Official: Windows 8 Release Preview Now Out

[Zaap]

Wishful thinking. I'd get ready to learn Linux!

Been there, done that with Linux. Although I do predict a good number of people will be doing just that.

I'll be sticking with 7, and using OSX a lot more (prefer it more and more anyway) until Microsoft comes down from their acid trip.

My advice: buy Apple stock! Apple's going to be laughing at MS all the way to the bank once again, with this colosal blunder. Might as well get in on the profits to be had.

 

[HeXen]

Been there, done that with Linux. Although I do predict a good number of people will be doing just that.

its a good opportunity for a company to do with Linux for the laptop what Google did with it on phones. desktops are mostly dead.
The issue with the idea that more will move to linux is that its not very commercialized nor much commercial applications and games and confusions over which distro to choose and THEN re learn a new OS and drop their bad Windows habits....habits die hard.

i like Linux n all. but no matter how hard i try, i often find myself frustrated over not knowing how to do something thanks to too much Windows use. I also find the App naming schemes confusing...they like Acronyms which is lame and doesn't really tell you what the application does.
Like how does an acronym like Gimp, just to look at the App icon and name tell someone its a photo editor? it doesn't really less you know what it stands for. But mainly breaking away from Windows apps people adore would be next to impossible. That's why Dell failed during the Vista days with their Ubuntu OEM desktops and even Netbooks navigated away from Linux as quickly as possible it seemed.

 

[thescreensavers]

i rather liked Stardocks startmenu. reminds me of what Linux mint did to gnome 3

Thats much better then the one I was using, I can select what Win Logo does. So I can get out of metro apps and such

 

[gmaster456]

I really don't think they could make the desktop side any more hideous.

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-secrets-desktop-theme-143447

 

[Rezident]

They are asking me, a desktop user, to pay for their future in tablet sales while also telling me that my days are numbered when they remove support for "legacy" applications on the desktop in a future Windows version.

Which is why some of us will not be supporting Windows 8.

 

[Wyndru]

I really don't think they could make the desktop side any more hideous.

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-secrets-desktop-theme-143447

It's like they are reverting back to flat colors and shapes on windows. And it looks like un-rounded corners on buttons and windows are back.

 

[dagamer34]

Which is why some of us will not be supporting Windows 8.

Part of me really scratches my head when people basically say that useless transparency effects that steal 1-4% of battery life are preferred over a much cleaner design.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Part of me really scratches my head when people basically say that useless transparency effects that steal 1-4% of battery life are preferred over a much cleaner design.

1% more battery life is useless and a worthwhile sacrifice for a good design like Aero.

A lack of design is not a good or clean design.

 

[lifeblood]

Part of me really scratches my head when people basically say that useless transparency effects that steal 1-4% of battery life are preferred over a much cleaner design.

1-4% battery life is worth it on a tablet and I understand MS doing this. On my desktop I don't use a battery and don't want to loose Aero. The problem is MS forcing this on desktop users. I don't like it and won't buy it. If enough people agree with me then MS will either loose the desktop market or change their ways. Personally I prefer the latter.

 

[hoorah]

I don't expect my phone to be able to do everything my desktop PC can, so why should they share the same UI? Just so Average Joe won't feel intimidated when he shops for PC's at Best Buy?

Actually, yes. Thats where the money is - in number of units sold. Not saying I particularly like it, but if I could sell my product to 10 highly educated enthusiasts or 200 newbies that just want to take a picture of themselves doing a duckface and putting it on facebook.....

I wouldn't be happy about who I sold to, but at least I'd have their money.

 

[Zaap]

Actually, yes. Thats where the money is - in number of units sold. Not saying I particularly like it, but if I could sell my product to 10 highly educated enthusiasts or 200 newbies that just want to take a picture of themselves doing a duckface and putting it on facebook.....

I wouldn't be happy about who I sold to, but at least I'd have their money.

The problem with this is, Microsoft is on the wrong side of the 'units sold' equation here.

It remains a hoop dream that they're going to sell more Surfaces than iPads, or anything even remotely close to make up for what they're going to lose on the business and consumer side of dicking up Windows.

Apple is the one selling to 200 newbies, and MS to 10 enthusiasts in this equation, not the other way around.


Also, if we're talking number of units sold, Windows Phone (part of the same "dumb it down" philosophy as W8) sure does prove MS's track record of selling to the 200 newbies side of the equation vs. the 10 enthusiasts.. ..err.. wait... nope, make that the opposite.

 

[Munky]

Actually, yes. Thats where the money is - in number of units sold. Not saying I particularly like it, but if I could sell my product to 10 highly educated enthusiasts or 200 newbies that just want to take a picture of themselves doing a duckface and putting it on facebook.....

I wouldn't be happy about who I sold to, but at least I'd have their money.

That strategy can backfire on them. By shifting their focus to the newbies, they're competing with the core Apple audience, who may or may not convert to Windows 8. But it's practically guaranteed that the educated enthusiast will reject Windows 8 if MS keeps trying to forcefeed the dumbed down UI on everyone.

 

[hoorah]

Apple is the one selling to 200 newbies, and MS to 10 enthusiasts in this equation, not the other way around.

No argument there. I'm just saying that microsoft is trying to be the one selling 200 units like apple is doing now, possibly at the expense of hurting their core customers.

Also, if we're talking number of units sold, Windows Phone (part of the same "dumb it down" philosophy as W8) sure does prove MS's track record of selling to the 200 newbies side of the equation vs. the 10 enthusiasts.. ..err.. wait... nope, make that the opposite.

Again, I agree, it didn't do well. Not sure if its just that the interface didn't catch on, or that they were too late to the party, or that they didn't market well - who knows? They were still trying to sell to the entry level though.

 

[hoorah]

That strategy can backfire on them. By shifting their focus to the newbies, they're competing with the core Apple audience, who may or may not convert to Windows 8. But it's practically guaranteed that the educated enthusiast will reject Windows 8 if MS keeps trying to forcefeed the dumbed down UI on everyone.

I agree that it has the chance to backfire on them, sure. I'm sure a big part of microsoft's customer base is also not interested in switching to a different platform, and will use whatever version of windows is shoved in front of them. Which will win out? I suppose it will be interesting to find out.....

But I think you're right though, they are definitely going to try to compete with Apple for that newbie audience. Not sure if they plan on trying to take people already invested in apple (not likely) or if they're hoping to scoop up those 'coming of age' customers that have yet to pick a tablet and are generally behind the trend technologically, but they're definitely targeting the crowd that uses a set of apps they can count on one hand.

I'm no apple fan, but you've got a company selling $600 tablets to people that have had no interest in owning a computer before, and thats a big market.

Personally I think the microsoft surface is pretty darn cool, and I wouldn't be surprised if their future strategy has all of the eggs in that basket, at least on the consumer side.

 

[neilm]

I've been waiting for Windows 8 being released so I can build a new system. However it seems like the majority are planning to avoid this version, and I'm probably in the same boat because Metro just looks hidious (don't know anything about the technical side yet).

Just hoping there's some hidden news that MS has been working around the clock for us desktop users, or is the mobile interface here to stay on the PC?

 

[Snoop]

I've been waiting for Windows 8 being released so I can build a new system. However it seems like the majority are planning to avoid this version, and I'm probably in the same boat because Metro just looks hidious (don't know anything about the technical side yet).

Just hoping there's some hidden news that MS has been working around the clock for us desktop users, or is the mobile interface here to stay on the PC?

It is here to stay. Hopefully MS will bend a bit and allow Desktop/power users to avoid the tablet interface but I think that is literally years away and is not being considered at this point. This will only change if Win 8 tanks.

The management at MS made a decision to force users to become comfortable with their cross platform hybrid interface and presumably they are betting on this making people more likely to stick within the MS phone/tablet/pc environment.

I have to admit, after using windows 8 for a while I was convinced they were going to fail because of how awful the metro interface felt. Though I am starting to waiver on my initial opinion. Not that Metro is still not awful, because it is, but I just think the resolve with which MS is going about the change and the stranglehold on the desktop environment will make it happen whether people like it or not.

 

[joutlaw]

After installing Windows 8 and Server 2012, I have no plans to push for this upgrade. We are just migrating our users from XP to 7. That change is blowing their minds enough. They would be lost in Windows 8. To me, it feels like Microsoft gambling on pushing their core users towards their mobile offering with this interface. Windows 8 RT is not what I was hoping for. We need more than ActiveSync like device management for us to make it our sole tablet offering.

They pushed this so hard at TechEd and I just feel it will be a flop. We skipped Vista and I feel we will skip Windows 8.

 

[neilm]

Thanks for your thoughts! I also feel they are "forcing" it onto desktop users, because the alternative is giving us the option, and if that was the case then very few would actually use Metro... therefore it wouldn't be seen as a success story if most turned their backs on it, plus they get extra testing from the more technical aware users. Farce.

Now I'm unsure what to do; go with a new build and install Win7 (which interface may be retiring in all future Windows), install Linux, or buy the more expensive Mac. Not an easy choice... thanks to MS for being morons.

 

[Munky]

Thanks for your thoughts! I also feel they are "forcing" it onto desktop users, because the alternative is giving us the option, and if that was the case then very few would actually use Metro... therefore it wouldn't be seen as a success story if most turned their backs on it, plus they get extra testing from the more technical aware users. Farce.

Now I'm unsure what to do; go with a new build and install Win7 (which interface may be retiring in all future Windows), install Linux, or buy the more expensive Mac. Not an easy choice... thanks to MS for being morons.

Win7 is going to be supported for a while, and if the backlash against Metro is any indicator, it will do to Windows 8 what XP did to Vista -meaning people will go as far as pay extra to stick with the tried and true OS as opposed to caving to whatever crap MS decides to forcefeed people.

Just because the knuckleheads at MS decided everyone should use a desktop PC like a tablet toy doesn't mean they're right while all the users protesting are wrong. MS will learn eventually, even if it takes a few years. They learned not to stick a desktop UI on a mobile phone, and they will eventually learn the reverse.

 

[Pretty Cool]

What it looks like Microsoft is doing is having the casual/fun/afterhours stuff appear on the desktop when booting is finished. Then if you need to do serious computing stuff, you hit the desktop tile which takes you to the regular desktop Windows.

Actually, I see nothing wrong with this approach especially if the Metro apps gets better, and of course there are more of them. Metro apps look very nice and can take advantage of larger screens. For me, Metro even works fine with a mouse.

Once you get done with the simple apps and need to get work done, you can go to the desktop and pretty much stay there if you like. Worrying now about the lack of a Start Menu is needless in my opinion. I expect there will be 3rd parties that will bring something close to the old Start Menu.

Even if they do not, you can create you own application launcher by just creating a new toolbar onto your taskbar and adding whatever shortcuts and/or folders you want. Somebody should just create a program that does this for you. It would be easy too since all you need to do is create folders and shortcuts.

If Metro made Window 8 much slower compared to 7, then that would be a legitimate complaint. I am waiting to see final benchmarks, but it seems like 8 roughly equal or better than 7. I already know that 8 took only a few minutes to install and boots quickly.

So to me right now, there are no deal-breakers as far as using Windows 8 is concerned. Of course, I will have to wait until RTM to see if about bugs or compatibility issues.

 

[id09542]

OMG, this is humorous to read. This same discussion took place when Win7 came out. Anyone bale from Win7 like they said they would?

I'll give this a shake for awhile before I give an opinion.

 

[Pretty Cool]

Not sure if the substitutes will work with the RTM, but I saw one program that puts a Start Menu in Metro mode. Do not see the point of that one though. There are more alternatives for the desktop mode. I like Classic Shell and hope that it works when RTM is released.

For those who refuse to even click one single tile in Metro to get to the desktop, you could put the Desktop tile as the 1st tile in the upper left corner. Then when you log in, after you type in your password: hold down the ENTER key. This will lead you directly to the desktop mode.

Obviously, it will be up to developers to create casual Metro apps that are interesting enough for people to use everyday.

 

[tommo123]

OMG, this is humorous to read. This same discussion took place when Win7 came out. Anyone bale from Win7 like they said they would?

I'll give this a shake for awhile before I give an opinion.

win7 was being praised IIRC. i don't recall anyone saying they'd bail on it. i've been happy with win7 and vista before that (it was good IMO)

not even going to try win8 unless i can get a classic start menu up. i'm not moving to a new OS that's less efficient. it negates any performance benefits it offers

 

[Zaap]

Yeah, people are applying selective memory to cover for MS.
Windows 7 was widely praised, and people started using and liking it from the RC on. It brought MS's OS sales numbers back from the dead because even business users flocked to it.

Meanwhile, this current mess rivals ME for inspiring full-out hatred from people that don't generally even care about OS's.

 

[NetGuySC]

OMG, this is humorous to read. This same discussion took place when Win7 came out. Anyone bale from Win7 like they said they would?

I'll give this a shake for awhile before I give an opinion.

Before windows 8, I would agree with this statement when Microosft rolled out a new OS, but Windows 8 is different. I'm not the smartest person here at Anandtech, and I've only used a multitude of oparting systems since my atari 400, but win 8 is just unusable to me. I loaded it in a virtual machine several time, trying to learn it. I then decided that maybe it would be best if it was my true system os, that I may would get a true impression from it. To me it is unusable. I thought $40 to upgrade was a great price until I tried to use it this past week. At this point, I would not even pirate windows 8.

I want to see windows 8 to be accepted, but I'm not very confidentr that it will.