The Windows 8 thread.

[richardd43]

Yeah, I think you're right about unhooking drives, though I've never ever had problems in the past until W8.

When I first started working on computers I can't begin to tell you how many times I screwed up a drive trying to take the easy way out. I got into the habit of disconnecting my drives just to be on the safe side.

[Enmore]

I had a play with Windows 8 on a laptop the other day. It's just like Windows phone - reminded me of a pimped up version of Windows 98 Active Desktop, that no one ever used.

I can't say I like it very much and I can't see it being a success with your average PC user. It's just too radically different & confusing to use.

If you look at how Apple has integrated the IOS look and feel into OSX Lion, it's much more subtle. Launchpad replaces the applications folder, they've added an app store and that's pretty much it.

[MtRush]

The Windows 8 Consumers Preview is tomorrow.will go live at 9am est

[alex666]

The Windows 8 Consumers Preview is tomorrow.will go live at 9am est

I guess this is their new name for beta.

Any links to where this will be downloadable? I've got a 300g velociraptor on the shelf that I may use for this.

I may be building a new system soon and could use a beta OS on it. I used the Win 7 beta (and I think the RC as well) for months before the final product came out and head terrific luck, nice free OS with actually few remaining bugs. I think it was the RC that was pretty solid if memory serves.

marty

[3dfxrain]

Would be keen if the start button remains like Windows 7 and most of the GUI is the same but better, just in case of rejection of Metro.

[richardd43]

It has to get better... I have to use the Task Manager to close apps and the Power button to shut down.

I am sure there is some mod to fix this but I should not have to install a mod for basic functions.

[uddarts]

win-eight-metro-ui-switcher-setup


ud

[3dfxrain]

Keeping menu's in Start button that is. I think we users deserve a choice to use it or not in there.

[alex666]

I downloaded the iso and will set up on a 300g raptor this weekend and play with it on my i7 system. I'm really curious to see if w8 is really all that different from w7 (excepting the metro overlay): what value does this OS have for desktop and laptop users who do not have touch screens.

marty

[richardd43]

what value does this OS have for desktop and laptop users who do not have touch screens.

None that I could see... After 4 hours of playing with it I removed it from my computer..

I can't see myself upgrading to W8.

[alex666]

None that I could see... After 4 hours of playing with it I removed it from my computer..

I can't see myself upgrading to W8.

Hmm, interesting. Well, I still wnt to play with it, but on its own hdd. I'm very happy with my w764 bit system on the kingston hyperx 120g, certainly will not mess with it.

[grimmster]

Wow, this time around they don't even let you bring back the old start menu at all! At least in the preview edition they did! This thing is horrendous for a desktop/laptop. 5 steps to do what 1 or 2 steps took before. Unless the allow users to disable metro, they are going to have a hard time getting anyone to use it except tablet users and phone users.

[kbohip]

After reading people's opinions on Win 8 I'll be passing on this altogether I suppose. It seems MS has bought into the hype that everyone needs a tablet.

[alex666]

After reading people's opinions on Win 8 I'll be passing on this altogether I suppose. It seems MS has bought into the hype that everyone needs a tablet.

Not necessarily. I installed it last night on a raptor 300g, a dedicated raptor so I would not mess up any other OS installs. Anyway, at first I hated it, for the first hour or so, but gradually I'm getting the hang of it, and I could see how with a few choice shortcuts, this could be easily gotten used to. At this point, I do not have much use for the Metro interface, but I am going to play with it. But I can say this:

It is a very polished product, I just don't get it quite yet, but obviously this was not slapped together without some thought. Anybody who first learned the Ipad and some of the programs on it that required certain sliding movements (not just the basics) might appreciate that there seem to be certain movements. For example, I learned that moving the mouse at a 45 degree angle into the corner activates menus, open programs. There are a couple of things like that. But it is still a bit cryptic. But it's also free. I'm going to install a few programs today and see what happens.

When I installed the Developers Preview some months back on a separate hdd, it did not make nice with my w7 install on a separate hdd, actually screwed up my w7 install. I'm going to play with that today and see if they fixed it, so that I can simply plug my raptor with w8 into an eSata port, select that hdd from my bios, and boot into w8 without in any way adversely affecting my kingston hyperx/w7 OS.

All in all, it's not nearly as bad as some have made out, it's worth more exploration. My 2 cents.

marty

[richardd43]

All in all, it's not nearly as bad as some have made out, it's worth more exploration. My 2 cents.

I was just a little miffed that there was no way to close an app nor was there a reboot or off button.

The OS itself works great but I can't see someones Grandma getting it to work without some classes in the senior citizen center.