Windows 8

Chris_Gwinn · 2013-08-27T15:22:22.000Z

You also generally have to remember who published a given software product, which is especially hard with random utilities. I’d much rather hit windows and type “profile” than remember which company made the memory profiler that I need right now.

Chris_Gwinn · 2013-08-27T15:32:04.000Z

Zylon:

Behold, one of those “only uses about 10 programs ever” people.

I have more than ten programs running right now. That’s only counting the Windows 8 VM I’m currently looking at. I just think the traditional hierarchical organization of programs in the start menu mapped very poorly to me being able to ever find anything without peeking in lots of folders.

RickH · 2013-08-29T07:11:51.000Z

Chris Gwinn:

But I’ve always thought the hierarchical program list in the start menu was kind of dumb.

And I use it all the time, and hate doing searches. Yet Win7 accomodates both styles without problems, and allows a great deal of flexibility between the extremes.

So naturally, MS would want to break the longstanding trend of using supersets for Windows interface design, and instead use a broken subset paired with a mandatory new menu interface that demands all of your screen space and goes wonky and crap-filled when you install, you know, Windows software on it instead of approved MS-sold ModernUI software. Because fuck you if you aren’t giving us more money after buying our OS, you bitches do it for Apple WHY NOT US?

Persuasion is for companies with less than 85% market share, what’s the point of having the big stick if you don’t use it?

sether01 · 2013-09-04T16:47:19.000Z

nKoan:

In Windows 8, you aren’t really forced to use search. You can browse all your apps, but its terribly round-about right now.

Hover-over the lower left hand corner to get the start screen popup. Click it
Right click, bar pops up from the bottom
Click All-Apps

There, all your apps, both Metro apps and Desktop applications for your perusal. Its terribly obtuse in Windows 8, but Windows 8.1 makes this a bit easier with the option to view “All Apps” as your default view (instead of the Live Tiles view).

And I’m certainly NOT arguing for Windows 8. I tried to give the Windows 8 and Start Screen and all the new UI paradigms a fair shake, but I’m not convinced its ready for prime time on mouse driven interfaces. 8.1 makes it better, but still there are a lot of annoyances.

Win+Q works too.

wumpus · 2013-09-05T00:53:36.000Z

Just FYI, Windows 8.1 RTM update is “out there” and it is a free upgrade for valid Win8 keys. There’s no real reason not to do it immediately because it fixes soooo many little pain points in Windows 8.

You do have to activate from the command line but it worked fine on all my Win8 retail key machines:

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/47477-Windows-8-1-Activation-(Current-known-Methods)

stusser · 2013-09-05T06:02:05.000Z

Will it be updated at the same rate as win8.0 over the next two months?

instant0 · 2013-09-05T06:09:07.000Z

Hmm, wonder if I can grab it already from MS then. Thanks for headsup :)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/dn140266.aspx - Whats new in Win 8.1.

Murbella · 2013-09-05T08:03:51.000Z

instant0:

Hmm, wonder if I can grab it already from MS then. Thanks for headsup :)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/dn140266.aspx - Whats new in Win 8.1.

I can’t help but think that none of that stuff is going to appeal to the vast majority of desktop users.

You know something is wrong if people aren’t even sure they want to spend their time installing a free update.

If installing this small service pack turns out to be COMPLETELY effortless,I might install it for the general ui improvements the patch notes mention.

Dan_Theman · 2013-09-05T08:30:25.000Z

wumpus:

Just FYI, Windows 8.1 RTM update is “out there” and it is a free upgrade for valid Win8 keys. There’s no real reason not to do it immediately because it fixes soooo many little pain points in Windows 8.

You do have to activate from the command line but it worked fine on all my Win8 retail key machines:

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/47477-Windows-8-1-Activation-(Current-known-Methods)

I purchased a Win8 key toward the end of their super-cheap “upgrade” cycle and haven’t installed it yet. Would you say 8.1 is a useful upgrade for someone without a touchscreen and has a few hundred games on his system (albeit with an aging 1GB 460GTX), or is it best to stick with 7 for right now?

Murbella · 2013-09-05T08:49:30.000Z

Dan_Theman:

I purchased a Win8 key toward the end of their super-cheap “upgrade” cycle and haven’t installed it yet. Would you say 8.1 is a useful upgrade for someone without a touchscreen and has a few hundred games on his system (albeit with an aging 1GB 460GTX), or is it best to stick with 7 for right now?

You will probably find it a decent side-grade.

If you don’t have two monitors, you will likely want to install a study menu restoration program.

But sure it is truly worth your time to do the upgrade though.

For what it is worth, I don’t regret going to 8.0, but I have two monitors and found that the start wall works decently with that setup.

I don’t use any metro apps though. Not even Skype which I use the full application for.

Zylon · 2013-09-05T12:35:58.000Z

Murbella:

funded the be start wall works decently

Poetry.

Murbella · 2013-09-05T13:28:09.000Z

Zylon:

Poetry.

Swype.

Chris_Gwinn · 2013-09-05T18:22:23.000Z

Dan_Theman:

I purchased a Win8 key toward the end of their super-cheap “upgrade” cycle and haven’t installed it yet. Would you say 8.1 is a useful upgrade for someone without a touchscreen and has a few hundred games on his system (albeit with an aging 1GB 460GTX), or is it best to stick with 7 for right now?

I’ve been running it at work for a few months, but haven’t bothered to upgrade at home. The only thing I miss is that task manager got way better.

mono · 2013-09-05T18:49:54.000Z

8.1 makes that fifth wheel shine.

instant0 · 2013-09-06T00:43:25.000Z

If you can stand the annoyance of the Metro UI – which 8.1 makes ever so slightly less shit (but still shit without touchscreen); I would think 8.x would be a good upgrade from 7.x.

New Task Manager; Better Memory Utilization; Spiffy new Kernel!
And with metro: Command Line All the way! :D

wumpus · 2013-09-06T01:05:57.000Z

To be clear, the 8.1 update is worth it just for the NON TOTALLY FUCKING INSANE segmented search.

Yep, search works like search is supposed to, now – it just finds what you want, without making you specify which “bucket” you are searching.

Razgon · 2013-09-06T01:14:16.000Z

So, now that I’ll be getting a new laptop with Pre-installed Win8, this update is something I have to download manually? And its free?

I imagine its too much of a pain to revert to Windows 7 these days due to the harddisk partitioning so I guess I’m stuck with Win8 for now.

Chris_Nahr · 2013-09-06T01:35:23.000Z

Last I heard the official release will be distributed through the Microsoft Store, in a clever bid to make people sign up for it. You certainly shouldn’t have to use wumpus’ leaked prerelease link. In fact I won’t, and I don’t recommend you do either, because you never know what other last-minute patches MS might be readying.

Razgon · 2013-09-06T03:14:06.000Z

Ok - Thanks for the advice! I’ll hold off until the official release :-)

LMN8R · 2013-09-06T08:08:21.000Z

One clarification: Yes, you need to use the Windows Store to get the upgrade to 8.1. No, you don’t need to sign up for it or even create a Microsoft Account to get it.

App updates in Windows 8 are the same way - you can update the preinstalled apps like Music/Mail/etc. without ever signing in with a Microsoft Account.