I've been using windows 8 since the RTM bits became available: it has grown on me, but honestly I still rarely ever use the start screen tiles. That's mainly because I use predominantly desktop apps, combined with relative poor quality metro apps for the day to day tasks. For example:
(1) mail: It just doesn't have the features I'm used to, such as how do you search multiple folders. If I have to use something other than outlook, I'd much prefer google or outlook.com. And Outlook of course doesn't have live tiles (not that they'd really do much for me other than show number of new/unread mail items (2) Calendar: I do use this, mainly for a google calendar from another organisation. Problem is if I update mail app, apparently I loose the google calendar sync. Other problem is no integration with outlook (3) Photos: uhm, what the #### ? I can view my photos and that's about it. If I select a couple of photos I can't see any way to do anything with them.. no Share, no upload, no retouch... Nothing. (4) People : Looks potentially promising but because Mail is lame, it suffers from complete lack of integration in my day to day because it doesn't integrate with Outlook. Ironically, Outlook 2013 has trouble synching my people list from @Live, yet People doesn't. One of the reasons I'm stuck using Outlook 2010 alongside Office 2013. I guess one day if the Office and Windows teams work together (<cough>anti-trust</cough>), then this along with the mail and calendar issues may be fixed, but until then ...... And because I don't use the live tiles for my day to day, I really don't get into or explore the whole "app store" thing. So in regard to surface pro, I don't think that will change the way people perceive it much at all. They'll basically be using it a lot like I do. The dream of the seamless integration with Windows Phone experience will still just be a teaser at this stage. I'm hoping blue will take a lot of my windows 8 blues away (there's still hope ;) ) |-----Original Message----- |From: ozdotnet-boun...@ozdotnet.com [mailto:ozdotnet- |boun...@ozdotnet.com] On Behalf Of Jason Roberts |Sent: Thursday, 9 May 2013 9:32 AM |To: ozDotNet |Subject: RE: Is Surface really failing? | |Hi David, well now you know person that likes it :) I have been using since |previews, it has a few niggling things but overall I like it. In terms of |affordances/discoverability once you know about the corners you're pretty much |set. How long have you been using win8 out of interest? | |Doesn't like the iPad have things like 4 finger swipes, how do users discover those |gestures without being told? |________________________________ | |From: David Richards <mailto:ausdot...@davidsuniverse.com> |Sent: 9/05/2013 7:12 AM |To: ozDotNet <mailto:ozdotnet@ozdotnet.com> |Subject: Re: Is Surface really failing? | | |I have to say, I'm really surprised anyone could ask this. I don't know a single |person that likes windows 8. I don't mean they think "yeah its ok but windows 7 |is better", I mean they think "hate, loath, detest". It is one of the worst user |interfaces I've seen, second only to itunes. | |When I first tried windows 8, I intentionally made sure I didn't read anything |about it. I literally was unable to use it for a full 30 minutes! I could click on |enormous, 20 cm buttons to run an app and that was it. I eventually gave up and |went to google, only to discover there is a magical, invisible button about 5 pixels |wide in the corner. Really!? Who thought that was a good idea? | |Go to Android or iOS and a child could figure them out in minutes. My two year |old was confidently using both in minutes. I have no doubt he would have gotten |stuck in windows 8 in seconds. | |Regardless of your opinion on the style (I personally don't like the style formally |known as metro), it is not a UI that a person could figure out just by looking at it. |People have to be told how to use it. Consequently, it will always fail in |comparison to the others. | | |David | |"If we can hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of |cards... checkmate!" | -Zapp Brannigan, Futurama | | | |On 8 May 2013 18:15, Arjang Assadi <arjang.ass...@gmail.com> wrote: | | | Hello all, | | It seems there is no shortage of Surface.bashing : | http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8-microsofts-new-coke-moment- |7000014779/ | | Are there people really proposing to not to have Metro interface on |tablets? Is it really that hard for windows 7 fanatics to click on a tile to see |Windows 7 Desktop? | | Having used Android, IPad and Surface ( in that orders ), Can not imagine |why anyone prefer any other tablet to Surface. | | Is Surface really failing? or is it just the usual trolls cooking up the stats? |Anyone has any comments from horses mouth (MS) regarding this? Any news on |what is next after Surface from MS? Any rumors for Surface II ? | | Thank you | | |
