Windows 8 "Release Preview" Released

[Brds7t7]

Well after having it installed for a week in a VM it's now been deleted from my PC. Even with the Classic Shell Start Menu which did improve it a little, I'm still not interested.

I will be sticking with Windows 7 for a long time, love it!

 

[Night Hawk]

The CP went right onto VM Player here but not the RP for some reason while trying to get it installed there as well as a second OS drive I have here.

I still want to get familiar with the other things 8 will be bringing in with it. But from the main opinions expressed by most 8 is a larger "turn off" then the initial reactions seen with Vista over being too large an OS!

The installation time was also much more like was seen between XP and Vista time wise while 7 still remains the OS that installs as fast as many Linux distros! The Classic Shell is a large help for running it while the compatibility issues being run into as far as Vista/7 compatible apps like those for MS mice and keyboards as well as other devices does lack while 7 was where MS pressured the OEMs to have drivers available! Strike One!

For those running multiple displays like I do having both UltraMon and DisplayFusion only one so far has introduced an 8 compatible release of their program(DisplayFusion) while UltraMon is preferred here. Strike Two!

And obviously the need for any 3rd party app just to run the newer version on a desktop? "Strike Three! and you're out of there!" That kind of sums up the majority of opinions about 8 so far.

 

[nitroman84]

The more I look at Windows 8 the more it just seems like a really bad joke by Microsoft. Sadly that's not the case here, at least they gave us 7 before they decided to go off the deep end.

 

[Night Hawk]

How about a look at the latest ZDNet article on 8?! The title alone would seem to sum things up! Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster

You'll find a nice photo of what the new "desktop"? pc is supposed to look like!

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
If I read something in the document that says I can't find any of my apps then I KNOW that the rest of the document is utter rubbish. Just a litte bit of organisation and it's fine. (I have reservations though in common with a lot of other people).

The apps I use generally every day I have on the quick launch toolbar -- just like I always did with XP and W7. Others I use sometimes I just send over to the desktop.

I don't need or want the metro stuff at all on a laptop.

Remember the classic start menu can be just as hideous and complex to use if you've loads and loads of applications with menus, sub menus, sub sub menus etc.

I can give you one reason though while in its current form W8 will NEVER be seen inside a serious workplace -- the whole notion that professional office / I.T workers do everything in full screen mode with only one screen showing at a time (or possibly 2 if you use 2 monitors) is totally and utterly absurd in the extreme. This is what Metro is all about (fine for phones etc).

Have you ever wanted (or had to) translate documents, compare web sites, review figures on multiple spreadsheets / workbooks etc -- to say nothing of creating presentations or entering complex data --not easily done even if possible - with a touch screen.

This type of work requires you to be able to have many windows CONCURRENTLY OPEN -- SIDE BY SIDE or at least visible on THE SAME SCREEN (or across two screens if you have dual monitors).

Some of our I.T and comms people have as many as 7 or 8 windows all open and doing obviously proper work -- they couldn't start functioning if it was all on METRO type screens.

W8 is fast -- I don't have too much problem with it -- had to change A LITTLE the way I work but I don't bother with the entire metro stuff. (Total install time from a USB stick on to SSD internal disk -- 7 Mins !!! OK I had to add my other stuff afterwards but not complaining about a 7 min base install).

Metro is fine for smart phones / tablets etc -- but a SERIOUS desktop or laptop computer where people are doing REAL work well it's not even OUTSIDE the stadium --never mind being a runner.

MS really need to have a "Desktop" - "Phone" mode for this OS if they want it to go places.

I do have to say hardware detection was first class --even on a Sony VAIO it found the dual SD / Ms Pro integral card reader -- that I had a real problem in trying to find with W7.

I'm continuing to use it basically even with the imperfections it's so much snappier than W7 which wasn't bad either -- however whether I would PAY for this OS is a moot point -- probably not but might download a TechNet version.

The absolute "Must Have" app on W8 for me is the Windows to Go where you can make a REAL RUNNING w8 system on to an external HDD / USB and use it as a real portable bootable W8 system. You can install programs etc just like on your normal Windows system and run it on any computer anywhere. -- Excellent for travelling consultants etc.

The problem is that this application will only be available on W8 Enterprise (the people who are least likely to need or use it) and the chance of many businesses using W8 are about the same as Iceland winning the next World Cup in Brazil !!


I think on this one I'll go back many many years ago to a typical "School Report" that I used to get -- tries hard and often succeeds but could do better ----

cheers
jimbo

 

[kado897]

It's schizophrenic. It doesn't know what it is.

 

[Brds7t7]

Agreed on the speed Jimbo, I have found windows 8 to be very fast and snappy on my system.
Install was very quick and boot times are the best I've had.
Also agree with you that it should have two completely separate modes, one for desktop and one for phone, tablet etc. Or maybe two completely separate editions. One made specifically for desktops and one for the tablet market. If they did that I'd probably buy it.

It just seems to have a major identity crisis, it doesn't know what it wants to be.

Like a lot of others have said it feels like windows 7 with some good features stripped out and another o/s bolted on top of it.

 

[pparks1]

I don't need or want the metro stuff at all on a laptop.

I don't want it on a desktop either. I work more from desktops than I do laptops.

I can give you one reason though while in its current form W8 will NEVER be seen inside a serious workplace -- the whole notion that professional office / I.T workers do everything in full screen mode with only one screen showing at a time (or possibly 2 if you use 2 monitors) is totally and utterly absurd in the extreme. This is what Metro is all about (fine for phones etc).

It's absolutely a rarity that I ever have an application open full screen on my work computer, even with multimonitor. The only reason I tolerate it on my phone is because the display is so small.

W8 is fast -- I don't have too much problem with it -- had to change A LITTLE the way I work but I don't bother with the entire metro stuff.

I gotta sit down with a couple of my test boxes and time this out. In a virtualized environment, I haven't really noticed any speed improvements.

The absolute "Must Have" app on W8 for me is the Windows to Go where you can make a REAL RUNNING w8 system on to an external HDD / USB and use it as a real portable bootable W8 system. You can install programs etc just like on your normal Windows system and run it on any computer anywhere. -- Excellent for travelling consultants etc.

Seems like traveling consultants would still want to haul around a laptop/netbook to ensure everything would work than hauling around an external hard drive and hope the other end had a spare workstation that would indeed boot from the external USB device.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi pparks
I'd still take my own laptop. The "To go" stuff is for those cases where even when you get issued a company laptop they don't have all the tools or too many really old releases of stuff like Office or Office say in a totally different language to what you are used to.

Also for programs like Photoshop etc which is a pain to install on too many laptops. Booting from a USB device is no prob either - a 2.5 inch old laptop drive is nothing difficult to carry around -- all I use is a USB==>sata cable and just plug the device into the machine's USB. Laptops for YEARS now have had USB bootability.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Borg 386]

And you won't even be able to watch DVD's either unless you pony up some $$$$

Physical discs took another step toward extinction late Thursday after Microsoft announced that DVD playback will not be available by default on Windows 8. The new move adds another wrinkle to Microsoft's previous disclosure that Windows Media Center, the company's PC-based entertainment hub software, would not be included in default configurations of Windows 8. Windows Media Player will continue to be offered in all versions of Windows 8, but without DVD playback capability.

Users looking to play discs on a Windows 8 machine will either have to pay Microsoft by upgrading their copy of Windows 8 to include Windows Media Center, find a third-party alternative, or rely on device manufacturers to bundle disc playback software with new devices.

Microsoft did not say how much Windows 8's DVD playback upgrade would cost other than to say it would be "in line with marginal costs."

Windows 8 Dumps Default DVD Playback | PCWorld

Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster | ZDNet

 

[essenbe]

I just uninstalled Windoze 8. Before it come out I will be doing a new build with Windows 7. Might even get it cheaper if I wait long enough, but I doubt it.

 

[jimbo45]

And you won't even be able to watch DVD's either unless you pony up some $$$$

Physical discs took another step toward extinction late Thursday after Microsoft announced that DVD playback will not be available by default on Windows 8. The new move adds another wrinkle to Microsoft's previous disclosure that Windows Media Center, the company's PC-based entertainment hub software, would not be included in default configurations of Windows 8. Windows Media Player will continue to be offered in all versions of Windows 8, but without DVD playback capability.

Users looking to play discs on a Windows 8 machine will either have to pay Microsoft by upgrading their copy of Windows 8 to include Windows Media Center, find a third-party alternative, or rely on device manufacturers to bundle disc playback software with new devices.

Microsoft did not say how much Windows 8's DVD playback upgrade would cost other than to say it would be "in line with marginal costs."

Windows 8 Dumps Default DVD Playback | PCWorld

Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster | ZDNet

Hi there

c'mon guy -- what planet do you actually live on.

If you need a DVD playing app try vlc -- FREE and works on nearly whatever codec is thrown at it.

VideoLAN - VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS!

W8 might have faults but this is not one of them.

cheers
jimbo

 

[essenbe]

And you won't even be able to watch DVD's either unless you pony up some $$$$

Physical discs took another step toward extinction late Thursday after Microsoft announced that DVD playback will not be available by default on Windows 8. The new move adds another wrinkle to Microsoft's previous disclosure that Windows Media Center, the company's PC-based entertainment hub software, would not be included in default configurations of Windows 8. Windows Media Player will continue to be offered in all versions of Windows 8, but without DVD playback capability.

Users looking to play discs on a Windows 8 machine will either have to pay Microsoft by upgrading their copy of Windows 8 to include Windows Media Center, find a third-party alternative, or rely on device manufacturers to bundle disc playback software with new devices.

Microsoft did not say how much Windows 8's DVD playback upgrade would cost other than to say it would be "in line with marginal costs."

Windows 8 Dumps Default DVD Playback | PCWorld

Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster | ZDNet

Hi there

c'mon guy -- what planet do you actually live on.

If you need a DVD playing app try vlc -- FREE and works on nearly whatever codec is thrown at it.

VideoLAN - VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS!

W8 might have faults but this is not one of them.

cheers
jimbo

Wait a minute. I am going to buy an OS I don't like, install a bunch of extra programs and configure them, to get it to where it does not look and act like an I phone, then find other programs just so it will do what I want it to do. Jump through all these hoops just to get it to work like what I already have. And you want to know what Planet I live on?

 

[windude99]

And you won't even be able to watch DVD's either unless you pony up some $$$$

Windows 8 Dumps Default DVD Playback | PCWorld

Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster | ZDNet

Hi there

c'mon guy -- what planet do you actually live on.

If you need a DVD playing app try vlc -- FREE and works on nearly whatever codec is thrown at it.

VideoLAN - VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS!

W8 might have faults but this is not one of them.

cheers
jimbo

Wait a minute. I am going to buy an OS I don't like, install a bunch of extra programs and configure them, to get it to where it does not look and act like an I phone, then find other programs just so it will do what I want it to do. Jump through all these hoops just to get it to work like what I already have. And you want to know what Planet I live on?

I couldn't have said that better myself. Microsoft needs to learn to listen to their customers instead of ignoring them and trying to do what Apple and Google do best.

 

[windude99]

I will probably get a 1 year Technet subscription so I can have 10 copies of Windows 7 and more for $349.99. It's a great deal and I would have plenty of copies of Windows 7 for a long time.

 

[Brds7t7]

10 copies for $350? Wow that's about £220 that's a bargain. Which version is that for? I'd pay that for 5 licences!

 

[windude99]

10 copies for $350? Wow that's about £220 that's a bargain. Which version is that for? I'd pay that for 5 licences!

It's either pro or Enterprise. I'm pretty sure it's Enterprise, but don't take my word for it. The technet subscription if for one year, but the licenses for windows will still activate after your subscription has expired.

 

[pparks1]

Wait a minute. I am going to buy an OS I don't like, install a bunch of extra programs and configure them, to get it to where it does not look and act like an I phone, then find other programs just so it will do what I want it to do. Jump through all these hoops just to get it to work like what I already have. And you want to know what Planet I live on?

I agree completely. I'm not drinking the Microsoft Koolaid this time around. Windows 8 is still a complete skip for me. No advantages for my use whatsoever.

 

[pparks1]

10 copies for $350? Wow that's about £220 that's a bargain. Which version is that for? I'd pay that for 5 licences!

Technet subscription. TechNet Subscriptions: TechNet subscribers get TechNet downloads and product keys, support, and more | Subscribe to TechNet Subscriptions

There is a standard sub ($199 for 1st year) and a professional sub ($349 for 1st year). Most people here would not require the professional sub, which just includes some of the enterprise versions of software (enterprise Exchange, SQL, Server 2008R2) and Microsoft Dynamics.

For $199, you get 2 keys per product (it used to be 10). These are retail keys and can be activated multiple times. You get keys for every version of Windows, for example 7 Home Premium, 7 Home Starter, 7 Ultimate, Vista Ultimate, Vista Home Premium. In addition, you get keys for Server 2008/2008R2....as well as keys for Microsoft Office (2003/2007/2010).

 

[pparks1]

10 copies for $350? Wow that's about £220 that's a bargain. Which version is that for? I'd pay that for 5 licences!

Technet subscription. TechNet Subscriptions: TechNet subscribers get TechNet downloads and product keys, support, and more | Subscribe to TechNet Subscriptions

There is a standard sub ($199 for 1st year) and a professional sub ($349 for 1st year). Most people here would not require the professional sub, which just includes some of the enterprise versions of software (enterprise Exchange, SQL, Server 2008R2) and Microsoft Dynamics.

For $199, you get 2 keys per product (it used to be 10). These are retail keys and can be activated multiple times. You get keys for every version of Windows, for example 7 Home Premium, 7 Home Starter, 7 Ultimate, Vista Ultimate, Vista Home Premium. In addition, you get keys for Server 2008/2008R2....as well as keys for Microsoft Office (2003/2007/2010).

The product is an absolute steal and is the reason the # of keys were cut. People were buying Technet for $349 and then selling all of the keys and making a killing. MS stepped in to try to curb the behavior.

But for the average home user, who uses Microsoft software, it's one of the best spent $199 possible