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Windows 8 & Metro with Mouse and Keyboard - Super User Blog

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Re: Windows 8 & Metro with Mouse and Keyboard - Super User Blog

#51
post #49

I'm still baffled as to why Windows 8 is not a dedicated tablet OS. I think it would be a dream to use on a touch device and commend Microsoft for the Metro design, but they had to screw it up by shoehorning it onto the desktop too. I've given Windows 8 an honest try on my dual monitor setup and it just isn't happening. Metro is out of place, consumes 100% screen real estate (meaning fast context switching between wi…

Metro isn't even supposed to be used on a workstation. It is as simple as that. Of course "windows 7" is better for real work on a desktop, noone will ever claim otherwise (for other than marketing purposes or for bashing windows 8). So I don't know what your beef is, just don't use Metro for stuff it isn't good for. And use it for what it is good for, on your laptop in "tablet-mode" for instance. Don't use it on you…

Exactly. I used the OS for past week or so and haven't used much of metro at all. Because I am using it on my old laptop and haven't used metro as much.

I am planning to get a touch laptop in next couple of months and we will see how it works then.

Re: Windows 8 & Metro with Mouse and Keyboard - Super User Blog

#52
post #31

My two cents after using Win8 for a week on a laptop: - Hot corners: fail. MS needs to extend hot zones. Finding the exact point with the touchpad is sometimes tricky. I can imagine the horror on multimonitor configuration. - I actually like the start screen. It's clean, and it responds to typing even faster than Win7 start button. Two minor problems: 1) you need to clean up icons after every installation and 2) it d…

Laptops with touch screens FTW! I wonder what the whole computer industry is waiting for? Are they again waiting for Apple to come and do and make what everyone else should have done long time ago instead?

Why would you want a touchscreen when you have a complete keyboard and touchpad? Touchscreen is just a workaround to make small devices actually usable. For any other scenario kb/touchpad is 100x faster and more comfortable. Unless you are lying down in a sofa just reading but then you don't have a laptop, then you have a tablet and we are back in the small-device-category.

I'd rather click a few hard keys or move my thumb 2cm than wave my whole hand in front of the screen.

Re: Windows 8 & Metro with Mouse and Keyboard - Super User Blog

#53
post #49

I'm still baffled as to why Windows 8 is not a dedicated tablet OS. I think it would be a dream to use on a touch device and commend Microsoft for the Metro design, but they had to screw it up by shoehorning it onto the desktop too. I've given Windows 8 an honest try on my dual monitor setup and it just isn't happening. Metro is out of place, consumes 100% screen real estate (meaning fast context switching between wi…

Metro isn't even supposed to be used on a workstation. It is as simple as that. Of course "windows 7" is better for real work on a desktop, noone will ever claim otherwise (for other than marketing purposes or for bashing windows 8). So I don't know what your beef is, just don't use Metro for stuff it isn't good for. And use it for what it is good for, on your laptop in "tablet-mode" for instance. Don't use it on you…

The fact is that it is on workstations, I'm simply judging what Microsoft has put before me. Telling me to ignore Metro if I don't like it is like selling me a muffin filled with chunks of pickle and suggesting I eat around them.

I would assume if Microsoft didn't intend for Metro to be used on the desktop then there would be no Windows 8 for PCs and it would be a dedicated tablet OS (like I suggested).

Re: Windows 8 & Metro with Mouse and Keyboard - Super User Blog

#54
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Metro isn't even supposed to be used on a workstation. It is as simple as that. Of course "windows 7" is better for real work on a desktop, noone will ever claim otherwise (for other than marketing purposes or for bashing windows 8). So I don't know what your beef is, just don't use Metro for stuff it isn't good for. And use it for what it is good for, on your laptop in "tablet-mode" for instance. Don't use it on you…

The fact is that it is on workstations, I'm simply judging what Microsoft has put before me. Telling me to ignore Metro if I don't like it is like selling me a muffin filled with chunks of pickle and suggesting I eat around them. I would assume if Microsoft didn't intend for Metro to be used on the desktop then there would be no Windows 8 for PCs and it would be a dedicated tablet OS (like I suggested).

Media Center is in your windows 7, do you use it on your workstation?

An OS is full of stuff you never use and, unlike a muffin filled with chunks of pickle, not using the stuff you don't want is often as easy as breathing air.

Re: Windows 8 & Metro with Mouse and Keyboard - Super User Blog

#55
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They might be waiting for the prices for quality touch-screen components to come down. Tacking a capacitive touch-screen to every laptop will probably add at least 100 dollars to the cost of the product. I saw the Dell laptop in CompUSA recently and it was 500 plus dollars with essentially netbook class hardware sans the touch screen.

Strangely enough, it was reported today that Microsoft is developing quality touch-screen components: http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/09/microsoft-demos-super-fast-...

That isn't a touch screen. They are using a projector as is evidenced by the objects being displayed on the "screen" are from time to time superimposed on the persons fingers.

Re: Windows 8 & Metro with Mouse and Keyboard - Super User Blog

#56
post #4
post #2

Very interesting article. I am interested to see how the use of mouse and keyboard evolves as more OSs/UIs move towards a touch based interface.

There's very little in Windows 8 that requires multiple touch input - pretty much the only thing touch input can do and the mouse can't. This is what's ultimately allowing Win8 to keep mouse keyboard and touch on the same level. Compare with Apple and some of the iOS gestures such as four-finger (!) swipes... (I wrote the article)

> Compare with Apple and some of the iOS gestures such as four-finger (!) swipes...

Are you trying to imply the four-finger swipes in iOS are bad?

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