Windows 'Threshold': Microsoft's Plan To Win Over Windows 7 Users

[SGA76]

Worked with 4 different Windows 8 PCs (NOT 8.1).
3 were laptops without touchscreens.
1 was a laptop with touchscreen.
No touchscreens, and I was ready to throw them all out the damn door within the first 3 hours. After I installed classic shell, they became usable but between the charms bar popping up every time I tried to scroll down, and every time I moved my fingers across the tracpads too fast or touched edges of it and "shortcuts" kicked in and opened some other random program or closed whatever I was working on without saving or a combination of those two PLUS just viewing photos became a damn chore because I'd open a photo and the only way out was to press the home key, which took me back to metro, then I would have to go to desktop, then navigate back to the photos, then repeat process.... Fixed that by making a MS account and downloading a different picture viewer from the MS Store (which bugs me for a credit card every time I sneeze).
Headache, headache, headache, headache....
The laptop with a touchscreen was a dream. Really, worked fantastic. Scrolling was done by moving your finger across the screen, moving from one picture to the next in the default viewer was done by swiping your finger from side to side, metro just worked well with touch.
I bought a 8 laptop before 8.1 was released and I really tried to use it, that didn't last long. I figured if I had to relearn how to use Windows and Steam OS was on the horizon, screw it I'd just go Linux and be ready since MS is already pissing all over us gamers.
I'm honest to god done with Windows. I've got 7 on my gaming rig because its been that way for 4 years, but after it breaks for good I'm not shelling out money to a bunch of idiots that enjoy alienating their user base be it desktop or console.

 

[ktk]

Dont think you are the only troll who knows how to use the psychological statement payload reply.

 

[ktk]

Worked with 4 different Windows 8 PCs (NOT 8.1).
3 were laptops without touchscreens.
1 was a laptop with touchscreen.
No touchscreens, and I was ready to throw them all out the damn door within the first 3 hours. After I installed classic shell, they became usable but between the charms bar popping up every time I tried to scroll down, and every time I moved my fingers across the tracpads too fast or touched edges of it and "shortcuts" kicked in and opened some other random program or closed whatever I was working on without saving or a combination of those two PLUS just viewing photos became a damn chore because I'd open a photo and the only way out was to press the home key, which took me back to metro, then I would have to go to desktop, then navigate back to the photos, then repeat process.... Fixed that by making a MS account and downloading a different picture viewer from the MS Store (which bugs me for a credit card every time I sneeze).
Headache, headache, headache, headache....
The laptop with a touchscreen was a dream. Really, worked fantastic. Scrolling was done by moving your finger across the screen, moving from one picture to the next in the default viewer was done by swiping your finger from side to side, metro just worked well with touch.
I bought a 8 laptop before 8.1 was released and I really tried to use it, that didn't last long. I figured if I had to relearn how to use Windows and Steam OS was on the horizon, screw it I'd just go Linux and be ready since MS is already pissing all over us gamers.
I'm honest to god done with Windows. I've got 7 on my gaming rig because its been that way for 4 years, but after it breaks for good I'm not shelling out money to a bunch of idiots that enjoy alienating their user base be it desktop or console.

Im interested in how to clear the fingerprint mess after using a touchscreen.

been playing around with my roommates win8 TF100

Do you keep/stow a microfiber pad on the touchscreen lappy?

 

[heatlesssun]

And you clearly dont have a family to speak to after work.

Other than getting my wife, sister and about a dozen in-laws hooked up with Windows 8 and up and running a lot better than you've been able to do then... what is your point?

 

[SGA76]

Im interested in how to clear the fingerprint mess after using a touchscreen.

been playing around with my roommates win8 TF100

Do you keep/stow a microfiber pad on the touchscreen lappy?

Clean the screen with lcd wipes, dry it really thorough with microfiber, then apply about 8 layers of Rain-X to it and buff it clear, finger oil barely builds up and it cleans easy with a microfiber cloth.
Works on tablets and phones too!

 

[heatlesssun]

Fixed that by making a MS account and downloading a different picture viewer from the MS Store (which bugs me for a credit card every time I sneeze).

This doesn't make any sense. All you'd have to do prior to Windows 8.1 Update was change the default program for images to the desktop Windows Photo Viewer. With the current update all file types are set by default for desktop programs, expect PDFs as there never was an in the box PDF viewer in Windows until 8 for whatever reason, on keyboard and desktop driven devices.

I figured if I had to relearn how to use Windows and Steam OS was on the horizon, screw it I'd just go Linux and be ready since MS is already pissing all over us gamers.

Or learn Windows in the first place. Setting program defaults has been in Windows forever. How in the world can anyone be Windows savvy and not understand its most basic functions, functions that didn't not change in 8 or only superficially, like a right instead of left click?

 

[SGA76]

This doesn't make any sense. All you'd have to do prior to Windows 8.1 Update was change the default program for images to the desktop Windows Photo Viewer. With the current update all file types are set by default for desktop programs, expect PDFs as there never was an in the box PDF viewer in Windows until 8 for whatever reason, on keyboard and desktop driven devices.




Or learn Windows in the first place. Setting program defaults has been in Windows forever. How in the world can anyone be Windows savvy and not understand its most basic functions, functions that didn't not change in 8 or only superficially, like a right instead of left click?

So because you claim to have had no learning curve for 8, you think no one else should either? Why the hell should I be trying to figure out WHY my shit isn't working right? If its Windows, it should run like WINDOWS.
Dude, Linux elitist assholes have nothing on you.

 

[drakken]

I think the best way to go is an al carte. I buy embeded, api, hal, gina, DX modules and black box what ever needs to be be re-written until microsoft comes out with something better.

The API has not changed since win2k except for bug fixes and works as it needs to. The HAL is basically the driver interface and they could get away with selling a new version every year... The auth part is pretty but practually wearing nothing security wise.

DX really needs outside hooks to translate what ever media it finds. Who know it would be a crazy amount of work and they gave up last time they tried it.

 

[heatlesssun]

So because you claim to have had no learning curve for 8, you think no one else should either? Why the hell should I be trying to figure out WHY my shit isn't working right? If its Windows, it should run like WINDOWS.
Dude, Linux elitist assholes have nothing on you.

I'm not saying that at all. Setting program defaults is nothing new to Windows 8 and has long been core to the function of Windows. I understand that the average Windows user probably doesn't know much about it but it's hard for me to understand how people in this thread who claim a lot of Windows experience wouldn't at least be aware the functionality.

 

[SGA76]

Thank you for your input Mr Gates.
Tell us how its our fault because you decided things have to be your way damn the users.

 

[tazeat]

I love when you go turn off Bluetooth and it takes you to the metro settings to do it. I like when you want to select a WiFi network you get the retarded bar on the side instead of something a few pixels above the icon. I love how you now can't reorder your WiFi networks even though every other windows back to XP its trivial.

But most of all I love using one of my tablets (android or windows) and RDPing in to one of my Server 2012 boxes (Microsoft actually has their own RDP client for android now!) and spending 5 minutes tapping just to get the damn hot corner to open the start screen. Fuck that.

 

[heatlesssun]

Thank you for your input Mr Gates.
Tell us how its our fault because you decided things have to be your way damn the users.

First of all, the issue that you mentioned regarding photos is no longer an issue. I've said many times that there are plenty of issues with desktop use in Windows 8.x. But even as issues have been addressed, the issue with default programs has been very well handled, people seem to still obsess about it and keep making the claim that Microsoft isn't listening when it beyond clear that they have made changes in 8.x to improve things for keyboard and mouse users. Of course there's more to do, especially the issue of the Start Screen vs. Start Menu, which Microsoft has said that they are going to resolve. So sure, it should have been this way from the start. Just like Windows Vista should have been what Windows 7 was. I'm not trying to defend Microsoft, but what's the point of describing functionality that's no longer current? I don't think that's helping anyone.

One issue that Microsoft has long been criticized in 8 is lack of choice. Fair enough, but default program settings have long been a user choice. If one is going to criticize Windows 8 over lack of choice it certainly needs to be discussed where choices are that one may not have realized.

 

[teh_chem]

I just started using Windows 8.1 from Windows 7. If MS had released the UI in 8.1 when they deployed 8, I honestly don't think the backlash would have been even an order of magnitude as much. I have found that hitting the windows key, and typing the program/function I want to launch is actually way easier than scrolling through the start menu to hunt for what I want. In fact, that functionality is already in windows 7--nothing is different, except you don't have to hunt like an idiot through the entirety of your start menu to find what you want. Okay, I concede, might as well offer the choice--or at least, don't try to defeat allowing the traditional start menu. But I have found windows 8 to be a pleasant surprise, and if the learning curve of using it is so incredibly high then I have lost utter faith in the intelligence of the computer-using community.

 

[Deleted member 184142]

I use to think for some time once Win8 came out, everyone just didn't like change, and that it could not be that bad, I ended up getting a new laptop (convertible no less), and gave Win8 a try, I mean I really tried, and I just can't come to any reasons to like it, even on a touch screen, I try and use the tiles....and I just find myself thinking....Why? The OS seems fine, I just find the UI very clunky and finding things takes so much longer, even with the search improvements, I still get everything done faster in Win7 even with many months of every day with Win8.

 

[DPI]

So it took more than three years for Microsoft to finally figure out that PC's, tablets and phones are different things.

Bravo.

 

[heatlesssun]

I just started using Windows 8.1 from Windows 7. If MS had released the UI in 8.1 when they deployed 8, I honestly don't think the backlash would have been even an order of magnitude as much.

I would tend to agree, even in this thread there have several complaints about things that have been resolved in 8.1 Update 1 but people are still complaining about them.

 

[SGA76]

First of all, the issue that you mentioned regarding photos is no longer an issue. I've said many times that there are plenty of issues with desktop use in Windows 8.x. But even as issues have been addressed, the issue with default programs has been very well handled, people seem to still obsess about it and keep making the claim that Microsoft isn't listening when it beyond clear that they have made changes in 8.x to improve things for keyboard and mouse users. Of course there's more to do, especially the issue of the Start Screen vs. Start Menu, which Microsoft has said that they are going to resolve. So sure, it should have been this way from the start. Just like Windows Vista should have been what Windows 7 was. I'm not trying to defend Microsoft, but what's the point of describing functionality that's no longer current? I don't think that's helping anyone.

One issue that Microsoft has long been criticized in 8 is lack of choice. Fair enough, but default program settings have long been a user choice. If one is going to criticize Windows 8 over lack of choice it certainly needs to be discussed where choices are that one may not have realized.

First off, did you even bother to read my post?
I SAID my problems were with 8, not 8.1, so what is and is not fixed now is not the issue, the damage has been done.
When its easier to use Ubuntu or Mint as your laptop OS MS is doing it wrong.

 

[DPI]

First off, did you even bother to read my post?
I SAID my problems were with 8, not 8.1, so what is and is not fixed now is not the issue, the damage has been done.
When its easier to use Ubuntu or Mint as your laptop OS MS is doing it wrong.

You do realize you're arguing with the microsoft fanboy equivalent of that japanese soldier that got cut off on an island and for 29 years he "kept fighting" because no one told him the war is over.

I mean even Microsoft has admitted fault and moved on but there are a few unsettled nutjobs on every forum and comment section that can't get it through their heads that they lost.

 

[heatlesssun]

First off, did you even bother to read my post?
I SAID my problems were with 8, not 8.1, so what is and is not fixed now is not the issue, the damage has been done.

So just ignore everything that's changed? Even if the damage is done from your perspective it makes no sense to ignore that the problem was addressed.

When its easier to use Ubuntu or Mint as your laptop OS MS is doing it wrong.

I think statements are somewhat dubious in that if someone that's been using Windows for a long time doesn't know about a key piece of functionality that's always been there would find something completely different easier to deal with. For most people, learning about program defaults would be easier than dealing with an entirely new OS.

 

[SGA76]

I'm pretty sure you're a MS employee Bill, probably the owner. You defend with the zeal that only comes from either being one of the poor saps trying to sell everyone a bad idea as the future or one of those guys that strap nombs onto their chests, slit their wrists and drive into an embassy.

Have you ever used Ubuntu or Mint?
Ubuntu is easy to use, extremly user friendly, and most people I know find using it easier than straight 8.
Mint is damn near a Win7 clone.
Both are more user friendly to people that just want to surf the net and watch YouTube videos than 8.
Its sad both of them resemble Windows more than Windows now does. Crazy right?
Go tell the boss he f#cked up and try not to bomb any infidels on the way mmmkay?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Great now they already want people off 7? Can't win.

 

[nutzo]

But most of all I love using one of my tablets (android or windows) and RDPing in to one of my Server 2012 boxes (Microsoft actually has their own RDP client for android now!) and spending 5 minutes tapping just to get the damn hot corner to open the start screen.

That's the biggest problem with the metro interface on server 2012. It's also a big pain trying to control a 2012 server over a Dell Remote Access Card, especially on a slow link.

I have several users who need the ability to remote into their desktops. There's no way I'd ever put Windows 8 on their systems due to the remote access problems.

 

[Red Squirrel]

That's the biggest problem with the metro interface on server 2012. It's also a big pain trying to control a 2012 server over a Dell Remote Access Card, especially on a slow link.

I have several users who need the ability to remote into their desktops. There's no way I'd ever put Windows 8 on their systems due to the remote access problems.

Wow I totally forgot they put metro on a sever. Seriously, WTF were they even thinking? Servers are usually remotely accessed. You don't want eye candy or mouse sensitive popup menus and junk like that. It's completely absurd that they did that. I'm going to have to install 8 or server 2012 one of these days just to see it for myself how horrible it is but screenshots and people's experiences is enough for me to know I would hate it.

 

[DeathFromBelow]

Wow I totally forgot they put metro on a sever. Seriously, WTF were they even thinking?

They were thinking about how much money they could make from the metro app store. Its the only logical reason for the 'metro-everywhere' mentality. Microsoft could make a lot of money by app-ifying all versions of Windows.

 

[MrGuvernment]

my thinking is this, windows 8.1 with metro, I can see why they wanted to do it, ALMOST all home users will only do: pictures, email and surf the internet. so for me windows 8.1 or 8 makes sense for home users. for someone in IT I don't want to go through all the hoops to get to control panel, (just a simple example) so windows 7 works better so rather than having windows 8 you give me windows 7 professional, this will take away metro and leave me with just the grey plane desktop... this gives you the best of both worlds. nope they will force everyone into 1 operating system, to me that is just crazy.
one more thing the article starts off by saying they want to make windows more palatable, what the hell does that mean, they want to tweak window 8 so that it has both metro and desktop, I personally hate metro, even though I hate it I can still see why a home user will like it, one huge tile that says internet explorer, people can't miss it they will never need or know about event viewer. I just hope they don't incorporate both for one operating system. just my personally feelings.

Windows Key + start typing Control Panel, same as windows 7

 

[TechLarry]

I'm not in much of a mood to re-pay for an OS that should not have been fucked up to begin with.

 

[cptnjarhead]

Unless there is a significant increase in gaming performance, i will stick with 7.
Basically the only way to move gamers, is DX12, but if Mantle is still relevant then i will just stick with my current rig until Mantle 2.0 comes out, or gets phased out.
My day to day programs run perfectly and so do my games.
I would rather have a small footprint base OS, then install modules that i want. Customizing my OS for different partitions would be great. Example: partition 1 - Small and fast, just for games, movies, and web browsing. Partition 2 - Robust, secure, and ready for heavy work load.

I have used different linux distros and they are cool, but its just not the same for me.
I want windowsXP size, with 7 hardware support and speed.

 

[ManofGod]

I finally reclaimed the space Win8 was wasting on my laptop's SSD since I never dual booted into it willingly*. As long as MS keeps its mind on productivity users (corporate or otherwise), I'll look forward to Win9.

* Win8.x's stupid boot selection boots Windows 8 so it can display a Metro boot selection menu, then cycles all the way back to POST if you choose something other than Win 8. Perfect idiocy to sum up many of MS's bad choices in Win8.x.

Something you did not apparently know is that you were using hybrid shutdown. If you wanted to use the other boot style menu, you had to first disable hybrid shutdown. Oh, and this seems to be par for the course with your comments.

 

[kbrickley]

Unless there is a significant increase in gaming performance, i will stick with 7.
Basically the only way to move gamers, is DX12, but if Mantle is still relevant then i will just stick with my current rig until Mantle 2.0 comes out, or gets phased out.
My day to day programs run perfectly and so do my games.
I would rather have a small footprint base OS, then install modules that i want. Customizing my OS for different partitions would be great. Example: partition 1 - Small and fast, just for games, movies, and web browsing. Partition 2 - Robust, secure, and ready for heavy work load.

I have used different linux distros and they are cool, but its just not the same for me.
I want windowsXP size, with 7 hardware support and speed.

Yep ... my upgrades to new Windows versions are almost always driven by gaming performance (Direct X) or a significant new feature (NTFS, 64 Bit, etc) that benefits from the upgrade ... I went to XP to get NTFS ... I went to Vista to get 64 bit ... I went to Win 7 to get latest Direct X and performance improvements ... I skipped Win 8 since from a gaming perspective it offered little and Win 7 was working exceptionally well ... If DirectX 12 is kick ass and there are significant new (and useful) features in Win 9 I will consider the upgrade ... otherwise I will wait until they EoL the support for Win 7

 

[ManofGod]

with your asinine thinking ... you might as well genetically reengineer pigs that grow bacon on its sides so that you dont have to kill it to get bacon right?

you dont fuck up something that has been working perfectly for at least a decade dude.

its like replacing water with gatorade in that movie related to human stupidity.

Well, we know of at least one who appears not to have bothered with the basics.

 

[c3141hf]

Not sure what you're thinking, but it looks like Windows 9 will address everything that you're talking about. The Start Menu by default for keyboard and mouse users, the Start Screen by default for tablet users, the option to change the defaults and windowed modern apps if one wants them on desktop.

I don't want Metro icons in the start menu. It is ugly, noisy, and distracting. All I want are simply links to things like Documents and Control panel on the right side with no icons or distractions.

Why is it that they insist on trying to force this crap down people's throats? You'd think they would have learned by now that people don't want the Metro interface.

 

[VladDracule]

I don't want Metro icons in the start menu. It is ugly, noisy, and distracting. All I want are simply links to things like Documents and Control panel on the right side with no icons or distractions.

Why is it that they insist on trying to force this crap down people's throats? You'd think they would have learned by now that people don't want the Metro interface.

You do realize that you can customize it so only objects that you want are actually pinned in the start menu right?

 

[Staples]

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is every bit as good as Windows 7 and better.

But the name has been tarnished (mostly by those holdouts who can't move on from the start menu).

Of course their solution will be to re add the start menu for this crowd.

 

[NickJames]

I was the first one to jump ship from 98 to XP. The first to jump from XP to Vista but went back because it felt weird. And first one to jump to 7. I have tried multiple times to like Windows 8 but I just can't. It doesn't feel like a Windows operation system built for a mouse. It's great for a touch interface but sloppy for mouse users.

 

[cptnjarhead]

... If DirectX 12 is kick ass and there are significant new (and useful) features in Win 9 I will consider the upgrade ... otherwise I will wait until they EoL the support for Win 7

Thats why i hope Mantle can get more traction, DX12 might actually force me to open my wallet again

 

[heatlesssun]

I don't want Metro icons in the start menu. It is ugly, noisy, and distracting. All I want are simply links to things like Documents and Control panel on the right side with no icons or distractions.

Why is it that they insist on trying to force this crap down people's throats? You'd think they would have learned by now that people don't want the Metro interface.

It's pretty clear that Microsoft does understand the issues with the modern UI, they've said they are going to bring back a Start Menu and allow for modern apps to run in a desktop window. They aren't rushing it looks with a sense of urgency however which I do think is a problem. But it's better to err on the side of caution with this and Windows 9.

 

[ManofGod]

It's pretty clear that Microsoft does understand the issues with the modern UI, they've said they are going to bring back a Start Menu and allow for modern apps to run in a desktop window. They aren't rushing it looks with a sense of urgency however which I do think is a problem. But it's better to err on the side of caution with this and Windows 9.

Yeah, I have learned over the years to stress over things less and less. (Not quite totally there yet though, driving is still a challenge.) I am not really sure why using Windows 8/ 8.1 is actually compared to true suffering since they are real things out there to truly get stressed over.

I think I am blessed to be able to work in what I love to do and be able to learn things as they are. Of course, I still miss my Amiga computer but, things had to move on. Also, if support did not come with problems and difficulties, many here would probably need to get a different job. (Some probably should anyways based on what I am reading in this thread.)

 

[sadsteve]

I think statements are somewhat dubious in that if someone that's been using Windows for a long time doesn't know about a key piece of functionality that's always been there would find something completely different easier to deal with. For most people, learning about program defaults would be easier than dealing with an entirely new OS.

I don't know, all the non-technical users I know wouldn't have a clue about program defaults, windows key short cuts, etc. All they know is how to click the desktop shortcut to start the applications they want to run. Heck, my wife (been using computers for 15+ years) thought I upgraded her Word 98 to a later version when I put Libre Office on her machine. She just uses Thunderbird, IE (or Firefox) and Word (Libre Office) .

The only reason I know a fair amount about computers and operating systems is that computers have been a hobby for me since the 70's and that I'm a firmware/software developer. I enjoy the technology and knowing how it works. For the average consumer, there's no need for that knowledge.

 

[ktk]

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is every bit as good as Windows 7 and better.

But the name has been tarnished (mostly by those holdouts who can't move on from the start menu).

Of course their solution will be to re add the start menu for this crowd.

And by this crowd, do you mean like > 50% of all windows users?

Theres a word for this, its called the majority.

 

[ktk]

I don't know, all the non-technical users I know wouldn't have a clue about program defaults, windows key short cuts, etc. All they know is how to click the desktop shortcut to start the applications they want to run. Heck, my wife (been using computers for 15+ years) thought I upgraded her Word 98 to a later version when I put Libre Office on her machine. She just uses Thunderbird, IE (or Firefox) and Word (Libre Office) .

The only reason I know a fair amount about computers and operating systems is that computers have been a hobby for me since the 70's and that I'm a firmware/software developer. I enjoy the technology and knowing how it works. For the average consumer, there's no need for that knowledge.

Thats why botnets exist, people choose to be ignorant over essentials.

And companies ignorant and downright shoving crap down user's throats over whats essential to an OS BTW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ENY9rqzURY