official Windows 8 Consumer Preview Discussion

[Stoffel]

The first answer is a troll, should I continue the reading ?

Well they are everywhere :)

I was hoping some more people would discuss what the OP sugested

[.Neo]

I really wish there could be just one thread here about Win8 where people who actually like Win 8 could come together and discuss it without having the usual Win8 haters joining in. But it seems impossible to do that

You should start a secret fan club where everyone who joins in solemnly pledges to unconditionally love Windows 8 with their first born son as collateral. ;)

[Stoffel]

You should start a secret fan club where everyone who joins in solemnly pledges to unconditionally love Windows 8 with their first born son as collateral.

I don't need to discuss Win8 with 'Windows lovers', it's just sad that all the threads turn into the same thing.

I understand that you don't like win8 and it's your right to express that here on the forum.

It's just getting tiring to have to argue about the same thing over and over again.

It would be nice to talk about how we can improve Win8 without hearing, give me a switch to turn metro off

That's really all that it's about

[.Neo]

You don't have to respond to those replies if you don't want to. Windows 8 has some radical changes and people will always respond to that one way or the other. Personally I've seen many good arguments for and against Metro. Wishing to start a thread only pro or against it seems silly. On a public forum you'll always end up discussing both sides.

[Subhadip]

I don't think this deserves it's own thread, but here's what I would like to see desktop and metro seamlessly integrated.

The gist of it is, replace the Task switcher with the taskbar in Metro. As simple as that. The charms bar is on the right, the app bar is bottom, and the tasbar can go to the left, auto-hidden, like Ubuntu Unity. I remember back during Windows 7 Beta, there was a blog post encouraging us to move our taskbars to the left as screens had gone to 16:9 from 4:3 when the taskbar was first designed. Both Metro and Classic apps show up in the taskbar, as usual. If you notice, Alt+Tab shows Metro and Desktop apps indiscriminately, so the functionality exists. The task switcher can go then.

The Start Screen becomes the default "desktop" - think of a desktop with live tiles instead of icons. Obviously you can pin your files and shortcuts as usual, as before. Maybe even have an option for a classic desktop, where the desktop is just another app. (separate from other desktop apps are as usual) All apps - metro and classic - will show live tiles.

I use Alt+Tab a lot, and I really feel the way it deals with desktop and metro seamlessly works great already. Unlike the switcher that shows only metro apps and the taskbar shows only desktop apps. Yes, metro and desktop apps look different today, but I am certain within a couple of years nearly every app will embrace the chromeless Metro style. Internet browsers have been doing that for a couple of years now (starting with Chrome) and Full-screen F11 has been around for ages.

A separate "Touch Mode" can be used, the only difference will be that the taskbar is replaced by the switcher. Or maybe it can just switch on the fly detecting whether you are using touch or mouse. Remember that all apps - metro and classic - should show up in the switcher, like in Alt+Tab. If you think about it this way, the task switcher then becomes just another form of the taskbar with large thumbnails (ala Aero Peek) instead of icons.

Judging by the functionality of Alt+Tab, I would probably guess Microsoft are already doing something similar to integrate Metro and Desktop closer anyways. RC is still a good 3-4 months away, and RTM probably 6 months. A lot could change between now and then.

What do you guys think?

[Wyn6]

Back down memory lane. A look at when XP hit the scene.

http://groups.google...08e53cf74bc7b7b

Just some excerpts:

"Microsoft work hard to improve technology which will ultimately improve our

productivity and indeed lives. They spend a lot of time and indeed money

doing the donkey`s work of either writing drivers or working closely with

the many many hundreds if not thousands of manufacturers for what is a huge

backlog of hardware in order to get drivers incorporated into the latest

operating system as standard.

Some companies however go out of business are impossible to find or just

have not yet got round to assisting Microsoft in writing drivers for their

new operating system some will never as they don`t have the resources to do

so - when you buy hardware one factor must always be support a $2 network

card from a 2 bit company probably won`t have XP drivers out at launch or

indeed at all - but if it isn`t supported Microsoft compatibility program

will give you fair warning.

Microsoft have done very well in XP better than ever before my laptop now

has all drivers included as standard 98/2000/ME required downloads from HP`s

site.

All this and you get idiots who blame Microsoft when after ignoring warnings

there system doesn`t work right."

And, the other side...

"Well I hate it. I hate the way it works and I hate the way it looks - The

interface is a digusting piece of OS-X wannabe crap IMO.

Talk about losing control of the machine.

I'm sticking to Win2000 thanks."

I've seen these arguments somewhere. But, for the life of me, I can't seem to remember where. ;)

[lalalawawawa]

I've seen these arguments somewhere. But, for the life of me, I can't seem to remember where. ;)

:laugh: That was fun to read. Thank you! :D

[notuptome2004]

a in-depth done on it from Anandtech In-Depth with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5630/indepth-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview/8 Task manager

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5630/indepth-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview/13 Networking under the hood improvements

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5630/indepth-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview/14 under the hood Direct x 11.1 WDDM 1.2 improvements

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5630/indepth-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview/5 Windows Desktop and explorer improvements explored + Multi monitor improvements

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5630/indepth-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview/3 Metro interface in-depth on start screen + more

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5630/indepth-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview/4 MEtro start screen + Metro Mouse and Keyboard usage explored and how to use

just those features alone make windows 8 a solid day for a Day one release and those are what i love in the CP along with Metro but for me i love Metro and got everything down pat and am able to work fluidly through windows desktop App and the Metro UI

[dafin0]

thanks for that, very good non bias read. for people who just want the conclusion

"Conclusions

I was a huge advocate of Windows 7 when it came out, both personally and professionally. I immediately upgraded all of my systems just after release, and shortly after I started pushing it on my friends and family (I spent most of Thanksgiving 2009 upgrading systems). I spearheaded a migration from Windows XP to Windows 7 where I worked at the time, a small shop hesitant to change and frightened of the new. I thought it was a great upgrade?it provided a host of much-needed updates with few of Vista?s real or imagined shortcomings?and I thought that any computer that could be upgraded to run Windows 7 should be upgraded to run Windows 7, from the fastest multi-core desktop workstation to the lowliest netbook.

My reaction to Windows 8 is more tempered, assuming that what we see here in the Consumer Preview is more or less representative of the final product. I think it has the potential to be a killer tablet operating system, and for my part I think it?s quite usable on a laptop and desktop, but I have my doubts that more skittish users and businesses are going to be able to see past the newness of Metro.

The other problem Windows 8 is going to have is that, while it offers some nice under-the-hood updates, and while Metro is much more usable with a mouse and keyboard than some pessimists will lead you to believe, it?s not the essential upgrade for PCs that Windows 7 was. Thanks in part to the user-facing and under-the-hood improvements in Windows 7, desktops and laptops don?t need a new operating system like they did three years ago when their only options were the aging XP, the flawed Vista, or the alien landscape of Linux.

If you?re reading this, the chances are good that you?re a technology enthusiast with a decent system, and you?re the ones to whom Windows 8?s under-the-hood enhancements will appeal the most. Give the preview a test drive, evaluate whether you?ll use the new features, and give Metro a fair shake?like it or not, it?s the future of the platform, and it?s well-implemented here. If you?re happy with Windows 7, though, this isn?t the must-have upgrade that its predecessor was, and Microsoft?s long-term support cycle?mainstream support until 2015, extended support until 2020?means that you?ll still get significant software updates (new DirectX and IE versions and a handful of other backported features) for awhile and security updates for even longer. You?ve got time to wait for Windows 9."

[notuptome2004]

dafin0

For me on my high end desktop KB/M i was able to use Metro and figure things out in just a few short minutes so it just ticks me off when we have very knowledgeable users who are techies and yet they spent only 2 hrs to a day and Was like WTF i you cant do this you cant do that you can only run 1 of this or that at a time. Yet every complain like that they had was wrong they just could not take the time to learn how to use desktop/Metro together or at all and assume you could not do anything that you obviously can

i am able to move through the desktop and Metro like butter smooth fast simple without issues

[dafin0]

dafin0

For me on my high end desktop KB/M i was able to use Metro and figure things out in just a few short minutes so it just ticks me off when we have very knowledgeable users who are techies and yet they spent only 2 hrs to a day and Was like WTF i you cant do this you cant do that you can only run 1 of this or that at a time. Yet every complain like that they had was wrong they just could not take the time to learn how to use desktop/Metro together or at all and assume you could not do anything that you obviously can

i am able to move through the desktop and Metro like butter smooth fast simple without issues

yeah i totally agree with you. im a computer technician for a small computer shop. we mainly do repairs but also sell laptops and desktops. i know what every day users are like and how they use their computers. and i think Windows 8 will be fine for them and fairly easy to teach the basic.

the main thing i believe that new users need to learn is the charm bar (right hand side tool bar), to understand how search works and that "search" is basicly the old start menu and to also show that settings in the charm bar has to do with what ever app your using. i believe people are way to quick to judge and freak out when ever something is new. but if they are shown how to use something they can understand and not be so worried.

thats my thoughts anyways

[Salutary7]

"Well I hate it. I hate the way it works and I hate the way it looks - The

interface is a digusting piece of OS-X wannabe crap IMO.

Talk about losing control of the machine.

I'm sticking to Win2000 thanks."

I've seen these arguments somewhere. But, for the life of me, I can't seem to remember where. ;)

Actually, I think the arguments in favor of Win2K over XP tended to be different. XP gave options to use or discard individual UI features, so complaints about the look and feel weren't really an issue. Win2K used fewer resources. There was a lot less in the way of automatic services by default. Many programs ran faster and the OS tended to be more stable. Most people weren't using Win2K, however. They were migrating from ME, 98 or 95, which all had problems. So for the most part, XP was welcomed.

I really think the lasting reception of Win8 is a bit more up in the air, since it's not just highly technical users with disdain for it.

[Tuanese]

Has anyone found a way to boot to Desktop by default?

I really hope this is possible.

P/S: Just found this, "Boot to The Desktop in Windows 8"

http://blog.laptopmag.com/6-ways-to-totally-avoid-metro-and-use-only-desktop-mode-in-windows-8/2

[iron2000]

Can the Start screen be docked to a side of the screen like other Metro apps?

Perhaps Microsoft can bring Metro to the desktop (maybe like the Omnimo Rainmeter suite?) instead of burying the desktop in Metro?

Or is it that the Metro apps can't run windowed on the desktop?

Windows 8 feels like running 2 OS at the same time.

Like a layer of oil on water.

[Quppa]

Has anyone found a way to boot to Desktop by default?

I really hope this is possible.

P/S: Just found this, "Boot to The Desktop in Windows 8"

http://blog.laptopma...-in-windows-8/2

There's a group policy setting to do just that, but it's not functional in either the Windows Developer Preview or the Windows Consumer Preview. I'm hoping it will be fixed by RC.

[lecter]

Does anyone know how to enable ATI/AMD's CCC for pre-5xxx series cards? I can't control the fan anymore on my Radeon 4850 and it's driving me nuts :p

[Wakers]

Have they dropped support for the 4xxx range?

I remember when Vista came out and they dropped support for my X1950Pro, which was far more powerful than most things that it actually supported. Annoyed, I was.

You might have to use Ati Tray tools instead.

[lecter]

Tried the Tray Tools just now, they don't work at all in Windows 8...and yeah, apparently the 4xxx range is non-WDDM 1.2 compatible, so no support for it in at least the current RC drivers. Tried installing the latest beta 12.2 for Win7, no go either.

[Wakers]

Tried the Tray Tools just now, they don't work at all in Windows 8...and yeah, apparently the 4xxx range is non-WDDM 1.2 compatible, so no support for it in at least the current RC drivers. Tried installing the latest beta 12.2 for Win7, no go either.

Ah, if they're not supporting that range of cards then you can't do anything with it at all. Windows will install very basic drivers, but it'll have no or very little support for the advanced features that games make use of.

You'll have to get a new card if you want to use Windows 8 when it's out.

[ady199]

If I make a shortcut to a web site, it saves it as a .url file, but if I double click on the shortcut, it just opens up a text file showing what the shortcut points to.

I use Chrome (because I hate IE), how can I make these shortcuts open directly in Chrome?

Thanks in advance

[V23]

If I make a shortcut to a web site, it saves it as a .url file, but if I double click on the shortcut, it just opens up a text file showing what the shortcut points to.

I use Chrome (because I hate IE), how can I make these shortcuts open directly in Chrome?

Thanks in advance

Right-click the file --> Open with --> Choose default program --> Select Chrome from the list or browse for it (make sure to check the box at the top of the dialog box)

[ady199]

Right-click the file --> Open with --> Choose default program --> Select Chrome from the list or browse for it (make sure to check the box at the top of the dialog box)

Thanks but have already done that, one thing it does do before it opens up is to show a security warning, but when I do open any .url file it shows a text file - example shown below

Any Ideas??

[coth]

How do we provide feedback to MS? In old times there always been a feedback button in betas, but not anymore...

After two weeks of usage i'll say little bit disappoinment. Of course it's just beta, but usually hardly anything get changed from beta to final in MS. But there is still lots and lots of work to do.

Launcher

Start screen have several disappointments.

1. It always return you to begin of Start screen. It's might be not a problem for now with about 20 apps installed, but what is going to be when you going to have at least 3-4 screens with tones of apps and tiles. They should rethink the way it works.
   
2. Tiles can only be 1x1 or 2x1. That's not good. Live tiles are like widgets. And big tiles can be very handy and informative in some situations.
   
3. Elastic scrolling should be optional. And it's laggy. Looks like 25-30 fps. Not 60 fps.
   

Store

Makes easier way to install apps, but not to find them.

1. No similar apps, like installed with this apps and viewed with this app in Google Play Market. It would gratefully improve an ability to find apps you need.
   
2. No launch button on app page (no ability to launch app from Store)
   
3. No update button on app page, if update available (you can only update from updates page)
   
4. No what's new, version and date of last update
   
5. No average rating after you rated app
   
6. Store shows reviews for every language. There should be an option to switch local reviews, local+english or all. Google Play Market and App Store shows local reviews only. App Store gives more - an ability to switch between current version reviews and all reviews and between languages.
   

Localization

Doesn't look nice. They promised CP to be multilingual. But just 5 languages with no signs of localizations in Store. There is still obviously lots of work to do. And they should not move it out of beta until localization is done. And not just translation, but fully functional localization.

1. Language packs should be universal and available at any version, like Android.
   
2. Speech to text , text to speech and hand writing recognition still limited to few languages. MS significantly lags behind of Android and Symbian in this.
   
3. Messed up keyboard layouts. It's not local + English anymore. At least not available at system installation. It's local local + local international now. But spell check doesn't work when you switch to local international. It's only work if you change language. So you have to dance with settings to get rid off new keyboard layout system back to old to get spell check to work.
   
4. Web services are poorly localized. Bing is not Google, it's not international, but local service for US and few other English countries, like Yandex for Eastern Europe and Baidu for China. So at the moment most of apps are pointless - Weather, Finances, Messenger, Photos and Maps have very poor localization, Xbox LIVE, Music just not available worldwide.
   

Metro

Mouse usability on desktops is very poor. It's ok with keyboard, but not with mouse.

1. Bring side panels by pointing mouse to corner of screen isn't good idea.
   
2. They should bring an ability to use mouse like finger on desktop. Especially for scrolling.
   
3. Scrolling is not smooth in metro apps. It's only smooth on Start screen. Some metro apps have tendency to scroll up and down instead of left and right with mouse wheel (AccuWeather), some won't scroll with wheel at all (Vimeo).
   
4. Some of metro apps (like Weather, Finances) designed for 4:3 screens and doesn't look nice on wide screens
   
5. Lags a lot, swapping. System processes should not affect performance of end-user apps. They should work ideally fast. Lot of apps loads too long on fast modern computers. Analogs loads much faster on much slower devices like tablet and phones.
   

IE

1. Some sites blocks right click, so you can't bring panels? (like Fishbowl test)
   
2. Link hint appears without any animation. Bring at least little bid of fade in/out animation.
   

[br0adband]

To provide feedback to Microsoft, you'll need to sign up for a Connect account (if you don't already have one) at:

http://connect.microsoft.com

It requires a Windows Live ID, Hotmail login, or Passport account - gotta love how Microsoft has taken almost 14 years to realize just one account is best overall. Anyway, once you sign up and log into the Connect site, you'll need to go here:

https://connect.micr...ownloadID=41522

to get the "Windows Ecosystem Readiness" page so you can download the "Windows Send Feedback Tool" installer. I did all this yesterday to send in a few bugs and some feedback, takes a few minutes to get it all working properly but it only requires that one time.

Hope this helps... normally I would just post you the direct download link to the installer file but since this technically isn't a publicly available tool (it requires a Connect account to get it) I'm just providing the info on how to get access to the link.

[ady199]

Thanks but have already done that, one thing it does do before it opens up is to show a security warning, but when I do open any .url file it shows a text file - example shown below

Any Ideas??

Anyone??

Thanks in advance