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Dejah Thoris " "

Why Read this Book?

Unlike many other hyped articles on the subject of "Windows 8" this unpretentious book was written mostly to present for the reader "an user's perspective" of the W8 operating system as a "first look" glimpse of what to expect. It isn't an in-depth full investigation, but rather my own first impressions based upon using the operating system on a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge S430 (notebook).

About the Author

Dejah Thoris, is NOT an internationally renowned author, reporter, and columnist—the recipient of three

Pulitzer Prizes and the author of five bestselling books.

Nor was she a visiting lecturer at Harvard University in 2010 and 2012. She has NOT been awarded honorary degrees by California Institute of Technology University, University of Cambridge, Massachusetts

Institute of Technology, Yale University, Princeton University, Osaka University, Rensselaer Polytechnic

Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Imperial College London, Lomonosov Moscow State

University, the University of Maryland at Baltimore, Stanford University, and Duke University.

So what? Has the world been "saved" already? Has all the issues of humanity been resolved? Just when will all those individuals with their credentials and titles ever going to produce real tangible results?

Now it's up to you, that's right, instead of depending upon someone else, it's your own choice, because that's the only way you'll ever take responsibility for your own actions. You don't need to be a President, a General, or a Billionaire. All it takes is for you to have a "conscious" about living, a reverence for life, here and now, in this world where you are living. Just why should anyone feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use, right?

Dedication

For those who inspire individuals and themselves to seek out the truth. As nobody knows everything about the entirety of everything (infinite knowledge). We are all more ignorant than we realize. As NONE of us, are as smart, as ALL of us. That’s one reason why we need civilization, to draw upon each other’s strengths to overcome our individual weakness, so that we can ALL build upon our prior achievements to refine and advance humanity.

Being human it means to care for each other and civilization means to work together to create a better life together, right? The moment we stop fighting for each other that's the moment that we lose our humanity. To save the human race we have an obligation to stick to this plan...

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As everyone on this planet ALL want to experience a better quality of living life. The question becomes what are "WE" doing to create that existence, by creating that environment, so that it can exist and happen? What do we care about that effort we give each day to see that it does happen?

The "monetary system" takes no responsibility for the well-being of ALL people. You cannot measure God and no amount of money will make the world a better place. It takes people doing that themselves by the day to day things they do for each other.

As the most important investment in life are the people you make friends with and whose examples you follow. The people you invest in will generate the greatest impact on your life as only people, can help other people. Let us be grateful to those people who make us happy, for they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom too!

Acknowledgement

Special recognition is given to the following individuals for whom were spiritual contributors to this labor of work; Dr. Niru Yadav, Haya Bint Al Hussein, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Tenzin Gyatso, Jacque

Fresco, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, Benazir Bhutto, Angelina Jolie Voight, Scheherazade, to those honorable and noble men and women protecting and nurturing children, teachers and healers for whom we respect and love and to all the other inhabitants who had contributed back to society for the benefit of humanity with a reverence for life and God.

Preface

If it wasn't for the simplicity of administering the "Windows" operating system with an easy-to-use graphic user interface, a consistent set of tools and wizards that walk you through common tasks who would have adapted it?

Such features made it possible to learn how to install, configure and maintain Windows, without any knowledge of programming or scripting language or learning a lot of complicated command-line syntax.

Of course, Microsoft has always been a “my way or the highway” kind of company and it worked… when they have a lock on the desktop. Now comes "Windows 8", having departing from past tradition and diverted to a new course of direction. Just as J.P. Morgan had relabeled and rebranded the RMS Olympic as the RMS Titanic right before the unfathomable sinking to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean icy depths had Microsoft embarked a new voyage with the W8 flagship.

"FULL SPEED AHEAD" was the order given by Caption Edward J. Smith (former commander of the RMS

Olympic) just as Steve Ballmer the CEO of Microsoft who gave us the diabolical "Windows Vista" is now steering the touch finger-friendly flagship "Windows 8" on her maiden voyage without much regard to all the passengers as customers, developers and other partners (manufactures) having been told "ALL

ABOARD", but hopefully NOT on a collision course into oblivion we assume, right? While Ballmer can be heard feverously chanting "developers, developers, developers".

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The story of Microsoft certainly has all the makings of a Hollywood film and then some without any doubts. And yet, how many PC users, employees, investors, businesses, manufactures and governments, are dependent upon the unimaginable, the unfathomable possibility that something could go wrong, just like the RMS Titanic on April 15 1912?

2012 September 11th, DIC, Dubai UAE

The author of this work "Dejah Thoris" hereby waives all claim of copyright (economic and moral) in this work and immediately places it in the public domain; to be freely reproduce, reprinted, shared, adapt or distribute in any manner desired without further attribution or notice to the creator with the only condition that the same rights be perpetually reciprocated for everyone else to do the same.

Publisher/Disclaimer

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

Published on September 11, 2012 by "Windows Metro Style Media Group" Dubai Internet City, Shaikh Zayed Road, Building 4, Office 306 P.O Box 502966 Dubai, UAE Phone: +971 4 4509500

Dubai ⋅ Beijing ⋅ Cambridge ⋅ Milan ⋅ Köln ⋅ Paris ⋅ Tokyo

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As a PC user for the past 17 years, having used Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP, Vista, 7 and now

8, the question becomes why does the same operating system get rebranded, relabeled and advertised over and over again as another iteration version of something "NEW"?

So as there is no doubt as to what an operating system is and does, let me phrase it in plain simple user language. "Windows" is an intermediary manager (platform) who exchanges messages

(instructions) between the software (applications) and hardware (devices), to reach an agreement

(functionality).

Nobody goes out and buys "Windows" expecting the operating system to do anything, as that’s the purpose of what the software applications and hardware devices provide and do. The operating system, for the most part, works behind the scenes. As most of the time, the PC users will be working (actually doing something) in their software applications, right?

You can think of "Windows" as the "chassis" of an automobile, as it ties (combines) everything together. The CPU would be the engine, the GPU as the Nitrous oxide turbocharger and the driver is the "user". Does that help?

At this point, it is obvious that Microsoft never intended to sell a final product of "Windows" to keep the money (profits) flowing in. So how does Microsoft resell the same package year after year?

Wasn’t it just hilarious to see how Microsoft promoted Windows 7 as the “Whopper” in Japan or was that hysterically frightening knowing anyone attempting to eat 7 whopper patties for $7.77 could lead to a sudden heart attack!

How about a special localized edition of Windows 7 promoted with the voice of Nana Mizuki who plays Nanami Madobe as an official Windows 7 mascot! How could any serious Nanami Madobe fans pass up on such an offer, right?

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So when had Microsoft ever offered an intellectual review of their product regarding "Windows" for debating the MERITS? What compelling reasons or evidence did Microsoft provide the public to confirm and validate their claims that the new iteration of "Windows" is FIXED and BETTER than ever before?

Why should PC users be required to ditch their prior investment in “Windows” to START over again, time after time? Doesn't the PC memory storage (hard drive) have the means to replace software code as stored data (instructions) without requiring new hardware?

Is it just a matter of "out with the old and in with the new" to be the latest fad or trend for

Microsoft shills, PC enthusiast and evangelist to be so enraptured when it comes to what "Windows" now represents as the latest fashion vogue?

And yet, Microsoft didn't provide an easy upgrade path from XP to 7. It had to be a clean fresh new install that came with the requirement of purchasing a new PC to support the "WDDM"

(Windows Display Driver Model) for rendering "AERO" (transparency) as the desktop user interface.

Only, Microsoft never provided the WDDM driver for XP users or fans by promoting (forced) upgrades (PC replacements) for holding back driver compatibility by excluding out interoperability with the cooperation of video card manufactures (such as Nvidia and ATI).

With W8, both XP and Vista have NO upgrade path and W7 is butchered. W7 Ultimate (with all features present) has no equal in W8.

Honestly, Microsoft wasn't offering much of an improvement in "Windows" except for fixing some of the many BUGS (Entomophobia), design flaws and updating some of the many security issues. Most of the innovation was a result of NEW hardware than what “Windows” was offering, right?

Try to think back, how many "breakthroughs" were you able to think of for how the "Windows" operating system improved significantly for the user experience of managing their PC environment?

The truth is the "Windows" operating system is overrated, glorified and hyped. How much has any

"Windows" iteration version done for your computing? Think back and reflect, and try to name one thing! I thought so! Yeap! Indeed! If you think of hardware innovation, it’s easy, ram memory, CPU,

GPU, USB 3, SATA, PCIe SSD, Thunderbolt, Wifi, the list is huge.

Does it seem like "Windows" has been living off the blood of hardware innovation? Were we really impressed with drop down cascading menus, ribbon bars and now tiles? How many PC users was constantly adapting, coping and becoming frustrated or was that infuriated by the progression of using "Windows"?

If that wasn't all, how can we ever forgive (forget) Microsoft for having sold to our brethren

(brothers and sisters living in third world countries) a crippled operating system "Starter Edition".

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Should Microsoft had leveraged "Windows" like a drug, by offering a cheaper addiction for the short term but with the long term effect of extorting out higher cost using extortion tactics for unlocking disabled features that were already built into the product?

Wasn’t that how Microsoft got Windows 7 to run on underpowered Netbooks (disposable appliance devices) knowing there was NO possible upgrade path to a FULL version of "Windows" without purchasing a higher performance computer, right?

Windows Starter "Cripple" Edition was sold to Indonesia, Russia, Malaysia, Brazil, India, Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, Venezuela, Thailand, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

-> 32bit Only Must use slower PC -> No Encrypting File System -> 1 CPU Supported Only Must use crappy PC -> No Location Aware Printing -> Cannot Create a Home Group -> No Remote Desktop Host -> Cannot Backup to Network -> No Presentation Mode -> No Multiple Monitor Support -> No Windows Server domain joining -> No Fast User Switching -> No Windows XP Mode -> No Changeable Desktop Wallpaper -> No AppLocker -> No Desktop Window Manager -> No BitLocker Drive Encryption -> No Windows Mobility Center -> No BranchCache Distributed Cache -> No Windows Aero UI transparency -> No Direct Access -> No Aero UI Remoting -> No Subsystem for Unix-based Applications -> No Multitouch -> No Multilingual User Interface Pack -> No Premium Games Included -> No Virtual Hard Disk Booting -> No Windows Media Center -> No Windows Parental Controls -> No Windows Media Player Remote Media -> No Switching between 35 languages

Microsoft had originally intended to even restrict how many applications could be run to three applications simultaneous. Not to mention, the desktop was limited to 800 x 600 screen resolution.

Given how Microsoft had been working with various governments for decades, was this the type of improvement society values for citizens' access to technology by helping people and businesses realize their full potential?

Just as we need a government that stands up for the hopes, values, and interests of working people, and gives everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their God-given potential.

Wasn't the only real benefit of SELLING a "crippled system" about financial gain by EXTRACTING more profit? How many really think the "Starter Edition" was about learning how to use those missing features on dumb down devices with all those restrictions, right?

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Why doesn’t Microsoft just FIX it? Why must it always be a matter of waiting for the next PAID version to resolve issues? After a while one begins to see, that Microsoft builds in the bugs, so as later to sell the solution in the next version. It really feels that way after you been using "Windows".

Need an example, look no further than how thousands of Windows 7 users who ALL complained officially online through Microsoft (before RTM and ALL throughout and even after W8 RTM) about the design flaw built into W7 "Windows Explorer" Navigation that hides the child folders (jumps down instead of up action) when one expands the navigation tree folder by clicking on the plus symbol, assuming the scroll bar is present.

Microsoft claimed this action was by design, it is supposed to HIDE them child folders you wanted to see. So if that was the case, then why didn’t Microsoft FIX XP since they did FIX it in W8! See what

I mean?

Shouldn't the world expect more from a convicted global monopolist? For Microsoft’s fiscal year

2007, which ended in June, the company reported revenues of nearly $11.18 billion for its

Windows "Server" products, just over $14.97 billion in Windows "Desktop" sales, but over $16.39 billion in revenues from its Microsoft Business Division, 90% of which come from sales of "Office". The three pillars – Office, Desktop and Server products. As of the third quarter of 2009, Microsoft was ranked as the third largest company in the world, following PetroChina and ExxonMobil.

That's the Microsoft name for the W8 operating system default graphic user interface

featuring a new Windows Phone-like tiled interface (originally based upon the Natural

User Interface) and Start screen (desktop). It is orientated for touch-centric PC tablets

using finger gesturing input.

Basically, Microsoft combined its legacy desktop platform and its new Metro tile mobile platform into a single “unifying” product. Microsoft wants you to use Windows "Metro" on your phone, tablet, laptop/notebook and desktop/workstation as a shared platform environment (streamlined package for delivering content).

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Metro is three things: a concept, a platform, and a marketing tool.

Metro is designed to be "chromeless" by REMOVING the title bar and frame around the software applications and by removing the taskbar, Start button, notification area and Desktop background.

Which can be frustrating, annoying and completely unintuitive to use, especially if you attempt to use W8 with a keyboard and mouse.

If you’re using a W8 PC system (desktop or notebook) that doesn’t support touch-centric computing, you’re going to be in for a dissatisfying disappointment.

Mostly because, Microsoft has subordinated the more traditional “precise” keyboard and mouse clicking method in favor of the "sloppier" finger input for its desktop graphic user interface (Metro) on ALL of the Windows 8 versions (core, professional, enterprise and RT). ALL ABOARD!

Microsoft released Windows 8 RTM (finalized) build 9200 to manufacturing on August 1, 2012 and the very next day they run away (abandoned) from the commercial branding name (of Metro) that they've were building around for ages. W8 general public availability, is slated for Friday, October

26, 2012.

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Why would Microsoft discard the “Metro” name, the day AFTER

releasing W8 to manufactures (RTM) to be pre-installed and pre-

loaded on a billion devices?

Microsoft claims Metro was just a codename, but a German business

"Metro AG" is cited in a lawsuit claiming Microsoft was infringing

upon their Trademark.

It's been a couple weeks of Microsoft naming madness, but the new name given for Metro is now called "Modern UI”. This shows how the Metro concept was ADAPTED rather than built from the ground level up when Microsoft attempted to bridge (unify) the GUI on smartphones with desktops, notebooks and tablets as if ALL platforms were the same type of device!

By the way, all these other businesses are using the “Metro” name for their business without freaking out!

Metro AG of Germany Metro Newspapers Co. in California Metro a Greek supermarket chain Metro newspaper of the UK MetroCentre, shopping mall in the European Union Metro newspaper of Zimbabwe METRO Foods Trading, retailer in Cyprus Metro the Mexican wrestler Metro Inc., a Canadian supermarket chain Metro F.C. of New Zealand Metro Recordings, the UK music label Metro TV in Indonesia Metro Broadcast Corporation in Hong Kong Metro Radio in the UK Metro International media company in Sweden Metro FM radio in South Africa Metro department store chain based in Singapore Metro newspaper of Belgium

The first time W8 is booted up a brief tutorial is shown, so as to explain how W8 functions.

That's it. No explanation of where the Start Menu has gone and what replaced it, no tips on using the new Start Screen, and no tips on using Metro. "Move your mouse into any corner". That's it, the whole complete W8 tutorial.

It doesn't even explain that moving the mouse into different corners does different things, and leaves anyone using a W8-powered tablet a little bewildered as they look around for the mouse.

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Metro is used on ALL the W8 platform versions but is designed in FAVOR for touch screens displays using swipe, pinch, point, slide and tap finger gesturing. Who cares about oily fingerprints, scratches, and reflective glare, when we got "Touch" now, so cool, right? The problem isn't with touch-centric surface computing, but rather how Microsoft has implemented the technology."

W8 Metro UI Application Navigation (Appearance)

Metro requires memorization

for the functionality of using

hidden menus.

It's confusing and anti-

intuitive, forcing users to

rethink how they operate a

computer.

Metro requires PC users to learn a new way of doing the same old things. What happens when

Windows 9 comes out using another different user interface?

It also means throwing away all the keyboard shortcuts you've learned from ALL previous versions of using "Windows" by forcing users to adopt the new W8 Metro UI interface.

Why didn't Microsoft offer PC users on desktops and notebooks the familiar navigation option to boot directly into the Classic UI, for launching applications? Given how Microsoft has made its new

Metro interface unavoidable?

Default W7 Classic UI Start Menu True Launch Bar (Replacement Menu) Metro Menu

In fact, the W7 Classic UI Start Menu could have been improved using the True Launch Bar method.

Which lets the user customize the application menu for using larger FONTS and icons, making it easier for elderly people with visual difficulties to see and read!

www.retroui.com is another choice to bring back the Classic UI.

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TIP: Rocket Dock is an animated FREE Launcher with a drag-n-drop interface for quick access to your favorite shortcuts, links, applications or services worth having and recommended! Booting into the Windows Desktop is infinitely more useful for those on a traditional PC than booting to the

Metro UI Start Screen.

Samsung doesn't want to confuse people with W8's lack

of a Start Menu, so they've pushed out "S Launcher". It is

a simple widget that looks, and acts, just like the Classic

UI Start Menu from W7 and supports drag-n-drop

action and searching.

Other methods appearing online to get around W8 Metro are to boot directly to the Classic UI desktop in W8.

Lots of PC users don’t like the new Metro UI Start screen concept and want to be taken directly to the Classic UI Desktop when

Windows boots. Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn’t provided any such option in W8. Which explains the utility (445.83 kB) known as "

" by Happy Bulldozer. It is a very handy utility as it allows the user to bypass the Metro start screen completely and boot directly to the desktop in W8.

Is Metro on notebooks and desktops without touch-centric hardware an unnecessary forced feature of W8? Why would anyone using a notebook or desktop want or need a touch screen input method for? Except for handwriting input or when no keyboard or mouse is available.

Question, why shouldn't the desktop display both the running applications as a preview and the application gallery by grouping applications into categories, regarding cloud applications online and local PC applications with an application search tool? Additional status bars could be included for ram memory use, hard drive storage capacities and options for sharing programs to other networked PC's (below left).

Yet another method (above right) was to disable the Metro UI in the W8 Developer Preview (doesn't work in the RTM version) for using the Classic UI.

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How to bypass Metro: Don't buy Windows 8.

But, if you really want to "Boot" to the W8 desktop instead of Metro this is one of the reported methods of doing just that, but you will still be missing the Start menu and Start button.

Copy Below Code

_echo off C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257} end_

Copy the code into Notepad and save it as a ".bat" file extension and then run it through the

Windows Task Scheduler or by attaching it to the Windows Logon event in the Event Viewer.

ViStart is a FREE W8 Application navigation menu, with instant file and application search too. A side-effect is that ViStart icon overlaps with the first pinned taskbar icon as of August 2012.

You might even consider the idea of disabling the W8 lock screen by eliminate the time-wasting feature to log in faster (before the password prompt) by opening the Group Policy Editor

(gpedit.msc) and navigating to Computer > Configuration\Administrative > Templates\Control

Panel\Personalization. Once you're there, double click "Do not display the lock screen" and enable the policy.

Classic Shell (FREE) Stardock Start8 (Purchase)

It seems lots of individuals want to bring back the traditional navigation application menu in W8.

Why would anyone dare to do that, right?

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W8 Metro Application Gallery (Seeing is Believing)

Does this look as if Microsoft

started something and failed

to finish as you get different

screen architectures using

mixed tiles with icons in the

W8 Metro UI?

It’s like two different ideas,

one used for "surface" touch-

centric tablet computing and another for the traditional desktop/notebook precision computing.

Notice how the Metro UI poorly presents the smaller 24 pixel icons for applications instead of the larger 256 icons next to the bigger clutter looking block-style colored tiles.

Why did Microsoft want to make the appearance of using the smallest possible application icons than the already built in 256 pixel size by using faded background colors right next to the vivid colored generic looking tiles as if this was a case of sabotage on behalf and for the sake of Metro?

The first time Microsoft attempted a PC tablet as pen-based computing in

2002 on XP never took off as a popular choice for consumers or businesses. Has

Microsoft resolved this issue in their second attempt? Are we there yet?

Does Metro look mature, polished and professional or suffering from leprosy?

Could it be Microsoft wants to END the life of the PC, by turning the computer

into an appliance device?

W8 Metro Settings

Notice that Metro doesn't even display

any system tray bar. No system tray

icons, no system status.

Instead, the W8 user must hover over the

invisible hotspots and click on the Metro

"charms" menu, selecting "settings" to

gain reduced functionality.

How is that productive or even useful on desktops and notebooks?

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To turn off W8, the PC user will need a minimum of 4 clicks by hovering over the invisible hotspot on the right or clicking on the bottom button on the lower right to display the Metro menu. Then another click or tap on the "Settings" button, and then on the "Power" button, and then selecting

"shutdown" or reboot. What PC user wants to drill down to find a buried primary task?

W8 Metro Search

The above screen shot is taken from W8 Metro showing where the PC user must go to use the built in Search function. Meaning, it isn't on the Metro Start Screen, but rather buried in the hidden

Metro "Charm" Menu. Notice how typing the search query for "update" displayed ZERO results!

Metro doesn't jump to the categories when it finds something too. It takes more searching in categories to find stuff!

Does it make a lot of sense to hide the search tool on a hidden menu?

W7 "Search" functionality (for comparison)…

In W7 (above) typing "update" automatically shows the most hits (as results) to be more relevant than W8! No hunting to find results and no need to select different categories like in W8.

By now, having seen a few Metro screen shots, one might feel there is a lot of emptiness in the

Metro display, right? Take a look at the below "Settings" screen shot. That is what happened when I did the following;

Open the "Metro menu", click on "Search", type a word and

then select from the list of what to display, pick "Settings" and

then click on the "X" and you get the same full screen window

display. Nice? Just why is that useful?

<---- Sort of RAW looking, isn’t it?

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Is this what any serious software developer would claim professional and polished and worth

PAYING for? Is this what Microsoft means as innovating or inspirational?

Unfortunately, Metro isn't limited to

RAW views of the operating system, but also in software applications like

Microsoft Internet Explorer v10. -->

This was a result of right clicking over IE10 by removing some favorite sites, leaving just the empty tab view.

Also, how you going to EXIT or access options in Metro IE10? (above - You're looking at the FULL screen, nothing left out.)

Does this make web-browsing more accessible to either touch-friendly or mouse devices? Does it make a lot of sense for Microsoft to push surfacing computing by enforcing Metro as de facto

Windows UI on ALL W8 PC systems? Why not just offer the "choice" for touch-centric hardware that supports Metro as an option, right?

Another thing, when Metro applications are displayed at full-screen size they can't be moved from one screen to another as only Metro side-by-side applications are allowed to do that. But wait, what about displaying multiple applications at once? Well then, Metro only lets you do the following; the ability to run two Metro applications side by side: one occupying 34% percent of the screen or less, and the other 66% percent.

If you wanted a dual 50/50 split screen for comparison, sorry, not offered in Metro! Although,

PC users did find it very useful for comparing products like on eBay before by using Aero Snap in

W7. ------>

What is the compelling reason/s as to why anyone would require or need a touchscreen for either a notebook or desktop PC? Except for handwriting and small devices without keyboards, right?

Who wants their PC turned into a mobile phone UI?

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Surface computing using touch-centric inputting (by using a touch screen) also has some issues and disadvantages on PC tablets for which the problem CANNOT be resolved using the Metro UI. Not to mention, for many software applications like Photoshop CS6, Office 2013, Premiere, CorelDraw,

AutoCAD 2013 you will need the desktop Classic UI until the software developers create application alternatives that can be used in the Metro UI (user interface).

To give you an idea why touch-centric tablets are at a disadvantage by design just consider when video chatting (Skype) as the moment one lays down the tablet (in a horizontal position), so as to type productivity a message to share with a contact (like when translating) by using both hands on the touchscreen keyboard, that’s the moment when the web camera will be looking straight up at the ceiling or blue sky (unlike a smartphone) instead of at eye level.

If you’re an employer would you want to hire a Tablet or Notebook typist? That’s just another reason as to why Metro doesn’t make a lot of sense for business, desktop and notebook users with or without touch-centric hardware.

Honestly, when has the keyboard and mouse become obsolete? How many of us perform better when using a touchscreen keyboard, right?

Who has seen anyone typing with both hands and ten fingers on a 3-5” smartphone screen at an acceptable 80 wpm rate? How has Metro simplified the complexity of using surface computing? How well will W8 Metro gesturing work with a digital pen?

The problem is that Metro tries to unify all hardware devices to use the same visual interface on dissimilar and different hardware devices. The Metro method is flawed, as it attempts to do the same task on every other different platform (hardware device) no matter the "orientation", usage, size or purpose.

That's like expecting to unify bicycles (smartphones) with automobiles (notebooks) and aircraft

(desktops) wheels to be indifferent (as the same) on different vehicles (platforms) without regards to the inherit design purpose. Just as people come in different heights, experiences, colors, backgrounds, weights because there is no one best model that functions in all conditions, situations and environments.

It's just Microsoft wanting EVERYTHING, as if they didn't have already enough of the global market.

Doesn't this signal how much Microsoft has chewed off more than it can chew? Do we really need

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Microsoft in our microwave ovens, in our automobiles and home appliances? Where does it stop or rather what will be left for any of us to build upon ourselves?

How will the blind type on a touch-centric surface keyboard that doesn't support braille?

Which keyboard would you be more productive on, the Metro on screen keyboard (left and bottom) or the physical FULL sized keyboard (right) that’s NOT missing brackets, slashes, function keys, numbers and arrows that provides tactile confirmation?

"Windows XP, Vista and 7" ALL came with an "on screen keyboard". Just nobody prefers using them even on tablets or smartphones and certainly on notebooks, netbooks, laptops, desktops and workstations too. What is holding you back from using the on screen keyboard now?

W8 has two UI platforms built in the operating system coexisting (utterly annoying) with each other; Metro as the new default UI that is suited for tablets and touch devices and the previous

"Classic UI" that is the better choice for desktop PCs and laptops. But Microsoft crippled the Classic

UI in W8 by stripping out the Start Menu and Start Button. Also, who wants to always be switching back and forth between the desktop (Classic UI) and Metro UI?

W8 "Control Panel" using the Classic UI W8 Internet Explorer v10 using the Classic UI

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Why did Microsoft leave out it's own applications (above) in W8 from running in the Metro UI?

Although, Microsoft expects software developers to BUILD new applications for METRO, and then

FAILS to do the same for their own applications in W8, like the "Control Panel", "Internet Explorer"

(downloadable version) and "Windows Explorer" as you see in the above screen shots.

Those W8 applications are using the "Classic" UI (user interface) from previous versions of "Windows".

That's double the work for novice beginners, as they will be REQUIRED to learn both the "Classic" and "Metro" user interface in the W8 operating system.

As Metro is the default desktop graphic user interface of W8, what software programs support it?

How many software developers will want to produce listless, lifeless and obtuse Metro-styled applications for W8 only? Given how no other version of "Windows" supports Metro.

How many Microsoft web sites or any site is designed and built for touch-centric surface computing on the Internet other than for mobile devices (smartphones), as of August 2012 (0.00000001%)?

Exactly!

The transition to the 64bit architect still hasn't been fully supported by the developers of software applications either. In addition, 32bit software doesn't run on 64bit computing architect. So basically Microsoft added the ability to run 32bit applications on a 64bit system by including the method of emulating a subsystem of the 32-bit processor. Now, the same is happening here with

Metro as you get DOUBLE Internet Explorers, one for Metro and another for the Classic UI in W8.

That means for most of the W8 PC users, they will still be using non-Metro-styled applications, like

Office 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, or the $8.5 billion acquisition of “Skype” that doesn’t provide a

Metro-styled interface as of September 11, 2012.

Keep in mind; PCs are still more popular than tablets or iPads, right?

Why should software developers want to EXCLUDE out every other version of Windows, which forms the bulk of PC users (XP/7), to support instead that one operating system (W8 Metro) that is locked into a device? Meaning, there are far more customers to sell software to than just for W8 Metro to consider here. Why piss off your absolutely largest audience just to capture a small percent of users?

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India and China make up around 35.7% of the human population with a significant majority of them still using lower cost Windows XP. It's unlike they will upgrade, given only a clean install method is offered. How many will want to adapt to the touch-centric Metro UI when 99.9% of those XP systems do NOT support surface computing?

Judging by Microsoft’s own software applications, how are fat fingers going to selectively press upon those tiny small button options, right? How many software applications and websites have been designed specifically for touch-centric inputs?

Are we there yet?

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Example showing how Microsoft Office 2010 Ribbon Bar uses tiny small precision buttons!

If you’re thinking of using a digital pen with a tablet, great as this helps, but it FAILS in most PC gaming environments! What is the point of switching over to surface computing when the software applications are NOT design for it or supporting it?

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2013 – is NOT a Metro-styled application.

It is clear as day that Office 2013 isn't a touch-first Metro-styled application experience for W8.

Considering Office is Microsoft's other big cash cow, it's pathetically unbelievable that Microsoft didn't put more effort into this.

Microsoft Office Outlook 2013 – is NOT a Metro-styled application.

Microsoft Office OneNote 2013 – is NOT a Metro-styled application.

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W8 Windows Explorer – is NOT a Metro-styled application.

Notice how the application interface (above) does NOT support touch-centric "surface" computing, but Microsoft is PUSHING the Metro UI, that favors surface computing in ALL versions of W8.

Clearly, the W8 "Windows Explorer" application interface was designed for precision mouse clicking, not surface computer, although

Here’s an excerpt from Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols (February 6, 2012) pointing out how your

Metro-styled software applications are NOT expected anytime soon,

“If you're unhappy about the state of Metro applications, think about the poor Windows programmers. You've spent years learning .NET, Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), and now they have to learn WinRT and Jupiter/XAML. Even developers who like WinRT give it "compliments" like "It's a great time to get involved with WinRT, as the platform is still in its infancy, and will need a lot of developer support to build even more robust tools." Really? That comment was made in January 2012, and the development tools are still in diapers!? Last, but not least, Windows developers will need rewrite their Metro apps for the more traditional Windows-style desktop. Oh, and they'll also need to build them for both x86 and ARM platforms. That's a heck of a lot of work to do without a lot of time to do it in. Put it all together and I see little chance about Windows 8 having many mature, ready-to-run applications come launch day.”

Microsoft could had just used the web camera to see which gestures the user was making and still keep the traditional more "precise" input method of using a mouse than to favor one method

(touch-centric surface computing) over the other (traditional precise mouse and keyboard).

This would extend functionality to all computers with a web camera instead of only a touchscreen.

Imagine the HUGE advantage for PC users NOT needing to sit in front of their tablets, but able to browse sites, photos, videos, you know even Media Center with just a flick of their finger ten feet away. This insures the display screen isn't degraded with oily fingerprints or smudges too.

Another thought would have been to build in a hands-free eye-tracking program such as for PC gamers, given the speed of vision is much faster than the manual finger response time that would had extended W8 for the handicap and disabled.

Microsoft now wants to be the only store selling Metro-styled software applications. But did you know, Microsoft will take

. Should everyone want to build Metro-styled software applications to be only sold on Microsoft’s Window Store?

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So, if anyone wants to actually use W8 Metro, the BIG question will be who wants to be locked into

Microsoft to get their Metro-styled applications from the “Windows Store” only?

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how the

Metro UI looks more like “ ”

than as a gallery of software applications?

Microsoft Advertising SDK

So does this mean Microsoft is planning behind

the scenes to sell your desktop space to

advertisers in the not so far off distant future?

Gone are the days when you had to browse to a site, to be saturated with advertising spam, right?

It really feels like Microsoft is predominately leveraging the desktop UI on ALL platforms, tablets, desktops, laptops and smartphones for Metro ADVERTISING or rather annoying consumerism right in your face.

Didn't Microsoft dream of owning Yahoo Advertising? Wasn't that AFTER they realized Google wasn't going to surrender? Haven't we seen how Microsoft inserts PAID advertising to support their own applications, be Bing, Skype and Office 365? Now Microsoft wants to auction off your desktop to advertisers. Is that that kind of innovation you were expecting and willing to PAY for?

Most of the W8 Metro services REQUIRE a Microsoft Account (membership requirement)!

So what is a "Microsoft Account" (Effective September 27, 2012)?

To access portions of the services, such as the Microsoft branded services, you will need a Microsoft account. The Microsoft account, formerly known as Microsoft Wallet, Microsoft Passport, .NET

Passport, Microsoft Passport Network, and most recently Windows Live ID, is the credentials you will use to authenticate with their network by signing into your Microsoft account periodically, at a minimum of every 270 days.

Meaning you MUST identify yourself to download even FREE software applications that Microsoft had no part in developing. The services provided by Microsoft are at your own risk on an “as is” basis too.

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Also, all purchases are final and non-refundable! If you and Microsoft don't resolve any dispute by informal negotiation or in small claims court, any other effort to resolve the dispute will be conducted exclusively by binding arbitration. You are giving up the right to litigate (or participate in as a party or class member) all disputes in court before a judge or jury.

This means the dispute must be filed within one year will be judged by a neutral (Microsoft

Endorsed) arbitrator, whose decision will be final except for a limited right of appeal under the

Federal Arbitration Act. But wait, in a dispute involving $10,000 or less, any hearing will be telephonic unless the arbitrator finds good cause to hold an in-person hearing instead.

And yet, MICROSOFT has had a long, a very long history of litigation, court orders, patent infringements and antitrust lawsuits against it since the very beginning of its history. The surprising thing is not only the number of those lawsuits against Microsoft - at one time, it had more than

130 pending - but more importantly, the sheer amount of money it represents as Microsoft has been ordered to pay nearly $12 billion in fines for its criminal activities around the world. This has led some observers to speculate that fines have been a way to "oil" the progress of Microsoft.

Note also that no one has been imprisoned and that apart from paying out huge amounts of money,

Microsoft can carry on its business as usual.

Metro certainly is pushing PC users to sign up for a Microsoft Account just like they bundled the browser and media player as part of being "Windows". Which doesn't seem like a sufficient reason for selling another new iteration of "Windows", unless you promoting revenue generation rather than innovation.

Doesn't it feel like Microsoft is leading away from promoting a personal computer device into an appliance device intending to be an entertainment platform for social media with Facebook and twitter? Especially, given how the "tablet" is orientated to "consume" content as the "delivery platform" for selling online services and digital products (consumerism) rather than as a developing platform for innovation and creativity? How many consumers will apply W8 RT on Tablets as content developers, innovators, creators?

Whereas notebooks have the larger screen size and performance for creating content by running applications like AutoCAD 2013 3D Civil Engineering, video transcoding and editing, reverse engineering IDA Pro 6.3, cluster computing, and creating PC Games like Crysis and Battlefield 3 etc…

Another aspect of Metro needs to be addressed, such as how to port (transfer) open source or other proprietary software to the W8 Metro environment? How will software developers port all existing features and functions from more advance desktop applications into the Metro "constrained" less functionality environment?

The Metro tool kit offered by Microsoft depends upon Net Framework v4 and C#. Which means C# is the worst imaginable fit for the Xbox 360 for performance and Net only works on PAID or Pirate

"Windows" for software developers. Apple computers like OSX are left out, excluded like Linux.

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Another example, MonoGame is an open source implementation of XNA. XNA is a Microsoft .NET graphics system that is available on the XBox 360, Windows Phone 7 and the Windows desktop. You can use it to port games to iOS, Android, Mac OSX or Linux, but NOT for W8 RT environment that is based on DirectX. So programmers who have created XNA games for W7 can't run their creations under WinRT (tablets). So Microsoft made it harder to port applications on their own Windows 8

RT platform as compared to OSX and Linux.

Will this be another case like how the General Court of the European Union ordered Microsoft on 27

June 2012 to pay for its abuse of its dominant market position by refusing to provide interoperability documentation? Given how the "Windows Store" will be the only method of purchasing and downloading Metro-style software applications, as well as advertising desktop applications accordingly by Microsoft. So what about open source developers who would be offering non-proprietary and FREE Metro-style software applications?

When did Microsoft get surfacing computing done right using the Metro UI? Was Windows "dumb down" as a result of combining different platforms (mobile phones with desktops/notebooks)? How many W8 PC users will discover the Metro UI to be confusing and difficult, mish-mashed ideas, using gestures and hidden menus with invisible hotspots that beg memorization as the right stuff?

"The Complete Guide to Windows 8" from the experts at PC Advisor stated, "…the Metro interface provides an immersiveness that only a touchscreen environment can offer." So why in the world should Microsoft forced that requirement upon non-touch-centric hardware PC systems then?

Metro or the Modern UI should had been standardized so as to make it obvious, simple and efficient in its use, than by expecting for ALL PC users to memorize invisible procedures (gestures) for their tasks and hidden locations implemented by Metro in W8 as the default GUI instead of mandating these absurdity, right?

Does it make a lot of sense that W8 Metro sacrificed the "Windows" uniformity, cohesiveness and consistency of the desktop computing experience in favor of using a smartphone user interface?

It's ironic, that Microsoft sees $$$ (profits) from mobile computing, despite having the ubiquity status quo, as the desktop global monopoly of the world with four billionaires and an estimated

12,000 millionaires. What more could they possibly want? Except for Steve Ballmer at the helm of

Microsoft as their chief executive officer plundering treasure for the stake holders…

What's next billionaire (Caesar) Ballmer as the next U.S. President after Obama? Remember, this is

America; they hired a peanut farmer, a Hollywood actor and an illegal immigrant! What else?

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The graphic user interface known for the transparent “Glass” effect has been REMOVED from W8.

It featured a glass-like design for window borders, taskbars, and other surfaces in the OS. According to Microsoft, Aero was designed to make the Windows experience more visually appealing, while also drawing user attention to the content within a window or program.

Jensen Harris director of program management for Microsoft's Windows 8's user experience team recently (August 2012) claimed "AERO" is NOW cheesy and outdated. So this mean "Windows" should be renamed as "TILES" since Metro are TILES!

The AERO UI didn't function well on smartphones, as first and obvious, smartphones don't use BIG screen sizes which made it impractical to display multiple applications simultaneously at once, which the Aero UI did. But, the AERO UI wasn't designed to run on low power systems, either! What to do? Panic!

So Metro was baked, as a method of fulfillment on smartphone platforms. However, Microsoft decided to APPLY Metro on EVERYTHING else, starting with W8. However, 99.9% of the software markets, including Microsoft’s own software like Office 2013 (2010, 2007, 2003, 2000, etc…) doesn’t support Metro-styled applications as yet!

Mandating that software developers build their application for just one version of Windows (W8), so as to support Metro will certainly cause RESISTENCE. Given that Windows 7 and Windows XP are still the most popular operating system platforms to date, as of September 2012. Does it make a lot of sense to EXCLUDE or leave out ALL the entire present and existing market? As all Metro- styled application are designed to run on Metro, which isn't found on any other version of

"Windows".

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Example of W8 showing Microsoft Internet Explorer v10

Metro = no window frame, scroll bars or title bar.

Notice how Microsoft’s own web sites are still stuck on 800x600 screen resolution.

<----- Are we there yet?

No application EXIT button!

Example of W7 showing Firefox v14

More productive, lets you switch easily to other applications from the system tray bar while managing multiple web site tabs!

Let’s me preload sites in tabs while I am multitasking with other applications too.

Your browsing experience is more productive because you can work easier with other applications.

Has Microsoft shoot itself in the foot by dumping the visual appearance of Windows 7 transparency aesthetics for W8 Metro opaque windows?

But wait, there are already other tablets in the marketplace, such as the Android (Linux) tablet from and it's both marginally thinner and lighter than the Apple iPad 2.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 combines a detachable keyboard with the tablet. What makes it worth talking about here is how it combines the best of both worlds, as a tablet on the move and a netbook when you're sitting at a desk.

Another choice might be the . It comes with a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 12 core GPU, 8GB and 16GB internal storage and 7-inch 1280x800 screen, the Nexus

7 certainly has a lot to offer at $200.

W8 Internet Explorer v10 – Supports SSL Phishing Attacks!

Notice how the HTTPS "homepage" of Microsoft doesn't show any access or locked icon on an encrypted site (above screen shot).

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The default action in IE10 is to NOT provide access to the SSL certificate for review or validation when non-secure content is used on an encrypted site.

How will IE10 users know if the encrypted site is genuine from an encrypted phishing site or socially engineered attack, given how there is NO access to verify if the SSL certificate was issued by a legitimate entity?

If that wasn't all, IE10 (Internet Explorer) Metro UI version uses an embedded Flash component that was natively integrated. Meaning, IE10 suffers from a number of exploitable critical security vulnerabilities that allows hackers to take over your W8 PC.

Unfortunately, because of the tight coupling method that Microsoft has embedded the Abode Flash component, W8 PC users will NOT be able to update "flash" anymore themselves through Adobe updates, but rather, that is until updates from Adobe are integrated into IE10 update packages first and then made available only through Microsoft's "Windows Updates" to the general public, that is until after October 26, 2012. Although, the Adobe security update (11.4.402.265) was already released to the public in August 21st of 2012.

Why did Adobe put lethargic Microsoft in charge of updating it's own code? If Microsoft hopes to avoid embarrassing itself more by keeping IE10 safe and secure, the software maker should definitely consider timely updates as part of its strategy, right?

First, Peter Kleissner www.stoned-vienna.com has developed a 14KB rootkit program called "Stoned

Bootkit" that loads before W8 boots up giving full unrestricted access to the entire PC system. It is even able to bypass full volume encryption, because the master boot record (where Stoned is stored) is not encrypted (BIOS). Peter also included some code that would make it possible to log into W8 using any password.

TIP: To purge the code if infected RUN bootrec /FixMbr this command overwrites the master boot record with the default one and thus overwrites Stoned Bootkit.

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Because of this, the industry worked on a system to protect against this type of malicious activity, and created what today is known as UEFI Unified Extensible Firmware Interface "Secure Boot

Protocol". Which has the side effect of preventing interoperability against competitors and open society by preventing unauthorized firmware, operating systems, or UEFI drivers from running at boot time unless they bear a cryptographic signature by Microsoft, the manufacture or an UEFI signing key vendor ($99 for an UEFI signing key) for any software that modifies the bootloader that enforces the UEFI secure boot protocol.

Basically, the bootloader is the place where the PC hardware reads instructions to boot up an operating system or program. Windows installs those instructions in the bootloader, just as another operating system like Linux. By making the process proprietary without full documentation, competitors are at a huge disadvantaged.

Microsoft has basically inserted

themselves as the UEFI gatekeeper

for installing not just their

software, but *any* software that

modifies the bootloader on a

potentially huge number of devices

globally around the world.

W8 UEFI has a lot in common with Metro, in that both are designed to prohibit competition. Metro locks down software applications from running on any other operating system and by mandating

ALL Metro-styled software applications will only be available from Microsoft’s own “Windows

Store”. Not only has Microsoft a global market monopoly on "Windows", but will leverage itself as the global provider of software applications and a platform for delivering digital content from RIAA and MPAA.

The main issue with the UEFI secure protocol is that it excludes out ALL other operating systems, for the right of sharing (educational), giving (philanthropy), renting, loaning, and borrowing on other W8 PC system/s hardware to run boxed copies of Windows or Linux on Windows logo hardware, and also impossible to install new versions of Windows or Linux unless your OEM provided a new UEFI digitally signed key. A system that ships with only OEM and Microsoft keys will not boot a generic copy of Linux.

You can download UEFI Specification Version 2.3.1 (2,139 pages)

Microsoft Windows 8 Hardware Certification Requirements PDF (291 pages) Page 30 of 44

One of the few shortcomings in the UEFI model (and it is a deliberate omission because of the complexity of running a certification system) is that there’s no designated root of trust in the current version 2.3.1. for a centralized vender-neutral signing authority to provide UEFI keys.

The Windows 8 PC you buy in 2013 will be permanently locked into Windows 8 if Microsoft gets away with their plan. Windows 8 certification does not require that the user be able to disable UEFI secure boot, and hardware vendors have reported already that on some hardware will not have this option available. Of course, Windows 8 certification does not require that the PC system come with any keys other than Microsoft's. A system that ships with UEFI secure boot enabled and only includes Microsoft's signing keys will only securely boot Microsoft operating systems.

Think how this gives great power to Microsoft, for every manufacture that wants to sell hardware for the Windows 8 PC, needs a UEFI digital signed key, from Microsoft!

Disabling UEFI Secure Boot is NOT possible on ARM systems like Windows 8 RT (Tablets).

The PC user using x64 or x86 systems is not guaranteed the ability to install extra signing keys in order to securely boot the operating system of their choice. The PC user is not guaranteed that their system will include the signing keys that would be required for them to swap their graphics card from another vendor, or replace their network card and still be able to netboot, or install a newer

SATA controller and have it recognize their hard drive in the firmware. Of course, UEFI doesn't provide the means to generate your own UEFI keys either. Just where does that leave the PC user?

The truth is that UEFI using the Secure Boot Protocol v2.3.1 makes it more difficult to run anything other than Windows 8. The truth is that UEFI secure boot is a valuable and worthwhile feature that

Microsoft [is] misusing to gain tighter control over the market.

As it stands now Microsoft is saying OEMs don't have to do it. They just have to do it if they want to sell PCs with Windows on them.

Is it surprising to know, “embrace, extend, and exterminate” is a phrase that the U.S. Department of Justice had found Microsoft used internally as its own business policy?

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Windows SmartScreen’s purpose is to “screen” every single application you try to install from the

Internet in order to inform you whether it’s safe to proceed with installing it or not. But did you know, SmartScreen makes a hash of your application that you installed and sends that data back to

Microsoft "apprep.smartscreen.microsoft.com", 65.55.184.60.

W8 is configured to immediately tell Microsoft about every application you download and install.

What about your privacy? Do you want to tell Microsoft every application you install? When was the

PC user informed of this policy while installing and setting up W8?

Also, once the licensing terms (EULA) is accepted and verified online through "Windows Activation

Technologies", additional on-going validation submissions will occur on every visit to the Windows

Update website. In addition, every time the W8 PC is booted up and 24 hours later, the following information is collected, encrypted and transmitted back to Microsoft as follows;

 Computer make and model  Version information for the operating system and software  Region and language settings  A unique number assigned to your computer (Globally Unique Identifier or GUID)  Product Key (hashed) and Product ID  BIOS name, revision number, and revision date  Hard drive volume serial number (hashed)  Whether the installation was successful if one was performed  The result of the validation check, including information about any activation exploits and any related malicious or unauthorized software found, disabled or removed.  The name and a hash of the contents of the computer's start-up instructions file (commonly called the boot file)

If your system is identified as non-genuine, additional information will be sent to Microsoft.

 Breach identifiers  The breach's current state, such as cleaned, quarantined, or removed  The scanning engine version  Original equipment manufacturer identification  The breach file name and hash of the file.

What else should W8 PC user be told about Microsoft snooping or spying, right? Page 32 of 44

How about giving the public a choice of an operating system when purchasing the computer? Why must it come pre-load, pre-installed and pre-activated by the OEM, when the customer might prefer to use the FREE Linux (Ubuntu) version instead? How to obtain a FULL refund when declining the EULA?

The new specification OA v3.0 will be an online activation method ONLY. Meaning Microsoft doesn’t even trust the manufactures with license activation anymore! The new rules require manufacturers will be required to write a unique Windows product key into the BIOS of each new PC, based on each particular system’s hardware.

This key isn’t automatically generated by OEMs either. They will need to obtain it directly from

Microsoft via electronic delivery and factories will be required to file “production reports” to

Microsoft detailing their license compliance, thus making it harder to avoid paying licensing fees to

Microsoft.

Then the next step is to generates a 128 bit hardware hash and then transmit that along with the product key to Microsoft for approval. If successful, then OA3.0 locks the MSDM table using the

128bit hash and the product key to prevent any changes. Meaning, any hardware changes may require new activation.

Should the user replace hardware, certainly a motherboard, a new activation process would be required. Let’s all hope nothing goes wrong, like the server doesn’t go offline, is hacked, hijacked, bombed, or whatever else right (EMP) anyone?

W8 is sold as the following versions;

 Windows 8  Windows RT (Tablet using ARM processor)

 Windows 8 Pro  Windows 8 Enterprise

W8 editions destined for European markets have the letter "N" suffixed to their names and do not include a bundled copy of Windows Media Player.

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Windows RT version cannot install any x86/x64 applications! It’s designed for the ARM processor

only. So do any of the above W8 compatible stickers make it clear how Windows RT isn’t compatible

with any 32/64bit software applications?

We ALL heard how Steve Ballmer washed his hands of the Vista Capable claims. By claiming he

wasn’t involved in the “operational decisions” involving Microsoft’s controversial Vista Capable

scheme.

So who will be responsible for W8 capability claims, thinking Sam Moreau as principal director of

user experience for Windows 8 or Julie Larson-Green, the Vice President of Windows? Maybe the

axe should fall upon Mark Yalovsky as the Senior Program Manager Lead Windows User Experience

Team? How about Qixing Zheng that help created the W8 Metro user interface or Tami Reller, chief

marketing officer for Windows?

How many buyers will know the differences between Windows RT and the W8 Pro/Enterprise

tablets? Take a look at the tables below if you're not familiar with the differences.

W8 UPGRADE Path

W7 Windows RT W8 W8 Pro W8 Enterprise

Enterprise No Yes Ultimate No No Professional Yes No Home Premium Yes

Home Basic Yes No Starter

W8 Feature Comparison

Feature W8 Pro Enterprise RT

Add Features to Windows 8

Animated Transitions

AppLocker

Bitlocker & Bitlocker To Go

BITS Support

Boot From VHD

BranchCache

Can Disable First Sign-In Animation

Can Install Desktop Applications

Can Upgrade To Windows Media Center

Change Desktop Background

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Client Hyper-V

Codec: AAC Decoder (v2, v3)

Codec: Dolby Digital Decoder (v3)

Codec: Dolby Digital Encoder (v3)

Codec: H.264 Video Decoder (v2)

Codec: MPEG2 Video Decoder (add-in)

Codec: MPEG2 Video Encoder (add-in)

Connected Standby

Desktop Animations

Device Encryption

DirectAccess

Disk Mirroring

Domain Join

Dynamic Disks

Encrypting File System (EFS)

Exchange ActiveSync Client

Family Safety

File Explorer

File History

Group Policy

HomeGroup Create

HomeGroup Join

In-box Apps (Mail, Calendar, etc.)

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

Internet Explorer 10

Internet Explorer Automatic Upgrade

ISO/VHD Mounting

Language Packs

Live Preview

Max Memory Allowed (ARM) 4GB Max Memory Allowed (x64) 128GB 512GB 512GB Max Memory Allowed (x86) 4GB 4GB 4GB Max Physical Processors 1 2 2 2 Maximum SMB Connections 20 20 20 Metered Connections

Microsoft Account Support

Mobile Broadband Networking

Mobility Center

Multiple Monitors

Network Bridging

Network Connectivity Assistant

Office Home & Student 2013 RT

Offline Files

Personalization

Picture Password

PIN Sign-In

PlayTo

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Presentation Mode

Push Button Reset

Remote Desktop Client

Remote Desktop Host

Remote Desktop: Advanced Compression

Remote Desktop: Audio Capture

Remote Desktop: Direct3D Remoting

Remote Desktop: DWM Remoting

Remote Desktop: Easy Print

Remote Desktop: Multiple Monitors

Remote Desktop: PnP Device Redirection

Remote Desktop: Remote Applications

Secure Startup

Sensors and Location Platform

Shake

Sideloading/Line of Business (LOB) Apps

Snap (Desktop)

Snap (Metro)

Snipping Tool

Start Screen

Sticky Notes

Storage Spaces

Tablet PC Features

Task Manager

Touch & Thumb Keyboard

Upgrades From Win 7 Pro/Ultimate

Upgrades From Win 7 Starter/HB/HP

VPN Client

Windows Backup Network Support

Windows Defender

Windows Desktop

Windows Media Player

Windows SmartScreen

Windows Store

Windows To Go

Windows Update

Wireless Adhoc Networking

So, W8 Enterprise has the MOST to offer. While W8 (core) cannot install Media Center unless the

W8 Professional versions is installed (unlocked).

Note: perhaps the most valued feature of all, is "Windows To Go", but it only comes in W8

Enterprise. There's support for BitLocker, Microsoft's whole disk encryption technology, and you can enable it when you install "Windows To Go". However, it takes as long to create a "Windows To Go"

USB device as it does to install "Windows".

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Once booted into "Windows To Go", a PC can only work with the file system on the drive — hence the true requirement for a high-performance USB 3.0 drive device is desirable.

You'll need at least 32GB of storage to ensure there's room for your applications and files — as

Windows itself will take over 18GB, with 3GB reserved for system use.

The "Windows To Go" feature enables W8 Enterprise to boot on external USB bootable firmware systems and run your programs, settings and documents from an USB mass storage device. Users can pop that into any Windows PC computer and get their desktop right there -- and when they pop out the drive, the desktop goes away, leaving no traces on the machine. That's because to ensure data isn’t accidentally disclosed, internal hard disks on the host computer are offline by default when booted into a "Windows To Go" workspace.

Hack TIP: To prevent accidental data leakage between Windows To Go and the host system W8 has a new SAN policy—OFFLINE_INTERNAL - “4” to prevent the operating system from automatically bringing online any internally connected disk. The default configuration for Windows To Go has this policy enabled. It is strongly recommended you do not change this policy to allow mounting of internal hard drives when booted into the Windows To Go workspace.

The first time "Windows To Go" boots on a particular computer, it installs the drivers for that particular hardware and no reboot is required. Of course activation is required and a re-activation of "Windows to Go" whenever the environment is changed, like if used on a different PC system.

Therefore, Key Management Service server (KMS) is recommended for activation. Subsequent booting operations go straight into W8.

Windows To Go works both on USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connections, and both on legacy BIOS and

UEFI firmware. Computers running Windows RT or OS X are not supported.

Applications licensed through the Microsoft Store are linked to hardware for licensing. Since

"Windows To Go" is designed to roam to different host PCs access to the store is disabled. You can enable the store if your "Windows To Go" workspaces won’t be roaming to multiple PC hosts.

Bootable USB drives for Microsoft© Windows 8 feature "Windows To Go" http://www.supertalent.com/WTG 270 MB/s (Express RC8) 100GB Selling for $300

However, when using a USB drive that has not been "certified", it is not supported!!!

Another downside to "Windows to go" is that if the USB drive fails for any reason, the standard process for restoring the drive to a working condition is to reformat and reprovision the drive with

"Windows To Go", so all data and customization on the drive will be lost.

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If you are using a host computer running Windows 7 that has BitLocker enabled, you should suspend

BitLocker before changing the BIOS settings to boot from USB and then resume BitLocker protection. If BitLocker is not suspended first, the next time the computer is started it will boot into recovery mode.

The 3Dmark 11 is used primarily to measure 3D graphics performance.

Windows 7 had more performance than W8.

The benchmarks were conducted using a high-end test system which features the Intel Core i7-

3960X processor, 16GB of DDR3-1866 memory and a GeForce GTX 670 graphics card, all on the new Asrock X79 Extreme11 motherboard.

Windows 7 using Firefox was FASTER than the W8 Metro Browser by a landslide! The desktop version of the IE10 browser on W8 delivered virtually the same performance as IE9 on Windows 7.

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Although the margin was very small when testing with HandBrake (x264 HD), W8 was only 1.5% faster than Windows 7. In most cases, that number is so small, the PC user isn't going to notice anything observable.

Sequential read/write performance showed Windows 7 was 9% faster than W8 based on an average of three runs.

The performance shows there is very little difference when transferring multiple large files together or individually. W8 and W7 deliver similar performance in both situations.

W8 did WORSE than Windows 7 for PC gaming performance.

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These performance measurements are often due to the maturity of the hardware drivers, whereas

W7 has been out longer than W8. For gamers, better DELAY!

W8 is FULL of redundancies! In fact, most of them are due to clumsy engineering! Take a look at the three "Program Files" folders on 64bit systems! The explanation is given below…

How many PC users understand what is going on here (above inline screen shot)?

So that everyone does understand, ALL 64 bit software programs should be installed in the 64bit

"Program Files (x64)" folder. ALL 32 bit software programs should be installed into the "Program

Files (x86)" folder. So why the bloody name of (x86) for 32 bit software applications? Anyone?

Let's be honest, 32 bit and 64 bit are both referring to the databus, the x86 is referring to the instruction set architecture based upon Intel's 8086 (16 bit). Meaning Microsoft choose instead to use dissimilar terms to describe for PC users the difference between them. Why not just make it easy and say, install your 32 bit software applications into the 32 bit "Program Files (x32)" folder?

To add more salt to the wound, many software developers set the installation path to the prior previous "Program Files" as the default! You can imagine how novice PC users would just accept the default setting, without questioning this oversight.

Then there is the redundancy of using "Start" over and over as if every time the PC user "started something new"? Now, in w8 it's has become the "Start" screen. But, it's really just a "menu" displaying software applications.

Another W8 redundancy is surely for how dynamic link libraries (DLLs) are updated, causing all sorts of conflicts and dependencies, to which Microsoft had chosen to just back them ALL up into one BIG manifest of folders in the "WinSxS" directory. Further, there is currently no way to significantly reduce the size of the winsxs directory as a PC user installs more software applications.

Yet another redundancy is how W8 continues using the prior folder naming convection for

"documents and settings" to "users" just like "Program Files" to just "Programs", but lots of software developers hard coded their links to those exact previous folder locations. So Microsoft added

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symbolic links (ntfs junctions) which explains why you see multiple folders with different names that are shared as the same folder location.

Another redundancy in W8, is having multiple versions of Internet Explorer as double browsers, one for the Metro UI and another for the Classic UI. Of course, in the 64 bit version you can include 32 bit and 64 bit versions too!

Speaking of which, Microsoft claims the 32bit operating systems cannot use additional ram memory above 4GB, but this limit isn't technical, it's IMPOSED by Microsoft licensing.

A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner called SuperSpeed provides "RamDisk Plus" v11.7.917, which provides the ability to access main memory up to 63 GB (32-bit) or 510 GB (64-bit). Only,

Microsoft doesn't advertise this FACT for the public to know and neither do the sales people trying to SELL you a new 64 bit PC.

SuperSpeed claims and post online the following information,

RamDisk Plus 11 has a most unique feature. Our patent pending technology can access memory beyond the limitation imposed by a Windows 32-bit operating system! In other words, RamDisk Plus 11 can use "unmanaged" Windows' memory e.g. above 4GB. It can also use the stubbornly inaccessable memory between 3.2GB and 4GB.

This means if you're using a 32bit notebook for which the hardware supports 8GB, 16GB or 32GB of ram memory, even though the Windows 32bit operating system artificially restricts the use anything above 4GB, you can install this software and NOW use ALL that ram memory for your applications!

George Chappel a software analyst wrote on his web site the following, "That 32-bit editions of Windows starting with Windows Vista are limited to 4GB is not because of any technical constraint on 32-bit operating systems. The 32-bit editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 all contain code for using physical memory above 4GB. Microsoft just doesn’t license you to use that code."

W8 also includes dual media players, a striped down version called “Media Player” without DVD support and an add-in premium version called “Media Center”.

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Clearly, the world needs Microsoft, because we need suppression of choice with a monopoly, enforced by dubious business practices tantamount to racketeering, resulting in buggy, insecure, bloated, overpriced software? If a majority of consumers just boycott Microsoft, until their reformed their anti-social business practices, we wouldn't need to wait for the government to step in and break up the monopoly. Your hard earned money has the biggest vote.

CEO Gabe Newell, head of Valve, has infamously stated that W8 is "a catastrophe" for games development. "I think we'll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people." Plenty of others have echoed the concerns too.

CEO and President Brad Wardell of the software company Stardock, is a PC software developer who wants Windows 8 to succeed. It's a pretty big deal to his company that Windows 8 not fail, but called the new W8 operating system a "usability nightmare" and went to say "the upcoming

Windows 8 operating system is so severely flawed that it will hurt the PC experience and, therefore,

PC gaming.

When asked about W8 during an interview, Brad went on to say the following comments;

 It's schizophrenic. Is it a tablet OR a desktop OS? It tries to be both…and neither.

 Forcing applications to be full screen is obnoxious. Imagine Notepad running full-screen with no border, no title bar, and no menu bar on a 21 inch monitor. Metro apps want to be full-screen. Always.

 Nothing is visually discoverable. There are no visual cues. It's all based on touch, which means for most users, moving the mouse moving around the screen until it finds an invisible hotspot.

 Why are they doing this? I can't think of any reason why they would do this—except for the hypothesis that they are obsessed with some group of users who would be better off with a tablet.

 Lest you think I'm yelling about falling skies or preaching doom, let me say that I have great faith that between now and the time Windows 8 ships that someone at Microsoft will realize the peril they're putting their flagship OS in.

 Don't force users to jump around between Metro and the desktop. Allow users to live within a single, consistent environment if they so choose.

Of course, Windows 8 doesn't need to kill Microsoft. But it sure seems to be trying its hardest to.

Microsoft has yet to provide any essential or compelling reason for anyone to upgrade, other than it comes pre-loaded and pre-installed. Does this mean Microsoft can only compete when the customers cannot choose?

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Raluca Budiu ([email protected]) is a User Experience Specialist

with Nielsen Norman Group and had previously worked at Xerox PARC

(Palo Alto Research Center). At Nielsen Norman Group she consults for

clients from a variety of industries and presents tutorials on mobile

usability, usability of touch devices, cognitive psychology for designers,

and principles of human computer interaction. At PARC, she built

computational models of how people search for information in

visualizations of large data structures.

Budiu was also a user researcher at Microsoft Corporation, where she explored future directions and made strategic recommendations for incorporating user-generated content and social web features into MSN. Budiu has authored more than 20 articles and conference presentations on human- computer interaction, psychology, and cognitive science. She holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon

University. Not to mention her husband Mihai Budiu is a researcher at Microsoft Research in Silicon

Valley.

Though she has not conducted any formal studies on Windows 8, she has used the W8 enough to conclude that, for productivity tasks on the PC at least, Windows 8 is less user friendly than its predecessors. Windows 8 is optimized for content consumption rather than content production and multitasking. - Usability expert finds

Windows 8 on a PC confusing (NBC News - August 20, 2012)

Hovering before using a menu does slow users down, but that’s not the major problem. The fact that the menus are hidden is primarily what slows users down – remember that what’s out of sight is out of mind. - Usability Expert: Windows 8 on PCs is Confusing, a Cognitive Burden (Laptop - August 17th, 2012)

Desktop is different than mobile and it's not going to go away in the 21st century. - The Windows 8 'kick me' sign

(CNet News - August 25, 2012)

Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer for ZDNet.com who

wrote the following excerpt on July 27, 2012, "There’s a reason Microsoft supports its operating system releases for 10 full years. They know that you might have any number of reasons to skip a Windows release. Maybe it’s incompatible with a business-critical app, maybe you want to align software upgrades with your hardware purchase cycle, maybe you’re just cheap. Doesn’t matter.

The copy of Windows 7 you're running today will not stop working when Windows 8 comes out. It will continue to be supported for an additional seven years, with mainstream support until January 2015 and extended support until 2020.

During that time, Microsoft will probably release Windows 9 and Windows 10 and be well on the way to Windows 11. Yes, thanks to Microsoft's extended support lifecycle you will probably be able to upgrade from Windows 7 directly to Windows 11.

Furthermore, you’ll still be able to buy Windows 7 PCs for at least two more years. Microsoft’s sales lifecycle for Windows (which is different from its support lifecycle) specifies that retailers will be able to sell the boxed version of Windows 7 until at least October 25. 2013, and OEMs can sell PCs with Windows 7 pre-loaded until October 25, 2014.

If Windows 8 gets any pushback from consumers and small businesses, we could see big OEMs continuing to offer Windows 7 as an option on its non-touch-enabled PCs for two more years, with Windows 8 as the sole option for tablets and touch- enabled PCs.

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Software Applications …

Bitcasa claims to offer unlimited "infinite storage" space for $10 a month/FREE during

Beta. Shark007 - adds video codecs - dvix, mkv,

Wuala - Free 5GB Online Secure Storage, flv, xvid, ogg, into Windows Media Player.

Sync, Backup, Share, Access Everywhere! Ubuntu - free Linux operating system for Boxcryptor lets you encrypt (AES 256) your your computer. own data before sending it to the cloud storage. Lingoes - intuitive dictionary and text

translation TypeAid - auto-complete words and phrases in any window. Hash Tab - MD5, SHA1 Hash Checksum

Values as Windows Shell Extension VLC Media Player - cross-platform media player and streaming server HashCheck - verify SFV, MD5, SHA1

checksums in Windows Explorer Shell Startup Delayer - Deny, Delay or Remove Extension. Startup Task, Applications and Services.

OneSwarm - privacy preserving Peer to Peer Stellarium - planetarium for your computer. "P2P" and "F2F" data sharing program

Psiphon - provide secure HTTPS unfiltered Peer Block - block "IP Addresses" such as Internet access to a friend who has none computers monitoring your p2p activities

Web Sites …

Khan Academy - Free education to anyone online.

Stanford School of Engineering - free online engineering classes.

TED - Ideas Worth Spreading.

Answers - offering entries from the world's leading reference publications.

How Stuff Works - explanation of how things work.

Academic Earth - Free online video courses from leading universities.

Hak5 is an online tech show with geek comedy.

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