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The Windows Explorer ribbon in Windows 8 is ready for prime time. Greg Shultz takes a closer look at some of the changes and new features in Windows Explorer in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

The Windows Explorer ribbon in Windows 8 is ready for prime time

Soon after the Windows 8 Developer Preview was released on September 13, 2011, I began investigating the new Windows Explorer, which had been endowed with a Ribbon toolbar. Of course, we all remember that we were first introduced to the Ribbon toolbar in Office 2007. And, when Windows 7 was released, we found the Ribbon in WordPad and Paint, two applets whose UIs had remained virtually unchanged for 14 years. The Ribbon then appeared in Windows Live applets, such as Movie Maker and Photo Gallery. Five reasons to take a pass on Windows 8. Scott Lowe talks about some of the drawbacks of Windows 8 that might make it a poor bet for the enterprise.

Five reasons to take a pass on Windows 8

Like a great many others, I've been watching the Windows 8 development process to see where Microsoft decides to take things on the desktop. It's well-known that Microsoft needs to do something radical to battle Apple on the consumer front and Google on the smartphone front. At the same time, the company needs to update the Windows desktop operating system in ways that enable the company to remain relevant in business. No Start menu I've seen companies do some really dumb things in my time in the IT field, but this one really takes the case. When the company overhauled Office with the Office 2007 release, I was generally supportive and saw value in the direction. It's obvious that Microsoft wants to take on Apple with the addition of the Metro UI to the operating system; the UI has been a success in Windows Phone 7.

Massive training need Fragmented ecosystem Hardware outlay Summary. Five favorite Windows 8 preview apps. As you kick the tires of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, be sure to check out these early contenders for top apps.

Five favorite Windows 8 preview apps

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is out, and along with it, a (limited) number of preview apps that are designed to showcase the new Metro style (Figure A). Some of them work better than others. Figure A Windows 8 preview apps provide an early taste of what Metro can do. Various apps, such as Mail, Messaging, Camera, Maps, People, Reader, Weather, and IE, come pre-installed. Figure B Windows Store: The "mother of all (additional) apps. Here are my current five favorite preview apps out of the selection available, both pre-installed and downloadable from the Store. Note: This list is also available as a photo gallery. 1: People Figure C The People app shows you what's new with your contacts across multiple services. 2: Remote Desktop Figure D The Remote Desktop app is clean and simple and gets the job done. 3: The Tower by American Airlines Okay, this one is just plain cool.

Figure E. Disable the Lock screen in Windows 8 forever. You don't really need a Windows 8 Lock screen for a desktop PC, so here is how you disable it forever.

Disable the Lock screen in Windows 8 forever

In last week's blog post, Make the Windows 8 Start Screen work like the Start Menu, I showed you how to get rid of all the tiles on the Start Screen and populate it with application shortcut icons so that you can essentially use the Start Screen as a replacement for the Start Menu. What I didn't tell you was that I had initially begun my search for reviving the Start menu in the Local Group Policy Editor. Alas, there is no setting for disabling the Start Screen or enabling the Start menu. However, I did find a setting that will allow you to do away with another possibly annoying feature designed for touch screen tablets and not necessarily for desktops - the Lock screen. Windows 8: New File Explorer features. Greg Shultz introduces you to the Windows 8's new File Explorer and some of its time-saving features.

Windows 8: New File Explorer features

As you probably know by now, one of the many changes in Microsoft Windows 8 includes an updated version of Windows Explorer that has been rechristened as File Explorer. In addition to its new name, the file management tool has been given a slightly new user interface that features a Ribbon toolbar instead of a traditional drop down menu system. This blog post is also available as a TechRepublic Photo Gallery. 8 worst Windows 8 annoyances and how to fix them - GadgetBox on NBCNews. All new operating systems have a learning curve, but due to its unique blend of new and old interfaces, Windows 8′s is particularly steep.

8 worst Windows 8 annoyances and how to fix them - GadgetBox on NBCNews

Whether it’s a menu system that forces you change screens to launch an app or a pair of dueling control panels that each contain different settings, you often have to work harder to perform the same tasks as in Windows 7. Though you can’t solve all these issues on your own — the Start button is gone for good — you can make the most of Windows 8 with these tips. 1. No more Start menu Multitasking in Windows 8 is like dating Sybil. Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid going through the Start screen to launch desktop apps.