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On 14/02/14 23:12, Julian Hall wrote: > Another strategy would have been for Microsoft to follow the Linux path > and separate the GUI/Window Manager from the OS and during installation > let the user choose. I agree - that would be a much better option. It would confuse the dreaded computer amateurs though, who would ask what a GUI is and why they might need it. I had a laptop supplied for a recent course [1] > and the guy who delivered it - with Windows 8 installed - said, when I > pointed out it didn't have a touchscreen, 'I know.. none of the ones I'm > sent out with Windows 8 installed have touchscreens' and agreed with me > that Windows 8 is a pain without one. No it isn't - disable Metro, boot to desktop. Windows 8/8.1 without Metro active is functionally identical to Windows 7, but better. Therefore I think Microsoft > should have either detected the presence of a touchscreen and installed > the appropriate GUI, or asked the user during the install to choose the > classic desktop or the new Metro[2] interface. Well, yeah, I personally like that idea but it will never fly because of (1:) above. At least 75% of Windows users are ordinary people with no IT savvy who won't have a clue what the system is asking them. And Metro can definitely be used without a touchscreen perfectly well, not that I'd want to use it with or without a touchscreen personally. I should point out that a fresh install of 8.1 includes various brief tutorials during install and first boot that do actually explain some of the options available and let you know how to boot straight to desktop (this wasn't in Win8, only 8.1). > I did see an in depth review of Windows 8 where the reviewer pointed out > all the failures in the GUI, but checking the YouTube url just now it's > been pulled. > > I agree you shouldn't have to download third party software to make it > useable, nor should you have to use Google to work out how to do simple > tasks. When you get to that point I think you've failed the first > principles of HCI. You don't have to download 3rd party software to make it usable. It helps, but isn't essential by any means. For the love of god, I have to download and install a colossal amount of software - some third party - on any Linux system I use as well before it's up to scratch: so is Linux a failure as well? I disagree about your second point as well: google is perfectly suited to finding out how to do things. If you're having to look something up on a search engine in the first place it's presumably not actually that simple after all, is it? > Julian > > [1] It ended up not running but I was allowed to keep the laptop.. long > story. > [2] That was a massive clanger wasn't it, choosing a name someone else > had copyright to who wouldn't let them use it. Yes, that is indeed hilarious! Apparently Microsoft's army of lawyers never actually bother to check existing trademarks before naming their products. Please also see SkyDrive, shortly to become OneDrive after Murdoch sued. Regards -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq