Microsoft has announced that in the final version of Windows 8 there is no support for setting the operating system to boot straight to the Desktop and skip the new Start screen. There is no registry setting available, no group policy and most of the hacks that worked with the test versions of Windows 8 no longer work in the final version. Since many people want this feature in Windows 8, together with a very knowledgeable reader, we made some experiments to see if we could come up with a solution. And we did - we found two ways to make Windows 8 take you straight to the desktop after you log in. They work on the final version of Windows 8. We tested on a couple of computers and everything worked just fine.

UPDATE: We included a new solution - an elegant tool created by a german developer.

Stefan Vladescu or, as people know him, Soare SteFun, is a Romanian photographer who loves to shoot portraits. Even though he is not even 30, he already has a wide portfolio that includes also fashion photography, landscapes and still life. He has shared some interesting details about himself and his work, as well as a few great shots, which we bundled in a theme for Windows 7 and Windows 8. To learn more about him and get a glimpse of his work, read this interview.

Not many people know the name Georgian Constantin. But some members of the DeviantART community have heard about Another Outsider - his community member name - and have him in their watchlist. He is 25, worked as a DTP in a well-known branding agency, but now he's in search for a job. He also worked as a graphic artist, a junior art director, a marketing assistant, even HR assistant and PC operator. In this interview he reveals some interesting details about himself and shares some of his digital paintings through a Windows theme that you can download and use on your computers.

David Burlacu is a 25 year old photographer. Before March 2012 you could easily bump into him at every indie or rock concert in Bucharest. Easy to spot, tall, blocking the fans’ view, always focused on the movement on the stage, always laughing and enjoying the pictures he had to take. Whenever a local band would hear the name David, none of them asked "David who?". Because back here if you’re under 26 and you enjoy the nightlife, you have definitely met David at least once.

But now he moved to New York and haunts the underground scene in the US. As usual, he goes to many concerts and snapshots everything worthwhile. Here is what he had to tell us about the most important thing in his life – photography.

Mihai Despan is a 28 year old photographer. The first feelings I got while browsing through his work were coziness, peace and honesty. His photos simply merge all the beauty of natural settings and people with the art of knowing exactly when to capture them both. That’s why I was very excited when he agreed to be part of our series of interviews and Windows themes. To learn more about him and get the chance to enjoy his work, don’t hesitate to read this article.

A good safe screen saver can be hard to find. They have become popular programs for viruses and malware to piggyback on, and many may require or attempt to force the installation of unwanted toolbars and software. These days, many people do not even use screen savers for their originally intended purpose, often simply setting their computer to shut off the monitor after idling for too long. But, there are several really fascinating and useful screen savers out there for those who enjoy them, and I have tracked down a sampling of some really fun and safe to use screen savers for your perusal and enjoyment. Read on to see my findings.

While I like the modern interface in Windows 8, there is one thing I definitely do not like about it: you cannot create any desktop shortcuts to different apps and configuration panels, including the new PC Settings. That’s why I decided to create my own special shortcut, which involved a bit of custom scripting.

Marius Paraschiv is drawing. That is the most important thing for him right now. As this interview went on, his passion for digital art simply filled the whole atmosphere. There are people who see this as a 9 to 5 job, and there are people for which digital art is some sort of breathing machinery. Marius is one of them.

In one of our previous articles, we mentioned that Windows 8 has removed a few features from Windows 7, even though they were used by quite a few people. One of the most important missing features in Windows 8 is desktop gadgets. Therefore, I searched for a way to restore gadgets to Windows 8 and found one. With the help of a tool created by an enthusiast named Helmut Buhler, you can use desktop gadgets in Windows 8. Let’s learn how it works.

Our series of Uncovering Artists through Windows Themes continues with a 24 year old photographer from Bucharest, Romania, who began taking photos with a professional camera after a small but unfortunate event. He considered it as a sign that he should move to the next level. Then, he decided to take a job as a club photographer in one of the biggest locations in Bucharest. To learn more about him and his work, don’t hesitate to read this short interview.

Do you want to use the Windows 8 logo as an icon on your computer? Are you interested in using other icons found in the final version of Windows 8? We extracted, converted and packaged together some of the Windows 8 specific icons, in a way that works on all versions of Windows and other non-Microsoft operating systems. Check them out!

As of today, Windows 8 is available through different official channels. And we would like to celebrate this event and share with you three Windows 7 themes that include the wallpapers and high-resolution images bundled with Windows 8. Until you get your hands on Windows 8 you can have your own Windows 8-like desktop in Windows 7.