Windows 7: Windows 8: Ready, set, preorder

Hi there
vmware workstation 9 plus the relevant version of vmware player work fine for creating W8 VM's --I've tested running a Virtual W8 Enterprise x-64 (from Technet) on a Windows 7 X-64 Host -- working fine.

I'm running it now on a Linux openSUSE 12.2 HOST and it's also working fine. The VM will run either on Linux or Windows hosts without change.

Agreed for gaming etc a VM might not be sufficient but for a lot of other stuff including Multi media the latest version of vmware works fine on Windows 7 / 8 (and also on openSUSE 12.2 KDE desktop)

cheers
jimbo

I haven't gone after the latest VM Player version quite yet but will be for the other new OS being looked over as well as still having the RP on a VBox VM presently. Now I am starting to hear other complaints from people running the retail 8 Pro about not being able to keep one app running when going to open another one.

Once the Win key is used since they haven't opted for Classic Shell or other some program like playing NetFlix on a second monitor will simply stop in an instant. What a contrast to what has been seen in 7 when going to run four VMs simultaneously and the only problem seen was simply not having enough physical memory installed and not an OS problem itself when seeing the "out of resources" error come up prior to building the present case that is.

I wish I never done it - nightmare update I need to rollback to 7

My understanding it is possible to downgrade from Win 8 to Win 7 ?
If someone buys a pre-built now with Win 8 and wants to downgrade to Win 7 what does that mean?
Do they have to buy a Win 7 license, or is it a "No Cost/Freebie" downgrade option?

I just did a search and found this for HP, which i find "interesting".
HP urges consumer customers not to downgrade new PCs to Windows 7 - Computerworld

Sounds like it may be a free downgrade, but at your own risk and may not work ?!

It'll be interesting to see how the "OEM/mass market" accepts W8.

If anyone does buy a pre-built with W8 and downgrades to Windows 7, can you post your experience?

I'm helping some people now looking for a new PC, and I'm not sure what to suggest...
W8 is not for me, but other folks love it...

Its a new world and you have to be careful with what you buy. When articles refer to Windows 8 it makes a difference what version. For example from that article.

It looks like a lot of vendors are offering Windows 8 as the default and Windows 8 Pro is optional. Since all the pre releases have been Windows 8 Pro we all assume every one is talking about the Pro version and it makes a difference. Some vendors will still offer Windows 7 on new systems and can do so for 2 more years.

Jim

What happened to the good old days when you did a little research and picked which Windows you wanted and just walked into a store and bought it? Took it home and installed it and went on with your life.

No in the good old days you walked into a store and bought a new ribbon for you typewriter.

Jim

The fast to downgrade from any version to an older one is to simply "Nuke The Drive" as Long as... note you can find the device drivers for board and everything else are to be found. In the case of.. Brand Spanking New OEM machines the drivers won't even be writtern for any previous version as is all too common for laptops already as well as OEM desktops and of course Tablets. Netbooks. etc.

In order to boost their sales years back once Vista was out Dell introduced the choice of OSs which shows they wanted to be flexible in that area. HP and others will be once any new version goes on a new system no other older version will run in order to sell the newest and latest all in one.

Anyone finding 8 a headache by chance after "replacing 7" with an 8 install by the way? I think you now must realize that trying 8 out on a separate drive at least to still keep 7 on would have been the best move for some rather then trying to find a way back to 7 from 8 when not having any 7 media or MS options!

Without a second Windows version on the second drive here boy that allows me to look at some other options without a fuss. I won't have anything tied up in them to begin with like time, money, softwares, etc.!

Windows 8 UI 'strategic mistake,' argues design guru

Jekyll and Hyde operating system is weak on tablets, terrible on PCs, says usability expert



Microsoft's decision to put two user interfaces (UIs) inside Windows 8 was a strategic mistake that fails novice and experienced computer users alike on both tablets and traditional PCs, a usability expert said Monday.
"That was the true strategic mistake, that they could do 'one Windows' on both tablets and PCs," said Jakob Nielsen, a usability expert with nearly 80 U.S. patents to his name. Nielsen, half of the consulting firm Nielsen Norman Group, was formerly a top-level engineer with Sun Microsystems, and has a Ph.D. in human-computer interaction.


Windows 8 UI 'strategic mistake,' argues design guru | Microsoft Windows - InfoWorld

He called it right! You don't put a Tablet gui on a new Desktop OS! You develop a new Desktop touchscreen capable gui if you want to see touchscreen support improved on even further. MS simply took a shortcut and called it the next new version!