Windows 8 Release Preview Discussion

By Roger H.
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

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Grand Master

Brandon H Supervisor

Posted
  • Supervisor
Posted

But another change I have noticed on Windows 8 RP is that it is now much easier to access the Metro start menu. If you close Classic Shell,you can now just click the left hand hot corner,where the start button should be and you get the Metro start screen.

In Windows 8 CP you had to swipe and click with your mouse, but on RP you just click. Andrea Borman.

no, you could click in the bottom left corner in the CP as well
Rising Star

Andrea Borman

Posted
Posted

no, you could click in the bottom left corner in the CP as well

Yes you could. But the Metro start button or hot corner only stayed visible for a few seconds in Windows 8 CP.So you had to be quick,which is difficult if you are using a computer or laptop with a mouse. But in Windows 8 RP it is now much easier to get to the Metro start menu. And you can still do this without closing Classic Shell in Windows 8 RP. Andrea Borman.

Grand Master

BajiRav

Posted
Posted

Yes you could. But the Metro start button or hot corner only stayed visible for a few seconds in Windows 8 CP.So you had to be quick,which is difficult if you are using a computer or laptop with a mouse. But in Windows 8 RP it is now much easier to get to the Metro start menu. And you can still do this without closing Classic Shell in Windows 8 RP. Andrea Borman.

No. You are wrong. You could just click in the corner and not worry about the thumbnail disappearing.

Grand Master

PGHammer

Posted
Posted

I think you're wrong, Mail apps supports EAS, not POP/IMAP (yet).

Messaging apps supports XMPP, which allows the cross-communication platform.

I use GMail with the Mail app (and it is, in fact, the only account I use with Mail), the other supported account types are Exchange (as you stated) and Hotmail. (Yes - GMail is specifically listed; between Hotmail and Exchange in Add Accounts.)

Proficient

Anthonyd

Posted
Posted

I use GMail with the Mail app (and it is, in fact, the only account I use with Mail), the other supported account types are Exchange (as you stated) and Hotmail. (Yes - GMail is specifically listed; between Hotmail and Exchange in Add Accounts.)

EAS is a protocol supported by Gmail. That's how they push calendar & contacts inside Android phones.
Grand Master

MikeChipshop Member

Posted
  • Member
Posted

No. You are wrong. You could just click in the corner and not worry about the thumbnail disappearing.

Totally correct. I'm posting from the CP that's still on an older machine of mine and that is indeed the behaviour.

Correct me if i'm wrong Andrea but you didn't do a clean install of the CP but done an upgrade? This could have borked things somewhat.

Grand Master

TheLegendOfMart

Posted
Posted

I've been running release preview for a week now to try and get to grips with it, it has been less painful than I thought it was going to be but I still can't see myself running it longterm, the Metro stuff is just pointless for me and just slows down my personal productivity and how I use the OS.

Looks like ill be stuck with Windows 7 forever because Windows 9 will probably have the same Metro stuff in it :(

Enthusiast

anidais

Posted
Posted

I've been running release preview for a week now to try and get to grips with it, it has been less painful than I thought it was going to be but I still can't see myself running it longterm, the Metro stuff is just pointless for me and just slows down my personal productivity and how I use the OS.

Looks like ill be stuck with Windows 7 forever because Windows 9 will probably have the same Metro stuff in it :(

In what ways does Windows 8 affect your productivity? The desktop is still there, and with improvements. You don't even need to use the new start screen for most of your time (only for searching and opening programs). If there was no desktop at all then I would understand.

Grand Master

TheLegendOfMart

Posted
Posted

It just doesn't make any sense to me, I have unpinned all the Metro apps and changed the default programs everything opens with, I don't enjoy having to go to start screen then right clicking, going all the way down to all apps, then looking through the massive list just to find the apps I want to pin.

Yes I realise I could just start typing to find an app.

The charms bar is annoying me as well if I have programs full screen and i go up to the top corner the charms bar keeps activating.

It just seems so convoluted, I'm not saying that Metro is slow for everyone it just doesnt make sense to me how I use MY pc.

Grand Master

Dot Matrix

Posted
Posted

I'm guessing there is no power options because the machine is already on restart mode. Like the message says you will have time to save your work.

I'm kinda left wondering if that isn't a new BSOD replacement for errors that aren't catastrophic failures.

Rising Star

Andrea Borman

Posted
Posted

I was browsing Google this morning and I came across this interesting thread over on Eight Forums. It says there is a Metro disabler that works on Windows 8 consumer Preview and Release Preview.

See here,Eight Forums thread-http://www.eightforu...o-disabler.html

But the software is hosted on a Chinese forum but it claims to disable the Metro theme in Windows 8 RP. But the posters on Eight Forums warn that the side effects of this software are that the Windows key no longer brings up the Metro start screen and that the Charms Bar is gone.

I know with Ribbon Disabler from Win Aero see here-http://winaero.com/c...comment.news.20

you can disable the ribbon in Windows Explorer. And get the Windows 7 Explorer which I have done. But the process is reversible.As if you want the ribbon back,you just run Ribbon Disabler again and the ribbon is back. And Ribbon Disabler causes no side effects to Windows 8.

But is this unknown software Metro Disabler for Windows 8 CP and Windows 8 RP safe?

It's not just that the website where the software is hosted on is written only in Chinese(although Google Chrome browser will translate it into English.)

And also this Metro Disabler is nothing to do with the one from Win Aero,which is only for Windows 8 Developers Preview. And does not work on other versions of Windows 8.

So the question is should you use this unknown software to disable Metro on Windows 8 CP or RP?

Well I myself do not really want the Metro theme and I prefer the old fashioned Windows 7 or Windows Vista desktop and start menu. Like we could have in Windows 8 DP.

But I think it is not work taking a chance with this unknown software unless it is proven to be safe.

So if you don't want the Metro theme which there is no option to opt out of on Windows 8 CP or RP. It is far better to just install start menu software like,Vi Start,Classic Shell or Start Menu 7.Which gives you the start button and Windows 7 start menu on Windows 8 CP and RP anyway.

And even though you still see the Metro start screen at start up.But then you get taken to the desktop by clicking the desktop tile or pressing the Windows key.Where start button and Windows 7 start menu is.

I would rather have that than risk breaking Windows with this unknown software-the Metro disabler that has not been tested or proven to be safe. Andrea Borman.

Grand Master

Dot Matrix

Posted
Posted

If you're disabling Metro, you're disabling more than just the Charms bar and Start, look at my error message up at the top of the page. If something were to go wrong with your PC, and that error message can't be displayed, you could be doing more damage to your data and your machine by killing Metro. Metro isn't just some overlying theme to disable. Disabling Metro is like disabling Explorer.exe in Win95-Win7.

Grand Master

Arceles

Posted
Posted

If you're disabling Metro, you're disabling more than just the Charms bar and Start, look at my error message up at the top of the page. If something were to go wrong with your PC, and that error message can't be displayed, you could be doing more damage to your data and your machine by killing Metro. Metro isn't just some overlying theme to disable. Disabling Metro is like disabling Explorer.exe in Win95-Win7.

That's no where near as it is, files are not damaged by disabling metro, don't spread FUD.

Grand Master

Dot Matrix

Posted
Posted

That's no where near as it is, files are not damaged by disabling metro, don't spread FUD.

I didn't say that. What I was getting at is if your PC experiences a problem, and that warning message in the pic doesn't show because the user found a way to disable Metro, than your PC could be damaged, because 1) it could appear as a random reboot, while the user is in the middle of a task or 2) if the restart timer is attached to the Metro error message, than the PC could be damaged by not being able to repair itself.

Rising Star

Andrea Borman

Posted
Posted

If you're disabling Metro, you're disabling more than just the Charms bar and Start, look at my error message up at the top of the page. If something were to go wrong with your PC, and that error message can't be displayed, you could be doing more damage to your data and your machine by killing Metro. Metro isn't just some overlying theme to disable. Disabling Metro is like disabling Explorer.exe in Win95-Win7.

Yes you are right. Although you could disable the Metro theme in Windows 8 Developers Preview,with a simple registry edit.You can't in Windows 8 CP and Windows 8 RP.

So the best way round this is to install Classic Shell or another start menu software. Which although it won't disable the Metro theme, it will give you the start button and Windows 7 start menu on your desktop. And the Metro start menu will run in the background. Andrea Borman.

Grand Master

Detection

Posted
Posted

I didn't say that. What I was getting at is if your PC experiences a problem, and that warning message in the pic doesn't show because the user found a way to disable Metro, than your PC could be damaged, because 1) it could appear as a random reboot, while the user is in the middle of a task or 2) if the restart timer is attached to the Metro error message, than the PC could be damaged by not being able to repair itself.

Anyone who copies ways to disable Metro and ends up with a dead machine and has no idea how to fix it shouldn't have tried it in the first place, its their own fault.

Anyone with half a brain would not mess with system files if they were going to be stuck with no machine if they broke it, and with that said, anyone running Windows 8 RP at least knows how to install an OS, so where is the problem ?

Grand Master

Dot Matrix

Posted
Posted

Anyone who copies ways to disable Metro and ends up with a dead machine and has no idea how to fix it shouldn't have tried it in the first place, its their own fault.

Anyone with half a brain would not mess with system files if they were going to be stuck with no machine if they broke it, and with that said, anyone running Windows 8 RP at least knows how to install an OS, so where is the problem ?

If a user knows the consequences, than that's on them if something goes wrong. My only worry is that some hot shot "wiz kid" is going to go to other's machines (family, friends, etc) and tell them they don't need Metro, delete those files, and potentially screw over other people.

Grand Master

Knife Party

Posted
Posted

Anyone who copies ways to disable Metro and ends up with a dead machine and has no idea how to fix it shouldn't have tried it in the first place, its their own fault.

Anyone with half a brain would not mess with system files if they were going to be stuck with no machine if they broke it, and with that said, anyone running Windows 8 RP at least knows how to install an OS, so where is the problem ?

As I agree with disabling Metro is rather weird, why not stick to W7 if you remove the core component which distinguises the 2. And what? "has no idea how to fix it shouldn't have tried it in the first place, its their own fault" -> ever heard of the concept of 'experimentation', you know, taking a leap to figure out how things work by manipulating or breaking them, aka core win32 components etc. Its a testing build, so I don't see why a bit of fun hacking shouldn't poke around??

Grand Master

Knife Party

Posted
Posted

As I agree with disabling Metro is rather weird, why not stick to W7 if you remove the core component which distinguises the 2. And what? "has no idea how to fix it shouldn't have tried it in the first place, its their own fault" -> ever heard of the concept of 'experimentation', you know, taking a leap to figure out how things work by manipulating or breaking them, aka core win32 components etc. Its a testing build, so I don't see why a bit of fun hacking shouldn't poke around??

Grand Master

Detection

Posted
Posted

As I agree with disabling Metro is rather weird, why not stick to W7 if you remove the core component which distinguises the 2. And what? "has no idea how to fix it shouldn't have tried it in the first place, its their own fault" -> ever heard of the concept of 'experimentation', you know, taking a leap to figure out how things work by manipulating or breaking them, aka core win32 components etc. Its a testing build, so I don't see why a bit of fun hacking shouldn't poke around??

Why do people think Metro is the only change ? You do know that there are many improvements that do not include Metro right ?

Yea, breaking a test build by experimenting is fine, but if someone breaks their machine they have 8 installed on and they have 0 clue how to repair it, who's fault is that ?

Not the people who posted ways to kill Metro. There are a sh*t load of guides for things online that I would never try, and if I did and ended up in jail because of, I couldn't exactly blame the author for posting a How To could I

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