Windows 8

[Barrykgerdes]

Sure sounds like Microsoft is set to brainwash the no brainers into becoming totally dependant on their operating system!

Barry

[marki]

Originally Posted by Colin_Fraser

Installed a favorite software package (which has 6 text and help files).
The program file and all the text and help files associated with the install are all placed in with the Apps.
If you have quite a few software packages installed, the App page is going to be huge and you will need a lot of scrolling to find the app you want.
I could not find a way of putting the apps associated files in a folder for easy access. Don't think there is a way to do it.

Create a folder on the desktop and put it all in there. I have done this since windows 95 as I hated the start menu. This way you can group your favourite programs by type. On my desk top I have programs arranged into folders labelled system tools, soft tools, chem and math tools, multi and graphics tools, office tools etc etc etc. Simply open the folder on the desktop and execute your chosen program.

After I installed my program is where Metro really fails.
Press Windows key to bring up Metro environment Start page
Right click on screen
Move cursor to botton right hand corner
Select All Apps
Using trackpad, scroll up or down to scroll left or right (dumb) to find app
Click Changes.log
Opens in desktop environment. Read the file.
Close file
Press Windows key to get back to Metro environment Start page
Right click the screen
Select All Apps
Using trackpad, scroll up or down to scroll left or right (still dumb) to find app
Click Help file. This is a html file
Opens in IE in Metro environment
Read the file
Cannot close the file. No close button.
Move cursor to top of page. Cursor changes to hand.
Click and drag page to a bottom corner to remove.
This takes you back to Metro environment Start page
Away we go again. Only 4 more files to read.

As above if you really must but why note launch them immediately after the program installs and read them then?

This behaviour might be okay on a tablet but my laptop is NOT a tablet and I should not be forced to use it as a tablet.

Next thing I tried was to play a DVD. No Go. Microsoft no longer support playing DVD's on devices using their OS.
You have to purchase 3rd party software to play DVD's. I want to install Visual Studio 2010 but it is on DVD. Hope that works.

Yep that's a real bummer, you need a third party player for DVD movies. It will however read data files burned on to DVD so installing your program should be fine.

Opened up the desktop and ran IE. Set my favourites and home page. Seems pretty good.
Next step was to run IE from the Metro environment. Whoa, what a mess.
The favourite screen is full of Microsoft sites and took a bit to get rid of them all. The most disappointing thing is that I could not find where I can set my home page. Okay for a tablet again but no good for me. I will be giving that a wide berth.

Pin IE to the task bar and launch from the desktop, works the same as always.

Mark

[Colin_Fraser]

Thanks Mark. All very good suggestions. It is what I have always done. If I use it a lot I put a shortcut on the quick launch bar or desktop.
Sort of now makes the Metro environment redundant if you put the shortcuts and folders on the desktop. But we are still stuck with it
I do find it annoying somewhat that when you click on an icon in the metro environment it may open up in metro or the desktop environment.
If you are working in the metro environment and want to use the calculator. You have to get out of the app you are in first, then the calculator opens in the desktop environment. When finished you have to manually get back to the metro. Not good.

[marki]

Originally Posted by Colin_Fraser

Thanks Mark. All very good suggestions. It is what I have always done. If I use it a lot I put a shortcut on the quick launch bar or desktop.
Sort of now makes the Metro environment redundant if you put the shortcuts and folders on the desktop. But we are still stuck with it
I do find it annoying somewhat that when you click on an icon in the metro environment it may open up in metro or the desktop environment.
If you are working in the metro environment and want to use the calculator. You have to get out of the app you are in first, then the calculator opens in the desktop environment. When finished you have to manually get back to the metro. Not good.

Colin I just did a little digging around and found you can do the following. Create your folder and put whatever files/.exe etc in it then right mouse click ---> pin to start. If you then go back to the start menu there it is so you can keep things nice and tidy . If you then remove any apps that you don't use and only use the all apps command when you need something out of the ordinary its all good. I am going to create a folder in the C drive and call it start menu and chuck all the folders off the desk to in that then pin each to the start menu which will give me a spotless desktop .

Mark

[Colin_Fraser]

Originally Posted by marki

Colin I just did a little digging around and found you can do the following. Create your folder and put whatever files/.exe etc in it then right mouse click ---> pin to start. If you then go back to the start menu there it is so you can keep things nice and tidy . If you then remove any apps that you don't use and only use the all apps command when you need something out of the ordinary its all good. I am going to create a folder in the C drive and call it start menu and chuck all the folders off the desk to in that then pin each to the start menu which will give me a spotless desktop .

Mark

I made a folder and named it utils then copied a couple of executeables in that folder. I then pinned it to start.
Pressed Windows key to get to metro environment and the folder was there. However, when I click the folder, it leaves metro and opens the folder in the Windows explorer showing the files.
I could of just as easily put the folder on the desktop and opened it from there. Absolutely no point putting the folder on the metro environment

[Tandum (Robin)]

After market start buttons for Win8 are starting to appear. Here's one of them -> http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/features.asp

[marki]

There is quite a few now Robin, should solve the mysteries for the old timers. Funny thing is we had a couple of year 7 students try out win 8 for next year, they were all over it in 10 minutes .

Mark

[marki]

Originally Posted by Colin_Fraser

I made a folder and named it utils then copied a couple of executeables in that folder. I then pinned it to start.
Pressed Windows key to get to metro environment and the folder was there. However, when I click the folder, it leaves metro and opens the folder in the Windows explorer showing the files.
I could of just as easily put the folder on the desktop and opened it from there. Absolutely no point putting the folder on the metro environment

But you can still do it .

Mark