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  3. Windows 8.1 - first (and second) impressions anyone?

Windows 8.1 - first (and second) impressions anyone?

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  • R Ron Beyer

    I'm on 8.1 and have some issues. First is that my browser seems to lock up, a lot. I can't restart the normal way so I have to do a hard reset. Second is every time my computer starts, I get a "Could not initialize BTStack" or something to that effect. Apparently this is an issue with the blue tooth stack. Third, start button, yeah its there, but it's like a tease. I want my start menu back. Fourth, I use my computer for things other than stuff that should be full screen, I hate working full screen. I have to jump through hoops to use my computer like a normal computer. The control panel is hard to get to. It forced me to use my MSN account for logging on otherwise it wouldn't let me download from the store (it changed to this in 8.1). I really can't stand it, and just don't have the time to downgrade to 7, luckily 8 is only on my portable dev machine that I only use in the field. 7 is on my main dev machine and I enjoy it 100 times better than 8. I can't stand the Metro UI, live tiles, etc on my computer. Tablet sure, computer no.

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    Colborne_Greg
    wrote on last edited by
    #19

    8.1 so far is not a full release and to complain about bugs is well stupid considering it's not a full release. The control panel - Start menu - Type control Panel - Start menu - All programs - Windows System - Explorer - This PC - Computer menu - Control panel icon If you can't find something in 8.1 - type it in the start menu.

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    • D DaveAuld

      Chris Maunder wrote:

      I live in hope there's a killer feature that someone will mention that will make it all good again

      What, like the "shutdown" command.... :rolleyes:

      Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


      Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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      Colborne_Greg
      wrote on last edited by
      #20

      You can make the start menu transparent (in a way) - right click on start menu - click properties - go to navigation tab - enable show desktop background on start

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      • R Ron Beyer

        Using it for 3 months since it became available via MSDN, don't hold your breath for that killer feature Chris.

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        Colborne_Greg
        wrote on last edited by
        #21

        The features in 8.1 are double that of 8 if you can't find them you are not looking hard enough

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        • R Ron Beyer

          Oh, one other big one... Visual Studio 2013 RC is not compatible with Windows 8. How do you like that? Brand new development environment can't even run on the newest OS. Also see my comment further down about Windows 8 removing support for DVD playback.

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          Colborne_Greg
          wrote on last edited by
          #22

          8.1 is an upgrade to 8 it's the newest OS - your argument is flawed.

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          • M Mycroft Holmes

            Ron Beyer wrote:

            I hate working full screen.

            That there is a killer, like CM I use multiple large screens and full screen is bloody ridiculous, I think I'll continue to wait a while before I get a new machine. I certainly won't upgrade my dev box from 7.

            Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

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            Colborne_Greg
            wrote on last edited by
            #23

            You don't upgrade based on fear only.

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            • L Lost User

              I'm itching to get on but can't because of the Intel compo - I need to make sure my stuff works on a reasonably virginal tablet. ON a side not, I am absolutely hating Win 8 on the tablet - it seems to be almost the worst mashup of desktop and tabletised gui - neither one thing nor another. And as for requiring a restart after installing updates - come on MS this is 2013!

              MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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              Colborne_Greg
              wrote on last edited by
              #24

              Windows One is the only concept that will allow you to move programs between your laptop screen to your tablet screen like it was multiple monitors on the same machine, you will be able to this across every platform, desktop, cell phone. 8.1 is the baby to every future ability

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              • R Ron Beyer

                I'm on 8.1 and have some issues. First is that my browser seems to lock up, a lot. I can't restart the normal way so I have to do a hard reset. Second is every time my computer starts, I get a "Could not initialize BTStack" or something to that effect. Apparently this is an issue with the blue tooth stack. Third, start button, yeah its there, but it's like a tease. I want my start menu back. Fourth, I use my computer for things other than stuff that should be full screen, I hate working full screen. I have to jump through hoops to use my computer like a normal computer. The control panel is hard to get to. It forced me to use my MSN account for logging on otherwise it wouldn't let me download from the store (it changed to this in 8.1). I really can't stand it, and just don't have the time to downgrade to 7, luckily 8 is only on my portable dev machine that I only use in the field. 7 is on my main dev machine and I enjoy it 100 times better than 8. I can't stand the Metro UI, live tiles, etc on my computer. Tablet sure, computer no.

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                3n1g
                wrote on last edited by
                #25

                What if I told you I have use windows 8 and never used a Metro UI app or even used the metru UI/tiles for any reason?

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                • R Ron Beyer

                  I've used the demo version of StartX, and it works, but why should I have to pay a 3rd party developer to add something back in that Microsoft took out? If that was the only fall-back of Win8 I could live with paying a couple bucks to a hungry developer, but with so many other "issues" I can't bring myself to whip out the wallet when I don't like a lot of other things. BTW, DVD support has also been removed in Win8 without a 3rd party codec. Too many issues to whip the wallet out for all of them, turns a $250 OS into a $350 one by the time I buy all the things that I "upgraded" from in Win7.

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                  3n1g
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #26

                  They offered the Media Center Pack for windows 8 which featured DVD playback and a few other media goodness a while back sending free keys to your email account, which i took advantage of. You probably have to pay for it now.

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                  • B BotReject

                    I currently have no plans to use it. I don't like the direction MS is heading in. I don't like the impression I have (which may be wrong) that Windows is now catering mostly for touchscreen devices. I also don't like the rumors that windows 10 will be entirely cloud-based. I don't like the news about the NSA, so I am moving away from MS technologies.

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                    3n1g
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #27

                    wut? Windows 8 is tablet and desktop. I use windows 8 and have yet to go into the Metro stuff, as simply you don't have to if you don't want to. The only time I use Metro is when I press the start screen, which makes no difference to me as I just end up typing what I want same as I did in Win7. Rumours are just that, rumours. And about the NSA, if you really think that, you need to move away from MS, Google, and other major corporations. No more internet ( or mobile communications for that matter ) for you.

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                    • B BotReject

                      I currently have no plans to use it. I don't like the direction MS is heading in. I don't like the impression I have (which may be wrong) that Windows is now catering mostly for touchscreen devices. I also don't like the rumors that windows 10 will be entirely cloud-based. I don't like the news about the NSA, so I am moving away from MS technologies.

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                      Chris Maunder
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #28

                      I, personally, have started wearing a tin-foil hat.

                      cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

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                      • D DaveAuld

                        Chris Maunder wrote:

                        I live in hope there's a killer feature that someone will mention that will make it all good again

                        What, like the "shutdown" command.... :rolleyes:

                        Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


                        Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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                        Reelix
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #29

                        http://i.imgur.com/4aQb30l.png[^]

                        -= Reelix =-

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                        • R Reelix

                          http://i.imgur.com/4aQb30l.png[^]

                          -= Reelix =-

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                          DaveAuld
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #30

                          I think you missed the sarcasm in the post. I am fully aware of the shutdown function thank you very much.

                          Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


                          Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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                          • C Colborne_Greg

                            You can make the start menu transparent (in a way) - right click on start menu - click properties - go to navigation tab - enable show desktop background on start

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                            DaveAuld
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #31

                            And I need to know this why?

                            Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


                            Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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                            • C Chris Maunder

                              Who's on Win8.1 and what do you think about it?

                              cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

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                              User 10251401
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #32

                              Not impressed. Main problem being the fuzzy text rendering on most apps not running in 'Metro mode'. Heard it's because they ditched ClearType as tablets can't use it when rotating view. How's that for user support? :(

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                              • C Chris Maunder

                                Who's on Win8.1 and what do you think about it?

                                cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

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                                Dan Neely
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #33

                                Has MS promised that the version of 8.1 they're letting us download from MSDN actually will be able to get normal updates once it's available to the masses? I've seen enough people get burned by "pre-release means you have to reinstall the OS" in the past that I'm generally unwilling to touch it prior to the mass release. That said, just using 8.0 from desktop only with a few bits of stupid bolted on the side (charms and to a lesser extend the start screen) isn't bad; and the ability to use different DPI scalings on different monitors is something I will need in a year or two when I can get a decent 4k monitor for <$2k so my intent is to put 8.1 on my new desktop to avoid doing a major OS upgrade in a year.

                                Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

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                                • C Chris Maunder

                                  Who's on Win8.1 and what do you think about it?

                                  cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

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                                  vitalijsv
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #34

                                  For me: I don't see difference to Windows 8. If I need tablet, iPAD or Android have a way more better apps and quality of them. As Desktop OS? For me it failed to be good desktop OS. I mainly use Windows for Games, and really looking forward for Valve Linux migration project. Once they have good catalog for Linux OS, I switch to Linux until then Windows 7 works fine, so I don't care about Windows anymore.

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                                  • D DaveAuld

                                    And I need to know this why?

                                    Dave Find Me On: Web|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn


                                    Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

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                                    Colborne_Greg
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #35

                                    wrong post opps

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                                    • C Chris Maunder

                                      I, personally, have started wearing a tin-foil hat.

                                      cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

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                                      B Offline
                                      BotReject
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #36

                                      I heard that a lead hat works better.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • 3 3n1g

                                        wut? Windows 8 is tablet and desktop. I use windows 8 and have yet to go into the Metro stuff, as simply you don't have to if you don't want to. The only time I use Metro is when I press the start screen, which makes no difference to me as I just end up typing what I want same as I did in Win7. Rumours are just that, rumours. And about the NSA, if you really think that, you need to move away from MS, Google, and other major corporations. No more internet ( or mobile communications for that matter ) for you.

                                        B Offline
                                        B Offline
                                        BotReject
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #37

                                        I very rarely use mobile devices because I rarely have need or desire to, indeed I find them irritating but useful in urgent situations. However, I did study programming them in Java ME. I don't use Google cloud-storage services (though I upload some things for clients onto it). I use Yahoo, but only for information I want to be made public anyway. I don't use Facebook or any other social media with any personal account, chiefly because I don't like these services, but now I have another reason. I think you will find that many (especially foreign) companies are beginning to ditch MS and other US IT providers because of the NSA and I am surprised you find this surprising. I am still using Windows XP, because it does everything I want it to do, but will probably switch to Linux, though an upgrade to Windows 7 may be used for some business apps.

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                                        • C Colborne_Greg

                                          8.1 is an upgrade to 8 it's the newest OS - your argument is flawed.

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                                          R Offline
                                          Ron Beyer
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #38

                                          Ok, since you want to get into semantics, VS 2013 will not run on Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. When installing it says something to the effect that "This operating system is not supported by this version of Visual Studio".

                                          C 1 Reply Last reply
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