In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

I'm afraid I don't understand your comment. You can make the calculator any size you wish.

Thanks, I had forgot about resizing metro app windows since I don't use them, that does certainly help matters. I do prefer the overall design of the W7/8 calculators though, and would have preferred Microsoft to include a desktop calc app as well as the metro app.

Edited by Oliver341 (Sun 27-Dec-15 12:38:52)

Windows 8 and 8.1 was a right mess in the UI part to be honest, no one knew what it wanted to be, far better once the start screen was replaced with a start menu, I now find Windows 8.1 usable, mainly because most of the modern apps stay away, ok you need to make files default to different apps, like audio to media player instead of what ever MS wants us to use, but that is easy sorted, not that I use media player.

I never said that Windows 10 did not work on conventional desktops or laptops for that matter, but it is very modern app orientated and they seem to pop up when you don't want them, even getting software as default is not as easy on 10 as it is on Windows 8 or below.
Take your browser, go into your browser settings and set it to default, you will find it will not do it, instead it may pop up a Windows 10 setting dialogue box, in which you can change it or it may just pop up a notice telling you to go to choose default app settings.

Then when you do get things all nice and sorted Ms does a big update and muck it all up again so you have to start all over again.

The way Windows 10 uses Modern apps is worse than Windows 8.1, at least with 8.1 they was on a separate screen. Modern apps are for touch screen, that is why they are so clunky.

I know the Calculator works on touch screen or with a mouse and pointer, but it just don't look nice and it is only a better product if you use all the new functions.

I do not think it will take long for Apple to follow Windows, OS X is getting that way now, I expect Apple is working on a OS to work on phones and and their desktops/laptops.

MS had to do something to up their game, since their mobile phones have not really done very well, so I think Windows 10 is the last ditch attempt to get people to go for Windows based tablets and phones.

I tried a Windows phone yesterday, while I have used one for a few mins before, yesterday was the longest I have had a play with one, it was a windows 8.1 and not 10, but they still more or less work the same way, Not something I would buy to be honest, I never liked the tile system on a computer or phone and to be honest the apps that are available are not that great. I do not know if the phone can be updated to Windows 10.
My mate who owns it have to get used to it now as it is the first smart phone he have had and I thought it may have been a easier one to get used to, but I have my doubts.

Sadly I have to stick with Windows on my P.C due to my hobby, but the type of software I use is getting better on Linux.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

Take your browser, go into your browser settings and set it to default, you will find it will not do it, instead it may pop up a Windows 10 setting dialogue box, in which you can change it or it may just pop up a notice telling you to go to choose default app settings.

I don't understand what you mean. If you want to change settings for your browser you do it in the logical place - inside your browser. If you want to change default applications (browser, mail, etc.) you do it in the logical place - System Settings. How difficult is that? As I recall you used to use Control Panel in earlier versions of Windows to change system-wide defaults - it's the obvious place.

Then when you do get things all nice and sorted Ms does a big update and muck it all up again so you have to start all over again.

Untrue. I've updated Windows 10 several times - both the retail version and the preview builds - and each time it remembers my default settings. What's more, it remembers them across all my devices, which is very useful.

Modern apps are for touch screen, that is why they are so clunky.

Wrong, wrong, wrong! Modern apps are just for modern computers.

I know the Calculator works on touch screen or with a mouse and pointer, but it just don't look nice and it is only a better product if you use all the new functions.

I like to use my computer rather than worry too much about what it looks like. (Although actually, when you spend a little time getting used to it, the new style is much clearer than outdated 3D icons.) I agree that a program with new features is only better if you use the new features. You could quite happily use the Windows 3 calculator if you just want to work out 1 + 1.

I never liked the tile system on a computer or phone

I can only say that a lot of people like the idea of live tiles on the Start Screen so that you don't have to - for example - open your mail program to see what new mail you have, or open your weather app to see a summary of the weather forecast. But each to their own.

There are no Metro apps in Windows 10.

I know I've said it many times before but, I really liked/like Windows 8/8.1, and I'd take it over Windows 7 any day. Windows 10 is an improvement on them both but my PC and work laptop both run Windows 8.1 (both non-touch) and I am more than happy with them, but would dread it if were Windows 7.

It is a learning curve a little bit but if you get to know it, it is just fine.

Edited by Pipexer (Sun 27-Dec-15 17:10:56)

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

There are no Metro apps in Windows 10.

What does Microsoft call apps like Calculator and Groove Music?

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

What does Microsoft call apps like Calculator and Groove Music?

I found the answer:

In reference to arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/dont-call-them-metro...:

In the beginning there was the word, and the word was Metro. And then it was Windows 8-style. And then it was Modern. And then it was Windows Store. And then it was Universal. And today, Microsoft has decreed that henceforth these apps�which are all ultimately based on Windows Runtime�will be known as Windows apps.

Quite crazy really.

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

I know I've said it many times before but, I really liked/like Windows 8/8.1, and I'd take it over Windows 7 any day. Windows 10 is an improvement on them both but my PC and work laptop both run Windows 8.1 (both non-touch) and I am more than happy with them, but would dread it if were Windows 7.

It is a learning curve a little bit but if you get to know it, it is just fine.

That sums it up for me, its a learning curve some people just won't take on. For me, I loved the whole new look when 8 launched and love the look of 10, its new, vibrant and different.

Windows Universal Applications - the point being that, unlike Metro, they scale from phone to tablet to desktop and adapt themselves to each. A Metro calculator would be full screen, as you described it, and would appear different to a Windows desktop application. On Windows 10 it's different. Although the same application, it adapts itself to the platform. So it appears full screen on your phone and tablet, but a normal resizeable app on your desktop. This is very different from Metro apps and is much more than a name change.

It requires a little thought when writing the app, although there is a rich API and development tools to help you, but it's very satisfying to write one piece of code that will run anywhere.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

I don't understand what you mean. If you want to change settings for your browser you do it in the logical place - inside your browser. If you want to change default applications (browser, mail, etc.) you do it in the logical place - System Settings. How difficult is that? As I recall you used to use Control Panel in earlier versions of Windows to change system-wide defaults - it's the obvious place.

When you are asked by your browser or any other bit of software if you want to make it default and you click yes then it should become default, you should not have to go through another dialogue box. I know you can make software default int he control panel on other versions of Windows, but how many people used that?

Untrue. I've updated Windows 10 several times - both the retail version and the preview builds - and each time it remembers my default settings. What's more, it remembers them across all my devices, which is very useful.

Sorry but it is true, a few times when I was on the insider program it reset my defaults and also the November update also did the same to other people. Look here for a start. MS pulled the update saying it was a fault, do I believe them? like hell; I do. It was a fault when they were caught out.

If I had multiple Windows 10 devices I am not sure if I would like my settings to be shared between them. According to my mates son, sharing the settings from one machine, mucked up another, I don't know how, he said it mucked up his desktop. Even so it is not a thing I would do, I have an Android phone and an Android tablet and they have both got separate accounts. My computer would always use a local account anyway.

Wrong, wrong, wrong! Modern apps are just for modern computers.

Really, so what would you call a modern computer?

I like to use my computer rather than worry too much about what it looks like. (Although actually, when you spend a little time getting used to it, the new style is much clearer than outdated 3D icons.)

I like my computer to be usable without a load of gimmicks. I like to get access to the software I want without some tiles being flashed at me. I also like to use my computer without the Os sticking up notices that are not needed. If looks was not important then why do MS keep changing it?
I like 3D icons.

I agree that a program with new features is only better if you use the new features. You could quite happily use the Windows 3 calculator if you just want to work out 1 + 1.

This is not just about the calculator, this is about the whole look of windows 10, the PDF reader is a modern app or whatever name MS decides to use as they change that as much as Bill Gates change his socks.
Everything seems to be in that style.

I can only say that a lot of people like the idea of live tiles on the Start Screen so that you don't have to - for example - open your mail program to see what new mail you have, or open your weather app to see a summary of the weather forecast. But each to their own.

But it is not on the start screen anymore unless you use it on a mobile phone, it is in a start menu, which you just bring up to launch the software you use. How many people really keep the startmenu in view just so they can see what the weather is going to be?
Windows 8 may have been a different thing, but I doubt even with that many people really looked at the live tiles.
I wonder how many people use the built in mail app on Windows 10, the few people I know that have changed to windows 10 only 2 does, the rest uses their normal browser which is normally chrome these days and access their Gmail.