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Windows 8.1 Preview, Pretty nice
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hairlessupportmonkey
IS-IT--Management
I installed the preview - its OK. The start button and boot to desktop is a kind gesture, but NO start menu. you still need to navigate that stupid app / tile screen..... not convinced.
ACSS - SME
General Geek
ACSS - SME
General Geek
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No, actually, right click the start button & it will have many other options. If you want to boot to your home screen instead of the metro screen you can do that also as there is an option for that, so give it a try. If you really want a super nice start button get Start Menu X, it is what Microsoft should have done, but hey, its still beta.
hairlessupportmonkey
IS-IT--Management
I already purchased start8 a while back.
I dont want many other options on my start button. the start menu was and still is condusive to how me and millions of other windows users work.
ACSS - SME
General Geek
I dont want many other options on my start button. the start menu was and still is condusive to how me and millions of other windows users work.
ACSS - SME
General Geek
Mike Lewis
Programmer
I haven't tried 8.1 yet, but I from what I have read about it, it does seem to answer a lot of the criticisms of 8.0.
If I still had my Windows 8 tablet, I would definitely upgrade to 8.1. But I've now jumped over to Android, which so far looks pretty good.
Mike
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Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Visual FoxPro articles, tips and downloads
If I still had my Windows 8 tablet, I would definitely upgrade to 8.1. But I've now jumped over to Android, which so far looks pretty good.
Mike
__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Visual FoxPro articles, tips and downloads
dilettante
MIS
There is a bunch of other stuff in Windows 8.1 but as far as the goofy "Start Button is back" and "You can boot to desktop" go I have the feeling these weren't meant to do much anyway. The main purpose seems to be to support a media campaign to confuse the masses into thinking things are back to normal again.
I think the OEMs have just about had it. As soon as somebody slaps together a more refined Android for x86 desktops Microsoft will be in for an even bigger world of hurt. Perhaps one thing saving Windows' bacon right now is that the Android-x86 project doesn't have the resources to address things like hardware acceleration on nVidia GPUs. I have to think that Google keeps an eye on that unofficial project and considers the notion of becoming a desktop OS supplier now and then. With Android and Chrome OS "under one roof" now the topic must come up there more often.
Some people will still be bound to Microsoft for years yet, especially business users. But with Microsoft saying they want to change from a Windows company to a Cloud Services company it may be Microsoft leaving users rather than the other way around. It could get pretty painful down the road for anyone with a large investment in custom written dekstop applications.
For home users there is far less to lose by changing to another OS though. There just aren't enough compelling reasons... yet.
I think the OEMs have just about had it. As soon as somebody slaps together a more refined Android for x86 desktops Microsoft will be in for an even bigger world of hurt. Perhaps one thing saving Windows' bacon right now is that the Android-x86 project doesn't have the resources to address things like hardware acceleration on nVidia GPUs. I have to think that Google keeps an eye on that unofficial project and considers the notion of becoming a desktop OS supplier now and then. With Android and Chrome OS "under one roof" now the topic must come up there more often.
Some people will still be bound to Microsoft for years yet, especially business users. But with Microsoft saying they want to change from a Windows company to a Cloud Services company it may be Microsoft leaving users rather than the other way around. It could get pretty painful down the road for anyone with a large investment in custom written dekstop applications.
For home users there is far less to lose by changing to another OS though. There just aren't enough compelling reasons... yet.
more refined Android for x86 desktops Microsoft will be in for an even bigger world of hurt"
The word you are looking for is Linux, and it's been Linux's year of the desktop since at least 1998.....
Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.
The word you are looking for is Linux, and it's been Linux's year of the desktop since at least 1998.....
Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.
dilettante
MIS
Traditional desktop "Linux distros" as their fans call them never gained any consumer momentum though. This might not matter except that computer product manufactureres are more consumer-driven than ever. The difference with Android is that it has strong name recognition and massive consumer experience, whcih is the sort of momentum a contender would probably need.
Doesn't mean it would ever happen but I can imagine desktop Android going mainstream in the near future.
"Linux" (it gets vague since Android currently uses a Linux kernel and some Linux libraries and such but isn't like a typical desktop distribution) probably won't ever go mainstream on desktops. It's a great deal stronger in the server market and that will probably continue for a long time.
Doesn't mean it would ever happen but I can imagine desktop Android going mainstream in the near future.
"Linux" (it gets vague since Android currently uses a Linux kernel and some Linux libraries and such but isn't like a typical desktop distribution) probably won't ever go mainstream on desktops. It's a great deal stronger in the server market and that will probably continue for a long time.
I just bought a new laptop yesterday that came with 8.0 and as soon as I could I upgraded to 8.1. I like the old traditional Windows desktop back.
But what is missing from the Right-click of the Start button, is a link to "All Programs". I had a heck of a time trying to figure out how wo get shortcuts to my Office 2007 apps. I finally stumbled upon them by using the search link. That worked OK because the keywords "Word", "Excel", and "Powerpoint" led me directly to the apps. But what do I do if I don't know the file system spelling of an application?
Does anyone know if the afore mentioned "Start Menu X" takes care of that issue?
Thanks in advance...
Jerry Scannell
But what is missing from the Right-click of the Start button, is a link to "All Programs". I had a heck of a time trying to figure out how wo get shortcuts to my Office 2007 apps. I finally stumbled upon them by using the search link. That worked OK because the keywords "Word", "Excel", and "Powerpoint" led me directly to the apps. But what do I do if I don't know the file system spelling of an application?
Does anyone know if the afore mentioned "Start Menu X" takes care of that issue?
Thanks in advance...
Jerry Scannell
I have been using Windows 8 for almost a year. I did download an app, classic shell, from sourceforge which gives me that traditional start button / windows 7 feel.
After installing this app, I really love Window 8. All of my applications work flawlessly. I can't really say it is any better or worse than windows 7, because I like it too.
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you.
After installing this app, I really love Window 8. All of my applications work flawlessly. I can't really say it is any better or worse than windows 7, because I like it too.
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you.
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