Recommended Posts

I've been using it for a week now and I still feel pretty much lost.

I miss the start menu! All I did there is used the search and click My Computer but I keep going to the corner of the screen searching for it.

Metro is ..idk, not for me. Why the apps takes a few seconds to load? Sure, every application we use takes a few seconds to load but with metro the stupid splash screen stops me from doing any thing else. It's like metro takes me to a completely other place in windows with its full screen etc' and i don't like it. Makes me feel disconnected.

How much time it took you to adjust to windows 8?

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1118371-cant-adjust-to-windows-8/
Share on other sites

Or just ignore Metro apps and continue to use your desktop like you used to.

if you approach the start screen as purely a replacement for the start menu, I find the experience is nigh on identical >.<

  • Like 3

I miss the start menu! All I did there is used the search and click My Computer but I keep going to the corner of the screen searching for it.

So go to that corner of the screen (bottem left) and left click.. viola Start Menu!

Or EVEN BETTER go to the bottom left corner and right click File Explorer and Search are right there.

  • Like 2

Is there a free start menu out there? all tough I don't like the idea installing a 3rd party app just for that.

Just to make things clear, I'm not bashing windows 8 (yet)

Just wanted to know if i'm the only one feeling that those tiles are pure hype and will die sometime soon on pcs.

Why would i want to open something full screen (unless its a movie \ picture\ game) when i'm on my computer. I don't get it.

I dunno about others but my metro apps open up quick, the only wait I have is for when it's like my weather app that is refreshing the data but that's it. Unless an app is connecting to some service on the backend it opens right away for me.

I dunno about others but my metro apps open up quick, the only wait I have is for when it's like my weather app that is refreshing the data but that's it. Unless an app is connecting to some service on the backend it opens right away for me.

Some of them open up quick here also, but even those got that 1 sec splash screen that i need to stare at like it's an iphone app. Feels stupid. I want to open an app and continue reading something on the web.

http://startisback.com/#download-tab

Seems free for personal use.

Start8 is free for personal use I think or might have changed recently?

Both give a 30 trial but are not free

If you're looking for a free replacement for the Start Button, I'd recommend ClassicShell. I haven't had any problems with it when I use Windows 8 (which is maybe once an hour a week... I still will go into Windows 7 as that's where all my work is really done.)

http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

Talkes a bit to get used too but start8 is only 4.99. could always get that and set it up to take you straight to the desktop, instead of the start screen....I myself, have to problem adjusting, I just get irritated bc I wanna keep the tiles from moving so I can, set it up how I want. Anywho, If that doesn't do it for you, just go back and install windows 7

Upgraded Win 8 Pro on 2 computers (my laptop [Lenovo G560] and my wife's desktop [low end eMachine, 4 years old]). And after using it for 1 week, I must say:

1. My wife loves it!!! She loves the Metro UI. Even in her machine, it was much snappier than W7. She seems to be enjoying computing more than before.

2. I missed start menu for first 4 days, but now, I have become used to W8 setting. I spend most of my time in the desktop mode, but I occasionally enjoy start screen options. Also, even in my G560, W8 is indeed much faster than W7. I don't do gaming, but use MS Word most of the time.

3. Also, I love "OneNote" app on start screen more than the one that came with Office 2010. I do some of my work on OneNote and it is an excellent app!

In sum, for me, yes, I do miss Start Menu, but overall experience of Windows 8 clearly outweighs the few negatives. I like the fact that my wife enjoys it... :)

Upgraded Win 8 Pro on 2 computers (my laptop [Lenovo G560] and my wife's desktop [low end eMachine, 4 years old]). And after using it for 1 week, I must say:

1. My wife loves it!!! She loves the Metro UI. Even in her machine, it was much snappier than W7. She seems to be enjoying computing more than before.

2. I missed start menu for first 4 days, but now, I have become used to W8 setting. I spend most of my time in the desktop mode, but I occasionally enjoy start screen options. Also, even in my G560, W8 is indeed much faster than W7. I don't do gaming, but use MS Word most of the time.

3. Also, I love "OneNote" app on start screen more than the one that came with Office 2010. I do some of my work on OneNote and it is an excellent app!

In sum, for me, yes, I do miss Start Menu, but overall experience of Windows 8 clearly outweighs the few negatives. I like the fact that my wife enjoys it... :)

Funny you should say that, I'm backing up my wife laptop as we speak write and planning on installing there Win8 later today. Hope she'll like it as much as your wife :) .

I've used 8 a couple times. I am still not used to it, I feel like it doesn't know what it is.. I am sent to desktop, then metro, then back again just for a couple simple tasks (ie: Windows Update). Like you.. 8 is just not for me.

Even though they have a new start screen, I still don't see the reason why they had to remove / Hide the "Start Button", that's just stupid. Unless you are on a tablet, and then it makes total sense..........I see what I did there!

I just used Start8 with all hot corners disabled and I now have a super slick more responsive Windows 7, I could grumble but since MS have the offer on to upgrade for silly money I couldn't complain about having to spend $4.99 for Start8.

I'm not going to go into the Modern UI debate, but I didn't buy a ?2K+ PC to play with crappy apps that my Smartphone does better.

  • Like 3

I've used 8 a couple times. I am still not used to it, I feel like it doesn't know what it is.. I am sent to desktop, then metro, then back again just for a couple simple tasks (ie: Windows Update). Like you.. 8 is just not for me.

That's what I don't understand, Microsoft.

Why not give users who shelled out their own hard-earned money for Windows 8, a choice -- Metro or the 'classic' Start button ?

'Different' is not always better.

I personally would have preferred the ability to place tiles on the desktop like widgets (as seen in the Omnimo rainmeter skin) but i'm fairly used to the start screen now. It's fast for me, and the search does what it needs to do. It doesn't bother me, and i quite enjoy the ability to pin various apps to the side of my screen, like a constant twitter update or xbox music and such.

While I do understand that it could be for compatibility reason, the fact that you have "Settings" in Metro and still have a full "Control Pannel" in Desktop is confusing. Some things you can do in one place, some not.... So that back and forth thing is getting old fast. File explorer in Metro? Nope, need to go to the Desktop for that. Metro IE can't play nice with a Web site, well, switch to Desktop IE10 (or use another browser, I know!).

Can't customize the look and feel of Metro! Simple thing as wallpaper, Nope.... You need Decor8 for that (or something similar).

Full screen Metro apps, what a waste of space.... And that 30%/70% split screen, well, not good enough for me.

Add to the fact that all Metro apps are so basic, some slow to load, low on feature push the use of Desktop apps. But I do find the new Microsoft games to be quite nice. But the store is still very limited.

I could go on like that, so... No, I'm not adjusting very well to Win8...!!! I prefer Win7 or OSX.

What about, hey Microsoft, I'm used to something since 199?, can I have a choice??

Given the choice, most people would just skip straight past "Modern UI" which is exactly what MS didn't want to happen, so they pretty much had to do it the way they did. It's a bit sneaky sure, but I totally understand why they've done it.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • I'm still on Windows 10 22H2 because I didn't want to deal with all the issues in Windows 11, so I waited almost a week before installing the latest Patch Tuesday update (KB5094127), I went ahead and did it, and it was a huge mistake—ever since then, my File Explorer has seen a performance drop of about 30% when transferring large files... Once again, Microsoft has outdone itself! This update cannot be uninstalled, either through the Control Panel (via Settings) or by accessing Advanced Startup Options. The only possible alternative would be to use system restore points, but I’d have to reinstall all app and driver updates (and there’s no guarantee it would work). Or there’s the “nuclear option” of a in-place repair without losing files or apps, but even then, all my customizations would be lost! Microsoft just can’t help but mess everything up! Way to go, Microsoft! But I still don’t want your c****y Windows 11!
    • Microsoft: Windows 11 could finally solve a major issue across AMD, Nvidia, and Intel GPUs by Sayan Sen While Microsoft has been trying to improve it, Windows 11 is definitely not flawless, as even today some issues are taking a year to publicly acknowledge. However, one area of trouble that may finally see much better results soon is graphics driver crashes. Work on graphics driver timeouts, also called Timeout and Detection Recovery (TDR), is not new as the latest WDDM 3.2 also has specific improvements regarding it. Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) version 3.2 is supported on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. However, with the upcoming version 26H2, TDR crash diagnosis could go to the next level as Microsoft is introducing a new DirectX 12 API feature called "DirectX Dump Files". Similar to how system memory dump files work when a system crashes or freezes or encounters any such major issue, DirectX Dump Files (DDF) will essentially record a snapshot of the GPU execution right at the moment a graphics-related crash or hang or freeze occurs, so that developers can better understand and diagnoze these TDR and timeout detection errors. The dump will be available as a .dxdmp file for analysis and it will be a comprehensive dump file generated with detailed insights about the hardware, drivers, Windows, as well as the affected application. This should be another welcome change in this department. Earlier at GDC 2026, when the technology was first debuted, Microsoft had shared more details regarding it. The company had explained how DDF is designed to gather data from every layer of the graphics stack into a single file, eliminating the need for developers to manually correlate logs from multiple tools. As mentioned above, the dump can contain a lot of useful details like GPU hardware state information such as register values, shader program counters, page fault virtual addresses, shader memory data, and command buffers. Alongside that, it also captures DirectX runtime and kernel information, including D3D objects, pipeline state objects, device error data, adapter details, and CPU call stacks. Microsoft says the feature has been built around two primary use cases: retail device removals and local device removals. The former allows developers to collect crash information from end users' systems in the field, while the latter helps QA teams and developers investigate issues on test machines. Developers will also be able to include up to 2 MB of custom application data through new D3D12 APIs, providing additional context for troubleshooting. In addition, Microsoft is introducing three dump collection modes ranging from zero-overhead capture, which has no runtime performance impact on supported hardware, to higher-detail modes that collect more vendor-specific debugging data. On compatible Tier 2 hardware, zero-overhead dumps will be enabled by default, meaning developers may begin receiving useful crash diagnostics without making any code changes. The table below explains the three tiers: Tier Description NO_OVERHEAD Enables crash capture with no runtime cost and is suitable for broad deployment MEDIUM_OVERHEAD Provides a balance, capturing additional diagnostic data with moderate impact HIGH_OVERHEAD Collects the most detailed GPU and driver state available, enabling deeper investigation at the cost of higher runtime overhead In terms of availability, the company expects broader release to be around the fall of 2026, which should be right around the time when Windows 11 version 26H2 lands. Right now, DirectX Dump Files are available as a preview and currently, only AMD has the compatible AgilitySDK Developer Preview driver version 26.10.07.02. You can find the official announcement post here on Microsoft's website.
    • And with SO much better perf than the laggy mess that is Files.
    • BrowserOS 0.46.0 by Razvan Serea BrowserOS is a free, open-source Chromium-based browser that runs AI agents natively, offering a smarter, more productive browsing experience. It supports Chrome extensions and integrates AI agents to automate tasks, fill forms, and streamline workflows. Your data stays on your computer: you can use your own API keys or run local models via Ollama, making it a privacy-first alternative to tools like Perplexity, Comet, or Dia. With built-in productivity tools and app integrations, BrowserOS boosts efficiency while keeping control firmly in your hands. Being Chromium-based, BrowserOS lets you effortlessly import your bookmarks, passwords, and Chrome extensions in just a few clicks. BrowserOS works with OpenAI GPT models, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, and local AI models via Ollama or LMStudio. You can use your own API keys and effortlessly switch between providers. BrowserOS Agent Your AI productivity assistant that organizes and manages your browsing effortlessly Quickly list, group, or close tabs Save and resume browsing sessions Search your history and organize bookmarks Switch instantly to the tab you need BrowserOS Navigator – Automate web tasks with ease Navigate websites and search automatically Interact with pages without manual effort Handle repetitive tasks in seconds What makes BrowserOS special Feels like home - same familiar interface as Google Chrome, works with all your extensions AI agents that run on YOUR browser, not in the cloud Privacy first - bring your own keys or use local models with Ollama. Your browsing history stays on your computer Open source and community driven - see exactly what's happening under the hood MCP store to one-click install popular MCPs and use them directly in the browser bar (coming soon) Built-in AI ad blocker that works across more scenarios! BrowserOS 0.46.0 changelog: Run Claude Code & Codex right in your browser — We've extended the agent harness to bring full coding agents into BrowserOS. Claude Code and Codex now come bundled and plug straight into the assistant, so you can drive your browser with the agent — and the subscription — you already use. A brand new experience — A redesigned new tab, a calmer composer, and a rebuilt command center for switching between agents. The whole assistant is cleaner, faster to reach, and easier to live in. New MCP tools — We rebuilt the browser tool surface from the ground up — a tighter, more reliable set of tools for agents to drive the browser. Plus one-click install of BrowserOS as an MCP server into the agents you already run, with automatic URL sync. Chromium 148 — Updated to the latest Chromium base with all recent upstream fixes and security patches. Streamlined — We've pulled back a few features that weren't getting much use — Skills, Soul, and Memory — so we can focus and ship better versions of them soon. Download: BrowserOS 0.46.0 | 181.0 MB (Open Source) Download: BrowserOS for macOS | 485.0 MB Links: BrowserOS Homepage | Github | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
  • Recent Achievements

    • First Post
      BizSAR earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Jordan Smith earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Reacting Well
      BizSAR earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • First Post
      AndreaB earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Huge Trailer earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      598
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      190
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      80
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      76
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      69
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!