win8 Here's What Windows 8 Would Look Like Without Metro

[George P Global Moderator]

I thought they didn't complain because most of them didn't have the internet and thus they weren't on it spending all their evenings moaning about it or reading about other people moaning about it and jading their impressions of it, and just assumed this is how things are going to work from now on and missed out on most of the negative opinion :p

You're basically spot on, the internet has given the vocal minority the ability to be louder than the majority. Anyways, my point stands. It's more or less fact that there has always been a group that didn't like a change in the UI MS has done. For all the "real mans OS" people say about Win7 there was still a group that hated the new taskbar and wanted it to be like the older Vista one. We even got a number of early guides on how to change the taskbar back to the vista one. I mean come on, the taskbar?!?!?! At this point I've given up really. There's a point where you just say, f%$k it and tell people "if you don't like it don't use it".

[x-byte]

Oh yeah. Some of this is done while listening to music in the Metro music player. I love Snap View of this thing, though it's a bit finicky with current Zune library.

The snap view for Metro apps is one of my favorite thing about Win8. It is so great to use a fullscreen desktop app and a snap view Metro app at the same time. Imagine when apps like Skype arrives. No more intrusion on the desktop app. There is so much potential.

Really strange that so few sees this. It's almost that many seem to use Windows like they always have, even like when they used Win95.

[TheLegendOfMart]

"just stick with windows 7" is ALOT less annoying then the metro whiners

The problem is the Metro apologists are under the false assumption that their opinion is the only correct opinion.

The snap view for Metro apps is one of my favorite thing about Win8. It is so great to use a fullscreen desktop app and a snap view Metro app at the same time. Imagine when apps like Skype arrives. No more intrusion on the desktop app. There is so much potential.

Really strange that so few sees this. It's almost that many seem to use Windows like they always have, even like when they used Win95.

Why would I want to waste a whole third of my desktop to snap a Metro app that I wont be using every second my computer is on. I can leave the app open but in the background and have other windows on top and I havent wasted any desktop space.

[x-byte]

Why would I want to waste a whole third of my desktop to snap a Metro app that I wont be using every second my computer is on. I can leave the app open but in the background and have other windows on top and I havent wasted any desktop space.

A third? What kind of monitor do you have? To your information, Metro apps also work in the background...

[The_Observer]

For everyone who wants Windows 8 without Metro this is pretty much the best solution:

OS X?

[George P Global Moderator]

The snap view for Metro apps is one of my favorite thing about Win8. It is so great to use a fullscreen desktop app and a snap view Metro app at the same time. Imagine when apps like Skype arrives. No more intrusion on the desktop app. There is so much potential.

Really strange that so few sees this. It's almost that many seem to use Windows like they always have, even like when they used Win95.

Nah, they know about snap, what they'll then argue is that they want to be able to run more than 2 metro apps on the screen. I understand this and I think we'll get that ability but not till Windows 9 when I think MS will extend support for WinRT to the "desktop" as well. Right now the whole full screen app model is more for mobile and trying to save as much battery life as they can for a tablet device. The CPU and GPU kick into overdrive if you have lots of overlaying windows up on the screen and so on. How much you gain on the battery by going to full screen only I don't know though but I bet it's probably worth it.

Still, I expect that on desktop devices or those not running on battery that at some point we'll have windowed winrt apps, just not right now.

[Dashel]

For example, I'd like to see a scenario on what your normal usage in any given day was in 7 and how exactly that's changed in 8. This can be a whole day's list or just a short list of activities performed.

Ok, here you go, just focusing on simple app launching for now. Please notice how 'stable' the Win7 experience is visually compared to 8 (and the amount of mouse travel going corner to corner instead of being able to stay in the same relative zone). Huge difference, no. Annoying? Very. Also note how jumbled the new All Programs is, which is highlighted since Start no longer learns your patterns (and I have few apps on this one).

Also note that I have full access to all 'at a glance' info like time/date/weather/notifications the entire time.

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

Ok, here you go, just focusing on simple app launching for now. Please notice how 'stable' the Win7 experience is visually compared to 8 (and the amount of mouse travel going corner to corner instead of being able to stay in the same relative zone). Huge difference, no. Annoying? Very. Also note how jumbled the new All Programs is, which is highlighted since Start no longer learns your patterns (and I have few apps on this one).

This is EXACTLY why I hate what they have done with Windows 8. To get anything done efficiently, is simply a pain in the ass. To much clicking around - what should take 2-3 seconds is now taking 5-10 seconds. To me, Windows 8 feels like the next Windows ME.

I for one wont be upgrading from 7.

[argonite]

Nah, they know about snap, what they'll then argue is that they want to be able to run more than 2 metro apps on the screen. ... Still, I expect that on desktop devices or those not running on battery that at some point we'll have windowed winrt apps, just not right now.

See, with the amount of complaints on this forum, you'd think the "I want 6+ windows on my screen at once" was the most common usage scenario. But since when is that how people actually use their computer.

I see these as more common:

- 1 fullscreen program, usually the Browser (this can be replicated in Metro)

- 2 windows snapped side by side, such as two Explorer windows to copy files, or two documents to compare (this can be replicated in Metro)

- max of 2 windows on the screen, with additional windows being brought up in front of the others in order to do something quick, such as quickly type something into Notepad while watching a movie and chatting with a friend (this will probably be possible with Metro eventually, because you can just jump into the Start Screen for a quick task, until then, just have your chat snapped to the side, movie in the desktop, and open up Notepad in the desktop)

So who really has 6+ windows on at once? Seems like a mess and window management hell.

[George P Global Moderator]

See, with the amount of complaints on this forum, you'd think the "I want 6+ windows on my screen at once" was the most common usage scenario. But since when is that how people actually use their computer.

I see these as more common:

- 1 fullscreen program, usually the Browser (this can be replicated in Metro)

- 2 windows snapped side by side, such as two Explorer windows to copy files, or two documents to compare (this can be replicated in Metro)

- max of 2 windows on the screen, with additional windows being brought up in front of the others in order to do something quick, such as quickly type something into Notepad while watching a movie and chatting with a friend (this will probably be possible with Metro eventually, because you can just jump into the Start Screen for a quick task, until then, just have your chat snapped to the side, movie in the desktop, and open up Notepad in the desktop)

So who really has 6+ windows on at once? Seems like a mess and window management hell.

Well, in my case I have my IRC client in full screen all the time and the browser over it then just flip between those two with other things coming up and then being minimized. Still, as you say, most of the time I have 2 windows in view always. Of course everyones different so who knows.

[.Neo]

OS X?

shhh! :shifty:

[Dashel]

See, with the amount of complaints on this forum, you'd think the "I want 6+ windows on my screen at once" was the most common usage scenario. But since when is that how people actually use their computer.

Don't underestimate the value of a partially occluded window.

[TheLegendOfMart]

A third? What kind of monitor do you have? To your information, Metro apps also work in the background...

Metro snap doesnt go into the background, it takes up a portion of the screen, the desktop gets squished to rest, ok maybe 1/3rd was a bit too much but you lose desktop real estate.

[argonite]

Don't underestimate the value of a partially occluded window.

But a partially occluded Metro app (which are the only things that can't be placed on top of each other)?

Do you really need to partially cover something that's only designed to give basic information/work with some tasks, and is also push enabled?

[Josh the Nerd]

Metro snap doesnt go into the background, it takes up a portion of the screen, the desktop gets squished to rest, ok maybe 1/3rd was a bit too much but you lose desktop real estate.

It won't be in the background while it's snapped but you can easily unsnap and resnap it when you want. What can be neat and can be annoying is that the windows you have open will automatically move so they're not covered up by the snapped app.

By the way, I believe it's supposed to be 1/6 of the screen.

[Wyn6]

Ok, here you go, just focusing on simple app launching for now. Please notice how 'stable' the Win7 experience is visually compared to 8 (and the amount of mouse travel going corner to corner instead of being able to stay in the same relative zone). Huge difference, no. Annoying? Very. Also note how jumbled the new All Programs is, which is highlighted since Start no longer learns your patterns (and I have few apps on this one).

Also note that I have full access to all 'at a glance' info like time/date/weather/notifications the entire time.

See? You haven't figured out how to most efficiently use Windows 8. This is understandable as it does take learning a few new things. Let's roll with your video example.

It seems you operated strictly on the desktop. So, we'll stay there.

-IE10 (Pinned) - Click it on the taskbar

-Open Messenger (Search) - Instead of going to the Start Screen and typing to search, which works fine, here's a quicker way. Assuming only mouse use... Charms>Search>M-e-s-s>Enter. This also has the added effect of keeping you in the desktop.

-Open Notepad (Recent) - Pin Notepad to the Start Screen, then Start>Notepad. OR... search as above.

-Open Powershell (Start) Pin to Start Screen, then Start>Notepad. OR... search as above.

Fact is, there are a number of ways to do these things in 8. And, as far as speed at which you can launch these apps, you chose perhaps the third fastest. In order from fastest to least fast:

1. Keyboard shortcuts combined with typing

2. Charms bar

3. Using the mouse and hot corners

Between 1 and 2, you probably shave 2 seconds off of what you're doing. 1 is as fast as anything you can do in seven. 2 Is equally fast. And, 3 is only slightly less fast by about the same 2 seconds.

I am not armed with a camera at the moment and can't post the a counter video. Well, technically I do have a camera. But, my Dell Venue Pro sucks on that front. Maybe I'll attempt to shoot something later. No sticks for it, so it would have to be hand held.

[The King of GnG]

To me, Windows 8 without Metro would look like a very good idea....

[FloatingFatMan]

Ok, here you go, just focusing on simple app launching for now. Please notice how 'stable' the Win7 experience is visually compared to 8 (and the amount of mouse travel going corner to corner instead of being able to stay in the same relative zone). Huge difference, no. Annoying? Very. Also note how jumbled the new All Programs is, which is highlighted since Start no longer learns your patterns (and I have few apps on this one).

Also note that I have full access to all 'at a glance' info like time/date/weather/notifications the entire time.

For me at least, installing Classic Start Menu resolved most of my issues. Now I have desktop how I want it, and Metro when I feel like it. :)

[Rickkins]

It would have just been nice if Microsoft listened to people that want a choice.

One way or another, they will... either by giving us choice in 8, or, in 9 when 8 fails miserably.

[Rickkins]

Metro IS the "under the hood" improvement.

No, it isn't. It is ms's pathetic attempt to muscle it's way into a market dominated by apple & android. The vast majority of users will not switch. Win 9 will see the return of the desktop.

[Dot Matrix]

No, it isn't. It is ms's pathetic attempt to muscle it's way into a market dominated by apple & android. The vast majority of users will not switch. Win 9 will see the return of the desktop.

I disagree. I think we'll see more touch augmented systems. Touch is here to stay.

PS: The desktop hasn't gone away, either. It's still there. ;)

[Xerxes]

< snip >

It would have just been nice if Microsoft listened to people that want a choice.

If companies always did what users wanted, we'd still be using DOS or some other command prompt type OS. Fact is massive changes like this have to be force or otherwise no progress will happen (because people become too comfortable with what they are used too and resist change, WinXP is a classic example). Win8 is a massive paradigm shift from the traditional desktop (since that is now a support app for legacy apps) and yes it will rub alot of people the wrong way but is how the technology world has always worked. I sure many will scream "change for the sake of change is never good" but they cried that about Vista, but that paved the way for 7 which is much loved. So sometimes, change "we don't want" is needed to lay the groundwork for what we do want. Well that is my 2 cents take with a grain of salt.

Also, MS do give users choice. If you prefer the legacy desktop experience (like myself) you can stick with Win7, nobody is forcing anyone to update to Win8. While Win8 does have some very nice under the hood changes, removing Metro to support the resistive users totally undermines what MS is trying to do. People seem to forget the desktop in Win8 is essentially an app in itself and Metro isn't just the start menu. It's a symbiotic relationship, well is how I see it anyhow.

[Rickkins]

For all the "real mans OS" people say about Win7 there was still a group that hated the new taskbar and wanted it to be like the older Vista one. We even got a number of early guides on how to change the taskbar back to the vista one. I mean come on, the taskbar?!?!?! At this point I've given up really. There's a point where you just say, f%$k it and tell people "if you don't like it don't use it".

Actually, I'm using win8 right now, with the winXP taskbar, complete with quick launch and show desktop in their 'proper' places. And frankly my dear, I don't give a damn about what others think of this.

[Rickkins]

Touch is here to stay.

~sigh~.... nobody is saying it isn't.

However, IT WILL NEVER MAKE SIGNIFICANT INROADS INTO THE DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT.

Plus, windows touch will never challenge ios or android.

[Calum Veteran]

I honestly want to understand. What else of "under the hood" do you mean.

I think my analogy was spot on... When they made the desktop they put DOS on windows as an application, and in windows 8 they put the desktop as an application in Metro.

That is a great point, and spot on. I didn't think of that.