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There is a big slab of irony underneath this whole flat UI thing. We already had "flat" design in the past and it was perfect for our computers. Bring back that flat design and you get minimalism AND usability in one package. Readable fonts, scroll bars that aren't near-invisible or even hidden, distinct separation between controls and content...and somehow over the course of ~16 years we ended up with Windows 10. 1990 less Windows and 100x more pain.

If you've tried http://winsupersite.com/window... and it didn't work, you're not alone. My guess is MS simply doesn't give a shit and that option never, ever, worked.

Instead, try https://support.microsoft.com/... . Scroll down to the download link to get the "troubleshooter" tool which will let you hide/disable specific updates. This will only help you if the updates are coming in via Windows Update and not some Dell utility.

And their response to customer backlash has been to remove/revert things that displeased customers. XBox One always-online, Windows Start Menu, Office 2013 licensing, etc ..

Which is why Microsoft didn't respond to complaints about force-upgrading by reconfiguring the unwanted Windows 10 installation program to trick the users.

Oh, wait...

Well I'm sure that Microsoft would let the uninstall program have a long, expansive period of time where you can consider your options and revert back if you don't like Windows 10.

Oh, wait...

I'd go on, but I don't think it would convince you. That said, suffice it to say that Microsoft has a significant, vested interest in making sure that they cram Windows 10 on to every computer they possibly can, regardless of the cost to their PR, especially since they wish to destroy just about any alternative that they can, at least for desktop software. This is way beyond anything they've done before, and they are willing to risk Windows itself on it. This is pretty fundamentally different from prior efforts by Microsoft, and it bodes ill for the customer even if it feeds Microsoft's lust for profits and control over your computing (which in turn will eventually yield more profits, if they have anything to say about it).

Well, Windows 10 has been pretty clever about sneaking into machines and installing itself,

It asked to upgrade and people said yes; and then worst case the upgrade happened weeks or months later instead of immediately so that they forgot. I concede its a bit malware-ish since people click without reading. But in the end its the same as adobe reader "sneaking" the adobe reader DC upgrade onto machines with Adobe Reader X.

in the process downgrading your "pro" 7 install to a "home" one.

I've never heard of that ever happening, and a quick google didn't bring up a storm of outrage either. So... cite?

So some victims of Windows 10 didn't consent, they were tricked.

http://winsupersite.com/window...

Even Adobe Reader doesn't have a built in "I changed my mind and want to go back feature." Windows 10 does.

This means that someone must obviously care what people are doing on computers, because there is such a huge pressure to make that happen.

Telemetry properly used; is what enabled them to determine empirically that wifi sense was not being used much and wasn't worth keeping around.

There is LOTS to complain about microsoft telemetry including the lack of an option to easily turn it off; but telemetry has legitimate positive uses too.

You however have gone off the deep end into delusional territory.

I'll admit he is showing signs of developing alzheimer's, (No matter how much I explain, he still thinks "Foxfire" is his operating system) but windows update automatically downloading windows 10 in the background has been repeatedly posted on / and seems to be a pretty common issue:

http://www.cio.com/article/304...

http://winsupersite.com/window...

http://www.howtogeek.com/22855...

  http://www.theguardian.com/tec...

Yep, that is my experience as well. When you click the "download and install later" option, that's it, the update will now be carried out and you have no way to cancel it. The dialog box that is presented to you before the final update does not have a cancel button or a close button or any other means to not carry the installation out, you can delay the installation by some days, but you have to set a date for the install, there is no "ask me later".

Yep. Top articles (copied and pasted from the forums):

I Can't Deal With The 950XL Anymore...

Glance screen issues

why is my phone freezing up after a phone call (side note: Wow, I saw that one on Windows 6 mobile. They still haven't fixed it?)

Things I don't like about Windows 10

Don't understand why Windows phones aren't more popular

...so there appear to be a substantial number of forum users, for some values of "substantial", but I'm not sure they all count as "fans". With a market penetration in the low single digits (2.1 percent was the last number I remember seeing) and developers deserting the platform, true fans might have a tough time going forward.

Mind you, as a former Crackberry user, I completely understand being a desperate fan of a dying platform. Had my company been able to keep BES up reliably, I might still be using one.

I have Windows 8.1, and I'm very happy with it thankyousomuch.

It took me about six minutes, once it started annoying me enough, to find out how to shut up the Windows 10 upgrade nagware once and for all. Just for you, here's the answer. It hasn't bugged me since.

Choose your character:

Windows 95

Windows 98

Windows ME

Windows NT

Windows 2k

Windows XP

And just for kicks, here's one for Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs Win FLP.

I find it funny they've worked so hard so as not to alienate the users who think the "blue e" is the Internet but thought it was ok to radically change the interface in Windows 8.

Windows 8 was lead by Steven Sinofsky, described as someone with the maniacal power and force of will of a Steve Jobs ... lacking Jobs' best gift: An innate understanding of good design.

After Windows 8, Sinofsky didn't work at Microsoft anymore. Now Microsoft have to deal with his legacy: some good and some bad. The result is Windows 10, led by Gabe Aul.

I actually don't mind the Windows 10 Start menu. It's a good compromise between the Windows 95 - Windows 7 concepts and the Windows 8 Start screen. It could be better, but it's good enough.

bah. stupid slashdot comment system. They should dump it in favour of Disqus or something modern!

the link is:

http://winsupersite.com/blog/s...

It's funny you say it that way, because with Windows 8's Start Screen default on all computers, Microsoft was effectively telling keyboard and mouse PC users that they were using the wrong human interface devices, and should have been using a touchscreen (perhaps a Microsoft Surface, hmmm?).

Since the run up to Windows 8, Microsoft's marketing plan for their OSes, and by extension, Visual Studio and XBox. This isn't by accident: you can tell the direction from the comments of Julie Larson-Green (creator of the Ribbon) at the 2013 Wired Business Conference: http://winsupersite.com/window...

"There have been discussions... meaningful discussion [of bringing back the classic Start menu]. But we believe fully in the Start screen and the model of having these live tiles. The [old] Start menu was never really built for multiple applications... the Start screen offers dramatic improvement. Windows today is so much more than launching applications... the [old] Start menu is not the be-all, end-all. [But] the button might be helpful to have on the screen. We're principled in the direction we're heading, but we're not going to be stubborn... It's not to spite you." [Laughs]

Yes, Hanlon's Razor applies here, but it feels like there's been a veritable conspiracy of intentionally orchestrated ignorance in Microsoft's UI design. There was plenty of resistance to the Ribbon when it was forced onto Office, but at least the legacy key combinations remained. But many of those UI changes, as well as the Metro marketing push, were force-fed onto the userbase, so I don't blame those users for complaining vehemently. We're at the point where UI duct-tape utilities like Classic Shell are compulsory for proper usability in content-creation scenarios for an operating system, and right now it looks like this is going to continue for Windows 10, as far as icons are concerned.

Windows 8.1 sends my every search query to Microsoft if I don't block them by IP at the DNS, router, and hosts file levels.

To configure Smart Search, you need to visit PC Settings, the new Metro-based replacement for Control Panel, and navigate to Search and Apps, and then Search.

Use Bing to Search Online. Enabled by default, this option determines whether Bing-driven web results appear in the Search results page. If you set this to Off, you will no longer see these results (and will only see Everywhere, Settings, and Files as options in the Search pane).

Your Search Experience. This option---available only when Use Bing to Search Online is set to On---determines whether Bing personalizes its search results for you and for your location. If you're going to leave Bing searching enabled, I recommend leaving this on its default: Get Personalized Results From Bing That Use My Location.

My advice? Leave it alone and give it a shot. But if you do end up wanting to turn off the Bing web integration, that's how you do so.

Windows 8.1 Tip: Configure Smart Search

It regularly disables my wireless card so that it can reset it and verify my connection by reestablishing the link with Microsoft's privacy-invading servers.

On occasions, the system is programmed to turn off the Wi-Fi adapter, when idle. This might be the reason for your spoiled Wireless connection. Troubleshoot the situation by deactivating this feature of Windows 8.1 and see if it works out.

Press Windows key + W on your keyboard to initiate Start search.
Type Network and Sharing Center in the search box and hit Enter to open its window.
In this window, choose your Wi-Fi network and the Wi-Fi Status screen will appear.
Click the Properties button near the lower left corner to open another window.
In Wi-Fi Properties window, click on the button titled Configure. Go to the Power Management tab; uncheck the following option and click OK button.
Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

If the problem persists, replace the adapter.

Windows 8.1 has a kind of crash I've never seen in any Windows version until this one: memory management.

The reason you've never seen this crash before is because it is also most likely a hardware error. MEMORY_MANAGEMENT error in Windows 8.1

In twenty years as a Windows home user, truly bizarre and outrageous behavior has always come down to a hardware problem --- sometimes an easy fix like resetting a chip or board, sometimes a warning that the system is EOL Time to pull the plug.

Now let's mention the one and only discussion we've seen about Windows 10 having a keylogger embedded in it while overlooking that random forum posters have said that it's because the OS is in beta but Microsoft has never confirmed that the keylogger would be removed.

There is no need to read the random forum post. Privacy Statements for Windows Technical PreviewThe Win 10 preview explicitly targets the enthusiast and the IT Pro. It is not an open public Beta as that term is generally understood.

Hello,

I know that Slashdot loves to bash Microsoft, but calling it's monthly patching cycle "Black Tuesday" is pushing it. Black Tuesday was the name for the stock market crash that preceded the Great Depression, and for all the negativism about Microsoft, I have yet to hear of someone committing suicide over a Microsoft patch.

Frankly, using Woody "I'm a Windows victim" Leonhard as a source of information about Microsoft patches isn't a good idea, at least until he stops grinding whatever axe it is he has against Microsoft. Go read Microsoft's Security TechCenter if you want to know the patches are for, or at least blogs like ComputerWorld o ZDNet's r>Ed Bott, both of whom are more likely to put facts ahead of opinions. Even Paul Thurrott provides some good coverage, although I think he often is the opposite of Woody Leonhard, e.g.doesn't critical enough coverage.
Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Uh huh, that is why its selling so well and folks have so much "fun" with it is because they really wanted a sailphone for a PC, right.

Look its REALLY simple, Ballmer lost his shit because Apple became the largest company and instead of accepting that PCs had gotten "good enough" for most folks and that he should be trying to sell value add to the OS he instead....makes a sailphone OS. A sailphone OS that admins don't want, and gamers don't want and to top it off OEMs don't want it either.

Ya wanna know the REAL reason Android is selling? Its NOT because of mobility, its because Android IS WINDOWS, its Windows as it USED to be. Its simple to use,yet still easy to get to the system settings. It has an appstore sure, but it takes a single click to allow programs from anywhere. Its as easy to customize for Joe and Jane Average as changing a Windows wallpaper was, and it runs quite well on a multitude of devices. At the same time Android was rising MSFT was putting out the bloated piggie that was Vista and while 7 did well instead of learning and listening somebody decided that they could just "be Apple" and put out locked down high priced hardware...nope, I got better odds of winning the powerball.

You give folks what they want and they buy, give them shit and tell them "you don't need that" and watch them walk away...what is so hard to understand?

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/there-are-now-over-110-million-windows-8-users

Extrapolated a bit to get to 120 million, but if it's not there, it's close. Yes, Win7 has been a bigger hit on the marketplace, but 110 million is not a small number by any means.

So yes, hyperbole on your part is an accurate description.

neither did copying Google. Microsoft has lost / invested $17B in Bing! (quoting Paul Thurrott)
http://winsupersite.com/

Having a search engine is not Googles business model.

neither did copying Google. Microsoft has lost / invested $17B in Bing! (quoting Paul Thurrott)
http://winsupersite.com/

Lets backtrack a bit to the MS post when they released the new youtube app.

We’ve released an updated YouTube app for Windows Phone that provides the great experience our consumers expect while addressing the concerns Google expressed in May, including the addition of ads," a Microsoft statement notes. "We appreciate Google’s support in ensuring that Windows Phones customers have a quality YouTube experience and look forward to continuing the collaboration.

Note the parts in bold. MS lied, they didn't address it. So Google saw MS thumbing their nose, went WTF, got pissed off and blocked it .

We're committed to providing users and creators with a great and consistent YouTube experience across devices, and we've been working with Microsoft to build a fully featured YouTube for Windows Phone app, based on HTML5. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully-featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our Terms of Service.

MS gets slapped with its hand caught in the cookie jar and then admits that its 'new' app did not comply with Google's request that it be in HTML5 :-

For this reason, we made a decision this week to publish our non-HTML5 app while committing to work with Google long-term on an app based on HTML5.

Note that the new app was pushed out without Google's approval, unlike what they implied. Typical MS arrogance and lies at work. I feel sorry for any Winph8 users caught in the crossfire, but MS does not deserve any sympathy in this matter.

Paul Thurrott, the world's premier Microsoft fanboy, has been running a few articles about his concept of "zero data" - that is, keeping ALL computer data where feasible in the Cloud as opposed to your local HDD. He does so willingly because he has in his mind too much clutter, and would rather let some corporation take control over it instead of trimming what he has down to something more reasonable:

http://winsupersite.com/cloud/zero-data-hardest-part-saying-goodbye
http://winsupersite.com/cloud/zero-data-reducing-storage-clutter

It's one thing to give away so much of your personal data to a company - it's anther thing to then perform destruction over your local copies so everything you've ever done is totally out of your control. To me, the idea of giving away that level of control over MY data to a company is totally horrifying, but apparently I'm too stubborn and old-fashioned by saying so. Oh well.

Paul Thurrott, the world's premier Microsoft fanboy, has been running a few articles about his concept of "zero data" - that is, keeping ALL computer data where feasible in the Cloud as opposed to your local HDD. He does so willingly because he has in his mind too much clutter, and would rather let some corporation take control over it instead of trimming what he has down to something more reasonable:

http://winsupersite.com/cloud/zero-data-hardest-part-saying-goodbye
http://winsupersite.com/cloud/zero-data-reducing-storage-clutter

It's one thing to give away so much of your personal data to a company - it's anther thing to then perform destruction over your local copies so everything you've ever done is totally out of your control. To me, the idea of giving away that level of control over MY data to a company is totally horrifying, but apparently I'm too stubborn and old-fashioned by saying so. Oh well.

to bad Calculator will be full screen.

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/hands-windows-81-new-utility-apps

To be honest, the Cloud does have some (and I stress, some) legitimate benefits for even the little guy. My wife uses Dropbox and saves her assignments and current tasks in said Dropbox. She doesn't backup much, and it tends to be up to me to remember to image her machine every so often. Should her hard drive fail, files are accidentally deleted, or her most important data is otherwise no longer available and recoverable locally, Dropbox will ensure it can be easily recovered on the net. Apart from allowing the ability to use your files anywhere seamlessly with a network connection, the Cloud in this case can be leveraged as something of a temporary backup for a small amount of content.

So long as you retain all data on your own hardware and only use the Cloud for easy remote access and in specific situations a temporary backup of recent data, then it works well.

BUT...

Don't be a fucking idiot like Paul Thurrott and willingly give up ALL your data to the cloud:

http://winsupersite.com/cloud/zero-data-hardest-part-saying-goodbye

I agree, i've only used windows 8 a little, and i see no point in upgrading from 7, however with a little work it's not really that bad. Also modernmix http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-8-tip-run-metro-apps-windows-desktop will run metro apps in windows on the desktop.

Blackberry had some sort of agreement with MS, I believe primarily related to Exchange compatability.

Oh please, now you are cherry picking.

Look at who else did the exact same thing.

http://winsupersite.com/article/mobile-and-wireless2/microsoft-licenses-activesync-to-google

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/06/apple-licenses-activesync-for-the-iphone/

So why didnt the Blackberry kiss of death affect them?

Hi Mrs AC shill? How is the pay from MSFT these days? in case you want to know what gave it away its the fact that you said Win 8 "launched" only 2 days ago. We all know that is a crock of shit but MSFT in its memos have been calling the release of Surface pro a "relaunch" of Win 8 so only those that are following the "reboot" theory, which is pretty much confined to Redmond, are buying that bullshit.

I mean do I REALLY have to wallpaper this page with all the figures showing win 8 has been bombing since it flopped onto the market in Oct, how the MSFT team is trying to blame OEMs for not building a pile of $1000 WinTabs that the OEMs rightly pointed out would sell about as well as the few $1000 Tablets they had which is to say none at all, so they would have ended up in the same warehouse the failed ultrabooks is now rotting in. I can also of course paste link after link of OEMs saying the same thing, win 8 is a flop that makes the Vista launch look like Win95, and of course the press have dubbed it "Windows Frankenstein" and written articles that say "Windows 8 yes its THAT bad". and even the tech writers are uninstalling it. Of course some of us and some tech sites pointed out this would happen awhile ago because it ignores even basic user conventions. while giving ZERO context or even hints as to WTF the user is supposed to do. in my own experience this is what I saw in my shop only with more frustration and cursing involved.

So if you need more links Mrs AC shill please feel free to ask, not like anything I've been saying is exactly new or radical. Nice thing about speaking the truth, you can provide plenty of citations. and just for the record i have been a Windows user and seller since 3.1 and there have only been TWO, count 'em two, times I've not stayed with and sold a version of Windows. First was WinME which was inferior in every way to Win98, the second is Windows 8. Yes I ran Vista and sold Vista units until I saw it was gonna take MSFT ages to fix the bugs I kept running into but with both winME and Win 8 the experience was just too nasty for me to dump on users, I'm sorry but they sucked the big wet titty.

And now we know the date we can all pop some popcorn and watch MSFT score a hat trick of fail, Win 8, Surface, and now Surface Pro.

They have already had to cut the order for Surface RT in half because the things are piling up, Win 8 is a failure yet do they listen to the public? Nope Ballmer is going full retard by building their own phones and PCs just so there can be NO doubt that Ballmer only knows how to copy Apple.

But simply ripping off Apple just isn't gonna work, Windows 8 is a fundamentally broken UI and is so user UN-friendly that you need a Win 7 PC to Google how to use the Win 8 PC, and folks just aren't gonna put up with it. I support a lot of SMBs and not a single one has expressed any interest in Win 8, not the OS, not WinRT, and not Surface Pro, they are sticking with Win 7 for their X86 needs and using an Android or Apple tablet when they need that level of portability.

Never before in all my years in tech have I seen a company just completely ignore all the indicators and throw money away like that, MSFT does not have a single positive indicator with Win 8, not the desktops and laptops, not the phones and the tablets, seriously how much money does Steve Ballmer have to take a match to before the board wakes up and fires his dumb ass? I think Forbes need to name the MSFT board the worst board to go with Ballmer's worst CEO as they obviously are asleep at the wheel.

Sorry but you are wrong and here is why: when looking at the numbers and comparing them to the previous year at the exact same period, which just FYI had an even worse economic outlook than we did this year, computer sales are down by more than 13% and I'm sorry but you don't have THAT big a drop, especially during the run up to Xmas, unless something is REALLY wrong or you have a product people don't want to buy. Even the OEMs are flat footed saying that Win 8 units just aren't selling which is why you see more and more places like Tiger showing Win 7 machines for sale, nobody wants Win 8.

So frankly it doesn't have a damned thing to do with ME or MY opinion, honestly if I wanted to i could put up with the bullshit or just hack the shell, i just don't see enough benefits to put up with bullshit like tying everything to a MSFT Live account or hacking the shell to make it worth fooling with. Nope what this is about is the simple fact that this is the typical user reaction to Windows 8 only she doesn't get frustrated as badly or curse like many of those trying it at the shop did. Hell I got people calling me I haven't heard from in years going "You still got that shop? Yeah see i went to look at Best Buy for a laptop and all they had was that 'weird new Windows' and I REALLY don't like it. Is there any way you can get me one with the 'good Windows' on it?"

It has NOTHING to do with opinion, or taste, it has to do with the fact MSFT put out a Frankenstein mess of an OS, designed for an interface that less than 2% of ALL computers made or even sold in stores even has, and which is NOT intuitive, or discoverable, or in any way easier or friendlier than the product that came before. I'm not the one writing articles like "Windows 8..Yes it is THAT bad" I'm simply pointing out the reasons WHY it is THAT bad, just as I did with Vista. Sadly by SP2 they had pretty much fixed the problems with Vista but people had already moved on, I honestly don't think they can fix Windows 8. Even if they kill the Metro UI you still have everything being tied to a MSFT account, ads in the OS, and a mish mash of ribbonized and non ribbonized programs. Not to mention there are SOME controls you can only get to through control panel in desktop mode and SOME that you can only get through metro so unlike some here I don't think they can just "patch metro away" as they moved too much crap into it already.

Like it or not there isn't gonna be a Windows anymore, you are gonna have Apple and ersatz Apple, MSFT is even announced they are building their own hardware and Surface was just the start, you'll have MSFTPhone and MSFTDesktop and MSFTLaptop, all probably priced even higher than Apple just to cement the fail like they did with Surface pricing compared to iPad.

So while you ARE correct that not as many are buying and NO its not that they are replacing them with cellphones like the press keeps harping about, or with tablets, but the average user just can't stress out even a first gen Core Duo or Phenom X4 you just don't have numbers drop THAT bad unless you have a product that the customer is turned off by, and that is Win 8 in a nutshell.

Might want to look at the Win 8 figures again friend, Its clear that Windows 8 is a failure and sales are down more than 13% compred to this period last year and the OEMs are putting the blame squarely on win 8 and the new upscale marketing strategy. Also MSFT themselves are cutting surface orders in half because they can't move what they have. Is Ballmer gonna look at the numbers and wake the fuck up? Nope instead he is going full steam ahead in making their own PCs and phones proving that Ballmer is fully prepared to go full retard.

I'd say the numbers are clear as a bell and the consumer has spoken, given the choice of a $1000 Apple ripoff and the real thing they are gonna choose Apple, its better branding makes Windows a non starter in that market. Again its like slapping a coat of paint on a Pinto and expecting it to compete with Porsche, its just not gonna happen. Mark my words if they don't fire Ballmer and bring somebody in who has actual vision that consists of more than "What is Apple doing? We'll do that" then in 5 years MSFT is gonna be in the same boat as RIM, with a dwindling legacy base and no growth. The OEMs aren't gonna jump off a cliff to please MSFT, they'll crank out Chromebooks and Android units before closing the doors and Google will be more than happy to take that business. History will put Ballmer right next to the Pepsi guy as "worst CEOs ever" and MSFT will be just another footnote in history. Either you listen to your customers or you die, simple as that.

It is awkward at first -- no app has a "search box", but instead every app is supposed to use the Charms search bar if they want to have search within their app. No app is supposed to have a "settings" screen, but instead it should use the "settings" charm on the charms bar.

It is awkward at first because you are looking for the search or settings within the app. But after using it a few times it is cool because every app search, print, settings, etc... is in the same place and you don't have to learn the app.

Windows 8 Winkeys: http://winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-tip-windows-key-shortcuts-140626

Already 90% in the biggest growth market, China. Now even Paul Thurrot is calling Android "The new Windows".

RT is a powerful framework:

From http://www.winsupersite.com/blog/supersite-blog-39/windows8/winrt-replacing-win32-140605

"...And in the same vein of blowing past peoples' expectations, virtually no app could not be written as a WinRT app. Many are imagining very simple, HTML-like apps, and while I'm sure there will be plenty of those, you need to reset your expectations up. WinRT is amazingly full-featured and not constrained to goofy utilities and simple games. The next "Call of Duty" could be a WinRT app, complete with support for Edge UIs and Charms..."

It is the x86 tablets that are the stop-gap

With games rated over 15 banned from the app store, sandboxing that prevents simple things like IPC and restrictions against plugins or scripting... good luck getting a CoD type game, mate.

RT is what MS want Windows to become. The desktop is legacy and at some point it will be dropped (admitedly, likely to be many years in the future). Dropping legacy support is one of Apple's strengths so why shouldn't MS try the same approach? Sure, on Oct 26th the RT tablets are going to be a bit of a dissapointment, but that will change. RT is a powerful framework:

From http://www.winsupersite.com/blog/supersite-blog-39/windows8/winrt-replacing-win32-140605

"...And in the same vein of blowing past peoples' expectations, virtually no app could not be written as a WinRT app. Many are imagining very simple, HTML-like apps, and while I'm sure there will be plenty of those, you need to reset your expectations up. WinRT is amazingly full-featured and not constrained to goofy utilities and simple games. The next "Call of Duty" could be a WinRT app, complete with support for Edge UIs and Charms..."

It is the x86 tablets that are the stop-gap

You might be interested in the share charm.

With only keyboard, you can do this:

Press Win + D to show the Desktop, then press
Alt+F4 to show the shutdown dialog, and finally, press
Enter to shut down.

>(The other peeve: forcing me to have an email address tied to the Windows 8 install)

You can use a local account instead, it's a little hidden during the install but doable. You can also remove association with your Microsoft account at anytime and use it as a local account.

http://www.walkernews.net/2012/08/20/how-to-setup-windows-8-to-use-local-account-and-not-microsoft-account/
http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-tip-convert-local-account-microsoft-account-143456

So you want to copy Microsoft instead?

http://www.winsupersite.com/content/content/143721/radial.jpg;pv1db3ffa28531898a

This is one of the problems with the community. Most of the folks have used Windows only about 10 years ago and refuse to keep up with what's happening in the real world except to make condescending comments on the carefully picked anti-MS stories with bullshit summaries, leading to a knowledge gap of the real meat.

It will formally support removable and expandable microSD storage.

From: http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-phone-8/windows-phone-8-unveiled-143477

Win8 doesn't require a tablet mode. As I recall, there were some Win8 devices which are traditional laptops with a touchscreen (i.e. you can't fold the keyboard back or anything), and even some without a touchscreen at all (hence why the new trackpad gestures).

It's fucking ridiculous to own "rounded edges" and bullshit like that.

It's so completely obvious that you would want a tablet shaped like that, and to be thin.

If it's "so completely obvious" that tablets should have rounded corners, then why did the Asus tablets shown off at WinHEC 2005 (running Win XP Tablet edition) have cut-off corners? http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-vista2/winhec-2005-photo-gallery-tablet-pc-prototypes-127421

The difference is that Mozilla only wants to do it on the iPad, but MSFT wants it on the desktop.

On the desktop you have the option of a normal UI (non-Metro) version of IE10. I've tried the Win8 RC and agree that the Metro interface is a big question mark for non-touch "desktop" use on traditional hardware. It becomes mainly an app launcher into the desktop mode.

But already laptops are outselling desktop PCs by almost 50% according to IDC, and this trend is accellerating. And in this new world of new mobility hardware, the combination of Metro and traditional Windows might make more sense. I for one would love to travel with a full power (thin and light) laptop that I can work on, but convert into a touch tablet for media consumption, games, etc. It won't be a side-by-side iPad competitor, but something new, I won't have to travel with both laptop and iPad. I do have an iPad2, a very nice device for its use, but I think there are room and demand for other kinds of devices that are not exactly the same. You will also have a new generation of multitouch trackpads for Windows 8 on non-touch screen laptops, where a big pad on your laptop (or even separate, maybe the new mouse matt is just the matt, not the mouse.. :) becomes a proxy for the touch interface.

Microsoft seems to make a big bet on things changing, not staying the same, which is the exact opposite of what they usually has been criticized for over the years. And that I find refreshing, for the industry and as a user, regardless of the initial sales success or not (even Apple spectacularly failed their first attempt with Newton).

I mean, seriously? Starting stuff from the stupid Start screen? Cripple the regular version of Visual Studio to only write apps for this screen?

Visual Studio Express 12 is limited to Metro apps.

Not VS 2012 Pro and higher.Compare Visual Studio 2012 editions

Microsoft encourages the idea that the Start screen is the Windows 8 "home page." From there, a few mouse gestures or a keyboard shortcut will take you almost anywhere you want to go. If you need access to common functions previously available on the old Start menu, you can right-click on the lower left to bring up the Power User list. You can even modify this list, though Microsoft won't officially support or document the method for doing so.

Windows 8 Release Preview Impressions, Windows 8 Tip: Edit the Power User Tasks Menu

>>>Why are you willing to let Google get away with monopolistic behavior that Microsoft gets crucified for?

no idea.

But I definitely don't let them get away. They all suck. Google, Apple, etc might write better software than Microsoft but they still engage in similar behaviors I find objectionable. (And then I get modded down for saying it.)

BTW I thought this article was interesting - Why Google is not the most-used browser. " Microsoft on Sunday posted an analysis of the web-browser usage-share measurement, noting that StatCounter's metrics are seriously skewed because of pre-rendering and other factors. As a result, Microsoft claims, StatCounter can't be trusted as a reliable source of information." http://www.winsupersite.com/article/paul-thurrotts-wininfo/microsoft-chrome-number-reports-142638

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-call-common-sense-142476

Also, try to spend a few minutes learning shortcuts etc. before dissing the experience. It's not a SP for Windows 7, it's a new OS.

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2012/02/getting-starte...

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/03/windows-8-tricks-tips-and-s...

And it will enable many devices like these that don't exist now:

Idea Pad Yoga: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2R9y9ZvkA&hd=1

Samsung x86 Tablet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8-K1ELv6DE&hd=1

Try doing that with an iPad.(There are iPad-like ARM Windows 8 tablets too that won't run x86 apps but which will have Office).

83inch displays: http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/29/2833173/windows-8-82-inch-...

All these form factors tied in the with the vast Win32 ecosystem(except ARM tablets) and a single Touch-first Metro ecosystem.

It's interesting how the comments on Apple/iPad/Post-PC articles, financials of Apple/Dell/HP etc. state that "MS is dying in the Post-PC" era, but now when they come out with a solution to make a OS run on different form factors and to have tablets that are not just consumption devices, the comments on here are skewed towards "Why change something that works?". If PCs are really dying, why not attempt to fix that instead of standing by with their head in the sand(like RIMM)?

There will always be people unhappy with anything you build or change. They should just go with their vision of what they think is right and that's what they did. They envision that with Windows 8, most new monitors will be touch enabled because of the demand so that for some functions(like clicking on links), people can use touch.

You may disagree with the vision, but you can't disagree that there is a method behind the madness.

Damn recoiledsnake you have some sick l33t first posting skillz..three minutes from time TFA was posted to RTFA, write all that preparing all of those hyperlinks. An Impressive feat to say the least.

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-call-common-sense-142476

God you really have to be a hyprocritcal idiot to whine and bitch about other people bitching and do so in the most abusive unprofessional manner possible.. "grow a pair" .. seriously?

There will always be people unhappy with anything you build or change. They should just go with their vision of what they think is right and that's what they did. They envision that with Windows 8, most new monitors will be touch enabled because of the demand so that for some functions(like clicking on links), people can use touch.

The obvious problem with this thinking is that ANY change of any kind can be justified by simply stating people are change adverse. Oh I see your unhappy that your computer was replaced with an abacus and slide rule. Relax..you'll get used to it.

I'm having a really hard time seeing how such statements are able to convey any useful information of any kind.

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-call-common-sense-142476

Also, try to spend a few minutes learning shortcuts etc. before dissing the experience. It's not a SP for Windows 7, it's a new OS.

Anybody else remember how concerned and butthurt Thurrott was that some Macintosh applications used the brushed metal appearance four or so versions of MacOS ago? This window is a different color! The horror!

Now he's going off on a butthurt rant because people don't want to be forced to use a touch interface on devices that do not support touch?

Paid shills are hysterical.

I actually read the article you linked to at http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-call-common-sense-142476 .
And holy shit the author is a moron.

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-call-common-sense-142476

Also, try to spend a few minutes learning shortcuts etc. before dissing the experience. It's not a SP for Windows 7, it's a new OS.

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2012/02/getting-starte...

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/03/windows-8-tricks-tips-and-s...

And it will enable many devices like these that don't exist now:

Idea Pad Yoga: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2R9y9ZvkA&hd=1

Samsung x86 Tablet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8-K1ELv6DE&hd=1

Try doing that with an iPad.(There are iPad-like ARM Windows 8 tablets too that won't run x86 apps but which will have Office).

83inch displays: http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/29/2833173/windows-8-82-inch-...

All these form factors tied in the with the vast Win32 ecosystem(except ARM tablets) and a single Touch-first Metro ecosystem.

It's interesting how the comments on Apple/iPad/Post-PC articles, financials of Apple/Dell/HP etc. state that "MS is dying in the Post-PC" era, but now when they come out with a solution to make a OS run on different form factors and to have tablets that are not just consumption devices, the comments on here are skewed towards "Why change something that works?". If PCs are really dying, why not attempt to fix that instead of standing by with their head in the sand(like RIMM)?

There will always be people unhappy with anything you build or change. They should just go with their vision of what they think is right and that's what they did. They envision that with Windows 8, most new monitors will be touch enabled because of the demand so that for some functions(like clicking on links), people can use touch.

You may disagree with the vision, but you can't disagree that there is a method behind the madness.

Embracing Android by Paul Thurrot.

Paul Thurrott's column on this speaks to that question, and describes the logic of the antitrust investigation pretty succinctly:

Before Apple's entry, publishers set the wholesale price of books, but retailers could determine the final selling price. But Apple changed that, allowing publishers for the first time to determine the final price at which eBooks were sold to consumers. As a result, the average selling price of new eBooks jumped from $9.99 to $14.99.

The EC will try to determine if the firms colluded to fix prices and restrict competition. Both charges should be easily proven.

As I reported in February 2010, while Apple was negotiating with the major publishers, at least one of them, Macmillan, demanded that Amazon raise prices on its Kindle books to match Apple's prices. Amazon, now as then, owns the dominant eBook platform, called Kindle. And Macmillan threatened to pull its books from the Kindle unless Amazon went along with the price hike. After temporarily pulling Macmillan's titles from its store, Amazon capitulated and raised prices as demanded.

"We have to capitulate and accept Macmillan's terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own titles, and we will want to offer them to you even at prices we believe are needlessly high for e-books," Amazon wrote to customers at the time.

So instead of Amazon now the publisher has the (price-setting) monopoly on where to get their ebooks. I can see why Amazon doesn't like that.

Paul Thurrott's column on this speaks to that question, and describes the logic of the antitrust investigation pretty succinctly:

Before Apple's entry, publishers set the wholesale price of books, but retailers could determine the final selling price. But Apple changed that, allowing publishers for the first time to determine the final price at which eBooks were sold to consumers. As a result, the average selling price of new eBooks jumped from $9.99 to $14.99.

The EC will try to determine if the firms colluded to fix prices and restrict competition. Both charges should be easily proven.

As I reported in February 2010, while Apple was negotiating with the major publishers, at least one of them, Macmillan, demanded that Amazon raise prices on its Kindle books to match Apple's prices. Amazon, now as then, owns the dominant eBook platform, called Kindle. And Macmillan threatened to pull its books from the Kindle unless Amazon went along with the price hike. After temporarily pulling Macmillan's titles from its store, Amazon capitulated and raised prices as demanded.

"We have to capitulate and accept Macmillan's terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own titles, and we will want to offer them to you even at prices we believe are needlessly high for e-books," Amazon wrote to customers at the time.