Sunday, June 3, 2012

Windows 8 is a crippled Windows 7 with Metro bolted on and given all the prominence

Ever since I made the Windows 8 list of removed features, I have been getting many hate emails and comments on my blog, some of which I had to delete because they were too obnoxious and abusing. While I am generally not affected the least bit by fanboys attacking me for criticizing Microsoft, I thought maybe I should trim the list to highlight the most severe issues so Microsoft looks at them first.
 
Many people have accused me of just fault finding and hunting for features hardly used by anyone. That is not the case. Personally, I didn't have to make a huge effort to make the list, I just noticed them in my daily usage, which means I use these features once in a while, and noticed they were missing. Anyways, my intention with making the list wasn't to troll as the hateful comments said but to encourage Microsoft to fix them. I am trying just as well as everyone is to migrate to a more modern version of Windows where my productivity and usability is not affected or compromised in any way, and without making a sacrifice of the features I used.
 
The missing Start Menu is not the only problem with Windows 8 – the problem is general dumbing down throughout the OS, a UI that is not enjoyable and totally ignored feedback (although MS create the illusion that they listen to feedback by throwing all sorts of stats at us about Windows 8 having been tested for a billion hours and what not)!
 
Not only is it the fact that Windows 8 completely sucks and that it makes no sense to use those stupid Metro apps with hampered productivity on an always-powered PC with large screen or any non-touch screen, but they are actively deleting Windows 7 features in an "upgrade" – features which you should continue using and ask them to reinstate. Adapting to a less functional dumbed down amateur interface just to satisfy Microsoft's usual revenue cycle makes no sense to me. Nothing about it makes sense.

What is the point of spending on a newer operating system that only removes features from its predecessors, and installing third party software to gain partial functions of those features back? I mean yeah, I know this is how they make money and all that - but what's wrong with taking what already works, and improving and adding features to that - instead of trying to re-create the whole concept (very badly too, might I add) every single time!

Windows 8 is a desktop crippling OS full of compromises - don't fall for it. And so is every Microsoft product shipping today. You pay to upgrade for new features in exchange for the older features.

Just to get mobile “Apps”, you get a crippled desktop. Why Microsoft does this in every release after XP is really aggravating and sad.

4 comments:

aruak said...

Hi, did you already tested Directory Opus file manager? I use it and its perfect, you can customize everything you want.
I agree with most of your complaints but I realy dont think that Microsoft will change anything.

Gaurav Kale said...

Yes I did give Directory Opus a try and tried my best to use it as a full-time Explorer replacement but came up with just as many issues as Explorer to list here.

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Daniel Oines said...

I'm so glad I found this blog. You're not alone in preferring the stable, helpful, informative, and functional XP platform. XP simply supports the user and stays in the background until needed. Anything that needs attention is easily found, learned and remembered. In contrast, Windows 7 and 8 are nightmares forcing users to repeatedly do battle with the system to accomplish what used to be stress free things. My Amazon review of Windows 7 goes into greater detail on how it turned a good, useful, and powerful PC into a weak and hard to use disappointment. I tried Windows 8 and found it so awful that I quit in less than one day. Microsoft apparently believes hiding and blocking tools and information equals clean design.