OT: Windows 8 is coming...

jch_212b05a497jch_212b05a497 Posts: 13
edited December 1969 in The Commons

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.

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Comments

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,002
    edited December 1969

    I'm using Windows 8 Release Preview..

    It's different but easy enough to use.

    Have so far installed Carrara 8.1 Daz Studio 4.5 and PSE10

    having some funny things happen with PSE10 in loading my brushes and had trouble at first getting Studio 4.5 content installed.

    Carrara was no problem at all.

    All the browsers are working fine as well. Just got to get used to the log on method.

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  • Lissa_xyzLissa_xyz Posts: 6,116
    edited December 1969

    I haven't touched it and I don't plan on it. If I wanted that desktop I'd buy a Windows phone.

  • adzanadzan Posts: 268
    edited December 1969

    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

  • FWIWFWIW Posts: 320
    edited December 1969

    Not a chance. It looks like a bigger ****up then Vista.

  • Lissa_xyzLissa_xyz Posts: 6,116
    edited December 1969

    adzan said:
    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. >.<</p>
  • namffuaknamffuak Posts: 4,127
    edited December 1969

    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.

  • SockrateaseSockratease Posts: 813
    edited December 1969

    I miss MSDOS.

  • MorpheonMorpheon Posts: 738
    edited June 2012

    Vaskania said:
    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.

    Post edited by Morpheon on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 99,500
    edited December 1969

    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 said:
    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

    VLC worked with the W8 CP.

  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 11,459
    edited June 2012

    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? :roll:


    That's like buying PhotoshopEssentials and using only the idiot proof default interface and not delving into the "real" interface underneath. :ohh:

    Post edited by LeatherGryphon on
  • LoaarLoaar Posts: 0
    edited June 2012

    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.

    Post edited by Loaar on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 99,500
    edited December 1969

    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).

  • adzanadzan Posts: 268
    edited June 2012

    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

    Post edited by adzan on
  • Lissa_xyzLissa_xyz Posts: 6,116
    edited December 1969

    Sarsifus said:
    Vaskania said:
    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).

  • jch_212b05a497jch_212b05a497 Posts: 13
    edited December 1969

    Sarsifus said:
    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?
  • Lissa_xyzLissa_xyz Posts: 6,116
    edited December 1969

    If Windows 8 as a full OS ends up a disaster, I say release the interface as a paid option for Windows 7, but make it a toggle, not forced. I'm sure there are people who enjoy that front end. I'd give it a shot if it was a Windows 7 option, and only if it was fully customizable.

    Speaking of customizing.. for the love of all things geeky, I really wish they'd allow us access to uxtheme.dll by default, but that's another issue. >.>

  • JohnDelaquioxJohnDelaquiox Posts: 1,184
    edited December 1969

    The first version of Windows 8 that I saw running on a friends computer was before it went into open beta and before they added metro. That version was much better than the crap that is being put out. It was also suppose to come with native support for the kinekt or a desktop version of the kinekt

    You can think of it this way

    its windows Vista 2 or windows Mojave 2

    Its a dumbed down less user friendly version of windows 7 with the added metro.

    In order for me to use this version I have to hack the registry and bring back the start menu.

  • adzanadzan Posts: 268
    edited June 2012

    because of all the feedback about the removal of the start menu, Microsoft have said they will not add the start button back to the windows 8 desktop and are going to add code that will prevent running the start menu, I assume this will affect software like windowsblinds as well as registry changes

    Post edited by adzan on
  • Art_JunkieArt_Junkie Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    JHoagland said:

    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.

    And this is bad, how??
    Personally I would love to see Microsoft OUT of the PC Operating System business.
    " Windows 8 is coming..."
    Well wake me up when it LEAVES!
  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 11,459
    edited December 1969

    JHoagland said:
    ...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?

    Hell, Microsoft is still pleading and threatening to pull the plug on companies to force them to migrate off of WindowsXP! :-/ Companies hate change. They have a death grip on WinXP. I think I hear a collective mantra chanted from Corporate America ... "...pry it out of my cold dead hands...". :ohh:

  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 11,459
    edited December 1969

    JHoagland said:

    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.

    And this is bad, how??
    Personally I would love to see Microsoft OUT of the PC Operating System business.
    " Windows 8 is coming..."
    Well wake me up when it LEAVES!

    I remember the good old days when the OS came with the machine and all updates were free!

    Of course, the machines cost a hundred thousand dollars but hey, I didn't have to buy them.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 99,500
    edited December 1969

    JHoagland said:
    Will companies turn off Metro so their employees can get some work done, much like how they block access to eBay and Facebook?

    They won't be able to turn off the Metro start screen, at least - apparently the first betas could lose it through a registry hack, but that was removed in CP.

  • JohnDelaquioxJohnDelaquiox Posts: 1,184
    edited December 1969

    look people with windows 8 who want a start menu here are two

    http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

    http://lee-soft.com/vistart/

  • kdimikdimi Posts: 3
    edited December 1969

    There are actually more alternatives than Windows 8 or staying with Windows 7/XP ... if you want to try something new, try Ubuntu Linux, I bet many will be surprised what intuitive desktops some Linux distributions have today and how well their support is for almost everything. I recently bought a Laptop and installed Ubuntu... unlike Windows, every driver was installed out-of-the-box, while on another Windows partition I installed I had to install several drivers separately. I'm using it for .NET development and all-day-things and so far I had not once the need to switch to Windows at all or missed anything that I would use Windows for.

  • JohnDelaquioxJohnDelaquiox Posts: 1,184
    edited December 1969

    I love Ubuntu and wine

    12 is still a little buggy on my machines though

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 99,500
    edited December 1969

    But how well would Ubuntu run modo, or the Adobe applications, or ZBrush, or Painter, or 3D Coat, or Genetica? A lot of my software is Windows/Mac only, and a fair bit of it charges for platform switching even between those two.

  • JohnDelaquioxJohnDelaquiox Posts: 1,184
    edited December 1969
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 99,500
    edited December 1969

    Not, as I understand it, 64 bit versions though - and often not the latest versions.

  • JohnDelaquioxJohnDelaquiox Posts: 1,184
    edited December 1969

    Yeah its not perfect and often you have to wait for an update of wine

    But I and several other users have gotten dsl3 and ds4 to work in Ubuntu

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