official Windows 8 Consumer Preview Discussion

[+Warwagon MVC]

What warwagon described seems about the same amount of effort as (if not less than) moving the mouse to the Start button in Windows 7, clicking the Start button, moving the mouse to the 'Shut down' option, and clicking the 'Shut down' option. . . .

except for the fact that The average user has a hard enough time finding and clicking a button that is right in front of their face, let a lone a hidden one you have to make appear by touching the side of the screen.

[Roger H. Veteran]

Rolling blackouts?

Yeah that's basically what I was thinking too. I think I saw something about the power grid in Pakistan where they do it constantly at a set schedule all the time.

Wasn't you asking about the UPS system for 1hr game play on your Gaming rig when the power goes out?? :D I think it was. LOL

[George P Global Moderator]

The fact that in order to multi-task I have to setup the apps I want to multi-task with and ensure I set them up properly so I don't get stuck in one. I can't have multiple apps open on the same screen at the same time and have them all visible. In order to switch between metro apps I need to do a mouse gesture in a very specific area to be able to see what apps I even have open.

That good sir, is what is stopping me.

Multitasking metro apps is limited to two because of their nature, what you're moaning about is old desktop apps and the desktop still works just like it did. Pin them to the taskbar, you can start them from there when you want, and you can move them around the desktop just like you can now. You can mouse between them on the desktop just like you can now. I don't see how this has changed on the desktop. Why do people get fixated on metro apps not being the same as desktop apps so much? They're not suppose to be the same, that's why they have their own UI anyways.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

The **** are Microsoft doing with Windows 8? Simply do not know how highly paid developers crank out interfaces like this.

[TheLegendOfMart]

Wow! Your copy of windows 7 will stop functioning totally when windows 8 comes out?

Use your brain, new OS means developers will switch to targeting Windows 8 Metro features, which means I lose out on application functionality and ,just like XP and Vista, at some point Windows 8 will get features that wont be back ported to Windows 7 which means I lose out on even more functionality.

[spudtrooper]

Just unbeliavable how many click and mouse movements you have to do to get to simple option as shut down.

MS is shifting from shutdown to sleep. its on purpose. The idea is that agents can run while sleeping. Most tablets and almost all ARM devices will be based on sleep modes as well. I've done the same in windows 7 for years.. sleep sleep sleep.

With that being said, to shutdown you just open the charm menu, select power and select shutdown or restart.. what is so hard about that?

Broken work flow better say broken Windows UI.

Care to elaborate? Nothing is broken and after experiencing the new desktop for a few hours it becomes second nature.

[Emon]

I have it working fine in VMware Workstation 8. Make sure you turn off the floppy drive so that VMware doesn't try to use an unattended install on it or it will keep rebooting over and over.

No go .. removed the floppy device from the image but still same error. I'm on VMWare 8.0.2 build 591240 .. are you using the same version?

[TheLegendOfMart]

Is there any reason why you can't use Virtualbox?

Its open source and free and installed flawlessly on my PC.

[ady199]

How do I close Metro Applications??

[+Warwagon MVC]

How do I close Metro Applications?

I think you have to go touch the left side of the metro screen

[firey]

Multitasking metro apps is limited to two because of their nature, what you're moaning about is old desktop apps and the desktop still works just like it did. Pin them to the taskbar, you can start them from there when you want, and you can move them around the desktop just like you can now. You can mouse between them on the desktop just like you can now. I don't see how this has changed on the desktop. Why do people get fixated on metro apps not being the same as desktop apps so much? They're not suppose to be the same, that's why they have their own UI anyways.

The problem is I am forced into the new ui when I don't want it at all. It's as simple as the way Windows 8 is designed doesn't work for me, unless it can be put into a desktop only mode where it acts the exact same as Windows 7, it's not worth leaving what works for me. I won't switch to mac, or linux because Windows 7 is exactly what I want, but I hope that in 5 years when Windows 9 comes out, they will go back to the desktop users away from the tablet focus.

[micro]

How do I close Metro Applications??

pull down from the top of the app

[spudtrooper]

Is there any reason why you can't use Virtualbox?

Its open source and free and installed flawlessly on my PC.

I just tried it in virtualbox and windows 8 runs at 1024x768 and with generic monitor support. The extensions when installed don't do anything and if you force the virtual box display adaptor when you reboot, windows 8 will crash with sad face and force you into safe mode to remove the driver.

[George P Global Moderator]

Alt+Tab still works so you can use that in the desktop environment. The left side slide-out is for Metro apps.

That's a good point, if you're going to "multitask" you're going to be in the desktop anyways, and Alt+tab still works great for that.

[spudtrooper]

The problem is I am forced into the new ui when I don't want it at all. It's as simple as the way Windows 8 is designed doesn't work for me, unless it can be put into a desktop only mode where it acts the exact same as Windows 7, it's not worth leaving what works for me. I won't switch to mac, or linux because Windows 7 is exactly what I want, but I hope that in 5 years when Windows 9 comes out, they will go back to the desktop users away from the tablet focus.

What happens when you get a tablet and learn to use windows 8 on a tablet and then your desktop is now the stepchild? Or a convertable laptop, or a new pc witha touch screen or.. or... (can go on forever..)

There is a learning curve no doubt, but once you learn it, its the same on ARM, X86, Desktop, Laptop, Tablet.

hard to beat that.. but no one said it was going to be easy. Maybe a day or two vs the 3-4 hours many people have barely used and written it off with.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

I think ill pass on the desktop Win 8 when it goes retail. The only way i will is if i get a touchscreen monitor, to much of a PITA using that interface with a mouse.

I dont think it would be much of an issue on a touch tablet. But thats it.

Imo keep it to the tablet, but dont bring the tablet UI to the desktop

[+Warwagon MVC]

what's funny is ALL the reviews videos of the CP are demonstrating Windows 8 on a tablet. *facepalm*

[Dapen]

:) So long Microsoft, I hope you've enjoyed your time with us. Who really thinks Microsoft can find a partner who can outsell the iPad and iPhone? Windows 8 has desperate painted all over it - Xbox integration to appeal to it's HUGE gaming market and all this Metro touch rubbish to appeal to touch screens and tablets. They've put Windows Phone 7 onto my PC with a 23" widescreen - WTF?!

[+bomberh Subscriber²]

Installed on Parallels Desktop on my Mac, and it installed ok. Also installed the Parallels toolbox, which was good. However, when Windows 8 starts and gets to metro, I can?t use the mouse to click or interact with Windows 8. So annoying, I?m not going to remove Windows 7 in boot camp just to install this!

[beanboy89]

I've now gotten Client x64 installed in VIrtualBox. Like with Server, the only issue is the graphics driver: "Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware. (Code 37)." Anyone know what's going on here with VirtualBox? I'd love to be able to full screen Windows 8 and test it like that, but I'm limited to 1024x768.

[Rudy]

On another note anyone that hates Windows 8 just move on. Stay with your current OS and let the people that actually wait longer then an hour to judge something work on fixing our issues.

Why? For many people it's what they will be using in the near future, why can't they comment on it?

[Pygmy_Hippo]

Is anyone else having problems with the ATI Win8 preview driver? I'm using a HD5450 and can't get it to install properly - keeps on failing the install and saying the driver portion had failed. On a related note - when the driver works is it possible to run at 1280x720p? I can currently select 1280x768 but my TV is defaulting to 1080i and it's not looking too pretty. (everything is fine on Win7, which may be reinstalled quicker than i'd planned!)

[Roberticus]

I can't get the Nvidia drivers to work, I have to use fixed .INF to install drivers for this card (9600m GT). The .inf files are downloaded from here: http://blog.komeil.com/2010/04/nvidia-driver-windows-7-notebook-laptop.html

After it tries to install it says install failed :( I'm stuck with 1024x768 resolution. I tried to force install through "Have disk" but no luck as it says the files might be tempered with.

[TheLegendOfMart]

Why? For many people it's what they will be using in the near future, why can't they comment on it?

You are only allowed to blindly praise it, not be negative.

[efjay]

what's funny is ALL the reviews videos of the CP are demonstrating Windows 8 on a tablet. *facepalm*

Because that is the direction computing is heading. When you hear of ipad applications reaching over a billion downloads, that is a market that cant be ignored. The good thing about Windows 8 is, you get access to that market while allowing legacy programs to continue ot work. Its a change, and sometimes change is not easy but its one that is coming and Microsoft has to be there.

And I wonder why having the start screen with a group of your installed desktop programs moved right to the beginning is so much worse than the old start menu where you had to have a magnifiying glass to discern the tiny text. The only thing you are doing with the old start menu is starting programs, so with the Windows 8 start screen, unpin all the metro apps, have all your desktop shortcuts front and center and apart from the visual change to Metro from the desktop and back seems to me you have the same functionality.