Windows 8 Commentary

Windows 8 was released on 2012-10-26. That is, 16 days ago. Why am I writing about it now? Easy: because I did not even bother doing a review. This is just a bit of quick commentary.

I used Windows 8 for a bit since the RTM, thanks to the 90-day evaluation. And? Not too much has changed since Release Preview. It lost even more Aero. Other little changes appeared. That’s it.

I tested the new system on some humans. They didn’t quite like and understand the new stuff. So, not good.

And also, there are TV ads and other marketing materials. Can you please guess what is used to control the system in them? That’s right: touch. They also recommend new PCs. Most of them are the ones I like to call “hipster”: ultrabooks, all-in-ones, tablets, convertibles. Oh well. Because everybody wants to buy a brand new PC now. Tell you what: most people don’t. Unlike eg. smartphones, people generally buy new PCs when their old ones are (a) broken; (b) painfully slow; (c) old as hell. So we have that.

That $40 upgrades are a way to get more people to use Windows 8. They did it, because they know that they might not get a lot of upgrades if it was more expensive. Another possible explanation is the fact that it may not be liked by people. The cheaper the product, the more likely are people to buy it impulsively.

That concludes my thoughts for now. I will publish more of them when sales reports will be published.

Bonus: Get to know Windows

Click on the section title. Go ahead. I suggest a {Ctrl,Cmd}-click. It goes over to Microsoft.com. Now, why you need to go to Microsoft.com to learn this? Why isn’t this shown at the first login to Windows? Or at least a “Hello, you may want to learn what we will fuck you with for the next three or so years unless you decide to downgrade, but we all know that you won’t, right? Right? Learn more pop-up. So, Overview and Search, share, & more teach you the basics of Metro. All fine. Now, let’s learn what changed. I replaced marketing bullshit with the word blah. Everything that I said is in italics.

Using Windows

Search.: blah blah blah Charms blah blah blah apps
Start.: blah blah blah replaced by Start blah home base blah open apps blah glance at the tiles blah how to get there
Desktop.: blah Desktop tile blah Win+D
Open Control Panel.: blah Control Panel blah PC settings blah searching blah Settings charm
Help and Support.: blah Search blah Settings→Help on Start blah blah Settings→Help in apps or blah blah blah else blah blah
Turn off or shut down a PC.: Oh, hi. It’s you. So, how are you holding up, shutdown magic? Let’s read about you. blah blah no need to shut down blah sleep blah little power, faster startup, back to where you left off*—what? So you want people to put Windows to sleep now? This capability is in Windows since ages. Congrats, Microsoft, on reminding yourself of its existence and thus getting to tell people to do it the proper way! Unless you use a desktop PC, where it is almost always better to do a full halt.* blah default mode blah close your lid or hit the power button blah Hold on. You want me to hit the power button? I enabled this fancy start-up-at-the-moment-in-which-you-get-power feature for <strong>a reason.</strong> Getting to the power button of my tower is not that easy. I don’t want to duck so low. * *blah change default mode to sleep why isn’t the it default? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah airplane blah not using blah turn off blah*close desktop apps blah save work *blah settings charm blah power blah shut down blah. </dl>

Using apps

Print.: Devices charm or Ctrl+P blah blah blah no support blah add
See all apps (programs). Oh, back to the “programs” word? What for?: blah All apps blah keyboard search blah
Install apps.: blah Store blah media blah DVD blah Internet blah blah
Microsoft account: Add an account to an app. WTF? blah create account if none blah Settings→Accounts in app blah Add blah blah type blah blah instructions.
Close an app.: Apps blah blah from the Windows Store don’t slow down your PC, so you don’t need to close them blah blah close at random blah close desktop apps before shutodwn blah drag from the top of the screen to the bottom BTW: why, exactly, this way? blah blah left-side menu blah drag to bottom with touch, right-click and Close with a mouse blah

So we have that. Up next, Customize Start. Standard. How to use apps, or: app commands (right-click/{↓,↑}swipe). Those things are important, but are also easily discoverable by mistake. Switch between apps? Standard swipe-from-left/top-left corner thing, not so easy to find. Also, app snapping.

So, I still hate Windows 8. And will hate it forever.