Open source makes windows 8 usable

I downloaded and installed windows 8 last week, used it for about two hours before I gave up.

Tonight I came across the open source project http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ and it rocks.  Maybe I can actually use windows 8 now. 

Nice.

Although, why install Windows 8 at all?

@rhm: Well, with the right hardware the startup and hibernate times are much faster ... but that's a good point -- apart from the new start screen what else does Win8 offer?  Is there a list somewhere?

I probably will go to Win8 on my desktop machine and if I find I really can't live with the Win8 start menu (or my wife or children find they can't) then this looks like a good option.

Herbie

<Please don't shoot me>.

Now I have my Win8 start menu organised (and I have gotten used to finding things by beginning to type the name) I quite like it!

</Please don't shoot me>

@Ian2: I suspect my initial negative reactions will wear off in time too, but it's nice to know there's an alternative if it doesn't work out.

Herbie

This reminds me of when they made booze illegal and we started to have bootleggers making their own booze.  

Eventually Microsoft will put that start button back in.   Just because they did not put it in even as an option shows some arrogance I dont understand.   These guys on top get egos and think they can control outcomes to their liking.   It wont work.   The good news is new markets get created to fill the need.  Its not just Microsoft and some of its Execs but happens at Apple and Oracle etc.

I don't really give two shits about the start button. I have a perfectly good one on my keyboard. The MRU was kinda sorta useful sometimes but not essential, for me. The rest, eh.

It's totally non-scientific, but the Windows Developer Show podcast holds a weekly "Weigh In Wednesday" straw poll, and this weeks is about Windows 8 on the Desktop.

Using Windows 8 on a "Desktop" PC is...

• Wonderful! (48% with 96 votes)
• Okay (35% with 70 votes)
• Challenging (10% with 21 votes)
• Terrible! (7% with 15 votes)

You can argue about the audience here skewing the results, but most of the places I frequent where people rant and rave about the Windows 8 changes are frequented by the same developer types. So these results shocked me. 83% of the 202 votes were favorable here.

http://windowsdevelopershow.com/wiw/

@pathfinder:

Does it fixed the crippled taskbar? That is the only concern I have and it is quite low level to fix.

@magicalclick: What's wrong with the taskbar? Other than the missing start button it seems exactly the same to me.

5 hours ago, rhm wrote

Nice.

Although, why install Windows 8 at all?

Good question and to be honest I have really started looking at Linux full time with maybe just a windows vm running with in it.  My co-workers all use mac book pro with windows 7 vm's and are extremely happy.  I guess I can only thing of three reasons to go to windows 8.

1. 64 bit support for virtual machines.  (although I do sorely miss the vm integration features windows 7 offers).
2. Play around with creating FKMA's (formerly known as metro apps) in visual studio 2012
3. Curiosity.

I bought a second ssd to install windows 8, so my windows 7 system is only  a reboot away.

I also have another windows 8 tip.   How to disable the lock screen:

1. Run gpedit.msc
2. Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel -> Personalization
3. Set "Do not display the lock screen" to enable.

@pathfinder: If you only have one login and don't set the password, doesn't it immediately log you in anyway?  The release preview I have installed seems to enjoy automatically logging the last user in if they don't have a password.

Herbie

EDIT:  Nevermind, you mean the lock screen not the login screen ... sorry 

@pathfinder:  I think that is the main problem.  You used it for two hours and gave up.  That sounds like you weren't really going to give it a fair shake anyway.  You installed it just to say you did.  You think setting up a Linux box is easier than learning the start screen???  

Learning the new way to do things does have a learning curve but once you get used to it, it is actually pretty nice, even on a desktop.  I like the fact that my screen feels more alive because I am getting the information I am looking for all in one place.  I don't have to keep opening up seperate apps just to keep up on my email, messages, friends, news, etc.  I just glance at the screen and see it all right there.  It is the same reason I like WP7.  I like that my computer is now very responsive and fast.  It doesn't feel as laggy as it did running Windows 7. 

I think it is a good upgrade (especially considering the price) if people would be willing to give it a fair try.  Too many people don't like things because they are different and don't like change.  They also read on blogs that they shouldn't like it so their opinions get tainted.  I honestly commend Microsoft for having the balls to be bold and make huge changes to try and stay competetive.  It may or may not work, but at least they tried.

@Sven Groot: The transparency was a bit odd at first, but after a while, when combined with the lack of a start button, it has the effect of making the taskbar fade into the background more. I like it.

@kettch: The taskbar was transparent in Vista and 7 too. I would hardly call that crippled, anyway. I assume there's some kind of functionality that was removed that magicalclick is referring to, though I haven't noticed anything.

1 hour ago, Sven Groot wrote

@magicalclick: What's wrong with the taskbar? Other than the missing start button it seems exactly the same to me.

The taskbar failed to switch to an app that I was using a minute ago which I didn't  terminate. The taskbar acted to hide itself in various occasion that wasn't in gaming mode or slideshow or screensaver or movie mode, while I specifically set the taskbar to be always visible and on top as a default behavior since win95.

If you take your time to understand the principles, you will understand what I mean. And yes, I perfectly know it is by design, and by design, the taskbar no longer functions as expected.

Taskbar = always visible instant access to switching tasks that I am and was doing not long ago. There are ways to prioritize those tasks for me and I am open to discussion about it. But if I was using it a minute ago, I need the app to be switchable through this instant taskbar.

Example,

Try VS development while you use IE Metro to access MSDN, and then multi-tasking on metro mail, metro calendar, metro music, metro PDF reader in single monitor.

@magicalclick: So your issue that the taskbar is not visible in metro apps, and doesn't show metro apps? Isn't that an issue with metro rather than he taskbar?

@Sven Groot:

The issue is with taskbar because it is a core component of win8 and it no longer function as expected. It is taskbar's job to maintain its functionality throughout the windows evolution.

I understand your point, but, if taskbar no longer function due to new driver model and DX17, it is still the taskbar's fault to not able to maintain its functionality.