- Aug 3, 2014
- 2,419
- 16
- 38
Before I begin, a disclaimer:
This isn't a thread about Window 10's UI or design language. This isn't about icons, or hamburger menus, or the Start Menu. This isn't about new features like Universal Applications, or removed features like Windows Media Player.
This is about how broken Windows 8.1 is, and how Windows 10 is quite possibly the only true fix.
I have been an adamant user of Windows since the very beginning. I joined Windows Phone quite later on (the beginning of Windows Phone 8), but for years and years I have used Windows on desktop and laptop.
I bought a solid Toshiba laptop powered by Windows 8 a few years ago. Of course (being a new toy), it was a very enjoyable during the first few weeks. However, right after the first golden days problems started to arise.
Quite simply, the Start Screen doesn't work. At all. For a while the Windows Store worked, and I downloaded a few apps, but I then went off to do other things. However, when my Netflix app stopped working, I uninstalled it with the intention of going back to the Store to reinstall it. Guess what? The Store wouldn't load. Every time, I was met with the error code (0x80070005). I did everything in my knowledge and power to fix this. I spent days looking for solutions and talking to people who claimed they knew exactly what they were talking about. To this day, years after purchasing this laptop, after updating to Windows 8.1 and installing countless updates, the Store gives me the same error code. But this was far from the only issue. You see, not a SINGLE app on the Start Screen works, with the exception of Internet Explorer and Desktop. The MSN apps won't load, the Weather app won't show me updated information or really any information at all, the Mail app refuses to sync, the list goes on.
Funny thing is, the Live Tiles seem to work. They flip and give me updated information. The Store tile flips and shows me new apps, yet I can't buy them. The MSN apps give me stories and restaurants to try, yet I can't get any more information on them. The Weather app shows me the current weather...except it's in Las Vegas, where I no longer live.
For an Operating System centered around installing applications from the Store and using them on the Start Screen, this is appalling! And that's not even an opinion. No one can argue that it's a good thing that the Store nor any of the apps on the Start Screen operate correctly and often not at all. It's not even about the fractured UI design, the chunkiness, the loss of intuitiveness...it's about half the software not running. At all.
Now the Desktop works fine! I still firmly believe that Windows 7 had a better Desktop experience, but Windows 8.1 has a very serviceable Desktop experience. Programs run great, and smoothly. Outlook, OneDrive, Word Online, all of my Microsoft services run smoothly and allow me to do everything I need to do. But because of the way the OS is set up, every now and then I'm suddenly forced to jump to the Start Screen, which is broken.
And even if this wasn't an issue, it's not right that I'm restricted to half the OS because the other half just won't work.
Windows 10 might be the only fix for this. Obviously, countless "bug" fixes haven't done anything. Windows 10 combines the Start Screen and the Desktop, and brings a brand new Windows Store, and all new Microsoft apps. If an entirely new operating system can't fix these massive issues that I've had for years now (I've lived with them because I can work around these issues by using the Desktop) then I might have to go Apple (I'm never going Apple. Maybe Google. Maybe not Google. Still).
Some of you may be asking "But why is this a problem? You can just use the Desktop and work around all of these problems you're having." Well that's not the issue. The issue is that I shouldn't have to "work around" these massive gaps in what's supposed to be an OS used internationally on millions of devices. The issue is that even though Windows 8.1 is an "upgrade" I've had a massive downgrade from Windows 7 because half of it won't even work. The issue is that--you get the point. I've been patient for years, a loyal member of the Microsoft team, waiting for the fix. Waiting...and waiting. Well, I'm done waiting. Windows 10 (regardless of the beautiful UI, innovative new features--ignore the hole that was Windows Media Player *tears*--and return of the Start Menu) may be the only way I can salvage the broken remains of Windows 8.1.
This isn't a thread about Window 10's UI or design language. This isn't about icons, or hamburger menus, or the Start Menu. This isn't about new features like Universal Applications, or removed features like Windows Media Player.
This is about how broken Windows 8.1 is, and how Windows 10 is quite possibly the only true fix.
I have been an adamant user of Windows since the very beginning. I joined Windows Phone quite later on (the beginning of Windows Phone 8), but for years and years I have used Windows on desktop and laptop.
I bought a solid Toshiba laptop powered by Windows 8 a few years ago. Of course (being a new toy), it was a very enjoyable during the first few weeks. However, right after the first golden days problems started to arise.
Quite simply, the Start Screen doesn't work. At all. For a while the Windows Store worked, and I downloaded a few apps, but I then went off to do other things. However, when my Netflix app stopped working, I uninstalled it with the intention of going back to the Store to reinstall it. Guess what? The Store wouldn't load. Every time, I was met with the error code (0x80070005). I did everything in my knowledge and power to fix this. I spent days looking for solutions and talking to people who claimed they knew exactly what they were talking about. To this day, years after purchasing this laptop, after updating to Windows 8.1 and installing countless updates, the Store gives me the same error code. But this was far from the only issue. You see, not a SINGLE app on the Start Screen works, with the exception of Internet Explorer and Desktop. The MSN apps won't load, the Weather app won't show me updated information or really any information at all, the Mail app refuses to sync, the list goes on.
Funny thing is, the Live Tiles seem to work. They flip and give me updated information. The Store tile flips and shows me new apps, yet I can't buy them. The MSN apps give me stories and restaurants to try, yet I can't get any more information on them. The Weather app shows me the current weather...except it's in Las Vegas, where I no longer live.
For an Operating System centered around installing applications from the Store and using them on the Start Screen, this is appalling! And that's not even an opinion. No one can argue that it's a good thing that the Store nor any of the apps on the Start Screen operate correctly and often not at all. It's not even about the fractured UI design, the chunkiness, the loss of intuitiveness...it's about half the software not running. At all.
Now the Desktop works fine! I still firmly believe that Windows 7 had a better Desktop experience, but Windows 8.1 has a very serviceable Desktop experience. Programs run great, and smoothly. Outlook, OneDrive, Word Online, all of my Microsoft services run smoothly and allow me to do everything I need to do. But because of the way the OS is set up, every now and then I'm suddenly forced to jump to the Start Screen, which is broken.
And even if this wasn't an issue, it's not right that I'm restricted to half the OS because the other half just won't work.
Windows 10 might be the only fix for this. Obviously, countless "bug" fixes haven't done anything. Windows 10 combines the Start Screen and the Desktop, and brings a brand new Windows Store, and all new Microsoft apps. If an entirely new operating system can't fix these massive issues that I've had for years now (I've lived with them because I can work around these issues by using the Desktop) then I might have to go Apple (I'm never going Apple. Maybe Google. Maybe not Google. Still).
Some of you may be asking "But why is this a problem? You can just use the Desktop and work around all of these problems you're having." Well that's not the issue. The issue is that I shouldn't have to "work around" these massive gaps in what's supposed to be an OS used internationally on millions of devices. The issue is that even though Windows 8.1 is an "upgrade" I've had a massive downgrade from Windows 7 because half of it won't even work. The issue is that--you get the point. I've been patient for years, a loyal member of the Microsoft team, waiting for the fix. Waiting...and waiting. Well, I'm done waiting. Windows 10 (regardless of the beautiful UI, innovative new features--ignore the hole that was Windows Media Player *tears*--and return of the Start Menu) may be the only way I can salvage the broken remains of Windows 8.1.
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