Windows 10 beta 10041

from WinCustomize Forums

Windows 10 is coming along nicely. A definite nice step from Windows 8.1 (once the bugs are out).

Still, not all is well yet.

The Windows 10 skin

image

The Windows 10 skin has some issues. The title bar is thicker than some apps expect (such as Microsoft Live Writer). Stardock’s WindowBlinds has had to tackle this issue for years.  I suspect WindowBlinds will be making a comeback with Windows 10 as the title bar and borders in windows 10 are a combination of not pretty and a bit hard to use at times (the border is one pixel making resizing a bit of a pain. Seriously.

 

The Start menu

image vs. image

I’ve seen people argue that there is no need for a Start10. I think these two screenshots (the Windows 10 start menu on the left and the beta of Stardock’s Start10 on the right) make it pretty obvious that yes, a lot of people will want Start10.

Let’s walk through some of the issues:

  1. Where’s my home folder? Those items at the top left are hard-coded. You can’t remove them. Maybe they’ll fix that but time is starting to run short.
  2. It has no context menu whatosever for the menu. So it’s not easy to understand how/if you can change its behavior.
  3. If I want to pin my home folder, I have to pin it to the tiles part of it.
  4. I don’t even want to go into the spam abuse here. It already includes a bunch of junk I have on interest in, didn’t ask for. I can’t imagine what the OEMs will do. One can almost picture that that is the purpose of the tiles in there in the first place. 
  5. You cannot pin short-cuts to the start menu.

 

image

If I remove the junk I get this.

image

This is what you get if you choose “All Apps”.

Please, someone go ahead and make the argument that this is an improvement on the Windows 7 design? Tell me how it’s superior. In fact, if you can name 1 way it’s more usable than the Windows 7 design I’d really like to hear it.  I’ll start with 1 freebie: it’s easier for touch UI.  But if I’m using touch, I’ll be using the Start screen. 

Home Group

image

Speaking of the home group, these are the icons. I hope these are not what they plan to ship in the final. They’re very distracting.

Then there’s the ribbon.  The giant “Pin to Quick Access” thing is very annoying.  Luckily, I can minimize it but it seems like a step back.  Another thing are all the little pins on the left. I get it, they’re pinned. I hope (assume) they will have an option not to show those. I couldn’t find any options in the folder options panel.

Did I mention how annoying it is that the borders are only 1 pixel?

It’s better than Windows 8

I prefer Windows 8.1 over Windows 7 with some caveats (Object Desktop installed). That’s because Windows 8 is so much better dealing with high DPI and it’s faster.

Windows 10 seems be be an improvement over Windows 8 in those terms as well. But the UX needs a lot of work still.  On the other hand, if they don’t do that work, well, I guess I’ll be able to afford to send my kid to college after all. Winking smile

143,368 views 43 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Well, I can tell you one thing as I have it on a laptop... it's ugly as hell! Every single graphic (if that's what you can call them), is so ugly it makes one want to throw up! Must be a serious bunch of total and complete idiots at Microsoft now, it is no way better than Windows 8/8.1, far from it, and I don't even like those OS's to begin with. Microsoft should have hired Stardock to create the UI, (not sure what a UX is).  o_O

Reply #2 from LittleTinyFrogs Forums Top

They definitely have their work cut out for them with a summer release.  Last evening I found out that when you go to Update Driver from the Device Manager the window which pops up asking where to find the driver software has barely readable title text because it is a black bar with dark gray text.  Not sure how many other windows have this issue, but I hope that is fixed soon.  Several reports already in the feedback app.

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I won't be using it without Start 10 and WB's (and looking at those icons, I'd say there is a dire need for a nice new, fully up to date release of IconPackager) Please, please make that happen, Brad! Saddest crap I've ever seen. Win 98 icons had more appeal. Come to think of it, so did 98's Start Menu IMHO. MS keeps this up, my Windows 7 install will outlive me.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just had a thought, which doesn't happen often, but what will MS do if folks don't download the free update to Windows 10 and just use what they have, be it 7 or 8.1?   :-"

By the way, I'm still running Windows 7, 64 bit, SP1.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Philly0381, reply 4

Just had a thought, which doesn't happen often, but what will MS do if folks don't download the free update to Windows 10 and just use what they have, be it 7 or 8.1?   :-"

By the way, I'm still running Windows 7, 64 bit, SP1.
End of Philly0381's quote

They'll just continue using what they have. You aren't being forced to update.

 

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

MS wants to get this out in time for "Back to School."  After seeing this mess, MS is looking like the ones who need to go back to school. :rofl:

Reply #7 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

The only reason I'm even considering upgrading from Win7 64bit is because of DX12 and what it will bring to the table. I'm also sure that's why MS is only going to let it work with Win10 because they want us to all upgrade for whatever reason they have...

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

DX12, and also I don't want to be that old guy saying no to every new technology. 

Reply #9 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I haven't used ten,  but i used 8 , and 8.1 there is no way 8.1 was superion to 7 without the classic shell. At least 10 will have a start menu,  and control panel this time around. I do agree that whoever thought that users want the computer and cell phones do the same thing at microsoft is retarded,  and dhould be fired.

Reply #10 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 9

I haven't used ten,  but i used 8 , and 8.1 there is no way 8.1 was superion to 7 without the classic shell. At least 10 will have a start menu,  and control panel this time around. I do agree that whoever thought that users want the computer and cell phones do the same thing at microsoft is retarded,  and dhould be fired.
End of admiralWillyWilber's quote

Oh I wouldn't use Windows 8 without Start8.

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Heavenfall, reply 8

DX12, and also I don't want to be that old guy saying no to every new technology. 
End of Heavenfall's quote

I don't mind new tech, much of it is a good thing,  but I try to keep my distance from ugly and stupid. :D

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

There is no way on Earth I'll use astart menu with feching tiles on it... they're gaudy and would mess up any theme one applied.

So yeah, it'll be Start10 and WB for me.... not to mention IconPackager, which NEEDS some TLC to bring it up to date.

Frankly, I'm interested in only what's under the hood, the improvements to speed and hardware optimisation, etc.  Without that and ObjectDesktop it wouldn't get a look in cos the UI is butt ugly and would cause me to suffer eyestrainn, not to mention nausea.  The colours are positively sickening and certainly not something I could look at for very long, so thank goodness for Stardock, which yet again, along with the skinners, will help make the intolerable visually appealing.

Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top

Quoting Wizard1956, reply 11

I don't mind new tech, much of it is a good thing, but I try to keep my distance from ugly and stupid.
End of Wizard1956's quote

Ah..so that's why you're sitting so far away from me...;)

If 10 can handle my 'cutting edge' hardware better than 7 .....will be the ONLY reason I'll upgrade...;)

+1 Loading…
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 13

Ah..so that's why you're sitting so far away from me...
End of Jafo's quote

Perhaps, but you are heading dangerously close to me in the near future. I live in central Illinois. :O

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Frogboy, reply 10


Oh I wouldn't use Windows 8 without Start8.
End of Frogboy's quote

That goes without saying... 

I mean would Steve Jobs use Windows?

Would the CEO of Coke drink Pepsi?

Would HP recommend using generic ink cartridges in its printers?

;) :)

 

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Nope. Won't be saying goodbye to W7 until 2020 (1/15/2020 last extended support).

Then? Who knows?

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Wizard1956, reply 6

MS wants to get this out in time for "Back to School."  After seeing this mess, MS is looking like the ones who need to go back to school. :rofl:
End of Wizard1956's quote
probably need to go back to pre-school.
Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 9

I haven't used ten,  but i used 8 , and 8.1 there is no way 8.1 was superion to 7 without the classic shell. At least 10 will have a start menu,  and control panel this time around. I do agree that whoever thought that users want the computer and cell phones do the same thing at microsoft is retarded,  and dhould be fired.
End of admiralWillyWilber's quote
there seems to be several groups is MSmanagement that need to be severly punished for stupidity of reducing efficiency of the user interface (eg those that removed the keyboard shortcuts for the copy/overwrite dialog) along with the idiots in MS that want everything to behave the same so that they do not have to learn or think (may their door knobs be changed to push in then turn then pull out, then turn back , then push the door to open, then the lock self resets(this might manage to prevent the idiots from actually doing anything with any luck))

Harpo, the NON-subscriber

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

That is one mind-bogglingly ugly OS.

 

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Quoting Island, reply 5
Quoting Philly0381,
reply 4

Just had a thought, which doesn't happen often, but what will MS do if folks don't download the free update to Windows 10 and just use what they have, be it 7 or 8.1?   :-"

By the way, I'm still running Windows 7, 64 bit, SP1.



They'll just continue using what they have. You aren't being forced to update.

 

End of Island's quote

I know I'm not being forced to update, what I was attempting to do is ponder what Microsoft's next step would be if PC users don't upgrade in mass to Windows 10.  Gone are the days that folks upgrade just because an upgrade is released. 

:sun:

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Wizard1956, reply 3

I won't be using it without Start 10 and WB's (and looking at those icons, I'd say there is a dire need for a nice new, fully up to date release of IconPackager) Please, please make that happen, Brad! Saddest crap I've ever seen. Win 98 icons had more appeal. Come to think of it, so did 98's Start Menu IMHO. MS keeps this up, my Windows 7 install will outlive me.
End of Wizard1956's quote

absolutely agree with Wizard!! 

:beer: :thumbsup:

Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top

They won't be migrating to it much, certainly not en masse, Philly.  Not unless there's a major overhaul.  Many gamers will go for it because of DX12 but probably not until there are some games which take advantage of it & from what I understand that may take a considerable period of time.  Even then, how big is the PC gaming market (I realize Jafo is an entire market unto himself, but I don't think he'll make or break Win10)?  Currently, there are more XP desktops than 8/8.1 desktops and Win7's share of desktops grew nearly 50% over the course of 2014.

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Daiwa, reply 21

(I realize Jafo is an entire market unto himself, but I don't think he'll make or break Win10)?
End of Daiwa's quote

Oh, I can surely break Win10.  MS hasn't made an OS I could not break...;)

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

:rofl:  I wonder what the chances of the forum clock showing the right time on window 10 is, as I sit here my watch tells me it is 02:49 but my un edited reply was posted at

03:43 an hour from now and I never felt a thing as I traveled through time. 

Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top

Trolling for Jafo has a 100% success rate.  :grin:

Reply #25 from Sins Forums Top

I have no incentive to upgrade to Windows 10 right now. I am running Windows 8.1 (with start8), and windows 10 inside VMWare Workstation 11. So far i am not impressed with Windows 10. While it may be "better" under the hood than Windows 8.1. I don't see any significant improvements for the average user (unless the average user is completely illiterate, and just uses "pictures"). The icons are a mix of both old style windows 7, and the god awful "euro street sign looking" icons. The start panel IMO is useless in its current state with no option to switch it to the classic windows 7 start menu. DX 12 would be the only benefit "if" my laptop supports it.

8.1 came with this laptop, and if i had my way i would downgrade it to Windows 7 pro, but i don't want to blow more money on a win7 disk. The old saying.. If it aint broke, dont fix it. With Start8 i have no issues with windows 8, and if i have an old program i cant run on windows 8 there is always vmware, and windows xp, or 98.

"IF" i do upgrade to windows 10. Then YES i will get Start 10. just because i cant stand that metro wannabe start menu.