cc image credit image by echiner1 on flickr
OK. I’ve now been spending a considerable amount of time using a virtualized installation of Windows 8 Release Preview. I have also come to an critical conclusion.
Until Microsoft (or the Windows tweaking community) comes up with a solid and reliable way to disable and/or prevent The Nuisance™ that is the Windows 8 Metro start page from running AND brings back a more realistic semblance of the classic “start menu” format, Windows 7 will be for us what XP has and remains for most of the enterprise world.
Seriously Microsoft. What are your focus groups thinking?
The game changer? Dear Alvis.
Allow me to explain.
Last week, in a show of appreciation and support for dear daughter Alvis, Lavie and I picked up a new 17.3” i3-core, 4 GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium x64 bit laptop for her. She has been soldiering on with her hand-me-down Gateway MT6451 laptop. I’ve long since upgraded the RAM to the max the system could support, dropped a larger HDD in it, upgraded it to Win 7 (x32) and it has been a real workhorse. It survived a DC input socket failure and repair, and at least two complete tear-downs by me. However, over the past several months the DC plug began to fail again leading to a flicking screen as it switched from AC to battery and back again. I considered picking up a new system-board. However at around $100 it didn’t make much sense for such an old system when I could pick up a newer and more powerful system for her for a few hundred more. So now she’s running a beautiful HP Pavilion g7 notebook and is beside herself with joy. Next comes picking out a lid “skin” and a bag to fit the behemoth.
Anyway, being such a new purchase it is possible it will qualify for a low-cost OS upgrade to Windows 8. Alvis is a hip kid and is no slouch when it comes to technology and PC operation. So I showed her the Windows 8 Release Preview I’ve been working in.
Feedback was (basically) “gross, stupid, where’s the start menu on the desktop? Don’t you dare put that on my new laptop. I don’t want a Windows Phone on my laptop! I don’t get it.”
I was shocked. Really. If any demographic might be open to the Windows 8 Metro/Start Page interface I figured it would be a hip, younger kid who would appreciate the tiles and the Metro apps, etc. and doesn’t bring much baggage with them from the Windows-in-Enterprise world a-la XP and “Classic” mode. Nope. To her is is nothing more than Windows Phone on a PC. Period.
In fairness coming to my own conclusion, I loaded up a number of Metro Apps onto my Windows system to test out the experience.
- I have to sign in with a Microsoft ID to download and install them? Seriously? Pass.
- The news apps and photo-feed apps are quite beautiful. However when I’m looking for news give me the news…I felt I was reading the Parade Magazine using them.
- The weather application tile was pretty cool. But do I really want or need all that eye candy to figure out what the temperature and forecast is for the day? Nope. My NeXus dock bar has a superhandy icon that I can access to get almost all that same information for just a hover.
- For the life of me I still can’t figure out how to surf successfully in the IE 10 Metro tile app.
- Closing running Windows Metro tile applications is possible but still non-intuitive to me.
- I can swap back and forth between the Start Page and the Desktop. However I prefer to just stay in the desktop, and find the Classic Shell tweak a must-have.
- Performance is great and I love all the under the hood OS tweaks and changes. I want them. I want them really badly.
- I don’t mind the “flat” windows and removal of many of the Areo/transparency styling's from Vista/Win7. That’s all cool and actually pulled off quite nicely.
But at the end of the day the Metro Start Page environment and the lack of a OEM start menu system for the Desktop really is just killing the deal for me. Sure, I can and am using Classic Shell coupled with this cool trick How To Switch to Desktop Automatically in Windows 8 via Windows7hacker to auto-jump to the desktop after login (after a brief pause at the Start Page), but I shouldn’t have to!
Note: if you use that trick (and it is a nice/easy one) there is an error on the path location to save the file as listed in the post. Rather than using %appdate% it should be placed in the following location:
%appdata%\microsoft\windows\start menu\programs\startup
Nope. Windows 7 runs super smooth, has all the core features I need and require, that I cannot reasonably make the call to upgrade any of our systems to Windows 8 in its current iteration. We are still running Windows XP Pro at work and only now are there the initial rumblings of vetting Windows 7 for deployment across our enterprise. Windows 8 with the Start Page in corporate-land? Doubtful anytime soon.
So to be clear, I’m lovin the technical changes and features Windows 8 brings. I’m definitely not feeling the love for the new GUI. And it’s annoying enough to seriously keep me from upgrading our systems anytime soon.
Pass for now.
That said, here are a bunch-load of new links regarding Windows 8 goings-on for future reference.
Win8 (Release Preview) - Start Here - Get It
- Download Windows 8 Release Preview - Microsoft
- Windows 8 Release Preview - Microsoft
- Windows 8 Release Preview ISO formats - Microsoft
- Microsoft Announces Release Preview for Windows 8 by mistake today - including download links - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
- The Windows 8 Release Preview is now available [Updated] -Chron.com’s TechBlog
- BETA: Windows 8 Release Preview available on TechNet & MSDN now - Kurt Shintaku's Blog
- Delivering the Windows 8 Release Preview - Building Windows 8 blog
- Windows 8 Preview Release available - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
Win8 - Related Betas
- Windows 8 Consumer Preview running in Workstation 8 - VMware: VMware Workstation Zealot
- How to Install Windows Server 8 Beta VM on VirtualBox - TechGuruBlog
- Installing Windows Server 8 Step-By-Step - TechNet Wiki
- Hands on with Windows Server “8″ beta: a new look, with virtualization center stage - Ars Technica
- Hands on with Windows Server 8 beta - Computerworld
- Windows Server 8 installation notes - 4sysops blog
- Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate Download Available - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate Datacenter is Now Available - Bink.nu
- Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate - Microsoft
- Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows Server 8 Beta Compatibility Cookbook - Bink.nu
- Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 - Bink.nu
- Download: RSAT for Windows 8 - Microsoft Download Center
- Download Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate (RC) - Microsoft
- Microsoft Device Center | Microsoft Hardware - Microsoft
- Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate available now - Windows Server Blog
- Download Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 - Microsoft
- Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate Trial - Windows Server Blog
- Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate available now - Windows Server Blog
- Where to Find Previous Windows Server “8” Posts - Windows Server Blog
- Rocking the Windows Server “8” Administrative Experience - Windows Server Blog
- Getting Productive with Windows Server 2012 (Part 1) - Cloud Computing Journal
- Getting Productive with Windows Server 2012 (Part 2) - Cloud Computing Journal
- Getting Productive with Windows Server 2012 (Part 3) - Cloud Computing Journal
- Windows Server 2012 Virtual Labs - Microsoft Technet
Win8 - Install It
- Windows 8 Preview Release install the VirtualBox - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Windows 8 vhd installation will be rejected - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Windows 8: CPU compatibility problems during setup - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
Win8 - Under the Hood
- Windows 8 Release Preview: The Ultimate Delta Guide - Paul Thurrott’s SuperSite for Windows
- Refining the recommended system requirements for Windows 8 - Ars Technica
- Designing for PCs that boot faster than ever before - Building Windows 8 blog
- Enhancing Windows 8 for multiple monitors - Building Windows 8 blog
- Microsoft Layouts Windows 8 Boot Options - Windows7hacker blog
- Puny humans too slow for Windows 8′s high-speed booting - Ars Technica
- Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 8 - Jennifer Marsman
- Porting apps to Windows 8 Metro - Jennifer Marsman
- Delivering the Windows 8 Release Preview - Building Windows 8 blog
- Windows 8 Release Preview Shows Improved Media Apps, Same Bipolar Interface - ReadWriteWeb
- What's New in Windows 8 - Lifehacker
- Windows 8 Release Preview Hands On: Wonderful (And Kind Of Boring) - Gizmodo
- Multiple monitors on Windows 8 Release Preview: better, but still rough - Ars Technica
- Web browsing in Windows 8 Release Preview with IE10 - Building Windows 8 blog
- Windows 8 Secrets: The WinX Menu and its hashing algorithm revisited - Within Windows
Win8 - To Go
- Windows To Go - 4sysops
- How to install Windows To Go - 4sysops
- Windows 8 How-To: Create and Use A Windows To Go USB Device -Windows7hacker
- Windows To Go with Windows 8 Preview Release - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Creating Windows To Go from Windows 8 Release Preview - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- If Windows To Go for Windows 8 Pro? - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
Win8 - Tweaks
- Windows 8: boot straight into the desktop - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
- How To Switch to Desktop Automatically in Windows 8 - Windows7hacker
- Windows 8: Insides on Metro-app startup problem - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Classic Shell - Additional Skins - Third party app for adding back a “Start” menu to Win8 Desktop.
- Disable Windows CLI & Command Prompt Script Processing In Windows 8 - AddictiveTips blog
- How To Permanently Disable Search Indexing In Windows 8 - AddictiveTips blog
- How To Access Old Control Panel From Windows 8 Start Screen - AddictiveTips blog
- How to use Group Policy to configure default Library definition files in Windows 8 - Anything about IT
- Restrict Users From Changing Personalization Settings In Windows 8 - AddictiveTips blog
- Windows 8 Metro RSS Reader - CodePlex project
- Windows 8: Enable the hidden Administrator - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Codec Packs for Windows 8 and Windows Media Player
- Windows 8 Release Preview with start menu - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Windows 8: Prompt Run as administrator - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
Win8 - Deeper Insights
- Windows 8 Secrets: Add Features to Windows 8 - Within Windows
- Win8 CP - Interesting findings - Windows 8 - reboot.pro
- Windows 8 Secrets: Internet Explorer 10 will Ship with Adobe Flash - Within Windows
- No-cost desktop software development is not really dead on Windows 8 - Within Windows
- Windows 8 Secrets: Windows Setup - Within Windows
- Windows 8 Secrets: PC and Device Requirements Revisited - Within Windows
- Windows 8 Secrets: A Peek at Internet Explorer “Flip Ahead” - Within Windows
- The v2 WMI namespace in Hyper-V on Windows 8 - Virtual PC Guy's Blog
- Windows Release Preview: The Sixth IE10 Platform Preview - IEBlog
- Is Google Metro-Chrome just a big fake? - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Windows 8 Secrets: New Desktop Theme - Within Windows
Win8 - DaRT
- nothing new in this area these past weeks…
Win8 - Usage Tips
- How To Completely Close (Kill) Metro Apps In Windows 8 - AddictiveTIps blog
- How To Turn Your Windows 8 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point - Windows7hacker
- How To Disable Windows Explorer Animations For All Users In Windows 8 - AddictiveTips blog
- Using Wireless Networks in Windows 8 - Windows Networking blog
Win8 - Miscellanea & Rumors
- The re-imagined Windows 8 Metro concept that you wish was real - Digital Trends
- Windows Desktop UI Concept -The Verge Forums
- Windows Metro Style Apps Developer Downloads - Microsoft Dev Center
- In praise of Aero Glass -Chron.com’s TechBlog
- Microsoft kills Aero Glass (and may actually fix hot corners) - Ars Technica
- Windows 8: no classic Start menu possible? - Caschys Blog (Google Translated from German)
- How successful Windows 8? - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- Microsoft reportedly working to block apps that re-enable the Windows 8 Start button - The Verge
- Windows 8: Metro-install apps locally - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- The Windows 8 Release Preview & Windows Upgrade Offer - Windows Experience Blog
- What businesses will want to know about the Windows 8 Release Preview - WindowsTeam Blog
- Windows 8: Why I’m struggling with Microsoft’s new thing - GeekWire
- Like XP or Vista: how will businesses treat Windows 8? - Ars Technica
- Metro Madness: Ars OpenForum installs Windows 8 Release Preview - Ars Technica
- My personal experience with the Windows 8 Release Preview - Windows Experience Blog
- Windows Enterprise - Microsoft & Enterprise Software
- Metro-Google Chrome angetestet - Born and Windows IT Blog (Google Translated from German)
- What businesses will want to know about the Windows 8 Release Preview - Windows for your Business blog (Microsoft)
- First look at Chrome in the Windows 8 Metro environment - Ars Technica
- Windows 8 lacks true spirit [review] - Betanews post by Itamar Even-Zohar
- How Windows 8 is shaping next-generation PCs - Ars Technica
Windows 8 - GSD Previously Posted
- Windows 8 Linkage: “Majestic Metro” version - Sept 2011
- Windows 8 Linkage: “Passage Public Metro” version - April 2012
- Windows 8 Linkage: “Metro Santiago” edition - May 2012
Cheers.
--Claus V.
2 comments:
"Windows Phone on a laptop", that has to be by far the best description of Windows 8 Metro I have heard. I have never really wanted a Windows phone (BSOD on my phone, I don't think so). I think once again MS is shooting themselves in the foot with Windows 8, much like they did with Vista (except I think this is going to be far worse).
I might also add the classic 'start menu' is dead in Windows 8 Metro and Microsoft is making sure it stays that way.
Microsoft Blocking Third Parties from Reviving Start Button
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