Metro-Style Windows 8 vs. Windows 7 UI vs. my sanity and productivity

Posted on November 3, 2013

The Metro interface in Windows 8.1 makes sense on a touch-enabled device, but on a traditional computer, it’s enough to have me pulling out my hair)). Those of you who know me will know there isn’t much hair to pull, but see I need you need to fully appreciate my pain. By-the-way, if you aren’t as anal as I about such things then this blog will bore you. If you want however, to

free your inner geek; read on... fact, says I –  that the new UI is aimed at tablets and phones, which makes it utterly useless on desktops and laptops. Arguably the most controversial pain point of Windows 8 and my current reason to rant, is the new Start screen, which is Microsoft’s new way of starting and managing apps. You may already be thinking – ‘this is old news no?!!’ as Windows 8.1 has been improved and includes features that will allow you to boot directly to the desktop and keep Metro elements out of your way if you prefer to stay on the traditional desktop as much as possible. Hey, if you didn’t know that – email me and I’ll give you some pointers but I want to rant – so I’m not sharing that info at this point. Lemmie get this out first okay.

Maybe it’s just me, but doesn’t it seem to you too that focusing on one (maybe two) tasks at a time dumbs down the entire user experience.? I find myself constantly switching between the new Start screen and the classic Windows 7-ish desktop (which includes the taskbar, desktop, explorer and so forth). Here’s an example of how my kinda fake annoyance goes:

Say, for example, you’re checking on your e-mails, using Outlook which is a traditional desktop application and one of your contacts is asking for a specific document. The next obvious step is to launch a file search right. The problem is: once you click on the Start orb or hit the WIN key to launch the search feature, the classic desktop disappears with all the fanfare and swoosh, you’re back on the new Start screen (as in the background of the picture above), since the Start menu search is now only available in the new Metro-style environment. You find the file, open it and with another swoosh it throws you back to the desktop.  I realise soon that I’m basically spending 95% of my work time on the classic UI.

The same happens when you switch between the built-in Metro apps (such as Twitter@ama or Socialite) and your classic desktop applications. In terms of raw productivity, it’s a very noticeable UI break.

Solution: Well, there isn’t one as such, but you could turn the new Start screen off.  Will I downgrade this laptop to Windows 7 ? or do I keep geek alive and buy another PC/laptop with Windows 7 – and enjoy moments of child like curiosity during off work times = play with both and enjoy blogging my faux exasperation? or I know.. really enjoy Bills hard work of Windows 8 by buying a Tablet – not try to use it on a desktop PC & mouse setup.