Desktop users deserve a significant rethink of the Windows 8 gaffes and omissions for the next version of Windows, writes InfoWorld's Woody Leonhard, offering 10 must-have features for Windows 9. From a "Get out of hell" modal dialog to prevent unwanted jumping to Metro, to a Control Panel that actually controls the kinds of things you would want a Control Panel to control, it's 'due time we diehards speak out.' What's your feedback for the Windows dev team as it puts together its Windows 9 (or "Windows Blue"?) specs.
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Member since:2005-11-13
This. I agree that Metro is a big ass burger with a side of fries, but Windows 8 on the desktop is hands down better than Windows 7, and that's where I stay. Most of the time, I forget that Metro is even there. It's useful in some cases (for me, getting Facebook notifications and syncing with Google calendar), but completely optional if you don't want to use it.
Member since:2009-10-25
Fully agreed. I've installed it a week ago, using it on 24" screen and it is basically improved Windows 7. Only time I see Metro is when starting an app - hit Windows key, hello Metro, start typing, hit enter, goodbye Metro. Time to adjust from Windows 7 to Windows 8 is 10 seconds.
Whatever is the real reason people are bitching about it so much, it escapes me.
Member since:2009-08-18
Member since:2005-11-16
That's reasonable advice right now. It'll stop being so reasonable if/when software starts to be released that's Metro/Modern only.
My problem with Windows 8 is that it treats the desktop as a compatibility layer, with Metro crippleware the primary interface. While you can work around that right now, I think that Microsoft are making it pretty clear that they see Metro as the future of Windows, and the desktop as a niche/legacy component. I can see Metro becoming much harder to completely avoid as time goes on.
Member since:2006-02-15
As I've stated in some other story recently, I installed Windows 8 on my laptop, then I proceeded to install Start8, disabled Metro Start screen, disabled all the hot corners and set my PC to boot to desktop; this way Windows 8 isn't really much different from Windows 7, it's just got a different-looking theme. I do not see any real disadvantages to Windows 8 if used that way, but then again, I see no advantages, either.
Member since:2006-12-05
Member since:2005-07-06
well, you still get all the nice little under-the-hood changes and security enhancements which are a good thing. I really like the new taskmanager and changes to explorer's UI. But other than that, even without changing anything from default, it's mostly windows 7 2.0.. I am totally OK with that since Windows 7 is the first version of Windows I've actually *liked* in a long while 
Member since:2006-12-05
As far as I have seen, most whiners about it wont take the time to either learn it or just disable it. The under the hood changes in Windows 8 are fantastic and the UI changes, other than Metro (if you dislike it), are generally fantastic.
That's kind of hard to do when, you know... you're dumped right into the "Start screen" which--make no mistake--is a part of Metro. Want to run a desktop application without touching Metro? Tough--unless you litter your desktop and taskbar with icons, you have to deal with the Metro-ized Start menu replacement for that, too. Oh, and that annoying thing that always needlessly pops up on the right side of the screen when you simply want to access an icon in the system tray or close a window that's on the right side of the screen? Well, that's part of Metro too, and you'll need to deal with it eventually if you ever plan on rebooting or shutting down your machine without reaching for the power button or the power cable.
The simple fact is, Microsoft has hardwired Metro into Windows 8 in such a way that it is impossible to completely disable or bypass it.
Edited 2012-12-04 05:01 UTC
Member since:2005-11-29
Member since:2005-07-06
Yeah, you are. And guess what? There is a big, default tile that says "Desktop". *BAM*, you are in your desktop until you wish to shutdown fully or completely log off.
Don't like it? Install on of the replacement startmenu apps that have a handy little "boot to desktop" check box in their options. Oh, WOW! Windows 7 style start menu and instant booting to desktop! Guess what? They ALSO let you shutdown/reboot/whatever your machine like usual from there!
I'll give you the side menu when you mouse over to that portion of the screen. Where the clock is. Seriously, the only thing there, in the space that activates it, is the bloody time. Man oh man, that is annoying! God, the 500 times a day I change my clock and have to see that damn side menu pop up!
If you move your taskbar elsewhere, like I do (left side of the screen), then you can accidentally activate the menu doing other things. So that complaint *is* mostly valid.
Shutting down the machine is now 3 clicks instead of just two. So they regressed back to Vista on that aspect, by default. But I sleep my laptops and my PC stays on 24/7, so that isn't a big deal to me, but I will give you that it might annoy people stuck in 1999 and constantly shutting down their machines instead of just sleeping/hibernating them.
... and I realize I probably sound like a foamy MS fanboy right now, but I'm hardly that. I just cant stand it when people come up with ridiculous criticism of something just because they don't like it. For the record, I have #! on my laptop, Win 8 on my main desktop, Haiku on a secondary box, etc.
Member since:2008-08-27
Not necessarily.
1. Click once on the desktop wallpaper (not on any desktop icon).
2. Press ALT+F4.
Voilà! Windows 2000-style Shutdown dialog! Choose Shut Down, Restart, Log Off, etc and click OK or press Enter. DONE.
Member since:
2005-07-06
The desktop is still there. WTF is with all you people bitching? Don't like the UI formally known as Metro? THEN DON'T USE IT. I haven't even installed a replacement start button app and I've barely had any interaction with it.
As far as I have seen, most whiners about it wont take the time to either learn it or just disable it. The under the hood changes in Windows 8 are fantastic and the UI changes, other than Metro (if you dislike it), are generally fantastic.
I'll get voted down because "everyone has an opinion", but anyone that voices the same complaints that have been beat to death will get up voted. This is bloody ridiculous.