Windows Windows 8 Marmite thread... Because you either love it or hate it

Oh sorry you need to be on the desktop for F1 to work.

The reason why they changed the start menu, is because the Start menu was originally designed for 640x480 resolutions, and later with XP with 800x600 resolution. It never took advantage of wide screen monitors. Think about it.
-> Word -> page is centered in the middle of the screen. Tools are on top and bottom
-> Web pages -> pages are width limited (well most of them), and you have empty space on the right and left.
-> and so on for many programs.

Microsoft tried to make the sides a bit more useful with the gadget sidebar thing. That didn't really work.

The start screen is designed for wide screens. It shows you more programs, and give you room to organize your stuff. Plus, its designed for touch screen, which should be seen as a compliment to the keyboard and mouse on a laptop, and allows to provide the same experience, whether you are on your laptop, desktop and tablet. So basically, once you know how to use Windows 8, you know how it works everywhere, even Windows Phone 8.
Also, your tablet and desktop apps on Windows 8/RT (not Windows phone 8.. well not yet at least) are in common. So if you buy let's say Angry Bird on your tablet, you can play it on your desktop.

The reason why Windows 8 starts with the Start screen, is that the great majority of people tend to open the start menu, or click a a pin icon on the task bar in Windows 7. So as you are about to lunch a program, why not show the Start screen in the first place, you are going to open a program in any case.

New Keyboard shortcut:
To access the desktop (let's say you can't find the desktop tile to click on), do Win+D keyboard combination. So you press the Windows key, and press simultaneously the D key and let both go.

 

Greetings!

There will be an update for WP8? Dont you mean the update from WP7.5 to WP7.8?

They did it in W95, all other OS to W8 played the same UI, with some incremental alterations.

That unified approach was the XP, 2000 was still a companies OS.
Funny that the articles I posted yesterday mentioned the potencial spilt between play and work OSes again.

Had/Am having those calls too.
You can spend some time with her to teach her the new Metro approach (Startscreen, Charms,... ) or just install one of the many alternatives Start Menus available throughout the web:
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/
http://lee-soft.com/vistart/
http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/
http://www.areaguard.com/startw8
...
Microsoft has killed their own Start Menu and offers no choice of a classic UI.

 

Nope

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That's the thing.. I haven't tried windows 8 yet..

 

It will take sometime for some people to adapt but it is worth it

Sent from my RM-821_eu_euro1_342 using Board Express

 

Greetings!

W8 its a good OS with a meh UI for desktops/laptops. Once you mention that there are ways to put the StartMenu back, people usually opt for that.

 

It is sad bug true, I don't miss the start menu and I love the new keyboard shortcuts but that is just me.

 

How is that "less stable"?

So you are fine with the update cycle really, you just don't like change?

Because the Nokia Lumia is selling out everywhere? Bad Nokia and Microsoft for making a successful mobile!

That's the same unfounded scare mongering as: "What if Microsoft gets rid of the desktop"? What if zombie sheep arise from the crypts and take over the world? What then, Impar? Huh? WHAT THEN?!?

Seriously. Breathe in the paper bag now.

Business will have no problem with it, in the same way that they have no problem with service packs. Some are still on XP, so not upgrading does not seem to bother them either.

 

@gaming freak tell her to press and hold windows key then press F1, it will come up then

 

Greetings!

You did notice the "" didnt you?

It really depends on the change.

Where are Lumias WP8 selling everywhere?

You seem to be the one overreacting, Nexxo. Or misreading.

 

I notice that you make a lot of emotive statements but do not back them up with explanations. What do you mean by "less stable"?.

So perhaps you need to find out what the Windows Blue updates are going to be about before you make a judgement?

Here?

You are just posting links or making vague subjective statements. When people call you on that you say: "I didn't mean it like that! You misunderstand me!". Well please do tell us what you mean, because you never do.


By the way, looks like Microsoft might be on to something after all: http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/30/3710900/gorilla-arm-touchscreen-laptop-windows-8-apple

 

In the "big countries". For example in Germany it is completely sold out. I am waiting for my phone for development as well, but the only thing available here is only 8X as well, and at 550 euros HTC can forget it, at that price i will rather give the extra 50 euros for the Lumia 920. The only real alternative for me is 8S for ~280 euros, but that is unavailable as well.

Pretty much all the new Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 stuff is nowhere to be seen. A Windows Phone 8 device ? Nothing, except 8X. A Windows 8 tablet with/without keyboard dock ? Nothing. A Windows 8 convertible ? Only Sony Vaio Duo. Touch enabled Full HD ultrabooks ? Only Acer Aspire S7. The only thing there is plenty of are low res non-touch Windows 8 notebooks and ultrabooks and few low res touch-enabled Windows 8 notebooks and ultrabooks.

And then MS can wonder why the hardware sales are poor - christmas is nearly uppon us and there is nothing to buy because there is nothing in stock.

 

As others have said

Windows 8 phone / tablet stocks are something shocking.

I was in a phone shop ( CW in Metro pretty much the biggest phone shop in the north east ) the other night looking at win 8 products and they basically said they are fully out of stock till sometime next month.

If following the internet rumor mill is out to go by its not sold out cause its selling fast but a total lack of units thats been delivered to key suppliers.

If you wanted a samsung phone or apple phone they had good offers on both basically free on contract for sg3 (£35 a month) or ip5 (£39 a month both contracts are normal for uk) pushing sales of products that they actually had in stock. Now that could be the windows phone 8 been pushed for sales this close to christmas.

Id hope they will correct this in the next week or so, Or they risk missing out on the busy christmas period. The tech market dies after christmas. ( As does most retail items )

 

Greetings!

Its all rumours now. But Microsoft has just changed the UI of its main OS, has plans to drop the SP release method, will put WP8 and W8 apps in the same path and, if you read the articles, there is also the rumour of separating play from work OSes (9x vs NT all over again).

They are not readily available anywhere (read the posts immediately above this one). And again:

You seem to not read or not understand what I write or just want to pick a discussion with me (not very moderator-like). An example:

Ok, nicely written article, with the focal point here:

From this same thread, last week:

See?

 

Yes, it's all rumour. The new update cycle is Service Packs by any other name. WP8 and W8 apps on the same kernel makes excellent sense. You yourself wanted a separation of "play" OS (Metro) and "work" OS (desktop). Now you're not happy if that were to happen?

Yes, because they're sold out.

I'm sorry? What else is this forum for if not to have discussions? If you don't like your opinions to be challenged, what are you doing here, stranger? Perhaps you just express yourself poorly or contradict yourself a lot.

 

Greetings!

Thats not exactly what I wanted. I would be happy if Microsoft ofered the option of a classical UI with optional Metro.
As for the separation between play and work OSes, it depends if in the work OS we could play.

Its a supply problem not large demand problem. There arent enough models and manufacturers.
There are what? 5 WP8 models? 8X, 8S, 920, 820 and Active S (this one uses the same screen as the Galaxy SIII, doubt it will appear in any decent quantity for a while).

Ah, ok.

There is also the hypothesis of you misinterpreting what I write. Not sure if intended or not.

 

You aren't really contributing to the discussion just making vague criticisms so Nexxo is right.

 

Greetings!

I disagree.

 

Proving my point

So Nexxo, are you going to get a 920 and go 4G?

 

Oh yes. I've played with some Lumia 920 goodness in a shop and I'm liking it (although the HTC 8X was also tasty). I'm just looking at the cheapest possible contract, and I need to check that NHS.net is happy to accept WP8 devices (WP7 did not have on-device email encryption so wouldn't accept that OS).