Editorial Windows 8.1, and Why You Should Let Go of Windows 7

[Tatty_Two]

Play nice children or believe me you won't be playing at all if you continue in this vein, I repeat, you can argue all you like but cut the insults and name calling.

 

[Prima.Vera]

The only hing I really hate are those darn full screen default programs. For example when trying to see a single picture, it opens by default that overly shitty full screen picture application. Same thing for a movie, for an .mp3 file, for a .pdf, etc. After taking so long to load a crappy picture viewer, i cannot even go back to desktop by just closing it, or something. I have to waist a lot of time. This is why I hate Win 8 so much.

 

[Kreij]

You could just set the default picture viewer to an application that runs on the desktop.
I use Corel Photo-Paint 5. Works just fine, and it's supposedly not even Win 8 compatible. lulz.

 

[Prima.Vera]

You could just set the default picture viewer to an application that runs on the desktop.
I use Corel Photo-Paint 5. Works just fine, and it's supposedly not even Win 8 compatible. lulz.

I was doing that. Every time. For pictures, for music, for documents, for movies, a lot a lot of wasted time! That's why Win8 is a big piece of trash!

 

[Kreij]

I guess I always used other applications than the ones that came default in Windows, so I've been doing it with every OS. I can see your point if you use the MS apps, though.

 

[Aquinus]

Well, since Windows 7 works perfectly fine for me, I see no reason to "upgrade". There is always the famous motto, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

[trickson]

Well, since Windows 7 works perfectly fine for me, I see no reason to "upgrade". There is always the famous motto, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Agreed.
You can also just look at the market and how well it is received in the first place. And it doesn't look at all good for windows 8 or 8.1. Not a very well received OS in the real world. Back to the drawing board MS!

 

[TRWOV]

I was doing that. Every time. For pictures, for music, for documents, for movies, a lot a lot of wasted time! That's why Win8 is a big piece of trash!

Windows + X > Control panel > Set default programs > Select any program from the list (Windows Photo Viewer for example) > Set this program as default

Same as with W7, only that in W8 Metro apps are the default.

If you don't do it through the Control Panel, every time you open a new extension you'll get a prompt to set the default program.

 

[Kreij]

Well, since Windows 7 works perfectly fine for me, I see no reason to "upgrade". There is always the famous motto, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

That's only from the perspective of the desktop user. Win 7 is not touch/mobile friendly at all, and it's not surprising that MS wants to capitalize on that market. Their mistake was in not giving people sufficient options that were device dependent.

There was no real reason that Win 8 could not have detected touch-enable devices and defaulted to a standard desktop if one was not detected.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Microsoft is trying to make Phone, Xbox, Laptop, Desktop, and Tablet all the same operating system. It just hasn't dawned on them yet that they're separate for a reason. How people interact with an operating system determines how the entire UI paradigm. Microsoft, having so many game developers under their belt, should be well aware that major design changes have to be made for users on keyboard/mouse compared to those using an Xbox controller. The same applies to every facet of the OS from the main menu (start menu prior to Windows 8, start screen in windows 8 and beyond), to the size of the icons, to the layout of all the configuration panels, to specific UI elements like sliders. Instead of doing the smart thing which is having one kernel that drives all UI experiences, they're trying to force all users into one basket and make them like it. The poor sales are proof that strategy isn't working and it's echoed in the disappointment in the Windows 8 UI.

Windows 8 tries to be the jack of all trades but it fails completely. The desktop users don't like it because all UI elements are made to fit a finger instead of a 16x16 mouse cursor. Laptop users don't like it for the same reason. Tablet users don't like it because what should be simple tasks (like application switching or tab management) is needlessly difficult. Lets also not forget that a lot of metro apps seem to be breaking lately. The only thing Microsoft has done right so far is kept Windows Phone separate. I fear they're inclined to put the same Windows 8 rubbish into Windows Phone though and they'll trash what little good they have there as well.

 

[trickson]

Microsoft is trying to make Phone, Xbox, Laptop, Desktop, and Tablet all the same operating system. It just hasn't dawned on them yet that they're separate for a reason. How people interact with an operating system determines how the entire UI paradigm. Microsoft, having so many game developers under their belt, should be well aware that major design changes have to be made for users on keyboard/mouse compared to those using an Xbox controller. The same applies to ever facet of the OS from the main menu (start menu prior to Windows 8, start screen in windows 8 and beyond), to the size of the icons, to the layout of all the configuration panels, to specific UI elements like sliders. Instead of doing the smart thing which is having one kernel that drives all UI experiences, they're trying to force all users into one basket and make them like it. The poor sales are proof that strategy isn't working and it's echoed in the disappointment in the Windows 8 UI.

Windows 8 tries to be the jack of all trades but it fails completely. The desktop users don't like it because all UI elements are made to fit a finger instead of a 16x16 mouse cursor. Laptop users don't like it for the same reason. Tablet users don't like it because what should be simple tasks (like application switching or tab management) is needlessly difficult. Lets also not forget that a lot of metro apps seem to be breaking lately. The only thing Microsoft has done right so far is kept Windows Phone separate. I fear they're inclined to put the same Windows 8 rubbish into Windows Phone though and they'll trash what little good they have there as well.

What he said! Well put ForGT90Concept well put.

 

[Aquinus]

That's only from the perspective of the desktop user. Win 7 is not touch/mobile friendly at all, and it's not surprising that MS wants to capitalize on that market. Their mistake was in not giving people sufficient options that were device dependent.

There was no real reason that Win 8 could not have detected touch-enable devices and defaulted to a standard desktop if one was not detected.

Well, that's kind of my point. It makes the assumption that everyone is using touch screen input device, which is clearly flawed. At least Apple left touch in iOS and didn't let it spill over into OS X and ruin it. While I don't normally praise Apple, I think that keeping touch segregated between iOS and OS X was a good idea.

 

[Prima.Vera]

I guess I always used other applications than the ones that came default in Windows, so I've been doing it with every OS. I can see your point if you use the MS apps, though.

Agree. Me too. However Win7's default picture viewer, or media player are quite good to be honest, even if I later use MPC-HC for music/videos. Hoever in Win8, even after I installed MPC-HC and set it to open all music/movies extensions by default, Win8 was still opening with it's crappy fullscreen metro apps. Really, really annoying. I could only fix it - TEMPORARY, by right click on the file - Open with... and - use this by default. But imagine doing that for ALL different file types and extensions!

 

[FX-GMC]

Agree. Me too. However Win7's default picture viewer, or media player are quite good to be honest, even if I later use MPC-HC for music/videos. Hoever in Win8, even after I installed MPC-HC and set it to open all music/movies extensions by default, Win8 was still opening with it's crappy fullscreen metro apps. Really, really annoying. I could only fix it - TEMPORARY, by right click on the file - Open with... and - use this by default. But imagine doing that for ALL different file types and extensions!

You should try resetting all file types to default. All my files open with the correct app that I set.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Please forgive the necro-post, I felt like looking back and sharing some current thoughts. No annoyance or malice is intended.

I've just spent the last little while reading through this thread. It's interesting to look back and see the different perspectives that everyone had. Some aged well, some didn't. And here we are with Windows 10 and while the "Start Screen/Menu" problem has been addressed, many of the other complaints still hold true. Microsoft is still telling people how to compute and failing to listen to their needs/wants, still intruding on our privacy and still wanting to control everything. While the original point of the Editorial is mute, some of the perspectives expressed in it are still pertinent to Windows 10 and relevant to computing all these years later(more than 7)

Here we are with Windows 7 now EOL(End-of-life) and about 25% of the planet is still using it as a daily driver. I am one of them. Just a few days ago I reinstalled 7 after having been on 10 full time for only 4 months(ish). That transition back was motivated by an update that caused a problem with sound drivers and required an OS reinstall. This is an example of Microsoft not being careful enough with changes made. It's an example of how little they care about their user base, just like they were with Windows 8/8.1. They only back-pedaled after massive public outcry. If they had simply listened carefully in the first place, they might have avoided so much PR unpleasantness and the backlash that motivated many to move to mobile as a primary form of computing.

People are still complaining about Windows 8?

I don't think It ever ended...

 

[Jetster]

Got to be some kind of necro record. Haha Sorry, point taken. I think people just have a hard time letting go and moving on. Change

 

[lexluthermiester]

Got to be some kind of necro record. Haha Sorry point taken

Again, I mean no harm. It's been an interesting retrospective.

 

[Aquinus]

Again, I mean no harm. It's been an interesting retrospective.

I mean, hindsight is 20/20. In retrospect, me upgrading to Windows 10 got me exactly what I would have expected. I guess that's why I ended up ditching Windows all together. I guess I should have taken my own advice.

Well, since Windows 7 works perfectly fine for me, I see no reason to "upgrade". There is always the famous motto, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

[Slizzo]

Still daily Win 10. While there's some issues here and there, it's by and large better than it's ever been before.

I haven't had issues with drivers or anything like that, though. However that's likely to my being on very modern hardware usually.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yep I still use win-7 too the world hasn't ended as everyone has insisted will happen with all the vulnerabilities lol

Been using linux mint cinnamon 20 & Solus plasma on z490 since win-7 isn't really worth it 20 cinnamon more since it has a app that isn't on solus to switch to performance mode easy and without it solus seems sluggish since linux in general ignores bios clocks which is very annoying lol

Win-10 well about all I use it for is benchmarks nothing else.

 

[lemonadesoda]

I am so fxxed off with W10 and the auto-update, auto-telemetry (no matter how often you run O&O Shutup somehow MS manages to turn it back on) causing
1:/ Massive slowdowns. The number of times my laptop hits a wall, I CTRL+SFT+ESC to task manager to see MS update and telemetry hogging the machine!
2:/ Then, I get these unwanted updates of my machine when I walk away for a day or two, unable to click the "later later" box only to return to find my PC has rebooted and all my (un)saved work and millions of browser (research) tabs all gone.

It's like trying to drive a manual sportscar, and then you get caught in the road ruts made by heavy trucks on a poor quality road, that self steer the car that you have to fight against, then a massive sleeping policeman (road hump), turnoffs and junctions without roadsigns, and then a railway crossing with not lights and the barrier up, but the train is coming honking its horn and you are going to crash. h8

I am at the point of getting W10 LTSC just to avoid all this telemetry update reboot sh1t. It is so unnecessary.

...Just a few days ago I reinstalled 7 after...

I fully understand you winding back to an earlier version of W. I stuck with WW2K3 until just 3 years ago - I had 15 years of happiness. I would like that joy to return.

 

[micropage7]

I am so fxxed off with W10 and the auto-update, auto-telemetry (no matter how often you run O&O Shutup somehow MS manages to turn it back on) causing
1:/ Massive slowdowns. The number of times my laptop hits a wall, I CTRL+SFT+ESC to task manager to see MS update and telemetry hogging the machine!
2:/ Then, I get these unwanted updates of my machine when I walk away for a day or two, unable to click the "later later" box only to return to find my PC has rebooted and all my (un)saved work and millions of browser (research) tabs all gone.

It's like trying to drive a manual sportscar, and then you get caught in the road ruts made by heavy trucks on a poor quality road, that self steer the car that you have to fight against, then a massive sleeping policeman (road hump), turnoffs and junctions without roadsigns, and then a railway crossing with not lights and the barrier up, but the train is coming honking its horn and you are going to crash. h8

I am at the point of getting W10 LTSC just to avoid all this telemetry update reboot sh1t. It is so unnecessary.




I fully understand you winding back to an earlier version of W. I stuck with WW2K3 until just 3 years ago - I had 15 years of happiness. I would like that joy to return.

yeah, especially on slow laptop, updating is painful since it take a long time

 

[lexluthermiester]

I am at the point of getting W10 LTSC just to avoid all this telemetry update reboot sh1t. It is so unnecessary.

Not a bad choice. As far as Windows 10 goes, it's the best version you can get if you want to minimize Microsoft nonsense.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Again, I mean no harm. It's been an interesting retrospective.

Interestingly, as to your point, I feel 8.1 ended up being pretty good, which is contrary to my view earlier on. Had people stuck with it, they would have found a nice, very stable OS that is easy to navigate (just make sure to have Start8).

I feel this so much so that I have one system with only W8.1 on it so that I can play older, boxed games with all their nefarious forms if DRM, and are unavailable except in that form.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Interestingly, as to your point, I feel 8.1 ended up being pretty good, which is contrary to my view earlier on. Had people stuck with it, they would have found a nice, very stable OS that is easy to navigate (just make sure to have Start8).

That's fair. My only change to that would be the use of Open Shell rather than Start8.

I feel this so much so that I have one system with only W8.1 on it so that I can play older, boxed games with all their nefarious forms if DRM, and are unavailable except in that form.

Very good point! But then again, why not just use 7?