Microsoft Admits Windows 8.1 Update May Bork Your Mouse, Promises a Fix 326
MojoKid writes "Microsoft has several valid reasons why you should upgrade to Windows 8.1, which is free if you already own Windows 8. However, there's a known issue that might give some gamers pause before clicking through in the Windows Store. There have been complaints of mouse problems after applying the Windows 8.1 update, most of which have been related to lag in video games, though Microsoft confirmed there are other potential quirks. Acknowledging the problem, Microsoft says it's also actively investigating the issues and working on a patch."
The solution to all Windows 8 problems... (Score:4, Insightful)
...is to install Windows 7.
Assuming there's driver support.
Re:..and mouse scroll. (Score:4, Insightful)
> Another satiesfied Microsoft customer?
Well, yes. We use it because for one reason or another, we have to, usually because a commercial product is required, and we complain bitterly about it -- who, that didn't actually work in Redmond, wouldn't? (Actually, that's not entirely true -- even there, people complain, but quietly, to trusted friends.)
As to FOSS, yeah, my website and blog and my daughter's blog all run on a Linux box I administrate, using software I partly wrote, and if all I ever did in life was use EMACS to pound out Python, I'd drop Windows in a heartbeat. But some of us have things to do that can't be had from sourceforge.
Mind you, I'm hanging onto Windows 7 with both hands. We have a touch screen laptop running Win8, and it's junk. Maybe it'll run Android some day.
Re:Valid reasons? (Score:5, Insightful)
Legit Question: If it needs less ram, then can you actually run it with less ram?
It seems that line gets mentioned with every new release but it actually means ram usage quadruples.
Remember that XP only needs 128mb of ram to function.
Re:I told them to fix it (Score:5, Insightful)
I just want you guys to know that as a developer I have been debugging what I believe to be the side effects resulting from these changes all week. It's not just "mouse co-ordinates" that are affected, you have some very common APIs scaling window co-ordinates in totally unexpected and inconsistent ways now. You have totally broken certain application behaviors, and only in 8.1, and while I found a workaround for my use case I can also see that the workaround I'm using will break more things for others.
Next time you ask yourselves, "should we make these APIs suddenly behave differently than in all older versions of the OS?" there should be a very, very high barrier to saying yes, especially for a service pack release.
MS knew the Win8.1 DPI scaling was messed, yet (Score:5, Insightful)
still released it that way in spite of the problems. Arrogance is the only logical explanation.
This has been a well documented problem from earlier preview builds and was specifically not fixed in the RTM code because... well because MS seems to think it can make unilaterally bad UI decisions again and again and get away with it.
Try setting your Win8.1 display to 150% on a 1920x1200 monitor. This is exactly where I've used WinXP, WinVista, Win7 and Win8, yet in Win8.1, a random assortment of applications (including many MS utilities and 3rd-party programs) deliver barely readable fuzzy characters. At least in Win8.0, you could set a master switch to tell the OS to disable DPI scaling, but in their infinite wisdom, some group within MS decided that to hell with useability, they're going to simply remove the master switch and force ALL users to disable DPI scaling on an app by app basis, making it bloody well a gargantuan effort to avoid either fuzzy or tiny text.
It's absolutely appalling... About as appalling as MS deciding that Win8.0 users shouldn't be able to boot into desktop mode on a non-touchscreen device and then completely removing the start menu as if giving the middle finger to the existing install base was some kind of magical shortcut back to a dominant market position.
If you're arrogant, but generally make good or at least non-destructive UI decisions, most people will forgive you. When you're arrogant and make butthead UI decisions, well, then you're MS.
They've managed to marry Apple's arrogance with butthead UI decisions.
Re:..and mouse scroll. (Score:3, Insightful)
You get the same thing with FOSS, or do you think everyone in the world can program and has the time to sift through their program's code to find an obscure bug the main developers overlooked or didn't feel like fixing? At least Microsoft support won't call you a stupid noob to your face.
When was the last time you used Linux? In your world, I could complain about usiung Windows 3.1.
Oh - wait. You've probably never used Linux.
As an example, I recently replaced Ubuntu with Linux mint on a dual boot laptop. Got everything I needed, all the drivers, and every thing worked perfectly after a few mouse clicks.
HeII, that's a complete OS change, and it's easier than a Windows update, which likely as not will bork something.
Re:Valid reasons? (Score:3, Insightful)
I sure hope those are not the killer, must-have features and you just omitted the ones that only a tiny subset of users could possibly care for.
Is there any game maker crazy enough to make games that are NOT compatible with a Windows version below 8?
Much improved Direct3D capture support when using VS 2013 Graphics Diagnostics
Since I don't even know what this might entail, I'm fairly sure that I don't really care too much about it.
Native USB 3.0 support
I don't really think that the hassle of installing a USB 3.0 driver in Win7 outdoes the hassle of having to deal with Win 8 in general.
200% High-DPI scaling support
See two features above.
Bitlocker has been improved, particularly when initializing a new drive
Why should I want to use an encryption service that has a better chance to keep me out of my files than the average three letter agency?
The features you mention are nice, but they are not even remotely coming close to outweighing the troubles that I'd have to deal with when installing Win 8.
Re:Valid reasons? (Score:4, Insightful)
Windows 2000 doesn't count?
And Vista was actually fine. The major difference between 7 and Vista is that hardware was too far behind the improvements in the interface.
Re:..and mouse scroll. (Score:4, Insightful)
At least Microsoft support won't call you a stupid noob to your face.
That's right what they will do is joke about it with their friends while you are on hold and after you hang up.
Been there seen that.
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:..and mouse scroll. (Score:4, Insightful)
Sure, Windows 8 is fine... after you replace the UI shell.
Please tell me why that makes Windows 8 OK? That you have a third-party workaround does not mean the original problem isn't still there.