Windows 8 is Microsoft’s biggest makeover since Windows 95. Well sort of. It still has much of its predecessor, icon-and-mouse user interface, but it also has the innovative graphic UI from tablets and Windows phones.
Am I sounding a bit conflicted? That’s because I am, or better yet, that’s because of how Windows 8 feels to me.
To Use or Not To Use the Modern UI
Microsoft’s rational behind the Modern UI is that the start menu is used a lot less in favor of the quickbar and the search option.
Some want the start menu back, but it makes sense to me as I am one of those who does what Microsoft has described – the Modern UI Start Screen is just a prettier quickbar.
I am actually one of those people who doesn’t mind the look of the Modern UI, so if I can, I am more than happy to use it… only to get thrown back to the Windows 7 UI whenever I want to open things such as the control panel.
And that’s when things start to annoy me.
Dual-System: One OS, Double the Trouble?
If you want to open Wordpad, you will be sent back to the Windows 7 interface.
File Explorer (read Windows Explorer) will also throw you back to the Windows 7 interface.
There are a few more examples like this.
I can guess what Microsoft is thinking – they don’t want to make their OS completely alien to people who were used to the classic interface, and maybe with Windows 9 a lot of this dual interface business will disappear.
However this is all very clunky and there are a lot of things that could be kept in the Modern UI.
How Me and the Desktop Broke Up
I loved my desktop. I can’t even begin to explain just how much it meant to me. It was always there for me and never left me alone.
However, for the sake of backward compatibility, once again I feel Microsoft implemented it in a lazy way. In the Modern UI, if you have two apps running you can place one on the side of your monitor, taking up about ¼ of your screen, and then have the main app take up the rest of the space.
If you however have an app from Modern UI and one from your desktop you can’t do the same. It works if the desktop program is your main app, but not the other way around, making multi-tasking very irritating in some cases.
Why not make it so that each application still runs in the Modern UI container? That’s exactly what Google Chrome did even though they didn’t re-design the application.
I can’t help but think that Microsoft could have done something so that all applications could do that without any extra work from their developers.
As it is now, I don’t see that companies will swap to Windows 8 any time soon so small business IT support will not really need to learn the ins and outs of the new OS just yet.
[Recommended read: Super 7 Apps for Windows 8 to Pump The Performance and Productivity]
But There’s Light…
My computer is snappier since I installed Windows 8 and it starts up a lot faster. Like I said, I do like the look of the Modern UI so I don’t see myself going back to Windows 7 any time soon. Aside from the odd indie game here and there, everything runs just fine on Windows 8.
How about you, are you going to make the swap?
[Read more: 4 Things to Consider when Upgrading to Windows 8]
Exactly why I’m skipping win8.
Why fix what’s not broke? Win7 does the job pretty well.
Microsoft is obsessed with changing stuff just for the sake of changing it, what a pack of idiots.
I swear it’s like they are trying to ruin their products on purpose or something.
Linux is starting to look better and better every day.
You got a point there. However, I’m not convinced Linux is really viable for most people, Darnell.
Peter,
I am with you on what you are stating in the article. It is challenging to people at home; however, once you adapt I think they will find it is an awesome operating system. I think the absence of the Start Menu is the biggest complaint I have seen.
Great Article
Rick
Honestly, I don’t really miss the start menu at all 🙂
Great post. You’re not change Peter I still have a confidence to read your blog that is full of great information that everyone should learn. Windows 8 is quite hard to manage but this post may help.
Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words, Nicholle!
I’m still thinking whether to upgrade from W7 to W8. Thanks for sharing your experience, I guess I’ll give this W8 a try.
If you fancy it, then go for it!
I was so excited when i first heard of Windows 8 and its great benefits. You have mentioned a lot here on your post that is why I was able to gain some information on what and what not to expect in Windows 8. thanks a lot for the information.
You are welcome!
I haven’t tried windows 8 yet. I have read a lot of posts about it, and I think I will be skipping it. I am very happy with windows 7 at the moment. Everything I have seen and read about it I think I would have a tough time with it. I could see it on a tablet or phone maybe, but not on a desktop. Hope they change it up a little more to what I am used to in the next release, and then I would think about upgrading or getting a new computer.
I don’t think Windows 8 is that bad really, but many of my friends don’t like it… hahaha
Another good reason why I need to switch to Win8, hmm, looks like you and your computer are getting that kiss-and-make-up scene eh… how is it going now? 😛
Nhick
We are getting along fine, Nhick! 😉
I think is time for traditional Windows users to switch over to mac now. People scare to learn how to use mac, but now since there is a same learning curve for you to convenience yourself with Win8. Why not just switch over and do a clear cut?
I kinda prefer PC. But I’ve heard that there are actually more people switching from PC to Mac than from Mac to PC. Does Mac really has an edge over Windows PC?
Macbook’s battery can last for longer time on mac os. That’s what I know.
I am sticking with Windows 7 even when Windows 8 was already available. I am used to this one and I am comfortable with it. I’ve been hearing negative feedback with Windows 8 that is why I am still with Windows 7 right now.
Well, most people I know are sticking with W7 too.
Hi Peter,
I am considering about Windows8. This post was of great help, as it highlighted all the crucial aspects of the Win8 which can act as a troubleshooting factor, plus the factors which can make one fall into love with it. Thanks for the share.
You are welcome, Aayna!
Thanks for sharing the comprehensive and detailed review. It is indeed helpful for the choice of interface.
I’m honestly against Windows 8 but my sister recently brought a new laptop with windows 8 and I had a chance to toy with it. well, what can I say, sleek and stylish but nothing more…that’s my personal opinion
Other programs will soon designed to be used only for Windows 8. Unless you don’t use PC anymore or change to other OS, you will soon have to use Windows 8 anyway.
Oh well, life is getting tough for conservatives)))
Hahaha… 🙂
Windows 8. I would strongly recommend it to you if you use a touch device. If not, it’s just another windows for you.
i personally did not buy windows 8 but some mof my friends have it and they all hate it, i liked the UI and some modifications Microsoft has made in windows 8 but overall its same. so i did not like it very much
I agree with your comments that multitasking seems to be the biggest paid with Windows 8. Especially when the app interface is involved. I personally feel like hell when I have to use pdf files and the Adobe PDF app opens the second file by closing the first one! I have taken to using Chrome to open multiple pdf files. I am hoping for improvements with Win 8.1. Other than that, the system is quite snappy and the availability of so many apps now is a nice thing going with Win 8 app market.
I migrated to Win 8 in Jan this year and since then there has been no going back. It’s a new try by Microsoft and we should give them time to improve on it.
Nice post, as I’m curious as to what this update will look like. Interesting that the Start button will be making a comeback. And I have yet to get involved with SkyDrive but might consider it.
I never liked Windows 8 too but thanks to Windows 8.1, the Windows has become much improved. Windows 8.1 is much much better than Windows 8 as well as Windows 7.
Hey Peter, you sound to be not a big windows fan. I respect that and I don’t admire Windows 8 or even Windows 10. But it is too early to say about Windows 10.
Windows 8 had some inherent disadvantages. But some of them got rectified with 8.1. The hibernate speed and recovery after restart, are some of the useful features than Windows 7. But the start menu missing is a drawback. So lets wait for Windows 10.
i just love the windows eight because of its good feature and advance , it provide us and goof features as compare to other old windows and user can also choose its own way to color scheme with advance i only one word say about windows 8 its “amazing “
Recently with the latest updates, Windows 8.1 is rocking. I am using the wireless network adapter to use it as a Wi-Fi router and there is no reduction in performance. The only thing missing is Cortana. So if somebody can embed into it, it’ll be useful, just like Windows 10.