No more shadows on Win8 :-(

[Antonio Linares]

I am testing Windows 8 RTM (I have been using Windows 8 for my daily work since it was available, but I had not upgraded yet to RTM) and I just found that Microsoft decided to remove the windows drop shadows that simulates depth... :_-(

Will we end on a MsDos alike windows ?

[norberto]

Antonio, I liked more minimalist, more "green", why spend processor or graphics card (energy, heating, calculations), with shadows, transparencies?
Microsoft this targeting the environment of tablets and smartphones, where economy power is essential.
is something more clear, direct, without distractions. and of course in the beginning is odd.
but it seems to be a natural way.

[Antonio Linares]

Norberto,

Evolution means new possibilities, more freedom.

Not to block features that have proved to be useful.

I cant agree with it

[norberto]

Antonio certainly will leak a registry key, or some application that brings back the start menu, shadows, etc. as there is the win7manager, with tweaks.

but I noticed that my computer was faster without this lot of things, including the graphics, boot, shutdown, etc.

to back start menu google it : classic shell setup 361.

Regards

[Antonio Linares]

Norberto,

graphics effects are managed by the GPU (not the CPU) so they should not affect the overall performance. Its all in our minds

In my opinion, Microsoft is getting paranoid about this. I don't like obsessed attitudes...

[Otto]

I think Microsoft is now very close to the vision Bill Gates - at this time 39 year old - had in 1994:
Information At Your Fingertips
VIDEO
Comdex 1994 – Keynote Bill Gates – Information At Your Fingertips (2005)
http://yukon.twi.tudelft.nl/commercials/index.html

mms://yukon.twi.tudelft.nl/pub/commerci ... eynote.wmv

Best regards,
Otto

[reinaldocrespo]

Windows 8 is an attempt to imitate iOs. That is, an attempt to have one single operating system work for notebooks, phones, and desktop alike. Moreover, it is an attempt to step back to simpler CPUs (like single instruction cpus), simplicity, speed, functionality and centralized processing (like UNIX). Thus, whatever comes out MUST return back to something resembling MS-DOS. I see Win8 like a 64 bit better DOS.

[modicr]

Norberto,
Evolution means new possibilities, more freedom.
Not to block features that have proved to be useful.
I cant agree with it

You can use Win7 explorer.exe with aero glass in Win8: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/157302- ... windows-8/

[TimStone]

Sorry, but I can't agree with most of you. Maybe its because I'm "immersed" now with people who are developing to this new environment.

Windows is NOT iOS, or any such attempt. Apple still has a big wall up between the Mac OS and their mobile OS, and it doesn't look like that will be bridged anytime soon. Also, their cloud services are not nearly as clean and smooth as Microsoft's.

Windows 8 is based on the concept that people use computers for information, not all the glitter. Compare today's modern pages versus the older styles and you see what ? CONTENT. The rest just gets in the way. Take a Win 8 RT program for news as an example. I don't care about borders, and frames, but I do want to see the news, and I want large, clear, photos or videos. That is exactly what I get. I see a display of news that is very easy to navigate, and then the articles are bold, clean, and have just what I want ... Content !

The end result is what pleases the consumer. The screens are much easier to read, and they are also auto sizing to fit the device. They are much faster to load, and consume less device power.

This is not DOS. The screens are visually appealing, and they do have graphic content. They just eliminated the non-essential items which make it better for the end user.

And, if you want your same apps with the same capabilities, you always have the desktop !

Tim

[Rick Lipkin]

To All

If I am not mistaken the shadows around the windows are controlled by "Aero Peek". I have found in the repair business that "Aero Peek" really slows down the performance of screen painting and in every case that a Vista or Windows 7 machine comes in the shop for a Cleanup or Optimization .. we turn off "Aero Peek" and you will be quite amazed at how much faster and MORE responsive the computer runs.

Rick Lipkin

[HunterEC]

Guys:

We should have the option to turn on or off the shadows and other special effects. I do recall in the old DOS days that we incorporated shadows to simulate depth and most customers loved it. We must not lose perspective that current processor and GPU crops, are must than capable, to handle these effects without compromising speed. Remember that's the reason virtualization exists: we are wasting most of our computer resources. Take a look at your processor load and you'll see it. One of the beauties of iOS & OS X is the interface: ease of use & great graphics, razor sharp icons, etc.

In the early days, Windows was built on top of DOS. From the NT kernel on, Microsoft always included backward compatibility, that's one of the reasons we had so many flaws, BSOD, etc. Security was a patch, never built from the very beginning along the OS. I'm waiting for the stories to come on how many tablets will freeze, how many times they'll have to be rebooted, etc.

The main reason iOS and OS X products excel is simple: every time you use them, they 'll work and keep working 24/7; no need to reboot, no need to reinstall OS at least once a year.

[norberto]

Hunterec, im using the RTM of Windows 8 since released to TechNet/MSDN subscriber, i guess +- 2 months ago, and i dont see the GPF screen of Windows 8... (my computer is ON 24x7x365). No hangs, no freeze, no reboot. like my Windows Phone Lumia, months without OFF then.

Best regards

[TimStone]

Hunter,

I am using a Windows 8 Samsung Series 7 Slate ... it hasn't frozen, needed a reboot, or had any problems. Its a pretty nice tablet and has great graphics.

I had an iPad. Graphics were OK. It is certainly too small for serious work. I bundled a keyboard with it, and took it to a conference, but their best word processing software available was very limited. I did not find that an adequate solution. I sold it ( at a discount ) to my grandson. It was OK for Facebook, reading the news, some games, and watching Netflix, but had little other value to me. I also have a new iPod 5. I love my music ! I put the apps on there that I had installed on my iPad, but it is really too small to do anything productive. I may use it for Face Time once in awhile, and to listen to music, but it was a pretty expensive solution for that. Yes, graphics are good, but not "that good" to make up for the small size.

My wife works in a school that is all Apple. The bottom line is that the kids now bring their own devices from home ! Those computers lock up, fail, the networking is terrible, and its generally a mess. She has to bring things home to print on my system. She has a fairly new MacBook Pro, but the level of "coordination of apps and devices" is not nearly as strong as my system. Its also not exactly easy. She has an advanced degree in Technology, and she still finds getting many common tasks confusing. Printing, backups, and cloud services have serious limitations. I have none of that with my Windows devices.

I have used Windows 8 since the Developers Build release in August 2011 ! I have watched its evolution and growth. I've had all of my devices ( computers, notebooks, tablet, phone ) full time on WIn 8 RTM since its release ( and I have some computers out there others are using ). So far, NO problems on any of them !

Tim

[HunterEC]

Tim, Norberto:

We are too early on the Windows 8 game to see big issues with it. Let's wait down the road, only time will tell. For me, seems like another Windows ME / Vista. I agree, we tech guys, can have it working correctly but that does not means that everybody will. Have a look at our friend Ukoening woes in his post. I'm not against Windows, we all live in a Windows world and we have to live with it, but as Norberto says: here are the numbers: 75% of all Internet servers are not Windows based. Key reason the Internet is up and running without major disruptions.


Gustavo

[norberto]

Gustavo,

would not be contradictory to what you are saying? If this too early to see the errors/problems, would not be too early to find that they are there?
and of course there is errors, what software does not have? but Microsoft releases patches, fix every month, we have a support for this.
these 75% you mention don't have errors? fix? are bug-free? are you sure?
our friend (Ukoening) of the Forum erred: didn't read the instructions, they are clear: programs are not kept of Vista. only this.

best regards