Recommended Posts

You cannot copy one profile into that path. There are register entries that will mess up things. For win7 we've been using windows enabler and the control panel users copy profile option. That has been removed from 8 making it more enterprise unfriendly. As it stands the 'folder copy and rename method' does not work fully either. Currently we're planning on skipping 8 because it is not enterprise ready it seems.

You cannot copy one profile into that path. There are register entries that will mess up things. For win7 we've been using windows enabler and the control panel users copy profile option. That has been removed from 8 making it more enterprise unfriendly. As it stands the 'folder copy and rename method' does not work fully either. Currently we're planning on skipping 8 because it is not enterprise ready it seems.

Maybe you should base your decision on the Enterprise version, not a beta with incomplete functionality?

*Snipped*

Actually, sincw Windows 8 starts at the Start Screen, you could make the case it is actually more efficient than starting on the desktop. I'm in Excel faster on Windows 8 than I am in Windows 7.

You're confused. The workflow is to open Excel.

No it is not. The work flow is your focus not to be taken from Desktop and whatever application on it might be opened while opening excel. Use same scenario but search for event viewer ;).

On left side you have professional looking OS where UI principles are followed. On right side you have rubish looking OS where everything goes against UI principles.

For average user when they go to Metro screen it is not obvious that they can type anything. Infact 99% of them will be browsing Metro Screen. Microsoft fails at usability big time.

Microsoft built Windows 8 around devices which only existed in the form of cardbox. That is pretty messed up!

I love Metro. I'm finding that, in my experience, getting to frequently used apps is just as quick as in 7, and comfortable and easy to use. Just my opinion. We all have them and each opinion is as valid as another.

My opinion is Metro is simply awesome.

18cc29.jpg

No it is not. The work flow is your focus not to be taken from Desktop and whatever application on it might be opened while opening excel.

I don't know about you, but regardless of what window(s) I have open, the minute I go to the Start Menu in Windows 7, my attention is on the start menu, not my open windows. Having a Start Screen now doesn't change that fact.

And since Windows 8 boots to the Start Screen, getting to Excel is even quicker, than booting to the desktop, going into the start menu, browsing or searching for Excel, then clicking it open.

Use same scenario but search for event viewer ;).

Challenge accepted.

It popped right up. Normal users don't use this tool, and the people that do, can easily tell a user to type "event viewer", or easily search for it themselves.

I don't know about you, but regardless of what window(s) I have open, the minute I go to the Start Menu in Windows 7, my attention is on the start menu, not my open windows. Having a Start Screen now doesn't change that fact.

And since Windows 8 boots to the Start Screen, getting to Excel is even quicker, than booting to the desktop, going into the start menu, browsing or searching for Excel, then clicking it open.

Challenge accepted.

It popped right up. Normal users don't use this tool, and the people that do, can easily tell a user to type "event viewer", or easily search for it themselves.

I pin Excel to Taskbar or as shortcut on Desktop. Desktop is unused in Windows 7. I always thought that Microsoft will come up with something on Desktop rather than create Metro interface. Why not bring Metro elements to Desktop itself? It is huge unused space minus small portion of the screen on the bottom for taskbar. Again speaking of Event Viewer, interesting. My Virtual Copy cannot find it unless i click Settings on right side.

I pin Excel to Taskbar or as shortcut on Desktop. Desktop is unused in Windows 7. I always thought that Microsoft will come up with something on Desktop rather than create Metro interface. Why not bring Metro elements to Desktop itself? It is huge unused space minus small portion of the screen on the bottom for taskbar. Again speaking of Event Viewer, interesting. My Virtual Copy cannot find it unless i click Settings on right side.

Do you know *why* the desktop is unused (or as you yourself put it, underused) in Windows 7 compared to previous OSes? Simple - application publishers and developers (including Microsoft itself) got told - by their users - to stop cluttering up the desktop with application shortcuts "back in the era of NT/9x" (before Windows 2000). Office 2000 was the first product to get the hint, as, instead of creating two shortcuts (one for the Office Launch Bar, which premiered with Office 95, and a separate one for Outlook on the desktop) it created just the one for Outlook (banishing the Office Bar - a direct ancestor of the Superbar). In Office 2007 even the Outlook desktop shortcut was gone. Hence the end of desktop clutter. (Most applications (even games) have an installation option telling it NOT to create desktop shortcuts.)

It sounds (at least to me) like you are part of that group of users that, absent a Start menu, would much rather you have desktop shortcuts (or Taskbar pinnage). And, as you have discovered, Windows 8 (in either Developer Preview or Consumer Preview form) still permits both - as Windows 7 does.

I pin Excel to Taskbar or as shortcut on Desktop. Desktop is unused in Windows 7. I always thought that Microsoft will come up with something on Desktop rather than create Metro interface. Why not bring Metro elements to Desktop itself? It is huge unused space minus small portion of the screen on the bottom for taskbar. Again speaking of Event Viewer, interesting. My Virtual Copy cannot find it unless i click Settings on right side.

You know what, I am fairly convinced Desktop and Metro will be tightly integrated by RC time. As we know, fine UI elements have traditionally been the last to be built in Windows releases, and this is no different. For CP they could only do Alt-Tab, that is seamless integration of Metro and Desktop apps right there. I would expect this to extend through to RC. Another clue is that the task switcher is very much a work-in-progress. Alt-tab already does not discriminate between Metro and Desktop apps, and neither will the final task switcher. In fact, I feel the task switcher will ultimately be redesigned and combined into the taskbar. Then we might see a single UI where Metro and Desktop apps play hand in hand, the taskbar becomes the task switcher and the Start screen is pretty much the "new desktop". As you rightly point out the desktop is mostly unused and for those who like to populate can still continue to pin files, shortcuts and folders on the Start screen, though granted it is less flexible.

The whole concept of "desktop is just another app" is just a temp placeholder till they polish Metro out and will also vanish then. If you use Alt-tab a lot, it is already very seamless switching between desktop apps and Metro apps, and I refuse to believe Alt-tab is a singular place where this level of integration of found, hence the above speculation.

Another thing, continuing the above discussion, searching for apps is pretty much the same, but searching for files is wayyyy easier! I rarely use Explorer nowadays, it is really a big time saver.

As for Event Viewer, right-click on bottom left hot corner, the power menu opens up, click Event Viewer, presto! Pretty simple.

It popped right up. Normal users don't use this tool, and the people that do, can easily tell a user to type "event viewer", or easily search for it themselves.

People who do tech support often will also know to type Win and eventvwr.msc, since the Start screen will handle all the old-school commands exactly the same.

People who do tech support often will also know to type Win and eventvwr.msc, since the Start screen will handle all the old-school commands exactly the same.

not to mention win+r hasn't disappeared
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • Logitech MX Creative Console is down to the lowest price by Taras Buria Having a Stream Deck-like device next to your keyboard could be a massive productivity boost. It lets you map specific actions and shortcuts to speed things up, and Logitech has such a device for you with a big 20% discount. Right now, you can save $40 on the Logitech MX Creative Console. The MX Creative Console is an unconventional accessory that consists of two modules. One module has nine customizable buttons, with each having a built-in display for mapping. You can assign apps, shortcuts, actions, or something else. There are nine buttons, plus two more for switching between "pages" of actions. The second module has no displays. Instead, there is a big twisting knob and a small roller for precise adjustments in creative apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, Affinity, and more. There are four additional buttons as well. The MX Creative Console is available in two colors: Graphite and Pale Gray. Both are now 20% off, saving you $40. Just keep in mind that the MX Creative Console requires the Logitech Options+ app, which is only available on Windows and macOS. By the way, each unit comes with three months of Adobe Creative Cloud. Logitech MX Creative Console Graphite - $159.99 | 20% off on Amazon Logitech MX Creative Console Pale Gray - $159.99 | 20% off on Amazon This Amazon deal is US-specific and not available in other regions unless specified. This is a first-party seller link (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you also purchase from a first-party seller link only. If you don't like it or want to look at more options, check out the previous deals that we have covered, OR you can also visit Amazon US deals page. Get Prime (SNAP), Prime Video, Audible Plus or Kindle / Music Unlimited. Free for 30 days. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Because someone else reported theirs was unusable, genius. But being a Linux user you should be used to that. Next time you think you have a "gotcha", check first.
    • Studio MDHR reveals Cuphead sequel and an 8-bit platformer spin-off by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Studio MDHR has been rather silent about its next major gaming project since the release of Cuphead back in 2017. However, that ended today during the Summer Game Fest presentation, with the studio revealing not one but two project announcements. First, the studio confirmed that it is currently in the middle of developing a brand-new Cuphead game, bringing back the iconic characters for another adventure. Just like the last game, this is slated to be a fully hand-animated endeavor. This also means there isn't a release date attached to it yet. “Craftsmanship is at the heart of everything we do here at Studio MDHR,” says co-founder Chad Moldenhauer. “When it came time to peel back the curtain and share a little bit about what we’ve been up to, we couldn’t imagine a more fun way to do so than with today’s Special Bulletin. The studio is working on this new Cuphead with help from Toronto’s Stop Motion Department and Continue Agency. At the same time, Studio MDHR also revealed that another part of the team has been working on a different Cuphead installment. Dubbed the Mighty Cuphead Adventure, this is taking a different art direction to the original. "In true Studio MDHR fashion, this game goes beyond just taking inspiration from the classics of the 1980s… it is actually built with technology of the era," the studio explained. "That's right: Mighty Cuphead Adventure is programmed in assembly language and designed with the exacting specifications of the Sega Master System home gaming console in mind." Aside from releasing on PC and modern consoles, Mighty Cuphead Adventure will even be playable on the 1985-released Sega Master System. A release date has not been announced just yet.
    • Any decent ITSM will A) have a web form that allows a user to raise a ticket, if you're writing an email you can write a ticket. B) Monitor a mailbox and auto-generate tickets based on inbound mails for those users that really can't get their heads around the concept that if you have an issue you go to support.mycompany.com and fill in the box. From your description you're having users email the desk, and then having a human read each one and manually raise a ticket on behalf of the user.
    • Microsoft PC Manager 3.21.6.0 (Offline Installer) by Razvan Serea With Microsoft PC Manager, users can easily perform basic computer maintenance and enhance the speed of their devices with just one click. This app offers a range of features, including disk cleanup, startup app management, virus scanning, Windows Update checks, process monitoring, and storage management. Microsoft PC Manager key features: Storage Manager- easily uninstall infrequently used apps, manage large files, perform a cleanup, and set up Storage Sense to automatically clear temporary files. Health Checkup feature -scans for potential problems, viruses, and startup programs to turn off. It helps you identify unnecessary items to remove, optimizing your system's performance. Pop-up Management - block pop-up windows from appearing in apps. Windows Update - scans your system for any pending updates. Startup Apps - enable or disable startup apps on your PC, allowing you to optimize your system's startup performance. Browser Protection - rest assured that harmful programs cannot alter your default browser. Also enables you to change your default browser. Process Management - allows you to conveniently terminate any active process, ensuring optimal system performance and resource utilization. Anti-virus protection - Fully integrated with Windows Security. Safeguard your PC anytime. Quick Steps: Download Microsoft PC Manager Offline Installer (APPX/MSIX) with Adguard Adguard serves as a third-party online service, offering a user-friendly method for directly downloading appx, appxbundle, and msixbundle files from the Microsoft Store. Official download links will be generated for both the app's various versions and its dependency packages. How to download Microsoft PC Manager Offline Installer (APPX/MSIX) 1. Initially, you must find the app URL within the Microsoft Store. Access the Microsoft Store via your browser and search for "Microsoft PC Manager". Once located, copy the app URL, which includes the product ID, either from the address bar or from the provided link below. https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9PM860492SZD 2. Now paste the app URL into the designated area, then click the check mark button to produce a direct download link. 3. To download, right-click the relevant link and select “Save link as…” from your browser's menu. Occasionally, Microsoft Edge may flag the download as insecure. In such cases, consider utilizing alternative browsers such as Google Chrome or Firefox to successfully complete the download. Microsoft PC Manager is a completely free tool optimized exclusively for use on Windows 10 (19042.0 and above) and Windows 11. Download: Microsoft PC Manager 3.21.6.0 | from Microsoft Store View: Microsoft PC Manager Home Page | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
  • Recent Achievements

    • Mentor
      grik went up a rank
      Mentor
    • Dedicated
      JKR earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • One Year In
      CHUNWEI earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      FBSPL earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Week One Done
      I2D earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      486
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      273
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      78
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      67
    5. 5
      +Edouard
      61
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!