Windows 8 Is a Desktop Disaster

[Julius Caro]

Windows 8 is polarizing. I wouldn't say it's bad at all. On the desktop from what I've experienced it performs faster than windows 7. And it's not difficult to make a "windows7" use of windows 8. You just have to deal with the start screen, that's all. But Microsoft's efforts are deluded to the point where windows 8 has become a PR disaster. I blame it on a few things:

- the whole "metro" naming convention changes every single day.

- on laptops: NOBODY would be complaining if most laptops had trackpad that worked as well as macbooks'. as it turns out, gestures are only supported if the hardware is capable and the driver support is there. bottom line: pre-windows8 laptops suck for windows 8.

- on desktops computers: microsoft should have pushed REALLY hard to make a stellar trackpad or touch mouse that supported gestures for the charms and other stuff. to the point where I believe they should have made bundled windows 8 with a mouse or trackpad for like $50 bucks. and Im not talking about that thing that you have to lift your index finger to be able to right click.

windows 8 is not bad. but using it on a laptop with the suckiest trackpads or on a computer with a mouse is not ideal by any mean. when I read the verge's little guide to windows 8 shortcuts and the MANY, MANY ways of performing some tasks depending on whether you had a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse or a touch mouse. It was too much. It IS too much. and its something that could be very easily simplified.

[Dot Matrix]

Sure, you can wait and waste even more time if you like. Just don't go moving that mouse even 1 single pixel whilst you're waiting, and don't you dare try clicking on that pixel either, because both are going to close that damn charms menu, lickety split! :p

The Hell are you talking about? It takes half the second for it to open, and there is no need to "flick". Hell, I've been sitting here trying to "flick" with my mouse, and you can't. There is also a margin of error buffer around the corner. I so much as touch the pixel, and move my mouse, and Charms still opens.

[Shane Nokes]

Well if all of the code isn't there of course it's going to be 'hacky'. And yes I am still saying your memory is selective because with Windows 7 those people were in the vast minority, with Windows 8 they seem to be at least on an even split, maybe leaning towards more dislike once you visit a forum that isn't full to brimming point of shills like MSFN.

So then it's not just a simple hook DLL and all is well as you were claiming. ;)

Also no it's still not selective...you're still confused.

You said you were going to stop using MS products if Windows keeps going the way it is. I've heard that so many times about so many products. I've heard it about Apple stuff, MS stuff, Sony stuff, Samsung, Seagate, Western Digital, PopCap, Big Fish, Disney, LucasFilm/LucasArts, EA, Valve, Capcom, Amazon, etc.

It's a common cry of someone who thinks that by shouting that it will make some sort of difference or matter to someone...and most of the time I see those same people right back in line buying stuff the next time and generally talking positively about the same product they were bashing before, but getting ready to hate the new thing.

The truth is most people are intractable and want to complain about the new thing since it's different from the old thing. Sure sometimes they'll be like ooooh shiny...but a lot of them will still find something to complain about and then get indignant and pout.

I've been doing this for a long time and seen it everywhere...it's not selective...it's endemic in the tech world.

[Dot Matrix]

The truth is most people are intractable and want to complain about the new thing since it's different from the old thing. Sure sometimes they'll be like ooooh shiny...but a lot of them will still find something to complain about and then get indignant and pout.

I've been doing this for a long time and seen it everywhere...it's not selective...it's endemic in the tech world.

What it comes down to is laziness. And unfortunately, much of that comes from techies, and not the buying public.

[xWhiplash]

Come on guys let's be honest here. After using Windows 8 for the weekend in a productive environment, these "hidden menus" are a joke. I always seem to activate them when trying to do tasks. The switcher one at the top left is very annoying. If I need to do anything at the top left (lets say reorder my tabs or access the file menu) and my mouse moves too far because I have my sensitivity up for gaming, I activate the hidden bar. I then have to move my mouse OUTSIDE of the bar's rectangle and try again. The same thing when I want to close an program. I activate the Charms bar about 90% of the time. That one is less annoying though.

It is very very annoying. What is so horrible about having to press buttons (not keyboard, UI buttons like the start/Windows Orb button) while on the desktop environment?

EDIT:

What it comes down to is laziness. And unfortunately, much of that comes from techies, and not the buying public.

Maybe because the general public gets computers for email, youtube, facebook, and general things? MAYBE they will use it to write their college paper with, but that is a maybe.

Us techies use it for our photoshop, indesign, after effects..... All the productive work you can think of. It is annoying when you use it in a productive environment SOMETIMES.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

Ok - but then you have to stop stating poor usability as a fact, which it isn't, and an opinion which it is. Likewise those that like it need to stop stating good usability as a fact, which it isn't, and an opinion which it is.

Then maybe we can all get along....

This is a fault of the reader. There is no need to preface opinions with "this is my opinion". The author should only need to preface an opinionated statement when it differs from his actual opinion, such as "according to Joe this burger is very tasty"

For some reason, many people are seeing usability as fact and not opinion. How tasty a McDonald's burger is, or isn't, is an opinion and it is valid to find it very tasty, nasty, or anywhere in between. There is also the collective opinion you get when you combine the opinions of many people. McDonald's sells a lot of burgers so a lot of people like their burgers, but the success of their burgers doesn't make McDonald's burgers as tasty a fact. Meaning, just because McDonald's is the most successful restaurant chain on the planet there is nothing wrong with you not liking anything that they sell.

[Dot Matrix]

Maybe because the general public gets computers for email, youtube, facebook, and general things? MAYBE they will use it to write their college paper with, but that is a maybe.

Us techies use it for our photoshop, indesign, after effects..... All the productive work you can think of. It is annoying when you use it in a productive environment SOMETIMES.

And to do that you have to move the mouse, and use the keyboard. Exactly the things people here claim they don't want to do. So which is it?

[FloatingFatMan]

The Hell are you talking about? It takes half the second for it to open, and there is no need to "flick". Hell, I've been sitting here trying to "flick" with my mouse, and you can't. There is also a margin of error buffer around the corner. I so much as touch the pixel, and move my mouse, and Charms still opens.

Perhaps it's down to mouse drivers, but on my PC, it takes about 2 seconds for the charms bar to open, and if I move at all whilst waiting, it'll pop up then instantly close again. Only semi-reliable way for me to open it is a flick motion in the corner.

Not that I really bother with it that often. I installed Classic Start so I'm quite happy now. :p

[Dashel]

I'd like to highlight that the asinine delay FFM speaks of is one of the main sources of my distaste for the charms menu along with the hot corner problem Whiplash describes. Its simply not well designed.

There should be virtually no delay (ie one gesture instead of the 'two' currently - corner then down). There is simply no justification for the charm panel's translucent animation state on a desktop.

I still suggest that they replace Start/Charms with buttons and remove the task switcher hotcorner when on the desktop.

[Shane Nokes]

I'm running a desktop that I purchased almost 7 years ago...and it's pretty much instant for the charms bar to show up. It appears to be less than half a second.

[ThePitt]

hurry up to buy a surface then!.

How much storage space do I have?

Here?s how much hard disk space you have available out of the box:

• The 32 GB version has approximately 16 GB free hard disk space.
  
• The 64 GB version has approximately 46 GB free hard disk space.
  

:laugh:

[Shane Nokes]

Indeed, and that used space includes the OS, recovery partition, apps, and Microsoft Office...as well as a full desktop operating system. The only limitation there is that you cannot run any third-party desktop apps since it's not Win32 based.

Surface Pro will allow you to run pretty much everything since it is Win32 based.

[Dot Matrix]

Microsoft should have cut out the legacy crap from Windows RT. Certainly, half of it doesn't even need to be there.

[Shane Nokes]

Dot you might just be surprised how layered things are in the codebase for Windows. Things that you wouldn't think would affect other things do...

Look at the old font dialog issue and all the trouble they had extricating the code from Windows...

[Dot Matrix]

Dot you might just be surprised how layered things are in the codebase for Windows. Things that you wouldn't think would affect other things do...

Look at the old font dialog issue and all the trouble they had extricating the code from Windows...

Font dialog issue?

[adam7288]

I'm running a desktop that I purchased almost 7 years ago...and it's pretty much instant for the charms bar to show up. It appears to be less than half a second.

If you think 500ms for basic ui elements to show up is responsive, then your standards are quite low.

[Dot Matrix]

If you think 500ms for basic ui elements to show up is responsive, then your standards are quite low.

How is that not responsive enough? Are you saying you want it to appear instantly, each time you move your mouse from monitor to monitor? 500ms is amble time to wait. If you're that much in a rush, just press the key combo.

[Shane Nokes]

Versions of Windows (up until Vista) had the same Add Font dialog box code from 3.11 present.

There are certain things that are tied to the system in ways you wouldn't expect, and they are not always easy to take out.

[Noir Angel]

So then it's not just a simple hook DLL and all is well as you were claiming. ;)

Also no it's still not selective...you're still confused.

You said you were going to stop using MS products if Windows keeps going the way it is. I've heard that so many times about so many products. I've heard it about Apple stuff, MS stuff, Sony stuff, Samsung, Seagate, Western Digital, PopCap, Big Fish, Disney, LucasFilm/LucasArts, EA, Valve, Capcom, Amazon, etc.

It's a common cry of someone who thinks that by shouting that it will make some sort of difference or matter to someone...and most of the time I see those same people right back in line buying stuff the next time and generally talking positively about the same product they were bashing before, but getting ready to hate the new thing.

The truth is most people are intractable and want to complain about the new thing since it's different from the old thing. Sure sometimes they'll be like ooooh shiny...but a lot of them will still find something to complain about and then get indignant and pout.

I've been doing this for a long time and seen it everywhere...it's not selective...it's endemic in the tech world.

No, it's a simple statement of fact, if a product stops suiting my needs I find one that does. I promised to stop using Apple stuff the moment they started trying to sue Android out of existence as well, and guess what... I still haven't got iAnything (including software) in my house. I do think it's cute though that you strut about this forum as if you're the only person in the world who has tech experience and the only person whose opinions matter.

[linsook]

If you think 500ms for basic ui elements to show up is responsive, then your standards are quite low.

windows key + c should be instant. i assume they set a delay for the mouseover so you dont activate it by accident. i also assume someone will find a reg key to change the delay.

[Dot Matrix]

Versions of Windows (up until Vista) had the same Add Font dialog box code from 3.11 present.

There are certain things that are tied to the system in ways you wouldn't expect, and they are not always easy to take out.

Oh, yeah, I remember that.

[*RedBull*]

I won't comment on the article. It's just the guy's experience and opinion. As such, my apprehensiveness towards win8 was large. I installed the customer preview and didn't like it. I bought the Win8 pro since it was cheap. I dual booted it and was mildly impressed with the setup. I've had issues with my Win7 installs lately over this dual boot situation and have been forced to work with Win8 a lot. I've found it to be overall better than Win7. I mean I really like Win7. But Win8 is much better. Especially when you get over the morphed Start menu and the alternate location of most of the stuff you find easily on Win7. Given a choice between the two, i'll choose Win8.

However, I think remixed cat nailed it though in her post. (Y)

[Shane Nokes]

If you think 500ms for basic ui elements to show up is responsive, then your standards are quite low.

I said less than...but since you chose to not notice that I will deem that your reading standards are quite low :)

I can be less than subtly insulting too... :p

No, it's a simple statement of fact, if a product stops suiting my needs I find one that does. I promised to stop using Apple stuff the moment they started trying to sue Android out of existence as well, and guess what... I still haven't got iAnything (including software) in my house. I do think it's cute though that you strut about this forum as if you're the only person in the world who has tech experience and the only person whose opinions matter.

LOL. We all have opinions, and we're all allowed to have them. If you want to tell me that I'm not entitled to my opinion I do believe you can go find the nearest black hole and drop yourself into it.

[scaramonga]

LOL. We all have opinions, and we're all allowed to have them. If you want to tell me that I'm not entitled to my opinion I do believe you can go find the nearest black hole and drop yourself into it.

LOL, only been around a few months, and already irritating, life I guess? lol

[Shane Nokes]

LOL, only been around a few months, and already irritating, life I guess? lol

Evidently. Some people just can't handle that opinions exist and that they differ.

The one thing I don't like though is when someone tries to tell me that I'm not entitled to my opinions...it's one of the few things in life we are entitled to. :p