Windows 8.1 to be made available in October
- Thread starter Poke
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I really don't miss the start button, after making shortcuts to what I use most, I am good with Windows 8 as it is now.
Just get Classic Shell or one of the other Start button replacements. The one Microsoft added back in 8.1 is still completely useless. All it does is bring up the worthless start page that's already there. It's just window dressing to attempt to appease critics without actually doing anything. I reluctantly use 8.1, but still dislike it immensely. Now that I've completely banished Metro and gotten a real start menu via a third party program, it's a little more tolerable. The minor changes in 8.1 don't affect me in the least, so its release is a non-event in my book.
I have been using Windows 8 on my gaming PC since January or so. I was used to Windows 7 because that is what I put on all the PCs at my office. At first I will admit that it wasn't very comfortable. Major design change rarely is but using a OS designed for touch screens with a standard mouse and keyboard setup felt a little awkward.
Like osu1991 mentioned, I just put shortcuts to the game launchers like Steam, Origin, uPlay, and Gamefly as well as diagnostic programs I frequently use like Core Temp, FRAPS, and GPU-Z on my desktop. Now that I have gotten used to the new setup I hardly notice that it is any different. I think that if most people just use it for a while and give it a chance they will see that it really isn't a big deal. Maybe if I used this machine like I use my Windows 7 computers at work it would have bothered me more. For my current, gaming only purposes I don't have any issues though.
For those that still hate it there are the mentioned third party fixes. Yes, Microsoft should give those that want it a more traditional, Windows 7 like option. It's hard to be innovative and keep things fresh and new at the same time as pleasing those who want everything to stay the same forever though. I'm not saying that Windows 8 is all that innovative but they can't move in that direction without making some major changes now and then.
Like osu1991 mentioned, I just put shortcuts to the game launchers like Steam, Origin, uPlay, and Gamefly as well as diagnostic programs I frequently use like Core Temp, FRAPS, and GPU-Z on my desktop. Now that I have gotten used to the new setup I hardly notice that it is any different. I think that if most people just use it for a while and give it a chance they will see that it really isn't a big deal. Maybe if I used this machine like I use my Windows 7 computers at work it would have bothered me more. For my current, gaming only purposes I don't have any issues though.
For those that still hate it there are the mentioned third party fixes. Yes, Microsoft should give those that want it a more traditional, Windows 7 like option. It's hard to be innovative and keep things fresh and new at the same time as pleasing those who want everything to stay the same forever though. I'm not saying that Windows 8 is all that innovative but they can't move in that direction without making some major changes now and then.
Well thanks for the bad news.
I will look into those other classic add-ons then. I agree the new startup page with the big icons is annoying. I move right to the desktop that looks like traditional windows.
I'm not married to the start menu, and I'm not resistant to change. But give me something BETTER, not worse. I had no problem adapting to my iPhone because it was BETTER than what I was using before. It's a question of usability. Microsoft says we don't need cascading menus that neatly organize things and make them easy to find. OK, fine, give me something better. Making me guess the name of the app I'm looking for and typing instead of point and click is not better. Making me scan a full page of words and tiny cryptic icons rather than drilling down by type is not better. That's why books have a table of contents rather than having to read the entire book to locate what you want. Just make a bunch of shortcuts you say. Well that's fine for some folks but I don't want to make shortcuts for the 300 or so programs I have. I don't have space on my desktop to do that. And if I did, the end result would be the Win 8 start page anyway. I haven't memorized the exact name of every program, so search won't do it. I want to be able to easily browse my programs without having to scan the wall of text that is the Win 8 start page. Why is Microsoft so against making a usable interface? Why does making something good not fit their vision of the future?
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I can see the win 8 UI working nicely on a touchscreen or tablet. I just do not like it on a desktop. I do not want a touchscreen for my desk. I do not keep my monitor close enough to touch easily. I like large HD screens, when 4k for the desktop comes down below $2k I will probably buy one of them (they are 3500 now for 32"). All MS had to do was put 2 control panel options:
1. Boot to Desktop
2. Start menu available
That is all they had to do and Win 8 would have been a best seller. Now they are just being stubborn, they fired the guy that made the decision and yet they are not going back. Most people would not have known/bothered to learn about the control panel options and would have learned the new way. They would not have been talked out of buying win8 since no one could complain because it was still able to be win 7 like.
1. Boot to Desktop
2. Start menu available
That is all they had to do and Win 8 would have been a best seller. Now they are just being stubborn, they fired the guy that made the decision and yet they are not going back. Most people would not have known/bothered to learn about the control panel options and would have learned the new way. They would not have been talked out of buying win8 since no one could complain because it was still able to be win 7 like.
Thanks for your suggestion for Classic Shell™ I went to wikipedia where there was a list of different options and it appeared that Classic Shell was the closest to what I wanted. It installed quick and easy and I set up the options to make it similar to windows 7 and now my Surface Pro is close to what I am used to. Have to get used to the little Scallop Shell icon but that's OK.
I found a free Start8 program online and downloaded it. That done the trick. I have the Windows 8.1 preview downloaded. It has the start button but not the same as the old start that we are used to. free start8 has the start icon functionality that we are used to having with prior versions of Windows.
It may be because Microsoft sees consultants (organizations who pay gargantuan sums to other consultants for MCSE certifications) and authors (people who make a mint on dummy books for new and inscrutable products and doggedly find what little good there is) as their customers, not end users.
I'm sure Microsoft has an entire department in charge of their user interface and they have been given very specific directions to create something that looks easy. At the same time, anything that looks easy probably isn't productive so big money is available to those who find or create short cuts. It is all about making money for the computer people. End users get an opportunity to challenge their minds.
Thanks for your suggestion for Classic Shell™ I went to wikipedia where there was a list of different options and it appeared that Classic Shell was the closest to what I wanted. It installed quick and easy and I set up the options to make it similar to windows 7 and now my Surface Pro is close to what I am used to. Have to get used to the little Scallop Shell icon but that's OK.
It probably does the same thing as what I am using (which I think is Start 8). Only difference is mine puts the windows icon, which is very much like 7.
With that, it adds back what most are complaining about when it comes to 8, and makes it a faster version of 7. I for one am enjoying it.
I just discovered that you can easily change the start button image in classic shell. Here is a nice one. Just save the image and use it in settings, size 48. There are many others as well.
http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=190&p=824
http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=190&p=824
Windows 8.1 now RTM, general availability expected October 17th
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Wind...al-availability-expected-October-17th_id46745
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Wind...al-availability-expected-October-17th_id46745
If I figure I can eventually get used to Win 8, especially with Classic Shell or Start 8, are there advantages of Win 8 over Win 7? I'm shopping for a new desktop, and have been waffling between versions of a Dell model that's offered with either OS. They're not identical in other configurations, however, and each version has its own plusses, so it may come down to the OS as a primary deciding factor. Thoughts appreciated - TIA!
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-8.1-rtm-gold-release-download,24008.html
Makes Windows 8 seem more and more like Vista... 8.1 back to windows 7 reliability... Maybe in 8.2 they will finally put back in a real start button...
Makes Windows 8 seem more and more like Vista... 8.1 back to windows 7 reliability... Maybe in 8.2 they will finally put back in a real start button...
I use Start is Back
Your session would start with the desktop. Always! Unlike other solutions, StartIsBack goes directly to desktop every time without flashing Start Screen even for a millisecond.
http://www.startisback.com/
Your session would start with the desktop. Always! Unlike other solutions, StartIsBack goes directly to desktop every time without flashing Start Screen even for a millisecond.
http://www.startisback.com/
