Windows 8.1 Update Boots to Desktop Only on Non-Touch

[alextheblue]

If I already did the manual switch as with the steps listed, Then what is the major point of this update? If I have it as boot to start screen, and I did not set it to boot to desktop, then basically what this update does is, change that setting to boot to desktop for me, right?

As Anonymous said, there's lots of other stuff. Seems like positive changes for non-touch users, without harming touchscreen users. But keep in mind, you can still change the boot setting (or other settings) to whatever you want. So if you have a non-touchscreen setup and it boots to desktop, you can change the setting once and have it boot to start screen always.

I can already feel the pain in the ass this is going to cause on my touch screen, but otherwise traditional laptop...

I'm thinking of getting an ASUS N550jv with a touch screen. Should I reconsider the touch screen? Who knows what %&*%%$$&( Microsoft will do with 8.2?

None of the changes seem like negative ones, actually. But they're aimed squarely at non-touch setups. It shouldn't impact a touchscreen user at all. Plus if there's any settings you don't like, you can change them. You could even set a tablet to boot to desktop if you wanted - hey maybe you leave it docked most of the time or something. Anyway long story short - this gives people more (optional) mouse-friendly features. It's only a positive.

 

[Nada190]

What is this Start thing? Pokki ftw or anything other than Start.

 

[cloakster]

I still don't get it. Why don't they bring back the old start menu like what classic shell did. Win 8 + classic shell combines the best of the classic start menu and metro.This whole issue with Windows 8 could have been completely avoided if they just kept the classic start menu and added the new metro ui as a secondary option. How hard would that have been? Whoever still involved with forcing metro on people should be fired.

 

[coolitic]

Still, more needs to be done before people will buy. Probably will come with windows 9.

 

[fkr]

why do people care so much when you can just use windows 7. Is there some kind of software that only works on windows 8? If you have a touchscreen then use windows 8 and if not use windows 7. If you do not have a choice since it is a work computer take it up with your boss.Windows will figure this out soon enough. this just seems like more of the same story.. windows 95 good, windows 98 good, windows xp good, windows 7 good and everything inbtween these releases were not as good so we are just in the next cycle of skipping a windows release till the next fixes everything again.

 

[beoza]

I'm glad they're adding a shutdown button. With a right-side screen extension, hovering in just the right spot is more work than it should be.

You do realize you can press Windows key + C to bring up that bar then click settings to get to the power button right? Or the simplest way is right click any empty area of the desktop then go new>shortcut then type shutdown.exe /s /t 00 click next, rename it whatever you want, finish, then go to it's properties and change to icon to a power button; after that it just a double click and your Windows 8/8.1 shuts down almost instantly.

 

[Patrick Tobin]

Windows 8.x is fine. There is nothing wrong with it realistically. If you sit in front of it and other operating systems enough you start to see the improvements. Let me tell ya right now I would much rather sit in front of Windows 8.1 than 7. Not to mention the performance improvements. GDR1 will just further improve the Mouse/Keyboard setup it has but if you're a power user then you won't be losing out on anything anyway since we customize crap even when it's not officially supported. ModernUI is actually quite easy to work with once you give it an hour or so.

 

[Patrick Tobin]

As a last thing to follow up with, I have also noticed many jump on the hate wagon for Windows 8.x before even using the OS and then bash it without even having used it. So the wifi selection menu is huge, oh no, not that one time you have to use it per network *rollseyes*

 

[Solandri]

I still don't get it. Why don't they bring back the old start menu like what classic shell did. Win 8 + classic shell combines the best of the classic start menu and metro.This whole issue with Windows 8 could have been completely avoided if they just kept the classic start menu and added the new metro ui as a secondary option. How hard would that have been? Whoever still involved with forcing metro on people should be fired.

It's really simple. The only way to sell a Metro app is through the Store (only developers and corporate versions of Win 8 can "sideload" Metro apps). And Microsoft gets a 30% cut of everything sold through the Store.

They don't care that the users hate Metro. If they can force us to use it and get used to it, 3rd party software developers will be forced to sell Metro versions of their apps. If Metro becomes standard, that means Microsoft will get 30% of Adobe's, Intuit's, CA's, SAP's, EA's, etc. revenue.

That's the fish Microsoft is trying to reel in here. The possibility of getting 30% of all software developers' revenue is so lucrative that they're willing to throw the users under the bus to try to make it happen. That's why Windows 8 tries to force Metro on you at every opportunity. That's why they don't give you a simple option to disable it and run Win 8 in "Win 7-like desktop mode". That's why the Start button and Windows key dumps you straight into Metro. That's why they're ignoring everyone who complains about it.

 

[eklipz330]

ive gotten used to it. had a few weeks learning curve. still miss the start menu though, but i keeping the metro for stocks/weather would be nice too

 

[Get_off_my_plane]

Those new changes look good, but I'm still not updating to 8.1 until they fix the broken 'refresh' option. That makes it an instant no deal

 

[Morbus]

why do people care so much when you can just use windows 7.

Because you can't use Windows 7 forever. And if Microsoft fails to make an operating system that is good for everyone, like Windows 7 and Windows XP was, then we're in for some trouble.

Windows 8.x is fine. There is nothing wrong with it realistically. If you sit in front of it and other operating systems enough you start to see the improvements. Let me tell ya right now I would much rather sit in front of Windows 8.1 than 7. Not to mention the performance improvements. GDR1 will just further improve the Mouse/Keyboard setup it has but if you're a power user then you won't be losing out on anything anyway since we customize crap even when it's not officially supported. ModernUI is actually quite easy to work with once you give it an hour or so.

Bullshit. Realistically, it's an under designed incoherent mess that hurts powerusers, hurts stability, usability and diagnostics.

And the funny thing is, the start screen itself is the least of Windows 8's problems.

 

[dextermat]

Word of Advice create recovery disk of windows 8 BEFORE " infecting" yourself with windows 8.1. It infects your recovery partition on OEM and if you want to go back to 8, you'll need to buy a new disk

 

[stevejnb]

And the funny thing is, the start screen itself is the least of Windows 8's problems.

Could you list some of the really big ones for us? Thanks.

 

[alextheblue]

And Microsoft gets a 30% cut of everything sold through the Store.

I'm pretty sure that's rapidly becoming the industry standard. Apple and Google have been doing this in a big way, for quite a while. I don't see a lot of people screaming about it. Since they handle all the digital distribution for you, it actually unburdens developers (especially smaller ones) and makes the process of purchasing, downloading/redownloading, installing, and updating easier. The seamless integration into the built-in store makes the whole experience better for the user, whether on iOS, Android, or Windows. It's easier to obtain software for the average user, and a good bit safer too.

Also, if you sell $25,000 worth of your app, MS drops their cut to 20%. I don't think Apple or Google mirror this practice.

As far as power users go, real power users use shortcuts anyway. I can't think of any scenarios where there isn't some handy shortcut method to do something in Win 8.1. The changes in GDR1 only improve the overall non-touch experience too. So while it's far from perfect, I don't think it's as nearly as horrible as the wannabe power users like to claim it is.

With that being said, I've never advocated anyone with Windows 7 upgrade to Windows 8. It's not worth it IMO. But if you get a new box and it has 8.1? It's fine. It doesn't take much to get it set up, and it really does just fine if you know what you're doing.

 

[Jhunimperial]

What a relief...

 

[eriko]

I still don't get it. Why don't they bring back the old start menu like what classic shell did. Win 8 + classic shell combines the best of the classic start menu and metro.This whole issue with Windows 8 could have been completely avoided if they just kept the classic start menu and added the new metro ui as a secondary option. How hard would that have been? Whoever still involved with forcing metro on people should be fired.

It's really simple. The only way to sell a Metro app is through the Store (only developers and corporate versions of Win 8 can "sideload" Metro apps). And Microsoft gets a 30% cut of everything sold through the Store.They don't care that the users hate Metro. If they can force us to use it and get used to it, 3rd party software developers will be forced to sell Metro versions of their apps. If Metro becomes standard, that means Microsoft will get 30% of Adobe's, Intuit's, CA's, SAP's, EA's, etc. revenue.That's the fish Microsoft is trying to reel in here. The possibility of getting 30% of all software developers' revenue is so lucrative that they're willing to throw the users under the bus to try to make it happen. That's why Windows 8 tries to force Metro on you at every opportunity. That's why they don't give you a simple option to disable it and run Win 8 in "Win 7-like desktop mode". That's why the Start button and Windows key dumps you straight into Metro. That's why they're ignoring everyone who complains about it.

Brilliantly put.My thoughts exactly.And that is why I will n e v e r submit to giving them a God Dam red cent, for any app. Even if that app returned Win 8 to not having Metro at all.Stubborn? Nope, just p1ssed off.

 

[jalek]

Not everyone had a touch-screen on their desktop last year? Who knew?Obviously not Microsoft.

 

[stevejnb]

Not everyone had a touch-screen on their desktop last year? Who knew?Obviously not Microsoft.

From what I'm reading here, I'm guessing Microsoft wasn't aware that people didn't have mice either. If they did, they could have clicked the big "DESKTOP" button on the front screen and not had to have complained about metro for almost a year and a half since Windows 8's release.

 

[tomc100]

Until they completely remove the Metro UI or have a start menu, I'll keep using win7 for my desktop/laptop. For tablets and touchphones, I'll use android.

 

[Solandri]

And Microsoft gets a 30% cut of everything sold through the Store.

I'm pretty sure that's rapidly becoming the industry standard. Apple and Google have been doing this in a big way, for quite a while. I don't see a lot of people screaming about it.

That's Apple's business model for iOS. It is not Google's model. Android doesn't lock you into the Play Store. If you want to sideload Android apps, you can. If you want to set up your own Android store, you can. Heck, if you want to take the source code for Android and make your own version locked to your own store, you can (e.g. Amazon Kindles).
http://www.onepf.org/appstores/

Nobody is screaming about it when Apple does it because they don't have to scream about it. They simply don't have to use iOS products. They can use Android products instead. The situation is quite a bit different than with Microsoft, where they're taking an open ecosystem, and trying to turn it into a closed one like iOS.