4 ms·

Metro apps are entirely optional, and the desktop is not going away. I don't like Metro apps, but I just don't get it when people seem to think that their very

Metro apps are entirely optional, and the desktop is not going away. I don't like Metro apps, but I just don't get it when people seem to think that their very existence is a big problem. Windows 8 on x86 has almost exactly the same desktop paradigm as Win95-Win7, but with the added ability to run mobile apps if you really want them. Widgets in Vista sucked, but everyone just ignored them. Why not just ignore Metro apps if you don't like them, and wait and see if they get better?

RyanMcGreal 13y ago
It's hard to ignore something when you are forced to click past it every time you start up your computer.
- bornhuetter 13y ago
  It takes about 20-30 seconds to remove all the preinstalled metro apps from the start screen. By the time you have installed the usual programs like VLC they will grab all the file associations and you will never see Metro again, unless you want to.
  - shocks 13y ago
    As I understand it, this is not true. Personally, I like to hit the windows key, type "fi", and hit enter to start Firefox. On Win7 this is a pleasant experience, on Win8 I feel like I'm being punched in the face by a wall of colour.
    - bornhuetter 13y ago
      I almost exclusively launch programs in Windows 7 and 8 by pressing the start button and typing the name of the program. I've found Windows 8 to be better at finding the right program, and a lot better at finding settings when I want to change them (although I would prefer it if they displayed apps and settings on the same page). I can see how some people would prefer the old menu in the corner to the full screen, but personally I think the full screen is better. I'm not sure what part of my comment you are saying isn't true?
      - mscrivo 13y ago
        > (although I would prefer it if they displayed apps and settings on the same page) this is coming in 8.1, thankfully.
        manojlds 13y ago
        Source?
        mscrivo 13y ago
        http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/blue-s-clues-new-search-experience http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/blue-s-clues-new-search-ex...
- brudgers 13y ago
  It takes one keypress to get to the desktop.
  - devcpp 13y ago
    I'm on Windows 7. It takes one click to postpone the update for four hours. And yet every four hours I get angry at Microsoft for a minute because of this.
michaelwww 13y ago
Microsoft's mistake was trying to force the metro screen on desktop users, which is blindingly stupid. Windows 8 in desktop mode on a desktop machine is a great operating system, better than Windows 7 (which was already pretty good.)
- bornhuetter 13y ago
  Wholeheartedly agree. Personally I like the Metro start screen (not the metro apps), but if they had just made it boot to desktop and leave the start button as a startscreen launcher, I think that the reaction would have been more positive.
  - sixothree 13y ago
    That's how it was in the first public beta. The start button launched the start screen.
duiker101 13y ago
I have heard people saying how Microsoft is FORCING Metro Apps on desktop and other crap... I started using Windows 8 from day one and I never used a metro app... I really do not understand some people.
- sixothree 13y ago
  I bought Windows 8 when it was released and mostly had the same finding. Never used a single metro app and the desktop experience was degraded from Windows 7. No start button, lack of shadows behind windows made everything confusing, control panel issues, etc. But the moment I decided to stop using it was when I had to copy and paste a very long random user/pass into a new vpn connection. Have you tried this? It's not possible. When you leave the vpn creation window to copy the password, it forgets the username. I've had enough. I'm back on Windows 7.
daigoba66 13y ago
I just cannot understand why the metro start screen exists in Windows Server 2012.
- sixothree 13y ago
  And why are the color schemes everywhere are so darn awful.
legalbeagle 13y ago
You still have to use the Metro interface to start and switch apps. It just feels wrong to me to use a very large monitor that way. You can replace the startup screen with a third-party Start menu, of course, but that doesn't make a case for out-of-the-box Windows 8.

RyanMcGreal 13y ago

It's hard to ignore something when you are forced to click past it every time you start up your computer.

bornhuetter 13y ago
It takes about 20-30 seconds to remove all the preinstalled metro apps from the start screen. By the time you have installed the usual programs like VLC they will grab all the file associations and you will never see Metro again, unless you want to.
- shocks 13y ago
  As I understand it, this is not true. Personally, I like to hit the windows key, type "fi", and hit enter to start Firefox. On Win7 this is a pleasant experience, on Win8 I feel like I'm being punched in the face by a wall of colour.
  - bornhuetter 13y ago
    I almost exclusively launch programs in Windows 7 and 8 by pressing the start button and typing the name of the program. I've found Windows 8 to be better at finding the right program, and a lot better at finding settings when I want to change them (although I would prefer it if they displayed apps and settings on the same page). I can see how some people would prefer the old menu in the corner to the full screen, but personally I think the full screen is better. I'm not sure what part of my comment you are saying isn't true?
    - mscrivo 13y ago
      > (although I would prefer it if they displayed apps and settings on the same page) this is coming in 8.1, thankfully.
      - manojlds 13y ago
        Source?
        mscrivo 13y ago
        http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/blue-s-clues-new-search-experience http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/blue-s-clues-new-search-ex...
brudgers 13y ago
It takes one keypress to get to the desktop.
- devcpp 13y ago
  I'm on Windows 7. It takes one click to postpone the update for four hours. And yet every four hours I get angry at Microsoft for a minute because of this.

michaelwww 13y ago

Microsoft's mistake was trying to force the metro screen on desktop users, which is blindingly stupid. Windows 8 in desktop mode on a desktop machine is a great operating system, better than Windows 7 (which was already pretty good.)

bornhuetter 13y ago
Wholeheartedly agree. Personally I like the Metro start screen (not the metro apps), but if they had just made it boot to desktop and leave the start button as a startscreen launcher, I think that the reaction would have been more positive.
- sixothree 13y ago
  That's how it was in the first public beta. The start button launched the start screen.

duiker101 13y ago

I have heard people saying how Microsoft is FORCING Metro Apps on desktop and other crap... I started using Windows 8 from day one and I never used a metro app... I really do not understand some people.

sixothree 13y ago
I bought Windows 8 when it was released and mostly had the same finding. Never used a single metro app and the desktop experience was degraded from Windows 7. No start button, lack of shadows behind windows made everything confusing, control panel issues, etc. But the moment I decided to stop using it was when I had to copy and paste a very long random user/pass into a new vpn connection. Have you tried this? It's not possible. When you leave the vpn creation window to copy the password, it forgets the username. I've had enough. I'm back on Windows 7.

daigoba66 13y ago

I just cannot understand why the metro start screen exists in Windows Server 2012.

sixothree 13y ago
And why are the color schemes everywhere are so darn awful.

legalbeagle 13y ago

You still have to use the Metro interface to start and switch apps. It just feels wrong to me to use a very large monitor that way. You can replace the startup screen with a third-party Start menu, of course, but that doesn't make a case for out-of-the-box Windows 8.