How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

(reposted to alt.comp.os.windows-8)
How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?
(I saw the term "Classic Windows" connected to Windows 8 on the
web. Is that what one has to use? If so, is "Classic Windows"
slated to go away in the future? Note: I am not asking about
the "Start" screen, although it is possible the solution
to getting multiple overlapping windows does indeed involve
also getting the "Start" screen.)

I went to Staples and couldn't see a way to do multiple visible
windows with Windows 8.

I've seen some stuff indicating that Windows 8 is supposed to be for
low power devices:
1. This shouldn't apply to the AC mains powered desktop machines I
tried
and
2. There is no valid reason why having multiple overlapping visible
windows would REQUIRE any more power use than having only one
visible window.

For that matter:
It seems like more than one process was active running anyhow on the
AC mains powered desktops that I tried, so having just one visible
didn't mean that the desktops were using significantly less power
due to only showing one window on screen.

Note: I used to write on-the-fly TECO programs more than 100
commands long on 10 CPS teletypes, but I was very happy to get
multiple windows in the 1980s so that I didn't have to remember
what was going on. (Now I'm lucky if I can remember if the
m a p q u e s t directions said "left, right", rather than
"right, left". I certainly can't remember a 60 character URL,
18 character random username and 32 character random password
that I need to type to find out what doctor appointment the
email from my HMO wants to remind me about. Why does Microsoft
think I can remember all of this stuff when I am trying to
read my email. Why does Microsoft think we want to go back to
before 1995?)

Yes, the HMO
should be able to meet its security requirements by sending me
an encrypted message that I can decrypt by using the one
key that I do remember, but getting the HMO to implement
that is another issue.)

(I also don't see why any of the gazillion etail companies that I deal
with feel that I should have to sign on to their websites using
my of course unique password to see the status of orders,
when they also can and should be sending me
self-contained encrypted messages that don't require me to
use the web when I want to see the actual information and don't
require more from me than the one password that I do know.)

Mark F mark53916 gmail.com wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

The same way it's done in Windows XP, Vista, and 7?

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:00:04 +0000 (UTC), "John Doe"
wrote in article k95fuj$6gs$1@dont-
email.me...

Mark F mark53916 gmail.com wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

The same way it's done in Windows XP, Vista, and 7?

Unless you are talking about Metro apps, in which case you can't really
do multiple visible apps, but you can do a 70/30 split between two apps
if your screen meets the minimum resolution (1366x768)

As far as how to do so, the feature is called "Snap", and a Google
search turned up this:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/wi...ure-focus-snap

HTH

--
Zaphod

Vell, Zaphod's just zis guy, ya know? - Gag Halfrunt

On 11/28/2012 11:57 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:00:04 +0000 (UTC), "John Doe"
wrote in articlek95fuj$6gs$1@dont-
email.me...

Mark Fmark53916 gmail.com wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

The same way it's done in Windows XP, Vista, and 7?

Unless you are talking about Metro apps, in which case you can't really
do multiple visible apps, but you can do a 70/30 split between two apps
if your screen meets the minimum resolution (1366x768)

As far as how to do so, the feature is called "Snap", and a Google
search turned up this:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/wi...ure-focus-snap

I saw a Windows 8 utility the other day claiming to run Apps on the
desktop in a window. Now I don't remember where I saw it. I think on one
of those Windows 8 reviews.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

On 11/28/2012 3:46 PM, BillW50 wrote:
On 11/28/2012 11:57 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:00:04 +0000 (UTC), "John Doe"
wrote in articlek95fuj$6gs$1@dont-
email.me...

Mark Fmark53916 gmail.com wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

The same way it's done in Windows XP, Vista, and 7?

Unless you are talking about Metro apps, in which case you can't really
do multiple visible apps, but you can do a 70/30 split between two apps
if your screen meets the minimum resolution (1366x768)

As far as how to do so, the feature is called "Snap", and a Google
search turned up this:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/wi...ure-focus-snap

I saw a Windows 8 utility the other day claiming to run Apps on the
desktop in a window. Now I don't remember where I saw it. I think on one
of those Windows 8 reviews.

I found it. RetroUI, lets you run full-screen Apps in regular windows.

http://lifehacker.com/5961825/retrou...egular-windows

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:46:31 -0600, BillW50 wrote:

On 11/28/2012 11:57 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:00:04 +0000 (UTC), "John Doe"
wrote in articlek95fuj$6gs$1@dont-
email.me...

Mark Fmark53916 gmail.com wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

The same way it's done in Windows XP, Vista, and 7?

Unless you are talking about Metro apps, in which case you can't really
do multiple visible apps, but you can do a 70/30 split between two apps
if your screen meets the minimum resolution (1366x768)

As far as how to do so, the feature is called "Snap", and a Google
search turned up this:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/wi...ure-focus-snap

I saw a Windows 8 utility the other day claiming to run Apps on the
desktop in a window. Now I don't remember where I saw it. I think on one
of those Windows 8 reviews.
Maybe everything I tried, including Explorer was an App.

Should going to a corner do anything? (I only saw something in the
lower left corner, which was called "Startup" or something similar,
that seemed like the main screen, which I would call a severely
limited Desktop in Windows XP or Windows 7.

Could full windowing have been turned off in the demo machines in the
Staples store.

Is there something I can try if I get back to Staples to try again?

(I didn't understand why the store didn't have anyone around who could
show something a basic as windows on a Windows system, but it is
their store, and if they don't want to sell any computers that is
their business.)

Mark F wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:46:31 -0600, BillW50 wrote:

On 11/28/2012 11:57 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:00:04 +0000 (UTC), "John Doe"
wrote in articlek95fuj$6gs$1@dont-
email.me...
Mark Fmark53916 gmail.com wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?
The same way it's done in Windows XP, Vista, and 7?
Unless you are talking about Metro apps, in which case you can't really
do multiple visible apps, but you can do a 70/30 split between two apps
if your screen meets the minimum resolution (1366x768)

As far as how to do so, the feature is called "Snap", and a Google
search turned up this:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/wi...ure-focus-snap
I saw a Windows 8 utility the other day claiming to run Apps on the
desktop in a window. Now I don't remember where I saw it. I think on one
of those Windows 8 reviews.
Maybe everything I tried, including Explorer was an App.

Should going to a corner do anything? (I only saw something in the
lower left corner, which was called "Startup" or something similar,
that seemed like the main screen, which I would call a severely
limited Desktop in Windows XP or Windows 7.

Could full windowing have been turned off in the demo machines in the
Staples store.

Is there something I can try if I get back to Staples to try again?

(I didn't understand why the store didn't have anyone around who could
show something a basic as windows on a Windows system, but it is
their store, and if they don't want to sell any computers that is
their business.)

During the last year, Microsoft has been releasing evaluation copies of
Windows 8, so users can examine the interface. I doubt those files
are still offered for download, but you might get them elsewhere.
I've included checksums for the downloaded files, so if you
decide to use BitTorrent to find a copy, you can check it is
the same as the Microsoft download that was offered. You
can also Google, using the checksum strings, to find references
to the software. The one time I've used BitTorrent, I set up a
Linux LiveCD and did the transfer from there.

*******

Windows8-ReleasePreview-64bit-English.iso 3,515,703,296 bytes

Windows8-ReleasePreview-32bit-English.iso 2,615,529,472 bytes

TK8TP-9JN6P-7X7WW-RFFTV-B7QPF --- License key, good into mid-January 2013

Verify checksum with FCIV tool.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl....aspx?id=11533

fciv -both Windows8-ReleasePreview-64bit-English.iso

//
// File Checksum Integrity Verifier version 2.05.
//
MD5 SHA-1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
5901db43f3b3fa155d65f523f76d5d88 d76ad96773615e8c504f63564af749469cfccd57 windows8-releasepreview-64bit-english.iso

fciv -both Windows8-ReleasePreview-32bit-English.iso

//
// File Checksum Integrity Verifier version 2.05.
//
MD5 SHA-1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
7285da50a07e33bc3b5a20e48afaf375 8bed436f0959e7120a44bf7c29ff0aa962bdefc9 windows8-releasepreview-32bit-english.iso

*******

The requirements for using that, a key requirement,
is a processor with NX/XD bit support. An AMD64 processor
likely fits the bill. On Intel, it would likely be
a late model P4 (LGA775), or anything with a 64 bit instruction
set (even if you were interested in installing the 32 bit
version, a 64 bit processor likely has NX/XD bit support).

If you want to check your PC, for Windows 8 dependencies,
you can use this tool. It should list anything which
doesn't meet requirements. You'd be using this solely
as a dependencies check, nothing else. Since you'd be
installing the Release Preview on a separate disk, you
wouldn't have to worry about non-compatible programs
on your current C: drive.

http://web.esd.microsoft.com/W8DL/WS...eAssistant.exe

When you want to install that eval version of Windows 8, try to:

1) Disconnect all unrelated hard drives. Use a spare
hard drive, with a decent amount of free space for
the installation. This is to prevent damage to any
existing OS.
2) You could load one of the above files, onto a DVD and
do the install from there. There is a USB key recipe
as well, using a transfer tool from MicrosoftStore.
I don't recommend this, as it requires coaxing to finish
the job. The DVD path will involve less hair loss.
If you had a netbook, there might be incentives to use
the USB key install method.

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...usbdvd_dwnTool

If you want to operate your other hard drives on the machine as
well, I'd probably turn off System Restore on the other
OSes, to reduce interactions with your Windows 8 test install.

When you get the Windows 8 running, look for Power options and
turn off spin-down of hard drives. That's to avoid unnecessary
CHKDSK runs when booting multiple different OSes. You want the
hard drives to spin all the time in Windows 8, to avoid issues.

There's likely some other evaluation version of Windows 8
you can install, which would mean a less tortured path.
The above Win8 key works until mid-January, giving you
enough time to learn how to use it, find stuff and so on.

Of the pile of computers I have here, only two can take
the release version of Windows 8. Those are the only
ones with NX/XD support. My machines have Intel processors,
and so XD is what they use. I don't have any x64 AMD.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_bit

You can pollute your install of Windows 8 with this, but
this negates the learning process you're supposed to be
going through with this test install.

http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/features.html

Paul

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:31:00 -0500, Mark F wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

Use the 'Desktop' rather than the 'Start' screen.

In news Mark F typed on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:07:42 -0500:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:46:31 -0600, BillW50 wrote:

On 11/28/2012 11:57 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:00:04 +0000 (UTC), "John Doe"
wrote in articlek95fuj$6gs$1@dont-
email.me...

Mark Fmark53916 gmail.com wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

The same way it's done in Windows XP, Vista, and 7?

Unless you are talking about Metro apps, in which case you can't
really do multiple visible apps, but you can do a 70/30 split
between two apps if your screen meets the minimum resolution
(1366x768)

As far as how to do so, the feature is called "Snap", and a Google
search turned up this:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/wi...ure-focus-snap

I saw a Windows 8 utility the other day claiming to run Apps on the
desktop in a window. Now I don't remember where I saw it. I think on
one of those Windows 8 reviews.

Maybe everything I tried, including Explorer was an App.

Should going to a corner do anything? (I only saw something in the
lower left corner, which was called "Startup" or something similar,
that seemed like the main screen, which I would call a severely
limited Desktop in Windows XP or Windows 7.

Could full windowing have been turned off in the demo machines in the
Staples store.

Is there something I can try if I get back to Staples to try again?

(I didn't understand why the store didn't have anyone around who could
show something a basic as windows on a Windows system, but it is
their store, and if they don't want to sell any computers that is
their business.)

I am not sure I follow you? You mean like under Windows 7 you can go
down to the lower right and all open windows disappear and it shows the
clean desktop? If so, like that, but every corner does something under
Windows 8 in both the desktop and the MetroUI.

The right corners does the same thing, it calls up the charms bar. Or
you can use Win+C instead. The left corners are different. Bottom left
shows the minimized Start Screen. Left clicking it opens it up. Or use
the Win key. The top left corner shows the desktop and all open Metro
Apps opened. Or use the Win+Tab does the same thing.

When viewing the Start Screen or an Metro App, you can right click
anywhere on the screen to display more options. Some Metro Apps has no
more options and right clicking may not do anything. And more options
can do found under charms and settings.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core2 Duo T5600 1.83GHz - 4GB - Windows XP SP2

On Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:18:42 +0000, mechanic
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:31:00 -0500, Mark F wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

Use the 'Desktop' rather than the 'Start' screen.
How do I get to "Desktop"? There was no box on the
screens in the store.

This thing from CBS:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-...-to-windows-8/
says "there is a big button" for "Desktop", but it wasn't on the
ones in the store.

Mark F mark53916 gmail.com wrote:

mechanic mechanic example.net wrote:
Mark F wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

Use the 'Desktop' rather than the 'Start' screen.

How do I get to "Desktop"? There was no box on the screens in
the store.

Apparently they deleted it. Avoid using the PCs in the store.

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 06:12:17 -0500, "Mark F"
wrote in article ...

On Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:18:42 +0000, mechanic
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:31:00 -0500, Mark F wrote:

How do I do multiple visible windows in Windows 8?

Use the 'Desktop' rather than the 'Start' screen.
How do I get to "Desktop"? There was no box on the
screens in the store.

This thing from CBS:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-...-to-windows-8/
says "there is a big button" for "Desktop", but it wasn't on the
ones in the store.

Possibly it is now a small button, or has been removed entirely.

Unless they have blocked it, using CTRL+ALT+DEL will take you to the
Task Manager, and you will either be on the Desktop at that point or
will be able to use the More Details button to expose the File menu
option, which will have a Run New Task option, which will let you run
Explorer.exe which will launch the desktop...

Though, since it is essentially the same desktop as you've had under
Windows 7 (just without the Aero Glass look) I don't know why it
matters much. It is there, and you can run your non-Metro apps in it
just like previous versions of Windows.

--
Zaphod

Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster: A cocktail based on Janx Spirit.
The effect of one is like having your brain smashed out
by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.