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Windows 8 / RT |OT|

A

alphaNoid

Banned
bloodydrake said:
I've been using Windows 8 since the full version came out on Technet. After the initial minor hurtles of learning how to do things a new way its been fantastic.

I only have 2 minor gripes related to using dual monitors.

1. I want a way to stop the cursor on the right edge of the screen of the first monitor. Like holding down the windows key will stop the cursor from changing screens.
This would fix the need to move to the second monitors far right to get the charms menu up. I find trying to hover over the right edge of monitor 1 without moving the cursor over the edge into monitor 2 which stops the charms from coming up fiddly.

As well It would let me quickly snap down to the show desktop bar in the bottom right. Now that there is no start menu you have to put all your shortcuts to desktop apps on the desktop but with a few programs open its a pain to minimize to launch a new program. I find the windows key + , isn't practical since it requires two hands to do it.
Click to expand...

Windows key + C for the Charm Panel (top right corner issue)
Windows key + D to drop to the Desktop
 
bloodydrake

bloodydrake

Cool Smoke Luke
LukasTaves said:
There is. They use a small area around the corner of each monitor where the cursor is blocked and you can invoke the charms bar on monitor 1.
Click to expand...

are you saying if i drag my cursor along the bottom of the screen it won't transition to monitor 2 without moving it up? cuz I haven't noticed this behavior yet.. maybe I'm not bringing my cursor low enough initially to notice it.
I'll try on monday when I get back to work.

LukasTaves said:
Not sure i understood that completely, but you can add desktop shortcuts to the start screen. WinKey + Type also works for all installed desktop programs even if you haven't pinned them.
Click to expand...

if you have 4 programs open 2 on each screen and you want to open a 5th from a desktop icon..what is the quickest easiest way to show desktop to launch the 5th program from a desktop link not from the start screen? its counter intuitive to keep clicking back to the start screen while working in desktop mode exclusively. I have been using the show desktop int he bottom right of the first monitor

In windows 7 it wasn't an issue since I pinned all the programs to the start menu I used with any regularity. I also increased the size and didn't allow it to show any recent programs.Once I grouped all programs into themes it was the quickest way to launch programs for me.
 
Y

yn-neko hates a cat

Banned
brotkasten said:
And they look awful on a tablet.
Click to expand...

I have to imagine the best ones will be redesigned to work with a tablet interface. I don't share the opinion that they are crappy(-er) by virtue that the WP OS tends to make apps look better on WP then they look on other mobile OSs. What make them look less appealing on a tablet are the enlarged UI elements that just look unreasonably large on screens 2 to 3 times bigger.
 
bloodydrake

bloodydrake

Cool Smoke Luke
alphaNoid said:
Windows key + C for the Charm Panel (top right corner issue)
Windows key + D to drop to the Desktop
Click to expand...

ya i gotta memorize the charm one..that will help alot

but the kicker is drop to desktop isn't show desktop..which is what I need, its windows key + ; ..which requires two hands so I won't ever use it

anyways its not the end of the world, its just the last thing that feels clunky working exclusively in desktop mode on windows 8 for me at this point.
 
L

LukasTaves

Member
bloodydrake said:
are you saying if i drag my cursor along the bottom of the screen it won't transition to monitor 2 without moving it up? cuz I haven't noticed this behavior yet.. maybe I'm not bringing my cursor low enough initially to notice it.
I'll try on monday when I get back to work.
Click to expand...
Exactly. If you plan to open the charms bar you will have to move it up fairly straightly so you don't go to the other desktop, but the corner definitely locks the cursor.

bloodydrake said:
if you have 4 programs open 2 on each screen and you want to open a 5th from a desktop icon..what is the quickest easiest way to show desktop to launch the 5th program from a desktop link not from the start screen? its counter intuitive to keep clicking back to the start screen while working in desktop mode exclusively. I have been using the show desktop int he bottom right of the first monitor
Click to expand...
Even in w7 i usually had no pinned programs and just opened them by win + typing... So that works about the same on W8... For a scenario where you can do this strictly with mouse... yeah, i think you'd have no option that's not a little cumbersome...

You could hit Win+D to show the desktop, at least would be better than move the cursor to the corner and then back to the icon... But unfortunately it will minimize all your windows, on both monitors (would be awesome if there was an way to configure these shortcuts for only triggering the active monitor).

bloodydrake said:
In windows 7 it wasn't an issue since I pinned all the programs to the start menu I used with any regularity. I also increased the size and didn't allow it to show any recent programs.Once I grouped all programs into themes it was the quickest way to launch programs for me.
Click to expand...
Now that you can kinda do in w8 start screen. Probably having more screen state to show more apps. It might feel a bit awkward at first but since they are listed in a grid instead of a list, eventually your muscular memory will take you directly to the position of the app you want to open...
 
S

SCHUEY F1

Unconfirmed Member
They updated the touch mouse drivers for Windows 8. Works great for bringing up the charms, bringing up the app options and switching apps. Glad i bought one on sale when i did.
 
Y

yn-neko hates a cat

Banned
I always find the efficiency arguments people make against Windows 8 a little lacking. Case in point: If a person is annoyed that they are doing an extra click for something like shutting down then you have to question just how efficient this person is if they are shutting down often enough that an extra click is making them less efficient. Arguments like this abound and it becomes hard to take them seriously as problems. They're more excuses people have for making an argument against change while ignoring any benefits change might bring.

SCHUEY F1 said:
They updated the touch mouse drivers for Windows 8. Works great for bringing up the charms, bringing up the app options and switching apps. Glad i bought one on sale when i did.
Click to expand...

Which touch mouse are you referring to?
 
bloodydrake

bloodydrake

Cool Smoke Luke
i just vpn'd into work and I see I was misunderstanding how windows+d worked..it just doesn't launch desktop it does minimize stuff if you do it again..

awesome!
 
S

SeanR1221

Member
Damon Bennet said:
Any developers here?

One thing I really, really want for Windows 8 is a touchscreen input method for games or emulators . While I dont like touchscreen controls at all, I imagine having the tablet with you and being able to play "real" games with it, without the need of a controller or keyboard would be a fun addition.

Or does something like this exist already? I dont know
Click to expand...

This is what I'm interesting in. So like, will you be able to play fruit ninja with a mouse?

I'll be watching the Xbox for Windows games closely. It could push me to buy one of these.
 
S

StrangeADT

Banned
Muahaha, free Windows 8 here. One of the few benefits of being a student it seems. What are people saying about the stability of it at the moment? Are there compatibility issues in games or?
 
bloodydrake

bloodydrake

Cool Smoke Luke
LukasTaves said:
Now that you can kinda do in w8 start screen. Probably having more screen state to show more apps. It might feel a bit awkward at first but since they are listed in a grid instead of a list, eventually your muscular memory will take you directly to the position of the app you want to open...
Click to expand...

Your probably right..I have been putting everything down to small boxes and once I've organized all the rows vertically from most commonly used programs on left to least used on the right it will probably just become second nature to launch everything from the start screen even in desktop mode.
 
S

Stronghammer22

Member
Is it not possible to use Microsoft Points to purchase content now? I know Microsoft were switching to credit card payments as the default option, but I didn't think they were ditching points completely. I was trying to buy something earlier with points - the only options I could see were credit card and Paypal though.
 
Y

yn-neko hates a cat

Banned
Stronghammer22 said:
Is it not possible to use Microsoft Points to purchase content now? I know Microsoft were switching to credit card payments as the default option, but I didn't think they were ditching points completely. I was trying to buy something earlier with points - the only options I could see were credit card and Paypal though.
Click to expand...

The story going around all of last week was that points were still only good for Xbox content... I don't know if that's across all services branded with Xbox or just games. I haven't had a chance to buy anything from the Windows Marketplace but it seems since it's not branded Xbox, it wouldn't apply. Better now than later though.

I'll miss points for sure :(
 
S

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
DagsJT said:
Anyone elses Music app just keep dropping out back to the Metro screen? Seems to work once out of every ten tries at using it. In fact, it's been more than ten attempts now. It stays on for a few seconds, freezes for a second, then transitions back to Metro. No problems with any other apps.
Click to expand...

Yes, I get this with certain apps like Remote Desktop. It's been less and less with each new release. Happened most often during the consumer preview. It usually launches the second time.

StrangeADT said:
Muahaha, free Windows 8 here. One of the few benefits of being a student it seems. What are people saying about the stability of it at the moment? Are there compatibility issues in games or?
Click to expand...

It's been very stable ever since the Consumer Preview. The only games that I had any issues with were Tera Online and Aion. Both of those were due to the same anti-cheating software they used and they actually worked fine at first but some update to that software caused them to hang in Windows 8. Both were updated and work fine now. Haven't had any other issues.
 
S

SCHUEY F1

Unconfirmed Member
yn-neko hates a cat said:
I always find the efficiency arguments people make against Windows 8 a little lacking. Case in point: If a person is annoyed that they are doing an extra click for something like shutting down then you have to question just how efficient this person is if they are shutting down often enough that an extra click is making them less efficient. Arguments like this abound and it becomes hard to take them seriously as problems. They're more excuses people have for making an argument against change while ignoring any benefits change might bring.



Which touch mouse are you referring to?
Click to expand...

The MS Touch Mouse.
 
L

Lynn616

Member
yn-neko hates a cat said:
Which touch mouse are you referring to?
Click to expand...

This One.

Z3CBx.jpg
Click to expand...
 
C

clav

Member
How many Windows 8 keys are given for a Technet Standard subscription ($199)?

edit: So apparently the upgrade install will allow users to wipe hard drives after a restart.
 
Y

yn-neko hates a cat

Banned
DMPrince said:
was referring to when they made the release preview. have they made much improvement then? i saw someone here i think they crashed too?
Click to expand...

I didn't use the RTM long enough to be able to say :( Many on here have been using it with few issues posted. There were a couple of post saying it crashed after an Nvidia driver update but that's about all I've heard recently.
 
T

TxdoHawk

Member
“It was very difficult to get used to,” he said. “I have an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, and they never got used to it. They were like, ‘We’re just going to use Mom’s computer.’ ”
Click to expand...

There are dads that would view this as a major benefit, hah. My stepfather back in the day went as far as locking the best PC in the house behind a door just to keep my meddling fingers away from it.

Of course, now the tables are turned and I'm giving him tech support when things go wrong. Funny how life works..
 
F

f0lken

Member
Dreams-Visions said:
Yea, not even going to bother installing this for my mother. She's not very good with computers and hidden shit she has to remember would petrify her.
Click to expand...

I installed it on my mom and sister's computers, and they enjoy it and find it easy to use, they are far from being power users and still they became used to the charms and hot corners in less than a day
 
I

Iced_Eagle

Member
zephervack said:
How do you set a custom wallpaper like the one in the OP?
Click to expand...

Lock screen wallpaper?

Settings charm -> Change PC settings -> Personalize

The start screen can be customized on that page as well.

If you mean desktop wallpaper, while on desktop hit settings charm -> Personalization
 
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