The Metro hater's guide to customizing Windows 8 Consumer Preview
Summary: If your daily work involves mostly Windows desktop apps, the default arrangement of icons isn't exactly conducive to productivity. The solution: Clear away the clutter and build a cleaner, more personal Start screen.
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One reason the switch between the desktop and background is so jarring is because the backgrounds are dramatically different.
My solution? Customize the Windows desktop background so it matches the color and pattern of the Start screen. I already created a custom background image. From the desktop, right-click that image and click this menu option to set it as the desktop background.
See the next screen for the result and an explanation of how I created a truly custom background.
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Talkback
Really don't know why people are b!!tching about Win8
Perhaps MS thought people would change it, but too many people are obviously used to being spoon fed their UI.
It seems strange that so many downloaded the CP and seem to expect that they can just use it as per Win7 when MS (and everybody else) have been telling us for months that it will be different. I mean, if one wants Win7, just use it, not expect a change to be the same!
I blame it all on ADD induced by too much smartphone use. It seems to make people stupid! We have been selling several electronic items lately and we sometimes got some enquiries where people were a bit strange, though mostly because they didn't RTFA, but the ads for the phones brought out too many wierdos, as if it has killed their ability to communicate coherently and reason clearly.
Win 7
Problem is, Win 7 won't be available forever. I'm sure I can get used to it, I'm not sure I want to...
However, some people in this office who have an extremely hard time going from XP to Win 7 are really going to hate this.
Me Like's Metro
Geeks not understanding the user
So, real users want to get the job done and move on. This means there are two type of tasks Striving Tasks and Fulfillment Tasks. Striving tasks should be made easy as possible or eliminated where possible, as they do not add value to the end goal. Optimization of Fulfillment tasks, where user prefer to spend their brain cycles, depend on the type of user goal, Work (productive), Play (preemptive challenge) or Rest (sensory indulgence) as stated by Tri-Cluster Theory.
In todays complex world customizability of a UI is paramount, but do not expect users to spend more than few second making those choices. This means personalization has to be made an ongoing process where choices of configuration are made as new applications are acquired. Of cause easily modified if required. I agree that forcing an ugly start screen on users with predetermined choices of MS is not user friendly.
new start menu start8
All Windows Versions have been
I was put off at first by the flat tiles, and at least wanted them to be more 3D with drop shadows and look like real objects ....you know...just like a MAC or iPad. Then I realized that this is a computer, why not a different paradigm to convey information. The minimalist approach is growing on me. I don;t understand all this love for the old start menu. In W8 you get at the apps you want in pretty much the same way. Type Apps in the search box and a list pops up. Seems easier to me than clicking start and going to programs.
A desktop menu app inside the desktop on Windows 8
I absolutely love this idea that someone else stated on another thread. In fact, before I saw any of Windows 8, I never though this idea will be missing as far as not being implemented. One can customize the desktop in Windows 8 to look a lot like the old desktop. Maybe MS should do it so as make some who are afraid of change a little more at ease. MS should pin this app to the desktop app, as in inside the desktop app. They can call the desktop menu (dkt menu).
it would not be a metro app
Kinda silly to create an app...
Someone somewhere will come up with a registry hack to do this. I guarantee it.
Win8 CP Start Screen Customizing
Bravo Ed
Win+I, Win+W, Win+TAB... Am I back to WordStar days?
Seriously. Keyboard shortcuts suck.
I don't mind keyboard shortcuts if they make sense
[i]See my post below[/i]
Win8 Metro is well done.
Funny...
Yup, good point
Bingo, exactly my thought as well
Plus why on earth didn't any of the brain trust at MS see and bake in these exact work arounds into the OS, especially the "match the backgrounds" hack.
Well some agreement here
While the geeks can pat themselves on the back and tell everybody how cool and 'simple' this is, the typical end user is going to have some trouble changing this. They shouldn't have to.
That's the way...