Why struggle or stress over Start?

[Drew1903]

If, I'm on the right track as to what you're saying...

Rt Clk somewhere on the desktop > View & select icon size.

Can chose View in Windows Explorer windows, too

I trust this is what you seek.

Drew

[rarlingt]

Yep … that almost did it! Not perfect, but now I have small icons and readable fonts. Thanks … Dick Arlington

[Drew1903]

You're welcome, Dick.

Drew

[john3347]

I have Windows 8 developer preview and consumer preview downloaded but I have read so much bad stuff about it that I haven't installed it on anything yet. I see so many make comments about how they are happy with the way Windows 7 does something and don't like the change. Well I have to go back farther than that. I was VERY unhappy with Windows 7 until Classic Shell came along. I don't think I will adopt Windows 8 until Classic Shell is developed for it. I don't need a telephone interface on my computer.

[Drew1903]

It's too bad so many ppl are missing the point or it's more like not seeing the forest for the trees. Personally, I feel ppl should do themselves a favor & STOP focusing on Start & being blinded by it!! The interface is so damn minor!! But, there's some major goodies behind the face.

Be accurately & fully informed & aware before making judgements based on hearsay, poor, meager or tilted sources.

Ppl need to, ALSO, make sure they know the many 'positives' of Windows8.

Drew

[NinerSevenTango]

I think it will be fine, as long as I can install a classic UI and a file explorer that actually shows me what's on the disk. I'll be resisting if I have to teach my parents another type of UI, especially if it brings THEM zero benefits. So what would be the benefit to someone who has zero interest in typing or navigating with a touch screen?

[jwitalka]

Ppl need to, ALSO, make sure they know the many 'positives' of Windows8.

Other than the fact that its a bit snappier, I fail to see any real positives in Windows 8 as compared to Windows 7. In fact, the fact that I hit the hotspots in the four corners of the screen by accident once in a while makes the experience more frustrating at times. I wish I could find a way to disable them.

Jerry

[alan sh]

Having got my W8 PC looking similar to my W8 PC, I am becoming less convinced that the upgrade is necessary.

It does seem to use less resources and is a bit faster to load - but can I get real work done any quicker? Not sure yet - the jury is still out.

Alan

[genej313]

I spend 99 % of my time on Desktop. When I go to Metro Start it's to do a search, and that's about it. The search is nice. You just go to Metro and start typing. No need to place your mouse in a certain spot or anything. But that's all I use Metro for. No fuss, No muss, no stress. Just use Desktop for everything.

I can see where folks that have touch screens might be stressing. Perhaps they have to get used to the Metro UI. Or perhaps folks using tablets. They might really be stressing cus they most likely really have to get used to Metro. But those of us with keyboards and a mouse, no reason to stress. Life is good. Just keep using the mouse and typing on the desktop.

Okay, what people are missing here is comfort. Windows has had a start button forever. Those of us who have been us using pc's since the DOS days created our own "start" button, or some of us did, with a text menu and batch files to open programs. I use my desktop for virtually everything. I have shortcuts on it to virtually every program I use OR I have them on the quick launch portion of the task bar. I don't like wading through half a zillion pieces of bloatware to find the one thing I am interested in using. So I will customize Win8, when I am forced to get it by this machine passing on, to my liking and assume that will be possible. Why Microsoft chooses to antagonize and annoy its billion users every couple years is beyond me. Change for the sake of change is inefficient. Change that increases productivity, makes things easier and better, well, I love that, it keeps life interesting. But changing things that work perfectly well just because you can is not consumer friendly. Early adopter or not, that is a not nice way to treat your customers. I think that is the gist of the complaints you are hearing all over. Perhaps the "technorati" here are a bit out of touch with the average home user and just a bit smug. That isn't nice either. Not you, Ted, that comes from the tone of other posts I've read here today. Maybe this Secret is running its course as my subscription is due next month and with people condescending to other people, treating honest questions rudely, disrespecting users not as technically gifted, well there are friendlier places on the net to hang out.

[Katsu999]

Hear hear gene, spot on!

My one problem with W8-CPR, is actually NOT "Why Metro?", as it is simply an added interface.
Yet most replies on here blare out "If you can't understand or get used to Metro immediately like "I" did, then SUFFER you dumb TechnoPhobe"!

Yet the one simple question I have is "Why REMOVE the Start menu?" - especially as the Desktop and Taskbar are still there?
Which seemed to elicit the same response as above, completely avoiding the question, while bigging up the TechnoMassive SelfEgo.

I'm still awaiting a reasoned response to that one.

Pointless really.

And this is supposed to be a 'Discussion' Forum???

[DesertGuy]

Okay, what people are missing here is comfort. Windows has had a start button forever. Those of us who have been us using pc's since the DOS days created our own "start" button, or some of us did, with a text menu and batch files to open programs. I use my desktop for virtually everything. I have shortcuts on it to virtually every program I use OR I have them on the quick launch portion of the task bar. I don't like wading through half a zillion pieces of bloatware to find the one thing I am interested in using. So I will customize Win8, when I am forced to get it by this machine passing on, to my liking and assume that will be possible. Why Microsoft chooses to antagonize and annoy its billion users every couple years is beyond me. Change for the sake of change is inefficient. Change that increases productivity, makes things easier and better, well, I love that, it keeps life interesting. But changing things that work perfectly well just because you can is not consumer friendly. Early adopter or not, that is a not nice way to treat your customers. I think that is the gist of the complaints you are hearing all over. Perhaps the "technorati" here are a bit out of touch with the average home user and just a bit smug. That isn't nice either. Not you, Ted, that comes from the tone of other posts I've read here today. Maybe this Secret is running its course as my subscription is due next month and with people condescending to other people, treating honest questions rudely, disrespecting users not as technically gifted, well there are friendlier places on the net to hang out.

As a bit of background on this subject....I have been using PC's since the days of MSDOS 2-6, Windows 3.11, skipped Win95, Win 98, skipped of few more iterations, Win XP, Vista, Win 7, and finally Win 8 Consumer Preview. Although I have used and liked every OS in this list, I've been one to use a lot of third party software to change the look and feel of each one. I have found that Microsoft eventually catches up with these 3rd-party vendors in one way or the other. Yes, for the average home user this does cause a bit of consternation learning the changes. I have preformed 2 dual boots and one update with Win 7 to Win 8. I got comfortable with the latter and did a Win 8 refresh to wipe out the remaining vestiges of Win 7. I now have been using the Consumer Preview exclusively on my home computer for 2 weeks. And I like it!!!

The Metro Start Screen (in normal mode) has essentially replaced the scattering of programs most people have on their desktop (not as pretty, but that will probably change). Plus now you can move and group these icons any way you want (a la Stardock's Fences). Hotspots have been around on 3rd-party software for perhaps 5-10 years. The All Programs version of the Start Screen (right-click, All Apps) is very similar to an expanded Start Menu (a la Stardock's Start 8, Vistart, VistaStart, and StartMenu7 and X on the desktop). By the way, as has been mentioned in other posts, please use the right-click (assuming mouse/keyboard use) and nice context menus come alive. I could go on and on.....

As an interesting side note...has anybody noticed that the Metro Start Screen (though not as pretty) acts just like any Android tablet and to a certain extent the IPad? Full screen apps and no real multitasking. One of those things that make one go....Hmmmm!!!!

[alan sh]

Agreed again.

I do everything from the desktop. The "Start" button - or some othe way of accessing the hundreds of programs I have installed - is essential. Yes, I have shortcuts for the most used, but I still would like easy access to the rest of my apps.

So, MS (or a spokesman), tell me what advantage you have given me by removing it?

Alan

[Joe S]

I see a very small improvement in speed and it does seem to handle ram usage better. It is very stable overall. I don't see a compelling reason to run out and buy it. I'll probably wait until I buy a new computer. The difference between Vista which came on this PC and Windows 7 was quite noticeable so I did upgrade quickly. I have my desktop customized and find Metro useless I've unpinned every thing except desktop and explorer. Most of the apps I tried looked bad if they worked. The main purpose of Metro is to sell apps. I also wonder if it's another way for MS to sniff around to see if Windows is genuine.
Joe

[rmonroe36]

Taken from a previous message but worth repeating as I am in agreement with some of the comments above:

Right now, IMHO, performance of Win8 will be the deciding factor for those Win7 users who dislike the Metro GUI. The other factor of course is selling price. I very much like the performance of Win8 and hope it improves when finally released. Microsoft may well have a hard time convincing Win7 (desktop) users to purchase Win8 if the selling price is deemed too steep. Such users will ask themselves:
Why upgrade if I have to customize the desktop when I am perfectly content with my Win7 setup?

Rich

[Medico]

Gene, I will apologize for anyone at the Lounge that seems a bit smug. I do not believe that is the general intent of the posters here.

As I have stated, I am reserving judgment on whether I will purchase Win 8 when it is released. It will depend on the pricing structure. I am perfectly happy with Win 7. Win 8 is a bit snappier, and does seem to interact with my wife's Win 7 HP better than my Win 7 Ultimate does (the other partition in my dual boot). There are a couple of minor glitches which I suspect will be ironed out as later releases are available. The rumor is that RC will be out late spring or early summer.

I have also related that I do not miss the Win 7 Start Menu. I actually did not use the Start Menu that often. I have my Win 7, and now my Win 8 customized so that I use Toolbars on my Taskbar to quickly find the apps I use the most. Probably 80 to 90 % of the apps I use are found on those toolbars, and if I find an app I beging to use more, it is extremely easy to simply add a shortcut to the toolbar to that app. This is more efficient than drilling down to that app on the Win 7 Start Menu.

Alan, This thread shows a way to pin a shortcut to All Apps to your Desktop or Taskbar. I open the shortcut, set the view as I wish it to be, then minimize it to the taskbar. Perhaps this would be an assistance to you as well.

AllApps.jpg

I realize we are discussing a lot of customizing here, but I also did a lot of customizing with Win 7. So again, it really depends on cost for me. Go ahead and make some of the changes outlined in these threads and see if you can also make Win 8 CP work the way you want it to work.