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Windows 8... help me out here

Joe Nerve

Joe Nerve

Oct 7, 2000
18,619
38,939
New York City
www.joenerve.com
Disclosures
Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
#1
Got a new PC w/ Windows 8. Immediately hooked it up with Classic Shell (was in dire need of the start button), and I've been using it just like the old Windows. I keep going back to the start screen in hopes of finding something useful there, but I'm just not getting it. I'm not big on Facebook, movies I watch on my TV, and well... anything I use a computer for is in Desktop. I feel I might be missing something as this is only hours old to me right now. Anybody wanna help me out? What are the benefits of Windows 8, and why should I be happy I now have it?

PS. Yes, I bought a touch screen monitor too, but it's too new and I don't want to get my fingerprints on it :).
 
#2
You sound pretty much like I do. I bought a new laptop running windows 8 on Black Friday. I spend all of my time on the desktop side of things and only end up in the metro UI when I get there accidentally. I think the full screen apps are ugly and cumbersome. I also have a touch screen and I don't use it either. I've yet to find a program that requires it and I have to reason to mark up my screen for no reason. The only reason I got the touch screen is because the laptop had all the other features I wanted. In the few months I've had mine, when I ended up in the metro UI or accidentally opened a program in that mode, I found it ugly, cumbersome, and a nuisance. I haven't found a need to be in that interface or to use my touchscreen and my guess is that you probably wont' either.
 
#4
I never really got used to it with my laptop... The start screen is definitely more suited to being a tablet interface. So I only ever used the desktop screen, which sucked without the start button.

Honestly, the best thing I have ever done with this laptop is ditch windows 8 and install windows 7 64-bit professional on it. But this computer is basically just for CAD/CAM stuff for work and school. And windows 7 is WAY better for that stuff than 8.

If they offered new laptops with widows 7, I would have gone that route from the get go.
 
#5
I don't use the Start Screen (Metro UI) too often on my touch screen, but it is handy when I do. My laptop is connected to two external, non-touch screen monitors, so I spend 99.9% of my time on the traditional Windows desktop. Here is a handy tip if you want to see even less of the Windows Start Screen:
From the Windows 8.1 desktop, right-click on the taskbar and choose Properties. In the Taskbar and Navigation Properties box that opens, click the Navigation tab. In the options in the “Start screen” area, turn on the checkbox next to “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start.”

-Mike
 
#7
-Asdfgh- said:
There are some after-market mods to bring back the start menu AFAIK. I have never tried them.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I mentioned that in the OP. And it works great. Downloaded the app about 5 minutes after I booted up windows 8. I'm wondering if the touch screen is going to be the wave of the future, or something that bombs out bigtime. Only time will tell, I guess.

Got lots of new tech to navigate. The new talkbass, which I"m not yet used to but think I'm going to like. Windows 8. Plus I ordered the latest version of Cubase (7), which has been completely redone. What fun.

Only thing I'm not too crazy about with the new talkbass is the "liked" thing. I'm not big on popularity contests... unless I'm winning. So ya'll better like me. :) ASD, I threw you a like cuz I see yer lagging a bit :).
 
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#8
I am all for the like feature. Hopefully it will reduce the number of useless "+1" posts.

As far as it being a popularity contest... we all know there really is no contest, nobody will ever catch JimmyM!
 
#10
Joe Nerve said:
Yeah, I mentioned that in the OP. And it works great. Downloaded the app about 5 minutes after I booted up windows 8. I'm wondering if the touch screen is going to be the wave of the future, or something that bombs out bigtime. Only time will tell, I guess.

Got lots of new tech to navigate. The new talkbass, which I"m not yet used to but think I'm going to like. Windows 8. Plus I ordered the latest version of Cubase (7), which has been completely redone. What fun.

Only thing I'm not too crazy about with the new talkbass is the "liked" thing. I'm not big on popularity contests... unless I'm winning. So ya'll better like me. :) ASD, I threw you a like cuz I see yer lagging a bit :).
Click to expand...
Daw makers like image line started getting into touch screen since fl studio has hit mobile and "performance mode" has come up as a hot topic but other than that doesn't seem like it's for much other than angry birds and candy crush lol.
 
#12
There are no advantages to Windows 8 except to fatten MicroSoft's wallet after they force us to upgrade. This is a prime example of change for the sake of change ONLY, rather than to improve something.

I have 2 computers that came with Win 7 running Classic Shell with all the Aero BS turned off. I will NEVER upgrade them. This is it. My 2 older Win XP computers will get upgraded to Linux Mint, adding Connections to allow the running of any necessary Windows programs. I am totally DONE with MS BS - they have burned their bridges with Win 8.
 
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#13
Well, I dig the new design changes in Windows 8.1. The streamlined apps that run off the start screen tiles, with the clean and intuitive interface are nice and I can still run all of my desktop programs as needed. All of this optimized to be used with my handheld computer. I may never use my laptop again and my desktop is now relegated to storage server status.
 
#14
Double E said:
All of this optimized to be used with my handheld computer.
Click to expand...

...and you have pretty much summed up why everyone hates Windows 8.

I was perfectly happy running XP until some douche broke into my house while I was on holiday last summer and stole my laptop. Unfortunately the insurance money came through the week that 8 was released, and I could not find a laptop that was being sold with 7 on, so I was forced into getting 8. I hated it until I installed Classic Shell. I can understand that they wanted to create an OS that would bridge the gap between PC and tablet, and the new wave of hybrid laptops with touchscreens, but I really feel like they could have saved themselves a lot of hate if they had just left the start menu option for people who haven't got a touchscreen. I'm not going to invest in a touchscreen just so that Windows works the way I expect it to. I'm more than happy to run 3rd party software to fix it, but it just seems like a mistake that should never have happened.
 
#17
The desktop environment is practically identical to the previous versions except for how you open programs through the start screen vs the start menu. How much time do you spend opening programs anyway?
 
#18
Happynoj said:
...and you have pretty much summed up why everyone hates Windows 8.

I was perfectly happy running XP until some douche broke into my house while I was on holiday last summer and stole my laptop. Unfortunately the insurance money came through the week that 8 was released, and I could not find a laptop that was being sold with 7 on, so I was forced into getting 8. I hated it until I installed Classic Shell. I can understand that they wanted to create an OS that would bridge the gap between PC and tablet, and the new wave of hybrid laptops with touchscreens, but I really feel like they could have saved themselves a lot of hate if they had just left the start menu option for people who haven't got a touchscreen. I'm not going to invest in a touchscreen just so that Windows works the way I expect it to. I'm more than happy to run 3rd party software to fix it, but it just seems like a mistake that should never have happened.
Click to expand...
There isn't anything I do with the touch screen that isn't easily duplicated with mouse clicks or keyboard shortcuts.
 

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