So the final verdict: to windows 8 or not to windows 8, that is the question

Zascar wrote: »

Apart from that though I find the little tweaks they have brought to windows absolutely fantastic. They have made a lot of the settings etc better and more simplified and things just seem to 'work'. I love the 'Ribbon' on windows explorer - finally they have got it right.

That's my biggest gripe actually. I always hated the Ribbon and I'm sure I always will. Recently started a new job where they use Outlook 2010 on an Exchange server so I have to use it a lot more now. At least it can be turned off in Windows 8, albeit unofficially.

I expect more and more enterprises will probably go to Office 365 when it does a full rollout, which will mean that the suite will be updated progressively over time either way and you won't have these big enterprises-level leaps to make in upgrading every 3-5 years.

As for Windows 8 I've ported it to the Desktop in addition to the Tablet I had initially. It's obviously easy to use on the tablet, and the Desktop I find is almost no different to using Windows 7 except how I find my files/settings and launch programs, but the 2 I use most frequently are Firefox and Steam and those are pinned. I spend almost no time in Start UI except for replying to instant messages that come through on the purple smiley (messenger app). Beyond that, I like the improvements to little things like the Task Manager and the way file transfers operate

Is there any way of disabling the menu that comes up on the right with "search, share, start, devices, settings?
Its very annoying, every time i slide the finger on the touchpad from right to left comes up.

ldr wrote: »

Is there any way of disabling the menu that comes up on the right with "search, share, start, devices, settings?
Its very annoying, every time i slide the finger on the touchpad from right to left comes up.

Open synaptics touchpad & uncheck 'enable edge swipes'.

sentient_6 wrote: »

Open synaptics touchpad & uncheck 'enable edge swipes'.

how do i find that?
I went to pointing devices profiles, accessories, profiles all this in synaptics.

ldr wrote: »

how do i find that?
I went to pointing devices profiles, accessories, profiles all this in synaptics.

On the start menu just start typing synaptics, you wont even need to type it all, when the screen switches to the search page it will say no apps so click on settings on the right.

EDIT: its under hardware & sound in the control panel also. Click on Synaptic Touchpad VX.X?

Cork24

Don't like it, trying to copy Suse 11 & Ubuntu 12.10

but still takes to much power to run the dam thing,

Running Windows Server 2012 -> for my MCSA and dont like it either, have yet to install the Core Server. A Server needs to be powerfully and still doesnt lag cos of all the fancy GUI thats where i like Red Hat Server.

sentient_6 wrote: »

On the start menu just start typing synaptics, you wont even need to type it all, when the screen switches to the search page it will say no apps so click on settings on the right.

That's one thing that does bug me about Windows 8. In Windows 7 it would give control panel results in the same search menu, whereas with Windows 8 you have to specifically click Settings for control panel results to show up.

Deedsie

I have Windows 8 on my laptop. I think its great. Though i avoid the apps part completely!

sentient_6 wrote: »

On the start menu just start typing synaptics, you wont even need to type it all, when the screen switches to the search page it will say no apps so click on settings on the right.

EDIT: its under hardware & sound in the control panel also. Click on Synaptic Touchpad VX.X?

I am sorry, but i have done as you said and get to the settings, i go to mouse from the control panel and select synaptics touchpad and definitely there`s no choice to uncheck the widgets

ldr wrote: »

I am sorry, but i have done as you said and get to the settings, but no where says synaptics or widgets

Try typing main.cpl instead, then open that and see if there's a Device Settings tab?

Karsini wrote: »

Try typing main.cpl instead, then open that and see if there's a Device Settings tab?

thats the windows i have been getting all along. but no option to turn of the widgets.
Thank you very much for the help

ldr wrote: »

thats the windows i have been getting all along. but no option to turn of the widgets.
Thank you very much for the help

I'm not sure so! This is what im on about, maybe the settings are different on your laptop:

To get this:

Karsini wrote: »

That's one thing that does bug me about Windows 8. In Windows 7 it would give control panel results in the same search menu, whereas with Windows 8 you have to specifically click Settings for control panel results to show up.

WinW, not WinQ

But yeah

Ugh, keyboard shortcuts again... if I wanted to use a keyboard for everything I'd use Linux.

Karsini wrote: »

Ugh, keyboard shortcuts again... if I wanted to use a keyboard for everything I'd use Linux.

but its so. damn. fast. I still love the bit where I completely gobsmacked a self-labelled "programmer" who was dead-set in love with XP just by showing him how quick it was to launch the calculator, Windows Explorer, task manager, add a printer wizard, internet explorer, etc. - all of which I had out by the time he said "I'm just so familiar with where everything is in XP that I can't imag- what did you just do?"

But fine a mouse shortcut for you: instead of WinX, you can fly down the the bottom-right of the screen and Right-Click instead of left-click (which normally pulls up Start). WinX is tempermental on Desktop view anyway. And an oldie thats been around forever apparently (a KB cut): Ctrl+Shift+Esc for task manager. When I found out, Ctrl+Alt+Del died.

28064212

Overheal wrote: »

but its so. damn. fast.

Which is great if you're a regular user of Windows 8 and have a head for keyboard shortcuts. If you don't (like an awful lot of people), the Windows 8 UI is a definite step backwards. My parents can barely remember Ctrl+C/X/V for chrissake! A move to more keyboard shortcuts makes the OS much less attractive for non-tech people.

It would be fine if they introduced the keyboard shortcuts without obfuscating the alternative methods, but there are a large number of tasks that are far harder in W8 unless you know the keyboard shortcuts

Fysh

28064212 wrote: »

Which is great if you're a regular user of Windows 8 and have a head for keyboard shortcuts. If you don't (like an awful lot of people), the Windows 8 UI is a definite step backwards. My parents can barely remember Ctrl+C/X/V for chrissake! A move to more keyboard shortcuts makes the OS much less attractive for non-tech people.

It would be fine if they introduced the keyboard shortcuts without obfuscating the alternative methods, but there are a large number of tasks that are far harder in W8 unless you know the keyboard shortcuts

Yeah, I'll give you that one. I suggest the keyboard shortcuts because they were, for me, a way to work around a UI I don't much like. They don't stop the UI being badly designed for desktop use, and I still hope we get a Win 8 Classic Mode at some point.

ScumLord

Was forced to buy win8 at the weekend to install on a work related PC. Try as I might to get XP onto the machine it was having none of it, I tried slipstreaming, making a bootable USB with SATA drivers but it wouldn't take so I broke down and bought win8. It was €60 in PC World for the pro upgrade version which I thought was a decent price. Even though it was an upgrade version it never asked for any evidence that another OS was installed on the PC it just did a clean install no questions asked which was great.

Don't see any reason for me to upgrade to it though. It's all very weird looking and I found it awkward. It's probably just a matter of getting used to but I'll be in no rush to get it I don't see the need.

Zascar

I'd urge anyone skeptical to give it a proper go and defintiely install Pokki to get a normal (but better) start menu back. I almost never use the Metro thing.

Karsini wrote: »

{The Ribbon] is my biggest gripe actually. I always hated the Ribbon and I'm sure I always will. Recently started a new job where they use Outlook 2010 on an Exchange server so I have to use it a lot more now. At least it can be turned off in Windows 8, albeit unofficially.

Really! That's mad I think its brilliant - can't understand why anyone would not like it. It gives you almost every option you could ever want neatly at the top under a few different tabs. It makes the whole file management and organisation a whole lot nicer to deal with.

8507.Figure-9-_2D00_-Home-tab-crop_5F00_2.png

8507.Figure-9-_2D00_-Home-tab-crop_5F00_2.png

I do remember using Outlook 2010 at the start and not liking it but after a few weeks I got used to it. It makes sense to have the same layout across apps I think

hots

Zascar wrote: »

I'd urge anyone skeptical to give it a proper go and defintiely install Pokki to get a normal (but better) start menu back. I almost never use the Metro thing.

Really! That's mad I think its brilliant - can't understand why anyone would not like it. It gives you almost every option you could ever want neatly at the top under a few different tabs. It makes the whole file management and organisation a whole lot nicer to deal with.

I do remember using Outlook 2010 at the start and not liking it but after a few weeks I got used to it. It makes sense to have the same layout across apps I think

Yeah pretty much my only gripe with the ribbon (now that I'm used to it), is that if you aren't in full screen you start to lose some buttons and I struggle to find things without the ribbon now

ScumLord

Turns out windows 8 won't activate. It looked like it did activate the first day but the next day it started asking for the product key and wouldn't accept the one I put in the first day. Now it won't even run the diagnostic tool Spent an hour and a half on the phone with support only for them to hang up on me.

I really wish they had an Irish or English support centre. It's almost comical trying to read the product key to them and really drags the whole thing out.

ScumLord wrote: »

Turns out windows 8 won't activate. It looked like it did activate the first day but the next day it started asking for the product key and wouldn't accept the one I put in the first day. Now it won't even run the diagnostic tool Spent an hour and a half on the phone with support only for them to hang up on me.

I really wish they had an Irish or English support centre. It's almost comical trying to read the product key to them and really drags the whole thing out.

Poor bastard. I've had to activate a couple display models by phone and the robot is a pain in the ass, they make you do a 20 character code and then the robot spits out another 20 digit code, 4 characters at a time, each way.

Overheal wrote: »

Poor bastard. I've had to activate a couple display models by phone and the robot is a pain in the ass, they make you do a 20 character code and then the robot spits out another 20 digit code, 4 characters at a time, each way.

Yep, I've done countless phone activations over the years. XP used a 50-digit installation ID (54 in SP1+) and a 42-digit confirmation ID (7x6) but Vista and later versions use a 48-digit confirmation ID (8x6). The worst is when you're put through to someone and they ask you to call out your entire installation ID. Most reps will just ask for the first 6 digits.

Plus Windows 8 expanded the installation ID again to 63 digits (9x7 rather than 9x6). So that's even more awkward.

Is that the OEM licensing? All I've had to do is activate the preinstalled licenses. You'll notice laptops and desktops dont ship with or seem to require a license sticker anymore..

Overheal wrote: »

Is that the OEM licensing? All I've had to do is activate the preinstalled licenses. You'll notice laptops and desktops dont ship with or seem to require a license sticker anymore..

I've only phone activated Windows 8 once. Generally it would just be if you were transferring a retail licence. In my case it was installed on the wrong machine!

You're correct, OEM Windows 8 systems don't have licence stickers anymore, the key is embedded into the MSDM table in the UEFI. If you use an ACPI utility to dump the table, the key is inside there in plain text.

Squeaky the Squirrel

If its good enough for the military, its good enough for me, though they're building rifles with linux now...hmm. Im torn.

Papa_Bear

I've heard it said that Win7 is Vista with the bugs taken out. I say Win8 is Win7 with bugs put back in!

Win8 has been giving me the ****s since I bought my new laptop. It dosen't play ball with Firefox well as it causes google maps to freeze. And I have tried some recommended fixes off one or two sites but there are issues with Win8 and flash player.

I also dont like the new task manager - its very complex but no longer tells me if a program has stopped responding, unless im looking in the wrong place. But it takes a good while to start up probably because of all the stats it tries to gather beforehand.

There are a few nice things about it including the weather, dictionary and the reader app but they're not worth the grief of such events as halting the system altogether to do what I can only imagine is updating without saying so. Sounds odd dosen't it? Well your guess is as good as mine as to what's going on when the screen is blank but there's lots of hard drive activity.

I wonder is it possible to get MS to allow a downgrade to Win7 from my Win8 OEM licence? I have no install disk either.

Papa_Bear wrote: »

I've heard it said that Win7 is Vista with the bugs taken out. I say Win8 is Win7 with bugs put back in!

Win8 has been giving me the ****s since I bought my new laptop. It dosen't play ball with Firefox well as it causes google maps to freeze. And I have tried some recommended fixes off one or two sites but there are issues with Win8 and flash player.

I also dont like the new task manager - its very complex but no longer tells me if a program has stopped responding, unless im looking in the wrong place. But it takes a good while to start up probably because of all the stats it tries to gather beforehand.

There are a few nice things about it including the weather, dictionary and the reader app but they're not worth the grief of such events as halting the system altogether to do what I can only imagine is updating without saying so. Sounds odd dosen't it? Well your guess is as good as mine as to what's going on when the screen is blank but there's lots of hard drive activity.

I wonder is it possible to get MS to allow a downgrade to Win7 from my Win8 OEM licence? I have no install disk either.

I'm using Firefox 18 on Windows 8 and haven't had any trouble, but I'm not sure what's going on in your case.

If you have Windows 8 Pro then you can downgrade it to Windows 7 Pro, but you'll need to have a disc and product key for it. It doesn't matter if it's in use already; call Microsoft to activate it and tell them you're downgrading.