Windows 8 is coming whether we like it or not.
Has anyone used the preview version?
Here are two reviews I’ve come across, but I’m sure there are tons more: Slate.com: Why You’ll Hate Windows 8 and Mobile Opportunity: Fear and Loathing and Windows 8. The bottom line is that Windows 8 looks great for use on tablet, but it may not be that great for office work or productivity. It’ll be interesting to see how software programs (I refuse to call them “apps”) like Photoshop, Poser, Lightwave, and DAZ Studio work with Windows 8’s gestures.
They seem to have removed or are planning to not include at release quite a few functions I use.
I also wonder how many everyday programs will become apps that have to be bought separately, DVD playback isn’t included as standard so there will be a few of those apps in the store lol
I’m not all that concerned about 8 it’s not wow enough. I’ll need a new pc soon but I’ll stick with 7
They seem to have removed or are planning to not include at release quite a few functions I use.
I also wonder how many everyday programs will become apps that have to be bought separately, DVD playback isn’t included as standard so there will be a few of those apps in the store lol
I’m not all that concerned about 8 it’s not wow enough. I’ll need a new pc soon but I’ll stick with 7
Ugh. PC operating systems should not function like an android phone with a marketplace. >.<
I think I’ll wait until near the end of the support window for Win 7—and upgrade my two XP systems to Win-7 ultimate (or just replace the laptop and upgrade the music/video system).
And then wait to see what follows Win 8.
I have enough trouble getting rid of java/javascript drop-downs and pop-ups as it is; the only gesture windows is going to get from me is the hand signal ‘4’ in binary.
I haven’t touched it and I don’t plan on it. If I wanted that desktop I’d buy a Windows phone.
I actually HAVE a Windows phone, and I love it, but I agree with you: if I wanted a tablet OS, I’d buy a tablet. If I hold off upgrading long enough, I might be able to leapfrog Win8 (assuming it turns out to the train-wreck it appears to be shaping into) in favor of Win9.
I tried the last version, the Consumer Preview, and gave up on it. They did fix one of the niggles in an update (couldn’t set Task bar to auto hide) but it just seemed clunky, and on a 24 inch screen the metro apps are horrid. I have downloaded the new version, and will replace the dual boot CP partition with it, but I suspect I’m going to buy an extra copy of W7 as insurance for when I want to build my next system in a year to eighteen months (barring accidents).
adzan - 05 June 2012 09:35 PM
I also wonder how many everyday programs will become apps that have to be bought separately, DVD playback isn’t included as standard so there will be a few of those apps in the store lol
Everybody here seems to be bitching about the flick & shove type of interface of Windows8 like in smart phones. However, nobody’s giving us any feedback about the alternate “normal” mode interface behavior that’s been advertised. Hasn’t anybody found how to invoke it?
That’s like buying PhotoshopEssentials and using only the idiot proof default interface and not delving into the “real” interface underneath.
From the very little time I spent with it, the ‘normal’ mode is just windows 7. I didn’t see any UI or interface changes, but I didn’t look to hard either.
I’m in two minds about the metro interface. On the one hand, I’m not keen, however, if the w8 phones and tablets don’t tank, the metro interface will be familiar to a lot more people, and in the end, most UI’s are just about familiarity.
I personally hate the MAC keyboard layout, yet since I now use a Macbook Air for business these days, I find myself cursing the fact that my windows desktop uses CTRL instead of Command for things like copy and paste. Both interfaces do largely the same thing, but I’m now more familiar with the Mac layout. Despite the fact that I prefer windows over mac for 99% of what I do, I wish my windows PC was more like my air.
Except for office for mac. That UI should be banned. I hated the ribbon when 2007 came out, now it frustrates the hell out of me that the mac version doesn’t have it.
The “Normal” mode is reached by launching the Desktop from the tiled start screen. it’s pretty much like W7, but Aero has apparently been largely flattened and there’s no Start button - hitting the Win key takes you to the start screen. It does work pretty much like the Start menu, but clunkier. In Cp there was no indication that typing would perform a search, but it does - just like typing into the box on the W7 Start menu. I hope they’ve made that more “discoverable” in RP - and right-clicking, which opens a bar at the bottom of the screen regardless of where you are clicking (it took me ages to notice that, I thought right-click wasn’t doing anything at all).
Nope still no instructions included in the Release Preview on how to use the swipes, charms etc, so there will be a few people stuck at the lock screen for a bit.
The ‘normal’ desktop is just another app so it’s more a virtual desktop.
From what microsoft have said Aero and all it’s prettiness, including the transparent effect will be completely removed, so the interface will be as flat as a pancake by the time windows 8 hits the stores - o0o much like windows 95 ‘classic’ desktop but without the faux 3d button bevels.
eventually all the angular blandness of the Metro start screen will just end up looking like a Tokyo billboard as all the tiles get replaced with garish advertisements for each installed program, sure it’ll be cute and colourful but as you swipe to find the tile you need it’ll just merge into a technicolour puke that whizzes past you on the screen - sounds like fun lol
I haven’t touched it and I don’t plan on it. If I wanted that desktop I’d buy a Windows phone.
I actually HAVE a Windows phone, and I love it, but I agree with you: if I wanted a tablet OS, I’d buy a tablet. If I hold off upgrading long enough, I might be able to leapfrog Win8 (assuming it turns out to the train-wreck it appears to be shaping into) in favor of Win9.
I’m hoping to be able to do the same. I just barely upgraded to Windows 7 in October. I was running Windows XP Pro 32bit quite happily, but when I did a complete ground-up rebuild for Battlefield 3 I figured it was time to move over (I was starting to feel a little left out of the loop LOL), and I also changed to 64bit in the process (and love the taste of more than 3gb ram).
If I hold off upgrading long enough, I might be able to leapfrog Win8 (assuming it turns out to the train-wreck it appears to be shaping into) in favor of Win9.
The longer article (in my second link, above) points out that if Win 8 is a train-wreck, Microsoft may not be able to survive. If people are going to go through the trouble of learning a new system, they might as well switch to a Mac or Linux. Who knows if MS will even be able to release a Win 9 for PC’s: maybe they’ll be too far down the tablet/ phone path to get back into the PC world.
The other problem is the millions of business workers who use Windows everyday. Corporate IT departments aren’t going to switch to a colorful tile OS: Win8 may be cutesy and fun to the average user, but how distracting will it be to people in offices? Will companies turn off Metro so their employees can get some work done, much like how they block access to eBay and Facebook?
