Windows 8 Tile Colors

[NewsArchive]

I was just doing some testing with Windows 8 tiles, and it seems that
I have almost no control over the tile color. As a result, it's
choosing colors that completely obscure some of my icons.

I've done a wee bit of research, and saw a Microsoft guy say the tile
colors could be controlled by software installers. Otherwise, they
would default based upon the colors in the icon. They are not
individually settable by the user (although that may come in a future
version of Windows 8.x).

So I went looking for this option in SB8, and nothing seems obvious.
Does it exist?

Mike Hanson
www.boxsoft.net

[NewsArchive]

Mike,

> I was just doing some testing with Windows 8 tiles, and it seems
> that I have almost no control over the tile color. As a result,
> it's choosing colors that completely obscure some of my icons.
>
> I've done a wee bit of research, and saw a Microsoft guy say the
> tile colors could be controlled by software installers. Otherwise,
> they would default based upon the colors in the icon. They are
> not individually settable by the user (although that may come in
> a future version of Windows 8.x).
>
> So I went looking for this option in SB8, and nothing seems obvious.
> Does it exist?

No, you only have control over specific tile configuration details for
Windows RT apps. The Windows 8 tiles for Win32/Win64 "desktop" apps are
simple shortcuts (controlled by the Windows OS). You do not have any
control over the color and you can't set it programatically. And in Windows
8.1, there is no way for the app to programmatically pin itself to the Start
Screen.

http://www.lindersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40668

Because Microsoft is ready to kill Windows RT, perhaps they will port some
features over to Windows 8.2 desktop apps to let you change the tile color
and bring back the pin functionality <g>.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Thanks, Friedrich. I understood the frustration felt by users who
witnessed their start screens littered by new tiles (much like I hated
installers that littered my desktop with their shortcuts). It was a
mistake, however, for MS to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and
prevent it entirely.

To some extent, they are between a rock and a hard place. The new
Start page has almost no hierarchy (just rudimentary grouping), so
anyone with a system that's not exceedingly barebones will quickly get
a real mess on their hands, and not everyone likes constant
housekeeping.

Their solution was to force everyone to manually add items to that
screen. I'm not sure that that's much better than the latter
approach.

The real issue is that computers aren't simple, but people really want
them to be. There are countless approaches to organization, and there
is no single approach that works for everyone.

For example, I like a very clean desktop, and felt at war with all
those nasty installers. I loved the simplicity of the Quick Launch
bar, with it's tiny row of most-needed icons. (I've now shifted that
shortlist to my Windows 8.1 Start page, which will likely never be big
enough to scroll. When I need to find something else, I just hit the
Windows key and start typing, which is the same thing I did with
Windows 7.

There are others, however, that love to throw shortcuts all over their
desktop. Sometimes with little organization, or with the help of
tools like Fences.

We'll have to wait and see what happens down the road.

Mike Hanson
www.boxsoft.net

[NewsArchive]

If you like a really clean desktop, as I do, then you need this program:

http://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/AutoHideDesktopIcons

No installer, just run it. Now I can actually see all of my wallpaper<g>.

-- Ned --
Read about our travels at http://blog.usabyrv.us
Have you seen Rolling Stock? http://www.sashasoft.com

[NewsArchive]

Thanks, Ned, but I think that's overkill for me. We all have our
sweet spots. ;)

Mike Hanson
www.boxsoft.net