"Why Chromebook Pundits Are Out of Touch"

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Yep; woe be you if you do

I had to trick my Win 8 machine into thinking it was Win 7 so I could navigate properly. I most thoroughly hate the apps, those stupid squares, the lack of a start button, IE, WMP, etc.

Seconded. I tried Win8 on my new laptop for about half an hour, was thoroughly frustrated and installed ClassicShell

Much happier now.

[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by Sregener

While true, all it takes is to find one vulnerability in IE or XP itself, and the machine becomes a walking time bomb for some hacker. Unless, of course, you don't install any more software on it or connect it to the Internet and use it in true stand-alone mode.

This looks like the best solution if there is an application you rely on that only runs on Windows. If you've got yourself bound to something like that then running XP with no connection to the outside world is probably the best way. Cheapest, too.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by mbovenka

Seconded. I tried Win8 on my new laptop for about half an hour, was thoroughly frustrated and installed ClassicShell

Much happier now.

Obviously the Metro interface makes no sense at all on a regular PC when using mouse and keyboard. Then it is straight Desktop for me --- basically an improved, faster Windows 7. So again, I don't see what the fuzz is all about.

The tiles and Metro apps are actually great for tablet use (my PC is a convertible) and battery life seems longer when using the equivalent Metro app vs a Desktop program.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Obviously the Metro interface makes no sense at all on a regular PC when using mouse and keyboard. Then it is straight Desktop for me --- basically an improved, faster Windows 7. So again, I don't see what the fuzz is all about.

The tiles and Metro apps are actually great for tablet use (my PC is a convertible) and battery life seems longer when using the equivalent Metro app vs a Desktop program.

Hmmm, maybe... I don't know, perhaps they

FORCE THE #%&^#@ METRO
INTERFACE ON YOU!!!!

And not all laptops are convertibles, the desktops DEFINITELY aren't, metro apps are vastly less powerful than real programs (that's why they are fast, they don't have all that stupid functionality to bog them down).

So yes, there will be "fuzz" whereby people re-install the start menu so they can access their programs in a convenient manner.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Hmmm, maybe... I don't know, perhaps they

FORCE THE #%&^#@ METRO
INTERFACE ON YOU!!!!

And not all laptops are convertibles, the desktops DEFINITELY aren't, metro apps are vastly less powerful than real programs (that's why they are fast, they don't have all that stupid functionality to bog them down).

So yes, there will be "fuzz" whereby people re-install the start menu so they can access their programs in a convenient manner.

Nobody is forcing Metro down your throat. I have 2 PCs, one of which is an old one which I exclusively use with Win 8 the Desktop. I put the most commonly used programs as links on the desktop and I don't even remember the last time I had to go to the Metro interface to start a program. I have never ever used a Metro app on that PC. And besides, using the Metro tiles to start a Desktop program is no slower than going through the old menus.

So you are getting 2 for the price of 1, and even without any add-on can stay clear of virtually everything Metro. What is changed is a text based start menu has been replaced by a graphics based start menu with tiles -- is that such a big deal? And you get a much faster and safer system, extremely fast startup times, much better search function, etc.

[frahse]

Tomorrow we shall see what surprises and treats CES 2014 has in store for us.

I am far more excited than I was for Christmas.

I intend to turn my old trusty home Desktop into a full time "download machine" and printer server.

I may reinstall Windows 98 SE on it. (That should certainly confound all the bad viruses and Trojans out there.)

[pholy]

I may reinstall Windows 98 SE on it. (That should certainly confound all the bad viruses and Trojans out there.)

I can probably find a Windows 95 CD and keys around here somewhere for you...

That should annoy all those viruses, and you, too.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Obviously the Metro interface makes no sense at all on a regular PC when using mouse and keyboard. Then it is straight Desktop for me --- basically an improved, faster Windows 7. So again, I don't see what the fuzz is all about.

The fuzz is that you need something like ClassicShell to make Win8.x usable on a normal laptop/desktop. Metro is fine for tablets and phones, but frustrating as heck on anything that isn't.

But agreed, Win8.x is fine if you lose the Metro UI. With ClassicShell, I'm very happy with Win8.1.

There would be a lot less hue and cry if MS just gave you a real choice between Metro and Classic UI; a Win7-ish start button plus 'Boot Into Desktop' option would go a long way (which is why stuff like ClassicShell is so popular).

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by mbovenka

The fuzz is that you need something like ClassicShell to make Win8.x usable on a normal laptop/desktop. Metro is fine for tablets and phones, but frustrating as heck on anything that isn't.

But agreed, Win8.x is fine if you lose the Metro UI. With ClassicShell, I'm very happy with Win8.1.

There would be a lot less hue and cry if MS just gave you a real choice between Metro and Classic UI; a Win7-ish start button plus 'Boot Into Desktop' option would go a long way (which is why stuff like ClassicShell is so popular).

Boot into desktop appeared in 8.1 (Taskbar properties - tick the box marked "Boot into desktop instead of start when I sign in".

Instead of classic shell I just added a link to "\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\" on the desktop to get a folder view of the old start menu.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by mbovenka

There would be a lot less hue and cry if MS just gave you a real choice between Metro and Classic UI; a Win7-ish start button plus 'Boot Into Desktop' option would go a long way (which is why stuff like ClassicShell is so popular).

I read a few articles in December that reported W8 (even 8.1) was such a consumer irritant that MS was bringing back not only the Start Menu but several other aspects of 7's UI as well. It sounded as though they weren't simply going to disable the Metro interface and restore the W7's (which any user can do); they were actually going to offer a best-of-both-worlds alternative.

[Prestidigitweeze]

And of course there's also this (why pair Windows with Android and not Chrome?):

Intel Joins Windows and Android at the Hip

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Boot into desktop appeared in 8.1 (Taskbar properties - tick the box marked "Boot into desktop instead of start when I sign in".

Ah, didn't know that. I already had ClassicShell installed when I upgraded to 8.1.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

I read a few articles in December that reported W8 (even 8.1) was such a consumer irritant that MS was bringing back not only the Start Menu but several other aspects of 7's UI as well. It sounded as though they weren't simply going to disable the Metro interface and restore the W7's (which any user can do); they were actually going to offer a best-of-both-worlds alternative.

They thoroughly believe the old Business Adage, "never admit you were wrong."

Bill Gates even married the lady that managed the "Bob" idea.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by pholy

I can probably find a Windows 95 CD and keys around here somewhere for you...

That should annoy all those viruses, and you, too.

W95 was the first Windows OS that I really liked. I mentioned 98 because that came with the home Desktop which at the time was a $2500+ machine.

[Scarpad]

I've been waiting for a chromebook that has a balance of a decent screen, good battery life and power, somewhere in between the HP chromebook 11 and the Pixel, let's hope this is it.