bring up the Dock.  So you probably don't have to worry about  revealing it accidentally. 

Still doesn't eliminate the possibility of overshooting, and then accidentally triggering the taskbar. Overshooting is very much an issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I listened to everyone else's opinion I wouldn't be running Windows 8/8.1.

I am going to ignore what is in a half-cooked leak and judge it for myself when I have the release version installed on my machines.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still doesn't eliminate the possibility of overshooting, and then accidentally triggering the taskbar. Overshooting is very much an issue.

We'll have to wait and see how this is actually executed by Microsoft. On OS X at least, you have to be very deliberate about this. Overshooting when it is part of a quick cursor movement does not actually activate the Dock in a full-screen app. 

 

The only thing that might aggravate this issue is the fact that so much of Metro's chrome is located at the bottom of the screen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And these screenshots say it all...

attachicon.gifwin81update1prertm3_1020_verge_super_wide.jpg

attachicon.gifwin81startscreen1_1020_verge_super_wide.jpg

 

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:

 

Why so afraid of change? Gosh :-)

 

The market has spoken. We wont put up with a cell phone UI on our workstations. Full screen apps ruin productivity. Modern means no aero snap, aero preview, and GPU accelerated thumbnails. It means no app stacking. It means no having more than one app up at a time. It means a system where you get blind sided and forced to lose view of your open apps each time you want to search for a file or launch another app? Why?!

 

It makes no sense!

 

This means you can keep your applets and with a keyboard and mouse multitask. I am sticking with Windows 7 for this reason and wouldn't upgrade to Windows 8 even if it were free! Corporate buyers would gladly pay $1,000 to keep Windows 7 for these reasons as productivity would suffer without multitasking ability.

 

Sorry but a workstation is not a phone. 

 

Nor would I buy something like this either

 

http://www.theonion.com/video/apple-introduces-revolutionary-new-laptop-with-no,14299/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that regardless on what side of the fence you are on, we can all agree that Windows will never be perfect and there will always be those who will find something to complain about.  Update 1 will address a lot of issues people are having and create new ones.  So expect more updates from MS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

 But what if I run a desktop?

 

I mean this link below would be silly wouldn't it?

 

http://www.theonion.com/video/apple-introduces-revolutionary-new-laptop-with-no,14299/

 

Why make a macbook like an ipod in the above example? 

 

If you and others want to keep a phone UI but can give excellent ideas how to:

1. app stack

2. Not have apps run full UI so I can get files and other apps without something closed or out of view

3. Have aero snap so I can edit and view 2 documents or more at the same time

4. Have more than 1 Modern app at a time?

 

As a producer of content whether a secretary writting an email or someone rendering 3d scenes the need to multitask with several apps is a must. No one gives a hoot about this ability on a tiny phone. I know you want to see MS succeed with mobile but desktops and workstations are not going away any time soon. True Grandma prefers a tablet for Facebook and Angry birds. But someone who needs to get stuff done we need these and Windows traditionally beat this and one over DOS because you could have more than 1 window opened with different information.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that regardless on what side of the fence you are on, we can all agree that Windows will never be perfect and there will always be those who will find something to complain about.  Update 1 will address a lot of issues people are having and create new ones.  So expect more updates from MS.

 

True I have to work with XP and IE 8 die hards who feel menus and that blue taskbar are the pinnacle and cannon that is all holy to Windows and will whine if anything is ever different. People get used to things after awhile.

 

Of course I feel my complaints over Windows 8 are valid as the marketplace has reflected due to having more than 1 window and app at a time with nothing going full screen. But that is what I like. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This means you can keep your applets and with a keyboard and mouse multitask. I am sticking with Windows 7 for this reason and wouldn't upgrade to Windows 8 even if it were free!

 

You and people like you may not but I bet if Win8 were free most sane people looking to upgrade would do so and then simply install a Start Menu app if required.

 

Corporate buyers would gladly pay $1,000 to keep Windows 7 for these reasons as productivity would suffer without multitasking ability.

 

Of course, corporate buyers are idiots who despise profits and would rather pay $1000 per copy of Win7 than $5 for Start8 (or nothing at all for Classic Shell).

You might have a valid point but it tends to get lost in all the exaggeration and hyperbole. Debate your stand with facts; that way you'll be taken much more seriously.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

 

As long as this is true I don't see it as a problem. You're only going to bring it up to change apps and it's much more efficient than the app bar.

You and people like you may not but I bet if Win8 were free most sane people looking to upgrade would do so and then simply install a Start Menu app if required.

 

 

Of course, corporate buyers are idiots who despise profits and would rather pay $1000 for Win7 than $5 for Start8 (or nothing at all for Classic Shell).

You might have a valid point but it tends to get lost in all the exaggeration and hyperbole. Debate your stand with facts; that way you'll be taken much more seriously.

 

You're both wrong. Corporate users would not pay $1000 for Windows 7 and also do not like deploying third party UI tools/gadgets throughout and enterprise. The TCO will be much more than $5.

 

I do agree with you comments about Windows 8 being free. ;)

I think that regardless on what side of the fence you are on, we can all agree that Windows will never be perfect and there will always be those who will find something to complain about.  Update 1 will address a lot of issues people are having and create new ones.  So expect more updates from MS.

 

Agreed. I like 8.1 much better than 8 RTM, and the updates all look good except adding the search and power button to the start screen is unsightly and unbalanced.. All this should be under the user when you right click it and keep the clean balanced appearance.

 

But, I won't have a fit over it and can live with it..

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Corporate users would not pay $1000 for Windows 7 and also do not like deploying third party UI tools/gadgets throughout and enterprise. The TCO will be much more than $5.

More than $5 perhaps, but still much less than $1000 per seat. I can assure you faced with a $1000 hit per machine they'll absolutely go with a third party utility, or even find it much more worthwhile and cost-effective to roll their own solution. The point remains, needless hyperbole does nothing to add to the discussion.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

 

Maybe they can't make Metro more robust without many more man years of development. I'm sure if they could do it quickly, they would have.

More than $5 perhaps, but still much less than $1000 per seat. I can assure you faced with a $1000 hit per machine they'll absolutely go with a third party utility, or even find it much more worthwhile and cost-effective to roll their own solution.

 

Well yeah, less than $1000. The point I was getting at was neither one is a real option in the enterprise. MS is headed in the right direction with the improvements, they just need to keep on going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Given such a situation for real IMO it would become a real option. Anyway...

 

MS is headed in the right direction with the improvements, they just need to keep on going.

With this I agree, at least in that it'll please more people (can never make everyone happy) instead of being as divisive as 8 was. They aren't quite there yet though and I'm looking forward to see what else they come up with, not just in terms of integrating Metro with the Desktop but also in terms of improving it further. However the important changes will have to wait till Win9 most likely.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why so afraid of change? Gosh :-)

 

The market has spoken. We wont put up with a cell phone UI on our workstations. Full screen apps ruin productivity. Modern means no aero snap, aero preview, and GPU accelerated thumbnails. It means no app stacking. It means no having more than one app up at a time.

 

 

Snapping and running multiple apps at same time was in Metro from the start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only desktop though. Not modern unless you count the long left edge which doesn't work beyond a preview

 

Not sure if we're referring to the same thing, or if that post was even in response to mine.

 

If we are, and it was, then I'll reiterate.  Snapping apps and running more than one at the same time, and even having more than one being shown on the screen at one time was all possible in Metro/Modern from the start.  Metro/Modern, not the desktop.  They were not previews.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MSFT got it finally right in terms of letting the two camps have what they want. now what do we have to do?

 

resort to this?

fe069be8ef70ca33ffef129a6849289e.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, this merging-style looks cheap. I like metro (or modern ui) and I like desktop. And I like it how it is in Win 8-8.1. I know it was strange for weeks but now after ~2years I got used to it and I have no problems with it. Now they making these things and somehow I'm losing the excitement for Windows. Ofcourse if they fix a bunch of things(make rightclick menus look to match with other menus, don't make titlebar popup on app opening, etc.), then it would be better. I know it's not done yet, but you know... it's microsoft and they don't really care for those little thing to make everything perfect. Just look the window border bug on show desktop hover. Or the 20-30 year old icons.... So I think Windows is getting more and more messed up. They need to make a nearly brand new OS like Apple did with OSX after OS9. Clean all the messy old code and make Windows clean and fresh. I'm waiting for that... patiently :D Maybe Windows 10... Or Windows X? :P

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The hovering taskbar does look a bit messy, but functionality-wise, it's a great addition. Likewise for the new title bars.

 

Restoring the default handlers for images and audio (and I hope video) to desktop programs for non-touch users is perhaps the best change revealed so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, this merging-style looks cheap. I like metro (or modern ui) and I like desktop. And I like it how it is in Win 8-8.1. I know it was strange for weeks but now after ~2years I got used to it and I have no problems with it. Now they making these things and somehow I'm losing the excitement for Windows. Ofcourse if they fix a bunch of things(make rightclick menus look to match with other menus, don't make titlebar popup on app opening, etc.), then it would be better. I know it's not done yet, but you know... it's microsoft and they don't really care for those little thing to make everything perfect. Just look the window border bug on show desktop hover. Or the 20-30 year old icons.... So I think Windows is getting more and more messed up. They need to make a nearly brand new OS like Apple did with OSX after OS9. Clean all the messy old code and make Windows clean and fresh. I'm waiting for that... patiently :D Maybe Windows 10... Or Windows X? :p

 

true. I agree. I think the problem is, they have two UI's and think if they mash the two together, they can cut corners and it'll be the "cure all." .. nope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

I don't usually defend Microsoft, but at least they're trying to bridge the gap between the desktop and Metroland. That's a step forward. The taskbar always being visible definately makes things easier. I just hope they restore the start menu in entirety rather than some frankensteinian effort.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just simply get rid of this Metro abomination from Desktop PCs and throw this unloved child on tablet only. That will be most reasonable thing to do for MS. Apple knows it and they integrated App store on desktop in a most fluid way. They did not need to shoehorn their App store on Desktop user and gave it as option and who wants to use it they use App and who don't want it then it's not on your way. Hopefully by Monkey Ballmer hone, Staya would have better sense than his predecessor. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.