win8 Is it just me or those Metro apps really sucks so bad?

[wellofsouls]

Used Win8 for a month or so, like it in general, but most of the time I find myself still using the desktop. I like the idea and design of the Metro apps, however they seem to be annoyingly slow and user-unfriendly. For example, the Mail app can take more than half a minute to launch, while the Office 2010 Outlook takes less than half the time. Also you cannot switch out of the app while waiting for it to start. For desktop apps, if the startup time of a certain app is slow, you can just launch a browser or media player or whatever during the wait. For Metro apps, if you switch out during the startup to browser the web or something, when you switch back, it will still be at the startup screen. So you need to keep staring at the whirling circles when waiting for the Metro app's slow startup. This kind of things make the Metro apps really annoying to use IMHO.

[+Anarkii Subscriber² Popular Post]

Welcome to Windows 8, the soon to be most epic fail ever for desktop users.

And your not alone mate, that above is the reason most users won't go near it. Hell, a good 90% of the people I know will be sticking with Windows 7 simply because of how much of a mess 8 is for desktop users.

[MarkusDarkus]

Your not multitasking it right.

Sorry

[nekkidtruth]

Careful....the Windows 8 mouth-frothing fanatics have probably already sniffed you out...

[deleted_acc]

yes, it's just you... and you CAN switch to another app while starting one up:

1. if you've got one that's slow and you know this just start it, snap to the side then use what you want or switch to desktop with win+d or whatever (but TBH i NEVER shut down the mail app or outlook)

2. you CAN switch to anything, apps start in the backgroud just fine

and saying all metro apps suck so bad then giving one example wich is pretty subjective (my mail app starts up around 3-4 secs) is not a good way to start an argument - but plenty of the metro apps suck, buggy or lack features i give you that

1. it will change with time, MS itself stated that they'll continually update their metro apps

2. all app stores are alike in this respect: 90% of the stuff is utter crap, deal with it and find your preferred 10%

[Calum Veteran]

I haven't experienced any of the problems you have. None of the apps start up slowly for me, including Mail. But I'm sure I have selected another app while one is opening (the splash screen showing), gone back to that app, and it's opened fine in the background, quite a few times, so I don't know why the splash screen remains for you.

[neo1911]

There is not a single Metro app I found usable... yet!!

[Noir Angel]

The very first time I installed Windows 8 on real hardware, the store kept crashing every time I tried to download apps, and even a couple of the built in apps didn't work properly. Given the hardware I have, the fault isn't on my end.

[nekkidtruth]

I've had the same issue. Especially with the Mail app. Notorious for still being at the loading screen if I'm multi-tasking and go back to it. The other issue I experience over and over again is the store claiming there are updates for apps, going in to do them and they disappear mid-update. So the notification never goes away and said apps never get updated.

I'll be honest though, haven't had much time to sit and tinker with it. My other half uses that machine in the office when I'm busy on the main machine in the living room.

[deleted_acc]

The very first time I installed Windows 8 on real hardware, the store kept crashing every time I tried to download apps, and even a couple of the built in apps didn't work properly. Given the hardware I have, the fault isn't on my end.

1. owning an expensive gear does not mean it works properly

2. are you talking about rtm?

3. i have a friend who complains about random app crashes so it is entirely possible that there's plenty to be smoothen out yet; i can't really say anything in this matter, my dell studio xps runs win8 perfectly well

[nekkidtruth]

1. owning an expensive gear does not mean it works properly

It does if you're not an idiot and are technically savvy. My machines work top notch because I know how to take care of them and I know how to optimize them to utilize their full potential. So yes, if a particular software (or OS in this case) doesn't function properly, chances are it has nothing to do with my machine as surprise, the only thing that's changed is said software ;)

That being said, that doesn't mean something wasn't changed in the OS to force me to have to tweak and optimize everything all over again...but that's really besides the point.

[Noir Angel]

1. owning an expensive gear does not mean it works properly

2. are you talking about rtm?

3. i have a friend who complains about random app crashes so it is entirely possible that there's plenty to be smoothen out yet; i can't really say anything in this matter, my dell studio xps runs win8 perfectly well

Windows 7 runs flawlessly on it, so yeah it works properly.

[HawkMan]

It does if you're not an idiot and are technically savvy. My machines work top notch because I know how to take care of them and I know how to optimize them to utilize their full potential.

YEah, sorry, but you don't know nearly as much as you think you do. none of that guarantees hardware and software will work perfectly

On top of that, the second you mentioned "optimizing" you pretty much threw any credibility you had about knowing anything about hardware and windows out the window.

[deleted_acc]

It does if you're not an idiot and are technically savvy. My machines work top notch because I know how to take care of them and I know how to optimize them to utilize their full potential. So yes, if a particular software (or OS in this case) doesn't function properly, chances are it has nothing to do with my machine as surprise, the only thing that's changed is said software ;)

That being said, that doesn't mean something wasn't changed in the OS to force me to have to tweak and optimize everything all over again...but that's really besides the point.

no disrespect mate i don't know you or your tech skills but had my fair share of kiddies with a gear worth a nice convertible and a mouth bigger than bill gates's bank account bragging about being tech savvy who complain about freezes but running custom drivers, "optimizing" the os (often referring to dated crap on the interwebz about system services disabling stuff they don't no nothing about to gain 30MB of memory when having 16 gigs of it) and overclocking 'till instability so i learned to take these kind of comments with a pinch of salt and a big glass of distrust - and of course OSes can respond differenty to custom settings like overclock

but again: i'm not saying you fit this description, hence point 3 of my previous comment

[Noir Angel]

This is Neowin. If Microsoft software doesn't work properly for you it's always your fault. I know how to make my computer work ;)

[HawkMan]

Windows 7 runs flawlessly on it, so yeah it works properly.

Doesn't mean you don't have bad hardware, or a install that simply went bad(happened in the early CP). or a HDD with bad sectors, and windows 7 is installed on the good parts, while Win8 happened to get the windows stor and/or some libraries on some bad areas on the drive.

there's a million reason why somethign works and somethign else does. and just saying another OS works fine doesn't need clear the harware from fault. anyone who's done any kind of computer repair and support work would know that. Even more so if you have rudimentary knowledge/education in the matter.

[Noir Angel]

I'm not a moron, I know when there are signs of a hard drive having bad sectors.

[Dot Matrix]

It takes 2 seconds flat for Mail to launch for me, and I'm still running the RP.

[nekkidtruth]

YEah, sorry, but you don't know nearly as much as you think you do. none of that guarantees hardware and software will work perfectly

On top of that, the second you mentioned "optimizing" you pretty much threw any credibility you had about knowing anything about hardware and windows out the window.

Good thing I don't require your validation in real life! You don't know me, nor the level of knowledge I contain. Let's stop pretending you do. Whether you find me credible or not means absolutely zero to me. The fact that you aren't able to comprehend the term "optimizing" pretty much threw any credibility you had about knowing anything about hardware and Windows out the window. ;)

no disrespect mate i don't know you or your tech skills but had my fair share of kiddies with a gear worth a nice convertible and a mouth bigger than bill gates's bank account and complaining about freezes but running custom drivers, "optimizing" the os (often referring to dated crap on the interwebz about system services disabling stuff they don't no nothing about to gain 30MB of memory when having 16 gigs of it) and overclocking 'till instability so i learned to take these kind of comments with a pinch of salt and a big glass of distrust - and of course OSes can respond differenty to custom settings like overclock

but again: i'm not saying you fit this description, hence point 3 of my previous comment

You mean you learned to jump to conclusions? Who said anything about overclocking or disabling services? Wow...quite the egotistical bunch you Windows 8 fanboy's are. If you're going to insult my intelligence, you should probably actually know me and or what I am/am not capable of. Anyway.....

[BajiRav]

Your hardware might be perfectly alright but if the drivers are misbehaving, you can't do **** about it.

This is Neowin. If Microsoft software doesn't work properly for you it's always your fault. I know how to make my computer work ;)

^This is the new Neowin, when you run out of arguments to bash Windows 8, you blame the website. If you are bothered that much - why even come here?

and on topic - yes metro apps are very basic right now and my recommendation is pretty much avoid them on a non-tablet system. Set them up once and use live tiles. For actual mail/messaging - use the desktop apps or websites.

[remixedcat]

store acts wonky on server 2012..sometimes I have to try 3-4 times to get an app to install....

longest wait to load... music and freshpaint.....

quickest are maps, weather,mail, and the rest of the others are hit-n-miss

[BajiRav]

You mean you learned to jump to conclusions? Who said anything about overclocking or disabling services? Wow...quite the egotistical bunch you Windows 8 fanboy's are. If you're going to insult my intelligence, you should probably actually know me and or what I am/am not capable of. Anyway.....

good job reading the last line of his post :p

[deleted_acc]

You mean you learned to jump to conclusions? Who said anything about overclocking or disabling services? Wow...quite the egotistical bunch you Windows 8 fanboy's are. If you're going to insult my intelligence, you should probably actually know me and or what I am/am not capable of. Anyway.....

just ignore the last sentence like you did with the previous comment mate... never said anything about you or your skills but when it comes to "egotistical bunch" it's not me flexing my IT skill muscles...

gonna say once more: i actually don't know you or your skills and TBH i don't care either way, i'm saying you cannot accept every comment stating "i have big f_cking computer skillz n00bs" stating their rig is perfect but windows (version x) is crap and for evidence there are no reproduced bugs, no logs or at least a f_cking KB article about the error just the word of some guy crying out

if you think this suit fits you then by all means complain further how i insut your intelligence but relax: i do not

[Noir Angel]

^This is the new Neowin, when you run out of arguments to bash Windows 8, you blame the website. If you are bothered that much - why even come here?

and on topic - yes metro apps are very basic right now and my recommendation is pretty much avoid them on a non-tablet system. Set them up once and use live tiles. For actual mail/messaging - use the desktop apps or websites.

Actually, I'm telling the truth. Windows 7 works perfectly for me, Windows 8 doesn't, and my hardware is not faulty.

[deleted_acc]

store acts wonky on server 2012..sometimes I have to try 3-4 times to get an app to install....

longest wait to load... music and freshpaint.....

quickest are maps, weather,mail, and the rest of the others are hit-n-miss

store had issues, i experienced the "stuck" update notification but it went away (no restart needed)

music is REALLY slow especially if you count the sign in process too but faster than it was back in the RP so i hope they'll continue to optimize it (the back end too 'cos sign in is/was slow in zune, the zune website and the xbox website too since forever)

quickest is maps and calendar but i have no issues with the rest of the bunch i use (as of now i've got 38 apps)