Windows 8 Usability beyond novelty for work

[debonairDarling]

My parents and I all just recently upgraded to Windows 8, mine on a laptop and their's a desktop.  In all honesty it seems to work a lot better on the desktop than here on my lappy, but that may just be because I've been having some issues with it as of late.  From what I've seen of it so far though and from playing with it it's fairly nice.  It switches tasks pretty easily and it's nice having the live tiles up on the start screen so you can get to them right away.

[Westie]

In my industry, where touch screens are endemic, its a pretty exceptional product.  Wouldn't like to use it without a touch screen, but I suspect its just a learning curve.

 

I would say that it seems to have made computers more accessible for everyone, which is very good news.  I will tell you this though, the change to the operating system is progress.  Those that hark back to the desktop and start button are afraid of change.  It's what makes you old and in turn will make th latest technologies out of your reach.

 

I guarantee in 5 years time, everyone will use the modern UI (Metro ) and almost nobody will miss the start button...

[hh5]

so anyone played w 8.1?

Microsoft showed a brief sneak peak of what it said was a future refresh of Windows 8.1 update at its Build developers conference earlier this month. Among the changes, said Terry Myerson, the head of Microsoft's operating systems engineering group, would be a restored Start menu and windowed Metro apps on the desktop.

 

According to a message on a Russian discussion board, Microsoft is arguing internally whether to call the next iteration "Windows 8.1 Update 2" or "Windows 8.2."

 

If accurate, it would be the first time that Microsoft has issued two major updates for Windows in the same calendar year, another strong signal that it's deadly serious about increasing the speed of its development and release schedules and putting Windows in a mode akin to mobile operating systems, which historically have been much more frequent than those for traditional personal computers. The move would be in keeping with CEO Satya Nadella's "mobile first, cloud first" mantra.

 

 

[Kitt]

A little late than never I suppose. I am one of those "functionally illiterate" people when it comes to computers. Adjusting to new operating systems takes me a while but I usually get the hang of things. 

 

If I had my druthers - I would have preferred to stay with 7 when I needed to replace my laptop. I got around most of my issues by setting up an "old fashioned" desktop the way I was accustomed to doing things. The swipe screen does me no good really since this lappy does not have a touch screen.

 

I have to admit, although I never encountered the "farting gremlin"  some apps do tend to pop onto my screen with no warning or explanation. I can be happily editing a story and suddenly be staring at what ever picture was the last to be downloaded from my camera. The charms bar appears for no good reason that I can understand, and the phrase "What are you doing, you stupid computer?" can frequently be heard coming from my work area.

 

I also upgraded to 8.1 when it was offered as a techie friend said it would help fix some of the issues I was having. It did seem to make things a bit easier to use - although I can't tell you how or why, just that I seem to yell at the screen less now than before the upgrade.

[rec]

I'm using the 8.1 Update, which just came out. There doesn't seem to be much difference between it and 8.1 except that there are minimize and delete symbols for the Metro windows.  Like Kitt, I do not have a computer that has a touch screen, so I found that Start8 from Stardock.com (about $5,00) lets me have my Windows 7 type of start menu with the option of going to the Windows8 screen -- for solitaire and such. With the update, it's a bit easier to get back to my Windows 7 lookalike (almost) start screen by minimizing or closing a Windows 8 app.

 

The Start8 start screen has one feature that I  always liked in Windows 7: for each program there is a list of the last files or documents used that will come up when the file is clicked.  It also has the options for Devices and Printers, Control Panel, etc.

[hh5]

I like the 8.1 plus ability to place titles above the tiles vs 8.0 put everything on the title menu

makes grouping easier and I can move the groupings I want to see the least over to the right

 

I also like the ability to minimize and close apps which wasn't present in 8.0

as well as showing what apps are running on the taskbar for easy switching over