Windows8 - 8.1 - Windows Threshold Tips Questions and Solutions

[CraigB]

Start8 was still in beta as of Oct. 2012.
My first post about Classic shell appeared in 4/1/2012:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=85094.msg770303#msg770303
Simple answer to this discussion, try them all and keep the one you like.
(Make sure you have a reliable image to fall back on in case....)

Actually it was October when Start8 went commercial, it was in beta for months prior to that.

[bob3160]

Start8 was still in beta as of Oct. 2012.
My first post about Classic shell appeared in 4/1/2012:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=85094.msg770303#msg770303
Simple answer to this discussion, try them all and keep the one you like.
(Make sure you have a reliable image to fall back on in case....)

Actually it was October when Start8 went commercial, it was in beta for months prior to that.

I've done a little more digging and came across the following:
http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2012/09/07/windows-8-start-button-start8/#comment-104048

[Dch48]

The thing I don't like about Classic Shell is the clamshell shaped Start button. I think the Win 8 style button in StartW8 fits better .

[SpeedyPC]

The thing I don't like about Classic Shell is the clamshell shaped Start button. I think the Win 8 style button in StartW8 fits better .

Dch48 with ClassicShell you can change any start button style as you like it doesn't have to be a clam shell shape
Nearly all my clients who had W8 have their ClassicShell being installed are using the W8 Metro style start button instead of clam shell shape

<----- Classic Start Button Style
<----- Clam Shell Start Button Style (Aero Button)
<---- W8 Metro Start Button Style

The Custom Button means you can choose whatever button style you like just path you're favourite picture (to button image in 'bmp' format) easy-peasy with swiss chesse.

[bob3160]

The thing I don't like about Classic Shell is the clamshell shaped Start button. I think the Win 8 style button in StartW8 fits better .

Are you even using Windows 8
That's because you obviously don't use it and never took the time to ever explore all the different settings.
It's not fair to criticise any product unless you truly know all of it's features.

[bob3160]

Get A Clean Yet Complete YouTube Experience On Windows 8 With Hyper

[Dch48]

I wanted to try Win8 without having to buy it and I found that I could. You can download a 90 day evaluation version of the Enterprise edition for free. I downloaded the 32 bit version, burned it to a DVD and installed it in a dual boot setup with XP on this 2005 AMD single core laptop. I really had a hard time getting a video driver that would work. It kept going to the generic Win8 AMD driver that does not allow you to change the resolution. Finally, after several downloads that did not work I got one that does. All of the sites I looked at said to run the driver installer in compatibility mode for Win7. Well, that does not work. I got the Vista driver for the laptop from the HP site and ran it in compatibility mode for Vista Service Pack 2 and voila!  It installed.  The Catalyst Control Panel doesn't work right and shows no settings but at least I have a driver where I can use my screen's native resolution of 1280X800 instead of the 1024X768 it was stuck on at first. The driver dates from November of 2006 so it's pretty old and is the only one that will install. The 10-2 legacy driver will not work like it does with XP.

Now to my thoughts on Win8. I tried using it in the default UI but I just couldn't find anything. I couldn't even find out how to browse the hard drive or even worse, to shut down Windows. I tried StartW8 but it just seemed too primitive so I installed Classic Shell and I like it.

To be honest, I don't find that this machine is any faster with Win8 than it is with XP but it doesn't seem any slower either unless I try to use the Metro version of IE10. That bogs down like mad and is very ugly as well. The desktop version is fine.

It may boot a little faster but not by much. It also takes quite a while for the dual boot loader to become useable. I know that would not be a problem with Win8 installed as the only OS.

I'm looking for any advantages over Win7 but I really haven't found any yet. I have 90 days to try it out though so maybe I will. It seems to operate just like Win7 if you use Classic Shell. Except for the ugly ribbon interface on the explorer.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-8.aspx

[bob3160]

I tried using it in the default UI but I just couldn't find anything. I couldn't even find out how to browse the hard drive or even worse, to shut down Windows.

It's called a learning curve. If you had looked back at the information in this Thread, you would have found all kinds of reference material.
Sometime, one needs to read the manual. 
First lesson is to use the search function when ever you can't find something.
A simple search for "shut" down, brought up 41 results under settings the first on covers Turn off your PC:



To use the search function on the Modern Desktop, simply start typing.  It's that simple.

[SpeedyPC]

I tried using it in the default UI but I just couldn't find anything. I couldn't even find out how to browse the hard drive or even worse, to shut down Windows.

It's called a learning curve. If you had looked back at the information in this Thread, you would have found all kinds of reference material.
Sometime, one needs to read the manual. 
First lesson is to use the search function when ever you can't find something.
A simple search for "shut" down, brought up 41 results under settings the first on covers Turn off your PC:

Same as Bob said it took me a little while for me to scratch my as a learning curve, and I'm so glad to have Bob and Craigb to help me out just in case I forget

[bob3160]

It would be better if you scratched your head......
More sanitary too. 

[SpeedyPC]

It would be better if you scratched your head......
More sanitary too. 

Bob the more I'll scratch my head my bloody will get smaller, I would rather sit on and read and drink my

[bob3160]

It's called sit, read, think, drink and, stink. :-)

[bob3160]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2040855/warning-users-will-have-to-reinstall-all-apps-if-they-opt-for-windows-8-1-beta.html
Sent from 34000 feet

[DavidR]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2040855/warning-users-will-have-to-reinstall-all-apps-if-they-opt-for-windows-8-1-beta.html
Sent from 34000 feet

Considering the height it was sent from, you could say you (or MS) have just dropped a bombshell. A rather inelegant 0.1 OS update.

[Dch48]

That's only if you try the beta and then go to the release later on. They said if you wait for the release version and skip the beta, all your apps will be okay