Windows 8 Release Preview Discussion

By Roger H.
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

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Experienced

Wyn6

Posted
Posted

I honestly don't know what to do with Metro in combination with my 27-inch screen @ 2560 x 1440. It's just one big waste of screen estate. The amount of empty space filled by a single solid color everywhere is just staggering and all the white just hurts my eyes. Is there any way to actually make use of screen space my iMac offers? And by that I don't mean increasing everything in size so it fills for the sake of filling.

I'm using 8 on a 1080p HD TV. I was also using 7 in the same fashion. What I did was enlarge the text on screen to 141% (custom setting). This is in part because I'm sitting 7 to 8 feet away from the tv. The other thing I did was change the metro IE zoom level to 150% and desktop IE to 140%.

Again, these were my settings in 7 with the exception of Metro IE. I don't have anywhere near the amount of space you have. But, I also have a lower resolution than you (1920x1080).

metro1.th.png metro2.th.png

Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

Then choose the same desktop app you've been using for whatever's irking you? They haven't gone away. All I've seen you do is complain about whitespace on things like the Neowin home page. You do know that's a site-formatting issue that can easily be solved by clicking "Settings" and "Use expanded width" on the front page?

"Use something else" isn't a real answer and the only thing I did was use Neowin as an example of why running Internet Explorer full-screen is pretty much pointless on larger screens. The space being wasted away would should be put to use by allowing multiple apps to be fully visible at the same time; at the very least by splitting the screen fifty-fifty instead of eighty-twenty. No complaints were directed at Neowin's home page, way to twist things around mister?

And what do you mean with "they haven't gone away"? Aren't most build-in apps being replaced by Metro counterparts, including Windows Live Essentials once this thing goes RTM?

Experienced

Rickkins

Posted
Posted

Well....I installed the latest version overtop the cp version that I already had but had stopped working. First thing I did was install classic shell...which works well. Then, I repaired the taskbar nonsense, so that it behaves like in xp. So for so good, as far as that is concerned. Having a bit of trouble with flash installing properly, but I'll get to that.

Some questions.

1. how to get it to boot directly into desktop..??

2. is there a way to eliminate metro completely..?? or reduce it or hide it in whole or in part.

Grand Master

Sszecret Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted (edited)

Installed it last night.

The good : It feels much faster than the CP, some of the color options for the Start Screen are actually really nice (though some of them are horrible in my view, and I would've wanted a couple more Start Screen backgrounds), there isn't such a big delay when I invoke the charms bar, the Switcher has a text label for each of the running apps, the All Apps section seems (maybe it's just me) a bit less crowded, though I installed the same number of apps as in the CP. Also, I like the tweaks to the Aero theme and I'm really digging the new cursor. The flattened ribbon is nice but I think it'll look its best when all the icons are metrofied. Other than that, it's been pretty stable.

The bad : The store seems to take forever to install an app, whenever I try to add a new account in Mail and I go to Settings > Accounts and I click Add a new account, the pane on the side (or however that's called) disappears. Just like that. I've tried it multiple times, I tried installing / uninstalling , pin / unpin and even "Refresh / Reset your PC" . Nothing works, so I believe it's a problem with the metro apps. Also, in Calendar, if I try to add a new account, the same thing happens, only this time, not only does the pane disappear, it closes the app and takes me back to the Start Screen. In Music, whenever I try to get to the playback controls (via right click), the menu appears on the bottom, stays there for like a second and then disappears. I installed all the updates, all the drivers, and I have the exact same setup I did when I installed the CP. (these apps worked prefectly for me)

Has anybody else experienced something like this? Maybe I'm "holding it wrong"?

Edited by Sszecret
Collaborator

Subhadip

Posted
Posted

And back in 1995 everyone was saying what a "dickish" move it was by Microsoft to force Windows Explorer and the Start menu down the throats of those who had been using Program and File Managers for 5+ years.

Yes, it's nothing new. Throughout the history of known human history people have always, always been resistant to change. Eventually we get used to it and move on.

Grand Master

BajiRav

Posted
Posted

"Use something else" isn't a real answer and the only thing I did was use Neowin as an example of why running Internet Explorer full-screen is pretty much pointless on larger screens. The space being wasted away would should be put to use by allowing multiple apps to be fully visible at the same time; at the very least by splitting the screen fifty-fifty instead of eighty-twenty. No complaints were directed at Neowin's home page, way to twist things around mister?

And what do you mean with "they haven't gone away"? Aren't most build-in apps being replaced by Metro counterparts, including Windows Live Essentials once this thing goes RTM?

I think there was a post on B8 blog where they explained the DPI and resolution supported by Win8. It boilds down to a select resolutions and multiples of it (for high density displays) and if your resolution doesn't qualify, the metro apps won't automatically fit your screen (hence the whitespace). This is basically same thing that Apple has been doing with iOS devices where it supports two basic resolutions (one of which is an exact double of other).

For apps splitting 50-50 - it won't be possible because then developers will have to code apps to handle yet another layout (they are already required to do 2).

Mentor

+KibosJ Subscriber²

Posted
  • Subscriber²
Posted

I have to say, I uninstalled the Consumer Preview after about a day of using it.

The Release preview...... I actually love it! :D

More surprising was the fact it took a total of 7 Minutes and 59 Seconds to install the bloody thing :p

Grand Master

Vice

Posted
Posted

I think there was a post on B8 blog where they explained the DPI and resolution supported by Win8. It boilds down to a select resolutions and multiples of it (for high density displays) and if your resolution doesn't qualify, the metro apps won't automatically fit your screen (hence the whitespace). This is basically same thing that Apple has been doing with iOS devices where it supports two basic resolutions (one of which is an exact double of other).

For apps splitting 50-50 - it won't be possible because then developers will have to code apps to handle yet another layout (they are already required to do 2).

If this is true then it guarantees the Metro apps will never be very powerful because the most demanding applications have very complicated user interfaces with lots of buttons and make great use of the available space, every inch of it. An example of that would be Photoshop or Microsoft Excel. If things are designed to scale up and always be large not being able to have tiny tiny buttons designed for a mouse because they have to cater for chubby fingers all the time then it just isn't ever going to get better than what we already see in Metro today.

Meanwhile Apple works to bring Resolution Independence to Mountain Lion and launch displays with a resolution higher than my 30" in a 17" notebook without losing detail. I think Apple gets it, consumers want a higher quality window in to their computing without sacrificing usability. Microsoft seems to take the approach of pulling everyone down to the lowest common dominator or in this case, resolution.

Grand Master

Eric Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

I can't boot to Windows 8 (unless on Safe Mode) because I tried to install a damn touchpad driver that didn't work (Macbook Pro 2011).

PLEASE, DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THIS???

There are no Repair Points, they don't work and I don't want to use the Refresh feature as it deletes all my apps.

PLEASE? :) :cry:

Did you try booting in safe mode and rolling back the drivers?

Collaborator

Subhadip

Posted
Posted

Has anyone tried using an Apple trackpad to interact with Metro apps, panoramas and such? Does it let you use swipe gestures and all that easily?

No but it works on Logitech Touchpad! Swiping from the right, left, top/bottom, all work great in Metro. It's a pretty great experience all round.

I am sure next-gen trackpads will smooth out some of the inconsistencies.

Grand Master

Eric Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

"Use something else" isn't a real answer and the only thing I did was use Neowin as an example of why running Internet Explorer full-screen is pretty much pointless on larger screens. The space being wasted away would should be put to use by allowing multiple apps to be fully visible at the same time; at the very least by splitting the screen fifty-fifty instead of eighty-twenty. No complaints were directed at Neowin's home page, way to twist things around mister?

And what do you mean with "they haven't gone away"? Aren't most build-in apps being replaced by Metro counterparts, including Windows Live Essentials once this thing goes RTM?

Neowin goes wall-to-wall on my 22" monitor when I turn on expanded width. Does yours not?

As to the preview apps: they're still marked as that: preview. If you find their functionality lacking, continue using your old desktop apps until they're satisfactory. If you don't tell them what you don't like they can't implement it.

Grand Master

Vice

Posted
Posted

Neowin goes wall-to-wall on my 22" monitor when I turn on expanded width. Does yours not?

As to the preview apps: they're still marked as that: preview. If you find their functionality lacking, continue using your old desktop apps until they're satisfactory. If you don't tell them what you don't like they can't implement it.

His point is, we with large screens don't like full screening anything. That is the whole point we bought such large screens to run multiple apps side by side all the time. I never full screen anything except Photoshop and Games. Really.

Grand Master

xendrome

Posted
Posted

So... what about jump lists...

I like having my Remote Desktop, Word, Excel all docket at the bottom, so I can just right click the icon and left click the connection/file I want.

Now I can't get to those icons without hitting "Desktop" first... this reminds me of when Exchange 2007 came out and they took half the simple 2 click GUI commands out and moved them to power shell. Then only to realize that was 2 steps backwards and added them back in Exchange 2010....

I guess the "Phone Beta Test" is over and the "Desktop OS Beta Test" has begun, for consumers.

Grand Master

BajiRav

Posted
Posted

If this is true then it guarantees the Metro apps will never be very powerful because the most demanding applications have very complicated user interfaces with lots of buttons and make great use of the available space, every inch of it. An example of that would be Photoshop or Microsoft Excel. If things are designed to scale up and always be large not being able to have tiny tiny buttons designed for a mouse because they have to cater for chubby fingers all the time then it just isn't ever going to get better than what we already see in Metro today.

Meanwhile Apple works to bring Resolution Independence to Mountain Lion and launch displays with a resolution higher than my 30" in a 17" notebook without losing detail. I think Apple gets it, consumers want a higher quality window in to their computing without sacrificing usability. Microsoft seems to take the approach of pulling everyone down to the lowest common dominator or in this case, resolution.

I don't understand, what part of my post made you think that Microsoft won't support high resolution screens or apps with "complicated interfaces"? I'd suggest you bring up that b8 post and go through it. :) They will support high-res displays as long as the display resolution is some multiple of the base resolution (1366?768).

Grand Master

BajiRav

Posted
Posted

So... what about jump lists...

I like having my Remote Desktop, Word, Excel all docket at the bottom, so I can just right click the icon and left click the connection/file I want.

Now I can't get to those icons without hitting "Desktop" first... this reminds me of when Exchange 2007 came out and they took half the simple 2 click GUI commands out and moved them to power shell. Then only to realize that was 2 steps backwards and added them back in Exchange 2010....

I guess the "Phone Beta Test" is over and the "Desktop OS Beta Test" has begun, for consumers.

but how is that any different than WIndows 7? It is unchanged as far as I understand your post.

Collaborator

Subhadip

Posted
Posted

So... what about jump lists...

I like having my Remote Desktop, Word, Excel all docket at the bottom, so I can just right click the icon and left click the connection/file I want.

Now I can't get to those icons without hitting "Desktop" first... this reminds me of when Exchange 2007 came out and they took half the simple 2 click GUI commands out and moved them to power shell. Then only to realize that was 2 steps backwards and added them back in Exchange 2010....

I guess the "Phone Beta Test" is over and the "Desktop OS Beta Test" has begun, for consumers.

Instead of jump-lists we have content specific live tiles, which is pretty great. Of course, now it's up to the app developers to start developing to the full potential of Metro.

For desktop apps, obviously jump-lists work better.

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