Windows 8: My list of improvements

[Jose_49]

Hello Neowin community! I needed to write this out so I could feel free from it. These are my set of improvements that I believe that Windows 8 needs to have.

First of all, before any of you think that the first improvement is to disable Metro, you are wrong. Metro has been a start, but I feel it needs to be polished further.

1. Allow multiple dragging in Start Screen. They added multiple selections (Thanks God), but need to have the ability to multiple drag objects at the same time.
   
2. Have an option to extend the Start Screen through all the screens (When having 2+ of them).
   
3. Have a ?metro-ized? Windows Explorer. (Like Internet Explorer with its 2 versions)
   
4. When clicking on the network icon or something else, it triggers a humongous vertical rectangle; make it so it doesn?t take part of the taskbar (when positioned horizontally).
   
5. Jump Menu in Start Screen. One of the biggest features of Win 7 Start Menu was the ability of a jump list which was great for launching recent files. This could be implemented like this:
   
   • Right click on an icon and on the upper screen or in the bar that comes from below, make a list appear displaying the most recent or pinned items.
     

[*]Add an optional shortcut to shutdown/restart/hibernate/sleep faster (Could be at the user?s tile).

[*]Have a folder or make folders with an animated effect of contracting and expanding its content (fading or scrolling effect). contents. This is to make the Start Screen more organized. I wouldn?t like to meet it when it reaches to 100+ programs (Zoom will not help)

[*]Have more than 2 metro apps running at the screen. I believe that having 2 at a time (max) is not enough. There are many of them that can be split in fewer dimensions.

[*]Have a keyboard combination or a mouse gesture which allows resizing the Metro Apps to your own like + an option of Tile Vertically, Horizontally or Stacked (Within the Metro Ecosystem).

[*]Option to have multiple background images so it can fit the proportions (or make a still one with a background, much like implementing the Desktop?s wallpaper configuration to it) of the screen .

[*]Allow the Start Screen to pin items wherever you want, as Desktop Style. What I mean is to allow putting an item in a position you want without the other moving to another column. (I was ****ed off with the CP and DP when I tried organizing the items the way I liked)

[*]Add the RGB combination of colors to the Start Screen.

[*]Make dark window-colors readable when Aero Basic is enabled. Try putting it black, you won?t be able to read the current Window at all.

[*]All-Search (Independent). It?s a very welcomed feature the distribution of search within a specified category (Files, Settings and Programs), but I feel that they need to bring back the unsorted search like Windows Vista/7; you could press start and search anything and the first thing that pops up would generally match what you were looking for. (This could be triggered through a WinKey combination)

[*]Make a mini-start screen available. There are many people which are infuriated with Metro for taking away their focus on what they were originally doing.

[*]Dramatically improve the Metro Versions of Video and Music Players: Make it more Zune.

[*]Make the start button an option. Could be disabled by default, but I feel uncomfortable when I need to go to the edge of the screen to trigger the Start Screen (Although I believe I?ll get used to it in time).

[*]Make Kinect gestures available to the Metro interface. It?s perfectly usable with Kinect, why not implement it by default?

[*]Add the ability to multiple select the files instantaneously with the mouse. This is the same as selecting multiple files when pressing the left button of the mouse (without letting go of it) and going all over the files. Shift combination should also be implemented.

Well, there they are. I haven't come up with anything else to improve Win8 experience, so what do you guys think?

[Tuanese]

Microsoft won't listen to you (or anybody). Period.

[Jose_49]

Microsoft won't listen to you (or anybody). Period.

At least I got it out from my soul. They won't be haunting me anymore.

[bogas04]

At least I got it out from my soul. They won't be haunting me anymore.

stop watching too much anime.

[Dot Matrix]

Microsoft won't listen to you (or anybody). Period.

Where do you think all these changes came from so far?

[Calum Veteran]

Microsoft won't listen to you (or anybody). Period.

I'm always interested in seeing how others believe a product can be improved, if it's a product that I'm interested in (like Windows 8 is). Microsoft do listen to feedback from many people sometimes, but even if you don't believe they will, there's no harm in publishing a list of what you'd like to see, either just in case anyone from Microsoft sees it or just to start a discussion :)

[techguy77]

My list is simpler.

1. Give us option to disable Metro or choose whether to install it or not during Setup.

2. If i get option to disable Metro i don't give a f. about what you gonna do with it for those who wants to use it.

:)

[Dot Matrix]

My list is simpler.

1. Give us option to disable Metro or choose whether to install it or not during Setup.

2. If i get option to disable Metro i don't give a f. about what you gonna do with it for those who wants to use it.

:)

In that case, why buy into Windows 8? Sounds to me like you'd be wasting money just to re-buy Windows 7. Windows 8 IS Metro, whether you want it or not. Take Metro (everything) away, and all you're left with is a new Explorer layout.

[Guest glyfz]

In that case, why buy into Windows 8? Sounds to me like you'd be wasting money just to re-buy Windows 7. Windows 8 IS Metro, whether you want it or not. Take Metro (everything) away, and all you're left with is a new Explorer layout.

Not true, there's more to Windows 8 than Metro.

[simplezz]

In that case, why buy into Windows 8? Sounds to me like you'd be wasting money just to re-buy Windows 7.

If it's a new PC, there isn't much choice, unless the OEM's offer to install Win7 instead (unlikely).

Windows 8 IS Metro, whether you want it or not. Take Metro (everything) away, and all you're left with is a new Explorer layout.

The desktop could be metro styled without forcing the start screen/tile interface down everybody's throats.

[Sekyal]

Interesting list.

15.One is now available from a 3rd party and I'm sure that's how it will stay, MS won't veer from the new Start Screen

16. As noted in the CP these are previews, I'm sure they'll get more features, although hard to say how much more will be added.

17. Why are you moving the mouse all the way round for the "start button" when the WinKey is so much easier to hit?

[jakem1]

My list is simpler.

1. Give us option to disable Metro or choose whether to install it or not during Setup.

2. If i get option to disable Metro i don't give a f. about what you gonna do with it for those who wants to use it.

:)

It's not going to happen so you might as well stop constantly moaning about it. You need to get with the times.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

It's not going to happen so you might as well stop constantly moaning about it. You need to get with the times.

Did people have to 'get with the times' when Vista was released? Windows Me? Microsoft Bob?

[pack34]

I can see some of these happening.

[Kirkburn]

Did people have to 'get with the times' when Vista was released? Windows Me? Microsoft Bob?

Yes, yes and no. Not immediately, but likely eventually. For example, Vista and Me both introduced elements of Windows almost everyone happily takes for granted now (e.g. overhauled UI, and system restore, respectively). That being said, I am not endorsing the Win8 changes, as I have yet to experience them first hand.

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

#7 won't happen. Sinofsky specifically compared their solution to the iPad's folders, and claimed that MS's concept was superior.

[Stoffel]

I really like your list and I hope MS does pick some of your ideas, specially the first 6 items on your list.

I think 7 and 8 are just not possible at the moment.

They try to have an app model that works both on Tablets and PC's.

For those tablets it would be very memory and battery consuming if they can have more then 2 apps open at a time.

That's also the reason they have to be full screen, that way they can go in a suspended mode as soon as it disappears from the screen.

If you can resize them they will never go in suspended mode, because they just keep occupying the screen

It would be nice if MS would adjust that problem, but we all have to realize that Win8 is basically a 1.0 version of a new app platform.

Maybe by Win9 they adjust the app model that you can do these things if you are on a PC or laptop.

Further down the list you got a couple of other good ones.

About the apps, we all know they are still in pre BETA stage so we can hope that they will be updated over time, hopefully we see regular updates before it goes into RC

I like that you actually took the time to think about how to make it better, instead of just saying it doesn't work like Win 7 so it s*cks

Nice one

[Tuanese]

Where do you think all these changes came from so far?

Microsoft's internals.

No user wants their beloved OS to become like Windows 8.

[PGHammer]

Microsoft's internals.

No user wants their beloved OS to become like Windows 8.

Speak for yourself.

I have absolutely zero issues with the Consumer Preview, which is now my main OS (and on a desktop).

Just because some of you will fight change with all the fervor of the supporters of certain GOP presidential candidates, do NOT lump all users of Windows in that crowd, thank you.

[Tuanese]

Speak for yourself.

I have absolutely zero issues with the Consumer Preview, which is now my main OS (and on a desktop).

Just because some of you will fight change with all the fervor of the supporters of certain GOP presidential candidates, do NOT lump all users of Windows in that crowd, thank you.

Time will tell, isn't it.

We'll see how Windows 8 sells. :)

[Dot Matrix]

Time will tell, isn't it.

We'll see how Windows 8 sells. :)

Even if Windows 8 sells poorly, Metro isn't going away. It'll be refined and sharpened for Windows 9. If Apple wants to believe they are in a "Post-PC" world, I think Microsoft wants them to eat their own words, which means drastic changes for Windows yet to come.

[cynthia400]

You can move multiple items on the Start screen when you have it zoomed out, just grab any section of icons and you will move all the icons that are in that group.

[Hitman2000]

The one thing i dont understand is why microsoft is trying this one size fits all crap.

why don't they just develop a seperate OS marketed specifically for tablets/moible devices...

[MorganX]

• All-Search (Independent). It?s a very welcomed feature the distribution of search within a specified category (Files, Settings and Programs), but I feel that they need to bring back the unsorted search like Windows Vista/7; you could press start and search anything and the first thing that pops up would generally match what you were looking for. (This could be triggered through a WinKey combination)
  

I believe what you're asking for is unified search and I wanted this to. And it is there. Don't use a search hotkey, when the start screen is up, just start typing what you're looking for. It will search everything and display the results. Whether or not what you're looking for will be the first result can't be guaranteed though.

Even if Windows 8 sells poorly, Metro isn't going away. It'll be refined and sharpened for Windows 9. If Apple wants to believe they are in a "Post-PC" world, I think Microsoft wants them to eat their own words, which means drastic changes for Windows yet to come.

I think Microsoft agrees with Apple and is trying to catch up by shoehorning a tablet UI onto a very productive and loved desktop UI. You know Microsoft can't take down iPad in a fair fight, tablet vs. tablet. So they will leverage their desktop dominance, I'm not sure they have a choice.

[Dot Matrix]

I think Microsoft agrees with Apple and is trying to catch up by shoehorning a tablet UI onto a very productive and loved desktop UI. You know Microsoft can't take down iPad in a fair fight, tablet vs. tablet. So they will leverage their desktop dominance, I'm not sure they have a choice.

If you think about it, it makes sense. Apple is tip-toeing around with the iPad, and ignoring many usability features Windows tablets have had for years.