Who the hell signed off Windows 8 at Microsoft??

I just want to know .. clearly, what SD's plans are.. to skin it.

You can't stop progress.

Macs are overpriced for what they can do. They no longer have the special business software or creative software they used to have. Everything you can do on your mac I can do on my PC cheaper and more user friendly.

I don't use Windows 8. I probably won't. I am sticking with 7 because I really like it and it works very well. It's like all of those people still using XP S3. They like it, so they keep it.

Windows ME, Windows Vista... now Windows 8. Microsoft has made many mistakes over the years and this is just another one. You just have to ignore Windows 8 and eventually it will go away. The only way I will ever use it is with Start8 and on my little netbook unless Stardock perfects skinning of the UI with WB (which they are working on I hear), then I will install it dual boot 7/8 on my system and skin it.

Re: Title

Accounting.

Have you even tried it?

I tried it at a friend's house. I hated it so much I went into a geek rage until he broke down, cried, then went online and bought some Stardock software. So I guess I got you a sale there.

Wait till win32 and the whole current aero substructure gets phased out and see where you get with skinning. I'm afraid this is the death toll for SD.

Quoting petrossa,

reply 7

Wait till win32 and the whole current aero substructure gets phased out and see where you get with skinning. I'm afraid this is the death toll for SD.

I dunno, Neil Banfield is a pretty smart cookie...

Sure would like to hear from him on all this though.

One look at the history of those who trusted MS on their word (os/2 anyone) should convince anybody it's not a good idea to do so. The only thing that is going to save MS's ass in the long term is an Apple style locked in system.

Sooner or later the OS will be a blackbox where only MS certified apps run. There is just no other way. Smart cookie or not.

I've been using it since commercial release.

For the first day I found Metro to be frustrating as hell. I nearly grabbed Start8 to get it to revert to something closer the Windows 7 layout but instead I decided I'd spend two weeks on vanilla Win8 and give it a chance. I guess I'm a power user. I spend a large amount of time on my dual-monitor desktop, some light coding, heavy use of keyboard shortcuts, etc.

In the intervening time I've come to enjoy what Metro brings to the table. I spend most of my time in the desktop environment, but as an "enlarged start menu" metro is nice. Using shortcuts I'm never more than one keystroke away from the desktop no matter what I'm doing in Metro, but it is certainly easier to find items in Metro than it was to find them in the old start menu. The large colorful tiles help me pick up the program/shortcut I'm looking for much more quickly.

It certainly has its flaws (the mail app sucks, the dual installations of Chrome and other programs sucks, etc) but it also has potential. I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. Now, if desktop goes away completely, it'd be ruined. I don't want to live in a Metro only world on my desktop. But the hybrid is certainly better than I expected.

One last thing: I'm not sure I'd like a Windows RT based tablet. At least not right now. The native apps need more time to bake and the app store is bare.

I realize I'm in the minority with Windows 8, but so far I don't see it as an ME/Vista repeat at all.

Kudos Kantok.

Someone that actually GETS IT and has the ability to get past the initial shock and invest the time to get to know it. Until you've spent at least a full day or two of HEAVY use on Windows 8, your bitching and whining have no validity. I was in that group in the early stages but not now.

I haven't spent much time with it, and i guess the point is valid. Maybe i just need more time to get used to the new UI. The thing i am afraid of is the trend of "dumbing down" everything for users that are illiterate. Hey! Now you don't have to be able to read to use a computer! We have pretty little pictures to click on instead that do it all for you. Like McDonald's cash registers. Next thing you know we will have talking computers speaking "Gangsta". "Click Dis Shit Yo!".

I am part of the "If it ain't broke, Don't fix it" crowd. I will stick with Win 7 until i have a good reason to upgrade.

People seem to hate every new windows syste mthat comes out but I've yet to see any recalls due to dysfunction.

If you want to get in to the finer tweaks it still takes some knowledge. My point (as stated in another thread) and advise if you WANT to learn how to use it is do NOT use Start8. Spend the time with the UI and get to know it. In a short amount of time you will learn to navigate behind the scenes to get it configured like you want it. From there you just might find like I did that you are able to navigate around the OS faster than you could in Win7. System performance is also much better in 8. I'm using less ram than I did with 7 and my apps are snappy as hell.

As for the "dumbing down"... people need the dumbing down to use them. We power users find that hard to believe but having spent the last 16 years of my career in IT you'd be surprised at how little the average end user understands or has need to understand.

Quoting LightStar,

reply 3

Windows ME, Windows Vista... now Windows 8. Microsoft has made many mistakes over the years and this is just another one. You just have to ignore Windows 8 and eventually it will go away.

No it will not. Windows 9 will be just as bad. I predict they will take away the taskbar in 9, lock you in to the app store so NO third party software, and probably make it impossible to install a different OS thanks to the new UEFI setup.

Windows 8´s new start interface should have a "ontop feature" like a simple checkbox to keep it up if you click on your desktop...
Metro apps would make much more sense ( the live apps ) the new metro skype is horrible and makes no sense.
Like i said before the interface could be used as secondary third or fourth monitor ... sadly MS didnt look into it - Win8 should detect if you have a touch display or a simple regular monitor and it does, but why doesnt it make use of the scrollwheel of the mouse then inside the metro interface itself if you dont have a touchscreen?EDit im sorry it does make use of the scrollwheel
Like i said so much potential unused... even simple things that could add userfriendlyness
Windows 8 is a stabilized version of windows 7 just not as pretty.
Even while there is no compatible version of WB yet for windows8 im sure there will be its just a matter of time as its only a matter of time to get apps for windows8 by third partys that will make use of the unused potential of windows8 new start interface.
Start8 is a great product for everyone that has problems to get used to the new interface and it already shows one important thing it is very very close to windows7 not saying its better and not saying its worse i think its a different expierence and thats why i got it.
I loved windows7 it was one of the plate´s that was working right from the start and ran smoothly without any major failures.
Windows8 still has to prove in this point but according to the Kernel it should be stable and safe.
However windows8 is different and fresh and if you invest a day or 2 you will get along with it and eventually you will enjoy it.I think windows 8 is the step into how the next generation of OS will look like and not just a prototype v1,5.0 of windows7.

So far i think they move into the right direction but they leaving the beauty behind ... No glitter at the start and no confetti at the finish line insight
Example i can color the background but iam unable to change the color of live tiles...WHY?
Iam not raging here but im a bit upset that they didnt invest a little more thought in it to make it aweseome from the get go.

I'm ALL for modernizing, speeding up, more stability.... as long as we can skin it.

If not.. set it on fire as far as I am concerned.

Same reason I'm not going to use the same bedspread, carpet, curtains, furniture, clothes, shoes the rest of my life.

People need.. visual change. MS would be wise to realize this and I surely hope Stardock is working on a full.. solution.

Mhh then put that lighter back into your pocket since there are shell styles for it already ( note i did not test them yet )

Quoting vStyler,

reply 17

Same reason I'm not going to use the same bedspread, carpet, curtains, furniture, clothes, shoes the rest of my life.
People need.. visual change. MS would be wise to realize this and I surely hope Stardock is working on a solution.

True

Quoting Phoon,

reply 15

If you want to get in to the finer tweaks it still takes some knowledge. My point (as stated in another thread) and advise if you WANT to learn how to use it is do NOT use Start8. Spend the time with the UI and get to know it. In a short amount of time you will learn to navigate behind the scenes to get it configured like you want it. From there you just might find like I did that you are able to navigate around the OS faster than you could in Win7. System performance is also much better in 8. I'm using less ram than I did with 7 and my apps are snappy as hell.

As for the "dumbing down"... people need the dumbing down to use them. We power users find that hard to believe but having spent the last 16 years of my career in IT you'd be surprised at how little the average end user understands or has need to understand.

Or, probably most importantly, the DESIRE to understand.

Quoting vStyler,

reply 17

People need.. visual change.

I disagree. I haven't used any skinning programs in years. It's not about the look. It's about getting work done.

Quoting kona0197,

reply 20

Quoting vStyler, reply 17People need.. visual change.

I disagree. I haven't used any skinning programs in years. It's not about the look. It's about getting work done.

kona... the C in WC is "Customize". For the folks here, it's about getting the work done in a more pleasing environment... unless I'm wrong.

Yeah I know Doc. I was a part of this site and skinning Windows years ago. It just got boring. I prefer the default look of Windows. No need to run a third party app in the background, keep a library full of skins, and the default look is easier on resources. However my main reason is because I just want to cruise the web and check my emails while listening to a few songs and play the occasional game. I really don't care what the OS looks like as long as it just works. So why do I hang around? I have a few friends here and have been a pert of this site for so long.

You're always welcome here, kona.... I was puzzled, is all. Sort of like being a vegetarian but hanging out in a steak house...

Quoting petrossa,

reply 7

I'm afraid this is the death toll for SD.

XP was the 'death toll' for SD because it supposedly looked sexier in default than 98 ....until someone said 'Fisher Price'.

7 was the 'death toll' for SD because it DID look sexier in default than XP....until the novelty wore off.

8 was the 'death toll' for SD because it looked like there was no relevance....until start8 came along.

Anyone else see a trend here?...

Everyone hates it...but everyone buys it...microsoft wins...go figure. If everyone voted with their wallet maybe microsoft would get the idea.

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Who the hell signed off Windows 8 at Microsoft??

RiddleKing