Windows 8 Is a Desktop Disaster

[M_Lyons10]

I love windows 8 but i think ms could have avoided a lot of flack by just including the start menu. I mean, what was so horrible about keeping it??

well, start8 is still there and many others.

I agree. They should have eased this on customers at the very least. Maybe leave the Start Menu in for 8 and reevaluate for 9...

I see nothing wrong with options being available to people. Their computer should be just that, THEIRS... They should be able to customize it and use it as they wish.

[spudtrooper]

Beside the point, its a legitimate grievance. There is no reason it should be only on the Charms vs on the under-used User drop-down.

There absolutely is a reason, its just not necessary and invalidates some of the core design decisions around windows 8. Windows 8 was designed around sleep/hybrid standby so the live tiles, emails, notifications & background tasks can run and keep your system updated. You just don't need to turn off your pc like you used to and if you do turn it off, it takes much less effort than people realize if they just learn 1 extra click.. instead of Start -> Shutdown -> Power off its now Charm -> Settings -> Power.. how hard is that? Also, just lock your pc then click shutdown on the lock screen..

I agree. They should have eased this on customers at the very least. Maybe leave the Start Menu in for 8 and reevaluate for 9...

I see nothing wrong with options being available to people. Their computer should be just that, THEIRS... They should be able to customize it and use it as they wish.

Customize within reason.. the biggest thorn in microsoft side has been inconsistency, and now that it is consistent people refuse to adapt.. don't get it.

I for one don't consider where my shutdown button is that important and i'm **SURE** you can find an "app for that" that will address your concerns..

[Ottawa Gamerz]

god people instead of a start menu pin everything to the desktop press windows key find what u want to pin. than right click icon pin now if u cant right click go back to 7

[Dashel]

Jesus ****ing christ, its not about it being 'hard', its about it being annoying without a single care for how people have learned to use it. Same problem with closing apps. Dragging down gestures to close an app is a legitimate grievance, even though you 'never need to close' them.

The average person has been conditioned to do one thing and whether they need to be reprogramed or not, this goes against the grain, for very debatable benefit.

What exactly is the 'win' of putting it on a hidden menu an extra layer deep when it should have been (logically) right next to 'Log Off', like its always been?!

[contextfree]

What exactly is the 'win' of putting it on a hidden menu an extra layer deep when it could have been front and center, right next to 'Log Off', like its always been?!

You're looking at this one function in isolation. Everything could be front and center. And everything would become individually easier to find and use if it were front and center. But everything you make front and center adds a little bit of clutter which makes everything else just a little bit harder to find and use. Ultimately you have to make a decision about what sorts of things belong on a given screen/view and what don't. The designers made the decision that the Start screen should be about content and not managing your computer. Shutdown isn't content, it's a utility function. In Windows 8 utility functions go in Settings, so shutdown goes in settings.

[Dot Matrix]

Have you looked at the new All Programs? I can think of several.

Yes. I have. There's nothing wrong with it. Find your app (either by All Apps, or by Search) -> Right click it -> Pin to Start. Takes all of two seconds.

[Dashel]

Now wait a minute context, is the Charm Settings for actions or configurations? Shut down seems much more of a user action like log-off than other 'settings' like volume or brightness.

Its simply not consistant. If anything it should have been under 'Devices' then right? Cause thats where hardware actions (like print) were put.

Dot, your buffoonish points aren't worth a ban. Durka durka durka.

[Dot Matrix]

Now wait a minute, is the Charms setting for actions or configurations? Shut down seems much more of a user action like log-off than other 'settings' like volume or brightness.

Its simply not consistant. If anything it should have been under 'Devices' then right? Cause thats where hardware actions (like print) were put.

No, I'm "setting" my machine to power off.

[skilithead]

Just hit the power button and get on with it .

[nekrosoft13]

Not sure how this process differs significantly from how one pins a program to the Win7 start menu.

difference is I don't have to pin anything in start menu, i have all apps organized by categories.

and right clicking i did notice that later, soooo much fun, click on start menu, right click to load more, like everyone will automatically see that, because right clicking in start was the norm before.

[dangel]

No, I'm "setting" my machine to power off.

I always enjoyed "start"ing to shutdown :D

[nekrosoft13]

I agree. They should have eased this on customers at the very least. Maybe leave the Start Menu in for 8 and reevaluate for 9...

I see nothing wrong with options being available to people. Their computer should be just that, THEIRS... They should be able to customize it and use it as they wish.

yes, start menu should have been left alone. there should be a option to boot straight into desktop. just what OSX has done

if you want tablet/mobile apps you would simply run metro and use those apps, when back to desktop and use the more optimized start menu and everyone would be happy.

people that want start menu and functionality would be have functional desktop and start menu

people that have like fisher price and giant colorful squares with less functional apps would have their start screen.

everyone would be happy.

[Dot Matrix]

difference is I don't have to pin anything in start menu, i have all apps organized by categories.

and right clicking i did notice that later, soooo much fun, click on start menu, right click to load more, like everyone will automatically see that, because right clicking in start was the norm before.

Wow. It's not like users have been taught to right click since ever.... :rolleyes: I get the sense you're just pounding on the keyboard hoping something happens...

[MikeChipshop Member]

Pathetic article from a dinosaur.

[Dolan]

I love watching Microsoft fans raging when someone is tallking bad about Windows 8!

I'm using Windows 7 and i tryed Windows 8 for week and didnt liked!

Windows 8 is great for tablets but not for desktop users!

If someone offer me XP or Windows 8 i would chose XP!

[nekrosoft13]

Wow. It's not like users have been taught to right click since ever.... :rolleyes: I get the sense you're just pounding on the keyboard hoping something happens...

tell me since when did you had to right click in start menu to show hidden apps.

I love watching Microsoft fans raging when someone is tallking bad about Windows 8!

I'm using Windows 7 and i tryed Windows 8 for week and didnt liked!

Windows 8 is great for tablets but not for desktop users!

If someone offer me XP or Windows 8 i would chose XP!

same, i will also add, if someone makes be choose betweeen vista and 8, will pick vista

[Dot Matrix]

tell me since when did you had to right click in start menu to show hidden apps.

You right click all the time at various points in the OS. You have to right click invoke hidden menus in Metro apps. The start screen is no different. It doesn't take a rocket scientist...

[Beyond Godlike]

I used it for a couple days, cause i had the $16 upgrade on my MSI GT60. Its fast, i found it easy to get around, and now that i understand how it works better i only have 2 complaints

1.) Miss Aero..dont like the classic desktop thee, tho im sure modders will fix that..im not on the standard win7 theme either

2.) Classic control panel and stuff like it are 'hidden'

Im on win7 again, ima wait a while longer to re-update(i restored a backup image). I want all my apps to take advantage of it more. Have better icons and stuff.

I wonder if non-metro apps can have live tiles to?

[Dot Matrix]

I wonder if non-metro apps can have live tiles to?

No. Different APIs prevent that. They're not compatible with each other.

[Dashel]

I always enjoyed "start"ing to shutdown :D

That's always been such a misnomer, you were starting a task. ;)

One qualm for me that hasn't been espoused by the anti-Start Menu types is that the majority of the claimed problems with the classic menu is really more of a side-effect of the way MS handles applications and the Program Files directory itself. So it still doesn't really address the problems created by Desktop applications themselves.

Throwing everything on top of a table simply isn't organization. Case in point, the MS Store app. It is the problem in a nutshell, because if they haven't gotten it right there, any other Explorer view doesn't have a chance.

Unless you are going to tell me that I can find a file in my Documents folder faster by always using a maximized window. For me, horizontal space is largely useless, especially anything over say 3-4 columns. I can scan a single vertical column of information far easier than a large grid that expands horizontally and vertically. WP7 works because it automatically adds the visible lettering once your list gets long enough. I see none of these 'smarts' currently.

[Clirion]

No jump list. No dynamically changing most frequent programs.

Also, mentioned above, the shut down button... yeah, you can configure your pc to turn off when you press the turn on/off button, like I do, but once again, it was faster on the start menu because you already had the hand on the mouse.

I can see this could be an issue. This was one of the more usable features that entered with Win 7 (Jumplist). I do not use them much, but I went searching and I do not see the replacement for it. Will have to dig more.

[Gorilambo]

I have such a great time switching from Metro to Desktop! I just can't understand people who say that Metro is an epic fail on desktops. REALLY.

[TCA]

He's technically challenged with Win 8 lol. I have no problems with the desktop either.

[zeta_immersion]

1. Bend over and kiss your a$$ goodby

2. While you cannot see anything start praying to whatever god you have (if any)

3. Meet your maker (if he or she exists) and look at a recording while doing your own ass kissing

I read prepare for hurricane disaster but oh well close enough

Note. Win 8 has some really nice features but man cannot get over the damn tiles intro

[Som]

1. Bend over and kiss your a$$ goodby

2. While you cannot see anything start praying to whatever god you have (if any)

3. Meet your maker (if he or she exists) and look at a recording while doing your own ass kissing

I read prepare for hurricane disaster but oh well close enough

Note. Win 8 has some really nice features but man cannot get over the damn tiles intro

hahaha funny, didn't know what ya where on about at first :p