The Metro hater's guide to customizing Windows 8 Consumer Preview

http://www.zdnet.com/photos/the-metro-haters-guide-to-customizing-windows-8-consumer-preview/6350390#photopaging

>>>The default arrangement of icons on the Start screen in the Windows 8 Customer Preview (top) is messy. It's a great way to encourage you to use the new Metro style preview apps, but it's not conducive to productivity if your daily work involves mostly Windows desktop apps.

The solution is to clear away the clutter and build a cleaner, more personal Start screen....

In this gallery, I explain exactly how to customize the Start screen so it becomes a useful gateway to the Windows desktop. I also introduce a handful of keyboard shortcuts that will make switching between the Start screen and the desktop much easier.<<<

Useful, IMHO.

Thanks for the link Thug. After reading that review, I think Windows 8 will finally drive me into the hands of Linux.

For example, I see on this page: Some app tiles can't be uninstalled or removed And these include IE and Windows Defender. When is M$ going to grasp the fact that they've lost the browser wars and it's only a matter of time before IE disappears from our lives forever. That can't come soon enough for me. Having an IE tile shoved in your face every time you launch W8 is not going to change that.

It's a similar story for WD. If you read comparitive reviews of security software, you'll note that Windows Defender doesn't fare very well when it comes to detecting malware. Yet Microsoft is determined you're going to have it rammed down your throat every time you boot up whether you like it or not.

And who wants to look at a plain colour desktop? It seems to me that M$ wants to treat W8 as if it's a giant version of the Windows phone. It might look OK on a small phone display, but it's downright ugly when viewed on a 25" monitor.

I'll be very surprised if more than a relative handful of users find this new concept attractive.

it's only a matter of time before IE disappears from our lives forever

Not while you use a Windows O/S -
Bill G made it that way, so even us Dummies will always have a browser when M/$oft Windows is installed -
You can always use Opera, FF, Chrome (Google Spyware), or even Avant (the new ORCA), and several others, but why not include a Default browser on install -

To fully uninstall I.E. may lead to corruption of linked registry items, and failure to install M/$ O/S updates -

I love it, and Always (OK 95% of the time) use it as my prime browser, even with all its faults, as I use a Windows O/S -
MSE and Defender (included free) are now on my 3 computers from XP Home and Pro to my Win7 -

Just my view on it - - - -
EDIT - Why not buy a MAC ?? and get Safari preinstalled -

EDIT - Why not buy a MAC ?? and get Safari preinstalled -

To a system builder like myself, that's akin to moving to another planet. If Apple were to make their OS available under licence the same way M$ does, I'd give it a shot, but as we both know, that's unlikely to happen. And who in their right mind wants Safari?

I think we both know that part of what I posted was a bit just to get a bite -

Have you ever used Safari on Windows ?? I did not like it at all -

I think we both know that part of what I posted was a bit just to get a bite -

Hehe...yes, I gathered that.

Have you ever used Safari on Windows ?? I did not like it at all -

Yes, I tried Safari too. Once upon a time, I was an IE fan too (when I didn't know much about computers) but decided one day to give them all a go. I thought Safari was ugly though. Firefox on the other hand is a fantastic browser and you can customize it anyway you want. I don't see me ever disposing of it.