Windows 8

That mostly sounds like a trackpad problem. If you're trying to only work on the desktop, just go to the settings for the trackpad and disable edge gestures.

I would very, very strongly recommend not leaving any computer without password protection.
I can't find the settings as previously stated.

If I found the settings and disabled guesture settings, how do I use the computer? For example, in the document reader that loads whenever I click on a pdf, I can only print by right swiping and then lifting my finger off the trackpad when the devices icon is illuminated. How do I print and do other guesture-only commands without guestures?
How the hell do you accidentally switch between Metro and Desktop?

Also, do you not have a mouse or something? Trackpads should be a last resort, on any computer.
This:
Some trackpads are really bad and randomly interpret touches near the left hand side as "swipe in from the left".
I can get a mouse for it, but it's my wife's computer and she likes using it without a mouse (she typically has it on her lap). It's going to be really unfortunate if we have to change the way we use the device because the device doesn't work well as-is.

This is the 3rd HP laptop we've had and we have had good experiences so far so I didn't think for a second that the trackpad would be an issue. But it is - it is terrible with guestures and constantly misses intentional guestures and interprets-non guestures as guestures. I am nearly ready to demand a refund, it's that hard to use.

Zelig, I am not trying to use only the desktop, but if I can't figure out a work around to the guestures problem then I may have to. Does disabling guestures completely disable the metro interface or does it just make it so you can't accidentally go to it?.

I want the full Win 8 experience but it's not working very well atm.
 
I can't find the settings as previously stated.

If I found the settings and disabled guesture settings, how do I use the computer? For example, in the document reader that loads whenever I click on a pdf, I can only print by right swiping and then lifting my finger off the trackpad when the devices icon is illuminated. How do I print and do other guesture-only commands without guestures?

Setting location for hardware will depend on the hardware in question. If you open the control panel (hit windows key, type "control panel", hit enter), change the view to icons, it might be a tab under "mouse", or it might have its own entry. ("Touchpad settings", or something similar)

Another Ideas for finding where HP might have put the setting: Hit windows+s and type "edge swipe" or "enable edge swipe" and see if anything comes up.

Zelig, I am not trying to use only the desktop, but if I can't figure out a work around to the guestures problem then I may have to. Does disabling guestures completely disable the metro interface or does it just make it so you can't accidentally go to it?.

Edge gestures on trackpads aren't a Win8 thing at all, Microsoft Surface keyboards covers have trackpads and don't even have the option to enable edge gestures.

Without edge gestures (or in addition to, these are all actual Win8 features) you can open the left-hand multitasking menu either by moving the mouse to the top left corner and then straight down, or by pushing windows+tab as you'd otherwise use alt+tab.

You can open the charms bar moving moving the mouse to the top or bottom right and then straight down or up, respectively, or by pushing windows+c.

If you're trying to print, you can often directly shortcut to it with Windows+P in many desktop and metro applications. Otherwise you can use the charms bar or shortcut to the devices list with windows+k.
 
Setting location for hardware will depend on the hardware in question. If you open the control panel (hit windows key, type "control panel", hit enter), change the view to icons, it might be a tab under "mouse", or it might have its own entry. ("Touchpad settings", or something similar)

Another Ideas for finding where HP might have put the setting: Hit windows+s and type "edge swipe" or "enable edge swipe" and see if anything comes up.
Thank you thank you!

Without edge gestures (or in addition to, these are all actual Win8 features) you can open the left-hand multitasking menu either by moving the mouse to the top left corner and then straight down, or by pushing windows+tab as you'd otherwise use alt+tab.
Forgive the stupid question, but isn't moving the mouse to the top left corner and then straight down an edge guesture? Or do edge guestures only apply to the edge of the track pad and not the edge of the screen? I thought edge guestures required both.


If you're trying to print, you can often directly shortcut to it with Windows+P in many desktop and metro applications. Otherwise you can use the charms bar or shortcut to the devices list with windows+k.

How do I set the shortcut (or is it already set)?
 
Thank you thank you!

Forgive the stupid question, but isn't moving the mouse to the top left corner and then straight down an edge guesture? Or do edge guestures only apply to the edge of the track pad and not the edge of the screen? I thought edge guestures required both.




How do I set the shortcut (or is it already set)?

I'm not sure there's an official terminology for gestures.

When I refer to "edge gestures" I refer to moving in from the left or right (or top or bottom) of the trackpad (or touchscreen) - these are a trackpad feature, and not built into Windows 8.

Gestures starting by moving the cursor into corners are built into Windows 8 and are always enabled.

Shortcut keys I mentioned are all built-in as well and work out of box.
 
Ok thanks for clearing that up. The non-built in gestures are a PITA on this laptop. I actually noticed that it is basically impossible to trigger the corner-gestures, but the other ones get triggered all the time. It would probably be less of an issue with a touchscreen or mouse as Zack said. For now, I'm just going to disable them and figure out the shortcuts that do all the things the gestures do.

What is the shortcut to go to the metro menu?
 
There aren't any corner gestures on the touchpad - touchpad gestures are all activated from a side of the physical touchpad, corner gestures are activated by moving the cursor to a corner of the display, regardless of input device.
Sure. They still don't trigger accidentally the way the other ones do.

Which metro menu? The windows key goes to the start screen...
The one with tiles.
 
Hitting the windows key takes me to the desktop - or can I hit it again to go to the start screen?

(not in front of it now and won't be for the rest of the day so I can't check myself)
 
If you're in any app (treating the entire desktop as an app), hitting the windows key takes you to the start screen.

If you're already on the start screen, hitting the windows key brings you to the most recently used application. (again, treating the entire desktop as an app)

If you think about it, it works the same way as the start menu work, you push the windows key and it opens, you push it again and it goes away.
 
I never use it, rarely accidentally hit it, never read a manual and no one told me what it does.
 
I physically removed my left Windows key because I kept accidentally pressing it when playing full screen games. I don't know where it is now.
 
I'm at a dilemma right now: My school has signed in some kind of partnership with Microsoft or something like that, and apparently I get to have free Windows. I currently have Vista and I never really bothered to upgrade it, but now that I have the opportunity I'm wondering whether I should choose Windows 7 or 8. Feel free to prove me wrong but to me Metro just doesn't seem to add anything to a desktop computer. My question is, how usable is Windows 8 if I just ignore Metro? Also, are performance gains and other technical improvements in W8 significant compared to W7?
 
For the millionth time, "Metro" can serve the exact same function as the old Start Screen with minimal effort.

Honestly, Windows 8 is barely distinguishable from Windows 7 other than speed improvements.
 
I'm at a dilemma right now: My school has signed in some kind of partnership with Microsoft or something like that, and apparently I get to have free Windows. I currently have Vista and I never really bothered to upgrade it, but now that I have the opportunity I'm wondering whether I should choose Windows 7 or 8. Feel free to prove me wrong but to me Metro just doesn't seem to add anything to a desktop computer. My question is, how usable is Windows 8 if I just ignore Metro? Also, are performance gains and other technical improvements in W8 significant compared to W7?

Do yourself a favor and get Windows 7, just look at some of the horror stories about how people have had a hard time even doing the most basic things with Windows 8, like running the shutdown process.

Moderator Action: We are all well aware of your views concerning Windows 8. You no longer need to repeat them. Trust me, we get it.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889
 
:wallbash:

On a more serious note: For big things, I dont tend to upgrade unless i need to. But go and give both of them a try on something like virtualbox and maybe that will give you an idea of whether it's worth the time/hassle to upgrade vs new fetures.
 
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