News Microsoft's Windows Blue plans hinted at in job ad

I'm sure you have noticed but the FSSM is the GUI.
If you cant see the difference from the default GUI in 8 to the default GUI in 7 maybe you need to go to spec savers

 

Sry dbl post

 

Dear Nexxo why did you past a link about Windows Surface RT when we were talking about Windows 8? Having trouble finding a relevant review? Have to go through many to find that ONE? that still doesn't address what was asked.
Ohh and Windows isn't fully open. It unified a large fragmented computing arena and monopolized it.
Ohh and whether you intend to be or not, you sir are a trollolololololololololololololololololololololololol

 

I'm still waiting for that long list of presumed differences. "Well, if you can't see it..." is not a valid argument (I mean, is that the best you can do?).

Oh, OK then:
http://www.sitepoint.com/windows-8-review-3/
http://rcpmag.com/Articles/2013/01/01/One-OS-to-Bind-Them.aspx?Page=1

And four out of ten cats prefer Win8:
http://www.zdnet.com/dogfooding-windows-8-six-long-term-windows-8-users-tell-all_p5-7000007850/

Windows 8 is open in that you can install anything on it that was written for it --by anyone, through any channel. As such you can mod it beyond recognition and if you are a geek, you would have.

But I must admit that I cower in the devastatingly compelling argument of: "trololololololololol".

 

That's like asking someone to explain the difference between the Windows 7 GUI and the XBOX GUI they are designed for a totally different way to interact with the device, so trying to draw comparisons are futile as the list could go on for hundreds of pages.

But as it seems you have problems telling what the differences are from just looking at screen shots, using it or reading about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8#Interface_and_desktop
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_%28design_language%29
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/04/windows-8-on-the-desktopan-awkward-hybrid/

 

Greetings!

Press Start, press Word icon.
Press Start, press Word tile.
Same thing.
If she doesnt see the Word shortcut (on a system she is used to since 1995) it is selective blindness. Even more if she is receiving instructions on how to get there.

Improvements on wireless connections between all kind of devices.
Devices combinations where the UI is adpatable to what input method is used.

Again?

Plus the lack of "most used" list.

 

Myeaok, but instead of picking, say, the five most compelling differences from those hundreds of pages (plenty of choice, no?), you post an image referring (again) to the Start Screen. Surely there are more differences than that? Or is that it? Charms and Start Screen?

Heck, even your last link says:

So are you saying that there is no functional difference between the Start Menu and the Start Screen? Then what is your problem?

Yes indeed. And this is the first step towards that.

Which is the most confusing and useless feature, because over time it keeps changing the position of the icons. The Pinned Items list is more practical.

 

But you forgot to quote the next sentence

There is a great deal of functional difference between the two.

1. The Start screen has no recently used feature.

2. Applications get pinned automatically when installed.

3. The FSSM will not let you have more than two programs on the screen at a time.

4. Programs work fullscreen and can't be arbitrarily resized.

5. FSSM programs can't be moved from one screen to another.

6. Switcher groups all desktop programs into just one thumbnail.

7. Windows Mail Doesn't Support POP Accounts.

8. Tablet Users Need to Enter the Desktop for Key Functions.

9. Windows Desktop Gadgets was removed from Windows 8

10. It is no longer possible to change the color of window backgrounds and other elements

11. The "Manage wireless networks" option on the task pane of the Network and Sharing Center control panel is no longer available.

12. Shortcuts for the Bluetooth File Transfer wizard on a device with Bluetooth communication, are no longer provided

13. Windows Media Center is no longer included by default on any edition of Windows 8

14. MPEG-2 video codec is no longer included by default

15. Windows DVD Maker was removed.

16. The Check Disk utility only shows a percentage when running at startup

17. Memory addresses and other technical information has been removed from the Windows 8 bug check screen (BSOD)

18. Windows XP Mode is not supported.

19. Device Manager no longer shows Non-Plug and Play Drivers/hidden devices. The "Devmgr_Show_NonPresent_Devices=1' environment variable has no effect.

20. Applications can no longer programmatically configure, change or query file associations or set themselves during installation as the default for a file type or protocol!

21. Explorer metadata/property handler for media files is removed which means the Details pane won't show those nice properties

22. The "Unblock" button previously available on the file properties dialog for unblocking downloaded files (removing the NTFS Alternate Data Stream from the downloaded file) has been removed.

23. Search option to use natural language search has been removed.

24. Mouse control panel option to allow or disallow themes to change mouse pointers is removed from the GUI

25. Sound events for 'Exit Windows', 'Windows Logon' and 'Windows Logoff' are removed

26. Previous Versions for Shadow Copies is removed. The half-baked replacement is the File History feature which is only for certain file types (documents, music, videos and pictures) in Libraries, desktop and browser favorites. Previous Versions worked for any generic file type in any folder. File History does not even support EFS-encrypted files! File History is supposed to replace both "Previous Versions for Shadow Copies" as well as "Windows Backup and Restore" and it doesn't do 100% of either of the features it "replaces".

27. Explorer: Ability to enable both Details pane and Preview pane simultaneously in Explorer for display of file metadata as well as preview, or, Details pane to be always shown and only the Preview pane toggled is gone.

28. The AutoPlay dialog removes the option to always open a particular program based on the file type

29. The Windows Error Reporting dialog for reporting/debugging crashes does not save the state of "View details"

30. The ability to completely deconfigure UAC and run with administrator privileges full time has been removed.

Happy now

 

Pin Recent folder to Start Screen.

They were on Win7; this is installer dependent.

Use desktop program alternatives.

Use desktop programs.

Use desktop programs.

Use ALT+TAB as with Windows 7.

Use Thunderbird. Use IMAP. Use Exchange (you can with Google Mail). Or are you expecting emails from the Nineties?

Except that I own a Windows tablet, and I don't.

Good riddance. Use Samurize, Rainmeter, Yahoo Widgets.

It is like in Windows 7.

Right-click on Network icon in taskbar or go through Control Panel. It's all still there.

Right-click Bluetooth icon in taskbar and select Send File or Receive File.

Free download until end January; now a tenner.

Download free codec pack.

Tragedy. Download free alternative.

And this is a problem how?

Yeah, because that really meant something to the average user...

Why would you want it to be?

These devices are now shown under the correct device categories by default.

Yes, they can and they do.

Doesn't it?

You'll have to explain that one to me.

And again: how is this a problem?

You can still use themes.

They are lumped under Account Control sound. Not something I would call a major productivity issue though.

Shadow Copies was a complex all-or-nothing solution that most users didn't even know was there, let alone used. File History is closer to Apple's Time Machine and easier for the average user to understand and use. It covers what it needs to. For the rest of us, we all have NAS with synced folders.

Minor drawback, IMHO.

I'm sure it's still there.

Again, does that information actually mean anything to you?

When you are an admin account, you hardly ever get nagged. Much improved over Vista. So a minor niggle.

I'm sorry, but you list either issues related to the Metro component that you can ignore, tiny details that are incorrect, easily adjusted or that only the most obsessive of power users might notice. Nothing that threatens productivity or the general desktop experience.

 

Strange, i can move the whole Metro desktop from one screen to another. Drag & drop, done.

I guess i am from an alternate reality :

This one is from alternate reality too then :

 

So basically your answer to what has changed in Windows 8 is,
To use programs designed for running on windows 7 and not the FSSM
To use third party program to bring back features that have been removed
Pay M$ some money to get a feature back

I get the feeling anything i say is falling on deaf ears, as first you ask me what is diffrent from Win7 and then when i tell you, your answer seem to be ohh never mind just spend money on programs that bring back what has been removed.

8. Tablet Users Need to Enter the Desktop for Key Functions.

Either that's one strange tablet with a mouse attached, or you have just entered the desktop for a key function. what one is it ?

16. The Check Disk utility only shows a percentage when running at startup

So if your drive has bad sectors or other problems how are you going to know that ?

17. Memory addresses and other technical information has been removed from the Windows 8 bug check screen (BSOD)

The average user is not the one trying to fix the problem though, there IT dept is however

18. Windows XP Mode is not supported.

Hmm IDK maybe to install a program that will not run in 8, and for testing purposes

No they dont, Show Hidden Devices=devices that are part of a setup class that is marked as a NoDisplayClass in the registry.
DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1 means devices that were physically removed from the computer but whose registry entries were not deleted. Get the difference?

22. The "Unblock" button previously available on the file properties dialog for unblocking downloaded files (removing the NTFS Alternate Data Stream from the downloaded file) has been removed.

Simple download a .exe file from the internet on windows 7 bring up properties for said file and you can remove the NTFS Alternate Data Stream from the downloaded file by using the option to unblock the file.
In windows 8 this has to be done from the command prompt now.

28. The AutoPlay dialog removes the option to always open a particular program based on the file type

No, it is not.

But as i said it seem you have rose tinted glasses on as your solution's to fixing these problems is hey it doesn't matter, install a third party program, switch to the desktop, plug in a mouse to your tablet. So i get the feeling no matter how bad Windows 8 was you would still ignore its failings or work around them.

 

Just downloaded Total Commander from the Internet, guess what i see in Windows 8 ?

Are you sure you don't mean the Set Default Programs dialog ?

 

But sadly not the program that is running on the metro desktop

"The file system that you normally use is NTFS. Alternate data streams are still supported in NTFS for Windows 8. The new file system that we will also be providing in Windows 8 is ReFS. ReFS doesn't support Alternate data streams."

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2012/01/17/microsoft-refs-file-system/1

 

Well, I use WP7 so never used Android - and as a passionate Apple-Hater I have absolutely nothing to do with iOS besides bashing it.

Fair point though. Just because MS was last to do this doesn't mean however that I like it. It's just a general principle - I want to be able to use the internet when I want to, how I want to. I don't want companies to force the internet on me. I think it is very vital to remain control over your own internet exposure, as far as that is possible.

But that's another topic altogether.

But as far as my computer is concerned, I want to be able to separate it. To remain full functionality (well, besides internet functions such as browsing) when I choose to disable the internet (via adapter or else). Not sure how most on bit-tech work, but don't touch Google Docs or any of that. My work is usually completely local and I even have computers that never have internet connectivity. So for that purpose, I fear where MS might be headed....Towards an online-only experience.

 

Guess what - MS accounts work offline too - you only need to log in with it on that computer at least once, and it will work with the last password you have used when you were connected to internet.

And you do realize you can still use local accounts, right ?

 

"I'm sorry, but you list either issues related to the Metro component that you can ignore, tiny details that are incorrect, easily adjusted or that only the most obsessive of power users might notice. Nothing that threatens productivity or the general desktop experience."

Well...that is kinda the point. If I wanted an OS, where I need to tweak "tiny" details (and loads of them) and constantly look for alternatives or work-arounds, I might as well get a Linux distro from 2000.

Windows 7 installed works for me pretty much perfectly, right out of the box. No need to change anything, or do any major tweaks. The point being, MS does know how to create an efficient workspace and ensure a very smooth user experience. Which is, essentially, where MS f***ed up majorly with W8, imho.

 

Yes. But it is annoying plus the question remains, if/when they remove the option for local accounts.

 

No, I'm saying that most of the perceived changes are still there, just as in Windows 7, that if you want a Windows 7 desktop experience you can have one by using the usual and ubiquitously available desktop software instead of Metro apps and that the few features that are removed can either can be added for free (if you really want them) or else are superfluous to the average user anyway.

You know what I'm saying, because in your rebuttal your 30 point list has already whittled down to six. The deafness is yours.

It's not a key function when I use my tablet. I set up my WiFi connection in Metro and was done.

CheckDisk fixes those automatically, and if it can't labels them as bad and avoids using them (as has been happening since DOS). Knowing about them is great for power users, but they have more powerful software to examine their HDD (they don't use CheckDisk for that). Average users don't even know what a sector is. They just want it to work.

Yeah and guess what? They have more powerful diagnostic utilities than BSOD.

Compatibility Mode is still available, and goes right back to Windows 95.

Yup. And users are finding that Windows 8 deletes these files and registry entries (where Windows 7 did not). It seems to have a slightly better uninstallation/cleanup procedure.

I think fauguztin already showed it's still there.

Control Panel --> Hardware and Sound --> Autoplay. Set as required.

Given the number of times fauguztin and I have had to point out that most features are still there, and you actually argue that switching to the desktop and using desktop programs is a poor solution for having a Windows 7 desktop experience ( ) I get the feeling that it does not matter to you how closely the Windows 8 desktop resembles the Windows 7 desktop.

Face it: the desktop is fine. It is the mere existence of Start Screen and Metro apps that you cannot get past. Even if you can completely ignore it.

BTW I don't need to use a mouse when accessing desktop on my tablet. Strangely, finger works fine. And there's this whole Typecover thing with a trackpad and keyboard which makes it work just like a notebook. Choice is good.

 

Most of these "perceived" changes are in fact real changes that are no longer there.
If i want a windows 7 desktop experience why should i use third party programs with windows 8, why not just use window 7 ?
superfluous to the average user anyway, that's in your opinion just because you may not use it does not mean other don't.

Far from it, the reason i only picked those 6 is because i find it silly to reiterate every point seeing as your answer is, well i didn't use it, use third party programs, go back to using the old style desktop, etc, etc.

Again just because this is not a key function for you does not mean it is the same for everyone.

So your saying every person with out a IT dept is a power user with powerful software to examine their HDD ?

Again your assuming every user has access to "powerful diagnostic utilities" you do realise lots of people actually diagnose and fix there own problems right?

Try running IE6 in windows 8 with compatibility mode, this software maybe very old and not in use by may people but developers still have to test for such things.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/01/windows-xp-mode/

No Windows 8 does not delete these files, far from it in fact
http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/Troubleshooting-You-dont-need-that

If your using NTFS true, but The file system that you normally use is NTFS. Alternate data streams are still supported in NTFS for Windows 8. The new file system that we will also be providing in Windows 8 is ReFS. ReFS doesn't support Alternate data streams.
http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2012/01/17/microsoft-refs-file-system/1

The file system M$ want you to use does not support this.

Yes, But not

So your saying most of the features are still there even though i have only listed thirty of the many more features that have been removed.
And yes i do argue that having to switch to the crippled desktop is a poor solution because of the way M$ have implemented it.
It not a matter of Windows 8 desktop resembling the Windows 7 desktop, its because of the way M$ has implemented it has caused the hole OS to become schizophrenic.

The desktop is far from fine, I shouldn’t be experiencing two different settings menus when activating the same Charm for example, the switcher should display each program running on the desktop not just the desktop.

Sorry im confused, at one point your saying you don't enter the desktop for key functions then in a latter post you say you do !

 

IE6 is a bad example, it is not supported anymore even by MS itself - http://www.modern.ie/en-US/virtualization-tools . Last IE6 Compat VHD expired a week ago.

ReFS is a work in progress filesystem for data storage. It won't replace NTFS for few years or at all. 95% of the users use and will use NTFS, there is only a very small group of people using ReFS or Storage spaces.