from Win10 back to 8.1

[RémiM]

Hi guys,

I wanted to share with you my experience of being back on 8.1 after 4 months on 10 TP (from 9879 to 10049).

** First, 8.1 is rock solid. This software is really stable and it feels liks it was made for the SP3. What a pleasure to use.
** Secondly, from a tablet user perspective, 8.1 is better. The Metro interface is gorgeous, and even if we have 2 versions of IE, 2 mailboxes (for those like me using Outlook at work and Mail at home), I feel that having this choice is very usefull. For instance, in tablet mode, Metro IE is almost perfect. No taskbar, lightweight, fast and touch friendly. I realised that when I was using Win10, 90% of the time I was in computer mode. I even most of the time used my better half's iPad to watch videos. Using desktop IE11 in tablet mode is annoying.
** The Windows button. What a good idea. With Win10, I lost the habit of using it. It took me 2 minutes to use it again.

I was very enthousiastic when I was using Win10, particularly 9926. I loved it and it is a very good beta version. However, I don't know how much the final version will succeed in the tablet market. Of course it will be fine tuned, improved and better the day of the release. But I feel like Win10 is more computer oriented than tablet oriented.

Suddenly, I am craving for a Win 8.2. Something that I can use at work as well as at home. With the start button back in computer mode, with the Windows button only dedicated to switch between tablet and computer mode, and with an OS a little less messy than 8.1 (get rid of the old Control Panel, regroup all the settings in something clear and easy to use, a little sweep here and there, unification of IE --> Spartan didn't impress me at all yet).

Happy easter week end

Rémi.

 

[hughlle]

Lots of time for improvement, and fromwhat i see, lots they plan to do. I've only used spartan for a few minutes before giving up, but those few minutes showed how MS are now looking into the tablet side of things. I don't think anyone would argue the fact that until now, windows 0 has been almost predominantly desktop orientated with little inlcusion of anything for tablet users (for instance the desktop/tablet mode, it is just a joke. There is little reason to switch to tablet mode, the only thing it does is cause problems)

Out of interest. What about windows 10 made you stop using the windows button?I say this as someone who has never used it in either 8.1 or 10, and would shed no tears if MS were to remove it from the 2p4 entirely. Did you use something like stardock in 8.1?

 

[RémiM]

Out of interest. What about windows 10 made you stop using the windows button?I say this as someone who has never used it in either 8.1 or 10, and would shed no tears if MS were to remove it from the 2p4 entirely. Did you use something like stardock in 8.1?

Well, the Windows button in Win10 was useless for me because the tablet mode is not a real tablet mode yet, and I was never using it. Using a desktop oriented OS in a tablet mode feels weird and very annoying. And the stupid taskbar that doesn't go away is one of the main reason.

With Win 8.1, the Windows button brings you from Metro to desktop, and vice versa, in a blink. Very convenient.

Nope, no Stardock in 8.1. Only Deskpot (which is by the way far better than the virtual desktop tool in Win10).

 

[m0v1em4n]

Well I must admit, this latest build of windows 10 (10049 ) is making me want to jump ship, and like you guys said the tablet mode is pointless.
I just wish we didn't have to wait so long between builds, especially when something is wrong

 

[RémiM]

tablet mode is pointless.

This is actually the main con of Win10. Tablet mode is pointless, I totally agree with you.

By the way, yesterday I read something interesting about how Win10 could become an open source OS. That could be the best idea MS had for a long time.

 

[vsherry]

If tablet mode is pointless, I guess the criticism about Windows 8 will just be fired in reverse when Windows 10 comes out.

 

[goodintentions]

If tablet mode is pointless, I guess the criticism about Windows 8 will just be fired in reverse when Windows 10 comes out.

From what I've seen in win10, I'm sitting out on this one. Sticking with 8.1. I still can't believe MS made another version of windows 7 because of all the whines.

 

[mtalinm]

Ditto. No plans to move my Surface to win10. More like lose10

 

[bluegrass]

Unless W10 gets a lot of improvements from where it is now, I agree, there is a lot going for just improving Windows 8.1. Maybe make some improvements and changes to the desktop mode in W8.1. I would like to also see in both W10P and W8.1 allowing all tiles to have the same sizes available. I never understood MS reasoning in restricting the sizes available on certain tiles.

 

[ptrkhh]

If tablet mode is pointless, I guess the criticism about Windows 8 will just be fired in reverse when Windows 10 comes out.

Is it just hard for them to grasp the idea of "classic" option that had been available in Windows for decades?

It has always been available at every release of Windows. XP had 98-like Start menu, Vista also had it, together with the classic and basic UI theme, and 7 also had the very same theme.

With 8, they screwed all of that and force everybody to the new UI with no other option. Why would they do that? Especially its no surprise that 8 requires steep learning curve than any other version. W10 is how W8 "classic" should've been.