11 ms·

Windows 8 wasn't all that bad. Relative to Windows 7 it was just two steps forward and two steps back. For all the Metro haters: the core workflow to launch app

Windows 8 wasn't all that bad. Relative to Windows 7 it was just two steps forward and two steps back. For all the Metro haters: the core workflow to launch applications (winkey + number keys or winkey + search + enter) is still the same as Windows 7. Windows 8.1 improved things a bit by identifying some scenarios where Metro was unnecessary and keeping it out of the way. So relative to Windows 7 it's now two steps forward and one step back. I've used the Windows 10 preview and early signs suggest that it's going to be two steps forward from Windows 7.

vacri 12y ago
If the core workflow was actually the same, then businesses wouldn't have been so loathe to upgrade to it. From what I've witnessed, few people launch their primary applications through text search - they prefer shortcut icons, whether they be in the menu, taskbar, or desktop.
- taspeotis 12y ago
  Shortcuts on the desktop and pinned applications on the taskbar remain the same. The new start screen permits shortcuts. All the existing avenues are still wide open.
- nathanaldensr 12y ago
  This isn't necessarily true. Like so many things, perception is reality. People oftentimes do things out of fear--in this case, fear that their old workflow isn't the same--rather than rational conclusion.
aceperry 12y ago
"Windows 8 wasn't all that bad" That's funny, because ALL of the non-technical regular people that I know of hate windows 8. A lot of them downgraded to Windows 7.
- aceperry 12y ago
  Must be lots of windows fanbois here, otherwise I'm not sure why I got downvoted. Really, they may not want to hear this, but Windows 8 really sucked. Microsoft knows it, and that is why they're running away as fast as they can from it.
  - aceperry 12y ago
    No justification for the downvotes? I'll chalk it up to fanboism.
    - aceperry 12y ago
      LOL, more downvotes? That's bad form.
      - Gigablah 12y ago
        Are you new to the Internet? Replying to yourself 3 times in a row complaining about downvotes = downvote magnet.
        aceperry 12y ago
        Yeah, kind of new to this. Not to the internet though.
everyone 12y ago
Windows 7 is my preferred modern OS. For a time in work I was using a windows 8 machine and I found it bafflingly bad. What were the 2 steps forward you mentioned? I'm curious. In my experience it was just 2 steps backward, period.
- taspeotis 12y ago
  There's big ticket improvements for performance [1] and a huge step forward for multiple monitor support [2]. I've given third-party multiple monitor utilities the boot. Multiple monitor support in Windows 8 is squarely in "good enough" territory. There's smaller improvements too, like the new Task Manager [3]. There's also mundane stuff like rejigged NTFS this and that [4]. Client Hyper-V is a welcome addition. etc. etc. [1] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/07/reducing-runtime-memory-in-windows-8.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/07/reducing-runti... [2] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/21/enhancing-windows-8-for-multiple-monitors.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/21/enhancing-wind... [3] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/13/the-windows-8-task-manager.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/13/the-windows-8-... [4] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/09/redesigning-chkdsk-and-the-new-ntfs-health-model.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/09/redesigning-ch...
  - everyone 12y ago
    Thankyou for a very informative response! My reaction to that stuff.. 1. Good! 200Mb of extra free memory, but big whoop! (when you have 16 gb) 2. Dont care. I never use multiple monitors, cus I only have one set of eyes. 3. Basically the same stuff as before arranged differently (they have just moved some stuff from msconfig into task manager) 4. That does seem like a good improvement One thing I had heard was that game performance was better on windows 8 and 8.1 compared to 7. Though after looking up some benchmarks investigating that, it does not seem to be the case. There are some differences either way depending on game/graphics card but they are very minor anyway. http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1460&page=2 http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=... http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/windows-8-gaming-performance,3331-11.html http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/windows-8-gaming-perform... I kept using xp until 7 came out. This is also what industry did. So I'll probably wait until they bring out another one aimed at industry.

vacri 12y ago

If the core workflow was actually the same, then businesses wouldn't have been so loathe to upgrade to it. From what I've witnessed, few people launch their primary applications through text search - they prefer shortcut icons, whether they be in the menu, taskbar, or desktop.

taspeotis 12y ago
Shortcuts on the desktop and pinned applications on the taskbar remain the same. The new start screen permits shortcuts. All the existing avenues are still wide open.
nathanaldensr 12y ago
This isn't necessarily true. Like so many things, perception is reality. People oftentimes do things out of fear--in this case, fear that their old workflow isn't the same--rather than rational conclusion.

aceperry 12y ago

"Windows 8 wasn't all that bad" That's funny, because ALL of the non-technical regular people that I know of hate windows 8. A lot of them downgraded to Windows 7.

aceperry 12y ago
Must be lots of windows fanbois here, otherwise I'm not sure why I got downvoted. Really, they may not want to hear this, but Windows 8 really sucked. Microsoft knows it, and that is why they're running away as fast as they can from it.
- aceperry 12y ago
  No justification for the downvotes? I'll chalk it up to fanboism.
  - aceperry 12y ago
    LOL, more downvotes? That's bad form.
    - Gigablah 12y ago
      Are you new to the Internet? Replying to yourself 3 times in a row complaining about downvotes = downvote magnet.
      - aceperry 12y ago
        Yeah, kind of new to this. Not to the internet though.

everyone 12y ago

Windows 7 is my preferred modern OS. For a time in work I was using a windows 8 machine and I found it bafflingly bad. What were the 2 steps forward you mentioned? I'm curious. In my experience it was just 2 steps backward, period.

taspeotis 12y ago
There's big ticket improvements for performance [1] and a huge step forward for multiple monitor support [2]. I've given third-party multiple monitor utilities the boot. Multiple monitor support in Windows 8 is squarely in "good enough" territory. There's smaller improvements too, like the new Task Manager [3]. There's also mundane stuff like rejigged NTFS this and that [4]. Client Hyper-V is a welcome addition. etc. etc. [1] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/07/reducing-runtime-memory-in-windows-8.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/07/reducing-runti... [2] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/21/enhancing-windows-8-for-multiple-monitors.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/21/enhancing-wind... [3] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/13/the-windows-8-task-manager.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/13/the-windows-8-... [4] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/09/redesigning-chkdsk-and-the-new-ntfs-health-model.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/09/redesigning-ch...
- everyone 12y ago
  Thankyou for a very informative response! My reaction to that stuff.. 1. Good! 200Mb of extra free memory, but big whoop! (when you have 16 gb) 2. Dont care. I never use multiple monitors, cus I only have one set of eyes. 3. Basically the same stuff as before arranged differently (they have just moved some stuff from msconfig into task manager) 4. That does seem like a good improvement One thing I had heard was that game performance was better on windows 8 and 8.1 compared to 7. Though after looking up some benchmarks investigating that, it does not seem to be the case. There are some differences either way depending on game/graphics card but they are very minor anyway. http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1460&page=2 http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=... http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/windows-8-gaming-performance,3331-11.html http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/windows-8-gaming-perform... I kept using xp until 7 came out. This is also what industry did. So I'll probably wait until they bring out another one aimed at industry.