The problem with Win8/8.1 is this

[MTDEW]

Very easy and I never have to deal with this issue anymore

Everytime you uninstall an app and it adds a bunch of useless links to your Metro Start, just right click on each icon then from the bottom choose unpin from Start MEnu and only keep the apps you want after you organize them

If you are like me an use an MS account to sign in, then even if you format those icons you unhid will never reappear

That works for the start screen, but the app screen doesn't give the option to pin/unpin your installed apps.
(that's why i mentioned I want a "pin to app screen option" in my above post)

What bbhaag posted works nice for now though on the app screen.

 

[flexy]

i absolutely love my 8.1 the problem is the concept of judging a book by its cover and that simply is the case with windows 8/8.1

But, as Hexen already pointed out...WE here are geeks, we may spend a day tweaking and then everything is how we want it. Heck, you could even install a Beta version of Aero on Win8...

Now picture average Joe which just installs Win8. They face all the ugliness and have no clue or not the time or nerve to change things around.

The funny thing is that MS *could* have easily implemented a "classic" mode withing 8/8.1 so that the transition from 7 for people will be easier...and THEN giving them THE OPTION to use Metro etc. But...obviously they (MS) could not have done that since then a majority of people would ask what the point of this new OS is if it "basically" looks and feels the same as 7. (It's fact that after all the tweaks to make it run and feel like 7 it merely feels like a service pack update, not like a new OS...average Joe doesn't know/care about the underlying improvements).

Irony: I am here in Europe and just for giggles let run the upgrade advisor (I think that's what it was) where it gave me option to purchase. I almost fell off my chair because they wanted €280 (!!) for Win 8 Pro. (Yes, I know that it can be had for much, much cheaper..but I am serious I saw this amount somewhere)

 

[Mem]

But, as Hexen already pointed out...WE here are geeks, we may spend a day tweaking and then everything is how we want it. Heck, you could even install a Beta version of Aero on Win8...

Now picture average Joe which just installs Win8. They face all the ugliness and have no clue or not the time or nerve to change things around.

The funny thing is that MS *could* have easily implemented a "classic" mode withing 8/8.1 so that the transition from 7 for people will be easier...and THEN giving them THE OPTION to use Metro etc. But...obviously they (MS) could not have done that since then a majority of people would ask what the point of this new OS is if it "basically" looks and feels the same as 7. (It's fact that after all the tweaks to make it run and feel like 7 it merely feels like a service pack update, not like a new OS...average Joe doesn't know/care about the underlying improvements).

Irony: I am here in Europe and just for giggles let run the upgrade advisor (I think that's what it was) where it gave me option to purchase. I almost fell off my chair because they wanted €280 (!!) for Win 8 Pro. (Yes, I know that it can be had for much, much cheaper..but I am serious I saw this amount somewhere)

I only paid £15 and £25 for my Win8 in UK,even now its only just over 100 quid(about 125 euros) for OEM 64 bit 8.1 Pro http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SW-164-MS&groupid=33&catid=1555 ,as to "classic option" to be fair I think it was time and well overdue for a major revamp ,lets be honest here Win95 to Win7 has virtually remain the same,almost two decades of samething,desktop PC nowdays is not as important as it used to be(any geek can see that) and has competition from other hardware devices,I can understand the revamp/changes to accomodate all hardware,end of the day nothing rocket science about using Win8/8.1 etc , those that were around in the DOS days know what I mean since back then you had to use your brain even for basic stuff like getting a game to run,now its all done for you and some people still moan.

I hope we see further new revamps in Win9,glad they finally got rid of the old UI for the most part,about time we had something new even if that does change again down the road.

 

[bbhaag]

Very easy and I never have to deal with this issue anymore

Everytime you uninstall an app and it adds a bunch of useless links to your Metro Start, just right click on each icon then from the bottom choose unpin from Start MEnu and only keep the apps you want after you organize them

If you are like me an use an MS account to sign in, then even if you format those icons you unhid will never reappear

He wanted to clean up the App screen not the Start screen. The only way to keep the App screen uncluttered is the way I suggested.

 

[HeXen]

I only paid £15 and £25 for my Win8 in UK,even now its only just over 100 quid(about 125 euros) for OEM 64 bit 8.1 Pro http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SW-164-MS&groupid=33&catid=1555 ,as to "classic option" to be fair I think it was time and well overdue for a major revamp ,lets be honest here Win95 to Win7 has virtually remain the same,almost two decades of samething,desktop PC nowdays is not as important as it used to be(any geek can see that) and has competition from other hardware devices,I can understand the revamp/changes to accomodate all hardware,end of the day nothing rocket science about using Win8/8.1 etc , those that were around in the DOS days know what I mean since back then you had to use your brain even for basic stuff like getting a game to run,now its all done for you and some people still moan.

I hope we see further new revamps in Win9,glad they finally got rid of the old UI for the most part,about time we had something new even if that does change again down the road.

I think they would have done better if they made the App screen, to be the actual desktop with a start tile that when clicked, the normal tiles slide into place as they are now, of course the charms menu would have worked well for say a tasktray at the bottom. Desktop apps and Metro apps could work the same, just that there would be no regular task bar at the bottom, it's not needed since minimized apps are on the left shelf and task tray items could be in the charms bar and the tiles would just pop in and out when you press the start tile....So basically we would have most of what is there now all in one screen instead of swapping between 2 different screens.
I say keep the Metro wallpaper because regular desktop wallpaper is often in contrast to everything else on screen unless the user chooses proper backgrounds which rarely happens.

 

[techtechie]

how many of you people acces the metro more than twice a day i spend a lot of time on my computer and i bet i dont average seeing the metro ui more than once a day. all i can say is people should argue over it because they are skeptical of 8.1.

 

[Carfax83]

it isn't faster, I've used both and every benchmark I ran like CrystalDiskMark or 3DMark Windows 7's scores were 10% higher.

It's been a while since I've run Windows 7, but I remember that after upgrading to Windows 8, thinking how much faster it was compared to Windows 7..

Games were faster as well.

Game performance comparison between Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[Berryracer]

It's been a while since I've run Windows 7, but I remember that after upgrading to Windows 8, thinking how much faster it was compared to Windows 7..

Games were faster as well.

Game performance comparison between Windows 7 and Windows 8

WOW! nice benchmarks, ill format and install Windows 8.1 again then

thanks man

 

[flexy]

I don't know how reliable those benchies are, his system is even worse than mine. I have reason to believe that 8/8.1 takes more advantage of a recent system....so I am just GUESSING that with a new system the performance improvement (compared to 7) is even more.

 

[HeXen]

how many of you people acces the metro more than twice a day i spend a lot of time on my computer and i bet i dont average seeing the metro ui more than once a day. all i can say is people should argue over it because they are skeptical of 8.1.

I use it as a launcher, that's really what it is anyway. All my shortcuts go there and grouped how I like them. So everytime I launch an application i use it. It's easier to see and prettier to look at than desktop icons imo and keeps things tidy and minimalistic.
But you're right, no one actually has to see it or use it. Although the Netflix app from the store is pretty awesome.

 

[RandomFool]

I use it as a launcher, that's really what it is anyway. All my shortcuts go there and grouped how I like them. So everytime I launch an application i use it. It's easier to see and prettier to look at than desktop icons imo and keeps things tidy and minimalistic.
But you're right, no one actually has to see it or use it. Although the Netflix app from the store is pretty awesome.

The Netflix app alone made it worth installing Win8 on my media PC. Much better than using the website or my 360 for streaming.

 

[andy2000]

Also, I believe it was Maximum Pc mag where I read a rumor that an "insider" unofficially mentioned that Microsoft will bring back the old Aero interface, just not as we know it.
LINK
So those that hate the flat windows and colors may have some hope.

I could take or leave Aero, but it would have been nice if they had designed a new default theme to go with 8 rather that reusing the old Windows Vista/7 basic theme. Seeing the basic theme on a monitor makes me think something is wrong with the graphics driver, or the video card is pre-DX9.

 

[Linflas]

how many of you people acces the metro more than twice a day i spend a lot of time on my computer and i bet i dont average seeing the metro ui more than once a day. all i can say is people should argue over it because they are skeptical of 8.1.

If I access it at all it is by accident.

 

[madmaxfadden]

is it possible to format my dell tablet windows 8 and install windows 7 ?

 

[RandomFool]

is it possible to format my dell tablet windows 8 and install windows 7 ?

Possible, yes but you'll probably run into drive issues.

 

[PliotronX]

My biggest fear was confirmed when MS decided to cleverly remove F8 to safe mode; a clients 8 machine cannot boot to desktop and does not offer to change boot mode (where's that problem detected screen Microsoft?). Now instead of being able to instruct the client on how to rectify the system, I have to drive across town in between weaving back and forth to class and work just to insert a fcuking Win8 disc. Sure there's this but it has to be implemented assuming the system can boot in the first place. WTG Microsoft.

 

[denis280]

HA! no matter what.Windows xp is still the best OS.

 

[PliotronX]

HA! no matter what.Windows xp is still the best OS.

I can still see it, XP is the only MS OS I've beta tested and I had so few problems with it and loved it, still do. It was a progression from 98 and a fantastic predecessor to 7. 8 shouldn't exist. Millennium edition is heralded as the worst MS OS ever, but we have a new contender.

 

[Torn Mind]

I agree, the aesthetics of Windows 8 is worse than all of its supposed "usability" deficiencies. So dull compared to Aero. The logo does suck, and I prefer some Windows "Standard" in XP/2000 from time-to-time over the constant "flatness" of Windows 8.

 

[Blueychan]

Aside from the user preference on the Metro UI, Windows 8 is the best Windows OS to date period. STOP WITH THE WINDOWS 8 HATE FUD!

 

[bbhaag]

I can still see it, XP is the only MS OS I've beta tested and I had so few problems with it and loved it, still do. It was a progression from 98 and a fantastic predecessor to 7. 8 shouldn't exist. Millennium edition is heralded as the worst MS OS ever, but we have a new contender.

How was it a fantastic predecessor to 7? Vista and 7 have more in common than Xp and 7 do.

 

[NickelPlate]

Anyone had problems with this?

http://hothardware.com/News/Microsoft-Admits-Windows-81-Update-May-Bork-Your-Mouse-Promises-a-Fix/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2060460/windows-81-creates-mousecontrol-problems-for-gamers.html

 

[code65536]

Anyone had problems with this?

http://hothardware.com/News/Microsoft-Admits-Windows-81-Update-May-Bork-Your-Mouse-Promises-a-Fix/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2060460/windows-81-creates-mousecontrol-problems-for-gamers.html

Microsoft posted a fix for it:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2908279

This issue occurs because Windows 8.1 introduced changes to mouse input processing for low latency interaction scenarios. Therefore, games respond to mouse inputs differently in Windows 8.1 than in previous versions of Windows.

They're fixing it via compatibility shims. It doesn't show up in Windows Update, but it's available for download. Given what they did in the past with these kinds of bugs, I'd expect them to release it to Windows Update during the non-security patch day that takes place two weeks after each PT.

 

[Carfax83]

I don't know how reliable those benchies are, his system is even worse than mine. I have reason to believe that 8/8.1 takes more advantage of a recent system....so I am just GUESSING that with a new system the performance improvement (compared to 7) is even more.

Windows 8/8.1 uses system memory and the CPU much more effectively than Windows 7, so the performance increase will occur on low to high end rigs regardless..

 

[PliotronX]

How was it a fantastic predecessor to 7? Vista and 7 have more in common than Xp and 7 do.

Apologies, because of the similarities between Vista and 7, when I say 7, Vista is lumped in with it. Vista and 7 are evolutionary releases of XP, improved the desktop experience in just about every way provided the system has enough horsepower to run them. 8 veered off a road that was headed somewhere better. Microsoft has a lot of "customer experience survey" related ways of researching what customers like, but I don't think any customer had input on 8.