Early look at Windows 8 baffles consumers

[The Evil Overlord]

Sorry I don't get it, ok Win8 isn't for everyone, but Microsoft isn't killing off Win7 and forcing people to run Win8 are they?

What's the big deal? If you don't like it, you still have Win7 don't you?

(At least I thought the world was big enough for both to co exist, and there are other Operating Systems available if windows isn't for you)

[MS Bob 11]

Sorry I don't get it, ok Win8 isn't for everyone, but Microsoft isn't killing off Win7 and forcing people to run Win8 are they?

What's the big deal? If you don't like it, you still have Win7 don't you?

(At least I thought the world was big enough for both to co exist, and there are other Operating Systems available if windows isn't for you)

No indeed you don't get it as you said yourself. Support and security updates for Windows 7 will eventually be killed off before Windows 8 support, so unless future versions bring back what's lost, users will be forced to use the less functional crap. Only for now, they can co-exist. "No one's forcing you to use it"/don't upgrade is not a valid argument.

[The Evil Overlord]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Microsoft still offer updates for XP til 2014? I remember reading something about it, til which month in 2014, that I don't remember, but using that logic wouldn't it be safe to assume that updates for 7 would still be available for quite some time yet?

I only replied because the start of your post sounded a little sarcastic, and my post wasn't regarding updates, more about the choices available to the consumer, (to which I admit some bias because I've always had Windows on my pc's since my old 386 that ran ms dos 5 and I had to manually start windows 3.1)

(edit, XP's support ends April 2014 according to your link)

Edited October 21, 2012 by Dushmany

[mrp04]

There it is with the keyboard shortcuts. Fine for geeks, but MOST consumers know nothing about them, so that's not really a good answer.

MOST consumers aren't opening Windows Update and rarely visit ANYTHING in Control Panel. And when they do, it's easier for them when they are separated from the apps. Power users like us can learn one simple keyboard shortcut.

I don't even know why I bother looking at these discussions online. No one is going to change their mind until they are forced to use it, and even then some are still going to whine. Waah waah my productivity is hurt because the thing I use to launch programs that I see for less than 2 seconds is now FULL SCREEN waaah.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

"I have an 8 year old and they never got used to it"

Well good luck in life, when I was 8 I taught myself to use a Computer, Windows 98. If they can't deal with change at that age...

Well, obviously, given infinite time anyone can learn anything. The 8 year old will eventually learn Windows 8, or anything else, they have a desire and/or need to learn and sufficient time to do so.

I doubt you taught yourself the entirety of using Windows 98 in the short span this kid has most likely been exposed to Windows 8. So stop with the non sequitur arguments.

[argonite]

No indeed you don't get it as you said yourself. Support and security updates for Windows 7 will eventually be killed off before Windows 8 support, so unless future versions bring back what's lost, users will be forced to use the less functional crap. Only for now, they can co-exist. "No one's forcing you to use it"/don't upgrade is not a valid argument.

You're saying it as if it's provably less functional, as opposed to less functional simply from lack of experience. I see Windows 8 as being less functional for new users who are used to their workflow in Windows 7, but by the time Windows 7 is unsupported, they will have had sufficient time to learn. Same with the Office ribbon.

[remixedcat]

My old desktop, which runs 7 no problem doesn't support virtualization. I can't install 8 on it. I have a touch screen hooked up to it (it's used as a media center), so I tried. But got errors when trying to install due to the missing CPU Support.

So if I really wanted/had to use 8.. I'd be forced to get new hardware.

That's where :)

Did you go through your BIOS settngs to see if VT was disabled? sometimes they ship with that turned off, however turning it on in BIOS would resolve it. Hope that helps.

[firey]

You mean hardware virtualization? My PC still have an E7300 (C2D, no VT) and it runs everything from the DP up to RTM just fine.

Did you go through your BIOS settngs to see if VT was disabled? sometimes they ship with that turned off, however turning it on in BIOS would resolve it. Hope that helps.

It's whatever the cpu required ability is that Windows 8 requires. Mine doesn't support it, bios enabled or otherwise.

[remixedcat]

It's whatever the cpu required ability is that Windows 8 requires. Mine doesn't support it, bios enabled or otherwise.

Is client hyper-v enabled?

• 
  On the Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Programs and Features.
  
• 
  Click Turn Windows features on or off.
  
• 
  Click Hyper-V, click OK, and then click Close.
  

yper-V requires a 64-bit system that has Second Level Address Translation (SLAT). For information about checking and changing the virtualization support settings of your system BIOS, consult your system manufacturer.

Hyper-V supports the creation of both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems in virtual machines.

Note

You must license each of the virtual machine operating systems according to their requirements.

4 GB of RAM is required. The RAM on your computer running Client Hyper-V is allocated and deallocated dynamically as required by the virtual machines. You can run several virtual machines on a computer running Client Hyper-V (also called a ?host?) that has the minimum 4 GB of RAM, but you will need additional RAM for 5 or more virtual machines, depending on the RAM requirements for each virtual machine.

Client Hyper-V supports the same storage migration capability that is included in Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012. This means you can have your virtual machines fairly independent of the underlying storage. You can move a virtual machine?s storage to and from one local drive to another, to a USB drive, or to a remote file share without needing to stop the virtual machine.

[firey]

Is client hyper-v enabled?

I like that you are trying to help, but I don't want you to waste your time. It's not anything to do with Virtualizing Windows 8. It's not a bios setting. It's that Windows 8 requires some CPU Instructions (to run native) that my CPU doesn't support. Encryption on the CPU level being one of them. I CANNOT install windows 8 period on that machine. The CPU doesn't have what Windows 8 requires.

[remixedcat]

That really sucks then...

[firey]

That really sucks then...

To an extent. I don't like Windows 8, but the only PC I would run it on (as it's a rarely used, but hooked up with touch), doesn't meet the hardware requirements... but it will run 7 with full Aero no problem.

[NightScreams]

Windows 8 Secrets: $23 bucks, free at library

Windows Help File: free, its a built in manual, why u no read manual?

Google: Smart people who read and learn write articles to combine info and teach others to make it easier for them....easier. no seriously, its easy.

Who buys something complex they are not familiar with and doesn't read a manual or guide?..oh yea, morons that like to take risks and waste more precious time figuring it out than it takes to use a search for "how to", I mean cripes, you sometimes have to read a guide just to transform a modern day Transformer toy. It's really not a big deal to use the reading skills that society has invested in you and the tools that others provide you.

As far as KB shortcuts, its really a far more faster and efficient method. Especially with Macro's, one touch of a button....touching a button in 2012 is too geeky but touching an icon is not??

Kids learned quickly how to use new Nintendos, Segas, PlayStations, Xboxes, phones, Gameboys and any other kind of crazy interface just to play games. I think they will do fine with Windows 8.

When i was 8, i learned how to type command lines, insert large floppies..etc. It's not about learning in this case, its about laziness and the desire to complain about something...well obviously which appears to come more from adults than children because the adults cannot teach their kids nor provide the tools to do so. There really is no excuse to not know how to do something unless you live in a 3rd world country. Its so easy to watch a 20 minute video on how to rebuild a starter for you're car but some think it is better to spend 20 minutes creating a post complaining about it first, then more subsequent posts responding to trolls and not learn anything...its amazing how inefficient some people really are in life.

[spenser.d]

So they found a few people in the industry that have shown discontent, asked them to elaborate, and turned it into consumers being baffled? Methinks they just want hits.

[LUTZIFER]

I liked all Windows versions except for ME and Vista. ME was garbage and Vista was just awful and hard to get used to. Windows 7 is absolutely awsome and I loved it right from the start, since even before it was released I used it, and everything I love about it isn't in Windows 8, so I won't be downgrading to Windows 8.

[DeadEndAccount]

when I was 8 my family had just gotten a Windows ME computer, it was my first Windows computer and I taught myself to use it just fine. at the same time I had learned to use Mac OS 9(? 8? not completely sure) because that's what my school had

If kids today can't adjust and adapt to something as small of a change as Windows 8, then I fear for the next generation ... oh wait, I already do :/

Youngster, my first computer was an Amiga 500 then I also used an Acorn, BBC Micro then moved to Windows 95 then Windows 98, Windows 2000, flirted with Mac OS X for a decade, then back to Windows 7 and I'm 31 years old. If you can't keep up, adapt and move forward then I think there are bigger problems that need addressing.

[hagjohn]

Well, it's a change, but we've known that for a while now. But this isn't Microsoft shooting themselves in the foot, that would be them if they didn't change to meet with the times.

Of course. If they didn't do anything, people would say they were not innovative enough.

On the other hand, I do think they could have made the transition a bit better by having visual buttons to help people get around.

[pes2013]

The question is whether the new version, which can be run on tablets and smartphones, along with the traditional PC, can satisfy the needs of both types of users.

Since when does Windows 8 run on PCs, tablets AND smartphones?

Press not having a clue on what they are writing about.

[ATLien_0]

All I can say is well Duh! and not in a bad way. Its going to baffle consumers no matter what because Windows is no longer the desktop but rather the start screen. I would be more surprised if it didn't baffle consumers with the new change. What most don't see is that Microsoft is trying to create a fluid experience between Windows Phone 8, the tablet sphere and the desktop world. I know most would disagree with the desktop side though

[NightScreams]

Youngster, my first computer was an Amiga 500 then I also used an Acorn, BBC Micro then moved to Windows 95 then Windows 98, Windows 2000, flirted with Mac OS X for a decade, then back to Windows 7 and I'm 31 years old. If you can't keep up, adapt and move forward then I think there are bigger problems that need addressing.

Definitely. I'm often reminded of a 90 something year old man i encountered while working for the phone company some 15 years ago. After asking me what i was doing, he responded with "phhh, who needs a phone?" I answered in my head "modern society" but i didn't say anything as i knew there would be no productivity in doing so.

However in this case, again it's hard to complain about a UI when so many solutions exist, all of which should be known to any member of any tech forum...ClassicShell, Start8, Startisback...i mean one of which i think the author linked on this very site not to mention there will be many more methods of providing a "w7" like experience in W8. "Geeks" making only visual observations and apparently not knowing about the underlying technology that the new OS brings...such as refinements, updates..etc to things like

..Smartscreen for other browsers besides IE. ACI and UAC improvements, File history,tie other accounts in Credential Manager, shored up protection technologies in Windows Kernal, ASLR to be more random and extended to more components, AV scanner, Cellular Networks 3g/4g/lte.....just a small sample of so many things that have been refined...but of course that default start screen means the OS "sucks" as if nothing can be done about it. How does one fail at being a geek anyway? Either they are or are not an enthusiast.

the epitome of "geek" failure.

[Jesse Carlton]

2 one line quotes does not represent "consumers". This is a terribly written article with factual errors.

[Dot Matrix]

Since when does Windows 8 run on PCs, tablets AND smartphones?

Windows Phone 8 uses the same kernel as Windows 8. They are pretty much one and the same.

[wellofsouls]

I think it really depends on the person, I have installed Win8 on my work computers and also my father's home computer, and several of my colleagues also installed Win8 on their systems. I like Win8 in general, while one of my colleagues is in LOVE with Win8, he feels that every single change in Win8 is exactly in the way where he wanted Windows to change into. However another of my colleagues dislikes Win8, she thinks it is an abomination of user experience. My father, who is over 70, gets used to Win8's interface alright, but he still prefers to boot into Win7 most of the time, thinking it's more comfortable to use than Win8.

On the other hand, I do think the way Win8 stitches the Metro and Desktop UIs together is awkward, leading to inconsistent UX.

[Tha Bloo Monkee]

I'm so tired of reading this FUD.

reading "omg i'm not used to it so it's a bad operating system." time and time again becomes very irritating.

[pes2013]

Windows Phone 8 uses the same kernel as Windows 8. They are pretty much one and the same.

Android, Debian, MINIX and Ubuntu are based on the same kernel. Would you consider them the same operating systems?

Those 4 above can be installed on at least two CPU architectures

AFAIK, WP8 supports only ARM while Windows 8 supports ARM, x86, and x86-64. Nothing else.