I really like Windows 7 at work and am finally looking to upgrade my ancient XP system. However, with Windows 8 shipping in the fall, I decided to put my purchase off until then. I’ve got a Macbook Air and Parallels, so I download the Windows 8 Preview to take it for a spin…OMG What a piece of crap. It is the most frustrating version of Windows ever.
What Microsoft has basically done is replaced the Start Menu with pages and pages of giant squares (aka tiles) which you have to hunt through them to find the program you want to run. Oh and forget about a Control Panel tile, oh-no, that function is in a hidden slide out panel that I am still trying to figure out how to navigate.
NOTHING is where it used to be and you’ll be pulling your hair out trying to find things. The crazy thing is that it’s all superficial for the most part. Once you get pass the stupid tiles, it more or less looks like normal old Windows sans the Start menu of course.
I suspect that most users will find some way to add back the Start menu or install some application that restores that functionality.
So now I’m wondering if I really should wait or just get a Win 7 machine now. If this is the next chapter, I may stop reading and stick with Windows 7 ;-P With all of the bad press Win 8 has been getting, I’m hopeful that Microsoft will wise up and at least offer an option to show the old Start menu.
Oh yeah, it’s really helpful to remember some of the Windows key keyboard shortcuts, like Win+E to bring up a Windows Explorer window and Win+R to bring up the Run box…well until they decide to take those away too!