Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

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Winnow
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Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

Post by Winnow »

First, I'll say I haven't used Windows 8 on a touch device yet so I'm basing this off of my experience using it on a PC with a mouse.

The more I use "Metro" Apps, the more I'm liking them. I spent last night playing around with Windows Store Apps. I browsed through their various top 100 apps and most recent releases and installed about 20 apps to try out. All free.

One note on Windows Store Apps that I've mentioned before. You can't run them when you are using an Administrator level account. I've always used Windows as an administrator so when I upgraded to windows 8 Pro, it upgraded just fine but any apps that I didn't install with "universal" access to, only show up in my Admin account. That's not an issue with Windows 8, just the way I chose to install some programs. The default isn't to always be in an admin account when you install windows so most people won't run into this issue.

My non Administrator account is tied to my Windows Live account, which means that I can access windows store applications, etc. Switching between accounts on Windows 8 is very easy and only takes about 10 seconds. Since I'm actually enjoying my experience with Windows Store Apps, I'm slowly moving over some config settings to my Live account (Firefox Bookmarks, Mail Client, Directory Opus settings, etc.)

For moving your complete firefox profile (add-ons, history, the works) I recommend the add-on FEBE. It does a great job of doing an entire backup/restore of everything or lets you choose what you want.

There are some issues with having multiple accounts. Logitech setpoint (what's new, it has always sucked ass) just requires you to run it's start up app with administrator rights. That's easy enough to do permanently in Windows 8. Just use win file explorer to find the exe file, right click, troubleshoot and it will default to admin rights. As always, in Windows 8, even in Metro, you can right click your mouse with an app highlighted and choose to run it as admin temporarily.

Unlike with Apple, you don't get an invoice emailed to you every time you install a free application which is actually nice. You also don't constantly get asked for your password when you install free apps. Installing Windows Store Apps is seamless and works very well in the background as you continue browsing. The app updates are also handled very well and in the background.

As for the Apps, I was impressed with how stable they were and their access to my hard drives. There's a nice free Windows Media alternative player out there called "Multimedia 8" that's not bloated and works well for videos. It may be lacking a couple codecs but is actively being updated. (my default is KMPlayer with all the extra crap disabled, which is a Korean video player)

I tried out a game "Guns4Hire" freebie which visually looked nice on my display. (crisp hi res graphics). The UI for MovieGuide app worked well. The News Apps, online storage like BOX and Skydrive, etc worked well. Cocktail Flow (alcohol drink mixing app) was well put together for you alcoholocs.

What I've come away with so far is that I enjoy using some of these apps. Maybe it's because I use a 46" monitor as my primary display and possibly it feels more like entertainment/media experience than hunched over at a desk, but even with a mouse, using and viewing these apps was enjoyable. The usuals, like Netflix, etc work very well. I understand that's it's possible to do these things using windows 7 but for some forms of media and consuming of information, the more simplistic App environment is actually nice. Having these apps one Windows Key click away is a major positive IMO. It most certainly doesn't detract from my old fashioned desktop experience and for me, it enhances it.

Another takeway from spending some time with the Metro Apps (windows store apps), is that I'm definitely going to get a windows 8 tablet or hybrid tablet/notebook like the Lenova IdeaPad Yoga 15. I'll get the full blown Windows 8, not the RT. Everyone knows how much I like my iPad(s). Having used them daily for 3 years, I can see where Windows 8 has some advantages, especially the full Windows 8 versions. I like the touch UI interface Microsoft has developed for Win 8. I like the snap to, dual app viewing capability of Windows 8. I like that Windows 8 has a similar App store approach to Apples Itunes which allows for successful commercial development of third party apps which will encourage quality app development for the platform while at the same time (for full non RT windows 8 tablets) you can run any app you want and aren't forced to use the App store like with iTunes. You also have easier access to storage devices, etc.

I don't care for Android but I see a ton of potential with Windows 8 for mobile touch devices. I like the UI better than Android's and also like the full ability of Windows applications available on non Windows RT products. It works both ways. I personally think it's great to have Windows Store Apps available to me with just the click of a key on my desktop PC, and will appreciate full access to all windows apps on portable devices.

While playing around with moving config stuff from my admin account to my live account, I've also come to appreciate the finer details that Microsoft has enhanced in Windows 8 over Windows 7. (taskmanager, resource management, etc)

I can appreciate people sticking with Windows 7 but the more I use Windows 8, I think it's unfounded to say it sucks. Far from it. It rocks and is well worth getting to know. For those that don't like Apple/iPads, I'd recommend considering Windows 8 over Android for your tablet if you ever get one. From what I've seen, the experience is better and the high end/quality apps will come quick to the platform. The Remote Desktop Windows Store App (free) also looks very nice and with Windows 8 designed for touch, it also makes using it remotely on a tablet easier as well.
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

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Did you use any of the free apps long enough to get annoyed by the repeated 15s, unskippable, full-screen ads for other apps you've already installed?

Meh, why ask. You've estabilshed yourself as a troll, so I can only assume you're attempting to encourage other people to immitate your idiocy, like the people that dive into freezing water and encourage their mates in.
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

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You're the troll on this thread bud.
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

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Nope, I don't take a position merely to be an irritation, that's your deal.
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

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Zaelath wrote:Nope, I don't take a position merely to be an irritation, that's your deal.
I'll be crystal clear here. I like Windows 8 and have clearly stated why in this thread and the other thread. I wouldn't waste my time making this post to irritate. I do that on other people's existing threads like you're doing now.
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

Post by Siji »

Desqview & QEMM > Windows 8
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

Post by Aslanna »

I guess you wont see a Firefox Metro anytime soon...
Mozilla abandons development of Metro Firefox for Windows 8

Summary: After nearly two years, Mozilla has decided to throw in the towel on its effort to build a hybrid browser that would compete with Internet Explorer 11 on touch-enabled Windows 8 devices. The stated reason? A profound lack of interest.
In late 2012, when I started up the Firefox for Metro team (I know that’s not what Microsoft calls it anymore, but it remains how we talk about it in Mozilla), it looked like the next battleground for the Web. Windows is a massive ecosystem and Microsoft pushes its new platforms hard.

[…]

[A]s the team built and tested and refined the product, we’ve been watching Metro’s adoption. From what we can see, it’s pretty flat. On any given day we have, for instance, millions of people testing pre-release versions of Firefox desktop, but we’ve never seen more than 1000 active daily users in the Metro environment.
1000!
Google, for its part, will continue to include a bare-bones Metro version in its shipping code for the Chrome browser. But it’s become clear that Google has no intention of building any products except a Google Search app for the Metro environment.

Basically saying what everyone already knows: Desktop apps > Metro apps
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

Post by Winnow »

Not sure why they would abandon it. The tablet market is getting bigger not smaller, including Surface. They are abandoning their future. Metro apps are outstanding on tablets and touch screens.
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

Post by Aabidano »

What would Firefox Metro do that the built-in browser can't? No one is using Metro anyplace they have an alternative. MS is trying to create a throw away appliance environment as Apple has.

Tablets still aren't a desktop replacement for doing the bulk of tasks that people get paid to do day in; it's laughable seeing someone trying to do so and expecting everyone around them to compensate for their shitty platform choice. Until it can be used day out it's still an augment to something else... a desktop.
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Re: Windows 8 "Metro" Applications

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Aabidano wrote:What would Firefox Metro do that the built-in browser can't?
Nothing. What does Chrome Browser do that Safari doesn't on a tablet? Just minor differences.

On the desktop side of things...I use Firefox still for one reason. I'm down to one crucial extension that only firefox offers. Specifically the "Save to" extension which allows me to add any hard drive or folder location to the save menu, along with all the submenus. It's a huge organization and time saver. I have quick access within the right click browser menu when saving images or files. I use it mostly for weekly downloads of TV shows so I can quickly save them to the correct folders with as little effort as possible. Internet Explorer, Chrome, Opera, Safari, do not allow access in that way making file downloading/organizing more of a pain.

https://code.google.com/p/savefileto/wiki/Screenshots

It's probably the last thing preventing me from moving to Chrome. I've searched for years with no luck. Here's the explanation:
Can you port Save File to to Chrome?

No. At least, at the moment (December 2011).

There are basically 3 things that Save File to requires:

Ability to create custom sub-menus and menuitems in context menu.
Read access to file system, so it can read the directory tree.
Download files.

In Chrome...

There is context menu API, but it's too limited. It's doesn't seem to be possible to populate sub-menus lazily when they are about to be shown.
There is file system API, but it's too restricted. It doesn't allow read access to full file system.
There is experimental Download API but it's too limited. It doesn't allow choosing the target folder freely.
Nothing has changed since that was posted in 2011. I check every few months.

If there was one thing more important than joystick placement on game controllers to me, it would be this issue. This, much like the joystick placement and comfort of controllers gets brushed aside as common folk just accept that you have to take the time to browse through your file directories each time you save something or have to go back to a single "downloads" folder and then sort all of your crap. Huge time waster which this extension completely eliminates with lightening quick access to folder trees and specific folders customized by me.

So there you have it. Downloading sucks ass in all browsers but at least Firefox has a free third party extension to make things right.
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