Considering switching to SP3

[Freyqq]

You are describing work arounds. My whole point is the Metro UI is an utter disaster from start to finish for anyone with a mouse and keyboard. I had to help a neighbour install the desktop version of Skype so she could speak to her relatives abroad. No UI should be that s*** that you have to install the desktop version of an app because the touch based version is that broken. I had to show her the shortcuts, the charms bar etc. When she asked how to close a program/app she asked what was wrong with the way they did it before and I completely agree.

I do get how to use the W8 UI, I just cannot get my head around why anyone would want to use it. The desktop experience of Windows 7 is a superior UI even although it is older. It's a flop, M$ got scared about losing their market share and rushed that crap out as a knee jerk reaction. Half baked UI, with half ideas and poorly executed.

But like I said I can give credit where it's due and underneath the OS is pretty decent. Just a shame they had to butcher it with the disgrace that is the Metro UI, no wonder that idiot Balmer got sacked.

Apple really do have the right idea, two different but closely integrated OS's for two different usage patterns. Each taking the best ideas from the other and continually incrementally improving.

Before W8 I was a M$ fanboy, afterwards I felt pretty pissed off and I even learn to like Vista after SP1.

Really would it have been so hard to have a option in settings - also why is there two ********* settings, another poorly thought out idea, to enable a classic Windows mode where you disable all the stupid Metro crap? I'm sure their millions of business users would have appreciated that.

Sorry but it's a failed experiment, I only hope W9 really picks up it's game and please oh please Microsoft stop ramming 'the cloud' down my throat. Happy to keep files in the cloud but I want my OS firmly installed on my SSD.

Metro is a good idea..only if you have a touchscreen
without a touchscreen, it is a step backwards

 

[TechZeke]

You are describing work arounds. My whole point is the Metro UI is an utter disaster from start to finish for anyone with a mouse and keyboard. I had to help a neighbour install the desktop version of Skype so she could speak to her relatives abroad. No UI should be that s*** that you have to install the desktop version of an app because the touch based version is that broken. I had to show her the shortcuts, the charms bar etc. When she asked how to close a program/app she asked what was wrong with the way they did it before and I completely agree.

I do get how to use the W8 UI, I just cannot get my head around why anyone would want to use it. The desktop experience of Windows 7 is a superior UI even although it is older. It's a flop, M$ got scared about losing their market share and rushed that crap out as a knee jerk reaction. Half baked UI, with half ideas and poorly executed.

But like I said I can give credit where it's due and underneath the OS is pretty decent. Just a shame they had to butcher it with the disgrace that is the Metro UI, no wonder that idiot Balmer got sacked.

Apple really do have the right idea, two different but closely integrated OS's for two different usage patterns. Each taking the best ideas from the other and continually incrementally improving.

Before W8 I was a M$ fanboy, afterwards I felt pretty pissed off and I even learn to like Vista after SP1.

Really would it have been so hard to have a option in settings - also why is there two ********* settings, another poorly thought out idea, to enable a classic Windows mode where you disable all the stupid Metro crap? I'm sure their millions of business users would have appreciated that.

Sorry but it's a failed experiment, I only hope W9 really picks up it's game and please oh please Microsoft stop ramming 'the cloud' down my throat. Happy to keep files in the cloud but I want my OS firmly installed on my SSD.

Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, I get the feeling you would hate windows 8 regardless of what anyone says.

Really, most of the hate seems to come from change. Once I got used to Windows 8, I found it far superior to any previous version of windows. MS really did their homework, especially under the hood.

Like I said, the Metro UI start screen is nothing more than launchpad like in OSX. If you install your apps like normal and avoid the windows App Store, all it does is go straight to the desktop application on the normal desktop. Especially with the 8.1 update I'd hardly call it half baked.

 

[827538]

Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, I get the feeling you would hate windows 8 regardless of what anyone says.

Really, most of the hate seems to come from change. Once I got used to Windows 8, I found it far superior to any previous version of windows. MS really did their homework, especially under the hood.

Like I said, the Metro UI start screen is nothing more than launchpad like in OSX. If you install your apps like normal and avoid the windows App Store, all it does is go straight to the desktop application on the normal desktop. Especially with the 8.1 update I'd hardly call it half baked.

I've embraced every new OS since I've been interested in the world of computing. I have W8, 8.1 and patch 1 plenty of chance to win me over. I did say I like the under the good improvements.

The launch pad in OS X sucks, pretty quickly disabled it as it's next to useless for me, the task bar down the bottom and notifications panel works fine. But at least unlike Metro it doesn't cripple the user experience. That's my problem with metro, it creates an inferior experience to W7.

I still would have to install a third party add on to have use of the long lived and extremely useful and tidy start menu - something I believe they are finally about to bring back. Why did they remove this? Because of a 'we know best' attitude and they had a new a****** ripped into them for it by business and consumers alike. It's that same bad attitude that crippled their xbox one launch.

I shouldn't have to 'avoid' a major component of the operating system. I shouldn't need work arounds or 3rd party programs to restore what I would describe as fundamental functionality. The App Store on OS X is great, I wish the windows App Store was actually capable of being useful.

This is what happens when an arrogant company gets scared and goes all out and shoehorns a badly designed UI next to a tried and true UI ontop of decent OS. Why couldn't W8 have been a case of traditional W7 UI, with improved touch features, all the nice under the good improvements, a windows App Store for desktop apps, refreshed W8 theme?

From what I'm hearing that's kind of the direction W9 might be heading in. Really I'm not someone who stands in the way of advancement, but no matter how much polish they apply to W8 it's a failure. Sure some people might like it but it's clear that when W7 is growing faster than W8 the majority have firmly rejected it. It was one of a number of reasons I moved to Mac.

Not saying you can't enjoy the SP3, I think it's a pretty good tablet, just you would never find me electing to use W8.1 over W7. I'll happily live with W7 until I see what W9 has to offer.

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Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, I get the feeling you would hate windows 8 regardless of what anyone says.

Really, most of the hate seems to come from change. Once I got used to Windows 8, I found it far superior to any previous version of windows. MS really did their homework, especially under the hood.

Like I said, the Metro UI start screen is nothing more than launchpad like in OSX. If you install your apps like normal and avoid the windows App Store, all it does is go straight to the desktop application on the normal desktop. Especially with the 8.1 update I'd hardly call it half baked.

Sorry I didn't mean launchpad, it's the stupid think that you swipe left to get, has a calculator, like a widgets page. Thought that's what you meant.

I'm glad you enjoy W8, really. Just I feel pretty screwed over and I'm now happily enjoying the benefits of owning my first Mac - while boot camping for gaming. Finally have the ultimate setup.

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Ah Dashboard is what I meant. Since my first day owning a Mac and enjoying Mavericks I've been wondering when Apple will kill it off. Just unnecessary in my opinion.

 

[///M5]

Well, I'm posting this from my i5/256/8 SP3. I really couldn't be happier. I've had the device for a couple of weeks now. It's completely replaced my 13" rMBP and iPad (well, still carry the latter as a hotspot AP). I wish they'd offered a 4G SP3. That would've made it THE device for me. Well, maybe sometime in the future.

Pros:

- Screen is perfect size and is top-notch quality
- Solid build and premium feel
- New kickstand is a god-send. Just hope the hinges won't weaken as time passes.
- Note taking is a bless - this is my first digital note taking device. Still getting used to it but the idea of keeping my handwritten notes forever sounds great indeed. And it works pretty well I got to say. Took a few pages note the other day and I can see myself using it more often
- It is FAST and stable - Windows 8.1 is getting there
- Office for Windows is a bless to use. No competition here
- Love the weight and the size of this thing while still being a full-fledged computer. It literally goes with me wherever I go.
- The keyboard is great, albeit had to get used to it for a week or so. Especially with the newly introduced tilted design.
- Battery life is sufficient for my use - I get away with ~7 hours

Now for the Cons:

- Not very lap-able. I don't usually require to lap my laptop but occasionally I have to. It's not impossible but just not comfortable
- No 4G option. I'd swap mine with a 4G model in a heartbeat.
- I have to say the app collection on the Metro side is not great. However, it does the job for me. I'm 80% in Desktop mode anyway.
- The trackpad is okay-ish. MBP's is still leaps ahead.
- Scaling in W8.1 desktop mode is still not widely adopted by developers resulting in pixelated text etc. Programs can still run w/o scaling but then the text is tiny - an example would be desktop Skype (hello, MS?)
- I miss the upper task bar of Mac OSX where 'widgets' could run - stocks etc

Overall I'm really satisfied with my purchase and will be using the SP3 as my main work and personal machine as well as media consumption device.

let me know if you have any questions and i'll be glad to answer them.