Windows 8.1 Preview is here

[Audioaficionado]

They put the start button back on the task bar to give you hope... Still takes you to the tiles Lol

Microsoft is being stubborn about making every one dance to its newest music.

Well as a geek I have plenty of other options.

 

[dudleycpa]

Let's hope that MS can and will get itself together on 8.1. Had high hopes for 8.1 now I'm wondering if they weren't overly optimistic.

As much as I dislike admitting it - I'm starting to think that Win7 should be someone's first recommendation, then Win 8.1(?).

IIRC - Win 8.1 was suppose to be "completed" for/by July 2013.

 

[c627627]

I'm starting to think that Win7 should be someone's first recommendation, then Win 8.1(?).

But [Windows 8 + Classic Shell] IS Windows 7+ so why Windows 7 when there should be no difference between Windows 7 and [Windows 8 + Classic Shell]. You boot into Windows 7-looking Windows 8 and you have the option of SHIFT + Start Menu Button to get into Metro. You don't like Metro? Never press SHIFT + Start Menu Button then. And there's your Windows 7+.


Start Menu button + option to boot into Desktop was supposed to guarantee Windows 8.1 puts an end to Windows 7. Since clearly this did not happen, just how is 8.1 supposed to address concerns about 8? Most come down to having an OPTION of a full Desktop Start Menu.

 

[dudleycpa]

But [Windows 8 + Classic Shell] IS Windows 7+ so why Windows 7 when there should be no difference between Windows 7 and [Windows 8 + Classic Shell]. You boot into Windows 7-looking Windows 8 and you have the option of SHIFT + Start Menu Button to get into Metro. You don't like Metro? Never press SHIFT + Start Menu Button then. And there's your Windows 7+.


Start Menu button + option to boot into Desktop was supposed to guarantee Windows 8.1 puts an end to Windows 7. Since clearly this did not happen, just how is 8.1 supposed to address concerns about 8? Most come down to having an OPTION of a full Desktop Start Menu.

Thanks for the informative information. So, Windows 8.1 is really Windows 7+ - if that's the case then that would make more sense.

I know this isn't a fair question - will Direct X support be better in Win 8 vs Win 7? In other words will Direct X 12 only be supported in Win 8?

Thanks again for posting!

 

[Coty0010]

I'm downloading this now... I don't have gamer internet so It's going to take it's time lol...

I don't care about new features, I'm hoping it'll work on my brothers desktop properly... Or at least actually get the off board graphics to work on it... Classic shell or Start8 is all you need to make windows 8 3x better than windows 7

 

[c627627]

Absolutely. The entire Windows 8 "problem" should only apply to our computer illiterate friends and cousins. Not us. Whenever someone says program X does not work on Windows 8 and we do a search for program X on Windows 8, chances are good you will find that it is a user-related problem, not an OS-related problem.


Since you are posting here, you are by definition computer literate, always choose Windows 8, over Windows 7 but of course, immediately install this freeware
http://sourceforge.net/projects/classicshell/files/
[Why pay for alternatives when Classic Shell is free and most customizable.]

Then do this:




How about a Windows 7 button? Here it is:


Classic Shell has an option for you to use any custom button, even ugly ones, I made this Windows XP button myself from scratch:

 

[c627627]

...and remember, SHIFT + Start Menu Button gets you back into full Windows 8 Metro whenever you want. So that is why [Windows 8 + Classic Shell] = Windows 7+.

You will make your choices but for illustration, this what I see immediately upon booting my Windows 8 if I click on my Windows 8 Start Menu button:

Spoiler

 

[SteveLord]

Blaming users for all of Windows 8's problems is the equivalent of me saying that since a game runs perfect on my PC, anyone else experiencing issues is either an idiot or they don't take care of their PC. Let's just apply that logic to overclocking too while we're at it.

 

[dudleycpa]

Thanks Again!

Win 8 and Win Xp (only mentioned Win Xp since it apparently is "nice to have"). Unsure if it really is "needed" then again I can't imagine why someone won't want to have a dual-boot option.

IF that is true is it accurate to say that it doesn't matter if Win Xp is 32bit or 64bit?

Or for "true" compatibility does Win Xp need to be 64bit as well?

 

[Coty0010]

^nah, windows xp x64 doesn't really have anything going for it that vista x64 can't do compatibility wise... It's only there to boost ram capabilities with XP.

Blaming users for all of Windows 8's problems is the equivalent of me saying that since a game runs perfect on my PC, anyone else experiencing issues is either an idiot or they don't take care of their PC. Let's just apply that logic to overclocking too while we're at it.

^ Not blaming, we're saying that all of the "problems" can be fixed with 5 minuets of Google. But instead, people want to complain about it not being exactly as they think it should be out of the box, rather than tinkering with it. As geeks we don't have an excuse for not using 5 mins of google to solve our "problems" since we do this almost every day anyway. But, like I said, we choose to complain and not do squat about it.

 

[dudleycpa]

^ Not blaming, we're saying that all of the "problems" can be fixed with 5 minuets of Google. But instead, people want to complain about it not being exactly as they think it should be out of the box, rather than tinkering with it. As geeks we don't have an excuse for not using 5 mins of google to solve our "problems" since we do this almost every day anyway. But, like I said, we choose to complain and not do squat about it.

WE "geeks" - if it's NOT broken then tweak it!

 

[Coty0010]

We geeks -

for(int i=0;i==0;i=0)
{
  if(system[x]==broken)
   //fix it
  else
   //tweak it
}

 

[Audioaficionado]

WE "geeks" - if it's NOT broken then tweak it!

I prefer: "If it ain't broken, then fix it until it is!"

 

[c627627]

IF that is true is it accurate to say that it doesn't matter if Win Xp is 32bit or 64bit?

You would want to go with Windows XP 32-Bit for wider (older) hardware/software compatibility.

32-Bit Windows XP is a must in any multi-boot configuration .

 

[dudleycpa]

You would want to go with Windows XP 32-Bit for wider (older) hardware/software compatibility.

32-Bit Windows XP is a must in any multi-boot configuration .

Thank You! I'm not sure what hardware/software compatibility.

Have a family member and I know that they might be pulling the trigger soon. Then again I'm not sure if he's "force-sensitive" enough to realize the benefit of dual-booting.

Thanks Again.

 

[Qlix]

this what I see immediately upon booting my Windows 8 if I click on my Windows 8 Start Menu button:

i dont wanna be a nay sayer but does it really look that bad?

 

[Ajay57]

Try reading post 20 of this thead Qlix then you may get a better idea of Win 8 or Win 8.1!

 

['Cuda340]

For anyone interested ISO files are available now:

Download


First post has been edited.

 

[c627627]

Thank you 'Cuda340. It would be interesting to hear what people say about any new features.

i dont wanna be a nay sayer but does it really look that bad?

That is exactly the point. The notion that they said that we can't have a Start Menu, that we can't have one click Reboot/Shut down like we used to [as an option, just an option] - that's what made me go all the way in re-instating the full "ugliness" of the old days. Of course the big picture is that it can be very quickly replaced with *anything* you want.

Customization is KEY to whoever knocks out Microsoft, Adobe, Symantec.. eventually. Customization options is what the new guys will give us and then they'll take over.

 

[Qlix]

I mean im probably being overly critical, and i dont wanna take away from someones custom work, but in my opinion (worth about as much as a grain of salt) that doesnt look very good. Visuals are everything to me. Can i make Classic Shell look exactly like my W7 desktop/startmenu?