Thread: How do YOU use Windows 8?

Hi and welcome to the forum,

glad to hear your enjoying win 8. I too build my own systems although my current build doesn't have touch screen capabilities. I've been using win 8 through the betas ect and have to admit that I really like it.By the way, if you'd like to bypass the lock screen altogether but still sign in with your ms account. Click run and type 'netplwiz' without the quotes and click ok. Untick the box saying users must enter a username and password and you'll see a further dialogue box appear where you insert your user name ect.. Now when you start up you'll go straight into your metro screen.

Originally Posted by kmstrube81

Hey folks, I'm new here at this forum but I'd like to get the ball rolling. Post a short description of your everyday usage of Windows 8, your system (laptop, desktop, Surface, or custom) and one praise and one gripe. I'll start out with mine

I decided this holidays to finally build my own system. I decided to go for a media-centric approach. I use it for games, movies, music and I love it. I am on a touch screen monitor but I used Windows 8 for about 2 weeks before my touch monitor arrived and had no gripes then either. Windows 8 is really intuitive to use for consumption. I can check facebook, watch youtube, check on my favorite sports teams (thank you for adding college teams), see new headlines, check my emails, reddit, watch movies, and listen to music with big, easy to tap or click tiles. I am a big fan of the metro interface, not because I'm big fan of tablet or phone OS's (in fact i own neither) but because the pinning and grouping helps me keep organized. My desktop in Windows 7 was chaos but in metro i can group tiles and name them to keep organized. To me its a streamlined experience.

My computer consists of an i53750k, geforce 680, 8gbs RAM and a 256gb ssd. Its hooked up to an Acer T23HL touch monitor and a Samsung 23A700D 3D monitor. It runs games flawlessly and is perfect for 3D movies.

Probably my favorite feature of Windows has to be the all the changes addressed for power users. Windows + X, the new file explorer, and file transfer interface.

The most frustrating thing to me is the extra click on the lock screen and the fact that you can't work on 2 metro apps on 2 different monitors. (yet you can use 2 different apps on 1 monitor lol wat?)

PS I'm glad i finally found a forum to have discussion about windows 8 and not just support for it. I'm looking forward to hearing everyones opinion both positive and negative. Regards!

I have an HP dv7 series notebook with a Core i7-2630QM, 8 GB of RAM, AMD Radeon 6770M 1 GB (with switchable Intel graphics for power savings on battery), a 120 GB SSD, a 500 GB HDD, Beats audio and an additional 4.1 surround system. I also have a 24 inch Acer monitor to extend my desktop. I can do most of my everyday tasks without ever leaving the start screen, which means given the choice between Surface RT or Pro, I could live with the RT and save a few hundred bucks. IE 10 works for almost all sites (otherwise desktop mode or Chrome is my choice), I use Windows Mail, a few local news apps, StumbleUpon, OneNote, Skype, a few games (Fruit Ninja, etc). I love Xbox Music (old Zune pass user here) and it's unlimited streaming & downloads across all my devices (especially great on my phone!).

I'd have to add my favourite feature is pressing Windows + Q within a metro app to search. Took me a while to figure that one out, but man is it great! I hope to get an Windows 8 tablet to go alongside either this notebook or a custom system build for Flight Simulator X soon!

There is a way to disable the lock screen on Win 8 Pro without disabling the need to enter a password. This article explains how.

I use my PC for email, surfing, testing various apps, and writing in the forums. I also investigate various purchases. My latest venture is investigating the RV lifestyle on a full time basis.

I also use my PC, via Team Viewer, to help family members with their PC troubles. Team Viewer allow me to control their PCs remotely to assist with their problems.

I also worked my way through the various betas. I started with DP (I started out hating Win 8 like a lot of people do without giving it a good workout) then progressed through CP, RP and Ent. Eval. until Win 8 Pro was released. As time went on I started using Win 8 full time. On my system it is more responsive to my commands that Win 7 was. I will not go back. I like the new picture password very much.

All the little annoyances have been overcome to the point there is really nothing I still dislike about Win 8

I run Windows 8 in VMware under Windows 7 as the host on an external disk attached via USB. That way I can take it with me when I move to my sommer home in May. The amazing fact is that it runs very fast - e.g. boot time appr. 30 seconds. It is also convenient because I will keep Windows 7 as my workhorse and that way I can run both systems side by side. If you want to try that, here is how:

Portable OS - Carry your OS on an External Drive - Windows 7 Forums

And here is a tutorial on how to install it under VMware Player in the first place:

VMware Player - Install Windows 8