Windows 8.1

**Big Dave** · 21st October 2013, 10:00

I quite like IOS7 too. I find the control center particularly useful.

**Gremlin** · 21st October 2013, 10:11

Originally Posted by Big Dave

I quite like IOS7 too. I find the control center particularly useful.

You're no fun at all...

The companies have forgotten that they gained their market share from usability. They keep changing things (partly for the sake of it - mostly?) making it harder to use...

**Big Dave** · 21st October 2013, 10:27

Originally Posted by Gremlin

You're no fun at all...

The companies have forgotten that they gained their market share from usability. They keep changing things (partly for the sake of it - mostly?) making it harder to use...

I don't think they are harder to use.
Just different. Took 10 seconds sussing it and get on with the job.

I find 8 quite satisfactory, but I'm using it as a writing and book-keeping machine, not for maintaing a network.

**SMOKEU** · 21st October 2013, 12:56

Originally Posted by SPman

Download Classic Shell. It's free. It has a start button that starts to wherever you want. and all the standard windows themes. We use it on all the comps at work with W8 and I've got it on the W8 machines at home.

Exactly. I don't understand why people keep bitching and insisting on using a legacy OS just because they're too lazy to spend a couple of minutes installing ClassicShell. I'd never go back to 7 after using 8 with ClassicShell.

**wysper** · 21st October 2013, 15:30

Originally Posted by avgas

Delete all the hidden files in the pics folder. Its one of them. Used to be called "icons" now I think they call it "Desktop.ini". The restart the machine and see what happens.

I feel the best part of this advice is "The(n) restart the machine and see what happens" not "Then restart the machine and volila the images you don't want are gone!!

**Akzle** · 21st October 2013, 17:04

Originally Posted by avgas

Delete all the hidden files in the pics folder. Its one of them. Used to be called "icons" now I think they call it "Desktop.ini". The restart the machine and see what happens.

no. Id guess its more of a regirtsy hack.
Im assuming you can still use that hoary faggotry known as regedit. Delete things in the 'namespace' tree

**Akzle** · 21st October 2013, 17:09

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

Exactly. I don't understand why people keep bitching and insisting on using a legacy OS just because they're too lazy to spend a couple of minutes installing ClassicShell. I'd never go back to 7 after using 8 with ClassicShell.

no dick.
7 itself will eat half my hdd and twice my ram. And thats just to boot, let alone do anything.
Ill acceed i havent played with 8. It looks gay. Im not into gay shit.
And please, WHY get 8 if youre going to make it look like xp??
Hell, my xp looks like 95. Hows that for fucking progress.

**geoffc** · 21st October 2013, 17:22

I use Windows 8.1 preview with Start8. Like what it is & how it works for me. I have a Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook which is designed around a touch screen. Love it.

**Akzle** · 21st October 2013, 20:47

Originally Posted by geoffc

I use Windows 8.1 preview with Start8. Like what it is & how it works for me. I have a Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook which is designed around a touch screen. Love it.

youd get rfid chipped, wouldnt you? So you dont have to carry a wallet, noone could steal your phone/pc/car... Ahh. Technology..

**Mental Trousers** · 21st October 2013, 21:08

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Clearly Microsoft didn't listen / understand (no surprises there) when people said they wanted the Start button back...

I figure, if you try to turn Win8 back to look like Win7, it's failed. Thanks, I'll keep Win7. The whole wireless network setup and management on Win8 is painful as well, Win7 one much easier to use.

Microsoft have quite a history of trying to force the market to their vision of how things should be. That's partly why every second version of Windows is shit - they release it with some great new feature that'll take over the world then have to quietly ditch it for the next version and go back to a slightly more traditional feature set.

They're really stubborn too. The new Start button is a point in case. The single biggest complaint was the lack of a Start button so they put one back in, except it doesn't work like the traditional Start button, it takes you to the shit Metro interface. I'm betting that next they'll make the Start button will bring up a miniature Metro interface next.

**Brian d marge** · 22nd October 2013, 02:52

12.04

sweet as no problems

didn’t cost a penny

all good here

DOH

fk fk fk ....was going to resist but kicking a bully when hes down ... oh come on just one ...one kick ya cant judge me on that !

Stephen

**Hitcher** · 22nd October 2013, 08:18

Although the PC and office applications may be "dying" as the world apparently moves forever onwards to mobile devices, there will be a strong core of users in and around businesses that will still need desktop apps, compatible files types, servers and EDMS environments and all of that associated palaver, for some years yet.

If one is using a desktop equipped with a keyboard, one does not need a touch screen and all of that swipey/fly-by screen shit. Windows is called windows for a reason -- it has a history of allowing users to have several windows open, or connecting via the bottom toolbar icons, so that they can seamlessly move either their attention or content from one to the other. Windows 8 has dispensed with all of that, with apps launching only in a full-screen space, incapable of being re-sized or easily transitioned between unless one is using a third-party app like Smart8.

While Windows 8 may work on a Windows phone, that looks like it's a go-nowhere piece of frippery too, as the juggernauts of Android and Apple role relentlessly onwards, crushing the shit out of former mobile behemoths like Nokia and Blackberry, and starving newcomers (whether owned by Microsoft or not) of any oxygen and interested developers.

My advice to Microsoft is to stick to their knitting, and to return to their 2003 suite of office applications and start again, hopefully with a bit of user testing this time.

**BoristheBiter** · 22nd October 2013, 08:38

Originally Posted by Big Dave

I don't think they are harder to use.
Just different. Took 10 seconds sussing it and get on with the job.

I find 8 quite satisfactory, but I'm using it as a writing and book-keeping machine, not for maintaing a network.

+1

Once I had figured out all the controls on W8 it has been fine.

Why do people call for the waaaambuance when they upgrade then complain it's different.
If you don't want to change don't upgrade.

Now Chrome that is the biggest problem just slow the fuck down on everything, quicker my arse.

**Gremlin** · 22nd October 2013, 10:32

Originally Posted by Hitcher

If one is using a desktop equipped with a keyboard, one does not need a touch screen and all of that swipey/fly-by screen shit. Windows is called windows for a reason -- it has a history of allowing users to have several windows open, or connecting via the bottom toolbar icons, so that they can seamlessly move either their attention or content from one to the other. Windows 8 has dispensed with all of that, with apps launching only in a full-screen space, incapable of being re-sized or easily transitioned between unless one is using a third-party app like Smart8..

Let's not forget that multi-screen is even more likely now (and started around a decade ago in XP - at least for me), and that full screen app doesn't like that much. Plenty of clients have dual screen, I use triples at work and home. Being able to run 20+ windows at once is usual for me.

Then there's the brick wall between metro and normal Windows. Setup an email account in the metro app, can't see it outside in normal Windows. Mozilla to the rescue, I installed Thunderbird for the friend (with limited needs) and issues with this and that working together were all resolved... 2nd time I'd ever suggested Thunderbird to someone, but I can see that increasing...