General Consultant Discussion

Holy crap does stock Windows 8 suck, especially without a touch screen. The UI for flipping between multiple apps, especially when some are 'native' like skype, and 'old' like MAS or even Word, really sucks. If you don't put a start menu on (Classic Shell seems best),its especially insane. Just trying to find settings in SKype wwas a mission in frustration. Does anybody have clients embracing and liking Windows 8 vs. 7 from a productivity standpoint? The plumbing and hardware compatibility stuff is great, but not have a 'regular' desktop (unless you install classic shell), is nuts

What's worse than the UI w/o touch is that they didn't see this fiasco coming...

Yea, I can't see how it got out of the labs like this... Talk about not testing with end users...

I have a surface prp that I'm testing. Even with full touch its awkward.

I hate Windows 8 - and yes some clients are embracing it, although I've no idea why. I found knowing the keyboard shortcuts helps: http://www.phas.ubc.ca/sites/default/files/shared/it-service-catalogue/100_windows_8_keyboard_shortcuts.pdf

Navigating the 'classic' programs is a nightmare without the start button

It reminds me of the MS Office Ribbon where they have to ""dumb down"" the user interface for the masses by adding more and more fluff slowing access for the advanced user. I bet MS techies have a way around it.

@MarkChinsky - this article has some apps for getting back to a start menu http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57496506-292/how-to-get-the-start-menu-back-in-windows-8/

I've been using Windows 8 at home since day 1 (call me crazy), and I haven't had any real problems or issues on my non-touch PC, but I hardly ever use the start menu. My favorite app on Windows 8 (and windows 7, and linux, and XP, and every system I use now) is Launchy (www.launchy.net). Press Alt+Space and start typing the name of the program that you want to run, and it finds it for you. Press enter, and it launches. It's a freeware/donationware, and I've ponied up a couple of donations. The default skin is not my favorite, so I always install the Transport skin (http://artblanc.deviantart.com/art/Transport-for-Launchy-257867710).

All signs that Windows is not long for this world.

@AaronClark But once your in the app, do you still have the task bar to switch between apps? Windows 8 has this habit of opening apps in a full screen mode, like when you run Chrome. @MoiraGoggin I've looked at those. The best one hands down is ClassicShell. But DON'T install the default option that replaces your File Explorer with one from like the XP days.

@MarkChinsky: Once I'm in desktop mode, all the apps that I launch open in standard mode, so the taskbar is there. It's only if you launch the built in apps that it switches to full screen. If I get in that situation, I use the app for what I need, and then Alt+F4 to get back to my desktop. I actually have a scheduled script run at logon that drops me directly into the desktop, so I don't have to spend more than 1/10th of a second looking at the tiles.

ClassicShell basically keeps you in desktop mode unless you manually got to the top right and then select Desktop. You could also do it via hotkey (window-D) but I rerouted that to bring me to the 'standard mode' desktop. It's still dumb. It like they slapped a tablet OS as an emulator onto Windows 8 and then default you to using it as a tablet until you turn it off.