windows 8 Do you like or hate Windows 8?

[MorganX]

Given the nature of some of the hate, all of which I experienced, Start Page in your face, lock screen needing swipe (only it doesn't), etc. I encourage all on the fence to ignore those who pretend Windows 8 is flawless and does not have many areas/tasks that require more annoying work (clicks or drags) to try it again and this time force yourself to use it for a week. Don't uninstall within 48 hours like I did the first time around when I thought it was complete garbage.

Give it a week and if you see the Start Page at all, it won't be that bad as you won't see it that much, but yeah, you will miss the Start Menu's capabilities but not "that" much. The performance more than makes up for it IMO and there is the potential of some really great Metro apps. They may not even be Metro (or RT, or whatever the name of the day is) but that UI and the Metro notification scheme as in Office 2013 is niiicceee!

Just wish I could delete a mail from the metro notification like the old much more boring taskbar outlook notification.

You can put literally anything you want on that Start Screen. Folders, drives, apps, you name it. Don't know why people are so whiny about it.

Agree with everything you said except this. This will 1) Create an ugly mess, 2) cannot change icons, more ugly, and 3) TOTALLY inferior to Start Menu and virtually worthless as you cannot drill down from the Metro Start Page. What good is pinning folders and drives without being able to drill down as the hierarchical menus of the Start Menu allowed? Extremely minimal. IMO, as it functions now, pinning folders and drives to the Start Page is basically wasting time. Just use Explorer and accept that for now, for this functionality, the Start Page is totally inferior and requires more work, period.

[Calum Veteran]

I get the sentiment, but, fail.

It isn't a "fail." I don't mind ads, I like Microsoft, and I'd like them to make as much money as possible. There is nothing "fail" about my statement. You might not like ads (I don't know), but considering my opinions on ads and Microsoft, my post wasn't a "fail."

[MorganX]

It isn't a "fail." I don't mind ads, I like Microsoft, and I'd like them to make as much money as possible. There is nothing "fail" about my statement. You might not like ads (I don't know), but considering my opinions on ads and Microsoft, my post wasn't a "fail."

IMO it was, lol. I don't mind the ads though I haven't seen them, the one's on Outlook.com are done very well. So well I actually hover over them and look a them. This subdued ad method should be used by all web sites. The fail is the suggestion MS isn't already compensated quite well and needs ads to be paid for their work which your comment gives and undertone of. MS' predatory licensing due to monopoly have compensated them quite well as has their very high licensing fees for Office after destroying all competition. Office is actually a bigger $$$$ generator due to licensing than Windows and probably will always be. MS could stand to give a little more value if you ask me, they're compensated for their work quite well.

[FloatingFatMan]

So why does the programmer have to deal with the Metrified start menu? With Metrified wifi connection utilities? Metrified 'what would you like to do with this device you just plugged in' dialogs? etc.

Simple, you click on the presented options, just like now.

And what about the sysadmin? How are you supposed to monitor 20-100 servers simultaneously using Metro?

Same way you do now. You use the appropriate desktop or PowerShell applications.

Methinks you're under the impression that Metro replaces the desktop. It doesn't, it complements it with a simpler to use UI. Your desktop is still there, it's just your start menu that's changed; and you can easily put it back with a simple 3rd party tool if it bothers you that much. I did, and now I'm a happy bunny.

[xWhiplash]

Simple, you click on the presented options, just like now.

Same way you do now. You use the appropriate desktop or PowerShell applications.

Methinks you're under the impression that Metro replaces the desktop. It doesn't, it complements it with a simpler to use UI. Your desktop is still there, it's just your start menu that's changed; and you can easily put it back with a simple 3rd party tool if it bothers you that much. I did, and now I'm a happy bunny.

If it was just metro start screen they added in Windows 8, there would be far less complaints (from me for example).

But why do you move the shutdown (just an example, there are a LOT of stuff moved in this OS) option to a new invisible charms bar? It is seared in our minds to go to the bottom left - shut down. Even when I was using Windows 8, I still found myself clicking the bottom left and trying to find shut down.

Why is the volume control mini window AERO but the network connections is Metro that takes up my entire vertical space when I just have one connection?

Why are there two control panels?

Without going to charms or Windows Explorer, you need to RIGHT CLICK at the bottom left to get to the Control Panel. Again, it is in our mind to easily get to the control panel by Start - Control Panel. No not any more. You need to Right Click to get a grey popup and select Control Panel there.

Everything just adds up. This OS is very very inconsistent and is just a mess.

[FloatingFatMan]

If it was just metro start screen they added in Windows 8, there would be far less complaints (from me for example).

But why do you move the shutdown (just an example, there are a LOT of stuff moved in this OS) option to a new invisible charms bar? It is seared in our minds to go to the bottom left - shut down. Even when I was using Windows 8, I still found myself clicking the bottom left and trying to find shut down.

Why is the volume control mini window AERO but the network connections is Metro that takes up my entire vertical space when I just have one connection?

Why are there two control panels?

Without going to charms or Windows Explorer, you need to RIGHT CLICK at the bottom left to get to the Control Panel. Again, it is in our mind to easily get to the control panel by Start - Control Panel. No not any more. You need to Right Click to get a grey popup and select Control Panel there.

Everything just adds up. This OS is very very inconsistent and is just a mess.

Unlike some, I'm not a Windows 8 "evangelist". I'm well aware that it isn't perfect, that it has plenty of inconsistencies and odd choices, that the touch UI just doesn't work that well on a desktop. But it also isn't even CLOSE to as bad as the haters are screaming at the top of their lungs. People that do that are just as bad as the W8 fanboys; they're ALL plonkers, IMO.

But you know what? ALL of my issues with it were fixed by installing Classic Start Menu, without exception.

Like it or not, the touch UI isn't going to go anywhere. Adjust to it or not, as you like, but it's here to stay. Hating it is just ridiculous; it's software, not a psychopath who just stabbed your mother to death. Get over it.

[MorganX]

But why do you move the shutdown (just an example, there are a LOT of stuff moved in this OS) option to a new invisible charms bar? It is seared in our minds to go to the bottom left - shut down. Even when I was using Windows 8, I still found myself clicking the bottom left and trying to find shut down.

Start, Shutdown, then hover for options. And for people like me who utilize all screen real estate, the taskbar is auto-hidden just like the Charms bar. So, Reveal, click start, select shutdown, choose option. Win 8, Reveal, Click Settings, select power, choose option. No difference. I actually like Win 8's better, never miss. Often missed in Win 7. Had to speed up Start Menu with registry edit. Not an issue here.

Additionally, ACPI works flawlessly, have not had a failed wake-up yet. So I actually do not shutdown and love the power savings, that actually works. With USB 3.0 external devices and all. I'd say Win 8 finally gets power management right, shutting down may be a thing of the past, finally.

Why is the volume control mini window AERO but the network connections is Metro that takes up my entire vertical space when I just have one connection?

Score. Didn't notice. This is an inconsistency. While volume doesn't need to be a side pane (need room for many wireless connections anyway) it should be consistent. If I use media key, then I get an Aero volume control in upper left. No doubt up there in consideration of right-handed tablet holders. :( This actually is a pretty dumb Metro inconsistency.

Why are there two control panels?

Are there? If so, I imagine one is for compatibility? TBH, haven't had to go to control panel too much other than to add device which consolidates all adding much better than Win 7. Bluetooth, Wireless, etc. and always works, well.

Without going to charms or Windows Explorer, you need to RIGHT CLICK at the bottom left to get to the Control Panel. Again, it is in our mind to easily get to the control panel by Start - Control Panel. No not any more. You need to Right Click to get a grey popup and select Control Panel there.

For sure Win 7 Start Menu control panel set as menu was more efficient, though menu slow. Hierarchical menus and nesting is the one area in which Metro is inferior to the Start Menu but TBH I just don't go to control panel that much after install and setup.

Everything just adds up. This OS is very very inconsistent and is just a mess.

There are minor, nagging, annoying inconsistencies, but I can't call it a mess or anything close after going RP full on for several weeks now. The only thing I miss is Win 7's backup restore which is actually there but should have been upgraded for Win 8. The juvenile Win 8 File History is just that, a high school project in a professional OS.

[code65536]

It's not one-size-fits-all. That's why we have the new style of apps and desktop apps. Or looked at another way, maybe it is, but there's no need to sacrifice anything. You can use the right combination for your needs.

Yes, and that's Sinofsky's official line, too, that Windows 8 is "no-compromise". So if the desktop and Metro UIs are supposed to be co-equals, why does it feel like that the desktop is supposed to play second fiddle to Metro, hm?

Why can't we boot straight to the desktop? Why can't we have a desktop-friendly app launcher? Why are notifications and network controls in Metro? Why are some of the control panel UI Metro-only? Why is the desktop completely crippled on the ARM architecture? Why are users forced to perform UI acrobatics just to get an option between shut down, sleep and hibernate (yes, I can hit Alt-F4 when the taskbar as the active window to access a shutdown menu without ever seeing Metro, but that's not exactly very discoverable, is it?)

The official line and the actions taken by Microsoft seem to be at odds with each other.

Spend some time tweaking it and it's almost exactly like Windows 7. But of course that would require work and heaven forbid that, so now I understand all the whining.

So much for working well out-of-the-box, huh? So the best way to use Windows 8 is to spend time to work around all the user experience "enhancements", hm?

[Nothing Here]

With the problems I'm having now, I am changing my opinion about Win8. I knew I should have stayed on the RP. Grrrrr!

[code65536]

The Weather app isn't Windows 8?the Weather app is an app that runs on Windows 8. It's included in the operating system, but it isn't a part of the operating system?it's a separate app, like the Messaging app, only installed by default. Yes, I am for real. I don't mind Microsoft placing ads in their software in order for them to make more money. I'd rather them do that than charge us more for Windows 8.

Since a calculator is a default part of Windows 7, it should have ads? Minesweeper and solitaire, long-time "free" apps included with Windows should all have ads? Oh, I know, Internet Explorer should display ads! Because it's free software included with Windows. Your logic is impeccable.

Oh, and in the US, the weather data used by the Weather Channel actually comes from the National Weather Service, which is funded by US taxpayers. So I've paid for the OS that includes the app, and I've paid for the data.

[Major General]

The only thing I really like about Windows 8 is that all of my main settings are synced between different installations

MS did make a smart move by requiring keys right before installation but now that the RTMs are leaked there are gonna be keygens trying to pop up all over the place. Hopefully MS is already on the job with this and will in fact change something before the official release in October

[koolguy]

Can't say until I get my hands on it. Wait for the final release date.

[code65536]

Simple, you click on the presented options, just like now.

No, not quite. In Windows 7, if I plug in a USB drive, the dialog that pops up is a window. I can move it out of the way without dismissing it. I can leave it there in the background while I finish doing something else and then switch back to it (easy to do since the notification window gets a taskbar icon). It's non-modal, meaning that I can respond to it when I want, how I want.

And yes, this is, by itself, a minor issue. But there are just tons of minor issues, a death by a thousand paper cuts.

As for using third-party programs, that doesn't change the fact that the out-of-the-box experience in Windows 8 is lacking. As it has been said by others before in the thread, there is something wrong with the notion that in order for an OS to be usable, one first needs to spend lots of time hacking around the "new and improved" UI.

[BajiRav]

Since a calculator is a default part of Windows 7, it should have ads? Minesweeper and solitaire, long-time "free" apps included with Windows should all have ads? Oh, I know, Internet Explorer should display ads! Because it's free software included with Windows. Your logic is impeccable.

Oh, and in the US, the weather data used by the Weather Channel actually comes from the National Weather Service, which is funded by US taxpayers. So I've paid for the OS that includes the app, and I've paid for the data.

I agree with the no-ads sentiment just wanted to say that IE10 does display ads. :shifty:

[yardmanflex]

Windows 8 has no chance for me. I skip Windows 8 and enhance my work on Linux systems. I do this since years and maybe I get the switch in a few years.

LOL :(

[Scorbing]

Interesting poll results. Seems 50% of the people here like it and the other 50% do not.

[Calum Veteran]

Since a calculator is a default part of Windows 7, it should have ads? Minesweeper and solitaire, long-time "free" apps included with Windows should all have ads? Oh, I know, Internet Explorer should display ads! Because it's free software included with Windows. Your logic is impeccable.

Oh, and in the US, the weather data used by the Weather Channel actually comes from the National Weather Service, which is funded by US taxpayers. So I've paid for the OS that includes the app, and I've paid for the data.

I didn't state that every single app in Windows 8 should have ads, did I? No, I didn't. I didn't at all. I didn't even state that any of them should have ads; I stated that I don't mind if any of them have ads. There's a difference between that. It's nothing about logic because I'm talking about what I like to see and what I don't mind seeing.

[Bulldozer]

I've yet to try it, but from what I've seen it looks ok. The reviews I've been hearing aren't so good though...

[FloatingFatMan]

I agree with the no-ads sentiment just wanted to say that IE10 does display ads. :shifty:

As part of the actual browser, or just ads from web pages, which is quite normal?

[Albert]

it's not about love or hate. it's about what vision the os development team is trying to impart on it. windows 8 has none in this regard.

[derkim]

LOL :(

What is the alternative? To force me to like something which is absolute nonsense for me?

Of course I appreciates the performance enhancements in Windows 8. But the workflow,

the ugly windows theme, charmbar... there is at the moment nothing what I could like.

But no reason to get in panic. Maybe in Windows 9 everything goes great.

[.Neo]

The only saving grace is MS is dramatically reducing the cost of upgrading to Windows 8. Self-serving yes, but in this day and age, a welcome price break.

Which they'll most likely compensate by said ads.

[BajiRav]

Can someone post screenshot of the RTM weather app with the ads section in focus?

As part of the actual browser, or just ads from web pages, which is quite normal?

as part of web pages, sorry bad attempt at humor.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Yes, and that's Sinofsky's official line, too, that Windows 8 is "no-compromise". So if the desktop and Metro UIs are supposed to be co-equals, why does it feel like that the desktop is supposed to play second fiddle to Metro, hm?

How so? Obviously the new app model gets attention from people because, well, it's new. That should hardly surprise you.

Why can't we boot straight to the desktop?

Because we can't build every option imaginable, and such an option would just create inconsistency and confusion. Start is, well, where you start. Besides, nobody reboots anymore. So it's a moot point.

Why can't we have a desktop-friendly app launcher?

We have two. The taskbar, and Start.

Why are notifications and network controls in Metro?

Why were they "Aero" in Vista and "Luna" in XP? Are you really that opposed to the new styling?

Why are some of the control panel UI Metro-only?

I don't understand. You're asking why we don't build two of everything? Because that would be both expensive to build, a nightmare to maintain, and customers would hate us for it.

Why is the desktop completely crippled on the ARM architecture?

How so?

Why are users forced to perform UI acrobatics just to get an option between shut down, sleep and hibernate (yes, I can hit Alt-F4 when the taskbar as the active window to access a shutdown menu without ever seeing Metro, but that's not exactly very discoverable, is it?)

2-3 clicks is "UI acrobatics"? And is too obscure for something most people never do and few people will do on rare occasions?

[theyarecomingforyou]

I don't understand. You're asking why we don't build two of everything? Because that would be both expensive to build, a nightmare to maintain, and customers would hate us for it.

Well, how about just the one version then? Microsoft could have simply migrated all Control Panel items into PC Settings, or added the few new Metro features to the existing Control Panel. The problem is that some settings are only available via the Metro 'PC Settings', while others are only available via the desktop 'Control Panel'. It's hugely inconsistent, especially for tablet users where they get kicked out of the tablet friendly Metro interface to use a legacy style Control Panel applet. Customers hate that it's a half-baked implementation - if it was fully duplicated across both environments then customers would be able to chose what best suits them.

2-3 clicks is "UI acrobatics"? And is too obscure for something most people never do and few people will do on rare occasions?

It's not just the number of clicks but the amount of movement necessary and the length of time it takes. It's about the only thing the charm bar is even needed for on the desktop. Microsoft could have easily added a shut-down option onto the start screen. And since when was shutting down your computer a "Setting"? It just doesn't make logical sense. Is it the end of the world? No, but it is still annoying none the less. I'm also confused as to why Microsoft buried the 'PC Settings' option in the charm bar, when in the Developer Preview it was logically pinned to the start screen and available in the All Programs screen.

Windows 8 is a good operating system and I will definitely be upgrading. But there are quite a few things I dislike about it, with the charm bar, hot-corners and Metro app handling being the main issues.