4 ms·

> Windows 8 on the desktop was objectively terrible. Not a chance. IMO, not only was the the best Windows from a technical perspective, I quite liked the inte

by Mikeb85 12y ago

> Windows 8 on the desktop was objectively terrible. Not a chance. IMO, not only was the the best Windows from a technical perspective, I quite liked the interface. I use Linux mostly for philosophical and technical reasons (much easier to program in Linux), but Windows 8 has great UI.

wfunction 12y ago
No, it was terrible, unless you installed a classic shell.
- mSparks 12y ago
  +1 on the classic shell. Totally unusable without it.
- arthurfm 12y ago
  I wouldn't go that far. I manage perfectly fine without it. I like the fact that the Start Screen makes full use of my 27" 2560 x 1440 LCD. With the Windows 7-style Start Menu all of your shortcuts are shoved into a tiny corner of the screen.
  - wfunction 12y ago
    Or you can look at it another way: I can comfortably fit more on my 1600x900 monitor with Classic Shell's start menu than you would on you 2560x1440 LCD with the Windows 8 start screen. In other words, it's both modal and it wastes real screen estate.
    - arthurfm 12y ago
      > In other words, it's both modal and it wastes real screen estate. The Windows 7-style Start Menu is modal too in the sense that you can't interact with the desktop at the same time you are interacting with the Start Menu. The other thing I don't particularly like about the Start Menu is that shortcuts and folders with long names get cut off due to the width of the menu itself. Screens are a bit like RAM in my opinion. There to be used.
      - wfunction 12y ago
        > The Windows 7-style Start Menu is modal too in the sense that you can't interact with the desktop at the same time you are interacting with the Start Menu. Huh? If you define it that way then everything is modal because you can only ever interact with one window at a given time (one mouse, one keyboard, etc.)
        AndrewDucker 12y ago
        No, Windows 7 Start Menu is different. If I open it, start typing, and switch to a different window, then it loses all of its state, and has to restart from scratch if I go back to it.
guard-of-terra 12y ago
Wi-fi connection dialog painting over keyboard layout indicator immediately disqualifies UI from 'great'. Great UIs are not like this. Maybe it's novel, an eye candy, but not great.
- jqm 12y ago
  I wouldn't even say eye candy. More like eye abuse.
Springtime 12y ago
I could go on about the things I strongly disliked (hated, frankly) about the changes to the desktop after I first installed 8.1. An enormous amount of customization was removed from the Appearance and general UI, the ability to change File Type icons and add custom context menu commands was removed [1], the Ribbon UI is the standard File Explorer toolbar and unchangeable without additional hacks [2], and more. They dumbed down the desktop from a customization perspective and it was most annoying, and that's before the removal of the Start menu and addition of hotcorners and other Metro/Modern features. [1] See Types for a tool that brings this feature back: http://izt.name/apps/types/ http://izt.name/apps/types/ [2] OldNewExplorer for a regular toolbar: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170375-oldnewexplorer-make-your-81-explorer-work-like-win78-one/ http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170375-oldnewexplorer-make-y...
ocfx 12y ago
your opinion is wrong
con-templative 12y ago
> Windows 8 has great UI. This usability expert disagrees, and explains his position in detail: http://www.nngroup.com/articles/windows-8-disappointing-usability/ http://www.nngroup.com/articles/windows-8-disappointing-usab...

by Mikeb85 12y ago

wfunction 12y ago

No, it was terrible, unless you installed a classic shell.

mSparks 12y ago
+1 on the classic shell. Totally unusable without it.
arthurfm 12y ago
I wouldn't go that far. I manage perfectly fine without it. I like the fact that the Start Screen makes full use of my 27" 2560 x 1440 LCD. With the Windows 7-style Start Menu all of your shortcuts are shoved into a tiny corner of the screen.
- wfunction 12y ago
  Or you can look at it another way: I can comfortably fit more on my 1600x900 monitor with Classic Shell's start menu than you would on you 2560x1440 LCD with the Windows 8 start screen. In other words, it's both modal and it wastes real screen estate.
  - arthurfm 12y ago
    > In other words, it's both modal and it wastes real screen estate. The Windows 7-style Start Menu is modal too in the sense that you can't interact with the desktop at the same time you are interacting with the Start Menu. The other thing I don't particularly like about the Start Menu is that shortcuts and folders with long names get cut off due to the width of the menu itself. Screens are a bit like RAM in my opinion. There to be used.
    - wfunction 12y ago
      > The Windows 7-style Start Menu is modal too in the sense that you can't interact with the desktop at the same time you are interacting with the Start Menu. Huh? If you define it that way then everything is modal because you can only ever interact with one window at a given time (one mouse, one keyboard, etc.)
      - AndrewDucker 12y ago
        No, Windows 7 Start Menu is different. If I open it, start typing, and switch to a different window, then it loses all of its state, and has to restart from scratch if I go back to it.

guard-of-terra 12y ago

Wi-fi connection dialog painting over keyboard layout indicator immediately disqualifies UI from 'great'. Great UIs are not like this. Maybe it's novel, an eye candy, but not great.

jqm 12y ago
I wouldn't even say eye candy. More like eye abuse.

Springtime 12y ago

I could go on about the things I strongly disliked (hated, frankly) about the changes to the desktop after I first installed 8.1. An enormous amount of customization was removed from the Appearance and general UI, the ability to change File Type icons and add custom context menu commands was removed [1], the Ribbon UI is the standard File Explorer toolbar and unchangeable without additional hacks [2], and more. They dumbed down the desktop from a customization perspective and it was most annoying, and that's before the removal of the Start menu and addition of hotcorners and other Metro/Modern features. [1] See Types for a tool that brings this feature back: http://izt.name/apps/types/ http://izt.name/apps/types/ [2] OldNewExplorer for a regular toolbar: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170375-oldnewexplorer-make-your-81-explorer-work-like-win78-one/ http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170375-oldnewexplorer-make-y...

ocfx 12y ago

your opinion is wrong

con-templative 12y ago

> Windows 8 has great UI. This usability expert disagrees, and explains his position in detail: http://www.nngroup.com/articles/windows-8-disappointing-usability/ http://www.nngroup.com/articles/windows-8-disappointing-usab...