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Stardock just fixed Windows 8

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M

MCD

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Download beta: http://www.stardock.com/products/modernmix/

News story: http://www.neowin.net/news/stardock...d-resize-modern-windows-8-apps-on-the-desktop

Basically, ModernMix allows Windows 8 owners to run all of the Modern apps such as Netflix, Xbox Music and more on the desktop, along with the ability to resize those apps in a window. You can even pre-set the Modern app window sizes so they stay the same size every time you launch the app. You can also pin the Modern apps on the desktop taskbar for a quick launch. Finally, the Modern apps running under ModernMix have minimal, maximum and close buttons on top, just like regular desktop Windows programs.
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lLiVgZ0.jpg
 
I don't know why MS didn't do this. Minimize should suspend, maximize should go to normal fullscreen and apps should be resizable within minimum resolution constraints. Win 8 apps already have to abide to certain guidelines so it should be easy to window them.
 
Somnid said:
I don't know why MS didn't do this. Minimize should suspend, maximize should go to normal fullscreen and apps should be resizable within minimum resolution constraints. Win 8 apps already have to abide to certain guidelines so it should be easy to window them.
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They kinda messed up with the minimum resolution being 1360x768. Should have been less, like 1024x600 or something.

But I agree completely: allowing the apps to run in Windows and have an optional full screen mode would increase usability a huge lot.
 
Windows 8 won't be fixed for me until they allow you to purchase Metro apps through other sources than the MS store. The UI issues are a secondary issue to me, the attempt to turn the platform into a closed one is what is keeping me away.
 
Moaradin said:
Their Start8 app already fixed Windows 8 for me, but this looks nice also.
Click to expand...

This is very true: I couldn't imagine using Windows 8 without Stardock's Start8. It certainly is the best Start Menu replacement - works just like the original (and even better, if you want).

ModernMix is just the cherry on top of the cake.
 
This is a cool utility, though seems to be mostly pointless. On a laptop or desktop I'd rather just use desktop applications or windowed web sites. On a tablet no way in hell would I want this since it would undermine every bit of work done in Windows 8 to preserve battery life by suspending applications. Not to mention how broken it would be with touch.

Has anyone tried it? How does it handle charms? Seems like it would be confusing and inconsistent. Because the Desktop has its own behavior when it comes to Charms, but then each app also has its own context-sensitive use for Charms. Does it just activate the charms for whatever app is currently selected? And if no app is selected, it shows them for the Desktop?

If you have a laptop with touch, how does this handle edge gestures? Can you still swipe up/down inside of an app to show the app bar menus? This was already a problem with remote desktop, seems like it would be made worse here since it's not even natively supported.
 
Holy fucking shit. It is a game changer. Although some apps that I tried had problems when resized (parts of UI weren't fitted to the new window's size) or when the window's size was too small, it works. It really works.
 
Bregor said:
Windows 8 won't be fixed for me until they allow you to purchase Metro apps through other sources than the MS store. The UI issues are a secondary issue to me, the attempt to turn the platform into a closed one is what is keeping me away.
Click to expand...

Well, currently there are no Metro apps that are best-in-class products to use, to the point that you'd want to use them instead of a non-Metro equivalent. I've yet to encounter any app I'd even remotely consider purchasing regardless.
 
dLMN8R said:
This is a cool utility, though seems to be mostly pointless. On a laptop or desktop I'd rather just use desktop applications or windowed web sites. On a tablet no way in hell would I want this since it would undermine every bit of work done in Windows 8 to preserve battery life by suspending applications.

Has anyone tried it? How does it handle charms? Seems like it would be confusing and inconsistent. Because the Desktop has its own behavior when it comes to Charms, but then each app also has its own context-sensitive use for Charms. Does it just activate the charms for whatever app is currently selected? And if no app is selected, it shows them for the Desktop?
Click to expand...

I bought it.

Charms bar is for whatever app you currently have selected, yes.

Not sure about the battery part since I am using a big ass desktop but when I close the app using the X button on top, it dismisses it to the left bar.
 
dLMN8R said:
Has anyone tried it? How does it handle charms? Seems like it would be confusing and inconsistent. Because the Desktop has its own behavior when it comes to Charms, but then each app also has its own context-sensitive use for Charms. Does it just activate the charms for whatever app is currently selected? And if no app is selected, it shows them for the Desktop?
Click to expand...

Charms are context-sensitive, i.e. what charms are shown is dependent on what app was in focus when you opened the bar.

This is a cool utility, though seems to be mostly pointless. On a laptop or desktop I'd rather just use desktop applications or windowed web sites. On a tablet no way in hell would I want this since it would undermine every bit of work done in Windows 8 to preserve battery life by suspending applications. Not to mention how broken it would be with touch.
Click to expand...
Currently I'm working on a 15.4" laptop, so being able to run metro stuff windowed doesn't really benefit me, but I believe for someone with a bigger monitor it can be helpful. There are some nice apps, and sometimes it's better to use dedicated app than a windowed webpage (no ads, no useless content, text and images nicely formatted etc.).
 
If this lets metro applications continue loading while I'm the background, I'm all for it. Metro apps are horse shit when it comes to multi tasking.
 
dLMN8R said:
This is a cool utility, though seems to be mostly pointless. On a laptop or desktop I'd rather just use desktop applications or windowed web sites. On a tablet no way in hell would I want this since it would undermine every bit of work done in Windows 8 to preserve battery life by suspending applications. Not to mention how broken it would be with touch.

Has anyone tried it? How does it handle charms? Seems like it would be confusing and inconsistent. Because the Desktop has its own behavior when it comes to Charms, but then each app also has its own context-sensitive use for Charms. Does it just activate the charms for whatever app is currently selected? And if no app is selected, it shows them for the Desktop?

If you have a laptop with touch, how does this handle edge gestures? Can you still swipe up/down inside of an app to show the app bar menus? This was already a problem with remote desktop, seems like it would be made worse here since it's not even natively supported.
Click to expand...

They are probably accessing the current image/texture for each app directly from DWM (in the same way the many Exposé clones for Windows 7 and Vista did) and placing them on windows created by their own software, as well as injecting different taskbar icons using the apps' icons and names.

The most exotheric hacks probably involve telling the Metro apps to render off-screen and mouse input injection to make them update while "windowed", but I doubt they got the apps to run without having focus and expect them to be suspended when out of focus. Can someone who got it confirm this? It should be easy to verify: just check if animations freeze when having a different window on top.
 
What about older games compatibility like with Baldur's Gate, Arcanum and Torment?
They seemed to have problems on it last I checked.
 
If it gets rid of the absurd requirement to have Run Admin in Admin Approval Mode to run modern apps, I'm sold. Fuck that policy. I'm the fucking admin.

Get rid of that policy, and I might just use modern apps at work. Otherwise, nope.
 
M3d10n said:
They are probably accessing the current image/texture for each app directly from DWM (in the same way the many Exposé clones for Windows 7 and Vista did) and placing them on windows created by their own software, as well as injecting different taskbar icons using the apps' icons and names.

The most exotheric hacks probably involve telling the Metro apps to render off-screen and mouse input injection to make them update while "windowed", but I doubt they got the apps to run without having focus and expect them to be suspended when out of focus. Can someone who got it confirm this? It should be easy to verify: just check if animations freeze when having a different window on top.
Click to expand...

I had Xbox Music on top of Youtube RT and Gravity Guy and nothing freezed.

But the sound only worked for the selected/highlighted app.
 
wont give stardock my business, but this does look pretty nice. can't stand being forced back to fullscreen metro whenever I open a file associated with a metro app (eg a pdf since I dont want to install adobe reader)
 
hikarutilmitt said:
Why do people insist on fixing things that are not broken?
Click to expand...

Because Windows 8 without Start8 (& now ModernMix) is very uncomfortable to use, especially on a multi-monitor system. With these programs, the OS actually becomes a pleasant experience that offers some nice little advantages over Windows 7 (I especially like the taskbar on the second monitor and the option of pausing file transfers).
 
Looks neat, will try this out. I'm already using their Start8 and Fences applications, they seem to have good sense on making Windows better.
 
hikarutilmitt said:
Why do people insist on fixing things that are not broken?
Click to expand...

I have no problems with the start screen, other than app organization in all apps. But windowed modern UI is the solution to these two paradigms. Someone had mockups of desktop fully metro, and it looked awesome. Resizing windows means it probably uses legacy behavior for windows. I hate when I open an app in desktop that defaults to a monitor with windows update or some other modern UI and have that modern UI vanish. It's cumbersome for window management.

That stupid marketing phrase "genius of the and" actually applies here. You could have the full screen modern UI + charms bar for surface and mobile, while having a more desktop experience that also can do the mobile experience on desktop. Same UI, just more options. More options is good.
 
Sethos said:
Oh man, now it's even more like Windows 7! I really need to upgrade from Windows 7.
Click to expand...

8 is faster and has better multi-core management than 7. If performance doesn't matter, why not use Vista + some sort of snap/libraries mod?
 
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