Do You Like the Windows 8 UI Design?

To me, the Windows 8 <Metro> user interface looks like it was designed for:

Me stupid, can't read, need'm big push buttons!​

Sheesh Microsoft, I'm not a monkey!

 

My wife's system is a 64-bit Win 7 Home Premium, with 3 GB RAM and an Intel Dual Core processor, but it runs faster than mine did with 32-bit Win 7 Home Premium on it.

I guess I'll try to muddle through with tweaking the Win 8 beastie, to see how I can get it a bit quicker.

I will probably uninstall a few things that hang out in the background, using resources that can be put to better use. I've already switched to having the system manage my page files and such, but the jury's still out on that change.

From what I got when I tried to check memory options, apparently I cannot add more RAM, and I find that a bit strange. If I could, this would be a whole different discussion.

Again, my thanks for your help, Arie.

-a.

 

I`m curious to why you can`t add more memory..can`t you swap the existing RAM modules for bigger ones? 64 bit Windows can address up to 128GB with the current Address tables.
Windows 8 Pro - up to 512GB

 

Truly Limited

Here's what Crucial.com's diagnostic says about my eMachine's memory:

Memory Type: DDR2 PC2-6400, DDR2 PC2-5300, DDR2 (non-ECC)
Maximum Memory: 2GB
Slots: 2​

I checked this a few times over the years since I got it, back in 2009. I never realized this limitation existed when I bought it, and couldn't believe it when I first saw it. I still don't believe it, but it comes up with this limitation, every time.

Too bad Intel doesn't make the "Above Board" any more!

-a.

 

About that response from SpywareDr:

There was a recent story in the news about how people are using touch screen tablets to help monkeys communicate.

They liked to view photos of other animals, and learned how to use the touch screens, but made a big mess with their not-so-clean fingers!

 

So they were using REALLY cr@ppy screens Lol!

 

No idea as have not even chosen to look at it. I had to switch from XP to Win 7 when I recently purchased new PC. Still adjusting to that change.

did not reply to poll. Maybe could have been a 4th choice? something like "don't know "?

 

You might actually like it, when you get to Win 8. It's clean, but the best part is that once you get to the "desktop" it looks pretty much like Win 7 or even XP (still my favorite).

Only thing I really miss is the actual Start Menu; there are add-ons, some free, that you can DL and install, which give it back but I've not tried them yet. (My system is underpowered, so to speak, so another add-on might slow it down more.)

Enjoy!
-a.

 

Projections?

Okay, but what about the surface on which the images are projected? Aren't they subject to getting dirty?

Just a thought ...

But on the topic of the interface, what I find interesting is that I have not yet found a way to sort those tiles in any way other than the default. Same goes for the SkyDrive tiles, also from Microsoft.

I've not yet tried Start8.

Question: would this - Start8 - be too much of a resource hog for my underpowered system?

-a.

 

I think probably the only way to find out with start8 is to try it, - they do a trial before you buy so its probably worth a shot. As I`ve said - I did not notice any difference - I`m using a quad core i5 @ 3GHz with 8GB RAM BTW.
You can Group the tiles and name the groups but its very basic, and when all`s said and done they`re just extra big icons really.
(concerning screens - I`ve said my bit & I`m keeping my Gob shut now

 

Excellent!

Hey Arie,

I posted a short comment; excellent is my short review of your article; the longer one is "extremely efficient and helpful! "

I tried your customizations on the first part to be easily done, and set up my Start Menu that way. I will work with it a while and decide if I really need anything more, like Start8.

I had downloaded a couple of Start Menu replacements:

- Power2Go_incentive_setup
- startmenu-setup
- ClassicShellSetup_3_6_5
- windows-start-menu-vistart​

But I hadn't tried any of them yet. Yours is simple, clean, and probably all I really wanted. I'm not sure I'll even keep the Quick Launch menu on the taskbar, given I haven't needed it yet anyway.

Again, thanks very much for your help.

Cheers!
-a.

 

Taking the topic back to the Windows 8 UI... I've never owned a tablet or a smart phone before but I just got an iPad2 to use at work and I can say that Windows 8 works 1000% better as a tablet OS than iOS6 does. Right now, I'm super frustrated with this iPad because I can't figure out how to switch between open apps or shutdown apps when I'm finished with them. Using the iPad makes me appriciate the charms swipe and the app bar swipes even more.

I think how you feel about Windows 8 is more or less about your perspective. People who want windows 7 but bought a new computer but refuse to use google might be frustrated with Windows 8. But I could not see why anyone would like iOS but not Windows 8/RT. iOS blows chunks. Alot of people seem to be rooting for Windows 8 to fail without good reason.

Edit: I have looked up to switch between apps on iPad, you have to swipe with all 4 fingers, not too terrible although i think windows 8 swipe in from the left is better. Closing apps was the real pain. I could not figure it out with out google. you have to double the home button or swipe up from the bottom with four fingers and then you have to hold down your finger on an app and then select it while its wiggling to close it. I think peoples true bias' show when they say Windows 8 has usability problems yet don't criticize apple at all

 

Right on!

[FONT= "Verdana"]Kim,

Thanks for that one! I have an original iPad; I didn't buy it - I won it on the Internet. It is frustrating and difficult to use, and I never knew how to shut down apps until I read your posting. I even had to locate a guide to learn how to turn it off so it would recharge! Holding that button on the lower right corner and the power button on the mid left at the same time (their Ctrl+Alt+Del and Restart/Shut down) until a red notice on top says to swipe to the right to power off.

I basically use it to DL free mystery and espionage novels, to read while in waiting rooms at meetings, doctors, or while traveling on public trans. But to use it for anything else, even the Wi-Fi capability in places where Wi-Fi is free can be daunting.

Even when I return to places where I had the PW to their wireless, I always have to Renew to get it working, and a lot of them don't require new PWs, once you've logged into their services the first time.

So when people put down Win 8, I take it with a grain of salt.

Arie ... we saw a Surface gizmo/tablet at Staples last week, and it is very neat! I don't know if I can live without a real mouse and keyboard. Even my Android phone has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. But it is very slick, and as the primary OS on the little beastie, it IS quick.

Just my humble opinion.

Cheers!
-a.[/FONT]

 

Oh yeah ... Arie, I almost agree with you. If the tablet has Metro or RT or Surface (whatever they call it) from the start (no pun intended), and has the resources to support it, then it might be okay. I'd rather a touch-screen laptop, with Win 8 on it but with a real keyboard.

(I cannot help thinking of the Chevy car, the Geo Metro! - A real clown car!)

-a.

 

Sadly another Microsoft howler! Microsoft please note Windows 7 was a great successor to XP and thank goodness it came along and replaced your other howler Windows Bista. Windows 7 is still fresh and does the job. Windows 8 is horrid - clunky and just plain horrid - I tried it with Office 2013 - ended up removing both from the PC and going back to Windows 7 and Office 2010.