Making Windows 8 not suck

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cryptophreak

cryptophreak

unbalanced
Jul 2, 2011
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So UNIX is still the gold standard of computing and all hail Richard M. Stallman and blah blah blah, but I actually have to set up a secondary Windows machine and I want it to not suck. Windows 7 is losing mainstream support next month so I want to use 8, except that this touchscreen bullshit really gets on my nerves. I just want an efficient UI that gets the fuck out of my way. Suggestions?

Also, what ever happened to Launchy? It used to be my favorite thing in the world and yet it appears abandoned and half-working.
 
Al

Al

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Jun 21, 2005
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Classic Shell

Makes your start menu work just like it did in 7. I've been using it since 7 (I use 8.1 now) because I like the old school start menu from the Win9x days. But you don't have to use that one, it's totally customizable. It's also freeware.

skins.gif
 
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[GU]elmur_fud

[GU]elmur_fud

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Classic shell is just one solution. It is possibly the best one, but through a lot of registry hacks you can bring back the start menu without any 3rd party application and/or shell patching. I did a quick Google search but didn't find the info, I believe I read it on msdn technet...

This page contains info on what setting to tick to boot straight to desktop:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/make-windows-8-8-1-look-like-windows-7-xp/

Of course there are many other facets of the ui of previous iterations that you may want to add. Just searching 'windows 8 shell customization' should bring up more results then you would ever want.
 
Zur

Zur

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How to get rid off the panels Windows 8 starts up with ? I just want to use Explorer and have a start menu.
 
[GU]elmur_fud

[GU]elmur_fud

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Jefe said:
Windows 7 is already losing support? That can't be right. It seems it was just a couple of months ago Microsoft dropped XP support.

Anyway, in 8.1 it's pretty easy to make Windows boot to the desktop without any external programs, just a quick right click on the taskbar.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2043243/how-to-boot-to-desktop-mode-in-windows-8-1.html
Click to expand...

*Cough*

[GU]elmur_fud;2614214 said:
...

This page contains info on what setting to tick to boot straight to desktop:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/make-windows-8-8-1-look-like-windows-7-xp/

...
Click to expand...

Though a little redundancy probably doesn't hurt given how daft loading into the app center is.

It might also be a good thing to point out some of these custom shells come with there own app market which I personally at least find slightly dubious.
 
Big-Al

Big-Al

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Jun 14, 2003
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Under a black flag.
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"To give you complete control over all the configurable options in Windows at a single press of a button just simply create a new folder anywhere and rename it to this: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} The folder you create will now have 270 items that are to do with configurable options in Windows 7. Interestingly it also works for XP & Windows 8.1 as well."
 
Zur

Zur

surrealistic mad cow
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[GU]elmur_fud;2614218 said:
*Cough*

Though a little redundancy probably doesn't hurt given how daft loading into the app center is.
Click to expand...

Sorry. I missed your phrase about booting to desktop. Will try it out on the portable.
 
Jefe

Jefe

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[GU]elmur_fud;2614218 said:
*Cough*



Though a little redundancy probably doesn't hurt given how daft loading into the app center is.

It might also be a good thing to point out some of these custom shells come with there own app market which I personally at least find slightly dubious.
Click to expand...


Different things - I was showing him how to enable boot-to-desktop without third-party software, which I don't see on your link. ;)

Big-Al said:
"To give you complete control over all the configurable options in Windows at a single press of a button just simply create a new folder anywhere and rename it to this: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} The folder you create will now have 270 items that are to do with configurable options in Windows 7. Interestingly it also works for XP & Windows 8.1 as well."
Click to expand...


Whoa. That is awesome.
 
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cryptophreak

cryptophreak

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KaL976

KaL976

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Big-Al said:
"To give you complete control over all the configurable options in Windows at a single press of a button just simply create a new folder anywhere and rename it to this: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} The folder you create will now have 270 items that are to do with configurable options in Windows 7. Interestingly it also works for XP & Windows 8.1 as well."
Click to expand...

well fuck me gently with a chainsaw... how did I not know this :notworthy:
 
Arcturus

Arcturus

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Jan 23, 2000
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Personally I use Start8, it gives you a pretty nice Start Menu which fits in nicely with the UI theming of Win8. It costs a fiver or so but once you have it, you have it. Though I got this when it was Win8 was fairly new, and ClassicShell is probably just as good now.

You'll still have to go into the options of Win8 itself and disable the annoying bits like Charms if you want a bullshit-free experience, though. Some of the default filetype associations use full screen metro apps as well, which is slightly annoying, but you'll end up replacing them with your own stuff before long anyway.
 
tomcat ha

tomcat ha

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I've been using classic shell since december and i like it. Win 8 generally is nicer than 7 except for metro. It just seems less stable too.
 
DarkED

DarkED

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Right behind you.
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cryptophreak said:
...Windows 7 is losing mainstream support next month...
Click to expand...

Jefe said:
Windows 7 is already losing support? That can't be right. It seems it was just a couple of months ago Microsoft dropped XP support.
Click to expand...

cryptophreak said:
It’ll still get critical security updates as part of the extended support cycle until January 14, 2020, but mainstream support ended January 13, 2015:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/lifecycle
Click to expand...

Yes, but this only means that Microsoft will not be actively developing any new features for Windows 7, which they already haven't been doing for a while. There is no good reason to upgrade if you're happy with Windows 7 and own no touch devices (like me.) I have a copy of Windows 8 Pro that I got for free and I don't even use it.

Some people say Windows 8.1 is a bit faster than 7, some say it's not, and benchmarks also tend to point both ways depending on which website you're getting them from. In my own testing there was no noticeable difference. If you're a desktop user like me, the new file transfer dialog is nice and I like what they've done with the task manager (except for the fact that it takes ten fucking seconds to start, whereas it's instant in Windows 7 and XP) but otherwise 8 has nothing that makes the upgrade worth it.
 
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