Windows 8: Three Reasons to Hate

[August1991]

1 - I am not signing up for another email address just so I can use a computer that I bought.

Agreed.

Quite apart from the hassle, I dislike the pretense of an "honest" relationship. (You can invent a name/email/dob for the Microsoft account.) More seriously, does this mean that my Microsoft warranty is connected to my purchases online?

If you buy a Toyota, and give Toyota personal information for the warranty, how would you feel about Toyota installing a GPS to know where you drive?

Edited February 23, 2013 by August1991

[TimG]

If you buy a Toyota, and give Toyota personal information for the warranty, how would you feel about Toyota installing a GPS to know where you drive?

But that happens today. Most high end cars have a GPS and a computer that logs everything that the car does. These computers have been used to prove people are at fault in accidents.

[August1991]

Gawd, this is really irritating. (I have yet to figure out the Java/IE10/Win 8 Interface. So, I'm posting separate posts - Argus style.)

Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows division and a 23-year veteran of the company, is leaving the software giant less than three weeks after the release of a revamped version of Windows he spearheaded.

WSJ

Wikipedia does not say what Sinofsky is now doing.

Steven Jay Sinofsky (born 1965^[1]) is a former President of the Windows Division at Microsoft from July 2009 through his departure on November 12, 2012.^[2][3] He was responsible for the development and marketing of Windows, Internet Explorer; as well as online services such as Outlook.com and SkyDrive.^[4]

You can read the rest of the PR here:

Wikipedia

Edited February 27, 2013 by August1991

[August1991]

Thread drift ahead:

But that happens today. Most high end cars have a GPS and a computer that logs everything that the car does. These computers have been used to prove people are at fault in accidents.

Precisely. Nowadays, when you buy something, some sellers want to know about you. (The State always wants to know about you.)

In a voluntary relationship, is that a good starting point?

-----

TimG, a price (a mere number) is among the greatest inventions of civilized society. (The next biggest is anonymous money.)

If you believe that mathematics is the basis of existence, then you understand that we first understood the universe when we understood trade.

Edited February 23, 2013 by August1991

[August1991]

End story: If you have Windows 7, don't upgrade. If you have Office 2010, stay with it. (Office 2013 deserves another rant in a different thread.)

I hate Apple and Mac, but I hate Windows 8 more. (IOW, I'm no fanboy.)

Change is often good, but not always. ATMs and cell phones are good. 8 track tapes and thalidomide are not.

----

With Windows 8, Microsoft does not want your swipes or clicks - it wants your eyeballs.

Edited February 23, 2013 by August1991

[August1991]

Ultimately, the reason that I hate Windows 8 is because it has no simple "Start button". There's no Desktop click, no Right Click, no Escape - there's no "Get Me Outta Here" button.

Windows 8 is too female. Once committed, you're trapped.

[GostHacked]

Ultimately, the reason that I hate Windows 8 is because it has no simple "Start button". There's no Desktop click, no Right Click, no Escape - there's no "Get Me Outta Here" button.

Windows 8 is too female. Once committed, you're trapped.

Any ability to bring up a task manager in order to kill hanging processes? That would be key for me.

[August1991]

I don't get why people who like Windows 7 would have a problem with Windows 8. If you ignore the "Metro" functionality, it's the same operating system. And it's not hard to get your PC to boot straight to desktop and ignore the "Metro" functionality. I have no complaints at all about Windows 8.

-k

Have you spoken with a System Administrator?

Third party software like Start8 can make Windows 8 look like Windows 7 for a user. But the user network environment is still Windows 8.

My SA told me that to access the network, I had to create a Microsoft account in Win8.

[August1991]

Any ability to bring up a task manager in order to kill hanging processes? That would be key for me.

Task manager still exists - but it's difficult to access. Microsoft is good about ensuring legacy keys/programs.

[GostHacked]

Have you spoken with a System Administrator?

Third party software like Start8 can make Windows 8 look like Windows 7 for a user. But the user network environment is still Windows 8.

My SA told me that to access the network, I had to create a Microsoft account in Win8.

I am not a fan of that part. I ditched my hotmail account some time ago, and there is no way I am going to sign up for a new email account with Microsoft just so I can use something I purchased from them.

Screw that.

[TimG]

I just bought a new Windows 8 laptop. I was not required to provide an email but it was not the default option.

[Sleipnir]

August1991, on 25 Feb 2013 - 02:41, said:

Ultimately, the reason that I hate Windows 8 is because it has no simple "Start button". There's no Desktop click, no Right Click, no Escape - there's no "Get Me Outta Here" button.

Have you tried the charm bar?

It took 5 edits to post outside of August's quote...

Edited March 1, 2013 by Sleipnir

[August1991]

Have you tried the charm bar?

"Swipe" to the right, and you see the "Charm bar". Yes, I know.

But I have an Excel spreadsheet, and I don't have a touchscreen.

----

IMHO, Microsoft has tried to become "cool" - and possibly dropped the ball.

[Sleipnir]

"Swipe" to the right, and you see the "Charm bar". Yes, I know.

But I have an Excel spreadsheet, and I don't have a touchscreen.

I'm not understanding you, are you saying that you can't access options to exit a program? With excel being an example?

[August1991]

I'm not understanding you, are you saying that you can't access options to exit a program? With excel being an example?

In the Windows 8 Screen mode, you can exit a window or programme (app, application) by swiping down. If you have only a mouse, you click at the top of the screen (a curled hand appears, the app/focus shrinks) and move the mouse down to the bottom where the programme/application disappears.

This makes sense on a tablet or phone. It is ludicrous on a 17" screen - whether touch or otherwise. (And this is one of several reasons why, I reckon, Microsoft has seriously dropped the ball with Windows 8.)

----

I've been using this "new" OS for about a month or so. I installed Start8 and did the pretend "Windows 7" thing as a way to get used to Windows 8. For the past few days, once Start8 expired, I've tried to use Windows 8 without Start8. (I'm going bareback!)

Well, I disliked Windows 8 even with Start8 and I absolutely hate Windows 8 without the "pretend" Start button. It is absurd to claim that the Windows 8 Start Screen is somehow a new, bigger Windows 7 Start button where you can access the standard Desktop. In Windows 8, the Desktop is different.

So, the lack of a Start button is only the start of a potential rant. The issues are far more serious than a missing button.

In short, I'm wondering how I can switch this new laptop back to Windows 7, or maybe install Linux Mint. (My advice: You are better to choose a laptop/PC without Windows 8 pre-installed, if possible.)

======

I reckon that this will be a Harvard case study like New Coke. Heck, Windows 8 may even destroy Microsoft as the Eaton grandchildren destroyed their namesake. It happens. (Is Sinofsky now wandering the streets of Lower Manhattan in a daze, or is he sitting on his personal South Pacific island after the payoff?)

For the record, I spent some time reading through various threads elsewhere to discover how this mess happened. Here's my theory:

PC/Laptop sales are large but flat. Tablet sales are small but growing. Microsoft dominates the PC OS market. Android/Google and Apple dominate the tablet OS market. Many PC users do not have a tablet.

So, Microsoft designs a PC OS that will introduce PC users to tablets. Hence, Windows 8.

Unfortunately, Windows 8 is so bad an introduction to new technology that it simply makes users hate Microsoft, and have no desire to buy a tablet.

As the script kiddies say, fail.

Edited March 25, 2013 by August1991

[TimG]

I reckon that this will be a Harvard case study like New Coke. Heck, Windows 8 may even destroy Microsoft as the Eaton grandchildren destroyed their namesake.

I have Windows 8 on my laptop. The new paradigm takes a bit of getting used to but I am definitely not missing the start menu. In fact, if move my mouse to the bottom left one click takes me to the start screen, one more click and I have opened my app. I find this more efficient than navigating through multiple levels of cascading menus.

That said, I realize that some people hate the Windows 8 paradigm (as opposed to being mildly annoyed by it) but I don't see those people being in the majority.

Edited March 25, 2013 by TimG

[August1991]

I have Windows 8 on my laptop. The new paradigm takes a bit of getting used to but I am definitely not missing the start menu.

New paradigm?

Google Search: AOL Windows 8

In fact, if move my mouse to the bottom left one click takes me to the start screen, one more click and I have opened my app. I find this more efficient than navigating through multiple levels of cascading menus.

And if you move the mouse to the bottom right, it's not obvious whether you want the Desktop or the Charm menu. Or if you move the mouse to the upper left to go back a screen, you suddenly go elsewhere.

And without the Start button, you can't easily find frequent programs or recently opened documents.

Supposedly in Windows 8 Screen mode, you can easily flip to Desktop mode where it appears that you are back with Windows 7. But you're not.

----

I reckon that there are far more PC users than tablet users. Windows 8 was designed to turn PC users into Tablet users, who will use a Microsoft operating system.

Unfortunately, Windows 8 is so bad that it will simply turn people off Microsoft. Windows 8 tries to be a touch/mouse OS but in fact it does both badly. It is the worst of both worlds.

For US productivity, this may be terrible. I would not be surprised to learn that this will have an impact on US GDP numbers. (MSFT has been flat for over 10 years. Sales of Surface and adoptions of Win8 are closely watched. The numbers so far are not good.)

Edited March 25, 2013 by August1991

[TimG]

Without the Start button, you can't easily find frequent programs or recently opened documents.

So you want the OS to remember what you use and update the menu automatically? That is different from needing a start menu. I don't use this feature myself but if you pin the file "C:\Users\<user>\Recent" to the start page you will have a shortcut to folder containing all of your recently opened files (you may need to show hidden files to see it).

Personally, I prefer the recent file list instead each of the Office apps.

Edited March 25, 2013 by TimG

[August1991]

So you want the OS to remember what you use and update the menu automatically?

Uh, yes.

For a user, that's what an OS is, no?

That is different from needing a start menu. I don't use this feature myself but if you pin the file "C:\Users\<user>\Recent" to the start page you will have a shortcut to folder containing all of your recently opened files (you may need to show hidden files to see it).

In your world maybe, not mine.

Personally, I prefer the recent file list instead each of the Office apps.

Personally, I hate skipping/sliding/mouse pushing right through endless screens to find the "app" that I want.

====

Like most people without a tablet/touch screen, I don't use the Metro (aka Modern) screen. I skip right through to the desktop.

---

Gawd, what a disaster. Windows 8 is like the Russian Revolution or World War I. People got involved because they foolishly believed it would make everyone better.

Well, thalidomide may have been a change, but it did not make everyone better.

Edited March 29, 2013 by August1991

[GostHacked]

Windows 8 will be good for tablets and mobile computing. Hardly an OS that a real PC user would get behind.

Tim G mentioned

Quote

So you want the OS to remember what you use and update the menu automatically?

Yes. I try to organize my media so I won't have to search as much, but I do like a history of documents and programs that I have opened. I have started pinning things to my task bar to make it easier. Messing with pics/vids/audio for music and short 'movies' and the amount of media demands an OS that knows the last files I used to some extent.

What about searching functions within Win8? Anyone have a clue how that works and how good it is? Even without indexing my network files Win7 does a pretty quick job of finding the files I need with a keyword.

[Boges]

There are ways to make Windows 8 pretty much work like Windows 7. From what I can see Windows 8 is moving personal computing into the realm of mobile computing.

Windows 8 tries to make computing even simpler than iOS and Mac's OSX.

From what I see, I don't think I could enjoy a computing system with Windows 8 without the ability of a touchscreen.

[GostHacked]

There are ways to make Windows 8 pretty much work like Windows 7. From what I can see Windows 8 is moving personal computing into the realm of mobile computing.

Windows 8 tries to make computing even simpler than iOS and Mac's OSX.

From what I see, I don't think I could enjoy a computing system with Windows 8 without the ability of a touchscreen.

And I guess that would mean just one screen as well. Would it support multiple touch monitors? I use 3 monitors on my main rig at home.

[Boges]

And I guess that would mean just one screen as well. Would it support multiple touch monitors? I use 3 monitors on my main rig at home.

You're probably using your PC for professional purposes. You need those monitors for a larger surface area to put all the information you might be processing. But if you're using your puter to run a program or two, surfing the web, downloading movies illegally etc you can easily function with a program that just deals with apps or panels and folders.

I don't see Windows 8 being a standard for work computers for awhile. You probably don't see many company computers even using Windows 7 or Vista.

The one thing I do like about Mac's OSX is that there is a lot of room to move files around easily for professional purposes. But it would be useless to me for personal purposes.

It's why I laugh at people who spend 3 times the price of a PC to buy a Mac to do simple computing.

"BUT IT'S BETTER! YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE QUALITY!" L-O-L!

Edited April 1, 2013 by Boges

[GostHacked]

Boges... this is true. I'd love to have a Mac, but cannot justify the price of one. I built this current PC for about 1500 and upgraded the ram once and threw two SSDs in it. Other than that, nothing has changed in the 2-3 years I have had it. And still kicking strong. Mainly because most PC video games are simply not pushing any new boundries and are not taxing systems like they used to. People are STILL using the Unreal, Quake and Source engines.

So I would guess you are right that Win8 will be good in the mobile world, but craptastic for desktops.

[Boges]

Base model Mac Laptops go for $1500. You can get these things called Mini Macs for a reasonable price but have to get your own Monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Desktop Personal computing is going to way of the doe-doe bird. Just about everything I can do on my laptop, I can do on my Galaxy S2 LTE. And I don't have to boot up a computer.

I have a 4+ year old Toshiba running Vista. I could have easily updated to Windows 8 for $40 but didn't see a point to it. After a full work day of being on a computer I don't really want to come home and sit infront of a computer.

I think the future of computers would be like the Microsoft Surface. A PC with a Touch Screen. There are Chromebooks being released that are made by Google, I haven't seen one in a store yet but once the prices comes down, I might be interested.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Boges