Life after Windows 7

Windows 8 customizing

from WinCustomize Forums

As some of you will know, I am not without a certain knowledge of customising. I am now wondering if it is worth continuing to do so if the Windows 8 set up remains similar to it's present state, that is with irregular rectangles covering the whole desktop.

I can see there may be some use if you are using a touch screen, although with a computer, I fail to see how this is of any use whatsoever.

Also, the apps for Windows 8 are the worst I have seen! Windows 8 is Apple's best advert.

To this, I would be interested to see any windows 8 customized desktops.

Finally, all I can say is why not upgrade to Windows 7 ?  :grin:

 

 

45,387 views 26 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I think everyone is still sleeping! ;)    ...btw I love my windows7!  :star:

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Am also a W7 user and will not go to W8.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hi gef,

Long time no see.  Do you still have a library fo your cutomization work posted anywhere?

 

I would love to take a look.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Sorry but not anymore, only for my own amusement. :(

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I see no point in a touch screen while I am sitting at my desk. I often use my PC to work from home and Win8 would be pointless in this regard. My daughter has it on her rig and she always uses the keyboard and mouse. She would rather have Win7.

As far as customizing it looks like Stardock is trying to go there with 8 and I see that some WB's are now made for 7 and 8 but I wouldn't know how that is working out.

I'll be using Win7 for quite some time I think. When it comes time for a new rig I hope that Microsoft will have something better than 8 going on. P

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Win 7 until they stop support

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The next version of Windows is going to have a combination of legacy start menu and tiles. It looks pretty nice from what I've seen.

Currently, yeah you have to take a step backwards with your start menu to get a windowblinds to skin it. I sincerely hope this will cease when MS changes the start menu system. 

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Gef, you're a tad late. This topic has been beaten to death.

 

But for the record, all my skinning is done on Windows 8.1 these days.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

RedneckDude, you say you do your skinning on 8.1 but is that used on 8.1 or 7 ?

I still have not seen a Windows 8 customised desktop. Do you know of any?

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

gef, I believe I have seen customized Windows 8/8.1 Desktops, meaning the old familar Desktop and not the Metro/Modern screen that I think you are talking about.  I don't think much can be done with that.   :sun:

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

I will go over to Linux before I would touch windows 8.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Gef, take a look at any of my latest WB's, what you see in the screenshot is Windows 7, and looks almost exactly the same on Windows 8.1. With the right customization software, Start 8 in particular, and a program called OldNewExplorer that converts the explorer window back to the look of Windows 7, you can make Windows 8/8.1 look great. :)

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I just realized something......I still have a Windows XP Pro disk. I wonder how much I can get for it. Lol

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Lightstar,  yes, I agree the windows will look the same, it's the actual desktop I'm referring to.

With windows 8, you cannot even have a decent wallpaper unless it's obliterated by the 'tiles'.

 

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Utah, It's certainly worth more than a windows 8 disc !  :grin:

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Oops, damn predictive texting, I meant Uvah  -  Sorry.

Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top

Quoting ElanaAhova, reply 6
Win 7 until they stop support
End of ElanaAhova's quote

That'll be 2020, barring unexpected developments.

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

gef, most people when the still refer to the Desktop they are meaning what was the normal Desktop we had in XP, Vista and Windows 7.  I think what you are referring to is I believe what is called the Start Screen in Windows 8/8.1.  Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.   :sun:

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting gef, reply 14

Lightstar,  yes, I agree the windows will look the same, it's the actual desktop I'm referring to.

With windows 8, you cannot even have a decent wallpaper unless it's obliterated by the 'tiles'.

 
End of gef's quote

 

Uhmmm, I am a little confused on this Gef, I can apply any wallpaper want and I never see the Modern UI tiles of Windows 8. When I boot up it is exactly the same as Windows 7, with Start 8 it goes straight to the desktop.

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Best way I can explain is by saying, when you turn your computer on, without doing anything else, I call that the desktop.

With Windows 8, you just see a set of boring tiles.

With windows 7, you see a lovingly created scene with all your bits and pieces of customization.

I know which one I prefer. *_*

Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top


I am also a win 7 user and will not go to win 8

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting gef, reply 20

Best way I can explain is by saying, when you turn your computer on, without doing anything else, I call that the desktop.

With Windows 8, you just see a set of boring tiles.

With windows 7, you see a lovingly created scene with all your bits and pieces of customization.

I know which one I prefer.
End of gef's quote

Well, the new Update 1 to Windows 8.1 being released sometime today will resolve that issue supposedly. If you have a touch screen system it will boot to the Modern UI, if you don't it will boot to the desktop just like Windows 7. Have to wait and see though.

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting gef, reply 20
With Windows 8, you just see a set of boring tiles.
End of gef's quote

That is not the desktop, that is the start menu. With 8.1 you have the ability to boot to the DESKTOP, not the start menu.

With 8.1 you can also have your desktop wallpaper display as the background of your start menu as well.

If you want to customize your new start menu, about the only thing that is going to do that is a program called Oblytile.

 

Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top

With the changes in 8.1 Update, I'm more comfortable with the prospect of having to replace my Win7 laptop with a Win8 rig when the time comes.

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting gef, reply 9

RedneckDude, you say you do your skinning on 8.1 but is that used on 8.1 or 7 ?

I still have not seen a Windows 8 customised desktop. Do you know of any?
End of gef's quote

Gef, any screenshot/preview you see of my work in the last year or so is a Windows 8.1 in use, screenshot.

I have windows 8.1 on two PCs and they are both fully customized with DX, Winstep, WindowBlinds, CursorFX, etc...

Plus the 8 apps, like Start8, Decor8, Launch8, etc.

Windows 8 is my main use OS, has been for a good while now.