Windows worldwide market share is stuck at 15% and falling

[Kesa]

but Win 7 is such an ugly interface it is pretty certain I will replace it with the Vista GUI which at least looks smart.  

If however you use some obscure emulators you can not use anything past Vista due to screen access functions provided to applications that have been removed in Windows 7.

Why is windows 7 ugly? How is vista better? Windows 7 is intuitive and efficient.

It's the orb isn't it. That's why you hate it. I guess thats the problem with having an IQ of 137 - you obsess over trival details  

[commodorejohn]

Windows 7 is ugly. So is XP's Luna theme, and Vista's weird transitional look. But XP and Vista at least let you go back to the classic Windows 95 look. 7 doesn't, because Microsoft's official New Direction (beginning with many of the other changes in Vista, and now brought to fruition in 8's inescapable Metro Start screen, among other things) is that everybody uses the new things, legacy is out and you're stupid for wanting it, now bow and pay homage, the design department demands your appreciation for their genius! When all along Windows's #1 selling point has been legacy compatibility and "it works exactly like how it used to work." It's no wonder people are increasingly less-impressed with the new versions.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. IMHO XP looks too dated, although its Silver theme isn't too horrible. Vista looks like some half-breed kludge, although it was okay for its day. 7 looks great, professional and modern with its translucent borders and gradients (once you tweak a few settings), and 8 is even worse than XP - flat, dull, lifeless. They've even removed such basic things like being able to adjust icon spacing... unless you want to use a registry hack. :p
 
But this is the kind of question where you ask 100 people what looks best, you're going to get 101 different answers, LOL.

[commodorejohn]

True enough - which is why it was great when they actually allowed people to roll back to the old look if they didn't like the new one...

[psxphill]

True enough - which is why it was great when they actually allowed people to roll back to the old look if they didn't like the new one...

It was only possible because of the kludgy way they added themes to XP. Windows 8 has none of that crud left over, so you might not be used to the way it looks but it runs much faster.

[commodorejohn]

Yes, they certainly couldn't have reimplemented themes in a non-kludgy way! They had to get rid of user choice!

[foleyjo]

Windows profits up 17%
Shares up 6%

So not doing that bad after all.

Now what interests me more and why I come to this site is,  how is workbench doing

[Linde]

Interesting read on the theme of how the market share decrease doesn't necessarily indicate that the PC is dying: http://idiallo.com/blog/2013/10/pc-is-not-dead-no-need-for-new-ones.

[gertsy]

......
Now what interests me more and why I come to this site is,  how is workbench doing

Agree, but there's always an OS knocking thread running here. Its moderator promoted��

Its either windows, Mac, or OS 4 bashing.

[nicholas]

Agree, but there's always an OS knocking thread running here. Its moderator promoted��

Its either windows, Mac, or OS 4 bashing.

That's what this "Other operating systems" forum is for.

I don't mind these threads when they are in this forum, when they are posted as news however; that's a whole different kettle of fish.

[psxphill]

Yes, they certainly couldn't have reimplemented themes in a non-kludgy way! They had to get rid of user choice!

They did re-implement themes in a non-kludgy way, which is why they removed the old code.

[foleyjo]

That's what this "Other operating systems" forum is for.

I don't mind these threads when they are in this forum, when they are posted as news however; that's a whole different kettle of fish.

The problem is there always seems to be a thread on why micro$oft are performing so bad. There has always been an anti Microsoft vibe from some people including myself, but now it's getting a bit too much.

[commodorejohn]

They did re-implement themes in a non-kludgy way, which is why they removed the old code.

So you can switch it back to the old look and behavior? Because otherwise they're still a mark down from XP (and to a lesser extent Vista) on that point.

[scuzzb494]

I am keeping my fingers crossed that Microsoft keep plugging away at the PC cus with all the other kids toys on the market that don't have a hood let alone an engine compartment this particular computer mechanic would have real problems feeding his passion for computers. Obscurity is fun but flying in the fast lane is still pretty exhilarating. You may dislike Microsoft, but trust me there is no greater evil than iCrap. If you want to seriously target something that is really destroying traditional computing then you can start by not buying that particular kind of junk. Time will come when there wont even be any innards to a computer and all your worldly data will be sitting on some iCloud. We need to feed tin boxes cus in truth they are the only things that have any chance of keeping my Amigas alive. Unless that is you like virtual reality... which is what iJunk Inc are peddling.

I did use to think it would be Bill Gates that destroyed my computer interest, but I have decided it is more likely to be a biproduct of the bloody mobile phone.

[som99]

Here is my Windows 8 machine as close as possible to classic windows themes, not accurate enough, no icon change etc just colors and classic shell installed, but as close as it gets without skinning with windows blinds etc, the start menu is from "classic shell" with my own start button.
All Metro UI stuff is turned off and won't pop up whatever yuo do, you have to manually edit the configs to turn it on again.

image shrinked to 70% from 1920x1080.

[itix]

Windows 7 is ugly. So is XP's Luna theme, and Vista's weird transitional look. But XP and Vista at least let you go back to the classic Windows 95 look.

How to make Windows 7 pretty: switch off transparency effects.

I also like the classic Windows 95 look but dont you ever get bored to it? I had been using XP 6 years but finally in this month my work laptop was upgraded to Windows 7. It is quite refreshing to have a new look and it is not that bad. Maybe not the prettiest, drop shadows look odd.