Reality check - Windows 8 was not made for you


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The majority of threads I see in my feed now are about Windows 8.....Like alot of other people are saying, if you don't like it don't use it. If you like it obviously say that in an appropriate thread but don't go complaining constantly about people who don't like it and vice versa.

I participated in a few threads defending w8 already and tryed to find logic in some peoples arguments but I'm giving up now, it is an endless battle.

Its either a case of....trying to find logic in a post complaining about windows 8 for the sake of it OR tyring to defend your own positive views.

It's a pity because people who have logical arguments for and against windows 8 are being overshadowed with the same ****.

Then you didn't bother reading this thread (at least the first 8 pages of it) at all. If you fail to understand why people dislike it that is a problem entirely your own.

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I don't think it has anything to do with Power Users, I like the Explorer enhancements for 8, it makes getting to things faster but I don't want a tablet interface mixed in with my desktop - or the other way around. I know people will say there is still a Windows 7 desktop underneath but Im not buying a new OS just so i can pull off the front part and use whats left.

This is prime time for another OS to make an impact. I really hope it does. I will purchase Win 8 because i want to stay up to date but Im also completley open to anyone else who can offer me better because ?MS just seems to be having fun with whatever ideas they come up with, they dont listen to the users right now.

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I have nothing against Windows 8, I am not sure if I am going to upgrade to it yet though, if it becomes available on my DreamSpark account before it is disabled (I graduated this spring but my account is still active) I may try it. One thing I will be doing is removing all Metro apps and just having a desktop button on the start screen because I have no use for Metro stuff I will just live in the desktop and use it like Windows 7.

If you are not sure, you should download the 90-day evaluation and test it. Like on WMware or VirtualBox.

Only going for desktop icons on the start screen looks much better in RTM, so I think that it will be just fine. I recommend grouping them and giving them good names.

I have had all of those "downgrades" or "enhancements" for years with free 3rd party addons, which, i might add have been developed farmore than if Microsoft had included them in the OS

So what youre saying now is that Microsoft Windows 8 is fabulous because it finally included "downgrades" or "enhancements" i have had for years with free 3rd party addons...

Wow, Windows 8 is truly revolutionary!!!!

I might also point out yet another flaw in your argument, those free 3rd party addons have been developed/bug tracked far more than if Microsoft had included them in the OS.....

Even im getting tired of shooting fish in a barrel

Time to go another site that isnt Win8 fanboy rich for a few days

Ubuntu is doing the same btw ;)

I'm using Windows 8 RTM (as secondary OS) and plan on giving it a fair chance over the next weeks (which I will document on my blog </shameless plug>). So far I'm not really convinced of it. There are improvements compared to the preview versions, sure. As a whole it feels kind of unfinished and unpolished though.

This whole it's "just like Me and Vista" is dumb. Anyone who lived through the both of them, know that this isn't even comparable. Techies spouting such words is embarrassing.

if vista was a failure, it was a pretty good one at that. It sold 400 million copies. Imagine what windows 8 as a failure will sell. 700 million? LOL the internet is a goldmine.

Well, I'm back to Windows 7 Ultimate on my desktop PC, I enjoy it much more that way. Call me a dinosaure all you want, I know what I like and I know what I need to be productive.

I'll wait for Windows 9 or Blue, or whatever the next thing is called.

I did install Windows 8 on my Laptop, so, I'm going to be able to check for improvement on "Modern" apps and see where MS is going with all this.

If you are not sure, you should download the 90-day evaluation and test it. Like on WMware or VirtualBox.

Only going for desktop icons on the start screen looks much better in RTM, so I think that it will be just fine. I recommend grouping them and giving them good names.

Ubuntu is doing the same btw ;)

I have tried it during the RP but not for very long and not on my primary PC, I am not sure if I would pin desktop programs to the start screen or just pin them to the superbar on the desktop I would have to see which I preferred in usage.

Well, I'm back to Windows 7 Ultimate on my desktop PC, I enjoy it much more that way. Call my a dinosaure all you want, I know what I like and I know what I need to be productive.

I'll wait for Windows 9 or Blue, or whatever the next thing is called.

I did install Windows 8 on my Laptop, so, I'm going to be able to check for improvement on "Modern" apps and see where MS is going with all this.

No need to upgrade just because you can. But for the future there isn't going to be big changes for the next Windows. Depending on the reception of course. But tablets are the future, so I think Win8 will do well.

I have tried it during the RP but not for very long and not on my primary PC, I am not sure if I would pin desktop programs to the start screen or just pin them to the superbar on the desktop I would have to see which I preferred in usage.

Personally I pin my most important desktop apps in the start screen. Then pin the most necessary desktop apps on the taskbar. Really works great.

i'm not saying you are stupid, i'm struggling to understand how a self appointed power user cant see the problems in the future if this model becomes default. I can see the value in a tablet based windows OS. I don't deny or disregard that. I don't want things to stay as they are forever, i accept change when change is required. Change was only required to make windows work on a tablet. The semantics of this are completely different to that of a deeply ingrained and accepted infrastructure and industry "way of working" that is in existence all over corporate environments. These things change over time, they need planning and justification. where is the justification for this? where is the roadmap? how and why was it required? was the windows userbase crying out that the whole desktop was wrong and needed a 10ft interface to replace it? did server ops ask for touch screen adjustment controls in their server? ...these are the things i think you are ignoring, this is why I'm confused about the reaction of "power users".

There has been no discussion, requirements gathering or anything on this, it's just appeared after metro was given a design award. It seems this was the green flag to push everything in this direction. Nice design? yes Need a tablet windows? yes Need to convert enterprise desktops and servers to it? NO

this is my point. i can't make it clearer. Answer me these questions. what gains are made by switching the entire windows product base to this?

who says? i've read from numerous sources that the desktop is not planned for future iterations.

The Modern UI (or something like it) was basically inevitable due to the advent of the low-cost tablet - remember, tablets and slates (including iPads and Android tablets alike) cost less than new PCs (in most cases, they costs the same as refurbished PCs, but vastly outsell them). What is the learning curve for an Android or iOS user coming to Windows 7? If we want those users eventually coming to Windows, we'd better be ready for them with a UX that won't be alien to them.

Where did i call anyone a n00b

Please read carefully before making that leap

i Said "Whereas the fanboys are coming form what 3+ months of fiddling with a preview release?"

This means that the fanboys Pro Windows 8 stance comes from only 3+ months of toying about with a preview version.

It doesnt mean, and no sane person would think or take it mean i was saying that those peoples computing experience was only 3 months...

I was using that as a contrast from having some of us who dont like it having 30+ years of MS and other OS experience

Between the two contrasting statements theres no way to take that as me accusing anyone of having only 3 months PC experience.............

And I'm one of those that has been singing the praises of Windows 8 - enough to have demoted *Windows 7* to VM duties.

I don't run many WinRT apps - in fact, I run a grand total of one. (WinRT games, on the other hand, are a completely different story - which I have gone into great detail on; I actually expect the majority of the WinRT success will be in gaming.)

However, just by looking at Android and iOS, the handwriting for the Windows 7 and earlier UX was very much on the wall.

I pointed out that the Eee Transformer series (especially the Prime models TF201 and TF300T) show exactly the type of hardware that Microsoft is, in fact, targeting with WindowsRT (in fact, both could indeed RUN WindowsRT with a firmware swap). It's a tablet/slate that converts into basically an UltraNetbook - similar screen-size (and weight) to an Ultrabook at the low end (and far more capable than any netbook - most of which are hamstrung by Atom processors and Windows 7 Home Basic/Starter). That's a lot of what customers that are buying Android tablets and slates are buying them for - they have seen netbooks and found them wanting.

If those of us that support these users that basically defected to Android want to get these users back, we won't be able to woo them with the same UX they left behind when they defected - they won't stand still for it. (Neither would I in their shoes.) It's worse for Microsoft and Windows - they wrote the UX they left us for, and were a linchpin of the dreaded netbook strategy along with Intel. They got burned once - how does Microsoft get them back? (Blowing them off isn't an option - and especially not with IT spending otherwise flat. That means they needed a UX that works for not just tablets and slates, but devices such as the Transformer Prime, portables such as Ultrabooks and notebooks, and even (like it or not) desktops. Enter the Modern UI.)

Did I have concerns about the Modern UI? Did I ever - in fact, my history with the Windows 9x UI (which has persisted, with some changes along the way, from 9x to 7) has covered its entire public history. That ALSO means that I've been through a massive UI change before - from Windows for Workgroups and the Win 3.x/NT 3.x UI, and I remember what I did to get over it - leave the preconceptions at the door.

Once I got over the preconceptions, I found the Modern UI quite usable - even on a desktop. (It's all I've run Windows 8 on.) If anything, Android users will find getting used to Modern UI far easier than anyone used to the Windows 9x (as interpreted in Windows 7) UI - and that includes users like me.

Massive UI changes can be dealt with - in fact, once you leave the preconceptions at the door, the change becomes rather easy; it's the leaving of the preconceptions that's hard.

And that's where the criticism (and even outright hatred) for Windows 8 and the Modern UI comes in. Gabe Newell, Valve, and, in essence, Steam, have been a containerized game and application library running inside an OS shell (be it Windows, OS X, or, eventually, Linux) and they have had no real competition to their way of doing things (at least on Windows). Now along comes Windows 8, WindowsRT, and the Windows Store. Windows 8 itself still supports Steam (and most Steam-distributed software runs without a quibble); Gabe's issues are the Windows Store and the WinRT API. The WinRT API is attractive to developers (especially indie developers) because the development tools are, in fact, given away; indie development of games is the one area where WinRT and Win32 will compete from day one. However, if a developer chooses the WinRT API, that keeps them away from Steam - instead the developer uses the Windows Store for distribution, and gets the game before not only all the eyeballs of Windows 8 users (including those running Steam), but all those WindowsRT users (that can't run Steam). Lost sales for Valve = lost revenue for Valve. (How much of Valve's sales annually are on the back of independent developers?)

I'm using Windows 8 RTM (as secondary OS) and plan on giving it a fair chance over the next weeks (which I will document on my blog </shameless plug>). So far I'm not really convinced of it. There are improvements compared to the preview versions, sure. As a whole it feels kind of unfinished and unpolished though.

I will follow your blog :laugh:

The Modern UI (or something like it) was basically inevitable due to the advent of the low-cost tablet - remember, tablets and slates (including iPads and Android tablets alike) cost less than new PCs (in most cases, they costs the same as refurbished PCs, but vastly outsell them). What is the learning curve for an Android or iOS user coming to Windows 7? If we want those users eventually coming to Windows, we'd better be ready for them with a UX that won't be alien to them.

Also, power users (at least the self-appointed ones that have been so critical of Windows 8) are critical of it for a reason - enterprises are typically the LAST group to upgrade; consumers and SMBs are first. Government - especially the public sector - rank behind enterprises. Spending on IT (and especially operating systems for existing hardware) has no constituency within an enterprise - saving money to pay to debtholders *has* a constituency. (The pressure on IT spending- in fact, overall IT budgets - was the first thing to shrink when the recession of 2008+ hit, Don't take my word for it - check the business publications and even CRN.) Recommending an OS upgrade in a poor economy can get you taken to the woodshed - if not fired; in short, there's a big reason to think of excuses NOT to spend.

Then you didn't bother reading this thread (at least the first 8 pages of it) at all. If you fail to understand why people dislike it that is a problem entirely your own.

Actually if you re read my comment I said that people who have logical arguments are being overshadowed by illogical ones.

Although I should have added I completely understand people's negative reactions to it but it's the rediculous reasons SOME people give I can't find logic in.

The Modern UI (or something like it) was basically inevitable due to the advent of the low-cost tablet - remember, tablets and slates (including iPads and Android tablets alike) cost less than new PCs (in most cases, they costs the same as refurbished PCs, but vastly outsell them). What is the learning curve for an Android or iOS user coming to Windows 7? If we want those users eventually coming to Windows, we'd better be ready for them with a UX that won't be alien to them.

I'm sorry but, this is an absolutely horrible explanation. I don't even know where to begin on how totally wrong this is.

You are implying that there is a large base of users who only have tablets and have never used a computer before. I will give you that there are probably a few people in this bracket, but to imply that a user would move to a Windows PC and it would feel alien is insanely delusional. Computers and Windows have been part of everyday life for regular folk for nearly 2 decades now. Even if this was the reason for this absurdity that is Windows 8, it doesn't change the fact that it was so horribly done that it will most likely have the opposite effect where people might be entirely turned off of Windows 8 and future versions of Windows. At least as alleged "power users", we're more forgiving than the regular consumer. We're more vocal sure, but we're a hell of a lot more forgiving when it comes to silly decisions made by developers and or manufacturers.

  • Like 2

Having now finally gotten chance to look at VS2012 and the WinRT framework, I can say that there's someone else Win 8 isn't written for.

It's not written for businesses developing serious LOB applications, either.

I mean, seriously. There's no System.Data namespace, meaning no direct access to databases! You have to go through an intermediate layer like WCF! That may be fine for mobile devices, but for desktops needing to connect to databases, that's totally and utterly useless.

Sure, you can still make desktop apps for your LOB, but forget it for any ModernUI apps; you might as well stay on W7.

Sheesh Microsoft.. What the hell were you thinking!?

Having now finally gotten chance to look at VS2012 and the WinRT framework, I can say that there's someone else Win 8 isn't written for.

It's not written for businesses developing serious LOB applications, either.

I mean, seriously. There's no System.Data namespace, meaning no direct access to databases! You have to go through an intermediate layer like WCF! That may be fine for mobile devices, but for desktops needing to connect to databases, that's totally and utterly useless.

Sure, you can still make desktop apps for your LOB, but forget it for any ModernUI apps; you might as well stay on W7.

Sheesh Microsoft.. What the hell were you thinking!?

are you seriously whining because you have to use wcf to make access to a remote sql server? arent most apps two tier so you dont have to connect straight to the db. have you been living under a rock? thats how things are done in these times.

for local database, SQLite is supported on winrt. And you can use the ms JET api. Other 3rd party database options will also be available. JS and HTML can use IndexedDB too.

Stop being so dramatic

are you seriously whining because you have to use wcf to make access to a remote sql server? arent most apps two tier so you dont have to connect straight to the db. have you been living under a rock? thats how things are done in these times.

for local database, SQLite is supported on winrt. And you can use the ms JET api. Other 3rd party database options will also be available. JS and HTML can use IndexedDB too.

Stop being so dramatic

2 tier data access isn't always appropriate, especially if you produce software for clients who are very security conscious and just won't allow that sort of thing. Sometimes there just is no choice but to go directly to the server, especially when, for some of our software, we need access to the SSISDB. An OData service is completely inappropriate for this.

And I wasn't being dramatic, so quit being so dismissive.

Sure, the 2 tier method is fine for many apps, but NOT for many others; especially the sort of app you'd never see on the store in the first place such as the stuff we produce.

I keep reading about some peoples displeasure with the direction Microsoft is going with Windows 8,mostly coming from so called "power users", or people who use professional content creation software. Well, if you haven't figured it out yet, Windows 8 was not made for these people. Maybe Windows 9 will address their concerns. This segment makes up a small percentage of Windows users,that the focus right now is not on them. The focus is on the general consumer who uses their computer to consume content. The focus is on businesses who are migrating to tablet computers,and can use the same software seamlessly on their desktops and tablets without rewriting and porting code,and not having to actually upgrade their hardware. This is a big deal.

The Ipad is proof that people like this direction computing is moving towards. What makes you think people are buying ipads? Businesses migrating to ipads? Is it not because they dont have to **** around with dlls,scattered files hell,inconsistent installers,rogue applications,toolbars,malware,memory hogs,incompatible software,sourcing software,computer slow downs?

Yes, Winrt is not there yet in terms of having the ability to cater to all types of applications. But Windows 8 is not the final version of Windows 8, or the final version of windows period. Eventually it will evolve to incorporate all these shortcomings,but at the moment, the focus is meeting the needs of the general consumer which makes up a huge chunk of windows users. And if the consumer still needs some software that needs win32,well guess what, the desktop is still there for backwards compatibility.

I've seen alot of bitching about the start menu,and in all the years ive repaired computers,i havent seen many people show a hint that they even know how the start menu even works. They mostly have their applications sitting on the desktop,with all their pictures and mp3s. Dont you think Microsoft did studies on how general computer users use their computers? Do you think one day a Microsoft executive said "hey,lets **** around with these guys and lets remove the start menu"?

Yeah some people wont like windows 8,namely "power users" who like to have 3 or more apps open at the same time switching between them,big software developers who've been charging high prices for software with little competition, software developers with their own applications/games stores.

People who will love Windows 8: The general computer consumer. Lots of software to choose from that can be downloaded from one central location without having to worry too much about malware. Files are organized. Music is in music,pictures are in pictures. Fast boot times. Beautiful interface. Consistent UI. No toolbars,or popups,or errors.

Windows 8 is a paradigm shift in computing,and we are all watching history right before our eyes.

Got yer copy? ;)

here's the problem with that. The windows 8 interface was designed for tablet pc or even smart phone. It sucks on a desktop computer. I'm sure there are better interfaces we haven't thought of for desktops.. this isn't it. Keep in mind the opposite is also true; launchpad on the mac is a completely worthless interface that everyone ignores.

it's the hip thing to do now-a-days... hate all that's new, while secretly using it.

vista was brilliant. It had problems that weren't it's fault

Being installed on crappy hardware

Lack of drivers

Every piece of software made before vista asked for admin privilieges.

after some growing pains on the part of software developers vista/7 is the best OS i've ever used.

if vista was a failure, it was a pretty good one at that. It sold 400 million copies. Imagine what windows 8 as a failure will sell. 700 million? LOL the internet is a goldmine.

Take out OEM sales where most new machines are forcibly sold with the OS and you may find sales were not that great.

vista was brilliant. It had problems that weren't it's fault

Really !!!!! Slow file transfers spring to mind. Lets not get carried away, Vista was poor, not rubbish, but given the time from XP it was a disappointment. Microsoft then showed it could make a superb OS with 7.

Windows 8 is bad and Microsoft should fell bad about it. That pretty much sums it up.

-They could actually do metro right and they didn't (just looking at all the white explorer... hurts my eyes, literally)

-I was forced to put the taskbar above, because if it was down the horrible "start" square appeared and didn't let me chose the explorer pinned shortcut.

-The incredible 3 steps to shut down the computer, had once again to accustom myself to use the "alt+f4" technique...

-The horrible, once again, two corners that activate the charms bar, they don't allow me to put a real launcher like xlanchpad, had to move that one to the upper left corner and it's far less intrusive that the "start" square.

-Full screen PDF reader, really? Send it to hell my dear Acrobat.

-Full screen Email client, made a mistake and had to restore program defaults, because everytime I wanted to click an email on a website my whole screen was covered by this really bad "Mail" client.

-Had to pin "My Computer" to the sites listed on the explorer pinned shortcut, now at least is "right click-> My computer" instead of "start menu -> my computer"

-Still unable to run K10STAT automatically at startup because of the admin rights, no matter if I put compatibility options of "Run as Administrator", got it pinned to the "Start" screen, at least the moment I click on it I got into the desktop.

-I miss my transparencies, guess they were removed because a lot of Intel Integrated Graphics had severe slowdowns when dragging a window, something that I haven't seen with every integrated graphics solution by both AMD and NVidia since like 8 years.

-Why... and really why... they didn't let the user to chose between the start menu and the start screen? just because they wanted one person to try the metro apps? they're good if you need small games for children or persons more casuals than the current FIFA players, still, nothing good as a full blown win32 app.

-The only good metro apps are actually the "notes", "rechner" and some others, very specific apps for very specific functions, very small too, they decided to reemplace the whole sidebar with this, in a sense, this is an improvement... but I don't see myself using one of these for real, serious work, an example would be my Eclipse IDE, that I have to have it coupled with KiTTy (SSH terminal) and Putty (RS232 Terminal), both for remotelly debugging my Raspberry Pi programming. In total I have 3 damned programs on the screen, not ONE.

-I actually like Visual Studio 2012, the interface got improved a lot but surely I won't be using it for coding WinRT Apps.

-The faster startup behavior, as explained by the very OS is because "It saves certain files for faster boot up" which means we are kind of hibernating, is not a proper shutdown, because as once again this os remarks "Restart is not affected by this" which means that restart actually does boot up the machine from 0. Once again, I fell the restart performance almost the same than Win7, except for the fact that Win8 is a little light now and therefore a little faster, but not that much on restarts.

-The dual boot menu is... really bad, My whole machine starts just before the GUI just to tell me which OS I want to choose, and when I do it restarts it again to actually boot up the desired OS, this is bad and MS should feel bad about it, there are some tricks like reemplacing the Win7 bootloader instead of the Win8 one.

-The vector designs of the start screen are actually bad and MS should fell bad about it, there is nothing "Modern" in most of them, they look like a lot of plain desings slapped one after another and give the impression of being messed up, the Vista moving lines where by far more "Modern" than this.

-The share option is dumb in the charms bar, only shows to which public this charms bar is given to, they should have put a damned search files option into that bar and would be perfect, NOT a shortcut to search, but an actuall input box where you can type and the results would appear inmediatelly.

-They should have choosen gradiens and not plain colors, like the tiles, the user screen when the machine boots up reminds mi a lot of my Win3.11 or Win95 desktops (and that's quite not bad though but so much for going for "Modern")

-Icons are missing a lof of consistency, but then again, the whole OS does.

-Continuing to use this crap, just to show how bad it is and for keeping away those that say "You only used it a day hurrrrrl!"

-P.D. Max Payne 3 Still doesn't work on Windows 8, Rockstar programmed it bad and should fell bad about it.

I'm sorry but, this is an absolutely horrible explanation. I don't even know where to begin on how totally wrong this is.

You are implying that there is a large base of users who only have tablets and have never used a computer before. I will give you that there are probably a few people in this bracket, but to imply that a user would move to a Windows PC and it would feel alien is insanely delusional. Computers and Windows have been part of everyday life for regular folk for nearly 2 decades now. Even if this was the reason for this absurdity that is Windows 8, it doesn't change the fact that it was so horribly done that it will most likely have the opposite effect where people might be entirely turned off of Windows 8 and future versions of Windows. At least as alleged "power users", we're more forgiving than the regular consumer. We're more vocal sure, but we're a hell of a lot more forgiving when it comes to silly decisions made by developers and or manufacturers.

Then obviously you haven't been watching teenagers (or even pre-teens). While some MAY use full computers in school, what are they using elsewhere? At home? Traveling between school and home? Their hangouts? More likely than not, it's not a PC. It's smartphones. Tablets. MAYBE a slate. In almost all cases, it's something not running Windows. And why is that? It's a market that (except for Windows Phone) they don't see a Microsoft product in. And also, how many Windows Phones are there in the wild - let alone in retailers where they can be evaluated side-by-side with their counterparts running Android and iOS? (Peer promotion works at the teen and pre-teen level - it's why Microsoft and Apple have *historically* been fighting a constant war in the K-12 sector.) Guerilla marketing (which is exactly what Google is doing) is creating a whole generation of content consumers with absolutely zero loyalty to Windows (let alone Microsoft). And you expect them to swallow a UX that is not as rich as the one they have right now - strictly on your say-so? Teens aren't that stupid.

Yes - computers and Windows have existed - side by side - for more than twenty years. I want to see them exist side-by-side for another twenty-plus. However, there are operating systems (that aren't Windows) entering our *turf* (even if they have to sneak in through the back door). Windows has competition. Microsoft can't ignore Android or iOS - they are taking customers (or possible customers) right now based on price. They have to be faced - right now - before either becomes a threat to the mainstream of the Windows user base.

Exactly! Also, I know people like to have 16 different programs running at the same time, but what benefit is that really? Do they think that they have 30 hands and 90 eyeballs and can work in every program at one time? lol. I just thought I would bring that interesting thought to light! lol :D

People sit there and often need to have multiple applications open for their work. We don't all sit there playing angry birds and using fart apps ;)

Having now finally gotten chance to look at VS2012 and the WinRT framework, I can say that there's someone else Win 8 isn't written for.

It's not written for businesses developing serious LOB applications, either.

I mean, seriously. There's no System.Data namespace, meaning no direct access to databases! You have to go through an intermediate layer like WCF! That may be fine for mobile devices, but for desktops needing to connect to databases, that's totally and utterly useless.

Sure, you can still make desktop apps for your LOB, but forget it for any ModernUI apps; you might as well stay on W7.

Sheesh Microsoft.. What the hell were you thinking!?

And why would you even NEED to rewrite your existing LOB applications?

Why wouldn't they run on Windows 8 *as is*?

Other than AV and other security applications (mostly so rife with OS-isms they are basically custom-written for a specific OS every year) I haven't found so much as ONE Win32 application that worked in 7 that didn't work in either 8 Preview or the RTM of 8.

Will the hardware the applications are running change?

If the answer to that is *no*, then why rewrite the application?

That's right - you can upgrade the OS *without* upgrading the application.

Or is it all about *justifying the existence* for the developer?

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    • Glow 26.9 by Razvan Serea Glow provides detailed reporting on every hardware component in your computer, saving you valuable time typically spent searching for CPU, motherboard, RAM, graphics card, and other stats. With Glow, all the information is conveniently presented in one clean interface, allowing you to easily access and review the comprehensive hardware details of your system. Glow provides detailed information on various system aspects, including OS, motherboard, processor, memory, graphics card, storage, network, battery, drivers, and services. The well-organized format ensures easy access to the required information. You can export all the gathered data to a plain text file, facilitating sharing with others for troubleshooting purposes. No installation needed. Just decompress the archive, launch the executable, and access computer-related information. Glow runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10 64-bit versions. Glow 26.9 changelog: New Features The processor hardware detection engine has been significantly enhanced beyond traditional Intel and AMD architectures. Native support is now available for modern platforms such as Apple Silicon (M-Series) and the newly introduced NVIDIA Spark. In addition, all ARM-based processors can now be accurately distinguished between ARM32 and ARM64 architectures, providing precise hardware reporting. This marks a major milestone for Glow's hardware detection capabilities. The RAM manufacturer identification algorithm has been expanded. JEDEC vendor codes for popular brands such as Patriot, PNY, Team Group, GeIL, Lexar (Longsys), and Asgard/Gloway have been integrated into the database. This significantly reduces the likelihood of incorrect or "Unknown Manufacturer" results and improves overall hardware detection accuracy. New Public IP Address and Internet Service Provider (ISP) features have been added to the Network section. To ensure reliability, this information is retrieved from the trusted service ipwho.is. When Hiding Mode is enabled, no requests are sent and these features remain hidden, as they may expose sensitive information. The search engine used in the Installed Drivers, Installed Services, and Installed Applications sections has been enhanced. You can now perform more flexible and accurate searches using initials, partial matches, and loosely arranged character sequences. The TS Preloader loading bar has been rebuilt using our modern TS Custom Controls graphics library, developed entirely in-house. As a result of this infrastructure upgrade, the loading bar now features smooth rendering and rounded corners that align with the visual style of Windows 11. [TS Updater] A new validation algorithm has been added to check whether the target application is currently running before the update process begins. Bug Fixes Resolved a condition that could prevent TS Preloader from shutting down safely during rare application crash scenarios. Fixed a text alignment issue in the Network section affecting the display of DNS addresses. Alignment is now rendered correctly. [TS Updater] Fixed an issue that could prevent the updated application's executable "*.exe" file from being located after the update process. [TS Updater] Fixed a bug that could leave outdated "*.sha256" files in the application directory after an update. [TS Updater] Fixed a rare issue that could cause subfolders to be moved into the root directory after an update. [TS Updater] Fixed an issue during the first launch that could cause flickering and a temporary white window appearance due to Windows Defender interactions. Changes A small improvement has been made to the internet connectivity detection algorithm. Connectivity checks are now performed in the background with minimal impact on the user interface thread. The keyboard shortcuts in the top menu have been reorganized and simplified to provide a consistent experience across all Türkaysoft applications and to avoid potential conflicts with standard Windows shortcuts. The TS Preloader splash image has been updated with a Türkiye-themed stadium design to celebrate Türkiye's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup—its first appearance in 24 years. Congratulations, Türkiye! The TS Custom Controls module has been updated to version 26.6, delivering improved stability and a more polished visual appearance. [TS Updater] The application icon has been redesigned to provide a more modern and refined look. Note: Always unzip the program before using it. Otherwise you may get an error. Download: Glow 26.9 | 1.8 MB (Open Source) Links: Glow Homepage | Screenshot | Github Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • DWARF mini review: the world's smallest smart telescope for night and day sky captures by Steven Parker DWARFLAB reached out to me asking if I was interested in checking out the DWARF mini, which is a portable astronomy telescope designed for amateur astronomers. Why do I say it's for amateurs? Well, for starters, it's not what you'd call "high end"; it's more of a professional-grade starting point for amateurs serious about capturing what's up there in our night and day skies. A typical amateur astronomer is most likely thousands of dollars deep into the hobby, and I will make no claims that this DWARF mini (at a fraction of the cost) could replace it all, okay? Well, if you read on, it will be clearer what I am trying to convey. Disclosure: DWARFLAB provided a free sample without any editorial input or review pre-approval. I have always been interested in looking up and observing the night sky. I see satellites crossing the sky above my garden most nights, and I am always looking at the moon. Yeah, I have a 200MP camera on my phone, but at 200X zoom, AI takes over and makes the pretty moon pictures that I snap, the DWARF mini does not, you get an actual true picture of what you can barely see with the naked eye. Before we start, let's share the highlights of the DWARF mini in bite-sized format: Pocket-Sized & Ultra-Lightweight Weighing just 1.85 lbs (840g), the DWARF mini easily fits into a backpack or large pocket. Its all-in-one, compact design makes it the ultimate grab-and-go digital telescope for hiking, camping, or traveling to dark-sky locations. Intuitive App Control & Built-in Sky Atlas Go from unboxing to your first shot in just 3 minutes! The DWARFLAB App provides a seamless experience with an interactive star map. Simply select your target and start exploring without the steep learning curve of traditional setups. Auto GOTO & 360° Pivot Freedom Enjoy pinpoint automated tracking with full 360° rotation. Powered by a high-sensitivity Sony IMX662 sensor (1/2.8-inch, 2.9μm pixels), it captures amazing, low-noise astro details, bringing faint nebulas and star clusters to life with stunning clarity. Pro-Level EQ Mode & Long Exposure Unlock advanced deep-space imaging with Equatorial (EQ) Mode. Supporting impressive single-frame exposures up to 90 seconds and featuring built-in light pollution filters, it easily cuts through city glow to reveal intricate celestial structures. Smart Cloud Processing & All-Ages Fun Effortlessly enhance your raw data with integrated cloud processing for professional-grade results. Perfect for beginners, kids, and adults, this telescope makes exploring and sharing the wonders of the universe an exciting, family-friendly adventure. The packaging is a pretty minimal affair with the outer box opening like a flap to reveal the plastic mould of the DWARF mini sitting in it. Below, the Sun filter, charging cable, cleaning cloth, and documentation can be found. DWARFLAB also provided a Mini Hydraulic Tripod ($89.99), and I highly recommend getting it if you plan on purchasing the DWARF mini, as it fully supports the motorized tracking feature of the telescope; plus, at 840g, the weight of the telescope, you will need a tripod that supports more than the weight of a smartphone anyway. What's in the box DWARF Mini Smart Telescope × 1 Sun Filter x 1 Type-C to Type-C Cord x 1 Cleaning Cloth x 1 User Guide With that out of the way, here are the full specs: DWARF mini Dimensions (DWH): 60.70 mm x 100.38 × 183.61 (2.39" x 3.95" x 7.23") Weight: 840g (1.85lbs) Aperture diameter: 30 mm (telephoto), 3.4 mm (wide angle) Image Sensor: SONY IMX662 1/2.8" (Telephoto) OmniVision OS02K10 1/2.8" (Wide-angle) Focal length: 150 mm (telephoto), 6.7 mm (wide-angle) Equivalent focal length: 1016 mm (telephoto), 45 mm (wide-angle) Shutter Speed: Tele - 1/10000-90s, Wide - 1/10000-30s Maximum exposure time: 90s (telephoto & wide-angle), Both in EQ mode Rotation range: Lens: 225°, Base: 360° Effective Pixels: 2.07M Maximum Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Telephoto & Wide-angle) Built-in filters: Astro, Dark, Duo-Band (Telephoto), Astro (Wide-angle) Output: JPG, FITS, TIFF, MP4 Shooting Mode: Photos, Videos, Astronomy, Burst Shooting, Time-lapse Photography Storage: 64 GB Battery: Built-in 7000 mAh, supports external USB charging Charging Port: Type-C NPU: 1 TOPS Features: WiFi, NFC NFC One-Touch Connection Astronomy Post-Processing/Appointment Shooting/Astronomy Mosaic Wi-Fi Transmission Range: 15m (open environment) Color: Black Compatibility: iOS & Android smartphones/tablets Warranty: 2-years (24-months) MSRP: $399 Design Charge port On/off button Lens On the DWARF mini itself, it is a pretty minimal affair. On one side, there is a Type-C USB port to charge the non-removable 7000 mAh battery, and on the other side, a large button to power on or off the telescope. The button is flanked by an LED that is green when connected via the DWARFLAB app, or lights up red when being powered off. Below the button, there are four LEDs that indicate battery power. The DWARF mini does not have any sharp edges as all sides are rounded off; it has a good heft to it, but the weight of it feels quite balanced in the hand, so it isn't top or bottom-heavy. On the front there is the DWARFLAB logo which is quite small and there are no other markings on it. The tripod offers full 360° rotation of the motorized base, which allows for tracking for the time-lapse mode, but also for the 90-second captures of nearer objects in the sky, such as the Sun or the moon. Usage To get started, simply power on the DWARF mini and open the DWARFLAB app, tap on Connect, and it will scan for the DWARF mini over the Wi-Fi network. The device supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth for discovery, so connection issues were minimal in my experience with it. As previously noted in the specs, the DWARF mini will stay connected with a phone or tablet up to 15 meters in an open environment, such as a backyard. Lighting status Powering on: The green circular light will rotate and breathe in turn Powering off: The red circular light is gradually extinguished Connecting: Green light strip rotating Connected: Green light strip solid/always on 4 lights 1= 0-25%, 2= 25-50%, 3= 50-75%, 4= 75-100% battery power To view the full lighting status, such as tracking mode and connection failure, you can check the user guide on the official DWARFLAB page. DWARFLAB app Above, you can see the steps undertaken to connect the DWARFLAB app to my Galaxy S26 Ultra. Weirdly, I got an alert that a firmware update failed to get uploaded to the DWARF mini the first time, but upon retrying, it worked. Then place the DWARF mini outside, make sure your smartphone or tablet is connected to it, and then head back inside, because you can manage it from the comfort of your home. Simply enter the Atlas tab in the app and search for what you want to capture, and then tap on the camera icon; the DWARF mini will then attempt to track the object and give you a live view right on your connected device. Results I've had the DWARF mini since April, but even though my garden is south-facing, I had a lot of trouble trying to capture a good image of the moon. In the end, it was possible after I took it with me on a trip to my parents in Southend, UK, at the end of May. Here is a capture of the moon, resulting from 20 stacked images over a 90-second exposure. What you are seeing here is not AI-assisted. A good example of what I mean is the latest flagships with their 200MP cameras claiming to capture things like closeups of the moon, and while they are not as good as the above example on the DWARF mini, the resulting image on smartphones is actually AI-assisted above 30X zoom. Here is an example of a similar shot at the moon at 200X zoom using an HONOR Magic8 Pro. The difference is clear. Next, here we have a shot of the daytime moon. Here is a shot of Arcturus, the red giant star, which is the fourth brightest in the night sky. As previously mentioned, it could be a bit clearer, but clouds passing in front of it muddied the shot a bit. The Sun The DWARF mini also ships with a sun filter, meaning you can take great shots of the sun as well. Tracking Sun Resulting (stacked) shot Live zoom The pictures themselves are limited to Full HD, and some of the examples actually came out in HD (1280x720), but this is because the standard telescopic result is in 720p while "Wide" is in 1080p. Above you can see how in the app the Sun is tracked, the resulting capture, and Live zoom. I have only scratched the surface of what is possible with this telescope; I found several examples online of shots of the Milky Way, among others, such as nebulae and galaxies. All of this requires patience and knowledge, although if you know what you are looking for, simply enter it in the Atlas tab in the DWARFLAB app, tap the camera icon, and the telescope will attempt to track it. Conclusion The good The DWARF mini definitely places itself in a price point that makes astrology accessible to anyone looking to get started in the hobby. Say you want to have a closer look at the moon, simply enter it in the Atlas, and the Live view also lets you zoom in and snap pictures. The bad Some issues I came across while operating the DWARF mini were that it sometimes failed to connect unless I held my smartphone right next to it, and finding and tracking sometimes took several attempts to get it calibrated. I discovered that it helped if I sort of positioned and pointed the telescope in the general area it was supposed to detect, but this obviously wouldn't work with objects you can't see with the naked eye; more testing is required for that. Another bit of advice is to ensure that the lens is clean. While making the examples of live zooming on the sun, I discovered that the telescope lens and sun filter were not completely clean, and only after cleaning with a microfiber cloth was I able to get a decent shot of the sun. Where to buy and a coupon Okay, $399 is not cheap for a side hobby, but nor is a $1,500 smartphone flagship that you'll most likely have for a couple of years. This is a one-time entrance into astrology, and it won't become obsolete in one year like a smartphone. It's a thumbs up from me. The DWARF mini is available to buy right now in the U.S. and U.K. at the links below. DWARF mini for $399 on the official site DWARF mini for $399 on Amazon U.S. Use the NEOWIN5OFF coupon code for an additional 5% off at checkout (expires June 21) As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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