Windows 8.1 Hands-On Preview

[cyclone3d]

Or you could just hit start and search like any power user should be doing

Umm, what? Search is for when you don't knwo where something is. Are you that disorganized that you always have to do a search to find programs or files on your computer?

Power users know where everything is, so no need to search.

I know where I put my keys, so no need to search for them every morning. I know where I put my wallet, so I know where it is in the morning. I know where I parked my car, so no need to search for it.

I know where my programs and files are, just give me a fricken way to get to them without searching.

Exactly.

 

[oROEchimaru]

this is not friendly yet for a hospital system that i work for yet
a. ease of access to citrix apps
b. working in 20+ programs > hiding the junk programs users dont use
c. multiuser workstation access without fast user profile switching
d. need to work quickly not play with metro screen

the tablet interface some docs would love, but they then expect amazing ipad experience which is not the case because virtual apps are not tablet format but still on a server.

 

[Goatblaster]

Still can't bring myself to use an OS with a homescreen that looks like a teletubby orgy.

 

[Youn]

Umm, what? Search is for when you don't knwo where something is. Are you that disorganized that you always have to do a search to find programs or files on your computer?

No, he means it's faster to hit search and type in three character then hit enter... as opposed to hit start and move the mouse around to find the app. obviously ymmv

 

[heatlesssun]

this is not friendly yet for a hospital system that i work for yet
a. ease of access to citrix apps
b. working in 20+ programs > hiding the junk programs users dont use
c. multiuser workstation access without fast user profile switching
d. need to work quickly not play with metro screen

the tablet interface some docs would love, but they then expect amazing ipad experience which is not the case because virtual apps are not tablet format but still on a server.

If you're running desktop apps remotely, then what does Metro have to do with it? Working with 20+ on the desktop is no different really in 7 or 8 other launching which is exactly the same with things pin to the task bar and really not that different if you have desktop apps pinned to the Start Screen.

 

[Wrench00]

I think for most end consumer users there's a TON of advantages to this so call cloud bloat. All of my Metro apps were automatically reinstalled from the Windows Server 2012 R2 install I did the other day and on top of that the apps that save to the cloud, all the data was there. When you think of all of the pain and hassle people have gone through over the years backing up data and reinstalling apps one at a time manually, there's no way that most people would want to continue down that path and not take advantage of what the cloud can provide.

What advantage of the cloud would that be? Getting Spied on by NSA?

 

[Qinsp]

this is not friendly yet for a hospital system that i work for yet
a. ease of access to citrix apps
b. working in 20+ programs > hiding the junk programs users dont use
c. multiuser workstation access without fast user profile switching
d. need to work quickly not play with metro screen

the tablet interface some docs would love, but they then expect amazing ipad experience which is not the case because virtual apps are not tablet format but still on a server.

This is long standing issue with Windows.

We need a Work version of Windows.

 

[Qinsp]

What advantage of the cloud would that be? Getting Spied on by NSA?

Microsoft spies on you WAY more than the NSA does.

So does Google.

So does Hardforum.

It's comedy when I search for a type of product, and next thing I know, I get Banner Ads that list the product.

Dude. I wasn't shopping. I was answering a question by using a websearch.

 

[Wrench00]

Microsoft spies on you WAY more than the NSA does.

So does Google.

So does Hardforum.

It's comedy when I search for a type of product, and next thing I know, I get Banner Ads that list the product.

Dude. I wasn't shopping. I was answering a question by using a websearch.

The difference between all those entities is that only one can enslave you, take your freedom away and or kill you if they feel like it.

 

[Qinsp]

The difference between all those entities is that only one can enslave you, take your freedom away and or kill you if they feel like it.

Well, I would suggest that you quit Al Qaeda and the Taliban if you are that worried about it.

 

[Dekoth-E-]

Setting to boot straight to desktop.
Start button added.
Start button only launches start screen and completely defeats the purpose of the above two additions.

Microsoft still doesn't get it.

Dear Microsoft,

The lack of the start button wasn't the issue.

This Atrocity of a UI is the problem.

That is the portion that we want to be able to utterly and completely disable. I like it just fine on my tablet, But I never under any circumstances want to see it on my desktop.

 

[Ur_Mom]

If you're running desktop apps remotely, then what does Metro have to do with it? Working with 20+ on the desktop is no different really in 7 or 8 other launching which is exactly the same with things pin to the task bar and really not that different if you have desktop apps pinned to the Start Screen.

There are times when I've gone to the start screen just to hit the desktop button again. All that flipping and flopping is a time waster and isn't fluid. Or when I'm in the start screen, I can't see the task bar with a blinking icon showing it was updated.... or many other things. It is different than in Windows 7. Even if you drop the modern UI to just a Start menu, which it can be, it's still clunky and feels unfinished. A decent idea, but it just needs a lot of work.

This is both on a tablet and a desktop. Much easier on tablet, but still needs work. It's getting better, and I still like Windows 8, but it's not perfect by any means.

 

[chockomonkey]

Microsoft still doesn't get it.

they can't be that dense.. they get it.

They just don't give a shit.

 

[Wrench00]

Well, I would suggest that you quit Al Qaeda and the Taliban if you are that worried about it.

Yes no one ever abuses government power for their own benefits..

I am assuming Sarcasm because of the grin.

 

[heatlesssun]

This Atrocity of a UI is the problem.

I don't think this would be considered an atrocity by most people:

I don't think that there would be a consensus about this being so much less atrocious:

I also wonder why no one ever complained about the Start Menu being full screen.

The Start Screen has a more options than the Menu and Metro apps have the ability to present a lot of information without even having to be launched.

 

[nutzo]

Setting to boot straight to desktop.
Start button added.
Start button only launches start screen and completely defeats the purpose of the above two additions.

That's all I needed to know.
Looks like I'll be sticking with Windows 7 for a long time.

 

[drescherjm]

I don't think this would be considered an atrocity by most people:

Its an atrocity to me.

 

[Qinsp]

Understand that those graphic pic Icons are paid for.

Do we really want the default desktop to be GoogleAds? Even if they are from Microsoft?

 

[Youn]

yea, looking at that thing also made me vomit AND lose control of bowel movements... ms is no fun

 

[Qinsp]

On a non-custom, default install, the only icons that should appear are local computer functions or applications.

When I first put Win8 on a computer and the Weather and Stock Market popped up, I thought, WTF???

How much shit am I going to have to delete?

 

[spaceace420]

Installed a little while ago and so far it is a little better. Being able to right click the flag and get to alot of the admin desktop options help. Can't comment on metro because I really do not use it for anything anymore.

 

[ellroy80]

Microsoft can take this pos os and stick it where the sun don't shine ! I am not some sheep that will use a main os that is bloated with cloud bs. Heck I won't even use steam or the lates bs office with all that cloud bloat. When I purchase something I want to be able to keep my information private and be able to resell the software. It's this kind of mentality that keeps many people using torrent sites Sad nowdays people that actually pay for movies, games, business software etc get screwed over by all the drm and cloud bs. I for one never get screwed if you know what I mean muahahaha

Yeah, why should anyone have to pay for someone else's hard work?? I mean, why can't I get a plumber or electrician to come to my house and fix things for nothing?? Really, why should I get paid to work. We should just do everything for free!!!

Dolt.

 

[ellroy80]

Its an atrocity to me.

Yet I think it looks great.

 

[ZeroBarrier]

Yet I think it looks great.

You must have the same tastes as a 5 yr. old; no offense, but seriously...

It looks no different than anything Fisher Price ever made or as previously stated, a Teletubbies orgy, ewww...

 

[cyclone3d]

No, he means it's faster to hit search and type in three character then hit enter... as opposed to hit start and move the mouse around to find the app. obviously ymmv

Most used programs should be pinned to task bar.

Then for the utilities for those programs, and other stuff that doesn't get used that often, they should be in the start menu.

What if you don't know the exact names of the programs and utilities? You go browse for the exe so you can find it?

Makes no sense to remove the start menu.

What about the fact that a lot of programs have utilities and other stuff that they by default make shortcuts for in the start menu? As it is now with Win8, they just all get pushed to the start screen. I have seen programs put 5-10 icons on the start screen. Huge mess.

 

[heatlesssun]

There are times when I've gone to the start screen just to hit the desktop button again. All that flipping and flopping is a time waster and isn't fluid.

It is easier to click off the Start Menu but this is more a familiarity issue. I really think that time to recover from accidently going to the Start Menu versus Start Screen is very subjective thing.

Or when I'm in the start screen, I can't see the task bar with a blinking icon showing it was updated.... or many other things. It is different than in Windows 7. Even if you drop the modern UI to just a Start menu, which it can be, it's still clunky and feels unfinished. A decent idea, but it just needs a lot of work.

One could be doing any number of things and not see or care about a flashing icon, eventually you're going to see it. There's always going to be this little thing or that little thing from 20 years that people are going to obsess over when in reality what does it matter? One thing that added to the Apps section is the ability to sort by install date and most used. apps. That's going to save me a lot of time over the Start Menu.

This is both on a tablet and a desktop. Much easier on tablet, but still needs work. It's getting better, and I still like Windows 8, but it's not perfect by any means.

This is a major effort and an on going one and sure it can be improved even more. But 8.1 goes a long way and does address most of the major concerns I've heard short of putting the Start Menu back and a Metro off switch.

 

[schizrade]

You must have the same tastes as a 5 yr. old; no offense, but seriously...

It looks no different than anything Fisher Price ever made or as previously stated, a Teletubbies orgy, ewww...

Who is the 5 year old again? You insult somebody, then apologize, but not really.

LMAO.

Give it a rest. Windows XP was called the same thing 12 years ago, "bubble gum GUI!!!" "Fisher Price OS!!!" ZOMG!!!

 

[heatlesssun]

On a non-custom, default install, the only icons that should appear are local computer functions or applications.

When I first put Win8 on a computer and the Weather and Stock Market popped up, I thought, WTF???

Yeah because no one cares about weather or stocks.

How much shit am I going to have to delete?

A lot less than the bloatware that comes with most retail PCs. Removing Metro apps is a breeze, much easier and faster than desktop apps.

 

[ZeroBarrier]

Who is the 5 year old again? You insult somebody, then apologize, but not really.

LMAO.

Give it a rest. Windows XP was called the same thing 12 years ago, "bubble gum GUI!!!" "Fisher Price OS!!!" ZOMG!!!

Re-read what I posted. I haven't called anyone a 5 yr. old. Having the same tastes as someone else, regardless of their age, does not make you the same as them.

 

[heatlesssun]

Setting to boot straight to desktop.
Start button added.
Start button only launches start screen and completely defeats the purpose of the above two additions.

There's more than this but a big one you missed is having the Start Button go directly to the apps screen. And on the Apps screen you can now sort by date installed and most used apps and that applies to both desktop and Metro apps.

 

[Azhar]

Same old shit now with a start button. More of MS look are our fancy schmancy cloud bullshit. I hate metro and all the apps that are in it. Not a single one that I've found that is better then I already have on the desktop or a simple web browser can't do.

I need a CALCULATOR TO BE FULL SCREEN OMG BBQ FTW WTF.
I fucking hate metro apps they are about as useful as a Heterosexual male in a Lesbian bar picking up ladies.

THE FULL SCREEN CALCULATOR IS FOR TOUCH TYPING LIKE IPAD AND ANDROID TABLETS OMG WTF BBQ FTW WTF.

don't use the start screen if you don't like it. Honestly, I can get through an entire week without going into the start screen. Much ado about shit.

 

[Qinsp]

Yeah because no one cares about weather or stocks.



A lot less than the bloatware that comes with most retail PCs. Removing Metro apps is a breeze, much easier and faster than desktop apps.

We can see outside, and what stocks do every hour is pointless for those who are not professional gamblers.

 

[Qinsp]

Nor does the weather, stocks, or news help us get more work done each day.

 

[heatlesssun]

THE FULL SCREEN CALCULATOR IS FOR TOUCH TYPING LIKE IPAD AND ANDROID TABLETS OMG WTF BBQ FTW WTF.

don't use the start screen if you don't like it. Honestly, I can get through an entire week without going into the start screen. Much ado about shit.

It's like people really are making this stuff up and have never used Windows 8:

And one of the big deals in 8.1 is the ability to split screen Metro apps up to four apps per screen and it's actually pretty useful for multitasking because you just drag the window around so swap positions and resizing automatically resizes the other apps.

 

[spaceace420]

I just installed the new windows 8.1 preview and now my nvidia drivers are 325.71, anyone else have this version?

 

[heatlesssun]

We can see outside, and what stocks do every hour is pointless for those who are not professional gamblers.

You can't see out side right now and tell me that it's going to rain tomorrow. And keeping track of how the markets are doing is just something I and millions others do. At any rate these tiles have four sizes or can be entirely removed.

 

[Azhar]

It's like people really are making this stuff up and have never used Windows 8:

And one of the big deals in 8.1 is the ability to split screen Metro apps up to four apps per screen and it's actually pretty useful for multitasking because you just drag the window around so swap positions and resizing automatically resizes the other apps.

and even so, the old calculator is still there. Some people just likes to get his panties in a bunch because it's cool to hate Windows 8. Ditto Apple products. I wonder some days if I signed up for [W]hinyForum instead of a hardware forum.

 

[Qinsp]

You can't see out side right now and tell me that it's going to rain tomorrow. And keeping track of how the markets are doing is just something I and millions others do. At any rate these tiles have four sizes or can be entirely removed.

If you work for me, and I find you spending your time tracking the hourly stock prices, you will be asked to go home. You won't need to show up the next day. You are replaceable if you think hourly stock prices are important.

 

[wonderfield]

First chink in the armor: the installation is stuck at 'pending'. Windows is forbidding soft-shutdowns or restarts.

Pretty typical experience so far.

 

[heatlesssun]

and even so, the old calculator is still there.

True, but what's hilarious about it is that the old desktop calculator can't be resized. It's a tiny ass little thing on a big screen monitor or nothing. Docking stuff to the edges and they way it's handled in 8 is pretty useful.