JorgeA

Here's a link to that news: Guardian Says Documents Show Microsoft Help for NSA [emphasis added] Google or Apple (not that they're entirely innocent, as you point out) could start an ad campaign on the theme of, "You've Been Microsofted." Or if that's too awkward to pronounce, then maybe "You've Been Ballmered"... --JorgeA

I notice that near my avatar on the left, there is a line that says "0 warning points." What the heck is that about -- I haven't seen it on anybody else. Warnings for what?? And if it's zero, why list it at all? Also, between my "Supreme Sponsor" line (in light of the previous paragraph, please do keep in mind what that line says ) and the post count, there is a blank square box with a red X inside. Finally, when I went to insert the smiley, I noticed a little blue triangle at the right end of the blue strip. When I clicked on it, the emoticons disappeared and a new blue triangle appeared at the left end. Clicking on that doesn't do anything. I clicked on "Show All" and more emoticons appeared in their own window, but now that I closed it, the "Show All" option is gone and clicking on the triangle still doesn't do anything, so I can't insert any more emoticons. Just reporting... When using the reply box (as opposed to the advanced editor), clicking on the "Options" button with the gear and screwdriver yielded a short green rectangle with alternatedly colored squares, at the top of the screen. Nothing else. When clicking on the same button in the advanced editor, it worked properly. Now I can get the emoticons window at will ("Show All" isn't disappearing), so at least I don't have to try to recall what to type for a WOOT. But it's still the case that when I click on the blue triangle the emoticons strip disappears and clicking on the new blue triangle at the left end doesn't do anything. When using the reply box and clicking Post, the new post doesn't show up until I go to a different page and then come back. Or else I have to manually hit F5 to refresh the page. It's not refreshing automatically. OK, make a liar out of me -- this time it did show the new post right after hitting the "Post" button without further action required. Where does one go to change the MSFN theme/skin? --JorgeA

Huh, I actually understand that cycle. (Uh-oh, what does that say about me...? ) What I see is that --- for example -- In the Beginning there were "multiple platforms" vying against each other for market share in the personal computing segment (CP/M, MS-DOS, DR-DOS, Apple OS -- what did they call it? -- plus some smaller ones like the UCSD p-System and of course the Commodore and Radio Shack machines and their software). Following Sinofsky's progression, they diverged in order to stand out from one another, and ultimately DOS/Windows came out on top. But now (today) we stand at the top of that cycle, a time for that single dominant Windows platform to be challenged by multiple new platforms (as it's turning out, mostly Android and iOS in the mobile space but also other well-known ones). Can some other OS emerge to challenge Windows's dominance of the desktop segment? The controversy caused by the Windows 8 FrankenOS may have created the best opportunity in decades to eat away at Microsoft's quasi-monopoly. Please, o Lords of Redmond, tell us what we may and may not do with our machines! Please limit our choices and provide order and meaning to our rudderless lives! We prostrate ourselves before you, we beseech you to enrich us with your superior wisdom, and we pledge -- nay, demand! -- to follow you cheerfully and without question into the new world you are creating... --JorgeA

Yeah, I'm sure that Apple and Samsung are quaking in their boots over this... For real? Not an April Fools joke? Okay sure. Now, now, don't be so cynical -- just imagine the enormous potential for industrial espionage that's offered by the Xbone's always-on camera and microphone. --JorgeA

So that everyone here is aware, @xper reports in the Site & Forum Issues subforum that MSFN will be on and off for the next few days for a forum upgrade. --JorgeA

Touché!! --JorgeA

Was there a 2nd post from me just above yours when you replied? Any chance you have a saved copy? No, sorry, at least not when I came back into the forum to check for new posts, and replied to yours. Had there been any other posts in-between when I replied, I'd have quoted yours so that everyone would know the context. But there weren't any, and my reply was posted right after yours, so I could get away with replying the lazy way... That's not to say that there never were any other posts after the one that I replied to. I couldn't get into MSFN at all yesterday (until after midnight) and anything could have happened in the interim. --JorgeA

From a pro-Windows 8 website, and now for yet another Windows 8.1 annoyance: Closing Metro Apps In Windows Blue Is Now Just A Tad Harder Did they maybe find that it was too easy to swipe down and unintentionally close an app? --JorgeA

Thanks Charlotte, this makes sense to me. --JorgeA

And speaking of the dumbing-down of the PC experience, have you noticed that the descriptions for this month's Windows Updates don't say anything relevant about each specific update? Used to be they'd give you a little useful information, such as if the patch involved a vulnerability from (for example) a remote attacker or a local attacker that could allow him to control your PC. Now they say even less. They all have vague, completely generic language about "a security issue" that "could affect your system." If you want any detail at all, now you have to click on the link. User-friendly computing... NOT!! --JorgeA

It being Patch Tuesday today, in case we haven't covered it already, one more thing that Microsoft changed screwed up with Windows 8 is that users no longer get the Taskbar balloon telling them that new updates are available. It seems that these notifications appear only in the lock screen or when you power up the computer and log in (and then only if you have it set up to ask for a login password). And even then, the notice tells you merely that some unspecified updates are available, no details of what they are or how big. (More details here.) This occurs if you set Windows to tell you when updates are available and to let you choose if and when to download them. So obviously the function is broken, intentionally or otherwise. Apparently MSFT would prefer that you were a good little serf and allowed them unquestioningly to do whatever they wanted to your property (your computer). It's pathetic that third-party tools have become necessary to carry out such a fundamental OS function. --JorgeA

I used to play with wallpapers too, until I decided that plain backgrounds were best for me as they made it easier to locate the desktop icons. Which itself is ironic because I don't actually use those icons very much: most of my program launching takes place from the -- gasp -- Start Menu. It's compact (doesn't take over my whole screen), easy to scan through as everything's in a single column, visually appealing, and neatly self-arranged. What more could I ask for? Like you, I no longer use screensavers. They were more trouble than they were worth -- sometimes the monitor wouldn't come back properly, and I was never sure if it was hitting a key or jiggling the mouse that I needed to do. Now I just let the monitor (but not the computer) go to sleep if I step away from it for a while. --JorgeA

Another fantastic piece of analysis, Charlotte. Thank you. The only part that I wasn't totally clear on was the sentences I've bolded below: Can you elaborate a little on those? --JorgeA

I came across this post in the Aero Glass for Win8 RC4 thread: Read the whole post for the context. Any thoughts on this? Personally, I don't think there is a conscious "master" plan to control how people use their computers (although there may in fact be, for all we know), but I do believe that that is a predictable consequence of what they're doing over at Microsoft with Metro, the Windows Store, secure boot: in the end, the user will lead a computer life whose activities will be strictly constrained by what the powers-that-be in Redmond (and, likely, functionaries in the various capital cities of the world) shall deem it fit to allow; and the PC will become not much better than an interactive TV set. This is motivated IMHO (at least on Microsoft's part) not by control freakiness, but by Apple envy; and the process of OS cretinization will be helped along by folks who can't (or won't) see past the end of their noses and will cheer it all on, as long as they feel "safe" or get cool new toys to play with. Concerning the alleged security rationale, I'm skeptical, and in any event giving up freedom for security is not a bargain I am eager to make. --JorgeA

The discussion here has turned toward Surrealism in the last day or two. Well, here's a surreal bit of Windows 8.1 information: Paul Thurrott reports that, while Metro apps require the use of Libraries "for content management," the libraries interface is now hidden (not visible by default). So basically you have to know they exist, before you can go looking for them. Maybe the right term isn't "surrealism,", but Dada: Marcel Duchamp, Fountain Source Anybody here have insight on this, um, quirk of Windows 8.1 ? --JorgeA

Sure, but the whole point is that the good MS guys are providing more and more "bells and whistles" in order to hide the removal of NEEDED features and/or the overcomplicating the life of the business (or anyway professional) user. The feature of changing desktop or logon screen (or both) is a feature (optional), not a "main, needed, cannot-live-without" sort of thing. The possibility (if one has the time and will) to change the look (or if you prefer to "skin" an OS) is a good thing , but not something that someone actually needing the PC to do some real world work will actually drool about. jaclaz Okay, so that's what you meant at your original post. I haven't seen full Windows Aero back yet. So I just wonder what you mean when you said MS are providing more "bells and whistles"? What "bells and whistles"? Windows 8 is visually ugly and does not only remove features but is visually step back as well. Yeah, IMHO you and jaclaz are both right: MSFT is busily removing both "useful features" (i.e., the Start Menu) and "bells and whistles" (i.e., Aero Glass), while adding annoying or pointless ones (Metro Start Screen, charms bar). Close to, but not exactly what jaclaz said. Somewhat in-between what he said and what you said. --JorgeA EDIT: clarification

--JorgeA

My take on this news is that the WE index would show embarrassingly low values for the cr*ppy devices that Metro was designed for. Imagine as a new buyer you proudly look up the WEI for your shiny tablet and it comes back with a 1.7 or something. Removing the WEI removes another possible focus of dissatisfaction with Windows 8. --JorgeA

Nice trick, thanks for sharing it. I've read in at least a couple of different places now (can't remember where, maybe even here ) that if you leave the computer unconnected to the Internet during Windows 8.1 setup, then you get the local account option. --JorgeA

From the "let them eat cake" department: Microsoft Defends Screen Space Wastage In Metro Apps So, when can Windows 8 users expect a more information-filled screen than the virtual desert offered by Microsoft's own "modern" apps, like mail? As the commenter at the bottom wrote, And, what does this say for Microsoft's chances in the increasingly popular "small tablet" market? This whole "modern UI" thing is misconceived from beginning to end. --JorgeA

MSFT is still crippling itself in the competition with Android tablets, by its reluctance to lower Win8 licensing fees: Small Tablet Makers Reportedly Not All That Impressed By Windows 8.1 If MSFT's "we want it all" attitude contributes to the ultimate commercial failure of Windows 8 and Win8 devices, that won't be such a bad thing... --JorgeA

More about the integration of Bing with local search: Windows 8.1 also brings integrated Bing searches to Windows Some Win8tards are rationalizing the inclusion of advertisements in Bing Search with the excuse that the service needs to be paid for somehow. Except that this is a service I do not want. If I want to search for something on my PC, I want the results to reflect what's on my PC, not millions of irrelevant results from the Web. And if I want to look for something on the Web, I can well launch the browser on my own, thank you very much. So I am being made to see advertisements that I don't want, to subsidize a "service" that I don't want. How's that for customer-friendly cuddliness? Aside from all that -- I wonder if it will be possible to change the search provider -- say, to an engine offering greater privacy such as Ixquick or DuckDuckGo. Or must Windows 8.1 users submit to Bing/Microsoft/NSA getting wind of all their searches, plans, and areas of interest? :angrym: --JorgeA

Two items of interest: Microsoft: Xbox One advertising will integrate with Kinect So, Xbox One purchasers will be asked to pay $499 (note that there's no decimal point there, as in $4.99) for the privilege of getting advertisements served to them. Good luck making the argument that they'd be paying even more, were it not for the ads. Report: Windows division’s Julie Larson-Green to head up Xbox division JLG goes for a threepeat after destroying the Office and Windows interfaces. Unfortunately for her, in this case she cannot destroy the UI because that work's already been done (see first link above). --JorgeA

Another interesting exchange about the changes in Windows 8.1 between Leo and Paul in the next episode of Windows Weekly. Start at about 31:00: --JorgeA

Windows 8.1 review - Still stupendously stupid That was a fantastic review, he pulls no punches. We need to come up with a short slogan that encapsulates the message you've been alerting people to. Something like: "Get ads on your PC! Make your computer like a TV, buy Windows 8!!" --JorgeA