Windows 8.1 What do you think?

[NeonNinja]

It's just a normal toolbar, make a folder somewhere of the links you want.

Then right click the Taskbar > Toolbars > New toolbar... > Then navigate to where the folder is, then click select folder.

Oh. Right thanks.

 

[Edduck]

But it looks very similar to Win7. Honestly how long to you spend with the Start menu expaneded on your screen? You spend even less time in Start, its just to launch apps (only desktop if you want).

And if you're really adverse to tiles, you can configure the 8.1 Start button to take you to the Apps screen instead. Basically your entire Start menu unfolded over the whole screen (again hovering over your desktop wallpaper) ...

View attachment 58191

I am all for the reported performance enhancements and the new way of interacting with the Win8 environment. BUT the least that MS could have done was updated the ENTIRE look and feel of win8. I cringe every time I have gone from the really cool new win8 networking bar/thing to Network and Sharing or any other part of the OS that has Win7/XP/ME/95 relics in it!!! And what is with all the old icons and other cr@p that has been lugged all the way through from WinXP???

Did MS just throw their hands in the air halfway through the design process?

I have seen better custom shells compared to the pathetic excuse that MS calls "Metro" pffffffft.

 

[Compton_effect]

Windows 8 is a impressive kernel, with some very nicely thought out capabilities.
But its hamstrung by trying to be a touch interface in a world not yet geared up for it.
Just debugging a media share issue on my home pc turned into a herculean task because everything was split between the old interface and the new panels.
I love the new Server 2012, but first thing I did with my new work laptop - downgrade it to 7. I don't have the time or inclination to dig around in the new interface while working.
(So far I've regretted it once. We started using a collaboration tool called Trello and it has a Metro app. Meh.)

 

[Roman4604]

Just debugging a media share issue on my home pc

Odd, if theres one area where Win8 has been upgraded over Win7 is native media sharing capability (& industry std compatibility). 8.1 works perfectly pulling content from my home Serviio DLNA server, something Win7 is incapable of. It also pushes content perfectly over DLNA e.g. to my Samsung Smart TVs ...

 

[biometrics]

I dunno hey. Fully get your point if you want to do it that way.... but I can get to my programs a LOT quicker that I used to. If I want to get to outlook (before I pinned it), i'd tap the windows key and type "ou", the first two letters, and hit enter. That for me is a lot faster than anything else.

You can do this in Windows 7 too LOL.

 

[Compton_effect]

Good for you, in this case something went seriously wrong when setting it up as a media server.
Took three days to figure out what went wrong and find a work around.
This included the system crashing so bad it had to switch to recovery mode.

Odd, if theres one area where Win8 has been upgraded over Win7 is native media sharing capability (& industry std compatibility). 8.1 works perfectly pulling content from my home Serviio DLNA server, something Win7 is incapable of. It also pushes content perfectly over DLNA e.g. to my Samsung Smart TVs ...

View attachment 58201

 

[NickLeStrange]

Personally I don't get this whole complaint about what it looks like. You can configure it to look like anything that you want, and even at the default configuration of a fresh install it still looks good.

You can't blame MS for people liking fish as a desktop background.

I haven't upgraded to 8.1 yet, I will wait for the official launch, and for the Uxtheme patcher to be updated.

Here's my Win8 Desktop:

Pic 1 fullscreen

Pic 2 fullscreen

Bonus pic with a folder and mIRC.



And here it is with the Start screen open.



I spend about 99.999% of my time on the Desktop, because most of my icons that I use daily are pinned to the taskbar.

 

[semaphore]

Personally I don't get this whole complaint about what it looks like. You can configure it to look like anything that you want, and even at the default configuration of a fresh install it still looks good.

You can't blame MS for people liking fish as a desktop background.

I haven't upgraded to 8.1 yet, I will wait for the official launch, and for the Uxtheme patcher to be updated.

Here's my Win8 Desktop:

Pic 1 fullscreen

Pic 2 fullscreen

Bonus pic with a folder and mIRC.

View attachment 58229

And here it is with the Start screen open.

View attachment 58231

I spend about 99.999% of my time on the Desktop, because most of my icons that I use daily are pinned to the taskbar.

Okay... wtf why do you have a picture of Daniel Radcliffe. Unless you think hes hot which in that case.. rofl.

 

[shogun]

You can do this in Windows 7 too LOL.

LOL hey? I guessed you missed the part where I said that you could do that in windows 7. LOL, you can't read hey. LOL.

grow up a little hey. Here I am trying to be civil, and provide some genuine constructive commentary on how I see it, and you revert to a snarky comment without reading properly. Must have felt good hey... you really showed me... noob that I am and all.

pfft. as you were.

I'm glad there are start menu replacements for those that need it, but at the same time, if they had included it by default, i'd never be doing things the way I am now (even though the process was basically the same from within the old start menu, you tended to rather scroll the menus then type in the search bar).

 

[LazyLion]

Personally I don't get this whole complaint about what it looks like. You can configure it to look like anything that you want, and even at the default configuration of a fresh install it still looks good.

You can't blame MS for people liking fish as a desktop background.

I haven't upgraded to 8.1 yet, I will wait for the official launch, and for the Uxtheme patcher to be updated.

Here's my Win8 Desktop:

Pic 1 fullscreen

Pic 2 fullscreen

Bonus pic with a folder and mIRC.

View attachment 58229

And here it is with the Start screen open.

View attachment 58231

I spend about 99.999% of my time on the Desktop, because most of my icons that I use daily are pinned to the taskbar.

Where's the Aero. Make it do Aero!

 

[Roman4604]

Where's the Aero.

MS prefer Bar One to Aero these days.

 

[NickLeStrange]

Okay... wtf why do you have a picture of Daniel Radcliffe. Unless you think hes hot which in that case.. rofl.

He is quite hot actually, and super funny!

Where's the Aero. Make it do Aero!

The aero effect is possible with another 3rd party app. I've never liked it myself, and prefer the solid colour on my windows. But there's something to be said for a transparent taskbar, that can stay.

 

[biometrics]

LOL hey? I guessed you missed the part where I said that you could do that in windows 7. LOL, you can't read hey. LOL.

grow up a little hey. Here I am trying to be civil, and provide some genuine constructive commentary on how I see it, and you revert to a snarky comment without reading properly. Must have felt good hey... you really showed me... noob that I am and all.

pfft. as you were.

Actually you didn't. Maybe earlier in the thread but not this post I replied to. So chill.

I dunno hey. Fully get your point if you want to do it that way.... but I can get to my programs a LOT quicker that I used to. If I want to get to outlook (before I pinned it), i'd tap the windows key and type "ou", the first two letters, and hit enter. That for me is a lot faster than anything else.

My productivity has improved dramatically on windows 8 once I got used to it. I can still understand the frustrations though. I'm glad there are start menu replacements for those that need it, but at the same time, if they had included it by default, i'd never be doing things the way I am now (even though the process was basically the same from within the old start menu, you tended to rather scroll the menus then type in the search bar).

It's a tough one to decide. To have included it (even if it was off by default), would have meant that people would just turn it on as a first port of call, and the likes of me wouldn't have gotten used to their new approach to managing your pc. On the flip side though, they've isolated a bunch of users in the process.

 

[shogun]

Actually you didn't. Maybe earlier in the thread but not this post I replied to. So chill.

No actually I did.. right there in my original post you commented on... and I bolded it for you to see. Don't respond in true primary school boy fashion unless you want to ruffle some feathers. Act like an adult and we can all converse like adults.

Next time either comment like a grown up, offer a different point of view, or just rather not comment. I'm done now, apologies if i'm dragging this on / derailing the thread. I'll try to get along as you sometimes have some decent view points.

 

[biometrics]

No actually I did.. right there in my original post you commented on... and I bolded it for you to see. Don't respond in true primary school boy fashion unless you want to ruffle some feathers. Act like an adult and we can all converse like adults.

Next time either comment like a grown up, offer a different point of view, or just rather not comment. I'm done now, apologies if i'm dragging this on / derailing the thread. I'll try to get along as you sometimes have some decent view points.

Fair enough. Didn't see that.

 

[_kabal_]

Computer literate people use the windows 7 start menu the same way as the windows 8 start screen. Windows key + letters + enter

 

[Roman4604]

Anyone using Office 2013 on Win 8.1? If so can you check if your PowerPoint previewer in Outlook 2013 works on an attached .ppt or .pptx

 

[RetroPedro]

Anyone using Office 2013 on Win 8.1? If so can you check if your PowerPoint previewer in Outlook 2013 works on an attached .ppt or .pptx

In the first place, I can't activate Office 2013 via a 365 account. Secondly, I get a pop-up message when trying to view a PP attachment: "There's not enough memory or system resources to start PowerPoint", I have 1.2GB memory free. The same previews without a problem on 8. What problem are you experiencing?

 

[Roman4604]

I get a pop-up message when trying to view a PP attachment: "There's not enough memory or system resources to start PowerPoint", I have 1.2GB memory free. The same previews without a problem on 8. What problem are you experiencing?

Thanks, exactly the feedback I was looking for. My experience is identical, PP previewer in OL 2013 works on Win8, but kicks up the same memory/resources dialogue in Win8.1 Preview.

I often need to search through past presentations in my mailbox/archive so the PP preview is quite handy. Was even prepared to uninstall/re-install Office in case it was something to do with my installation. Looks like the glitch is inherent in 2013/Win8.1P, so you saved me some unnecessary time wasting.

 

[RetroPedro]

@Roman, probably just something on the beta that will be fixed in the final, hopefully...