Tom's Guide: Restore the Windows 7 Interface in Windows 8

[rpdon]

Microsoft played the people, the only thing they really did was open their apps store 24/7 to every w8 user. now thats marketing, the rest is a shell game such as three card monty. just move this here that their and call it new. benchmarks are the same as w7 or worse. I also noticed an intrusion were as microsoft was right their collecting data as soon as my system burped. I am not paranoid but it scared me to thinking is big brother watching . Knock on the door "why have you not initialized your w8" you scream Honey Microwave the hard drives. solent green?

 

[blazorthon]

[citation][nom]rpdon[/nom]Microsoft played the people, the only thing they really did was open their apps store 24/7 to every w8 user. now thats marketing, the rest is a shell game such as three card monty. just move this here that their and call it new. benchmarks are the same as w7 or worse. I also noticed an intrusion were as microsoft was right their collecting data as soon as my system burped. I am not paranoid but it scared me to thinking is big brother watching . Knock on the door "why have you not initialized your w8" you scream Honey Microwave the hard drives. solent green?[/citation]

Tom's WBGP proved that Windows 8 has some considerable performance advantages in some workloads.

 

[The_Trutherizer]

[citation][nom]blazorthon[/nom]I agree in that MS could have both done a far better job on *Metro* (they can say it's not called that anymore all they want, but the name is stuck for all I care since their replacement is worse) and/or at least made it more manageable without third party programs. I just don't like people complaining about it as if there's nothing that can be done and that Windows 8 is ultimately junk just because of easily fixed UI issues. 8 has it's advantages and a lot of people seem intent on glossing them over or outright ignoring them.[/citation]

Yeah I was an avid complainer myself, but now I am mostly over it. As far as the actual OS is concerned the Windows 8 environment is surely more advanced than Windows 7. The interface seems to be where most gripes are, but as you said it's easily fixable.

 

[ojas]

[citation][nom]beardguy[/nom]Sorry but when I read the title "Restore the Windows 7 Interface in Windows 8" my first thought was ... or I could just stick with Windows 7 I almost upgraded, but Win 8 just seems like trash unless you have a touchscreen.[/citation]
It's trash on the touch version of the Vaio E14A and the Dell XPS 12, i've had both for review...Win 8 and a touchscreen is pointless on the E14A, as you end up using the mouse but you pay Rs.18K (i'm talking INR) more over the equivalent windows 7, non touch version.

the dell xps 12 is horrifically priced and has a duct on the bottom, which effectively kills the tablet experience. It's also sort of too heavy.

 

[Maza20]

[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]I already installed some freeware to give me a Start Menu but it now gives me additional features I didn't have on Windows 7 either, similar to functions you get when using 3rd party explorer programs like Explorer++ or Xplorer2...Every OS has it's vanilla install which is annoying and has 3rd party programs to enhance it, Windows 7 is no exception, too many people are putting Windows 7 in an ivory tower and saying it is perfect - OK it is good and has lots of backend functionality but is it perfect? Far from it...[/citation]

Windows 7 is a very nice operating system. The features in Windows 8 hardly justify an upgrade, in my humble opinion.

 

[blazorthon]

[citation][nom]Maza20[/nom]Windows 7 is a very nice operating system. The features in Windows 8 hardly justify an upgrade, in my humble opinion.[/citation]

I agree in the sense that going from 7 to 8 would not be worth doing, but if someone was coming from say XP, 8 is currently the best option from a modernization/feature/performance perspective.

 

[derf4]

Modern UI, Metro, or Mickey D Menu, call it whatever you like, but why are the tiles so large? Was this interface designed for the 85 and up crowd? Ok, for a tablet this may be ok but for desktop systems this makes no sense. A user who may have as many as 90+ programs can’t see these on one screen. With a normal start menu (XP or W7) clicking on programs from a Start Menu shows all programs on one screen. Hovering the mouse over any program folder will show the folder contents. Now consider Metro interface, selecting “All apps” expands what would normally be a one screen view to about 7 screen widths. This is insane for a desktop system without a touch screen. It’s even insane with at touch screen. To consider this in a corporate work environment is beyond belief.

 

[chechak]

and how to Restore the Windows 7 Interface in Windows 8 just an image

 

[Tjc Carnes]

The New UI is only a Tinny part of the Issues with Windows 8. They know the Masses of Newbies to the Tech world will change nothing!!
Windows has built tons of Control and Identity issues, AKA Live Tiles for starters. A few commented on Win8 connecting to servers all the time, this is true and every last one is opens you up to Identity theft and Tracking of EVERYTHING you do think see and buy. They claim these connection are safe but Java and ActiveX were also supposed to Virus and Hack Proof Don't forget the Devices other then a desktop all have Mics and Cams. Bill Gates has openly admitted to wanted to help provide an environment were all data is shared and out of our control. In his eyes our ideas are not our own but owned by the community, Hmmm but he patents all he can and makes billions but i dont see him sharing the $$$ "OUR" ideas have created. think about it and feel free to line up and buy Win8 without thinking about what you do on those machines.
The New UI is only good for TOUCH devices and 80-90% of Win legacy computers are Business. Microsoft "Bill Gates" has had a culture from the start to get all the $$$ over Quality at every chance. They have many times released BS and called it an upgrade. WinMe, Vista Home, Vista Premium, Win7 home premium, and Now Win8!
XP is just 95c/Windows 2000 (win 95 with Direct X and Direct sound with NTFS from 2000) ALL the Security holes have been created by Bling apps Microsoft has created with errors and never tested before released)
Windows 7 is just no more then Vista Ultimate sliced in many versions.
Win8 is more like XP with Bells and Whistles then anything else.
XP was their best over all version after 3 service packs and a decade of delayed fixes.
Yes Win8 works on less then Win7 --- more like XP but with added devices like touch and cameras built in. don't forget we have had Touch/Pen sense ""95c"" for over almost two decades and Win8 only added slide windows with Tiles. I used and used a 486 DRT-1 running 3.11 or tweaked 95c only with Pen touch screen almost 20 years ago.
boil it down simply Win8 is truly Win95c/XP with more devices, more security but NOT!!! more like millions of exploits, Active X and DirectX only newer and a new look.
Currently i run just about every app on the market on Vista Ultimate 64bit with VM versions of every version of windows to date Server and desktop. Plus removable stack of HD's those VM version came from and Vista Ultimate 64bit bench marks equal to or faster then Win7 and Win8 only thing faster is Win7 Ultimate 64bit but only by 1.02% on average. Not worth the upgrade.
Microsoft know all this and wants to push out updates to slow down legacy OS's to force you to buy Win8. or any new version of office. learn before you buy. Unless you live in the could and like letting anyone know everything about yourself you don't want Win8 or anything more then office 2003. none of the "upgrades" are worth the time.

 

[erodox]

"Why on earth would you want the old interface? Once you learn the new one, even with a mouse and keyboard it's every bit as user friendly as Windows 7."
This is a tool not an "experience!" Learning curves are time consuming. Microsoft continues to be insensitive to user frustration and inconvenience. How would you like to buy a new car and have it's operation be so different that you practically have to learn to drive all over again in a new way?