official Windows 8 Consumer Preview Discussion

[jarrettwold]

When it comes to response, if 50% hate it, that's bad. In terms of business, when half your existing customer base goes "this new thing just sucks" you have to worry about sales to an extent. It's not so much about people leaving for another platform as them simply not upgrading. It's not just geeks, I explained the changes to my Mom the other day and attempted to get her to just try Windows 8 and she refused. The exact quote was "they did WHAT?" when I explained the 9x-7 start menu had been removed & replaced.

To lay users, what's a slight or moderate learning curve to us... is a giant brick wall to them. People don't like brick walls. They're not against change, they're against learning curves.

I understand what you're saying with D&D. But, in terms of computing I should be able to choose efficiency, not have it dictated to me. Again, it's why I don't purchase Apple products. There's only one way to do things with Apple products.

I will say one thing, I think Windows on ARM, in terms of tablets is a juggernaut waiting to rip loose. But, as far as hybridizing metro with classic desktop the more I play with it, the more jarring and uncomfortable it seems. So while they'll retain me as an existing customer, if they don't at least provide me the option of either separating the experience or disabling one or the other... I don't know that I'll upgrade. Or at the very least go out of my way to get a Windows 8 license for my desktop. If it comes with it, fine. But, otherwise I like the control I have over my operating environment.

What's funny is, I see this entirely differently. I'm not seeing the overwhelmingly negative responses that you claim to have seen. From Twitter to various blogs and sites I've seen at least an equal number of people who like it as don't like it. I've also seen people who say they don't like it stay with it or uninstall then reinstall it only to come back and admit it's growing on them. Now, the tech blog comments are a little biased as many of these people are geeks and many geeks are gonna rail against change good or bad. Not all the time but a lot.

Anecdotally, I've played Dungeons and Dragons off and on since I was a kid. So, yes... I'm a geek too. Shocker. But, I can recall the transition from Advanced DnD to 3rd Edition and then again to 4th Edition. The outcry was eerily similar. People yelling about why they took this away and added this, how much the game was dumbed down, the emphasis on "roll-playing" at the expense of roleplaying, a beloved race, or class changed, etc. Then there was the converse of all that as well. Which was, I love this change, now the game plays faster, they cut redundancies and unnecessary mechanics and game elements, this race is now a player race? cool, I'm buying some new dice, where's the Mountain Dew? and so on.

Most of these battles were witnessed on the internets, and now I'm witnessing the exact same arguments over and over again with Windows 8. Which incidentally came with the transition to other iterations of Windows as well. Anyway, eventually new players climbed onboard, others stayed onboard and others who'd left returned after awhile, and still others gave it up permanently. That is the nature of change. Some will accept it good or bad, happily or grudgingly, blindly or skeptically. Some won't accept it at first, some won't accept it at all and will go kicking and screaming. But, it will still occur in some form or fashion.

New people will come to Windows 8, others will stay with Windows 8, others will stay with previous versions. Some of those who have gone off to OSX and Linux will return, and others will give up Windows permanently. This has all happened before and it will happen again. It is the nature of change.

[King Lizzle]

Finally got around the issue of Win 8 not installing due to a Marvel SATA3 controller and I can now install it and get SATA3 drives running fine. The only issue which now prevents me from using Windows 8 is the lack of full compatibility with the C Media audio drivers for my card (CMI8788). When I install them (even in Win 7 compatibility) the drivers work so that I can get audio, but sadly only in stereo. The Xear3D configuration which usually installs along with the drivers doesn't work and that is required to enable Dolby Digital or DTS sound. There's no way I'm using my desktop in stereo sound! Just wondered if anyone else has run into the same issue and if so whether you've found any sort of solution.

[thefonz]

Where is Ms Splosion Man???

[Mazhar]

i dont know if this has been brought up but why doesnt the metro ie have no favorites.

This and many other improvements should come in RC release.

[Salutary7]

i dont know if this has been brought up but why doesnt the metro ie have no favorites.

This and many other improvements should come in RC release.

It was definitely weird to not see that functionality, as even IE mobile has it. I can't fathom that they'd leave it out of more final versions. Perhaps they just need more data on how people will utilize the ability to pin sites to the start screen.

[jamesclarke555]

I get so fed up with folks making sweeping statements about not liking change, I love change, I embrace change.

Guess what? It's not change I don't like, it's METRO :rolleyes:

Which incidently is the same reason why I wouldn't swap my Android phone for WP7.

[Guest xiphi]

I love metro, and have since I first owned a Zune. It's Windows 8's current implementation I don't agree with. IMO, it's not all that "metro". I can pick up my Zune HD and easily navigate its interface with no problems whatsoever. Everything about it feels natural and invites me to touch it. Windows 8 doesn't have that feeling. There's nothing natural about it that invites me to touch or explore its interface. THAT's where the main problem lies. Make it feel natural, inviting, like it belongs, etc...

[ady199]

Something weird is happening on my taskbar - I keep getting icons appear on it for no apparent reason, see the screenshot below:-

It's either these icons that appear or it shows a number of folder icons

Anyone know what this could be??

Thanks in advance

[techguy77]

True. Initially i liked metro but now it feels that two OS are trying to behave properly as one. There is huge inconsistency all around for eg. take Media center or Zune in full screen, it gives the feel of metro app but actually they are not. You cant close them by dragging down etc nor they appear in task switcher seperately. Instead of considering desktop as an app wouldn't it be better if they would consider "each desktop app" as a separate app? It would have been much natural transition to metro if there was a task-bar in metro. Metro simply is not for multitasking.

Whats's more funny is the fact that metro weather app is not available in my market. I simply don't understand logic behind dividing weather app based on market?

I agree

[Axel]

Curious - does anyone know which file directory metro apps are stored?

[SavvyFx]

I get so fed up with folks making sweeping statements about not liking change, I love change, I embrace change.

Guess what? It's not change I don't like, it's METRO :rolleyes:

Which incidently is the same reason why I wouldn't swap my Android phone for WP7.

However, you yourself came up with a sweeping statement about not liking Metro. Please expand on your dislike for people to take it seriously.

[jamesclarke555]

However, you yourself came up with a sweeping statement about not liking Metro. Please expand on your dislike for people to take it seriously.

I spoke for myself, so please explain to me where I made a generalisation in my post :rolleyes:

[King Lizzle]

Something weird is happening on my taskbar - I keep getting icons appear on it for no apparent reason, see the screenshot below:-

It's either these icons that appear or it shows a number of folder icons

Anyone know what this could be??

Thanks in advance

Did you upgrade a previous Win 7 installation? I got this on laptop after doing so - seems to be that some of the driver utilities which sit in the system tray fail to load in Win 8 and they look the same as the screenshot you posted.

[Jan Veteran]

Something weird is happening on my taskbar - I keep getting icons appear on it for no apparent reason, see the screenshot below:-

It's either these icons that appear or it shows a number of folder icons

Anyone know what this could be??

Thanks in advance

I get this too :/

[ady199]

Did you upgrade a previous Win 7 installation? I got this on laptop after doing so - seems to be that some of the driver utilities which sit in the system tray fail to load in Win 8 and they look the same as the screenshot you posted.

Nope, it was a fresh install - I've just come back to use my laptop after about an hour and there are now loads of these icons on my taskbar - weird!!

If I click on the taskbar, they disappear.

[andy_rose]

Nope, it was a fresh install - I've just come back to use my laptop after about an hour and there are now loads of these icons on my taskbar - weird!!

If I click on the taskbar, they disappear.

Happens to me as well, and atleast here it happens whenever I change theme or wallpaper. So perhaps you have the auto wall changer on? Then the icons will apeear every time a wall changes.

[ady199]

Happens to me as well, and atleast here it happens whenever I change theme or wallpaper. So perhaps you have the auto wall changer on? Then the icons will apeear every time a wall changes.

Yep, that was the problem - I now just have one wallpaper and icons are no longer appearing...........

[Vykranth]

Is there a way to link a local account to a Microsoft account or even Microsoft accounts depending on the app?

My first problem is a problem of security: even if I want to access SkyDrive/Messenger, I would like to keep two passwords: one to access my computer, one to access the Live services.

My second problem is that I have several Microsoft account: two for gaming and gaming XBox and a third one for the e-mail.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

None of the Metro apps are working right now.

I open it and it closes by itself.

e.g. Photo app is just showing the app preview plate on top with nothing below if I open a photo from desktop.

Any ideas?

[Mazhar]

None of the Metro apps are working right now.

I open it and it closes by itself.

e.g. Photo app is just showing the app preview plate on top with nothing below if I open a photo from desktop.

Any ideas?

Are you on Desktop? If yes then try Push-Button Reset.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

Which button?

[Mazhar]

Which button?

Push-Button Reset is the Reset and Refresh feature in Windows 8. Go to PC Settings and you will find them there.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

Well that I did a bit earlier, and It says some files are missing. Windows installation or recovery media will provide them.

[Mazhar]

[Dot Matrix]

A better default Start Screen Microsoft should look into.

When we first installed Windows 8, we were greeted with this:

A discombobulated mess of Metro looking tiles, that makes any user shriek in terror. It's as if a clown threw up on our screens.

I feel as if people would be less afraid if the Start Screen resembled the old Start Menu, after all, there is no reason for the old icons NOT to be there, and in some sort of organization.

I made this hoping Microsoft can realize that not everyone wants Metro on their desktop and quite simply there is no reason for those "classic" icons not to be there. It makes the Start Screen less scary, and improves productivity ten fold, as I no longer have to waste my own time re-organizing the gross mess shown above. If Microsoft still wishes to have clown barf on our screens, they can at least stick it behind the "classic" icons.

Also, I feel as if Metro tiles would look a lot nicer if they had a unifying color scheme just like on WP7.