Charms Windows 8

[10curtains]

I'm hoping someone here can answer this. Is the charms bar going to disappear from windows 8?

The reason I ask is I have read an article in the Guardian (through Bing news app. Sorry I have know idea about copy and paste.) that the next update will see Windows 8 looking more like Windows 7. He makes some sarcastic remark about the charms bar. I read this as if this feature will be gone.

I have my reasons for keeping it. My main one being I can search and more importantly, find anything on my computer.

I am so fed up listening to and reading about how bad windows 8 is. No it is not bad. Having upgraded from windows xp, windows 8.1 is a breath of fresh air. I can start typing in the search facility within the charms bar and I have found what I was looking for. I could never find anything in windows xp. It was a cluttered mess. I have got my new pc with windows 8.1 looking neat and tidy. I have the same screen shot on both metro and desktop. There is NO icons cluttering the desktop. All my required icons are set into categories that I customised on the metro screen. For example I have both kindle for pc and kindle for windows 8 sit side by side on metro.

So hopefully someone here can clarify that I am not going to lose my charms bar.

Thanks in advance

 

[Laura Knotek]

I believe that even if Windows 8.1 Update 1 boots to the desktop by default on traditional PCs, that a user will have the ability to change the settings. I do not believe that the Charms Bar is being eliminated.

 

[10curtains]

Thanks for that. I have the pc set for automatic security updates, but I wasn't sure whether this next update was like that type of update, or it would be my choice to update like I did from windows 8 to windows 8.1.
As long as I still have the option. I really do not want to go back to what I had before.
Thanks

 

[Blkacesvf41]

Thanks for that. I have the pc set for automatic security updates, but I wasn't sure whether this next update was like that type of update, or it would be my choice to update like I did from windows 8 to windows 8.1.
As long as I still have the option. I really do not want to go back to what I had before.
Thanks

The update will be done through Windows updates, so tomorrow you can start looking for it. It won't be through the Windows store like last time. As far as I know, the charms bar is not disappearing but the power button and search bar are gonna be permanent on the start screen. Many people complaining about having to look for them in the charms bar. PCWorld.com has a really good article regarding the ins and outs of the update.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

Actually, here you go:
Windows 8.1 Update Preview - CNET

 

[10curtains]

Well I'm going to wait before I update. I want to see what difference it would make to my PC. I must be the only person out there that actually likes using windows 8.1 on a desktop using a mouse. I use the PC in metro mode. I could rant on all day about all the things I like about windows 8. I am not techy so having a system where I can find anything and everything is wonderful.
So thank you for the help oh and also the link.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Charms is still the same. I've just installed the update. I also had my PC set so it didn't boot to the desktop, and my settings were preserved in the update.

 

[o0Nighthawk0o]

Just installed the update on my Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet and the charms are there. I will install the update on my laptop when I get home and hopefully most is still the same. I'm with the OP in that I don't understand the problems people have with W8. I've had it since the pre release and the hardest thing was thinking of the start screen as being the new start menu. After that it is a great OS and I love it.

 

[10curtains]

@Laura Knotek thankyou. I'll update it later in the week when I'll have more time to play around with it. I am really trying to lose the paranoia when using the computer. On xp I kept 'losing things'. So with new pc I'm trying to keep practicing using it.
Do you know whether I can still swipe down to close apps using the mouse? I read that on PC's that it would be a cross at top of app. Believe it or not I get a kick out of 'grabbing' an app and pulling it down to close. Then again I am the sad person that gets a kick out of animated page turning.
Thankyou once again.

 

[Jaskys]

After this update apps switching charm became useless, i had to turn it off

 

[Laura Knotek]

@Laura Knotek thankyou. I'll update it later in the week when I'll have more time to play around with it. I am really trying to lose the paranoia when using the computer. On xp I kept 'losing things'. So with new pc I'm trying to keep practicing using it.
Do you know whether I can still swipe down to close apps using the mouse? I read that on PC's that it would be a cross at top of app. Believe it or not I get a kick out of 'grabbing' an app and pulling it down to close. Then again I am the sad person that gets a kick out of animated page turning.
Thankyou once again.

You're right that minimize is a - and close is an x, like with traditional Windows. That doesn't really bother me, though, since it works quickly. I do like Charms and I'm glad that feature is still there, especially since I like to search everywhere in many cases.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

After this update apps switching charm became useless, i had to turn it off

You never have to completely close an app if you don't want to. From the apps just go right back to the start screen, then those apps will be in switching charm like you want them to.

 

[10curtains]

I don't have any problems with windows 8.1 and there is so much I like about it. I have just taught my husband how to use it and I'm not going through that again. So it looks like I'll keep what I've got, for now.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

I don't have any problems with windows 8.1 and there is so much I like about it. I have just taught my husband how to use it and I'm not going through that again. So it looks like I'll keep what I've got, for now.

Really not that many differences. You can still close the modern apps by clicking and dragging down just like before, if you don't wanna use the X.

 

[TheJoester09]

Well I'm going to wait before I update. I want to see what difference it would make to my PC. I must be the only person out there that actually likes using windows 8.1 on a desktop using a mouse. I use the PC in metro mode. I could rant on all day about all the things I like about windows 8. I am not techy so having a system where I can find anything and everything is wonderful.
So thank you for the help oh and also the link.

You're definitely not alone—in fact, you sound just like my wife. It took her a bit to get over the initial shock of Windows 8, but now that she's used to it, she loves it on her desktop! When I told her about the keyboard-and-mouse-friendly changes that were coming in Update 1, she got genuinely upset and started ranting about stupid people that don't know how to adapt. This is why we're married.

Anyway, fear not—I just installed Update 1, and things pretty much run just as they did before. For example, when I bring the mouse to the top of a Metro app, the "X" drops down in the corner, but you can still drag down from the top to close the app like before. And as others have said, the Charms menu is still present. It looks like MS did a good job of catering to the ones opposed to change, without completely alienating those that already enjoy Windows 8.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I don't have any problems with windows 8.1 and there is so much I like about it. I have just taught my husband how to use it and I'm not going through that again. So it looks like I'll keep what I've got, for now.

The update is necessary for future security updates.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk

 

[10curtains]

I must thankyou all once again. I feel reassured that I have the choice in how I use the updated version on my pc.
I'll update later in the week.

 

[herbertsnow]

You're definitely not alone—in fact, you sound just like my wife. It took her a bit to get over the initial shock of Windows 8, but now that she's used to it, she loves it on her desktop! When I told her about the keyboard-and-mouse-friendly changes that were coming in Update 1, she got genuinely upset and started ranting about stupid people that don't know how to adapt. This is why we're married.

Anyway, fear not—I just installed Update 1, and things pretty much run just as they did before. For example, when I bring the mouse to the top of a Metro app, the "X" drops down in the corner, but you can still drag down from the top to close the app like before. And as others have said, the Charms menu is still present. It looks like MS did a good job of catering to the ones opposed to change, without completely alienating those that already enjoy Windows 8.

She's right, people are stupid.

 

[iamtim]

She's right, people are stupid.

That's uncalled for.

One of Windows 8 biggest complaints is that the Modern interface didn't appeal to mouse and keyboard power users. Accurate or not, that's the perception and many, many people I know alone have tried Windows 8 and refused to upgrade for that very reason. Does that make them stupid? No, it just means that Windows 8 does not appeal to them. By making Windows 8 "friendlier" to those mouse and keyboard users, Microsoft is making it easier for them to adopt and upgrade.

 

[herbertsnow]

I've lost faith in the human race.