Does Windows 8 suck or am I just afraid of change?

In June, I wrote that Windows 8 would fail. (http://typingcat.blogspot.com/2012/06/windows-8-will-fail-at-least-for.html) Nearly two months have passed and I have been testing the RTM (a.k.a, final) version of Windows 8 and my opinion has not changed: Windows 8 will fail.

There are supporters to almost anything. For example, there are stupid Christians who support Republicans. Of course, Windows 8 has tons of supporters. Especially Engadget seems to be full of Windows 8 supporters. If I say something bad about Windows 8, their responses are something like 'you are afraid of change', 'learn the new way' or 'you are dumb'. Now am I afraid of change?

I installed beta/RC versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. I never hesitated trying be/RC versions of Microsoft Office or Microsoft Visual Studio. In fact, I have actively been checking the web for any new version. I liked Vista, yes, Vista. I had been using Vista 64bit for a few years when others were using 32bit XP. Am I afraid of change or hate to learn a new way? I welcomed the Ribbon UI when it first introduced to Office 2007. I have been using iOS since early 2009. I started using Android 2.1 and now my phone is running Jelly Bean. I even bought a Windows Phone 7.5 phone just out of curiosity. Am I afraid of change?

Just not efficient for desktops or laptops.

Most of the things I hate about Windows are not because they are different, but inefficient. Well, I do think they look ugly too. For example when I start the weather app. The entire screen is fill with a single colour and at the center of the screen, there is a white little   icon and moving dots. I do not know how it works on a really really fast machine but on my machine it looks 2~3 seconds to pass that screen. OK, if you are using Windows 7 or XP, you probably have an application that shows a 'splash screen', for example Office 2010. Now suppose, the splash screen always on top of other windows. Moreover, it is not a small window but a full screen splash. What would you think if that window completely blocks your entire screen for a few seconds, and you have to see the window every single time? That is exactly how the 'Modern (=Metro)' UI looks to me.

We all know mobile devices lack resources, but PCs are getting faster and faster everyday. Why is Windows 8 interferes the users from multitasking? Why impose the limitations of tablets on desktop PCs? Tell me a good reason why a 27-inch monitor and a quad-core CPU with 16GB RAM should spend their entire resources for 2~3 seconds in displaying a fullscreen splash just to show the weather.

Aesthetically, ugly and infantile.

I tried the Store app for a while, and it just does not look compelling nor it is easy to use. I scrolled left and right to figure out the organisation of it, but it just does not look so much organised to me. I use the Play Store on tablets and phones and I use App Store on my MacBook and iPad. None of them are this confusing as the Windows 8's Store is.

Most of the 'Modern' apps look ugly and waste of screen real estate. They are slow to launch, compared to iOS/Android tablet apps. The tiles look very infantile. They look like a playbook for 7-year old child. The moving pictures on tiles distracts me from concentrating on the things I need to do. All single-colour rectangular interfaces reminds me of the 1990's. They are ugly.

Why make it worse?

The desktop's new theme looks OK but it looks inferior than Aero to me. Sure the transparency of Aero might took some battery life, maybe 2~3%, but it made Aero look great.

Windows 7 was ,generally, great. Of course I do have some complaints about Windows 7, but it was a good OS. Now, why make things worse? I have read people's comments on Windows 8. Not surprisingly, those who hate Windows 8 usually welcomes the changes to the desktop apps such as the Task Manager or Windows  File Manager (= Windows Explorer). See? They just want a better, improved Windows 7, not a tablet OS.

I do not know, let's see.

I do not know what Microsoft is thinking and I am not a fortune teller. I think Windows 8 will fail, but how knows? I thought and still think iPad is just a big iPod Touch, but it sold like hotcakes. Now, will Windows 8 succeed? Will people love the new tiles better than the desktop they have been using for decades? Will people fall in love with 'Modern' theme, that they will also buy Windows Phones and tablets over iOS/Android devices? Well, let's just see. We would know the answer by next year.

No OS is perfect, and OS X's Finder sucks.

I have used Windows ever since Windows 95 (to be exact, I used Windows 3.1 a little when I was using DOS.), but I never thought Windows Explorer was great. For example, there even hasn't been a shortcut for creating a new directory. When it came to Windows Vista, I couldn't even customize the toolbar, I couldn't easily edit/remove file associations. The essential "Delete" button was gone and an utterly unnecessary "Burn files" button was irremovable. The folder view mode did not work as I expected. I had been looking for alternatives.

Now that I am switched to Lion as my main OS (I am still using Windows though), I am discovering that Finder is actually worse than Windows Explorer. 

OK, here are what I don't like about Finder.

• No recent directory list, no address auto completion.
• Keyboard navigation sucks. For example, Command + O to open a folder? Suppose you are browsing many folders with a keyboard, on Windows it will be enter, enter, and enter. On OS X, it will be Command + O, Command + O and Command + O...
• No right mouse dragging for copy/move/creating shortcuts. Is it patented by Microsoft?
• No way to copy and paste folder path. A quick Google search gave me this. http://macdevelopertips.com/applescript/copy-finder-path-to-clipboard-tip-1.html So I need to write some sort of script to copy folder path? Yes, it is a way, but how is it good for general users?
• Folder settings are not remembered. I don't like to click "Show All" every time. On Windows, even if files are grouped they are shown by default. On OS X, only one line is visible and you have to click "Show All" each time, even if you open the same folder next time.
• Gestures are not consistent. I want two-finger swipe right for going back, just as in Safari. But in order to go back, actually I need to Option + three-finger swipe "left".
• And much more!

I am not a fanboy, I do not like Microsoft or Apple. I just use the OS that is the best among them. Now that we will soon have Windows 8 and Mountain Lion, I will see which one gets better for the most essential program for the OS. I am willing to switch to any OS.

OS makers should focus on improving the OS's file browser, which is not easily replaceable. It seems these days they seem to spend more time on developing features that can be relatively easily obtained by using free third-party softwares. Since I heard that Windows 8 greatly improved Windows Explorer (finally "pause" when copying!) , I am looking for the Windows 8 Beta release on the end of this month.