Windows 10

[Kchrpm]

But, seriously, I barely even touch the mouse when using any Windows. 7 was a damned revelation for me since the second I have Windows, it's CTRL+ALT+DEL, password, enter, a desktop, Windows Key with left left thumb, type a fragment of an app name, and hit enter. I hate looking for icons, I hate managing icons! It probably stems from the fact that I use numerous computers - many of which aren't mine - and I don't want to know what weird places people have stashed or inadvertently dragged things.

A-ha! Now I see where we diverge

I, presumably like most people, am used to using only my computers, so I set them up and use them how I want. Designing a computer so the IT admins are most comfortable using everyone's, vs the average user being most comfortable using their own, is not going to result in a positive impression from the masses.

I have oddly not yet run 8 on a desktop, but I wonder if Metro on one screen and desktop on the other might not be a good environment.

I can see the appeal to that if your normal setup is 2 or more screens. I think I'd still rather have something simple and more notification like than live tiles taking up the whole screen, though. If I really wanted to read headlines, I'd pull up my RSS reader. If I don't want to read them, why are they taking up such a huge chunk of screen? I like mah desktop images, dammit!

[thesameguy]

I remember when I had a desktop image in like '92. That was pretty cool.

[thesameguy]

My favorite thing about the Windows 10 rollout is the outrage that they make you pay for Solitaire. People threw fits when Microsoft gave away the web browser, the file explorer, the antivirus, and all sorts of other bundled features as being anti-competitive. Now that they've stripped down the OS and it basically comes with nothing, people are upset Microsoft doesn't bundle. It's even more insane in the face of Windows 10 essentially being entirely free - it comes on your new computer and they'll retrofit your old. "You guys did exactly what we wanted by unbundling everything and lowering the cost, but now we want something different so you're evil!"

Morons.

[Random]

There's a free Solitaire suite (four different kinds of Solitaire!) in the Windows store right now.

[thesameguy]

Exactly. And dozens of choices that may be superior to MS's historic offering for a couple bucks. There is literally no point for the upset. It is 100% bellyaching for no good reason. For the price you're not paying for Windows, you could buy probably every reasonable variation of Solitaire ever written.

[Kchrpm]

The Solitaire in Windows 10 is free, it just has video ads. The other free games in the store may be the same way, I don't know.

There were other reasons people complained about Microsoft including all software on computers (ignoring standards, preventing other companies from writing software that was compatible, etc), they had a massive market lead and were doing some monopolistic things and it affected businesses as much as it did consumers.

But all that being said, I still just want someone to tell me about their experiences with the notification thing. The other stuff is just same ol same ol enthusiasts/admins vs users stuff.

[Rare White Ape]

I still just want someone to tell me about their experiences with the notification thing.

OK fine. Every time I click on it, it says "No new notifications"

And it looks like this:

[KillerB]

At this point, I think MS has the superior desktop and tablet OS. You can do actual work on a Surface, and there's no iOS/OSX divide. But the Windows phones are still mostly mediocre. C'mon, Microsoft, get us a first class device so I can say sayonara to Apple. You've got until November, when I'm up for a new phone.

[Kchrpm]

Thanks, RWA. That looks like it could be sweet, with quick simple access to all those settings/features.

[Rare White Ape]

Well, I don't know really.

I only clicked it because you asked for it, and those settings are things that you can find in control panel anyway, just in a different GUI.

I guess if I had my emails set up in Outlook (I don't) and if I used programs that took a while to render graphics like Photoshop did in the 90s (I don't... currently) and if I used a bunch of other things that wanted to tell me a bunch of stuff via the notifications panel, then I'd have a need for it.

But right now it's use is confined to conneting to my VPN, but that's also found via the network connections button which has always been there in previous OSes and I'm used to doing it the old way and it only takes one more click.

It's a nice feature, for me it will go unused unless I'm forced to use it.