Windows 8 Metro: pain not gain

[Evil_Bert]

Metro, metro on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? As in the fairy tale, the answer Microsoft is giving itself may be far from the truth.

Metro breakdown! Windows 8 UI is little gain for lots of pain

Gosh, but this sounds awfully familar .....

[kkshethin]

going gnome-3 way?

[sonoran]

According to this story Apple is on the same path:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/te...ref=technology

But the stories don't agree on every point:

And Windows 8 users will be able to switch from the Metro interface to a more
traditional-looking Windows desktop if they wish.

i love windows8. least they have an initiative. where as Gnome devs dont

[Dutchy]

Originally Posted by tox

i love windows8. least they have an initiative. where as Gnome devs dont

Wait, what?
When MS rapes the whole desktop interface then they show initiative but when Gnome changes the interface to something new but actually usable they somehow do not show enough initiative and get bashed for it!

Come on! Metro is awful!

[YeOK]

I would actually say Gnome 3 has done a better job at designing a touch / mouse and keyboard UI. Metro probably rocks on a tablet (I don't have one to try) but with the mouse I find it kind of annoying. I don't like the missing start button, though I probably just need some time to train my mind to stop clicking on Internet Explorer.

I miss the start menu, I admit I have only got Windows 8 installed in a VM, however, I don't remember Windows 7 in a VM being this slow and unstable. Maybe I need to wait for an updated Virtualbox but I seem to spend most of my time waiting for Metro to load or for the VM to restart. Solitaire takes a good minute to load, crazy after all these years of playing the game. It actually crashes when I try to move a card.

Not impressed so far, I really don't see any value in me updating from Windows 7. I will have to test as a native OS, but I don't hold out much hope.

One good thing I did like, is the Windows App store, it offers to update applications!

[GallComp]

I am currently testing Windows 8 on one of my machines, and it works remarkable well for a Beta. I think the Metro interface will be more liked by people with touch screen displays.

[BBQdave]

Again thanks iShiny for this latest fad of UI.

We should all enjoy the friendlier desktop user interface experience kool-aid while it lasts...

[deanej]

Windows 8 is the Windows equivalent of if the Gnome developers offered Gnome 2 as an app for Gnome 3 with the Applications/Places/System menus gone and the activities mode on when you boot the computer.

[jpollard]

You mean like gnome3 and gnome3 fallback?

[deanej]

Not quite. The Windows Desktop in Windows 8 is not a different mode; it's actually just another application, on the same level as those metro apps that Microsoft provides!

[Dan]

For Windows® users, and those who like tablets and touch screens, Windows 8® will be popular, I think. It certainly isn't my cup of tea but for those who prefer a Redmond product, it's a step forward. As with any new idea/system, it will adapt as time goes by. Undoubtedly there will be updates, and if our own drift into the grope, poke, swipe and stab mentality/functionality is any indication/indoctrination of the future, then Windows 8® will respond to the needs and wants of the newer consumer, (Read: where the money is.) and will enjoy success.

So once again, The bottom line here is, use what you like, and what works for you. If that's Windows 8®, I hope you enjoy it.

Originally Posted by GallComp

I am currently testing Windows 8 on one of my machines, and it works remarkable well for a Beta. I think the Metro interface will be more liked by people with touch screen displays.

thats what operating systems are now. look at Gnome. isnt made for the desktop users no more. windows8 is going the same way, its all for people that have touch Screens. i'd buy a touch screen if they were cheaper than $700

---------- Post added at 10:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Dutchy

Wait, what?
When MS rapes the whole desktop interface then they show initiative but when Gnome changes the interface to something new but actually usable they somehow do not show enough initiative and get bashed for it!

Come on! Metro is awful!

i still have yet to see a " Goodlooking " Gnome3. im sure you'll be able to Customize Win8 to suit yourself, if Gnome Devs cared anough to stablize the Extension API then perhaps you could customize Gnome3 without having a breakage

[T3STY]

Originally Posted by tox

i still have yet to see a " Goodlooking " Gnome3. im sure you'll be able to Customize Win8 to suit yourself

Then you've got it! Fedora 16 brings the best Gnome 3 of any other Linux distro.
But trust me when I'm saying that you wouldn't ever want to make Windows yours.. not even Windows 8. Microsoft has always been very strict in what you can and what you cannot do/personalize in Windows. As an ex "Windows for ever" user (10 years of Windows only) I'm telling you that personalizing windows is like trying to break a wall of bricks with your head - you might be able to, but it'll be much more a headache than a good result. For features, it's almost useless that you even try to do anything: Microsoft only wants you to have things their way and won't allow you to make Windows really yours. If you don't get any UXTheme patcher or WindowBlinds, visually talking, you'll have no way to personalize Windows - a part from the wallpaper, that's the only thing you can really make yours...
Back to Windows 8, I'm telling you the truth when I'm saying that Microsoft won't give a shEEt of your thoughts on their "improvements" (if I can call them so...). They have improved Explorer with the ribbon UI; but the user still won't be able to customize the explorer to get fast access to his needed features. And I can see Microsoft working a lot on visuals but very few under the hood... Win7's installation size is just huge, 12GB for the very basic Win7 (how could it grow as much from a 2 GB installation disk ??) and Win8 won't get any smaller, probably it'll get even bigger than that. Speed.. ok, Win8 boots a bit faster and some apps start quicker, a good reason for switching to Win8, but I can see the boot as a run-once-a-day task, so 10 more seconds to boot won't be a tragedy, and quicker starting apps (where quicker equals to 3 or 4 seconds less) won't really improve your work if applications will just continue hanging while you're using them. In addition to this, Metro will just treat you as a young little baby who can't manage his system, so you'll be limited in your everyday use. Yes, Metro is optional in Win8 (or at least, it was said so), but they will continue developing Metro and in a possible Windows 9 I think it'll totally replace explorer. Also, removing it in Win8 will just make you notice that you have the very same Win7 you (probably) had, and with Win8 you're just getting more annoyances.

Originally Posted by tox

look at Gnome. isnt made for the desktop users no more.

That's totally wrong. I can see a very good work in Gnome 3, and that's the main reason that made me switch to Linux. It really improoved my workflow and has a very good visual impact. In a single move I have under control all running windows and all virtual desktops; there is a dock at the left that would allow me to stick the important apps while I'll be able to find all the other apps by searching or switching to the application view in Activities. This is a really great improvement, a lot better than an application (or start) menu.
What is it to you that it's not making Gnome 3 suitable anymore for desktops?
Also, I'm not sure why most Gnome 2.x users are complaining about Gnome 3; I have tried Gnome 2 when it was said to be the best of the best on any Linux distro (way back in the Ubuntu 9.04/10 times) and I cannot see any good reason to stick forward with it. It's too static, and panel gadgets won't make a real improvement. Gnome 3 may still be work in progress about many things (personalization included), but I'm sure right now Gnome 3's team is thinking a lot more at making it better in performance, so they can concentrate their work on any additions to it later. Also, if I can well remember, KDE 4 was the same story when it got first, many users were complaining the lack of personalization in many areas of it and many users didn't like the active panels idea (me being one of those) - but look at KDE 4 now, it's customizable in any edge of it.

[kkshethin]

first unity then gnome and now metro.
Run, hurry and buy a touchscreen tablet
(no space for people with desktop in this touchscreen world?)