The "Windows 8 is drastically different and what we can do about it" thread

[RocklandCompRepair]

This is a rant followed by a potential solution, so hear me out and then let's work together to help each other out!

I'm sure there are mixed opinions out there regarding Windows 8, but I am quite frustrated and angered by the changes they've made. It's my personal opinion that what Microsoft calls Windows 8 should have never been released as Windows 8, and instead as Windows 7 "TABLET Edition" specifically for tablets only (touch screen).

It aggravates me that since ages ago Windows has had a START button, and now they decided to ditch it. Some people will argue "Well you can download a start button 3rd party." That's sad in my opinion. Because of the fact that Windows has always had a start menu, they should have at least included the OPTION to turn on and off a start button. Why not? It wouldn't hurt. Even if it wasn't enabled by default!

I've had more customers ask me to downgrade their new computers to Windows 7 than to configure the Windows 8 that came pre-installed, and I don't blame them. The simple fact from my experience is that people don't want to learn anything drastically new. They just want their products to work and to be familiar with them.

Enough ranting. I think a forum such as this should have a thread about Windows 8 complications (mainly differences from the previous versions of Windows) and how we can simplify the upgrade/new purchase process for our customers.

To start, as many of you already know, a Windows 8 start menu can be downloaded to give customers the familiar start menu back. My favorite one out of the couple that I have tried is http://windows8startbutton.com

Let's see what we all can compile a list of improvements and modifications together and hopefully we'll be able to configure this O.S. so that it is a little more user friendly for people used to the previous versions of Windows than it is out of the box!

 

[ohio_grad_06]

I can't speak for the start button you linked to I've not tried it. But a friend I helped with a new laptop purchase seems to love classic shell. Installed classic shell and picked the windows 7 style start menu, disable showing metro screen and disable all hot corners. Install a 3rd party photo viewer as well as acrobat reader. He says he almost can't tell it is the newer system. Also set user up as local and no password you don't even have to enter password if boots directly to desktop with start menu.

Kind of hoping Linux comes up in usage as I think Microsoft may try to kill the desktop interface in a few years.

 

[FoolishTech]

Please search the forums.

 

[SAG]

/me remembers when Windows didn't have a start button.

 

[seedubya]

/me remembers when Windows didn't have a start button.

/me remembers when DOS didn't have Windows

 

[altrenda]

"The simple fact from my experience is that people don't want to learn anything drastically new."

What about the mass adoption of iPads? Isn't this interface different from Windows and Macs?

But Microsoft is taking a beating in the market, and is currently reducing prices to move Win 8 machines. I would suspect a Start Button for non touch machines in a future release.

 

[RocklandCompRepair]

What about the mass adoption of iPads? Isn't this interface different from Windows and Macs?

Very different from Windows. Not very different from Mac.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

I wonder though. Some things I've read say windows blue is taking more function out of control panel. The thinking was that say windows 9 may not even have a desktop ui.

 

[SAG]

/me remembers when DOS didn't have Windows

/me remembers when CPM didn't have DOS
Take that!

 

[mraikes]

"The simple fact from my experience is that people don't want to learn anything drastically new."

What about the mass adoption of iPads? Isn't this interface different from Windows and Macs?

But Microsoft is taking a beating in the market, and is currently reducing prices to move Win 8 machines. I would suspect a Start Button for non touch machines in a future release.

The ipad interface didn't exist in a basic form for for nearly 20 years before being completely thrown out by Apple with no choice for tens of millions of it's customers to retain a perfectly usable and decent desktop.

Also, ipads remain essentially entertainment devices and are rarely the primary computing device. I don't know anyone with an ipad that doesn't also have a "regular" computer.

Very few people are required to use ipads. Tens of Millions (maybe hundreds) have no choice but use Windows. The vast majority of the earners and producers of the world work on Windows and have a right to feel offended and angry at the "47% optimized" mess that Microsoft is now trying to force down their throats.

 

[nlinecomputers]

/me remembers when DOS didn't have Windows

Me remembers when Bill Gates didn't have a DOS.

 

[nlinecomputers]

iPads are a new device so people accepted the new interface based on that device. OTOH. Other than a real polished icon set how different looking is an iPad to a Palm Pilot or a Windows 3.11 screen? It's icons arranged in a grid. Been there done that. Not really innovative just pretty looking and built on stable hardware.

Windows 8 is change for change sake in an attempt to present a unified interface. It doesn't offer any advantage so most will not like it. You can get around in it but most will reject it simply because it is different and doesn't provide anything worth going through the pain of learning it or using it. It's colored tiled meh.

 

[seedubya]

/me remembers when CPM didn't have DOS
Take that!

Bellieve it or not - I still have a fully functioning Amstrad CPC 6128 and 3" Floppys to load CP/M! Well it worked the last time I took it out - about 4 years ago.

 

[SAG]

Bellieve it or not - I still have a fully functioning Amstrad CPC 6128 and 3" Floppys to load CP/M! Well it worked the last time I took it out - about 4 years ago.

Mother of God!
You sir, are my new bestest friend.

 

[seedubya]

Mother of God!
You sir, are my new bestest friend.

Aw shucks!

My wife and I are geeks. I also have an Amstrad PCW 8256 in working order with dot matrix printer. It runs logoscript but I also have a customised version of CP/M that was supplied with them. 3" floppy also.

My wife has a working Commodore 64 and her original Sega Megadrive

 

[nlinecomputers]

Bellieve it or not - I still have a fully functioning Amstrad CPC 6128 and 3" Floppys to load CP/M! Well it worked the last time I took it out - about 4 years ago.

Not familiar with that one. What is this around 1982-83?

 

[16k_zx81]

Love those old machines.

Miss DOS. That was back in the days when there was still some 'geek' qualities to really be good with PCs. Not sure the same can be said now.

I dont miss my old 16k zx81, but at the time I loved, loved, loved that machine, and the black and white display, and the tape deck I used to load programs onto it.....

Now its an anthem of "I cant use an OS without a Start Button"

<facepalm>



Young people these days. Pfft. They think they have it tough.

Back in my day, when we had to add something we used to get rocks and stack them up in piles, next to each other.


..

 

[ohio_grad_06]

I suppose you had to break out your abacus lol.

Really with windows 8 the big thing is things are being forced upon us and they don't need to be. Microsoft has near monopoly power so you can only hold off so long. I have Ubuntu installed on my PC which is cool but what can I do with it besides surf the web and do email? Woohoo. All my games and apps have a harder time running. Trouble with Linux seems to be that Linux is not commercialized enough. I know that they want it to be open and free but be real. Someone needs to take hold of a distro in conjunction with the developers, get software, polish wine or make up another easy way that windows software will all run and bundle that in and get it preinstalled on dells hps etc. I think until people see that happen I don't think they'll want to mess with it. Like I've got Ubuntu loaded but Ubuntu feels a little awkward for me to use as far installing software etc. I'd say so far my favorite Linux distro is mint.

 

[SAG]

This thread quickly turned into an "Old Farts Like Us Who Miss The Old Days" thread.

To be a bit more on-topic. I have Windows 8 on my oldest son's (almost 8/yo now) laptop. I bought Start8 for him because he HATED the touch screen. He said he'd rather use the iPad because touching the laptop screen made his arms hurt. After getting Start8 he has been happy with it.

Now I'm going to go stare at my old box full of ISA cards.

 

[FoolishTech]

To be a bit more on-topic. I have Windows 8 on my oldest son's (almost 8/yo now) laptop. I bought Start8 for him because he HATED the touch screen. He said he'd rather use the iPad because touching the laptop screen made his arms hurt. After getting Start8 he has been happy with it.

What does a start menu replacement have to do with the child not liking to touch the screen? Why not just teach the child to use the trackpad or a mouse? Why does that warrant a start menu replacement? That doesn't make any sense....

----------

Speaking of children and Windows 8. A few weeks ago my 4 year old watched me turn on his new (to him) PC (which btw he has only briefly used my PC before,) login to Windows 8, find the desktop tile, open Chrome from the taskbar, and head to abcmouse.com for him.

Two nights ago the computer was off I forget why. So he asked me if he could play abcmouse.com and I said sure. At first he tripped up on not knowing how to turn on the PC (he just did the monitor) so I showed him the power button on the tower. Next all by himself my son turned on the PC, monitor, waited patiently for Windows to load, logged in, FOUND THE DESKTOP TILE, opened Chrome, and then finally turned to me asking how to get to abcmouse.com from there. I was amazed!

It just blows my mind sometimes about all the people having such a hard time with Windows 8. My 4 year old can use it... no start menu replacement required.