Windows 8 for people who hate the Metro UI

The Ribbon thing in Office never really bothered me; I think that one of the main issues was that it took up too much screen "real estate", but that has largely been superseded by the move to larger screens. However, it is still an issue on Netbooks, where the borders and frippery take up more space than the document you are trying to work on.

The thing that does bother me in office is that the applications are inconsistent: Word works in single document interface (SDI) mode - where each document opens in a separate desktop window, whereas Excel works in multiple document interface (MDI) - where there is an Excel parent window that all documents open within.

I'm not sure if they've fixed that inconsistency in Office 2013; I have it, but I've not tried installing, since I view it as associated with Windows 8 and I'm not sure if I'm taking that very far.

Who knows - it might be good, but if the same team worked on that as did Windows 8, then I'm not sure I'll put the effort into finding out.

People don't like change that's the problem.
I just got a new laptop with WIN8 installed, got in an uckin fuddle to start with but after two weeks am getting used to the system, I think some of the stuff onboard is unnecessary for the normal user, I find some different function everyday as i'm like most blokes I learn by doing, the problem is remembering how and where the function was, all in all it's pretty interesting.
I'm 66 and three quarters years of age and still learning!

Smudger

smudger1946 wrote: »

People don't like change that's the problem.
I just got a new laptop with WIN8 installed, got in an uckin fuddle to start with but after two weeks am getting used to the system, I think some of the stuff onboard is unnecessary for the normal user, I find some different function everyday as i'm like most blokes I learn by doing, the problem is remembering how and where the function was, all in all it's pretty interesting.
I'm 66 and three quarters years of age and still learning!

Smudger

That is incorrect - people do like change.

But the simple fact that something has changed does not implicitly mean that it is better.

Windows 8 is a change for the worse - they are trying to make a desktop computer behave like a mobile phone.

I use a mixture of Windows (XP, 7, 8, Server), Unix (HP, Solaris), Linux (Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu), Mac, tablets (iPad, Blackberry), phones (Nokia, iPhone, Blackberry); of them all, Windows 8 is the least fit for purpose.

prowla wrote: »

I find myself agreeing with a lot of what you say here.
.....
Tablets are fine, but touchscreens are not viable for continual day-to-day use; you cannot hold your arm up for extended periods and the health & safety departments are going to go gaga.....

??? Developing a nice bicep holding this here ipad 2, I am sure it's non-fatal

Great topic tho thanks op

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

Have you tried using this heap of junk on something like Photoshop ?.......or any other specialised software package ?

You cannot use programmes like this with touch a screen software package or a "!!!!!!!ised" version of one. W7 is excellent for this sort of thing - long may it last !

I haven't got Photoshop but do use Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, CorelDraw, Photo-Paint and RealDraw Pro on Windows 8 using a keyboard and mouse without a problem.