

Why I’m uninstalling Windows 8 - ElliotH
http://www.pcgamesn.com/article/why-i-m-uninstalling-windows-8

======
Avalaxy
I pretty much agree. Especially for power users it sucks. Here are some
strange points:

\- I can't run multiple instances of visual studio...

\- IE in Metro doesn't share cookies/settings with IE in desktop mode...

\- Closing apps is awkward... Drag them downwards (WTF) or use ALT+F4 (no,
leaving the open in the background is not an option, it will clutter my
alt+tab menu).

\- Start menu gone, wtf? Yes I do use it, and yes I do still click on it with
my mouse to find certain things. The new search is worse... If I want 'windows
update' I first have to click where I want to search for 'windows update' (and
if I can't remember the name of what I'm looking for, this doesn't even work).

\- I want to leave windows partially open (not fullscreen) so I can see other
things on my screen (download progress, file copy progress, etc.). Again: not
possible in metro.

\- I can't get rid of the mandatory password/pin.

These are just a few of the annoyances I encountered.

~~~
mbell
> \- Start menu gone, wtf? Yes I do use it, and yes I do still click on it
> with my mouse to find certain things. The new search is worse... If I want
> 'windows update' I first have to click where I want to search for 'windows
> update' (and if I can't remember the name of what I'm looking for, this
> doesn't even work).

How do you find anything in a windows start menu? Every application has its
own naming scheme and complete control over where it puts itself in there. I
consider it one of the worst long standing user experiences that still seems
to be promoted/accepted for some unknown reason.

~~~
wonderzombie
In Win7? Tap the Windows key and type the name of the program. At least for a
power user, this is quite nice. It's arguably on par with Spotlight as an
application launcher, with similar trade-offs (e.g. multiple matches--- which
is the right one?).

I'm not a huge fan of Windows, but this is one thing that Win7 (or Vista?)
substantially improved over XP.

~~~
mbell
Did you read the quote I replied to? Underscored for clarity:

> \- Start menu gone, wtf? _____Yes I do use it, and yes I do still click on
> it with my mouse to find certain things_____.

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memnips
Having extensively used Windows 8, I completely agree with every point raised
in this article. Using Windows 8 on the desktop might actually be migraine
inducing. All of these little pain points build-and-build to utter
frustration.

What I find disappointing is that Microsoft has essentially stopped trying to
innovate on the desktop. They built a tablet OS, slapped it on top of their
desktop OS, and are forcing desktop users into it to ensure they get the eye
balls they require build a new app ecosystem.

------
ChuckMcM
Interesting that most of this boils down to 'its different'. Learning a new
window system is always taxing on the brain because our brains code repeated
movements into our muscles so we don't have to think about them, when you
change the rules and have to re-train muscle memory its harsh. I give the guy
credit for giving it 8 months.

That said, on the 'preview' edition I loaded you could simply turn off the UI
formerly known as Metro which gave you a kind of windows 7 plus experience.
Nothing I tried forced me to use the Metro UX if it was disabled, now I'm
curious if this is not true in the released version.

~~~
makecheck
I don't think you read the same article I did. He mentioned several things
that appear to be major bugs, apps that are missing so many key features that
they're practically downgrades (like Mail), and things that were removed for
no apparent reason (like a clock).

If all of that is just "different", perhaps you're right: Windows 8 has a
different bug count than Windows 7, a different number of frustrated users, a
different standard for what makes sensible software and ultimately a different
idea about what's worth that kind of money.

~~~
ChuckMcM
It may be I self filter, I read this comment:

"There are certain things that you do with your PC every day that should form
the basis of the operating system. Email. Instant Message. Calendars. Media
Playing. All of these functions in Windows 8 are carried out through Metro
apps, and they are universally awful. There are no desktop apps included that
do a similar job."

And I thought, you didn't open up a web browser? I do all of those thing on
the web and none of them in the OS's UI. Well maybe not media playing.

~~~
contextfree
It's not quite true anyway (it still includes Windows Media Player) and,
besides, Windows 7 didn't include mail/IM/calendar apps of any kind.

------
tzs
I think the biggest flaw is that the help system is not a tile on the main
screen.

Like the author, I was baffled when I wanted to shut the thing down. I found
the thing that shows all the applications on the system, and noticed one of
them was a help application. The help application was able to tell me how to
shut down. I never would have found it without that help, as it would never
even occur to me to look in the settings.

Let's assume for the sake of argument that the new interface is actually good.
Regardless, it is sufficiently different from what people are familiar with
that people are going to have trouble figuring out things and need help--even
basic things like shutting down the computer. Finding help needs to be trivial
and obvious.

------
hcarvalhoalves
The problem is that they came up with a novel (and hopefully better) approach
to UI that works wonders on smartphones because it's a greenfield - there is a
new, suitable HID (touchscreen) and no legacy or broken interaction models to
support in the first place.

Then they tried to port it to desktop, where touch interfaces make no sense
whatsoever and still keep a ridiculous amount of backwards compatibility with
everything, as usual. The obvious result lacks conceptual integrity and is so
full of compromises that it doesn't even make sense.

------
wamatt
Now, "Why I'm _installing_ Windows 8" would be more make for a more
interesting story :)

~~~
Tarrosion
Well, there's this: [http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/16/3246185/this-is-my-
next-wi...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/16/3246185/this-is-my-next-
windows-8)

~~~
tdoggette
I'd like to see the author of this piece respond to the criticisms in the
"uninstalling" article. Some of the answers will be "it's a lot better with a
touchscreen," of course, but I'd like an experienced user to weigh in.

------
unconed
Meanwhile, the Mac OS X users are buying magic trackpads in droves, scrolling
and swiping between their windows and virtual desktops with ease, and enjoying
non-crippled desktop apps...

A lot of the awkward controls in Windows 8 seem to stem from Microsoft's lack
of a real multi-touch input device... hovering in screen corners, dragging
screen edges, etc.

------
madoublet
I actually really like Windows 8, and, at the same time, agree with a lot of
the points that the author makes in the article. I think the big difference is
that I am actually really excited that Windows 8 is a touch first OS. Yes,
this makes it less than ideal to use with my existing hardware. But, I am
completely fine with that. I plan on upgrading my mouse on my desktop to a
multi-touch mouse and I plan on taking advantage of the new track pad gestures
when drivers become available. Long term, I do not imagine ever owning another
device that does not support touch. In my opinion, if you are viewing Windows
8 through the eyes of current day hardware, you are missing the point.

------
smartician
It's true: roughly every other version of Windows is awful.

Windows 95: Bad.

Windows 98: Pretty good.

Windows ME: Awful.

Windows XP: Good.

Windows Vista: Errrrr. No.

Windows 7: Sweet!

Windows 8: ...

~~~
dag11
You're forgetting Windows 2000. Regardless of how good you consider it to be,
including Windows 2000 would break the alternating good/bad pattern.

~~~
ChuckMcM
I think technically Win2K lived in the branch known as 'NT' so there was
Windows NT, W2K, and then merged back at the Vista point (and made usable by
Win7) point. The timeline as presented would be accurate for a 'home' desktop
user.

~~~
DrJokepu
XP was also based on the NT kernel and it was a direct descendant of Windows
2000.

------
magoon
I have no problems with Windows 8. Yes the start button is now full-screen,
yet I hardly have to use it -- but I actually find it useful so I do. I am not
confused in the slightest by Metro, just as I'm not confused by OS X's
gestures, launchpads dashboards and mission controls.

With every Windows release these rants come, yet with actual real world use I
find all of the problems have easy workarounds so what's left is a faster,
leaner, smarter operating system.

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CamperBob2
It's funny how frustrated the few Windows 8 boosters are starting to sound.
Either Microsoft is recruiting astroturfers from YouTube comment threads, or
their evangelists' vocabularies are regressing to that of a 7th-grader.

Guys, guys. Listen. Calling people "dumba$$" is not going to convince anyone
to use your new OS. OK?

Nor will demanding that people learn new keyboard shortcuts in the year 2012.

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edandersen
\-- If you’re using Metro apps, there is no clock

Probably one of the most glaring omissions.

