Windows 8.1
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I finally took the plunge and upgraded to 8.1. After getting rid of Metro, it's actually not that bad. File manager is a lot better than Windows 7 file manager. Of coarse, there's tonnes of things that don't work properly (hibernation, large fonts, etc.), but that's just the par of the coarse when you have a Microsoft OS.
A word of warning about your old backups... Windows 8 had a "restore from Windows 7 backup" option which would read backups from W7 and Vista. In their wisdom Microsoft have removed this from 8.1 so you need to "Install Win 7 on a VM and restore via that" (seen on Technet). I can just imagine old grannies turning up at PC World asking for help with Hyper-V Manager.
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I guess he means that you set your system up to boot directly to the Desktop. You also set it up to go to the Apps screen when you select the System button so you never need see the Start screen at all. My Win 8.1 system looks exactly like my Win 7 system most days. There are odd times when I need the Apps screen to start a system app, or play a game or two over lunch, but I never go into the Start screen.
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you need two hands to activate the shortcut, so you have to take your hand off the mouse and that slows you down. Really there's no reason no to have a toolbar button. It's not like there's no room
Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V are one-handed (left-hand) shortcuts unless you have particularly small hands. Pinky on Ctrl, forefinger on C then V. I can do Ctrl-N left-handed without discomfort.
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A word of warning about your old backups... Windows 8 had a "restore from Windows 7 backup" option which would read backups from W7 and Vista. In their wisdom Microsoft have removed this from 8.1 so you need to "Install Win 7 on a VM and restore via that" (seen on Technet). I can just imagine old grannies turning up at PC World asking for help with Hyper-V Manager.
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I finally took the plunge and upgraded to 8.1. After getting rid of Metro, it's actually not that bad. File manager is a lot better than Windows 7 file manager. Of coarse, there's tonnes of things that don't work properly (hibernation, large fonts, etc.), but that's just the par of the coarse when you have a Microsoft OS.
Do we have functionality from previous versions back yet, i.e. - Classic theme and full customisation options for window colours - Useful status bar information in Explorer (total size when selecting multiple, version information when selecting single) - Bye bye Metro by default - Double clicking various common file formats (PDF, AVI at least) doesn't open full screen Metro apps by default
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Lol To remove metro from windows 8 is to remove all advancement in technology, while you use compatibility mode aka the desktop. Brilliant: viva la resistance
Metro is absolutely not an advance for PC users (maybe it is for tablet). It is a reversion to one-app-at-a-time computing which Microsoft correctly decided was outdated in 1990 when they brought out Windows. With two 1080p monitors and multi-core CPUs to play with it's even more nonsensical now than it was then.
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Oooo! I am glad VS2010 still runs on it. I would hate to have to use VS2012 as well as W8!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
Also you can install and use VS2008. I installed and i am using.
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Do we have functionality from previous versions back yet, i.e. - Classic theme and full customisation options for window colours - Useful status bar information in Explorer (total size when selecting multiple, version information when selecting single) - Bye bye Metro by default - Double clicking various common file formats (PDF, AVI at least) doesn't open full screen Metro apps by default
Answers: 1) I don't know. Personally I'm happy with default, so didn't bother 2) yes 3) you can get rid of most of it with "taskbar properties". (I heard 8.2 is going to rip out more of it) 4) No, you have to manually install the programs (sumatraPDF, VLC, whatever), then associate in file explorer
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Metro is absolutely not an advance for PC users (maybe it is for tablet). It is a reversion to one-app-at-a-time computing which Microsoft correctly decided was outdated in 1990 when they brought out Windows. With two 1080p monitors and multi-core CPUs to play with it's even more nonsensical now than it was then.
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Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V are one-handed (left-hand) shortcuts unless you have particularly small hands. Pinky on Ctrl, forefinger on C then V. I can do Ctrl-N left-handed without discomfort.
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I finally took the plunge and upgraded to 8.1. After getting rid of Metro, it's actually not that bad. File manager is a lot better than Windows 7 file manager. Of coarse, there's tonnes of things that don't work properly (hibernation, large fonts, etc.), but that's just the par of the coarse when you have a Microsoft OS.
I installed this on my granddads computer (he's 74). He WILL like the new solitaire after all!!!! However, to change apps, the only way he could find was to turn the laptop off, and back on again... He did ask, where is the 'red x' and 'I couldn't see a 'back button' (he has android on a tablet), both of which I can't argue with. I said just press the start button..... a whole new world, you wouldn't think the start button (physical button on keyboard) has been there for the last 20 odd years would you!
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...two buttons you don't really need is "a lot better"? :laugh:
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
I'm more impressed by the improved disk I/O performance, and progress display personally. Hadn't even noticed those buttons.
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough." Alan Kay.
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Yes, I am also VERY interested in getting rid of Metro. If I can do that I might actually re-install Windows 8.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
Start8, StartIsBack and Classic Shell come to mind. Start8 and StartIsBack are pay for, but they're pretty inexpensive. Classic Shell is a freebie with lots of options. I dislike the flat look (and lack of configuration) of the Win 8/8.1 desktop UI but the improvements to the underlying OS are welcome.
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I don't surf one-handed...
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
Sorry replied on the wrong comment. Meant for Ed. Newb mistake.
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Sorry replied on the wrong comment. Meant for Ed. Newb mistake.
:laugh: We've all done it! (Not "surf one handed", you understand...)
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V are one-handed (left-hand) shortcuts unless you have particularly small hands. Pinky on Ctrl, forefinger on C then V. I can do Ctrl-N left-handed without discomfort.
I just use ctrl-ins/shift-ins with my right hand (I drive my mouse with my left hand to avoid carpal tunnel issues). Thankfully, they haven't take away all the keyboard shortcuts... yet.
We can program with only 1's, but if all you've got are zeros, you've got nothing.
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It's only $5. Classic Shell is nice but doesn't give you everything that Start8 does. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
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Why pay, just get Start Menu 8. Gives all features of the above, takes out Metro completely (Heck it even did that with Win8), and it has the best price of them all, FREE! It is one of IOBit's offerings.
Thanks! :thumbsup: /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
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Have you heard of Crtl+C & Ctrl+V ??? Unless you have only one hand, You should not need buttons.
OK if you have a keyboard, kind of difficult on a touch screen
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I finally took the plunge and upgraded to 8.1. After getting rid of Metro, it's actually not that bad. File manager is a lot better than Windows 7 file manager. Of coarse, there's tonnes of things that don't work properly (hibernation, large fonts, etc.), but that's just the par of the coarse when you have a Microsoft OS.
How does hibernation not work? It's better than ever, the newer hybrid hibernation is a dream on a laptop, just suspend and forget, the OS will deal with it. Doesn't matter how much battery I had, when I open my laptop it just get's back where it was, taking a little more time if the battery was empty. Fonts and scaling are a huge issue, but that's thoroughly resolved in the new Metro apps. Of course, if you ignore the new and improved avenue, you'll still be seeing only the old problems. This hatred on Windows 8 borders on the irrational, I use it on my dev machines and even in VMs and have absolutely zero problems with it. Even if you don't like the new stuff, the only new thing you must use (and even then it's optional) is a full screen customizable launcher, which frankly 10 times better than a list of 10 programs on the bulging messy start menu. At least 3rd party start menus are much more functional than Windows 7's.
