dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
671

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

[WIN8] Well I finally made the jump to Windows 8

Click for full size
Desktop
Click for full size
Start Screen
Click for full size
All Apps Screen
After doing a lot of research, testing, multiple installs, and the most important part, McAfee Enterprise finally came out with Patch 3 to support Windows 8, I officially made the jump yesterday. The version I'm running is Windows 8 Pro x64 with Windows Media Center.

As you can see by the above screens, I'm using the native Start screen. Yes, it was a bit of a shock to me when I first installed the Consumer Preview back in March of 2012. However, I took it upon myself to learn the new interface, and was able to fully customize it to fit my needs.

My desktop is clean, except for the recycle bin icon (just like I had it in Windows 7). Really outside of the missing little orb for the start menu, I feel like I am in Windows 7 when I'm looking at my desktop.

On the Start Screen, I have the applications that I launch most often. They are also grouped by function. From left to right the columns are "Windows Functions or Apps", then "Games", followed by "Microsoft Office", and finally "My installed Applications". I know there are no actual heading names, but that is how I grouped them.

Looking at the "All Apps" screen, I fully customized this as well. As I've said in numerous threads, that screen uses the directory names and folder structure found at "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs". So as I was building my system, I took all of the folders and icons that were created, and moved them all to the desktop. Once everything was installed, I setup the main folders (column headings) and put the icons inside of them, and then moved the whole works to the directory I noted above. The result is what we see on my "All Apps" screen.

In my specific case, I also have a Microsoft Digital Pro Media keyboard. It has buttons to bring up My Documents, My Music, and My Pictures. It also has a Mail, Web/Home, and Messenger button. So, I was able to configure the last three to launch Thunderbird, Waterfox, and Skype. This is why those icons do not appear on the Start Screen (but do appear on the All Apps screen if in the event my keyboard has an issue). This keyboard also has a key that opens the windows calculator as well. I use that a lot, and its so easy to just tap a key on my keyboard to bring it up.

I can very quickly tap my Windows Key to open the start screen, and then click on the application that I want to run.

The only time I actually use the charms bar is if I want to reboot or shutdown the computer. I don't see a need to use the other icons, as I can get them from either inside Windows Explorer (search), or the Control Panel (Settings and Devices). The start icon is (to me) a waste, as why would I drag the mouse to the top or bottom right, bring up the charms bar, and then click to get to the start screen, when all I have to do is tap my windows key on the my keyboard?

Overall, I am very happy with Windows 8. I like the new interface, because I can customize it to fit my needs. If I do need to make changes to anything, the control panel icon is right there on my start screen. Since the Control Panel is the same as it was in Windows 7 (with new features I'm thinking), making changes was just as easy in Windows 8 as it was in Windows 7.

Finally, if anyone is interested, I do have quite a detailed list of steps that I went through (and will use each time I re-install) to install and configure my specific setup. It shows step by step what I did, which includes the modifications I made, services I may have disabled, power options, etc, etc, etc. And if anyone is wondering, I had a similar list for Windows 7 too. I do this so that I can keep track of what changes I made to the OS, in case someone has questions about something not working, or why something may work differently for me, or why something looks like it does on my system. Its a good reference point especially when trying to troubleshoot an issue. It could also be used by someone other then me, if they wanted to setup their system just like I have it (or take parts of it for their own use).

I'm open for any questions or comments that anyone may have.

--Brian

SoonerAl
MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK

SoonerAl

MVM

I'm like you and like the new modern UI start screen. I have mine customized to pretty much mimic the apps I use on an iPod Touch. What legacy apps we, ie. my wife primarily, do use I can get to via a few tiles on the modern UI start screen. They, I might add, are primarily used by my wife when we travel. She still likes the classic legacy desktop.

What weather app/program are you using to put the weather ob/forecast on the classic desktop?

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

1 recommendation

plencnerb

Premium Member

Click for full size
said by SoonerAl:

What weather app/program are you using to put the weather ob/forecast on the classic desktop?

The application is called "Rainmeter", and you can download it from here

»rainmeter.net/cms/

On a high level, each "app" is an INI file with a bunch of commands and output. Doing some google searches, I came across one for weather. I then did a little research into the format and functionally of the INI file, and was able to customize it to fit my needs. I've attached a screen image showing part of the INI for the weather "App".

Specifically, it does an RSS feed type of call to the weather.com webpage. Then, I parse out all the fields I want (temp, wind speed, sunrise, and so on), and display the information to the screen.

Just like the "Gadgets" that were in Windows 7, this one works the same way. You can pick it up and drag it to any spot on the desktop. You can also (from inside the INI file) modify the size, font, and color of the text being displayed.

Rainmeter also does many other kind of things as well. I just use it to display the current weather.

--Brian

Octavean
MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY

Octavean to plencnerb

MVM

to plencnerb
Click for full size
Click for full size
I'm OK with Windows 8 Pro 64bit as well. I don't feel like I have to modify it much if at all and can navigate just fine in a basically stock install. This is a triple monitor setup (3x1920x1080) 5760x1080 driven by a GTX 670 on a Core i7 3930K / Asus P8X79 Deluxe platform.

Cartel
Intel inside Your sensitive data outside
Premium Member
join:2006-09-13
Chilliwack, BC

Cartel to plencnerb

Premium Member

to plencnerb
I'm skipping Windows 8 and going to Linux when Windows 7 kicks the bucket.

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

I do want to add that this is running on a desktop, with a keyboard and a mouse, and a non-touch monitor.

My full list of hardware is below. All items were purchased from Tigerdirect.com back in October of 2011.

•Apevia Iceberg 680-Watt Power Supply
•Apevia X-Cruiser2 Metal Mid-Tower Case - Black, Side Window
•ASUS Motherboard - AMD 880GX, Socket AM3
•AMD Athlon II X4 635 Processor - Quad Core, 2.90GHz, Socket AM3
•Corsair 4GB, PC10666, DDR3-1333MHz
•Corsair 4GB, PC10666, DDR3-1333MHz
•Corsair 4GB, PC10666, DDR3-1333MHz
•Corsair 4GB, PC10666, DDR3-1333MHz
•Cooler Master Hyper N520 CPU Cooler
•EVGA GeForce GT 220 Video Card - 1024MB DDR3, PCI-Express 2.0
•Logitech Optical Mouse
•LG Optical Internal DVDRW Drive - 24x Serial ATA Technology
•OEM 3.5" Internal Memory Card Reader
•Viewsonic LED 22" Widescreen LED Monitor
•Microsoft Digital Media Pro Keyboard

--Brian

JohnInSJ
Premium Member
join:2003-09-22
Aptos, CA

1 recommendation

JohnInSJ to plencnerb

Premium Member

to plencnerb
said by plencnerb:

I'm open for any questions or comments that anyone may have.

You can name those groups if you want.

With a mouse, do a pinch zoom by holding the ctrl-key and rolling the scroll wheel down when in the Start modern UI view.

Now click on any group, so it's selected.

Now type some name for it.

Neato.

»blogs.msdn.com/b/zxue/ar ··· ups.aspx

Embrace Change

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

1 recommendation

plencnerb

Premium Member

Click for full size
Hey that is cool!

New picture attached.

--Brian

Octavean
MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY

Octavean to plencnerb

MVM

to plencnerb
My full system specs are as follows:

Intel Core i7 3930K Sandy Bridge-E 3.2GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 2011 130W Six-Core Processor
Asus P9X79 Deluxe LGA2011 motherboard
32GB of system RAM (8x4GB)
PNY GTX 670 video card
Asus VE276Q, VE278Q and VK278Q triple 27” (1920x1080) Widescreen Monitor setup (Dual Link DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort)
Corsair Force Series 3 120GB SATA III SSD 2x
Samsung 840 500GB SSD
Asus BD ROM / DVD Burner
Antec EarthWatts 650 PSU
Antec P180 case
Windows 8 Pro 64bit
Logitech DiNovo Edge Bluetooth keyboard
Logitech G7 Wireless Mouse
Logitech USB speakers
Belkin Nostromo n52 speed pad

SoonerAl
MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK

1 edit

SoonerAl to plencnerb

MVM

to plencnerb
Click for full size
said by plencnerb:

said by SoonerAl:

What weather app/program are you using to put the weather ob/forecast on the classic desktop?

The application is called "Rainmeter", and you can download it from here

»rainmeter.net/cms/

--Brian

Thanks...

FWIW here is a screen shot of my modern UI start screen. The middle IE, Quicken and Desktop tiles are what my wife uses when traveling. We also use Outlook 2010 for our email client (upper left tile).

I am running Windows 8 Pro on a non-touch screen HP G60 laptop (32-bit) machine.