Windows 8 Consumer Preview Discussion

By Roger H.
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

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Grand Master

djdanster

Posted
Posted

Now, who's ridiculous idea was it to limit the music, video and xbox companion to the US, Japan, France and Germany? I can't even add my own music collection into the music app!!! Bloody stupid!

I'd like to partly alter what I said there. It turns out, I can play music through the app by opening the file in explorer. But I cannot add my music collection to the app such as WMP or iTunes. I recognise it's obviously a beta and not the final, so it will at one stage in the future allow people from outside those countries above, and for me to add my music collection.

I actually meant those button thingies and the spacing.

The spacing was wrong, but the sliders are as they should be.

Anyone know how to give groups of tiles a title as displayed in the videos e.g. work?

Arrange the apps how you plan to name them.

Click the button in the bottom right corner of the start page, or pinch to zoom out.

Right click or slide down the collection of apps you want to name.

Press "Name Group".

Name it!

DONE!

Mentor

thefonz

Posted
Posted

Where is the Ms Splosion Man and other apps we were promised?

Sofar absolutely loving it as I test it on my old Asus 1201N netbook :)

Bit bummed that things like XBOX Companion and Music/Video don't work here in Australia but thats ok....i have my Win 7 laptop for those.

Experienced

Wyn6

Posted
Posted

...snip

Also I do tech support and things like the invisible start button, and redundant settings dialogue's ect... is going to be a ****ing nightmare. I can't wait to deal with hopeless people trying to switch between the classic and metro screens. Have you ever tried getting some of these people to drag windows, use gestures, or keyboard shortcuts? *shudders*

Yep. Same nightmare as Win 7, Vista, 2k, ME, etc. But, I feel for ya. Hah.

Dannydeman wrote this earlier. Let me see if I can help:

1: With multiple monitors, it's crazy to use this stuff. I just want to pin a HTML5 app on the 2nd monitor, but it won't let me. Unless I set it as my main-taskbar, which will make everything crazy to work with :)

Got my 2nd monitor here waiting. Haven't hooked it up yet, so can't comment on this.

2: On a desktop PC with huge monitors, Metro is useless. It really is. I want to like it, but it doesn't offer me anything useful. The fullscreen apps are frustating to use on this big setup, the options what to do with the apps are very limited.

I'm typing this on a 42" screen right now. I find it "fast and fluid" and ultimately more efficient than Win 7, thus far. There's a learning curve but once you get it, you get it. Also, the apps are in beta. Though you can right-click to bring up context menus in most, they're going to be limited until the finished app ships.

3: It might be cool to show the startscreen on the second monitor, and pin an app next to it. Then it can give you information and stuff like that, which isn't as useless as it is now. However, this is impossible in Windows 8 so far.

See no. 1.

4: When I press escape, the HTMl5 apps will not close. You need to do all kinds of stuff with your mouse, which basicly sucks.

There is more than one way to skin an OS. Try these: alt+F4, or while in one app you bring up the preview pane of apps on the left side, right click the one you wish to close and it gives you three options, Close, Snap Left, Snap Right. And, you of course know the third method, which is grabbing the top of the app and dragging down.

5: The UI is very inconsistent. When you press the WIFI icon in the right corner for example, a huge ugly bar comes up with the options to select on top of it :) Who makes this stuff? Damn

Can't comment on this as it's on my desktop so no WiFi icon. I can only say... this is still beta and as many know UI polish is one of the LAST things to go into most software.

Also, let me offer you this. I've seen some other comments you've made throughout this thread. To answer some of that. When you drag the mouse to the lower left corner, right-click and watch magic happen. ;)

I so far have found the OS a delight to use. It's fast, it's efficient and quite fascinating. It certainly can use further polishing, I won't argue that. But, so far so grand. I hope this helps ease some of your pain, sir.

Grand Master

PGHammer

Posted
Posted

Yea, this isn't any better than the developer preview. The Metro interface is still just as ridiculous and broken when you're using a keyboard and mouse/trackpad.

It'll make a pretty nice tablet OS, though (assuming they can achieve battery life and performance that'll rival an iPad).

Elliot - what you are really missing is the Windows 7 *Start menu*.

What all the detractors are forgetting (despite the trainloads of posts in various threads) is that the StartScreen didn't replace the desktop (which has become an application itself) - it replaced the Start menu.

The desktop is still there, and largely works the same way.

Desktop applications (and so far, every game I've thrown at it) work the same way.

Not all of us are running it on tablets or slates - Azies has it on a notebook, and I have it on a desktop, for example.

In fact, I have outright *fired* Windows 7 altogether - it's been relegated to VM duty for the foreseeable future.

Collaborator

V23

Posted
Posted

Still getting used to it, but I think it's great. I think it will click a lot more with the naysayers when a wealth of apps come out and utilise the live tile function. The amount of information at a glance will be very welcome.

Edit: Are there any RSS apps in the store? Also, does anyone know how to make aero peek instantaneous?

Veteran

lalalawawawa

Posted
Posted

If you have problem closing Metro App, easiest way is alt + F4

You can also use Windows + Tab and close it from there.

But you don't have to close Metro applications, just drag them down, they get suspended and close automatically after a few minutes (in suspended mode they don't waste resources).

Somewhere i read that windows 8 will have feature to emulate / Virtual / ISO's natively ? where is it?

Also how to close metro apps? complete exit?

Drag from top to bottom.

Right click on ISOs and VHDs and click mount. Will mount the them.

If you're thinking of Hyper-V, it can be installed through Program and Features.

Experienced

9UnknownMen

Posted
Posted

Is there another preview incoming? How about Manufacture Preview? Entertainment Preview, Ecosystem Preview, WWE Preview :rofl: Apollo Preview?

Release Candidate and RTM will be the next official releases if they follow the usual pattern.

Experienced

Wyn6

Posted
Posted

Why would the app store now say nothing supports my processor? I installed cut the rope yesterday which works fine but today I just get Sorry, this app doesn't support your processor for that and everything else.

Because it's a beta? ;) Seriously, it IS a beta. I had the Messenger app just stop working today. I uninstalled, and reinstalled it and it worked fine. For your case... is it ALL Metro apps doing this or just the Store.

Enthusiast

MaSx

Posted
Posted

My thoughts on Windows 8....It's superb in terms of performance, it runs smooth and really good even on old PC. Although it has plenty of new feature, I do not approve where Windows is headed (PO). Windows OS has been great because of everything was right there for you, easy to access all your files with a snap while still be able to run other programs look through them switch to them from the Taskbar. I have never enjoyed or liked as much as I have liked Windows 7 so far. Windows 8 is orientated towards tablet for sure, which is good as everything is going "on the go" nowadays. But it's losing core facto for Desktop users. It still has the old desktop in BASIC form shows that they are really going away from what made Windows OS special. I will probably not switch to Windows 8 from how it looks and feels so far. But that decision will remain to be seen until it's released officially, as of now, I'm sure that Windows 7 will be XP and Windows 8 is so far Windows Vista. But, credit must be given where it's due for Microsoft hard work and for trying out something new. Good job Microsoft!

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