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https://www.techspot.com/review/587-windows-8/
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Microsoft Windows 8, The TechSpot Review
- Thread starter Julio Franco
- Start date
G
Guest
"No Start button makes no sense."
The start button makes no sense, it should be renamed the home button.
The start button makes no sense, it should be renamed the home button.
Ravey
Posts: 392 +187
It is working fine now but it was the link in the list with the "Feature" ribbon in the right hand corner.
G
Guest
Good review. I especially agree with, "For such a customizable operating system -- heck, it even has two Settings menus, one in Metro and the usual Control Panel -- it's missing the option to add a Start button if you don't like the lower left hot corner to access Start" and this is why I will skip 8. It's not because it's a bad OS, far from it. It's because MS think it's okay to force customers to use software in the way they want me too. If I wanted that, I'd already be using Apple. Indeed, if 9 doesn't undo this attitude, I may switch anyway.
jizzyburnizzy
Posts: 80 +30
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Guest
Purchasing three windows 8 pro retail licenses for my three desktop computers.
purchasing one upgrade windows 8 pro license for my lappy.
70$ per retail discounted price and 40$ upgrade price is too hot to pass.
maybe windows 8 sp1 will bring back start menu or something similar to it.
purchasing one upgrade windows 8 pro license for my lappy.
70$ per retail discounted price and 40$ upgrade price is too hot to pass.
maybe windows 8 sp1 will bring back start menu or something similar to it.
ReederOnTheRun
Posts: 301 +62
A very fair and balanced review. Nice!
I'm due for a laptop upgrade, but I think I' going to see how the surface and the hybrid laptops are before deciding. I already like windows 8 a lot, but I can tell it'd be way better with a touch screen (for some reason I haven't had any problems adjusting to the new UI - probably because I heavily rely on keyboard shortcuts anyways, which are very intuitive on windows 8).
The only thing is that I wish they made it easier to cycle through open apps and windows. The keyboard shortcut for looking through metro apps is okay, but the shortcut to go through windows takes way too long. I think I can change the shortcuts, but I liked it better in OS X and Linux how you can hit the shortcut and immediately be taken to another window (instead of opening up all the windows, selecting one, and hitting enter to open on windows 8). Maybe there is a way to do it faster, but I haven't found it yet :-/
I'm due for a laptop upgrade, but I think I' going to see how the surface and the hybrid laptops are before deciding. I already like windows 8 a lot, but I can tell it'd be way better with a touch screen (for some reason I haven't had any problems adjusting to the new UI - probably because I heavily rely on keyboard shortcuts anyways, which are very intuitive on windows 8).
The only thing is that I wish they made it easier to cycle through open apps and windows. The keyboard shortcut for looking through metro apps is okay, but the shortcut to go through windows takes way too long. I think I can change the shortcuts, but I liked it better in OS X and Linux how you can hit the shortcut and immediately be taken to another window (instead of opening up all the windows, selecting one, and hitting enter to open on windows 8). Maybe there is a way to do it faster, but I haven't found it yet :-/
CryVer
Posts: 38 +2
Mind if I ask why the Metro UI on Desktops was necessary? In my opinion Microsoft should have made two versions of Windows (UI wise), one for Tablets and one for Desktops. At least they could have given their desktop users the option to keep the Start Menu, and only use Metro on demand.
ragreeen2646
Posts: 50 +38
Folks, There as several software programs available that adequately solve the lack of a start orb on the Windows 8 desktop.
Classic shell and another from Iobit (Start 8) come to mind. They give you back what MS decided to remove and also allow you to boot directly to the desktop.
Get over it, there are easy solutions available.
Classic shell and another from Iobit (Start 8) come to mind. They give you back what MS decided to remove and also allow you to boot directly to the desktop.
Get over it, there are easy solutions available.
CryVer
Posts: 38 +2
Yes, there are some nice alternatives. Start8 is a very good one (I think), but I think that many are worried about how Windows is "evolving".
ReederOnTheRun
Posts: 301 +62
True, I'm a little worried myself, but I don't consider it relevant when deciding whether or not to get windows 8. I mean regardless of what they decide to do with later OS's, windows 8 is a solid upgrade for right now (In my opinion).
G
Guest
Just one question really does GFWL work on 8 yet? Despite a lot of reformats different client versions and different games tried, only MS flight ever worked for me on win8 preview, none of my other GFWL games did.
I agree with this good article, as I have the same experience with windows 8 for a couple of month. Still, I like to add some comments from my own experiences with windows.
I see the metro interface just as extra OS with extra options and possibilities, next to the use of the desktop, which is similar to Windows 7. It is like having two different, but integrated systems.
I do not like the windows start menu very much. In windows 7 I have replaced it with startmenu7, a free program, which looks much better.
I am not missing the start menu, as I am using in both operating systems rainmeter, a desktop customization program. With that I have full control over all programs, I regular use, and a lot of system information and programs, all on my desktop. Only irregular I am looking in the start menu for a little used program.
So I do not understand very well these complaints about the missing start button. The advantages of windows 8 are much larger than this missing button, in particular as you can customize the context menu at the lower left corner adding any program you like in various groups.
I see the metro interface just as extra OS with extra options and possibilities, next to the use of the desktop, which is similar to Windows 7. It is like having two different, but integrated systems.
I do not like the windows start menu very much. In windows 7 I have replaced it with startmenu7, a free program, which looks much better.
I am not missing the start menu, as I am using in both operating systems rainmeter, a desktop customization program. With that I have full control over all programs, I regular use, and a lot of system information and programs, all on my desktop. Only irregular I am looking in the start menu for a little used program.
So I do not understand very well these complaints about the missing start button. The advantages of windows 8 are much larger than this missing button, in particular as you can customize the context menu at the lower left corner adding any program you like in various groups.
MilwaukeeMike
Posts: 3,216 +1,469
Thanks for the review.... one thing I've been waiting for since Win 95 was the ability in WIndows Explorer to see the size of a folder's contents without having to mouse over it, or right click and choose properties. I'd like to see it as a column when a folder is viewed by Details, just like you can see the size of files. Can Win 8 do this?
@MilwaukeeMike, I'm still on the Consumer Preview, but stats don't populate in the size column alongside folders, only files. This has bugged me for a while too.
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Guest
If you upgrade to windows 8 its only 39.99. I pretty sure its only a temporary deal for the next couple of months might make it worth it just to save all that money
amstech
Posts: 2,661 +1,824
I won't be switching to Windows 8 until I absolutely have to.
It's not that I don't like it, but whenever I feel something is being forced I tend to stay far, far away.
It's not that I don't like it, but whenever I feel something is being forced I tend to stay far, far away.
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Guest
It's necessary because if they did what you were suggesting then the version for mobile would be ignored by developers like all Microsoft's previous attempts in that sector. On desktops and traditional laptops, on the other hand, they have complete dominance to the point where they can afford to put out something that people aren't completely comfortable with and developers would be *****s not to bother with it as Windows 8 will soon dominate the market the same way almost every previous version of Windows has, simply due to being the installed OS on new PCs.
Overall, good reviews, reflects my own opinion (having actually used Windows 8, which a lot of people commenting on it over the past year don't seem to have bothered with) that Windows 8 is overall a more solid, improved Windows 7 with a slightly mish-mashed blend of the two UIs. Despite that one disadvantage, Metro is hardly the nightmare that anti-Windows 8 nerds (mainly kids who've grown up post-Windows 95 and never had to deal with a paradigm UI shift before, as the rest of us have) make it out to be and Windows 9 will probably strip out the old desktop even further and result in a more consistent experience.
G
Guest
Tried Windows 8, loved everything except the fact that the Metro interface is forced on desktop users, why the hell would you force me to have it???
if you have the pro surface then it makes perfect sense, the idea is brilliant there, when you use it as tablet, metro only, when you use it as laptop, traditional desktop
if you have only the RT tablet without keyboard, then go fully metro, its perfect
Microsoft, I dont have a touchscreen on my desktop, be reasonable and allow me to disable it, thats it! its so freakin simple, I cant believe you are screwing your OS launch so badly over something so easy to correct and that nearly everyone on the internet is requesting!
if you have the pro surface then it makes perfect sense, the idea is brilliant there, when you use it as tablet, metro only, when you use it as laptop, traditional desktop
if you have only the RT tablet without keyboard, then go fully metro, its perfect
Microsoft, I dont have a touchscreen on my desktop, be reasonable and allow me to disable it, thats it! its so freakin simple, I cant believe you are screwing your OS launch so badly over something so easy to correct and that nearly everyone on the internet is requesting!
G
Guest
Windows 7 windows seem slower and not as snappy as Win 8? Tell Win 7 to stop animating and slliding windows and you will find it is as snappy seeming as Windows 8. With a default install of Win 7 all the animations etc., are on. Turn them off, you lose nothing except the delay in the opening of the windows. I do it to make my computer seem more responsive. Now it seems Windows 8 does it by default
VitalyT
Posts: 6,833 +8,117
Start8 component is just $5. I bought it, it is a better menu than MS could have done. With this there is no problem with Windows 8.
http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/
http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/
spydercanopus
Posts: 897 +156
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