[Neowin] Windows 8 Consumer Preview Download - Page 22

I've also noticed Windows 8 will recognize any missing runtimes that are needed to run a application. I just tried running something that required .NET framework. And it prompted me and said that I do not have it installed and if I would like to install it now, pushed yes. It downloaded and installed on the progress bar and wala .NET 3.5 was installed that easy.

After using it more I really do like Windows 8. My BIGGEST complaint is the start menu. I cannot, for the life of me, get use to it on a non-touch device. They should give you the OPTION of turning it off. Something in the "Turn Windows Features on or off" menu? I don't mind all of the bloatware included because I can always turn that off. But the start menu is a no-no.

*sigh* The start menu was never removed from Windows 8 (the physical classic menu code was). It was only expanded and improved greatly. To be honest I rarely used it on XP, Vista, 7 and im a avid Windows platform programmer. Desktop shortcuts and super bar shortcuts make the start menu virtually useless other then its search feature which still exists in Windows 8 and has the exact same keyboard shortcuts. My biggest complaint is the lack of close buttons in the top right corner of every metro application. Its easily to pile up open programs because of the lack of ability to close them.

Oh look, I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to make the "21st century" argument. Just because time moves forward does not mean that we miraculously experience progress. In the same manner, just because this happens to be the new thing that Microsoft is doing that does not make it "progressive". They are doing it for clear business reasons. Product line simplification is cheaper in the long run and that is the main driver behind this together with market potential. Every indicator in the industry points towards tablets and mobile devices making up a much larger and much more profitable segment than desktop computers now and in the future. That is pure business and what Microsoft is doing with Windows 8 is also pure business.

On the productivity side nobody is really discussing it because it simply does not matter. People will learn to get by and as long as they can in one way or another get the work done, even if slower or notoriously more inefficient, they will get by and that is why likely these "improvements" to the UI will also make it into the final version of the OS. It's funny actually because somebody said yesterday "why is Microsoft alienating 5 million netbook users out there by making Windows 8 incompatible with the most standard resolution of the same netbooks". The answer is simple, that market segment is basically dead and irrelevant.

As for how effectively I use my Windows shortcuts in the "21st century", I do just fine And my "super bar" is very handily loaded with most of my most commonly used application shortcuts. It indeed is quite effective, but I guess I must be using it the "20th century" way. Will you teach me

The lack of close buttons for metro applications is incredibly annoying, for now, I've found the quickest way to close an open metro app are to bring your mouse to the top of the screen, click and hold, then drag to the bottom to 'dump' it. You can say it's intuitive for touch interfaces but with mice it still feels like an incredible amount of effort, of course you could always use keyboard shortcuts, but your other hand isn't always on the keyboard.
Edited by Lawcheehung - 3/1/12 at 5:16pm

Does this all mean i can't have a nice clear desktop wallpaper?

To the guys having a hard time closing apps, ALT + F4 closes them immediately.

Obviously, but as mentioned, your other hand isn't always on the keyboard, and I'll bet like myself and many others are used to moving the mouse to the top right to click on that little x.

Thanks!

I was having some sounds issues (basically com crackling), and so I decided to run a DPC latency check, and oh dear, there is something really wrong going on, I tried to disable everything I could but nothing changed, maybe is related to my HD controller driver or something, so I just can't fix it... it's a shame, overall I was enjoying using the OS, but I guess I will need to wait to see if they fix this problem...