... as familiar and easy to use as Windows XP and Windows 7? I know the hype is all about the Metro interface and tablet, mobile, touch screen, blah, blah, blah. But what about those of us who actually use Windows to get work done on a good old fashioned desktop PC? Surely a large proportion of Windows users have no interest in using Excel, Visual Studio, or Photoshop on a freaking tablet with a touch interface? Or do they?
How about you just try Windows 8 via VHD booting or VM? You don't seem to know anything about it as it seems.
It's what I use. I never even see that metro screen nonsense. Start menu with start button in their normal spots. I even have the 'hot corner & charms crap' turned off too. And of course, anything can be turned on again with a couple clicks...
There a lot Start Menu's available now and most of them give you the ability for to bypass the Moderm UI (Metro Screen) and go directly to Desktop from where you use the the new Start Menu. Classic Shell is just one of them, a good one by the way.
Great, thanks for the replies, that's just what I wanted to know. There's so much hype and crap, it was impossible for me to get a clear answer about whether this Metro thing is just an option that can easily be turned off.
I think you can download a 90 day trial from Microsoft and run it on a virtual machine to see if you like it, which is what I SHOULD have done....... for me personally , the increased performance was minimal (if any at all) and the touchscreen technology while maybe a must for some I do not absolutely have to have. I'm sorry if I hurt some feelings here but Windows 8 is just downright ugly and VERY confusing to use for novices, I am CONSTANTLY helping those out who have purchased this mess, it's like MS stripped down Windows 7, took away the start menu and yes I realise that there are 3rd party start menu apps you can download but should I REALLY have to do that?, then they added a Metro page in order to try and push their store and apps which by the way cost extra, in your face. To me they tried to put some lipstick on a pig and told everyone it was beautifull and expected us to love it and accept it, no questions asked. In my opinion, the OS has absolutely no life to it at all. I paid my forty bucks for the upgrade when it was released and a week after I did I wish I would have saved my forty dollars for something I could have actually used, I'm now back using Windows 7 and the Windows 8 disk is sitting at the bottom of a box next to my desk, I suppose I'll pawn it off on some poor sucker sooner or later. Do you know that PC sales have dropped over 27% since the release of Windows 8, but Microsoft will boast it has sold 40 million copies, must be to those in 3rd world countries Do yourself a favor and stick with 7, at least for now, Microsoft is already working on the next OS, codename Windows Blue because they have anticipated the downfall of Windows 8 already. Give it a year to year and a half and they will release a more user friendly OS and not the junk they just tried to pass on us. If you do decide to try 8 and go with it, I have heard through the grapevine that at least the start menu may be returning, probably in a service pack somewhere in the future. Again if I hurt some feelings here, I am sorry , but the man asked for it straight up and I believe he should be able to get both sides.
Am I NOT entitled to my opinion? The man asked for straight up opinions and I gave him mine, along with MILLIONS of others. While I am certainly not saying that I hate Microsoft they have put out PLENTY of great products, but I am certainly not going to conform with any piece of crap they decide that I need and give an ass kiss review when it's not what I believe. I am the consumer, you will not tell me what it is that I need, it's the other way around, you will supply me with what I want or I will go elsewhere. I like Microsoft and their products but I am certainly not a Microsoft conformance lackey and will not accept just anything they shove in my face, when they are wrong, they are wrong.
Thanks edee, that's an interesting perspective. I think I will try it out, but unless it's really impressive (in desktop mode) I doubt there will be much of a reason to upgrade from 7, or even from XP, which I still use a lot. I didn't know 3rd party apps were required to get the start menu to show up, which is fairly ludicrous.
Maybe I was a little arrogant in my post last night but it's that I am so sick of people giving such rave eviews for an OS that in my mind is not completed. Not completed? why do I say that? 1.) After installing Windows 8 I should have the option of turning on or off or uninstall any portion of the OS that I will not use or do not want ie; the Metro UI, I should not have to rely on third party software writers to get work arounds for something that should have been included in the OS. 2.) The start menu, again users should have been given the option of having it or not having it ...... again, turn it on or off. 3.) No aero effect, while I will agree that there is some real usefull stuff in 8 looking at the design of the OS personally makes me feel like it is a step down, like I have just gone from Windows 7 back to Windows 98 or ME. Now I am sure there will be someone (again a third party software writer) sooner or later to work the aero effect back into the OS, but all it would have took is a simple check box ...... turn it on or off. I understand they are trying to create a cross platform OS which is all well and fine, but there are those who do not have the need to sync their mobile devices with their desktop or visa versa nor do they need or want the services of mobile apps or the Microsoft Store and do not want to see it everytime they boot their computer, this type of OS should have been catered to those in need of such an OS in a different market, not mainstream. And just the plain fact that Media Center was just completely left out of the OS. What is going to happen to those who do not purchase 8 by the February deadline? will they just not get the Media Center? or will they have to pay for it? or AGAIN, will they have to rely on third party software? either way they will be getting the short end of the stick. I don't deny that there are alot of people having a positive experience with 8, but my 80 year old grandmother who uses her pc just to search and store recipies certainly would not agree with you. If Microsoft would have just taken another month or so on 8 and actually listened to people and actually put some extra effort and thought into it, giving users the option of turning on and off different aspects of the OS, made the Metro UI and the Microsoft Store options to install then Windows 8 could have been a positive experience for everyone. For that reason I call the OS incomplete.
Windows 7 is still being sold. You are basicly complaing about things that make Windows 8.. Windows 8. If you don't want anything of that why not just stick with 7, the few Desktop improvements are not worth swichting. Can't please everyone, also 3rd party support on windows is fantastic, something doesn't work like you want? There is probably something out there that works for your needs.
It's totally up to you what you buy and/or use of not! Your personal opinion is fine and also to give that to others but MILLIONS of others even if you agree with them. It's also totally up to you what you buy or not and Microsoft leave that decision to your alone, MS didn't predict that you HAVE TO BUY as certain product from them, or any! Microsoft leaves it up to you to chose the product you will or could use and regarding Windows you still have the choice between Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 which are the 3 OS's still on sale and supported! It's yourself who tells what you need or want! Even if you buy a product you're didn't know what is it, it's yourself who take the valet out and hands the money to the seller, not any other person. And if you use a pirated version, mean illegal possessed version, you had broken the Law and MS has all rights to sue you. You're even not an legal consumer if done such. If something is crap for one person, it's just that person and he should openly tell that it's crap for HIS person! And to admit that MS is wrong with some product, that maybe right for YOU but others. What Microsoft is, will or plan to produce, will be depend on many other factors but single consumers! MS or any other company will never be able to make it right for ALL consumer's just some percentage!
Other then Modern UI what cant you uninstall (Ill get to this in the next part)? nothing as far as im aware of.. if you dont like IE10 you can even get rid of that if you look hard enough The start menu is there.. its just now full screen and has alot of fancy improvements.. searching using modern UI is actually freaking amazing for Modern UI apps... but i know you are interested in the Classic start menu... well you can have that if you like just download a 3rd party addon.. i use Start8 its great there are other freebie equivalents out there tho Aero.. oh wow huge selling point there you know Aero and the Vista/Win7 ui actually caused more problems then what it was worth.. yeah i love those clear title bars improved my productivity by 9001% Ok ... so we make EVERYONE pay extra for a bunch of codecs and programs only a few people use.. if you want it you can pay $15 for it after the free time ends. I'd perfer to have a cheaper OS and use 3rd party apps anyway nothing in your post is selling the point that Windows 8 is bad.. if it was something genuine that could not be fixed then yeah maybe.. but the way i see it.. ive gone from being a Pirate (yes i used a non genuine copy of Win7) to completely legit for only $40... cant beat that value specially when Win8 adds so many other nice features.. but hey enjoy using your out dated OS im happy to move on Dont like Windows store.. dont use it.. but its nice to have some cheap software available (i havent had to buy anything yet.. used free stuff so far) and having the music/video library is quite nice even if they do play a 10 second add once in a while its not bothering me.. and if its helping to keep the price of the OS down im all for that