| reply to Goober
Re: Win8 - Disappointing usability It's interesting to see the arguments for and against. I really think there are many reasons that can be cited on both sides, but we have to accept the basic bottom line... and that is, that some people will like it, and some won't. I have been an MS supporter for decades since they first began, but I'm sorry, I don't like 8. I think it's a big mistake for them. The market should settle things one way or the other in time.... |
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Reviews:
 ·AT&T Southwest
| reply to Kilroy
said by Kilroy:+1
Most of the complaints that I've seen about Windows 8 are it is different and I don't like it. Sorry, that is progress.
That article and study is not about it being different. It's about usability. The ability to find things, make it work and so on. Not about it being different. |
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 MichailPremium
join:2000-08-02
Boynton Beach, FL
kudos:1 | said by howardfine:said by Kilroy:+1
Most of the complaints that I've seen about Windows 8 are it is different and I don't like it. Sorry, that is progress. That article and study is not about it being different. It's about usability. The ability to find things and so on. Not that users complained about it being different. I agree. I've been using Windows 8 for several months now. There are things about it I like but those are overshadowed by the usability issues. |
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 BlitzenZeusBurnt Out CynicPremium
join:2000-01-13
kudos:2
 ·Frontier FiOS
| reply to La Luna
I used it for a weeks on a pc, and not in a virtual machine. Unlike some people here who haven't even figured out how to shutdown the machine yet I figured out the interface quickly, and it was not intuitive, it was a step backwards for ease of use.
I also had to disable fast start up to allow me to actually boot back into my stable operating system since it silently uses hibernation by default which will be problematic when trying to fix problems as it forces you back into the Win 8 loader if you need to boot another os not on it's software bootloader or bootable cd.
It would be a good os, but the new gui over the desktop is the problem, hiding things which should not be hidden.
XP wasn't that different than 9x visually, and worked very similarly. Even vista wasn't a big change, it forced people to start using software as a user account for their own protection, however even with xp most idiotic companies were still writing software meant to be ran as a full admin even if it was something like a game which really didn't always need full admin access. Win 7 was well accepted for the most part as it was similar also, but changed how the taskbar worked. Win 8 metro is crap.
We shouldn't have to manually disable all those metro applications from being the default programs, and their idea to replace the start menu with metro idea was generally a bad one for desktops. I however have been using toolbars on the taskbar for years, since the days of 9x. Those live tiles should have been available on the desktop as they said they were supposed to replace gadgets, well they sure don't on the metro screen.
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I distrust those people who know so well what god wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires- Susan B. Anthony
Yesterday we obeyed kings, and bent out necks before emperors. But today we kneel only to the truth- Kahlil G. |
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| reply to urbanriot
said by urbanriot:I still chuckle that Microsoft went from Start | Shutdown to swipe | settings | power | shutdown. Usability indeed!
My dad gave up trying to find "shut down/reboot" on Windows 8 and just pulls the power plug from the wall to turn off his new desktop PC 
At least he spent extra for Dell's extended warranty with on-site, I'll find entertainment at how many "parts" are fried with this shut down concept  |
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RiamenPremium
join:2002-11-04
Calgary | reply to howardfine
I've been using Windows 8 on my work-issued laptop for a month and a half now. I don't find it difficult to understand or use but I don't see it being an improvement either. I have to agree with just about everything in the linked article. There's a huge disconnect between the Modern UI and the desktop. I understand Microsoft's motivation but I think this is gong to be a failure on the desktop. |
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 La LunaSurvived AshrafulPremium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
kudos:3 | reply to Kerodo
said by Kerodo:It's not simply that 8 is something new to learn. That's not the problem. It's poorly designed. And to top it off, it forces something on desktop and laptop users (Metro) that is totally inappropriate for non touch machines. I can't believe how many people keep trying to defend something that's sure to go down in flames... But that's life in the computing world I guess... 
Well, as I said, I haven't used it, so can't comment personally. But I DO see alot of posts, here and elsewhere, from people who love Windows 8, have taken the time to figure it out and have it working the way they want it to. It's not impossible, but it DOES take learning/experimenting. "Sure to go down in flames....." is a tad premature I think.
I don't care if people use it or not, I just don't think they should go into it with a negative attitude, that does nothing but enable failure.
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The Alien in the White House
19,994 DEADLY TERROR ATTACKS SINCE 9/11 |
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Reviews:
·AT&T Southwest
| said by La Luna:...people who love Windows 8, have taken the time to figure it out and have it working the way they want it to. It's not impossible, but it DOES take learning/experimenting.
That's what the article and study is about. The time and ability to figure it out. |
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| reply to La Luna
Perhaps it is a bit premature to speak of it's failure at this point... That's just my personal opinion as to where it's headed. I don't think people go into it with a negative attitude either. I think they start out with an open mind, but are then disappointed pretty quickly. Sure, anyone can eventually get used to it in time, I did myself after using it for a few weeks. But that doesn't speak too well for it really. One can get "used to" almost anything, but should we have to? Or should it be a better design and more intuitive interface with some consistency with the past?
Again, I think the market will judge things and speak for itself in time... |
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 GooberPremium
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
kudos:5
 ·Dish Network
| reply to HappyFrappy
said by HappyFrappy:said by urbanriot:I still chuckle that Microsoft went from Start | Shutdown to swipe | settings | power | shutdown. Usability indeed!
My dad gave up trying to find "shut down/reboot" on Windows 8 and just pulls the power plug from the wall to turn off his new desktop PC At least he spent extra for Dell's extended warranty with on-site, I'll find entertainment at how many "parts" are fried with this shut down concept You should let your dad know that a quick press of the power button will also shut down the computer, but in an orderly fashion. Either that, or wait until this one fries so he can get himself a Mac. That's what people use when they aren't technically too knowledgeable. That's why I got my parents an iPad. Simple to use and ignorance of technology poses no problem.
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Awesome. More handouts, food stamps, welfare and entitlements to come. I'm so proud. |
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 plencnerbPremium
join:2000-09-25
Elgin, IL
kudos:2 | reply to howardfine
said by howardfine:said by La Luna:...people who love Windows 8, have taken the time to figure it out and have it working the way they want it to. It's not impossible, but it DOES take learning/experimenting.
That's what the article and study is about. The time and ability to figure it out. I agree with the above. While I have not used it fully as my OS at home yet (still waiting for McAfee to release Patch 3 for VSE 8.8), I do plan to switch to it once Patch 3 comes out.
Sure, things may be different, and not in the same place it was in Windows 7 (or previous versions). But, instead of turning it on and yelling "THIS SUCKS, Microsoft is so dumb", if these people took the TIME to sit down with an open mind and embraced the new OS, they would be a lot happier.
I will admit I was one of those "WTF is this Metro thing" when I first saw it. I will also admit that I when I first saw Windows 7 (went from XP to 7, as I skipped Vista), I did the same thing. I was sitting there yelling at my monitor, as everything was moved and different. I was actually getting really frustrated with my computer.
But you know what? After the initial shock of "Where the Heck did they move X to" was over, I took the time to figure it out. I read the online posts of the new changes in Windows 7, where things were at...I talked to friends and co-workers, I read and posted on this forum. And you know what? I love Windows 7. I think it is one of the best (and most stable) OS's that Microsoft has released to date. Once I do switch to Windows 8, I will do the same thing. Research, learn, figure out, embrace, and enjoy Windows 8.
--Brian
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--Brian Plencner
E-Mail: CoasterBrian72Cancer@gmail.com
Note: Kill Cancer to Reply via e-mail |
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| Then you missed the part about using it and figuring it out. I think you are talking about dealing with it and getting used to it rather than using something that makes sense in the first place. |
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| Exactly... Using something that makes sense in the first place is progress... Dealing with and getting used to something is often a step backwards..... |
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 digitalfuturSees More Than ShownPremium
join:2000-07-15
BurlingtonON
kudos:2 | reply to Riamen
Re: Win8 - Disappointing usability It won't be a "failure" on the desktop because the desktop is eventually going away. The GUI you see on WindowsPhone and XBox is the future. That doesn't mean there won't be any traditional Windows apps on desktops, they'll just all launch from the modern UI.
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Logic requires one to deal with decisions that one's ego will not permit.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke. |
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digitalfuturSees More Than ShownPremium
join:2000-07-15
BurlingtonON
kudos:2 | reply to dellsweig
A few returns do not a trend make, especially when the price premium for Apple is 30-50% more than Windows. It's a lot of extra money to pay for being unable or unwilling to spend 15 minutes learning a few mouse clicks or keyboard shortcuts on Windows 8.
Given Apple's 7% global market share for desktops, most people aren't going to flock to OS X and its variants.
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Logic requires one to deal with decisions that one's ego will not permit.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke. |
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| reply to digitalfutur
Ok, let's forget desktops for the moment... What about laptops with no touch interface? Are those going away soon too?
Everything is going away eventually... no exceptions. But isn't it a mistake to produce a product that acts like the desktop is already gone when it's not?
MS could/should have worked thru this for a while, and come up with a much better and smoother transition for us... That would have been appreciated. |
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| reply to Goober
said by Goober:You should let your dad know that a quick press of the power button will also shut down the computer, but in an orderly fashion. Either that, or wait until this one fries so he can get himself a Mac. That's what people use when they aren't technically too knowledgeable. That's why I got my parents an iPad. Simple to use and ignorance of technology poses no problem.
Interesting thing is on his dual-booting Thinkpad T420 the Lenovo "power manager" gives him three choices with a power button press like Windows XP/Vista/7. Dell on the other hand dumps the PC into sleep... I guess Dell/Microsoft prefers desktop computers to run 24/7 eh?
My mum hops between Mac/Windows like myself, dad on the other hand is a Windows/Blackberry user... you know BB Desktop is non-existant on OS X, its a POS 3rd party "sync" app and Outlook on the Mac is a joke like the former Entourage.
The "smart" move for Microsoft should have been discontinue "Windows for Desktop" and just market Windows 8 for Touch Screen & Tablet PCs... problem solved, then scrap 32-bit Windows and migrate to ARM w/x64 instruction set for Windows 9 |
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GooberPremium
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
kudos:5 Reviews:
·Dish Network
| I run all my machines 24/7. They go into sleep/hibernate at predesignated intervals. But I don't ever shut them down.
Wow, that's like turning the universe inside out.
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Awesome. More handouts, food stamps, welfare and entitlements to come. I'm so proud. |
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 XiodenPremium
join:2008-06-10
Monticello, NY
kudos:1 | reply to Kerodo
said by Kerodo:Exactly... Using something that makes sense in the first place is progress... Dealing with and getting used to something is often a step backwards.....
Exactly.
Going from XP to Vista; Searchable start menu? Genius plain and simple. It's a simple change on the surface but is a massive usability improvement.
Vista to 7: Jumplists, open specific recently used documents, and extra functions attached to a programs shortcut. Again, massive usability increase.
For Windows 8: Metro UI that replaces the start menu but is completely isolated from the desktop interface... meh.
Now had they made the Metro/Modern UI act as a sort of interactive wallpaper and was integrated into the desktop (while retaining the function, they might have had something that provided a nice usability increase. |
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