Windows 8, enough after about 2 hours

[justmike]

Please, tell me where were you in when Windows 95 launched, because from what I remember, it was the single biggest launch for Microsoft. Stores openned at midnight to let people buy Win95, it was simply crazy. MS never had that since then.

From what I'm seeing, not sure that MS will have close to the same success with Win8, in fact, I'm affraid it's going to be a dud like ME or Vista.

This is true, I got my (I think it was 25 floppies) a few weeks early. We could not wait for everything other than the file manager. Most of us didn't like it, and a few of us still use a file manager that looks and acts somewhat as it did pre-95. Once called Windows Commander, now called Total Commander, and yes it "mostly" works in Windows 8 :)

[lalalawawawa]

A Multitasking Concept does not exist with Windows 8 Metro

Yes, it does. It is implemented in different way, with Snap and Share in mind.

[Ci7]

For all that, I've got two words for you:

It's beta.

As far as some of the stuff you pointed out as "bad," the driver things have nothing to do with the OS itself: Microsoft doesn't write drivers, blame the hardware manufacturers for not getting up to speed just yet.

As for someone not having a touchscreen or keyboard, I don't even... that would make it basically impossible to install the OS in the first place since you're required to input the Product Key to get even the Consumer Preview installed so so so... ;)

1- in-screen keyboard?

2-you don't have to input serial number at install you can do that anytime after installing windows [the next 30 days]

[wongogue]

Yes - and it's a friggin blast.

Works in ANY HTML page in desktop IE10 - even browser-based games (which I expected to have the biggest issues).

The sixty-four cent issue is does this work in all browsers, or is this IE-exclusive? (I'm referring to WCP, of course.)

It does work in Firefox, but I was talking about Semantic Zoom in Start Screen and Metro-style apps.

[clarkgable]

As some people have already said, it's a consumer preview/beta version. There will be glitches now which I'm sure will be sorted.

The CP is an improvement on the DP, so I'm expecting the RTM to be fine...

[excalpius]

And as for Metro, I think Microsoft is pandering to the increasingly dumb people who toy with computers. :laugh:

And, ironically, those are the people who will have no friggin idea how to A) close an application, B) switch applications, C) that the "charm bar" even exists, D) know that the invisible ninja buttons in the upper left and lower left exist, etc.

They don't use keyboard shortcuts. They won't "get" Windows 8 "intutively" because there is nothing on the screen for them to work with or think about once they've clicked on the weather widget for the first time. They'll be looking around, pointing or mousing, trying to find a solution for something that is non-intuitive, INVISIBLE, and without a tutorial/helper application.

[re: choosing desktop vs, Metro at install first boot time] My god -- common sense. :happy:

This has been presented (indeed demanded in some cases) internally for the past two years. No movement yet.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Ok, so she's on IE on the desktop, gets an IM, goes to Start Screen, opens IM app, replies, goes back to the desktop, and quite possibly the person has replied by the time she even gets back into IE. Then an email comes, goes to get the email, leaving the desktop, entering the start screen and then opening the mail app.

It's not a good flow.

That's not what's expected.

If you receive an IM, it shows up as a "toast" notification at the top of the screen. If you tap/click that, it will take you right to the conversation window. Just swipe in from the left, or click in the upper-left corner, to go back where you were.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

(*) New Search is Awesome

:)

[daniel_rh]

I thought that I wasn't going to like it, but I actually liked it! A big change compared to the Developer Preview, which was traumatic for me. Still, it's a big change but going well

[scumdogmillionaire]

That's not what's expected.

If you receive an IM, it shows up as a "toast" notification at the top of the screen. If you tap/click that, it will take you right to the conversation window. Just swipe in from the left, or click in the upper-left corner, to go back where you were.

Thanks, Brandon. That does sound better, but you say "swipe" which is touch. Sounds like that will be great on the tablet. But the upper left corner, then finding the app is not the same flow as an application getting sent to the background an just clicking on it to bring it to the foreground.

[XerXis]

M$ is going to flop BIGTIME on this one! A dreadful interface. I have nothing against change, but my PC isn't a touchpad, so don't make me use it like one. What about closing unused applications? I know about that stupid hand drag thing... sorry it sux! I'm sure under water that it's a great OS, but what I see now, I don't like.

alt-f4...

[ArialBlue]

For all that, I've got two words for you:

It's beta.

As far as some of the stuff you pointed out as "bad," the driver things have nothing to do with the OS itself: Microsoft doesn't write drivers, blame the hardware manufacturers for not getting up to speed just yet.

As for someone not having a touchscreen or keyboard, I don't even... that would make it basically impossible to install the OS in the first place since you're required to input the Product Key to get even the Consumer Preview installed so so so... ;)

I am not optimistic. Especially the AMD GPU drivers.

Metro Media Player is horrible and I doubt they will fix it. Just like Photo Viewer, it does not persist - it forgets where I was. Additionally, if you compare opening and MP4 in Metro Media Player vs. Normal WMP - normal WMP is instant.

EDIT: It occurred to me that I do not know proper names of anything Metro.

Edited March 2, 2012 by _Heracles

[lalalawawawa]

alt-f4...

Or drag from top to bottom.

[Som]

Yet you (and others) ran back to Windows 7 as if you had suddenly been confronted with a Mac - and you gave it two hours - or less?

been using it since yesterday, using it right now actually, no need to get aggressive, you didn't make it, i'm pointing out the things i don't like...

Further, the right-click paradigm has been in Windows *since* 9x/NT4 - it's far from a new feature. Macs normally don't *have* a right mouse button - the standard mouse with Macs has just a single button.

confused here, my point is that right click in windows 8 start screen isn't very good, for instance if you open a picture and you want to edit it in Photoshop this is impossible in metro and you have to go back to the "legacy" windows to do this.

Another thing... i just showed it to my sister (windows 8). She would be considered an average business user (architect Technician to be exact) and has not followed the development and videos of windows 8. I presented her with the start screen, the default way windows 8 starts up. The first thing she chose to do was open a legacy application which i had attached to the start screen (Opera browser in this case). On closing opera she could not figure out how to open MS word because of the lack of a start menu button (it did not occur to her to press the button on the keyboard,why should it) and it certainly didn't occur to her to move the cursor to the bottom right of the screen. I had to tell her what to do....

[fsX]

Could of fooled me

It's very easy to fool people that say "could of" anyway.

[wongogue]

I am not optimistic. Especially the AMD GPU drivers.

Metro Media Player is horrible and I doubt they will fix it. Just like Photo Viewer, it does not persist - it forgets where I was. Additionally, if you compare opening and MP4 in Metro Media Player vs. Normal WMP - normal WMP is instant.

EDIT: It occurred to me that I do not know proper names of anything Metro.

You are complaining about "App Previews" being unfinished?

[ArialBlue]

You are complaining about "App Previews" being unfinished?

I agree with your point, but this just seem glaring considering that it is right there on the menu screen begging to be abused.

[Darrian]

1- in-screen keyboard?

2-you don't have to input serial number at install you can do that anytime after installing windows [the next 30 days]

Um, no, it requires the key to install, which you'd know if you'd installed it.

[Calum Veteran]

A Multitasking Concept does not exist with Windows 8 Metro

Yes, it does:

mul?ti?task?ing

[muhl-tee-tas-king, -tah-sking, muhl-tahy-]

noun Computers .

the concurrent or interleaved execution of two or more jobs by a single CPU.

[

http://dictionary.re...se/multitasking]

The Windows 8 Metro experience is perfectly capable of this.

[migo]

Top-left hand corner should really not be used for switching between apps. Now when I'm in Desktop mode, when trying to click on the "Firefox" icon, or perhaps in other Microsoft tools with a quick access bar, the top leftmost button is now rendered useless thanks to this app switcher appearing. IMO they should just integrate it with the bottom left corner where the ninja Start button is. Also, the Charms bar shouldn't appear whenever I'm trying to close a maximised window...

Metro apps aren't going to have UI elements in the corners. No more close/minimise/maximise buttons. It's either maximised or snapped.

I agree with your point, but this just seem glaring considering that it is right there on the menu screen begging to be abused.

Yeah, and given their unfinished state they should have probably just been left out.

[br0adband]

I am not optimistic. Especially the AMD GPU drivers. Metro Media Player is horrible and I doubt they will fix it. Just like Photo Viewer, it does not persist - it forgets where I was. Additionally, if you compare opening and MP4 in Metro Media Player vs. Normal WMP - normal WMP is instant. EDIT: It occurred to me that I do not know proper names of anything Metro.

You can be assured that by the time Windows 8 is RTM and ready to go, the Music app will take on nearly all the functionality of the current Zune software (if you've ever used it). I find the Zune software (for the PC, that is) superior to iTunes in many respects and since Windows Phone 7 will be the continuation of all things Zune and whatever, Windows 8 will just further all that long the path.

It's beta,

AMD and Nvidia and even Intel will improve the drivers as time goes by and when RTM comes around they'll be ready to go. I don't use WMP for anything so that's a non-issue for me at all, but when the RTM hits I'm sure the final version of the Music/Video capabilities will just like the Zune software, as it should be.

[Calum Veteran]

then why even have a full desktop OS? if we are going to move everything to full screen then make a tablet OS that is just that, that the user could pick as their desktop OS if they want it.. I rember when Windows 2 introduced overlapping windows and everyone was like OMG! now we are going back to whats the point of even having that we we dont have windows..

This is my point. I no longer desire the Desktop mode, and I would like everything to be a Metro app. Being a software developer and designer, I'm annoyed that Visual Studio (and probably Photoshop) will be Desktop apps for the near future, as I would love them to be Metro apps; the same is the case for Microsoft Office. I understand why they all currently can't be, but that is what I'd like.

I'd love to never have to visit the Desktop in Windows 8.

[migo]

This is my point. I no longer desire the Desktop mode, and I would like everything to be a Metro app. Being a software developer and designer, I'm annoyed that Visual Studio (and probably Photoshop) will be Desktop apps for the near future, as I would love them to be Metro apps; the same is the case for Microsoft Office. I understand why they all currently can't be, but that is what I'd like.

I'd love to never have to visit the Desktop in Windows 8.

Same. At the very least what they need to do is integrate the app switching to the right with the taskbar in desktop mode, so for apps that have a full screen mode with F11 (or the like), you can just pretend it's a Metro app with a few design idiosyncrasies, instead of essentially handling desktop mode as an emulator. Would also make it a lot easier to really test Metro features.

[funkyblue]

Lasted 2 hours. Too frustrating. Back to Windows 7. I want the start menu back!

[bigmehdi]

Humm, ok, I think I'm getting more familiar with the logic of windows 8 as something "acceptable" .

It would disturb the habits of regular user for sure.

However I still don't understand how windows 8 would handle the installation of many apps : you would end with a start screen

cluttered if I'm not wrong. I would have preferred all installed apps hidden by default , and you go somewhere

to add them in the main start screen , just like does android.

Oh , and by the way I found an interesting article:

Five Windows 8 secrets, tips, and hints

http://blogs.computerworld.com/19813/five_windows_8_secrets_tips_and_hints

This helped me a bit.

And I still think the design of metro screen need some "reworking" (flat squares/rectangles , meh :huh: ) . With android, I see nice icons, that's more attractive.