Anything good to say about Windows 8?

Per Ken Blake:
That traditional Desktop Interface is almost identical to
Windows 7's interface; the biggest difference is that there is no
Start Orb to click to bring up the Start menu.

That is a huge difference for somebody who does not have Admin authority
over the PC.

Can anybody offer some insight on why MS might have killed off the Start
Orb and the Start Menu?
--
Pete Cresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Ken Blake:
That traditional Desktop Interface is almost identical to
Windows 7's interface; the biggest difference is that there is no
Start Orb to click to bring up the Start menu.

That is a huge difference for somebody who does not have Admin authority
over the PC.

Can anybody offer some insight on why MS might have killed off the Start
Orb and the Start Menu?

The excuse here, is they "determined by telemetry" that people weren't
using Start any more. What a load of bunk.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57...-in-windows-8/

That's an after the fact justification, for an arbitrary design decision.

Paul

On 3/20/2013 9:04 AM, Dave "Crash" Dummy wrote:
Does anybody have anything nice to say? Is there any reason I would want to
"upgrade" my Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro?

The only things I really don't like about Win 8 out of the box.
The @#$% tablet desktop screen.
Driver problems with some hardware, most notably a goodly number of WiFi
USB sticks currently in retail stores.
Windows media center is an extra cost item.

Overall, it seems to be a slight improvement over Win 7, particularly
when an SSD drive will be used.

If I were buying a new windows copy, for a desktop or non touch screen
laptop use, it would be win 7 pro, if it was available at a reasonable
price. The last three computers to leave the "shop" were custom builds,
with Win 7 pro installed, AMD FX 8xxx 4 core/8 processors, and an SSD
boot drive.

In the last episode of ,
"(PeteCresswell)" said:

Per Ken Blake:
That traditional Desktop Interface is almost identical to
Windows 7's interface; the biggest difference is that there is no
Start Orb to click to bring up the Start menu.

That is a huge difference for somebody who does not have Admin authority
over the PC.

What difference does Admin permissions make?

Keep in mind, you can still click in the corner to get the same job
done. This is basically an infinitely large button (as was the W7 Orb,
and every start button going back to 95) because you just have to hit
the mouse into the corner, there's no penalty for over-shooting, so you
don't need to aim for a specific spot, just a general area.

--
The nice thing about standards, there is enough for everyone to have their own.

In the last episode of , "Dave \"Crash\"
Dummy" said:

I bought Windows 8 Pro back when I could get it for $40, then burned it
to disk to wait for the dust to settle before installing it. So far, all the
feedback I've read about Windows 8 has been negative. I am running a
desktop PC with no touchscreen nor any desire for one. I know I can get
rid of the "metro" interface with Classic Shell, but so what? Does
anybody have anything nice to say? Is there any reason I would want to
"upgrade" my Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro?

Sure. It boots faster, Hyper-V on the client side is awesome, the
Explorer improvements are well worth it. Native USB3, improved SSD
performance, significantly better memory utilization, faster startups
and shutdown times, to name a few.

The Windows 8 interface (formerly known as metro) is barely even a
factor since you just don't really see it except when you launch apps,
and between pinning what you actually use to the taskbar, and being able
to tap the Windows Key on your keyboard, type what you want and hit
enter, it's basically just a over-sized start menu.

I wouldn't go back, and I'm eager to upgrade my one remaining W7
machine, I just haven't had the time.

--
The nice thing about standards, there is enough for everyone to have their own.

Technically per the EULA - upgrading nullifies the prior license since it was used as the qualifying license to perform the upgrade
- it's incumbent upon the user to abide by the EULA

Incumbent does not necessarily mean its not technically feasible to do something else.



--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps


"Mellowed" wrote in message ...

On 3/20/2013 9:53 AM, XS11E wrote:
"Dave \"Crash\" Dummy" wrote:


There are two ways, one is to make an image of your Win7, then do an
upgrade. You can restore the image if you decide to do so.

I thought that I read that MS kills your Win7 key when you upgrade to
Win8. i.e. It's a one way street.

DevilsPGD wrote:
In the last episode of , "Dave \"Crash\"
Dummy" said:

I bought Windows 8 Pro back when I could get it for $40, then burned it
to disk to wait for the dust to settle before installing it. So far, all the
feedback I've read about Windows 8 has been negative. I am running a
desktop PC with no touchscreen nor any desire for one. I know I can get
rid of the "metro" interface with Classic Shell, but so what? Does
anybody have anything nice to say? Is there any reason I would want to
"upgrade" my Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro?

Sure. It boots faster, Hyper-V on the client side is awesome, the
Explorer improvements are well worth it. Native USB3, improved SSD
performance, significantly better memory utilization, faster startups
and shutdown times, to name a few.

The Windows 8 interface (formerly known as metro) is barely even a
factor since you just don't really see it except when you launch apps,
and between pinning what you actually use to the taskbar, and being able
to tap the Windows Key on your keyboard, type what you want and hit
enter, it's basically just a over-sized start menu.

I wouldn't go back, and I'm eager to upgrade my one remaining W7
machine, I just haven't had the time.


Hyper-V needs something like "SLAT", and my processor hardware didn't have that,
so I couldn't install it. And the installation failed silently. I
eventually discovered what had happened, later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-v

"Second-level address translation is a
mandatory requirement for Hyper-V in Windows 8 [14]"

http://www.howtogeek.com/73318/how-t...nslation-slat/

"Intel introduced Extended Page Tables in its processors that were
built on the Nehalem architecture, while AMD only introduced RVI
in their third generation of Opteron processors codenamed Barcelona.
Hyper-V uses this to perform more VM memory management functions
and reduce the overhead of translating guest physical addresses
to real physical addresses."

So Hyper-V won't work for every Win8 customer.

Paul

"Ken Blake" wrote in message ...


2. Most problems, by far, that people report here--whether or not they
are IE7-related--have nothing to do with defects in the software. They
result from people's ignorance, from bad or inadequate hardware, from
old drivers, from viruses, from spyware, and so on. And except for
very rare situations, they always get a fix for their problems, and in
most cases, that fix is a very simple one to implement.


Just a quick question g

IE7 related for Windows 8 (in this newsgroup) ?


--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps

Per DevilsPGD:
Keep in mind, you can still click in the corner to get the same job
done. This is basically an infinitely large button (as was the W7 Orb,
and every start button going back to 95) because you just have to hit
the mouse into the corner, there's no penalty for over-shooting, so you
don't need to aim for a specific spot, just a general area.

That is probably what I have been missing.

Am I correct in understanding that the "Start" button's functionality is
still there - just accessible via clicking in a different place?

The corner of the desktop window, right?
--
Pete Cresswell

On 20/03/13 16:53, XS11E wrote:
"Dave \"Crash\" Dummy" wrote:

I bought Windows 8 Pro back when I could get it for $40, then
burned it to disk to wait for the dust to settle before installing
it. So far, all the feedback I've read about Windows 8 has been
negative. I am running a desktop PC with no touchscreen nor any
desire for one. I know I can get rid of the "metro" interface with
Classic Shell, but so what? Does anybody have anything nice to
say? Is there any reason I would want to "upgrade" my Windows 7
Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro?

That's a decision you can make for yourself. The negative feedback is
mostly from those who don't like new things (such as ME!) and those who
won't RTFM. In other words, the same bunch who didn't like Windows 95,
Windows Vista, Windows 7, etc. Ignore them, make your own decision.

There are two ways, one is to make an image of your Win7, then do an
upgrade. You can restore the image if you decide to do so. The other
way is to do a clean install of Win8 on a separate partition of your
harddrive and dual boot while you see if Win8 is for you (that's what
I've done.)



or you could install virtualbox in win7 and install win 8 inside of
Virtualbox and then you can make your own mind up.

I Have win8 installed which I use for games. The only grip I have with
it is from doing a cold boot to being actually able to use it takes a
bit of time. I have win8 install on a SSD. Apart from that there is
nothing wrong with it or the metro interface. Yes it takes a bit of
getting use to but once you know how to use it. It's better than having
desktop icons on your desktop. the metro interface is just a icon/tile
based start menu.

If you don't have a touch screen the windows start button on the key
board is you friend. And while in the metro interface right clicking on
any empty part of metro interface is you friend.

people say it's sh*t because it's not what their use to.
Those who have used win7 and win8 ask them about ram usage And
application running and maintenance and the actual running of the OS.
You have to get comment's which are beyond the metro interface.

On Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:44:31 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

Per :
The Media Center works fine

Do you have devices connected to TVs around the house that enable
consumption of Media Center content by the TV?

If so, what do you use?

I have a Hauppauge DVR-950 (broadcast TV signal from antenna to USB),
so the Media Center is necessary. Works great for recording TV shows
onto a HDD and I don't need to buy/maintain a separate DVR box with
its limitations.

On 20/03/13 21:08, Ken Blake wrote:
On Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:04:23 -0400, "Dave \"Crash\" Dummy"
wrote:

I bought Windows 8 Pro back when I could get it for $40, then burned it
to disk to wait for the dust to settle before installing it. So far, all the
feedback I've read about Windows 8 has been negative.


Whenever a new version of *anything* comes out, you always read
negative things about it. But realize two things:

1. If you're reading about problems *here*, in the newsgroups and
forums, this where people come with their problems, not with their
successes. You get a very distorted view of what's going on in the
real world here; as someone once said, "hang around a transmission
shop and you will think that all cars have transmission problems."

2. Most problems, by far, that people report here--whether or not they
are IE7-related--have nothing to do with defects in the software. They
result from people's ignorance, from bad or inadequate hardware, from
old drivers, from viruses, from spyware, and so on. And except for
very rare situations, they always get a fix for their problems, and in
most cases, that fix is a very simple one to implement.


I am running a
desktop PC with no touchscreen nor any desire for one. I know I can get
rid of the "metro" interface with Classic Shell, but so what?


That's not correct. Classic Shell does not "get rid of" the Metro
interface. Let me point out something that you perhaps don't realize:
Windows 8 comes with two interfaces; the Modern/Metro Interface
(which may be all you've looked at) and the traditional Desktop
Interface. That traditional Desktop Interface is almost identical to
Windows 7's interface; the biggest difference is that there is no
Start Orb to click to bring up the Start menu. And without Classic
Shell or any such software, that desktop interface is always there.

Note that you can get the Start Orb back by using one of several
third-party programs, either free or very inexpensive. Classic Shell
at http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ is only one of them, and not
even the best one. Start8 at http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/
is my personal preference; it's not free, but it's only $4.99 US.

And going from one interface to the other is very easy; there are
several ways, but simply pressing the Windows key is perhaps the
easiest. Simply installing one of those two and using the traditional
desktop interface may be a better choice for you than going to
Windows 7. I use Windows 8, almost exclusively with the traditional
desktop interface, and with Start 8 installed. If you were to look at
and use my computer, you would have a hard time realizing that it's
not Windows 7.


Does anybody have anything nice to say?


Yes. I think it's just fine, although like many people who don't use a
tablet, I don't use the Modern/Metro interface.


Is there any reason I would want to
"upgrade" my Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro?


It's the future. It's what later versions will be built upon. And it's
what future hardware and software will be designed to use. You won't
find many examples yet, but down the road a little bit, you will run
into hardware or software you want, but can't use on Windows 7.



Or you could make a registry change to get the start menu back. In this
instance youtube will show you how to do it.

Hi, Pete.

Am I correct in understanding that the "Start" button's functionality is
still there - just accessible via clicking in a different place?

Not quite. Much of the Start functionality is there, but not all - and some
has been added.

The corner of the desktop window, right?

Not IN the corner, but just OFF the screen; as DevilsPGD said, "there's no
penalty for over-shooting". So, just run your mouse right through the
corner and a small thumbnail of the Modern screen will appear. Then, DO NOT
try to move your mouse pointer back onto that thumbnail; it will simply
disappear and you'll have to start over. Go ahead and click "outside the
box" to see the Modern screen fill your monitor screen. (Click again
without moving the mouse, or use the same off-the-screen technique in the
upper-left corner, to bring back the Desktop screen.)

Kind of jarring at first and takes some getting used to, but it works and
will become familiar to you - even intuitive - after some time and with some
practice.

Many things about Win8 still make me gripe and wish for The Olden Days, but
with daily use for five months, I'm happy with Win8 - and I'm still
discovering ways to make it work even better. And, yes, I still miss the
Start button, sometimes.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2012 (Build 16.4.3505.0912) in Win8 Pro


"(PeteCresswell)" wrote in message
...

Per DevilsPGD:
Keep in mind, you can still click in the corner to get the same job
done. This is basically an infinitely large button (as was the W7 Orb,
and every start button going back to 95) because you just have to hit
the mouse into the corner, there's no penalty for over-shooting, so you
don't need to aim for a specific spot, just a general area.

That is probably what I have been missing.

Am I correct in understanding that the "Start" button's functionality is
still there - just accessible via clicking in a different place?

The corner of the desktop window, right?
--
Pete Cresswell

DevilsPGD has written on 3/21/2013 1:37 AM:
In the last episode of , "Dave \"Crash\"
Dummy" said:

I bought Windows 8 Pro back when I could get it for $40, then burned it
to disk to wait for the dust to settle before installing it. So far, all the
feedback I've read about Windows 8 has been negative. I am running a
desktop PC with no touchscreen nor any desire for one. I know I can get
rid of the "metro" interface with Classic Shell, but so what? Does
anybody have anything nice to say? Is there any reason I would want to
"upgrade" my Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 8 Pro?

Sure. It boots faster, Hyper-V on the client side is awesome, the
Explorer improvements are well worth it. Native USB3, improved SSD
performance, significantly better memory utilization, faster startups
and shutdown times, to name a few.

I'm pretty sure that faster booting, startups and shutdowns are the
result of Win8 not actually shutting down the computer but instead
putting it into hybernation or sleep.


The Windows 8 interface (formerly known as metro) is barely even a
factor since you just don't really see it except when you launch apps,
and between pinning what you actually use to the taskbar, and being able
to tap the Windows Key on your keyboard, type what you want and hit
enter, it's basically just a over-sized start menu.

And, if you don't know what to do, you can just start typing and Win8
will initiate a search! :-)

On 3/21/2013 11:14 AM, Juan Wei wrote:

And, if you don't know what to do, you can just start typing and Win8
will initiate a search! :-)


Scott Hanselman's video at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BSmmSU-UZU

demonstrated the GUI in W8.