I’ve heard from one or two people that the Windows 8 experience may be less than optimal and that the new Metro UI is a bit of a pain.
Normally, my stock answer when asked for advice on using or buying a Windows machine is simple, “Please don’t, get a Mac!” but, in this case, I realise that this may not be that helpful so I’ve summarised some information below that, I hope, is of help.
Microsoft is only one of many companies that see the future as touchscreen driven so Metro is built with this in mind; however, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be used with a mouse and keyboard, it’s just a case of becoming accustomed to its foibles and learning a few new shortcuts.
A quick Google search for windows 8 disable metro ui shows that there are many people keen to remove Metro and revert to the good old ways. There are also plenty of freeware and paid-for programs that aim to re-skin Metro and provide a more traditional interface. I’ve listed a couple below but please note that I haven’t tried any of them, don’t endorse any of them and certainly don’t offer any sort of help if you install them and they eat your machine!
To be honest though, like anything new, I think it’s worth persevering with the UI. Cast your mind back to all the furore around Facebook when they changed to the new Timeline interface; did it really stop people using it? How many of you closed your account? Not many I’m sure; we just accept it and get on with it.
There are many Windows 8 tutorials online and reverting to trusty old Google again with a quick search for windows 8 tutorials will yield numerous results. Take a look, work through them and embrace the new UI (or get a Mac)!
Poppa G
Poppa Gadget 