Win 8 options - EXterminate it!! Or change interface!

madbadgalaxyman (Robert) · #1 05-05-2013, 09:29 AM

This post is partly in reply to the recent post in this computing forum called "Windows 8 - A question before I buy"

A lot of us who have tried Win 8 would feel great delight in utterly exterminating and blowing up the Windows 8 interface....... it is absolutely a 'varmint' of an interface that greatly impedes productivity and ease-of-use on a laptop/notebook computer.

The other alternative is to modify the Win 8 interface and the software so as to make Windows 8 work more-or-less like Windows 7 or Win XP.
Here are some suggestions for sending Win 8 to a 'reform school' so as to make it work more like Windows XP or Windows 7.

All of these software solutions have worked well for me; not too buggy, no spyware or unwanted software installed, and closely replicating (or even improving on) Win 7 and/or Win XP functions;

(1) Windows Explorer (File Explorer) has got steadily worse, with every successive release of Windows; it is pretty tough to remove it from win 8 , so I adopted another option.....
The file-explorer/windows explorer File Management Utility under Win 8 has become so complex and has so many options displayed in an over-busy & super-complex interface that it impedes productivity.
A stable freeware product with a much better interface is:
EF Commander Free , Version 9.00
You have two clearly laid out file/folder trees visible at one time (side by side) so as to be able to easily copy files from one to the other, in this software. Also, this file management utility is highly configurable; but the complexity and the many options are well hidden and do not interfere with basic operations. In fact, this file management utility is much better and easier-to-use than the standard Windows XP and Windows 7 explorers.

(2) Zonealarm used to be the recommended free Software Firewall for Windows, but the Win 8 version of Zonealarm can be a problem, trying to install all kinds of unwanted things on your computer, and also it is bloatware.

So I recently installed this freeware firewall, which is highly configurable, free, and seems to work well:
Privatefirewall , Version 7.0.29.1

(3) I have investigated several available options for getting rid of the truly horrible interface of Windows 8.
I use this product that does a good job of making Windows 8 look like Windows 7 or Windows XP :
Classic Shell, Version 3.6.7

Cheers,
madbadgalaxyman

Barrykgerdes · #2 05-05-2013, 09:59 AM

Hi
Some very interesting procedures.
While interned in the hospital recently I was faced with getting a small wifi laptop with all the necessary facilities to run my "life" remotely.

I had a quick brouse on the offings and everthing has that horrible windows 8 look and I realised I would need to look at the basic platform to ensure it would run a fully configured version of XP. Most of my inhouse management is with programs developed with DOS 16 bit and much of this nolonger works on the 64 it O/S.

This means I need to remove the operating system (for later use) and load XP from where I can do the necesary upgdates to Win 7 (which is not all that bad) and install VMware for the virtuals.

The time frame was too short (6 hours) so i pressed into service an old emachine that i had discarded 18 months ago (XP installed). This worked great allowing me to run the computer in a familiar mode. The new hotmail/outlook is a heap of garbage but is better than none and at least I could write emails etc on a normal keyboard (I also had a Nexus that was like trying to write lefthanded with invisible ink).

The only problem was that the last update I had done on the notebook was 18 months ago and I missed some imp0ortant data

Barry

BPO · #3 05-05-2013, 12:47 PM

Recently I read somewhere (Slashdot?) that Service Pack 1 will disable the Metro UI (or at least give users the option to disable it) and restore the traditional Windows Classic UI complete with Start button, etc.

Dunno how true that is, but it wouldn't surprise me, considering the pushback MS have copped over Metro and the resounding lack of success of Windows 8.

Satchmo · #4 05-05-2013, 01:42 PM

I downloaded some mod that gives me a Win7 like interface- yea hope they can return the GUI to Win7 at the touch of a button- if you dont have a touchscreen it makes no sense. I got sucked in to Win 8 Pro at Officeworks for $49- no wonder they were discounting it

mithrandir (Andrew) · #5 05-05-2013, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPO

Dunno how true that is, but it wouldn't surprise me, considering the pushback MS have copped over Metro and the resounding lack of success of Windows 8.

Isn't the reason people use Win8 that you have real problems buying a new PC/ultrabook/notebook with Win7? There seem to be very few runout Win7 boxes left.

acropolite (Phil) · #6 05-05-2013, 06:12 PM

I too got sucked in to the $49 win 8 upgrade, big mistake. Change for change sake by Microsoft is damaging their credibility and I suspect market share as well.

The last couple of releases of Office with subsequent re-arrangement of the interface is a step backwards, a lot of functions that were readily available via the menus are now scatterred over a bunch of ribbon tabs, unless you're a frequent user Office is a dogs breakfast.

Win XP was arguably the best OS that MS have produced, unwarranted and unproductive change (or was it apple-ising) and "idiot" proofing by deliberately locking down functionality has been a retrograde step IMO.

mithrandir (Andrew) · #7 05-05-2013, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acropolite

I too got sucked in to the $49 win 8 upgrade, big mistake. Change for change sake by Microsoft is damaging their credibility and I suspect market share as well.

If it threatens to send them to the wall that's OK with me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by acropolite

Win XP was arguably the best OS that MS have produced, unwarranted and unproductive change (or was it apple-ising) and "idiot" proofing by deliberately locking down functionality has been a retrograde step IMO.

I think they overstepped the line between improving security - sadly lacking in XP - and the lockdown that is Win7. For instance I've had to make SWMBO an admin so she can update things like Java without doing a complete reinstall.

allan gould · #8 05-05-2013, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acropolite

Win XP was arguably the best OS that MS have produced, unwarranted and unproductive change (or was it apple-ising) and "idiot" proofing by deliberately locking down functionality has been a retrograde step IMO.

Totally agree with this. I was even reluctant to go to win7 and only did so recently when I was sure all my programs would work properly.
Allan

madbadgalaxyman (Robert) · #9 06-05-2013, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acropolite

The last couple of releases of Office with subsequent re-arrangement of the interface is a step backwards, a lot of functions that were readily available via the menus are now scatterred over a bunch of ribbon tabs,

Win XP was arguably the best OS that MS have produced, unwarranted and unproductive change (or was it apple-ising) and "idiot" proofing by deliberately locking down functionality has been a retrograde step IMO.

A lot of us "old guys" (and "old gals") who have used just about every version of windows since 3.1 don't like the recent Winword and Win7/8 interfaces.
(I dare say, we probably used DOS and UNIX commands as well......indeed, I won a lady friend's heart by getting her DOS 6.1!)

In general, all of the anti win7/8 people prefer commands to be in menus rather than a mass of icons visible all over the place. But it must be said that overlong menus, and popup boxes springing from popup boxes, are sometimes hard to use.

Is there anyone out there who prefers the Win 7 interface to the Win Xp interface?

iceman (Mike) · #10 06-05-2013, 08:05 AM

I think Win7 is the best windows version, with the exception of the horrendous security setup - as Andrew said above.

SkyViking (Rolf) · #11 06-05-2013, 08:53 AM

I agree Mike, I think 7 is by far the best Windows version ever.
I previously made the disastrous mistake of buying and installing Vista some years ago. After that painful experience I switched to 7 in 2010 and it has never crashed once in the 3+ years I've had it (contrary to all previous versions

), it is noticeably faster and the interface is just great.

BPO · #12 06-05-2013, 09:08 AM

Old IBM G40 laptop, 3 GHz P4 and 1 GB RAM. WinXP SP3 running flawlessly with no crashes for a decade or so.

Much newer system with an Intel D510MO dual core Atom CPU and 4 GB RAM. Win7 SP1 so far running flawlessly for a few months.

Responsiveness of both is about equal. WinXP on the Atom or Win7 on the P4 would be equally pointless. Win7 would slow the P4 laptop, and WinXP would limit the Atom.

One Vista machine I once used was an utter dog, like computerised molasses, while another Vista machine was a rocket. I suspect hardware issues were the reason.

ZeroID (Brent) · #13 06-05-2013, 11:03 AM

Win 7 is my preferred now. I would have said XP 12 months ago but as I have to build and support them I've found most of the shortcuts and really, underneath it all it's just XP again. Some minor annoyances with the added security options but they can be managed and any user should be installed as local admin regardless.

There is a 'godmode' btw if you haven't heard about it.

leon · #14 06-05-2013, 02:31 PM

Gee I'm glad that my trusty XP is working fine for what I need,

it has served me well for many years.

Hope it never dies

Leon

jase (Jason) · #15 06-05-2013, 03:39 PM

Yeah, windows 7 works for me. I have two FIT-PC's running Windows 7 x86 in the observatory and the processing desktop system is on Windows 7 x64 so I can take memory to the extreme. Photoshop x64 loves it.
I've got access to Windows 8 (all versions) through an MSDN subscription but it is going to be a while before I make the switch. My wife's new laptop came with Win8 and there isn't a day that goes past where I hear her curse it - even after a complete rebuild. The Aero interface is a good thing but takes some getting use to.

alistairsam · #16 06-05-2013, 04:45 PM

hi,
I can understand the frustration most have mentioned, but somehow after using Win 8 for 6 Months, I actually like it a lot and I have all 3, win xp, Win7 and Win8.
the integration of the apps with the metro ui opens a lot of possibilities, its like iphone or android apps for windows, so that's a plus for me, the search feature by just pressing the windows key and typing in what you want works every time, my X1 laptop boots up in 8 seconds from shut down, so very quick, and have had no application compatibility issues whereas I've had the odd one with Win7.
the classic start button is an easy add on for those who miss it, but with win+X and other shortcuts, placing your app shortcuts on the desktop, you don't really miss much. atleast that's for me and my wife, and she doesn't have an IT background.
just needs some getting used to.
Cheers