| I use 8 on my laptop and Surface RT. Here are a few tidbits: - With a few exceptions, I don't use any "modern UI" apps. I'm not a huge fan of them, just like I'm not a fan of most iPad apps. I like multitasking and power-usering too much. For example, I greatly prefer desktop IE to modern IE, even on a Surface with no keyboard/mouse, because it feels faster and the tabs and toolbars are always visible - I'd rather have them there than a tiny bit more browser viewport. - I use a couple modern apps on the Surface where I have no alternative, like Skype. That said, if I'm in full-on "tablet mode" (on the couch or standing, no keyboard attached, just consuming), the good modern apps feel just as good as or better than the good iPad apps. Browsing photos on SkyDrive or using Xbox SmartGlass, Maps or the video player feels good. - On my laptop, everything works on the desktop as it always has, plus a few small enhancements over Win7. Launch apps by hitting the Windows key and the typing to search - I don't really care that it brings up the "Start screen" for a second. I don't use the tiles at all. -I primarily use my Surface as a mini-laptop (with a Type Cover, the one with real keys) and almost exclusively use it for the browser and OneNote. - Regarding right-click: on both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, MS is trying to standardize on the "tap and hold for a second" gesture for right-click/context menu. It's used all over the first-party apps and many third-party apps. - Not sure what you mean about the charms bar having no mouse area forgiveness. On a touch screen, you swipe in from the bezel. On a monitor with a mouse, you hit the top right corner and mouse down along the edge. - App specific settings menus are in the Settings charm. All of the charms (Search, Share, Devices, Settings) are context-sensitive to the running modern app. To me, this feels like "excessive refactoring" of the UI: it makes sense in some aspect because those features/activities are common across many apps, but it does feel weird to have them grouped and hidden away like that, especially in apps where one of those activities (usually search) is likely to be the first and only thing you do. All in all, some of the new foundational concepts do need some further work, but they're not rotten to the core. If you're a standard desktop or laptop user with a mouse and keyboard and you prefer your desktop apps, then skip the modern ones. If you have Windows 7 and have no problems with it, there might not really be any reason for you to switch, but I don't think 8 is really a step back from 7 unless you're really on the hunt for things to gripe about. |