Your observations on Windows 8.1 update 1 (a.k.a. Feature Pack)

By Ice_Blue,
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Grand Master

Ice_Blue

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If you are one of the daring souls who took the plunge.

 

I've noticed the following so far:

 

- Clicking the X in the Metro top bar does not fully close the app. It still appears in Task Manager.

- The Start Screen now displays "x New Apps Installed" next to the down arrow.

- Maybe placebo, but to me everything runs a bit more smoothly.

 

- I much prefer the old (8.1) right-click behaviour in the start screen and apps.

 

I've been using it for only about 12 hours, so I'm sure there's more to discover.

 

 

 

Edit: Apparently my right-click in Start Screen stopped working. Ah well...

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PUC_Snakeman

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Sigh.

 

Yeah, to close an app completely, you still have to drag it from the top to the bottom, then hold it at the bottom until it flips over, and then release. But you should ideally just let Microsoft tombstone the app when it deems it necessary, since that's better, performance-wise.

 

Regarding Windows 8.1 Update 1, there's not much left to discover. A lot of the changes have been reported already, on this site even.

But one thing I found, that I hadn't seen covered before, is... File History now finally supports backing up your OneDrive folder!

It says:

Copy files from: Libraries, Desktop, Contacts, Favorites, and OneDrive (only files available offline).

 

This was the main reason I didn't "trust" using OneDrive for a lot of stuff. Now that I know File History will back it up, though, perhaps I'll use OneDrive more!

 

Regards,

Jacob

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DConnell Member

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Has anyone determined if it's possible to turn off the pseudo-desktop stuff in Metro? Like that Metro top bar Ice_Blue mentioned.

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Denis W. Veteran

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Copy files from: Libraries, Desktop, Contacts, Favorites, and OneDrive (only files available offline).

 

This was the main reason I didn't "trust" using OneDrive for a lot of stuff. Now that I know File History will back it up, though, perhaps I'll use OneDrive more!

 

Regards,

Jacob

 

Oh thank goodness. I was dreading having to do manual data backups for OneDrive.

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Ice_Blue

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Has anyone determined if it's possible to turn off the pseudo-desktop stuff in Metro? Like that Metro top bar Ice_Blue mentioned.

 

+1. I do not like the desktop intrusions into Metro.

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Geoffrey B. Veteran

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i have not had much time to mess around with it since i installed it so to me so far all i have seen is the cosmetic stuff. and also if you are running Stardock MetroMix the (title Bar) for metro apps still appears at the top of the Screen rather than as part of the app.

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chrisj1968

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hey OP honestly, I haven't gotten it installed yet but do both desktop and modern UI intrude each other? I'm just curious by your post above.

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NEVER85

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If you are one of the daring souls who took the plunge.

 

I've noticed the following so far:

 

- Clicking the X in the Metro top bar does not fully close the app. It still appears in Task Manager.

- The Start Screen now displays "x New Apps Installed" next to the down arrow.

- Maybe placebo, but to me everything runs a bit more smoothly.

 

- I much prefer the old (8.1) right-click behaviour in the start screen and apps.

 

I've been using it for only about 12 hours, so I'm sure there's more to discover.

 

 

 

Edit: Apparently my right-click in Start Screen stopped working. Ah well...

 

Have the exact same problem. Don't know what's causing it.

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+xrobwx71 Subscriber²

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I'm currently doing a full image backup before I install the updates. I'll post my experience after. 

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+Fahim S. MVC

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Yeah, to close an app completely, you still have to drag it from the top to the bottom, then hold it at the bottom until it flips over, and then release. But you should ideally just let Microsoft tombstone the app when it deems it necessary, since that's better, performance-wise.

 

 

That doesn't close an app it restarts it.

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-tip-restart-app

 

To close an app, just drag it to the bottom and let go.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/how-close-app

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Dot Matrix

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Skipping this update all together. It's a mess. <Snipped> Too many unwarranted changes. Whoever thought the taskbar should appear over metro apps should be fired and never allowed to work in GUI design again.

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+Frank B. Subscriber²

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Skipping this update all together. It's a mess.

It's where Windows is headed, for better or worse. What are you going to do - stick to Windows 8.1.0 until support runs out?

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NEVER85

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Skipping this update all together.  Too many unwarranted changes. Whoever thought the taskbar should appear over metro apps should be fired and never allowed to work in GUI design again.

 

It only does if you hover your cursor at the bottom of the screen, otherwise it's hidden.

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George P Global Moderator

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It's where Windows is headed, for better or worse. What are you going to do - stick to Windows 8.1.0 until support runs out?

 

This updates desktop, or rather, mouse oriented features put into metro, I think, are just a stop gap till next year and Windows 9.  I expect that version, with the new menu and windowed store apps, will allow you to pick a version or a option that doesn't bring the desktop into metro for those who are fine with it as it is or is going to be with metro 2.0 on non-touch PCs. 

 

Right now you can't pick, so to get users use to the start screen and store apps a bit better they're bringing over desktop UIs that users are familiar with till 9 where we'll have more choice.

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Dot Matrix

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It's where Windows is headed, for better or worse. What are you going to do - stick to Windows 8.1.0 until support runs out?

Not sure at this point. Maybe Microsoft will get smart about things, and finally put their foot down when it comes to Metro on desktop PCs. It's not that hard to use.

It only does if you hover your cursor at the bottom of the screen, otherwise it's hidden.

My cursor is always at the bottom, it's where I bring it to rest before taking other actions.

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+LogicalApex MVC

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Skipping this update all together. Too many unwarranted changes. Whoever thought the taskbar should appear over metro apps should be fired and never allowed to work in GUI design again.

I think you said it best:

 

 

You guys really need to get over this crap. Seriously, this nonsense is getting old. Things change. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but they change...

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+Frank B. Subscriber²

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Not sure at this point. Maybe Microsoft will get smart about things, and finally put their foot down when it comes to Metro on desktop PCs. It's not that hard to use.

Well - if you're unsatisfied with where MS Windows is headed, there are alternative solutions. :shifty:

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Order_66

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Skipping this update all together. Too many unwarranted changes. Whoever thought the taskbar should appear over metro apps should be fired and never allowed to work in GUI design again.

 

Don't be so resistant to change, like it or not this is where Microsoft is going, windows 8/8.1 is now legacy!

 

/s

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Gotenks98

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I did it in a VM and only see 3 changes. Metro apps in the task bar, power button on start screen, and lastly the search on the start screen. Aside from that I don't see the difference. The updates I already had didn't drop off until I ran the dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase command.

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Andre S. Veteran

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This updates desktop, or rather, mouse oriented features put into metro, I think, are just a stop gap till next year and Windows 9.  I expect that version, with the new menu and windowed store apps, will allow you to pick a version or a option that doesn't bring the desktop into metro for those who are fine with it as it is or is going to be with metro 2.0 on non-touch PCs. 

Yeah I think both Metro-izing the desktop or Desktop-izing Metro are terrible ideas. These environments work great by themselves for what they were designed to do, Microsoft needs to let us work with either one of them without forcing us into the other.

 

I'm curious to know if the default file associations on the desktop have finally been rebound to desktop apps or do they still throw you in Metro land.

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Dot Matrix

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That's a bit...peculiar....  :huh:

It's just something I've always done. The cursor on the screen has always bothered me.

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+Frank B. Subscriber²

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Yeah I think both Metro-izing the desktop or Desktop-izing Metro are terrible ideas. These environments work great by themselves for what they were designed to do, Microsoft needs to let us work with either one of them without forcing us into the other.

 

I'm curious to know if the default file associations on the desktop have finally been rebound to desktop apps or do they still throw you in Metro land.

The bolded part is what many users have been asking for since the first Windows 8 preview went public. Shoehorning two entirely different user paradigms into one operating system didn't work, despite what certain people on this very forum have been claiming.

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max84

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 Am I doing something different, or what?

 

When I click on a Modern app symbol on my taskbar, it opens the app as expected. As soon as I move the cursor upwards, the bottom taskbar disappears.

It never reappears again, even if I move the cursor to the bottom and leave it there for several seconds. I never see the bottom taskbar again, until I return to the desktop.

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George P Global Moderator

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Yeah I think both Metro-izing the desktop or Desktop-izing Metro are terrible ideas. These environments work great by themselves for what they were designed to do, Microsoft needs to let us work with either one of them without forcing us into the other.

 

I'm curious to know if the default file associations on the desktop have finally been rebound to desktop apps or do they still throw you in Metro land.

 

That's where it sounds like 9 is headed but with options to mix if you want to keep the start screen and so on.  Still as we expect a metro 2.0 to come I also expect updates to the desktop as well.  You can think of the new menu as a update itself but I think others are coming.  I think the taskbar needs to be updated again for example.

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