Windows 8

[QWIKSTRIKE]

Who's running windows 8 besides me....I can tell you it boots in 15-20 seconds runs everything including SCII much smoother! I may have to get a touch screen in the future although you wont need one, it would be a nice feature to use to get that scroll from screen to screen. I hear with an SSD it boots in 7 seconds

 

[azuza001]

I am avoiding Win 8. There are just too many new "featuers" that seem more like "disadvantages" to me when it comes to using it for a desktop. It seems more like Microsofts attempt at making a Tablet environment that can also be run on laptops/desktops than they actually developed it with desktops / laptops in mind.

 

[Knufire]

Look at everything on the market, phones, tablets, laptops. Everything's moving towards that type of interface.

 

[QWIKSTRIKE]

I am avoiding Win 8. There are just too many new "featuers" that seem more like "disadvantages" to me when it comes to using it for a desktop. It seems more like Microsofts attempt at making a Tablet environment that can also be run on laptops/desktops than they actually developed it with desktops / laptops in mind.

Which features are those......the fact that it boots in 15-20 seconds or 7 seconds with a SSD is all that I needed to know. So far it works way better than Windows 7 64, and you can use mouse or key board. The phone and PC will be unified with tablets, and no splintering of user interface.

 

[rescuetoaster]

I am using it on my laptop. So far, I'm not super impressed.

It is extremely fast, and that much I like, but I don't understand the point of the interface. I mean, I get that they are targeting touch interface devices, but the thing is that touch interface is awful for actual computing.

So far the UI is very convoluted, and if they don't implement a way to force W7 UI, I won't be getting it. Why do I need to swipe up on the lock screen, only to end up getting a different lockscreen to enter my password? Why is there a giant home screen I have to go to to get to what is essentially the start menu with GIGANTIC icons? It didn't make things easier, it just made things more hidden and unnecessary.

 

[QWIKSTRIKE]

I am using it on my laptop. So far, I'm not super impressed.

It is extremely fast, and that much I like, but I don't understand the point of the interface. I mean, I get that they are targeting touch interface devices, but the thing is that touch interface is awful for actual computing.

So far the UI is very convoluted, and if they don't implement a way to force W7 UI, I won't be getting it.

Then I guess you will be going Apple! I see we have the same CPU and stats so to speak..... I modded my Antec case with the 200 MM Big Boy Antec fan on the side for intake, and added a top mount 140mm fan for exhaust and tested air flow with a sheet of toilet paper. lol The intake grill in the front had tp glued against the grill, side fan pulled the tp in, back dual fans expelled hot air, as did the top fan while dropping case temps 4-5C.lol

 

[EpicMango]

Look at everything on the market, phones, tablets, laptops. Everything's moving towards that type of interface.

And this is where Operating systems start to fail

OS X did this with Lion, Microsoft is doing it with Windows 8....

Basically, the best OS's of our time are almost now behind us..

 

[rescuetoaster]

I guess I will be staying with W7, and watching the Microsoft team dump the metro interface for desktops on their next OS.

My Mom is the head of the IT department in a semi-large company. She has a team testing W8 on some systems, and they so far are recommending against upgrading to it. Do you know why?
Because of the UI and issues regarding software development. Nothing of value was really added to W8 aside from a few performance updates. Development for W8 is getting gimped as well, which is another reason the team is non too happy with it. You can find more here

https://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/u3pqj

Granted that is just one example, but I would find it hard to believe many other businesses are going to pick up on a new OS that makes using software they either developed themselves or paid a ton of money to develop unusable. This is the one area where Microsoft has had no difficulty holding their ground, and if businesses don't go for it; expect it to change back fast.

 

[azuza001]

First there is the interface (like Rescuetoaster said). I really don't like it. I don't like the "show all apps" design. I don't like the look of the background. I just don't like it, and I don't like how there isn't a force old design at the moment either (again like Rescuetoaster said).

I also don't like how it's designed to always be on. Yes you can turn it off but it is not nearly as simple as it should be.

The way it deals with closing apps has me worried a bit. This could go either way, if it keeps apps running even after I've closed them in case I need it again how is that going to effect jumping from one game to another? Again, this one is more of a "concern" than a "wtf". It may not even bee a valid concern.

Also I work on a mod for Command and Conquer 3. Of course this means that some of the tools that I use were developed by other people and not official EA tools. I have not heard good things about running really old software (3DSmax 8 for example) on the previous developers versions of Win 8.

Finally this seems to me a lot like the Win XP to Win Vista setup. It wasn't needed and many just didn't do it. Compare that to the Vista to Win 7 where if you were on Vista you really wanted to go up to Win 7. I'm on Win 7 and it seems to have quite a long life ahead of it.

 

[Knufire]

You can disable the Metro UI.

1. Open regedit by typing regedit at the Start screen.

2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

3. Modify the RPEnabled key to a “0” instead of the default “1”.

4. To return to the Metro UI, just change the value back to a “1”.

Source: http://www.mstechpages.com/2011/09/14/disable-metro-in-windows-8-developer-preview/

 

[rescuetoaster]

I actually tried to do that on my laptop - I didn't have the RPEnabled entry in the registry.

I have no idea why, but it made me sad.

 

[Knufire]

It works on the Developer Preview, not the Consumer Preview.

Still looking for how to disable it on the CP.

EDIT: Try this? http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/restore-the-start-menu-and-disable-metro-ui-in-windows-8/18767

 

[azuza001]

I think that proves one of my points. As an end user we shouldn't have to do reg edits for this that makes since to all of us. Yes, we are smart enough and are able to do it but we are not 99% of the people who will be looking at this going "how do I get to the desktop?"

Microsoft needs to face it, it has used the desktop/start menu since windows 95. It's been almost 20 years, babies have grown up into full adults in the time that it's pushed the desktop/start button design.

I don't think windows 8 is the proper design if it wants to go another direction. If they are going to come out with something new there needs to be a good reason other than "something new". Designing an OS that works on tablets is fine, but is there ANY real reason why they couldn't just do the "metro" design setup as an app for Win 7? Do the win 8 thing on the tablets, and if a person wants to run the app on Win 7 then the app auto-runs the win 8 metro app and runs.

I don't know like I said I plan on skipping 8. 7 works great.

 

[Knufire]

Oh, I think a majority of people will be skipping 8. Tends to follow MS' pattern of releasing a good OS, then a terrible OS, and repeat.

However, MS has clearly stated their goals for this OS. Windows 8 isn't just a desktop operating system, it's their one and only operating system going further (for consumers). Windows 8 will be written to be able to be run on both desktops and ARM. The next Windows phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops are ALL going to be running Windows 8.

I agree that it's a terrible decision, but it seems like they're determined to follow through with it.

 

[Aldakoopa]

I couldn't get the consumer preview to work. Maybe I could download it all over again from Microsoft and it would, but I don't really feel like dealing with it.

 

[trents]

Before we trash it, maybe we should keep in mind that at this stage it's still pretty unpolished. I'm sure by the time it goes on the retail market there will be some changes made and some bugs worked out.

I've dinked around a little bit with the consumer preview and did not like the way the "Classic" interface was implemented but my biggest complaint was that it did not allow you to force the acceptance of non-Microsoft approved drivers. I've got some devices that work perfectly well in Windows 7 that I could install by overriding the nag "non-Microsoft approved" message. I'd like to continue to use in Windows 8 if they were otherwise compatible but there is no way at this point to override them.

 

[SMOR3S]

OSX is better at compiling + games are made on this platform

Linux is better for security, and overall performance + 90% of devices run Linux... hence Droid, Routers, Game server, Web Servers....

Windows is just used cause it's mainstream... Not hating, I am using Win 7 at the moment, cause I don't have $40 for a crossover, and Wine/PoL won't work half the time... Win 7 should be called Win 6.1... poc vista refix... -_- bloated as hay...

/nuff said.

 

[mjw21a]

Then I guess you will be going Apple! I see we have the same CPU and stats so to speak..... I modded my Antec case with the 200 MM Big Boy Antec fan on the side for intake, and added a top mount 140mm fan for exhaust and tested air flow with a sheet of toilet paper. lol The intake grill in the front had tp glued against the grill, side fan pulled the tp in, back dual fans expelled hot air, as did the top fan while dropping case temps 4-5C.lol

Bugger that. Linux distro's are evolving by leaps and bounds right now. I tried changing to Apple last year and the interface ticked me off about as much as Metro does.

Linux GUI's at least behave like a traditional GUI.

 

[Knufire]

I've recently started using a Macbook within the past 6 months. While there is a learning curve, I've found that the interface is quicker for me to use than Windows is.

 

[mjw21a]

I'll be moving to Window 8 on my HTPC since I'll be booting with XBMC on startup anyway. Boot performance is more important for that.

With my main rig, I'll probably stick with Windows 7.