Windows 8's interface

[Blastfrog]

chungy (in another thread) said:

is this topic only about games?

Oh christ. Windows 8 looks like it was designed for morons who don't know the first thing of how to use a computer. I can't imagine being able to get any PC work done on this. It looks like a fucking smartphone, except without being able to call people.

In my opinion, smartphone interfaces aren't bad, but they should be restricted to smartphones, as that's only where they're really appropriate, or work well. On a personal computer on the other hand... Seriously, for a personal computer, the interface should have things like desktops, commands, file managers, etc. Oh, and windows. What's the point in calling it Windows if you only have the ability to view one thing at a time on the entire screen? (kinda like Windows 1.0, why the regression?) (also, I have no idea if you're only able to see more than one thing or have windows, I'm only assuming things based on the screenshot)

[Vordakk]

And as Quasar stated in a previous topic, Windows 8 will most likely require UEFI, making it suck even more for the enlightened PC user.

[Enjay]

It really looks shitty doesn't it? I hate dumbed-down interfaces that actually just get in the way when anyone who actually knows what they are doing wants to try and get something done.

Surely there has to be some other level of interaction with the machine though. Surely?

[TwinBeast]

At least it has a fish in it.. but I think it's not big enough. One of the reasons I started liking Windows 7 was the fish. Then I was sort of disappointed that it didn't come with the retail version.

And now for something completely different, I hope those two cats run into the wall so hard that their eyes pop out of their sockets and their brains ooze out of the empty holes.

And back to the topic, I think that new Windows has some windowy look, just take a look at some church windows, but I think it doesn't fit into a computer screen as an interface. It sort of looks like vomit. I guess they could rename it to Vomit 8.

I prefer simpler and less colorful interface. About the first thing I do after installing Windows, I change it to look like Windows 98.

[Maes]

Trying to capture that iGay feeling, are we, Microsoft?

[Technician]

I like the simpler graphic style, myself. Now, the layout may be overly simplistic, I'm not sure, I haven't tried it.

[Bucket]

If ever there were a time that Gabe Newell needs a punt in the gunt to get Source ported to Linux, now would be it.

[Vordakk]

The best Windows product was Windows 3.1. I remember re-installing and completely configuring it in under a half hour. Coupled with Dos 6.1, that was all you needed to play some DOOM.

[Carnevil]

I think they're trying to use the same sort of interface on both smartphones and PCs. They really seem to want phones to be like portable computers and have you be able to do the same things and run the same programs on them. They can probably get away with a lot of it in terms of interface. Touchscreens and mice are fundamentally pretty much the same thing (with mice of course you have more precision). Beyond that... I don't know. Playing Doom on a phone? Blech.

[BilboHicks]

Carnevil said:

I think they're trying to use the same sort of interface on both smartphones and PCs.

just what I was going to say. Anyone who has played with a Windows 7 mobile device will notice the similarity.

[Scuba Steve]

...and when you click that giant "Desktop" button it takes you to a normal "Windows 7" desktop right? I don't really see the problem here... So grandma might have an easier time using a computer, but every one else can just go back to desktop as usual. Am I missing something here?

[SaladBadger]

Normally the new interface replaces the start menu entirely.

However, I recall someone figured out a way to disable Metro entirely and get the start menu back. I for the life of anything can't seem to remember where I saw the article, I forgot to bookmark it, which was a dumb idea.

[chungy]

Scuba Steve said:

...and when you click that giant "Desktop" button it takes you to a normal "Windows 7" desktop right? I don't really see the problem here... So grandma might have an easier time using a computer, but every one else can just go back to desktop as usual. Am I missing something here?

Earlier builds had a registry tweak to disable Metro and get the start button+menu back, but that's been totally removed in the public preview of it.

I think anyone who's not expecting Windows 8's "Desktop" mode to merely be a transitional mechanism is fooling themselves; Windows 9 surely will be Metro-only without support for legacy apps.

[GooberMan]

chungy said:

Windows 9 surely will be Metro-only without support for legacy apps.

That sounds almost as much as a death sentence as releasing Vista.

[Maes]

GooberMan said:

That sounds almost as much as a death sentence as releasing Vista.

Why, isn't requiring UEFI a much worse death-sentence? It would mean de-facto incompatibility with anything made prior to....well, how about right now?

[SaladBadger]

chungy said:

Earlier builds had a registry tweak to disable Metro and get the start button+menu back, but that's been totally removed in the public preview of it.

They did? Ugh! :/

I just lost interest in Windows 8 again

[reboot]

I honestly can't see myself using this... Microsoft has put up a video here (silverlight required). Nobody seems to work anymore, 'cause the video only shows the "cool" people doing "cool" stuff with their "cool" friends over the internet. BUT, there is a small part near the end that shows what seems like the usual Win7 taskbar. So maybe not all is lost.

[eargosedown]

I wish I was as cool as those people.

[david_a]

The whole UEFI issue is blatant FUD. On x86 PCs, Microsoft went out of their way to require that users can disable secure boot or add other signatures (for Linux or whatever). Without that, manufacturers would surely have taken the cheap route just locked it down. ARM is a different matter, but the experience there is intentionally going to be the same as on an iPad - you buy a Windows-on-ARM tablet with the OS preinstalled. Can you imagine the BS Microsoft would get if their tablets allowed rootkits or boot viruses? A Windows tablet is no different in this regard than an iPad, PlayBook, Galaxy Tab, NOOK, or any other locked tablet. ARM devices are not standardized like PCs; even if the tablet were unlocked, it would take serious development effort before another OS even booted on the thing.

Oh, and this whole UEFI thing? It's part of the requirements to get a "Designed for Windows 8" sticker on the PC. That's it. There's absolutely nothing preventing someone from selling/building a PC that still uses crusty 1980s BIOS technology.

[Quasar]

david_a said:

The whole UEFI issue is blatant FUD.

Call it whatever you want, but I'll be making certain any PC I build in the future is free of this "technology."

[hex11]

Those are fake kool kids. The real kool kids are using Lunix, and they do whatever the hell they want with their OS. :)

[GooberMan]

david_a said:

UEFI

Pretty much as I understand it.

The idea of UEFI as a whole is sound, but it's that whole secure boot thing that's getting everyone up in arms. Windows 8 for Intel boxes do not require secure booting, whereas Windows 8 for ARM processors do.

We'll see if that changes for Windows 9.

[Mr. T]

I like the interface. I want the OS to GTFO out of my face and let me do my work / use my apps.

OSX is nice because it's Unix CLI is only a click away. Oh Wind0ze how I don't miss you!

[PRIMEVAL]

What....da....phuck.....

[45th Parrallel]

Im just going to stick with windows 7, XP and Linux

[Technician]

sgt dopey said:

Im just going to stick with windows 7, XP and Linux

I'm still using XP, G.

[Aliotroph?]

Vordakk said:

The best Windows product was Windows 3.1. I remember re-installing and completely configuring it in under a half hour. Coupled with Dos 6.1, that was all you needed to play some DOOM.

How? A 486 probably takes that long just to unpack it from floppies.

Anyway, my biggest complaint (aside from the SecureBoot on ARM mess...) is their preview seems to only work as some kind of upgrade installer. If I want to play wit this thing I'm going to have to install 7 on my other PC and then run the installer.

It doesn't surprise me in the least that the three things it reports as compatibility issues on here are MS SQL Server 2008 R2 and various Catalyst components. :D

The default UI colours are ugly. It looks like somebody finally let those hipster graphic-designer types work on a project other than making posters or CD covers for obscure music.

[Jodwin]

HEH @ all the total fail in this thread.

Scuba Steve said:

...and when you click that giant "Desktop" button it takes you to a normal "Windows 7" desktop right? I don't really see the problem here... So grandma might have an easier time using a computer, but every one else can just go back to desktop as usual. Am I missing something here?

This. Exactly this. There is practically no way Microsoft could ever remove desktop, support for all legacy applications or a plethora of any other features that are practically necessities for getting any work done. Why? Because Microsoft OSes are still market leaders in pretty much any business except graphical design and website servers. Of course, marketing work-related features isn't that hot so they're concentrating on the "hotter" stuff.

As for the Metro UI in Win 8 itself, it's great. Win 8 is meant to be a more multipurpose OS, used both in PCs and tablets and other devices with touch screens. Plus it abstracts functionality for people who know jack shit about computers, while letting people like us to keep using their computers as usual thanks to desktop which they're not removing. Besides, both Metro apps and normal desktop applications are run in completely different contexts: Metro applications can't even access the full file system (which is, again, great for 90 % of users, because otherwise grandma will misplace her photos in Win\System32 and never find them again). Thus there has to be a support for programs that aren't as restricted...and that's the good old desktop side of things. So in the end, everybody wins.

I fail to see the problem.

[exp(x)]

I have never seen as big of a Microsoft fanboy as Jodwin.

[Technician]

He belongs on the Mac side.