Windows 8/8.1 - Positive experiences, tips, and what would you have added?

By CG-88
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Veteran

link6155

Posted
Posted

Windows 8 is great. It's fast, smooth, fluid, and simply simple. Thing is, the default theme for me was too simple and plain. So I made a theme :)

simplex_for_windows_8_alpha_by_link6155-d5te3gh.png

Explorer

Navjot Singh

Posted
Posted

I love its Explorer Ribbon Interface. Its productive and usable. Also in totally love with the File Copying UI. Also for the fact its much faster and responsive which I guess everyone has already said.

  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

Active.

Posted
Posted

Positive experience except the missing Start button :)

Well, you can do something about that... :)

I think I've finally settled on a configuration in which I quite enjoy using Windows 8, with all hot corners disabled, task bar on the right and a button to launch Start8 in the upper right corner (yeah, I stole the Spotlight icon). I prefer the look to Windows 7 - never much of a fan of the glass windows and Microsoft's shiny UI elements.

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Apprentice

Atlanowl

Posted
Posted

Well, you can do something about that... :)

I think I've finally settled on a configuration in which I quite enjoy using Windows 8, with all hot corners disabled, task bar on the right and a button to launch Start8 in the upper right corner (yeah, I stole the Spotlight icon). I prefer the look to Windows 7 - never much of a fan of the glass windows and Microsoft's shiny UI elements.

Man, how did you do that? :)

Grand Master

Active.

Posted
Posted

Man, how did you do that? :)

Which part are you referring to? Start8 provides the start button/menu and an option that allows you to disable the hot corners. And it's easy enough to put together a start button graphic one likes. I personally kind of like the idea of having the magnifying glass up in that corner:

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Apprentice

Atlanowl

Posted
Posted

Which part are you referring to? Start8 provides the start button/menu and an option that allows you to disable the hot corners. And it's easy enough to put together a start button graphic one likes. I personally kind of like the idea of having the magnifying glass up in that corner:

I do have Start8 but I used the default settings. Didn't know that I can configure it the way you showed. Thanks.

  • 2 weeks later...
Neowinian

tomatoparty

Posted
Posted

What I like:

  • New desktop look
  • Universal search
  • Lives tiles and the general idea of the new start menu
  • Sheer speed on a SSD
  • Use of Microsoft account to improve cloud connectivity and synchronisation
  • Windows RT is the best tablet OS I've used hands down

What I would have liked to see:

  • Smaller 'tile' size with no live function (dimensions same as small tile wide, but half the height) and with only the name of the app in text on it which can also be used as a folder which expands to reveal the apps within. This would appease those who do not like the new start menu by allowing them to more or less create a better version of the windows 7 start menu.
  • Ability to run metro apps in windowed mode on desktop
  • More flexible live tiles so that apps can display custom animated graphics
  • MICROSOFT IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE DO THIS: Improved desktop usability - rather than having multiple desktops like mac or pc desktop managers (which I find annoying to cycle through) implement a system of app grouping. How this would work: if you click and drag (ie pick up) any running app from the taskbar, an 'add to group' box would appear on the right hand half of the taskbar. You could create several groups, and if you drop the app in a group it gets grouped with other apps in that group. This way that you can arrange several sets of windows to fit the screen and just switch to and from them like open apps on the taskbar just by clicking the corresponding group icon (eg group 3) on your taskbar. This would streamline productivity for me enormously, far better than multiple desktops. What's more there should be the ability to pin open app groups to the taskbar. Then, when you reboot your pc you just click the pinned group and all your programs in that group open up with their windows resized how you initially set them up. This would allow power users who have a lot running at once to rapidly set up their work environment.
  • Just put some kind of start symbol on the taskbar for those who don't like edge/corner gestures
  • Setting on first boot to set default apps between desktop or metro (so you don't have to go through and switch to desktop media player, email client, pdf reader, etc)

In windows RT:

  • Get proper touch versions of office for the metro interface
  • Allow certified 3rd party apps to run on the desktop (like image and video editing)
  • Support for high DPI screens (not sure if this currently doesn't exist or OEMs just aren't bothering to put some nice screens in their tablets)
  • Fix the embedded apps (ie give them function equivalent to old desktop apps like windows live mail) including mail, music, video and calendar

  • 3 weeks later...
Neowinian

Ben Lam

Posted
Posted

I like:

the whole new Windows Experience and being a whole new OS.

the challenge of learning all the new features.

the fresh new theme look is alright and pretty clean.

the new lock screen

how the task manager has both start-up and the performance monitor all together

the split screen is pretty neat and kind of cool

dislike:

kind of being forced to use the metro touch style and I think MS should've put like an On/Off switch

no start menu for desktop power users but can use be fixed using 3rd party programs like Start8

  • 3 weeks later...
Grand Master

Ice_Blue

Posted
Posted

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34772

This is a 12 page Word document with a very nice walkthrough of the new features in Windows 8.

It would have been even nicer if they had made a video of this to be displayed automatically once installation was complete.

I like Windows 8 a lot, but I can't help thinking that this was a missed opportunity, and one that would have done much to relieve Windows 8 angst.

Grand Master

Ice_Blue

Posted
Posted

Well XP shipped with this demo tutorial that explained the new stuff in the OS. Not sure why they stopped doing that with Vista +

Maybe because there were no dramatic UI changes in Vista and 7.

Yeah, I really liked that demo on XP. Helped newbies a lot.

Experienced

Lirodon

Posted
Posted

Since everyone's already went through the positives, on the "things you would have added" pile:

  1. The Metro UI should have had an interactive tutorial, not a movie.
  2. The window borders on the desktop should have customizable "tattoos" like Office 2013 alongside the blank one. Like, seriously; why can we do that on Office of all things but not Windows?
  3. Multiple workspaces (like Spaces on OS X, but implemented through the top-level screen system used for apps)
  4. A mail app that doesn't require Windows Live first.

Grand Master

Atomic Wanderer Chicken

Posted
Posted

http://windowsitpro....ales-hot-145329

According to net applications, Windows 8 sales are not doing that well (not surprisingly)! I think the best move for Microsoft to make is to market Windows 7 to desktop and laptop users and market Windows 8 toward tablet users. This is Microsofts only option now, to prevent another Vista! Microsoft should work on a Windows 7.1 and add all of the features from Windows 8 desktop and incorporate it into Windows 7. Then Microsoft should irradicate the desktop on Windows 8, and market it for tablets! It would be like Windows 2000 and Windows Me, one for actual hard core pc users and one for not so hard core pc users. The new GUi in Windows 8 is arguablly radically different, and majority of Windows users dont have touch based devices, therefore, the new interface doesnt make sense for them. I dont think Microsoft knew the consequences changing something of something thats been apart of Windows since Windows 95. Touchscreens are luxuries and majority of tablet users play games like Angry Birds, send emails, lightly surf the net, and watch videos. People who use mice and keyboards do REAL work and also play real games! It is blatantly obvious Windows 8 was soley created to compete in the tablet market!

Grand Master

Astra.Xtreme

Posted
Posted

Microsoft just needs to make 8 more customizable. If somebody doesn't like Metro, let them turn it off. If they want a start button, let them turn it back on. Forcing everybody in one direction and creating a walled garden like Apple clearly isn't making people happy.

Grand Master

techbeck

Posted
Posted

Microsoft just needs to make 8 more customizable. If somebody doesn't like Metro, let them turn it off. If they want a start button, let them turn it back on. Forcing everybody in one direction and creating a walled garden like Apple clearly isn't making people happy.

No argument from me. I dont like being forced to do something and decisions made for me. I didnt have any problems going from 3.11 to 95 back in the day and i knew little to nothing that I do now. I am not having much problems with Windows 8 other than hard to find settings, missing features, and a change being forced upon me.

Grand Master

Hum

Posted
Posted

Microsoft just needs to make 8 more customizable. If somebody doesn't like Metro, let them turn it off. If they want a start button, let them turn it back on. Forcing everybody in one direction and creating a walled garden like Apple clearly isn't making people happy.

I hope the Windows 9 developers are reading your post. ;)

Grand Master

Atomic Wanderer Chicken

Posted
Posted

I really dont understand Microsofts motivation for crap everything together in one OS then attempt to put it on all devices. If Microsoft's customers dont want a particular food, they shouldn't force that food down their customer's throats like this!

Grand Master

+LogicalApex MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

Wait... According to the PR bot... Windows 8 is the best selling Windows in history. So why would Microsoft need to change anything? They are doing better than they ever have!

He wouldn't lie to me...

Grand Master

ahhell

Posted
Posted

You're on Neowin and complaining that there's about a story about Windows being discussed in the forum? I'm thinking you're on the wrong site, son.

That's not it at all. It's the non-stop complaining about the same thing over and over. OP's "article" is just a rehash of the same thing that's been beaten to death.

And don't call me "son". That is incredibly ignorant and insulting. :angry:

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