Thoughts: Windows 8 should have eliminated the legacy right click menu.


Recommended Posts

I say keep the ui the way we want it. If you, the individual, want something different, then you can change the ui to support your wants and desires by re skinning it.

All the ui is a different skin. People have been reskinning windows since windows xp at least. Trying to make the windows interface look and act like apple was the biggest thing during whistler.

The mouse is, yes. The start screen isn't. If it was optimized, it should scroll up and down.

That's a question of preference and ergonomics. Not mechanics.

Ok, forget the car. Your not seeing my analogy. Technology is evolving, and it's changing the way we're interacting with it. This evolution is driving new UIs and UXs.

So now because your analogy isn't working you tell everyone to forget about it?

Of course technology is evolving, just like in a car, except the technology supplements the way you interface with the car NOT completely changes it, Metro doesn't supplement the Desktop, you have two different UIs clashing with each other that's like having a steering wheel and a plane style control stick in the same car.

Ok, forget the car. Your not seeing my analogy. Technology is evolving, and it's changing the way we're interacting with it. This evolution is driving new UIs and UXs.

Using your analogy, the steering wheel is how you control the car. With Windows, the Start menu was how the user controlled the computer. (unless your the type with a million icons on your desktop) By replacing the Start menu with the Start screen, they changed the controls to something like this:

post-447111-0-55865600-1361283497.gif

I'm not asking for a lot! Give us options! I don't mind change, if it truly is better and more productive than previous gen tech. Your DOS arguments are irreverent.

  • Like 3

That's a question of preference and ergonomics. Not mechanics.

But you do realize that the up and down wheel movement isn't correctly replicated by the start screen? The mouse works in the start screen, I'm not denying that. But it's not optimized for the mouse like you suggest.

(using another comparison: Dark Souls works on the PC with kb+m, but the game isn't optimized for that, it works best with a gamepad).

I am not going to inject my own ridiculous analogy in here.

The only small change (or a setting) Microsoft needs to do/add is to enable minimize, maximize, resize all Modern apps and let them sit on taskbar.

It will eliminate productivity questions when used as desktop. Let tablet users have default settings like they do currently but still with an option to make the apps behave like desktop.

Even after using Windows 8 for close to six months which includes Betas and RCs, I believe it still sucks for the above mentioned reason. As it turns out I will NEVER like every app to hog full screen. As resolutions get higher, its just going to amplify the problem.

I do find DotMatrix's posts cute.

So now because your analogy isn't working you tell everyone to forget about it?

If you're going to twist my words, I'm not going to reply. It's what you've been doing this whole thread.

You never did answer my question Dot. Why does the desktop UI have to go away for computing to evolve?

So you can throw a program from a monitor to a tablet like Avatar? Why is that not allowed in the desktop UI? Just like I can drag a standard window to another monitor, I can do the same with a tablet.

So tablets can be supported? Why not just create a tablet version like Apple does with OSX and iOS?

  • Like 2

Because in 5 years, that's going to look like a really terrible way of doing things.

In 5 years I will still be using my desktop. I do not want this crappy full screen interface on my 30" monitors. There is a reason I got 30" monitors......

  • Like 3

In 5 years I will still be using my desktop. I do not want this crappy full screen interface on my 30" monitors. There is a reason I got 30" monitors......

Yes, you will. 90% of the other computer users out there won't be.

In 5 years I will still be using my desktop. I do not want this crappy full screen interface on my 30" monitors. There is a reason I got 30" monitors......

Ditto.

Yes, you will. 90% of the other computer users out there won't be.

5% of those will be hooking their 30 inch LCD TV up to their TV and think it's cool!

Yes, you will. 90% of the other computer users out there won't be.

The give us a freaking choice. I do not see the big deal. Everybody is acting like if they give us a FEW SIMPLE CHECK BOXES, the world will END.

The Windows 8 installer / first start up should check to see what is connected. If I have a 30" very high resolution display, allow me to never see the new UI. Full screen apps on 30" are just plain annoying to hell. I got 30" for a reason

  • Like 2

So you can throw a program from a monitor to a tablet like Avatar? Why is that not allowed in the desktop UI? Just like I can drag a standard window to another monitor, I can do the same with a tablet.

I find the idea that you evolve computing by seriously dumbing down the UI to be amusing in general to be honest. I'd seriously hate to do anything complex with a ModernUI application, I feel i'd end up putting my fist through my monitor in frustration.

  • Like 2

I find the idea that you evolve computing by seriously dumbing down the UI to be amusing in general to be honest. I'd seriously hate to do anything complex with a ModernUI application, I feel i'd end up putting my fist through my monitor in frustration.

Ummm....What? I am not the one wanting to dumb down the UI here......am I missing something? Dot said computing is heading to movies like Avatar. He said himself a few times he wants the desktop UI gone completely. I just asked what makes it to where the desktop UI cannot do this? Where the desktop UI CANNOT be used ANYMORE in order for computing to evolve?

The give us a freaking choice. I do not see the big deal. Everybody is acting like if they give us a FEW SIMPLE CHECK BOXES, the world will END.

The Windows 8 installer / first start up should check to see what is connected. If I have a 30" very high resolution display, allow me to never see the new UI. Full screen apps on 30" are just plain annoying to hell. I got 30" for a reason

You have a choice, it's tied to the start button, if that's too much for you to handle, I can't imagine you actually figured out how to hook that 30'' monitor up to your computer.

Conversely, should one of us want to run one of our iPad apps on our OSX PC, we're SOL.

Ummm....What? I am not the one wanting to dumb down the UI here......am I missing something? Dot said computing is heading to movies like Avatar. He said himself a few times he wants the desktop UI gone completely. I just asked what makes it to where the desktop UI cannot do this? Where the desktop UI CANNOT be used ANYMORE in order for computing to evolve?

Sorry was just making a generalised comment, I quoted your post but I was trying to reinforce your opinion. Probably didn't put that across too well, sorry :p

My mistake, I thought he meant the desktop PC as a whole.

I did mean the desktop PC as a whole; I misinterpreted your comment here:

"Try as you might, the desktop as we know it today, just doesn't have any longevity left in it."

However I still think a windowed OS is better for getting serious work done. One app on screen at a time is no good. And from what I've read the desktop mode in Windows RT only supports a handful of built-in apps.

Multitasking is better with a taskbar and the ability to lay windows out along side each other (so you can drag/drop or simply copy type or whatever).

The give us a freaking choice. I do not see the big deal. Everybody is acting like if they give us a FEW SIMPLE CHECK BOXES, the world will END.

The Windows 8 installer / first start up should check to see what is connected. If I have a 30" very high resolution display, allow me to never see the new UI. Full screen apps on 30" are just plain annoying to hell. I got 30" for a reason

The whole Metro experience is not about innovation, or making things easier, it's not even about change for the sake of change, and it's definitely not about choice; it's a scheme to get you to buy apps. If it was made an option many of us would of turned it off in favor of the superior start menu, superior right click context options, and the numerous superior desktop apps the traditional desktop provides for.

Although there is one benefit; it works ok on a touch based input device, but at what cost?

  • Like 2

The whole Metro experience is not about innovation, or making things easier, it's not even about change for the sake of change, and it's definitely not about choice; it's a scheme to get you to buy apps. If it was made an option many of us would of turned it off in favor of the superior start menu, superior right click context options, and the numerous superior desktop apps the traditional desktop provides for.

Although there is one benefit; it works ok on a touch based input device, but at what cost?

Buy programs to run on my operating system? NEVER! :laugh:

Buy programs to run on my operating system? NEVER! :laugh:

More like "re-buy" programs that "try" to do what my already bought or free desktop programs do!

But to be fair I think I'm the minority on this whole " app" scene. I think I bought 1 iOS based app for my iPhone, and don't think i've bought any for my Androids. I find I use my phone & tablets for web, email, calendar, contacts, youtube, weather, pandora, rss, & camera. I used to use facebook but meh I don't care too much for the social scene either, I got plenty of real life friends. Oh and lets not forget flash light app. So I guess when you look at my computer / device usage habits you can see why Windows 8's Metro does nothing for me.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • They themselves used AI slop to convert its C++ codebase to Rust. But I do agree with their concerns.
    • Microsoft resumes forced Copilot app installation on some Windows PCs by Usama Jawad Late last year, Microsoft planned to begin the automatic installation of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on certain Windows PCs. However, in March 2026, it disabled this process due to a technical issue and informed customers that it would let them know when it would resume. It seems like that was only a temporary respite, as the Redmond tech giant has started the forced installation of the app on eligible devices. In an update on its Message Center for IT admins, Microsoft has informed customers that it is resuming the automatic installation of the Microsoft 365 Copilot on commercial Windows PCs that have Microsoft 365 apps already installed. What this means is that if you have Microsoft Office apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more installed on your Windows PC through a Microsoft 365 license, you'll likely see the Microsoft 365 Copilot app pop up in your Installed Apps section soon, too. Fortunately, IT admins do have some control over this rollout. If they choose to opt out, devices in their tenant won't automatically get the dreaded Copilot app. However, phased rollout via feature flags has already begun and is expected to be completed by the end of June: Feature Flag1: started Jun 4, expected to finish June 10 Feature Flag2: expected to start on June 11, expected to finish on June 17 MSGraph schema rollout: expected to start on June 18, expected to finish on June 24 Feature Flag3: expected to start on June 25, expected to complete by July 1st Microsoft hasn't detailed what the process is to toggle the feature flags in its Message Center, and its public support page does not seem to mention it yet either. The Redmond tech giant has encouraged IT admins to let users know beforehand so they aren't caught by surprise to see a new app seemingly installed without manual interaction or their consent. Users who already have the app installed or are based in the European Economic Area (EEA) are unaffected by this move, which Microsoft has understandably flagged as a "major change".
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Year In
      CHUNWEI earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      FBSPL earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Week One Done
      I2D earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      Dr Jared Dental Studio earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      RG INVESTMENT GROUP earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      486
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      262
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      83
    4. 4
      FloatingFatMan
      65
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      62
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!