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The 30 Best Features of Windows

Posted by timothy on from the double-glazing-is-delicious dept.

Barence writes "PC Pro has picked out its 30 best features of Windows 8. Its countdown includes features such as the revamped Task Manager, the option to run ISOs and VHDs natively, and Windows To Go, which allows you to take a portable installation of Windows 8 with you." They've also listed ten features they'd like to see added to Windows 8, "including the return of the Start button on the desktop, virtual desktops and one-click sharing of optical drives."

1 of 470 comments (clear)

  1. And here they are: by mcgrew · · Score: 1, Troll

    I've been waiting for someone to publish a "why?" article. I wish the submitter had used the single page version and saved me a click. As to TFA,

    1. Interactive tiles
    Fine on a phone, but I don't want it in a PC OS.

    2. Task Manager
    Windows has had this for literally YEARS. IIRC Win 95 had it. BTW, is there anything like that in KDE? I'm hoping someone says "yes" and points me to it.

    4. No new hardware requirements
    LOL! "That means â" in theory, at least â" that any PC capable of running Windows Vista should be able to handle Windows 8." I'm running the latest kubuntu (just upgraded yesterday) on a machine I built out of ten year old parts, and it runs well. No way would Win 8 run on that thing. TFA looks like loke a Microsoft ad.

    5. Airplane mode
    Man, MS is really grasping at straws here. FN+F8 (F8 has a wifi icon) toggles wifi on my netbook, along with an indicator light. Bluetooth is shut off when you unplug the dongle. In short, this feature is completely useless.

    6. SkyDrive integration
    The Stones said it and I agree -- hey, you, get off of the cloud. I'll keep my own data on my own deviced, thank you very much.

    7. Windows Store
    Um, is that like Apper except you have to pay for the software?

    8. Interactive lock screen
    Rubbish. Nothing of substance, just "Ooh! Shiny!"

    9. Split-screen apps
    What's new here? New for phones, maybe, but not computers.

    10. Split touch keyboard
    Useless for PCs and laptops

    11. App contracts
    "Microsoft has published a set of APIs common to all Metro apps that allow them to freely exchange data. Itâ(TM)s possible, for example, to give a Twitter client access to the Photos app, massively simplifying the process of photo sharing."

    It sounds unsafe to me. It also sounds like one of the kinds of thing I got away from Windows for. And people wonder why Windows is the only OS with malware problems.

    12. Fewer surprise restarts
    My Linux box has no surprise restarts whatever. In fact, the only time I restart it is when I'm upgrading the kernel, maybe once a year or longer. Meanwhile, the notebook still has Win 7 and I wind up having to reboot every week or two, thanks to MS's hatred of users.

    13. Cross-device synchronisation
    "The Windows 8 installation screen practically forces users to set up a Windows Live account." And they call that a feature???

    14. Improved 3G support
    Useless on a PC or notebook

    15. Built-in antivirus
    Not new, there's Windows Defender already. You're grasping at straws, Microsoft!

    16. Picture passwords
    Kind of cool I guess, but useless on a PC.

    18. Windows To Go
    "Another one in the eye for those who claim that Windows 8 has little to offer businesses is Windows To Go. This allows companies to provide employees with a locked-down installation of Windows 8 on a USB thumb drive." Uh, I've been doing that with Linux for a decade.

    19. Secure Boot
    Most emphatically DO NOT WANT!!!

    20. Revamped Explorer
    "The Windows Explorer is now graced with the ribbon interface"
    Do Not Want!!

    21. Restore PC
    How anout instad they write an uninstaller that actually works? TFA says you have to reinstall all your apps after a restore, PITA. I don't have to put up with this nonsense in Linux.

    22. Thumbnail previews
    Probably useful on a phone, not on a PC.

    23. Metro groups
    Good on a phone, bad ona PC.

    24. Kinect for Windows
    I'll reserve judgement on this one, it might be good.

    25. AppLocker
    Again, nothing new, and TFA even says so.

    26. Reset PC
    Look, if you're going to wipe and reinstall your OS, just FDISK and install. I don't see what problem this "solution" solves, unless installing Windows is still the PITA it was with XP.

    27. File copy revamp
    *Yawn*

    28. Faster boot times
    This is one place Windows beats Linux (Most distros anyway). Fortunately, a L

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