@Daz, I have a lot of respect for you and have enjoyed using your Loader. But your comments about Windows 8's productivity is way off the mark, I'm afraid. Windows 8 DOES NOT make you do more clicks than Windows 7. The Metro Start Screen is far more productive than the old Start Menu -- it requires less clicks, and it can view a lot more information without scrolling or hunting. They have been explained in detail in Building Windows 8 blogs. Windows 8's Metro UI is so productive and fast on the desktop, that I don't think anyone who has taken a little bit of time to learn all the new things will find it irresistible like me. Off Topic: It looks as if you are not going to upgrade to Windows 8 because you hate Metro so much (unreasonably so in my opinion). Which means there's NOT going to be a Windows Loader version for Windows 8 -- am I right in making that conclusion? Anyway, I think Windows 8 bring so much improvement that one should not pirate it. I, for one, will definitely pay for it when it is released.
@ pezzonovante To me everything seems dumbed down to an almost insulting level as a power user / developer. It feels like I'm doing more clicks, I'm scrolling more and I'm having to press more keyboard shortcuts. It simply doesn't keep up with how I use Windows With the old start menu I can click it and it has absolutely everything I need. I can easily access my pictures, downloads, the control panel and all of my most used applications and it's all done with the left mouse button. In Windows 8 I won't ever link a live account, use the email application, messenger or get weather information. And I don't want to spend even 2 minutes moving around tiles or giving them colours when I'm perfectly happy with the very pretty Windows 7 start menu that has all of the functionality I need. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when it comes to activation. I could activate it in spite of them not giving people the option to use the classic desktop, since I do have the tools I need. However, I could simply recommend that people stick with Windows 7 because Windows 8 pulls so much personal information and has a kill switch built into it. It's a gold mine for hackers.
@Daz, I think you made an interesting point about "feeling insulted" as a power user, or "feeling like" you're doing more clicks (when in reality you're not -- it can be proved). The Metro Start Screen has ALL the functionality you've mentioned -- and it more often than not takes less clicks to achieve those same functionalities. However, perception is a funny thing. Also, aesthetics are very subjective. What I do feel is that, to most people who don't have too much strong feelings, Metro will increase productivity. But for users like you, who don't like the looks of Metro, there will probably be some hacks or tweaks to bring back the classic UI by the time Windows 8 reaches RTM.
Privacy is a big thing for me. I don't even use online storage like dropbox as I much prefer files safe on my own hard drive. Now, if you look at Windows 8 it wants to track your URL's so that it can improve it's market, it logs information about what applications you're launching and it will even log your location on devices that have GPS built in. Windows 7 is clean, easy to navigate and doesn't ever take me away from my work (hide it with the start screen). There's no messing around with tiles or colours. It's to the point and pretty by default. It doesn't have a kill switch, it doesn't track what websites I'm visiting or what applications I'm running and it never wants to know my location. Why would I "upgrade" and lose my privacy and then be stuck with a UI that to me is nowhere near as pretty as Windows 7's aero theme? I've said multiple times that on a tablet I could picture myself laying down somewhere and flicking through apps, reading the news etc. On the desktop though I see them big tiles and I think to myself "they don't need to be that big and they're only that big because they're expecting you to touch them". And then I read the blogs on the reasons behind these changes and I call BS on a lot of it. I mean, if you look at the picture I done I have Computer to the left, Recycle Bin to the right and then Firefox under Computer. Under Firefox I would put VMware and the icon next to that I'd put as VirtualBox. That's a memorable pattern that makes sense and gives me everything I need to see in less space than one of the Windows 8 start tiles. Just keep in mind that I won't ever link a live account, view the weather, view my emails, look at maps, use messenger, the calendar or buy anything from the store.
I will ask you again one year after i hope you will answer the same. "I hate metro" some freaking out in the beginning later they will get used to it, because they don't accept changes immediately.
So let me ask you this: if MS presented you with a steaming pile of s**t right there in the middle of your desktop, where you would launch your applications by trying to catch the flies happily flying around it, all buzzing and swarming and VERY HARD TO CATCH, would you accept it just because it's something new? For you, Is NEW really always synonymous with BETTER, no matter what it is, and how unnecessarily cumbersome and complicated it makes your everyday life?
I know it wasn't directed at me, but the same can be said of Apple fans! It is no different! Personally, I am not a fanboy on either side. It is funny to watch each side argue why their favorite company is better though. It is ridiculous honestly! To each their own! Everyone is entitled to their opinion regardless!
For the desktop environment, I'm with Daz, it's far from optimal. There is one change that would make it less painful for me. I use two screens, a 24 inch and a 19 inch. If the Start Menu could be pined as the "wallpaper" of the small screen and the big screen would always be the desktop. Then you would have a workable solution. Think about it, the live tiles are just gadget replacements; you want to see them with a glance. But I still could use the small screen to drag the occasional window over when needed. This is not optimal but I think it would be workable.
As a developer I agree with DAZ. When I develop my Apps, I have multiple Windows open. Doing this within Metro is taking to much time and slows me down. And why should we resort to hacks? Why can't Microsoft offer two shells?
Google doing exactly this same. But in Win8 you can simply disable this feature (settings/privacy). Yes, Win7 doesn't have kill switch, but its realy so bad feature? Google and Apple using this for long time, and in my opinion is equal bad so good for end user. Win7 have CEIP program, if You don't disable then he will be collect information. I think in Windows 8 RTC Yuo can disable this personal info collection to. I loving Windows 7 UI, when i first time saw Windows 8 DP then i hate like many other people, but now i work on W8 CP, installed on "physical" computer, not VM, i personalize few things and this works for me, and I really start liking Metro. Most of time when I use Windows I don't run "start" menu, I have literally five icons on desktop and four on taskbar, most of time I spend using Total Commander and cmd. Using metro when I want lunch some of app from start menu i doing this quickly, literally by three clicks, working witch "classic" start menu many times i need looking for app if I don't pin her to the start menu, yes i can write name this app but i wonder it is faster than three clicks in metro... Don't shoot me for my bad English please
Dude, this thread is asking how to disable Metro, not to praise it. Start your own thread if you want to glorify the new interface. Thanks.
The "Vstart" program does work, but has alot of bloatware you have to uncheck during install. I don't like the Metro GUI at all personally, and side with DAZ. As somebody that fixes PCs the start menu is important to me, and Metro is something that i will be forced to adapt to as it will be an industry standard and something other people will use. It would be nice to have a feature to disable Metro. It doesn't hurt anyone, and everyone's a winner. For me, adding God mode shortcut to the desktop helps a bit too. I was mad when they took away the quicklaunch toolbar in Win7 (which i got back eventually), but taking away the start menu is a deal breaker. I can't get over the fact i feel like they are purposely screwing with me. Im fine using Win 7 for my needs, but am disappointed i can't use the newest features and innovations because of MS or my stubbornness. I can't decide whos at fault. Oh, a side note about the fish desktop. Its a Siamese fighting fish, otherwise known as a beta in the fish enthusiast world. Its MS being cheeky. The way it looks is supposed to be an elegant salute to minimalism art. yawn.
@ Mr.Sv You can disable so much in Windows 8, but we all know that it's going to be enabled by default and millions of people won't disable it because they don't know about it. And it's the fact that it's there at all that bothers me. Sometimes being a developer I need to build and switch between different projects and languages. That means that on Windows 8 I have to lose my desktop 3 times or more to click something which brings me back to the desktop anyway. On Windows 7, however, it's a smoother process and I don't even have to pin anything. I can simply click the start orb and enter key words like visual, cmd, note, vm and have everything I need within seconds without having my work covered by a start screen. That metro start screen also hides other information I may want to look at like the clock, date, my network connection and audio volume. @ HALIKUS Same deal here. People in the family look to me to fix their problems so I may have no choice but to use Windows 8 in some cases It wouldn't be so bad if MS would simply give people the option to use the classic interface. It's really not that hard for them to do.
You can disable all that b4 you even get to your desktop on fresh install. Still safe as win7. So why NOT upgrade? Again, if you take just a few minutes, you very rarely ever see start screen or anything metro. same here.
As I said in my last post: Think about the systems pre-installed with Windows 8. I've gone over the whole security thing too, on how if you get infected on a Windows 8 system you're probably going to lose everything and anyone to think otherwise would have to be crazy. We all know how bad MS are with security
ummm, in desktop, new toolbar, paste directory path to start menu.... unlock taskbar, move new toolbar to left.... now you have your precious "start menu" and everything else is a right-click of the start screen icon in the lower left. you cannot ask for anything more simple and direct. you keep making all the claims about counter-productivity in win8, but it's not even as bad as you claim. just do the above, and you will be fine. pin your stuff to taskbar, make the toolbar, and be back to normal productivity. It's really simple. As a dev, I am surprised to see you continue to make the same arguments about counter-productivity, but yet not doing anything yourself to make it productive. Instead you install third party software, when it is NOT needed. Your fave style is still there, and actually improved now. Trust me Daz, put some real effort into it, instead of putting so much effort into hating it. You will thank me.
That's not a start menu and that's not a solution. It doesn't give you everything, it's not ordered as it should be and it involves even more clicking and pissing around to get to where you want to go. Pin stuff to the taskbar, make a toolbar, create shortcuts -- all of this I've said is useless because if I don't need to do it in Windows 7 then it's clearly a problem with Windows 8. The more I use Metro the more annoyed I get by it. It's the worst thing to have happened to Windows, moreso than Vista. At least Vista looked half decent and gave you plenty of options. It simply didn't run very well is all.
The only thing this Startmenu is still lacking is a "search in everything" in the search like the old startmenu had it, it's simply put annoying to have to click (keyboard control doesnt work so nice on it :\) all they have to add is a "All" thing and a simple checkmark (swipe to check it!!! OMG!!! so easy so simple why not) on the side to set one of these things as default to search in, wouldnt be that better? awesome? .. why can't it be that simple. Edit: And honestly Daz did you try this WCP Yet? The Desktop to Metro and vice versa switching is no longer crap but ultra fast, this weird slide in animation (omg this was horribly annoyong in the WDP) is gone making it really fast, why would it matter that your whole screen gets taken for a second? there is no weird animation anymore blocking you from working for 2 seconds, elaborate your issure more, cause i still only see blah blah metro sucks, what you lose on producivity? 1 or 2 secs maybe, maybe actually less cause it's no longer tiny little icons but huge tiles that are damn easy to click. Edit2: And oh to be actually on topic, doesn't look like you can disable Metro on the WCP, it's baked into explorer now.
If MS wanted they could make a metro style classic start menu as an option. And honestly if they don't then I may even make it myself because all you need is a button you pin to the taskbar that launches a metro menu pinned to the left side of your screen with a search bar at the bottom and a directory list that displays an icon and application name. Bingo, problem solved! I can launch every application from a menu without having to go in and out of a huge screen that fills my whole workspace. The only "solution" I can think of is to buy a second monitor and a larger desk just so I can have one screen in metro and one in the desktop. That's just how often I need to access command prompt and other tools I work with I hate to lash out at people, but I hate desktop clutter so I don't like to pin a lot of stuff and telling me to change something isn't a solution, because you clearly use a computer in a much different way than I do. So I have different needs and you can't say that if I don't like it then I should stick with Windows 7 as I'm forced into using Windows 8 because (a) I'm a developer and (b) people will ask me for tech help. Coloured squares just ain't pretty to me and moving my mouse into corners to do things that are so simple to do on Windows 7 seems backwards to me. I don't like the direction the OS is heading in at all. @ Shenj * I don't like big colourful squares * I don't want to waste time customizing things when 95% of the metro start menu has nothing I need on it * I don't like my workspace being hidden * I don't like that the start screen hides the network connection, volume, time and date * I don't like that having to move my mouse into different corners of the screen * I don't like that I'm going to be asked loads of questions by family members because some changes have no logic Everything I need is in the classic start menu. * Run * Downloads * Documents * Music * Pictures * Control Panel * Pinned important apps * Recently opened items I don't have to move the mouse around, do second mouse button clicks or make toolbars. Everything I need is in that menu and it doesn't ever take me away from what I'm working on.