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Windows 8, Usability disaster (1 Viewer)

onemoar

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I run windows 8 as a secondary os to windows 7 and I use a program called STARTISBACK thats basicly a direct port exact copy of the windows 7 shell
 

Sam Posten

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Woah?
I’ve written—and spoken about, on podcasts—about how Windows 7, somewhat miraculously and/or suspiciously, was able to maintain a steady selling rate of approximately 20 million units per month over its three year lifespan. And I’ve furthered that Windows 8 needs to reach that figure, at a minimum, because it targets two markets, that for PCs and that for tablets. To be truly successful, Windows 8 needs to sell far more than 20 million licenses a month. The funny thing is, we’ve held up Windows 7 as the gold standard when it comes to Windows versions. It was non-controversial, lauded for cleaning up the Windows Vista “mess” (whether real or perceived), and is still generally regarded as a high-water mark of sorts. Those who pan Windows 8 invariably compare it, unfavorably, to Windows 7, and wonder why Microsoft simply couldn’t have made another Windows 7 instead. But it’s simple. Windows 7 was a lie.
It’s not pat to say that the Windows PC market went for volume over quality, because it did: Many of those 20 million Windows 7 licenses each month—too many, I think—went to machines that are basically throwaway, plastic crap. Netbooks didn’t just rejuvenate the market just as Windows 7 appeared, they also destroyed it from within: Now consumers expect to pay next to nothing for a Windows PC. Most of them simply refuse to pay for more expensive Windows PCs.
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/explaining-windows-8-pc-sales-over-holidays
 

Sam Posten

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If you are considering a start menu replacement..... http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/01/help-ive-got-windows-8-and-i-miss-my-start-menu/
 

Edwin-S

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Stan said:
Glad things are working out for you. For the most part Vista was quietly put away and not talked about much. I've got several friends who had it and had nothing but problems. I've gone back to school, taking classes here and there at three different colleges, all of them running Windows 7, won't find a Vista machine on any of their campuses. Everyone of them had XP, totally skipped Vista and went straight to Windows 7. Not saying you bought a dud OS, but you seem to be one of the lucky ones.
It's worked okay for me. I've been running Vista business for the last five years or so and it has been pretty stable. I have had no more problems with it than any other OS such as Win98 and XP.
 

Ronald Epstein

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I was going to start a completely new thread but figured
it would probably be better just to continue from this....
I don't use Windows often. In fact, I am a Mac user and
use Windows via virtual software (Parallels) which works
extremely well.
Currently, I am on Windows 7. I have the opportunity to
upgrade to Windows 8. Usually, I would jump at that
opportunity just to stay current with everyone else.
...but all the complaints about the redesign of the new
OS has me a bit worried. I am sort of sitting here
contemplating just taking the chance and upgrading.
What do you guys think?
Edit: Posted this before actually reading the two
pages of links that Sam Posten posted blasting the
new operating system. I suppose I would like to hear
from someone that has Windows 8 installed and might
have a more positive spin on the experience as well.
 

Sam Posten

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I still hate it, regret putting it on the one machine I have it on. It sucks for the way I use my boxes. Others love it. So, polarizing? I'd suggest playing with one at a Microsoft store before you make the upgrade. Ask them to show you how you get into the desktop to run anything that isnt Metro. Ask them to show you how you get to the control panel to fix the mess. Ask them to show you how to work through devices and other stuff. You might love it, I dunno. But I advise going with a machine you don't care about before committing one you do.
 

Cees Alons

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Until now (and in the near future) I will not upgrade my existing PCs to W8 (- yet?). However, the moment the proper Surface tablet (the "pro" version) hits the market here, I will acquire one - with Windows 8 on it of course.

Part of the problem with W8 is of course the same problem we're (mildly) facing on the forum right now: there's a change and at the same time the "looks" have changed as well. I think I will give my honest opinion (about W8, not this forum :D ) when I am up some part of that learning curve.

Sorry, Ron, but I can't help you yet.


Cees
 

mattCR

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Ok, now that we are farther down the road on Windows 8, I'll add in some thoughts. What I've discovered is that the best uses.. and where Win8 really works is in roles it isn't really pitched at. Set it up with a Kinect kit, and you've got an unbelievable HTPC experience. If you are running multiple monitors, it does it better than anything I have ever used.

But almost everyone is going to install a start menu replacement, because frankly you need it for most of your day to day tasks.. and that's something, as I pointed out they blew it on.

Their are real solid benefits here.. from hardware management, network management, integration of media, launchable controls, etc. that as time goes on really gets cleaned up and becomes pretty slick. But there are also some glaring issues with implementation of not having a drop back.

I'm still in the mixed camp. Some things I love, some things I don't. I will say, touch screen laptops and flappable ones (see: Yoga, etc.) have worked out way better than I imagined.
 

DaveF

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mattCR said:
Ok, now that we are farther down the road on Windows 8, I'll add in some thoughts. What I've discovered is that the best uses.. and where Win8 really works is in roles it isn't really pitched at. Set it up with a Kinect kit, and you've got an unbelievable HTPC experience.
Can you elaborate? What does the Kinect bring to an HTPC? What I've read mostly bemoans W8 harming HTPC, since it kills extenders (Ceton Echo) except Xbox 360; though otherwise making WMC a bit better.
 

mattCR

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DaveF said:
Can you elaborate? What does the Kinect bring to an HTPC? What I've read mostly bemoans W8 harming HTPC, since it kills extenders (Ceton Echo) except Xbox 360; though otherwise making WMC a bit better.
Still work coming for the Echo, though you're right.

In regards to the HTPC experience, if you have the Kinect developer kit (which needs to come consumer) it's easy to program win8 to respond to hand gestures, etc. to change channels move the guide, pick targets.. it's still a work in progress but it's pretty cool.
 

Harry-N

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I look at Win8 as one of those in-between, not-popular OS' that Microsoft seems to come up with, lumping it in with WinME and Vista, and am among those who think that whatever's next will be both an improvement on Win8 and a return of things like the start menu. When Microsoft detects that people are adding on to their OS - and paying for the privilege - they usually find a way to provide it.

I used XP up until last year when a power-supply crashed my desktop. My only alternative a year ago was to get a Windows Seven box. I struggled with getting the 64-bit box to do what I was used to doing on XP, and lost a lot of backward compatibility in the process, but ultimately came to view Win7 rather favorably. So much so, that when I wanted to replace an XP laptop, I jumped through hoops the ensure that it was a Win7 laptop and not Win8.

Harry
 

Jeff Willis

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Sam Posten said:
von900.jpg


Harry-N said:
I look at Win8 as one of those in-between, not-popular OS' that Microsoft seems to come up with, lumping it in with WinME and Vista, and am among those who think that whatever's next will be both an improvement on Win8 and a return of things like the start menu. When Microsoft detects that people are adding on to their OS - and paying for the privilege - they usually find a way to provide it.

I used XP up until last year when a power-supply crashed my desktop. My only alternative a year ago was to get a Windows Seven box. I struggled with getting the 64-bit box to do what I was used to doing on XP, and lost a lot of backward compatibility in the process, but ultimately came to view Win7 rather favorably. So much so, that when I wanted to replace an XP laptop, I jumped through hoops the ensure that it was a Win7 laptop and not Win8.

Harry
I agree about Win 7. I've been using it since I bought the Desktop in '10 and a Laptop. It's the best OS that I've used over the years with home PC's.

I demo'ed Win 8 at a store recently and as long as one can revert to "Win 7" simulated mode, I wouldn't be too annoyed if I had to use WIn 8 but I much prefer 7 from what I've seen so far.

ChristopherG said:
Not surprising to read this about Win 8. I'm still running Win 7 with no plans to upgrade the OS.

It is good though, that there are easy workarounds in WIN 8, with various methods to load "Start" button programs and to change Win 8 to boot to desktop mode.

I don't understand why MS didn't keep the "start" button in Win 8. I guess someone there had a valid reason for the decision but it sure stirred up the PC-user world.

As long as MS continues to port over most of the common shortcut keys, I can deal with OS upgrades. I don't often use a mouse on PC's.
 

mattCR

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