Life after Windows 7

Windows 8 customizing

Published on April 8, 2014 By gef In OS Customization

As some of you will know, I am not without a certain knowledge of customising. I am now wondering if it is worth continuing to do so if the Windows 8 set up remains similar to it's present state, that is with irregular rectangles covering the whole desktop.

I can see there may be some use if you are using a touch screen, although with a computer, I fail to see how this is of any use whatsoever.

Also, the apps for Windows 8 are the worst I have seen! Windows 8 is Apple's best advert.

To this, I would be interested to see any windows 8 customized desktops.

Finally, all I can say is why not upgrade to Windows 7 ?

Comments (Page 2)

gef

on Apr 08, 2014

Oops, damn predictive texting, I meant Uvah - Sorry.

Daiwa

on Apr 08, 2014

ElanaAhova

reply 6

Win 7 until they stop support

That'll be 2020, barring unexpected developments.

Philly0381

on Apr 08, 2014

gef, most people when the still refer to the Desktop they are meaning what was the normal Desktop we had in XP, Vista and Windows 7. I think what you are referring to is I believe what is called the Start Screen in Windows 8/8.1. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

LightStar

on Apr 08, 2014

gef

reply 14

Lightstar, yes, I agree the windows will look the same, it's the actual desktop I'm referring to.

With windows 8, you cannot even have a decent wallpaper unless it's obliterated by the 'tiles'.

Uhmmm, I am a little confused on this Gef, I can apply any wallpaper want and I never see the Modern UI tiles of Windows 8. When I boot up it is exactly the same as Windows 7, with Start 8 it goes straight to the desktop.

gef

on Apr 08, 2014

Best way I can explain is by saying, when you turn your computer on, without doing anything else, I call that the desktop.

With Windows 8, you just see a set of boring tiles.

With windows 7, you see a lovingly created scene with all your bits and pieces of customization.

I know which one I prefer.

GFireflyE

on Apr 08, 2014

I am also a win 7 user and will not go to win 8

LightStar

on Apr 08, 2014

gef

reply 20

Best way I can explain is by saying, when you turn your computer on, without doing anything else, I call that the desktop.

With Windows 8, you just see a set of boring tiles.

With windows 7, you see a lovingly created scene with all your bits and pieces of customization.

I know which one I prefer.

Well, the new Update 1 to Windows 8.1 being released sometime today will resolve that issue supposedly. If you have a touch screen system it will boot to the Modern UI, if you don't it will boot to the desktop just like Windows 7. Have to wait and see though.

Phoon

on Apr 08, 2014

gef

reply 20

With Windows 8, you just see a set of boring tiles.

That is not the desktop, that is the start menu. With 8.1 you have the ability to boot to the DESKTOP, not the start menu.

With 8.1 you can also have your desktop wallpaper display as the background of your start menu as well.

If you want to customize your new start menu, about the only thing that is going to do that is a program called Oblytile.

Daiwa

on Apr 08, 2014

With the changes in 8.1 Update, I'm more comfortable with the prospect of having to replace my Win7 laptop with a Win8 rig when the time comes.

RedneckDude

on Apr 08, 2014

gef

reply 9

RedneckDude, you say you do your skinning on 8.1 but is that used on 8.1 or 7 ?

I still have not seen a Windows 8 customised desktop. Do you know of any?

Gef, any screenshot/preview you see of my work in the last year or so is a Windows 8.1 in use, screenshot.

I have windows 8.1 on two PCs and they are both fully customized with DX, Winstep, WindowBlinds, CursorFX, etc...

Plus the 8 apps, like Start8, Decor8, Launch8, etc.

Windows 8 is my main use OS, has been for a good while now.

RedneckDude

on Apr 08, 2014

gef

reply 20

Best way I can explain is by saying, when you turn your computer on, without doing anything else, I call that the desktop.
With Windows 8, you just see a set of boring tiles.

Not if Start8 is installed and set to boot to desktop.

It would appear that you have missed quite a few forum threads and very lengthy discussions on the customization of Windows 8.

Windows 8 can look, and act, just like 7, with a few customization apps.

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