Windows 8 Dev Preview

[Dahak]

Seen this over at DailyTech. You can download a Developer Preview of Windows 8 starting tonight.

The biggest news, however, is that general consumers can download the Windows 8 Developer Preview starting TONIGHT at 8:00 PM Pacific Time at the following link. The developer preview will run on both 32-bit (can't we kill you already??!!) and 64-bit x86 computers. No activation will be required for those that choose to install the software, but you will need a Windows Live ID to initiate the download

The link to the download site will be at http://dev.windows.com/

At least this way everyone will be able to see what this Metro UI will be like

 

[GTaudiophile]

I assume a touch-screen is recommended?

Am I the only one who thinks this touch-screen stuff is not ideal for the desktop PC? I just can't envision myself touching and manipulating my screen in Photoshop, games, etc. to do what I want to do. Phones, tablets, sure! Desktop? Not for me. But I might be the only one.

 

[GTaudiophile]

BTW, Engadget has a nice wrap-up of the latest Win8 developments.

 

[JackMDS]

This site has the Keynote presentation.

It would start at the 1:07 hour time mark (the hour before is just the pre-show standby).

Takes two hours therafter.

Very good comprehensive presentation of Software and hardware that is to be Windows 8.

http://www.buildwindows.com/

 

[T101]

Windows 8 is in pre-beta and I already dislike the whole metro concept. It feels like OS X is giving you more freedom to work as you want, and set up how things are to look and work....

 

[blurredvision]

I assume a touch-screen is recommended?

Am I the only one who thinks this touch-screen stuff is not ideal for the desktop PC? I just can't envision myself touching and manipulating my screen in Photoshop, games, etc. to do what I want to do. Phones, tablets, sure! Desktop? Not for me. But I might be the only one.

If you have a tablet, switch to the touchscreen UI. If you have a regular desktop, switch to the normal, well-known desktop UI. They supposedly interchange seamlessly. I'm curious to see how it looks myself.

That's one thing I'm not liking about all of these previews, is that they are not properly describing how Microsoft is aiming Windows 8. They are quite literally building it for everything, and so far, it seems like they are heading in the right direction.

It looks like they've put up the dev preview early though, I'm already downloading at a pretty good clip. I'm hoping this will install in a virtual session without any issues.

 

[JackMDS]

Hmm.. You do not need to use the metro if you do not like it.

As seen and mentioned in the presentation every thing that works on Win 7 works Win 8 and One can switch to Regular desktop work.

Millions of people who use iPads and Androids Tablets voted for Touch interface and that is what the Metro Provides.

Downloads are available here, http://dev.windows.com

 

[Skel]

Dev link is up for those wanting to download the preview

 

[CKTurbo128]

The ASUS EP121 slate should make a great testing platform for the Windows 8 preview. Downloading now!

 

[blurredvision]

Trying to install the 64-bit non-SDK version in a VMware virtual session. I see the screen that says "Windows Developer Preview" for a few seconds, then the machine powers down.

EDIT: Burned that .iso to disc and it won't boot past that same screen. Either my hardware or something wrong with the image I downloaded. I've got the other two builds downloading just to trial and see how they work. Guess I'll let them download overnight and mess with it in the morning.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

Thanks for posting this, i started checking it out and it's fascinating!

This site has the Keynote presentation.

It would start at the 1:07 hour time mark (the hour before is just the pre-show standby).

Takes two hours therafter.

Very good comprehensive presentation of Software and hardware that is to be Windows 8.

http://www.buildwindows.com/

 

[ViRGE]

Hmm.. You do not need to use the metro if you do not like it.

As seen and mentioned in the presentation every thing that works on Win 7 works Win 8 and One can switch to Regular desktop work.

Millions of people who use iPads and Androids Tablets voted for Touch interface and that is what the Metro Provides.

Downloads are available here, http://dev.windows.com

You can only avoid Metro when using non-Metro applications, and you boot up into it regardless. Plus the Start Menu is gone.

It's very Mac OS Classic - a 2nd-class environment where it's clear it's for running old applications in an inefficient manner. Which isn't to knock Win8, but it's clear where MS is going and it's not to more desktop applications.

 

[FoBoT]

downloading it for real players

 

[Spikesoldier]

Trying to install the 64-bit non-SDK version in a VMware virtual session. I see the screen that says "Windows Developer Preview" for a few seconds, then the machine powers down.

EDIT: Burned that .iso to disc and it won't boot past that same screen. Either my hardware or something wrong with the image I downloaded. I've got the other two builds downloading just to trial and see how they work. Guess I'll let them download overnight and mess with it in the morning.

im installing the x64 non dev now, setup is fine until the first reboot, then after reboot hangs on windows developer preview screen with text 'setup is updating registry settings'

im sure it doesnt like my hardware or the image was borked.

edit: did a hard reboot and it completed the rest and im in.

 

[renz20003]

Ok so I downloaded and installed x64 on my old q9550 ive been playing with it for about 30 min, my thoughts:

Not easy to find the help file
Boot times are as fast as advertised
Only way I could figure out how to shut it down was pushing the power button

This early early build really stands out as an OS that should be strictly for tablets or other small form factors. Im sure MS will streamline it a bit for desktop users but clearly its geared towards the handheld market/touchscreen desktops.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

I assume a touch-screen is recommended?

Am I the only one who thinks this touch-screen stuff is not ideal for the desktop PC? I just can't envision myself touching and manipulating my screen in Photoshop, games, etc. to do what I want to do. Phones, tablets, sure! Desktop? Not for me. But I might be the only one.

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/products/touch-mouse/microsite/

I have been considering getting one of these (maybe I'll hold off for a second-gen product) but I'm guessing hordes of multi-touch mice (like the Apple Magic Trackpad) or desktop keyboards with a trackpad will soon appear on the market.

Downloading the Preview but probably won't get time to mess with it until the weekend.

 

[smartpatrol]

I'm downloading it now. I plan to install it on my old laptop - 1.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, Geforce 8400M, 1440x900 screen. I'm curious to see how snappy the performance is on some relatively modest hardware.

 

[BigToque]

Windows 7 is just about perfect in my opinion, so I really wasn't sure what to expect.

The people developing Windows 8 have lost their mind. I've been using the Developer Preview for about an hour now and I'm beyond frustrated.

I can't tell how to close programs or "Apps" as I guess they're called.
I can't tell what's open and running.
Where is the fucking Start Menu?!? How Are you supposed to launch a program?

Perhaps Metro is good for a tablet, but it's absolutely fucking garbage on a desktop!

I'm so glad I weened myself off Windows a year ago and switched to FreeBSD. This is terrible.

 

[OS]

anymore reviews, is it worth buying another SSD to use?

 

[JackMDS]

You can only avoid Metro when using non-Metro applications, and you boot up into it regardless. Plus the Start Menu is gone.

Given that it is preBeta release I would not stick much with every little detail. Some stuff will come up again later on with a more advanced releases.

In any case after an hours of work I installed small Utils that compensate for some of the missing aspects.

This post was done by using Firefox 6.02 on Win 8 Desktop Mode.


.

 

[Spicedaddy]

I'm half way through the download, hopefully it installs fine in VMware.

I think it's going to be great. Windows 8 on something like an Asus Transformer... Metro UI when you're on the move, then you dock it with kb/mouse and switch to the old desktop interface.

 

[seipheroth]

I decided to give the preview a try on my netbook. I've been tinkering around for the last 30 minutes or so, and I can't seem to get many of the apps to run. I can only access Control Panel, Desktop and Windows Explorer on the new Start screen. I can swipe from the left side of the screen, but moving the cursor to the top or right of the screen gets me nothing. The other apps just won't run for some reason. Not sure if it's because I'm only using the 32-bit version, or if there's some limitation due to using a netbook, but I'll keep tinkering around and hopefully find a solution.

Boot time is quicker, but that's the only positive for me so far. The Ribbon interface in Explorer is something I'm relatively new to since I haven't used Office much, but it seems to do a good job of giving the options I usually use. I can always collapse the Ribbon, so it's no big deal. I do like the look of the new Start screen so far. Though I find the screen to be not much different than having icons on my desktop minus the scrolling, I do like the look. I just hope the other apps start working so I can try the preview some more.

 

[OS]

fugg it..i just ordered another SSD two day air to try this on my acer C60 netbook

 

[Zaap]

Downloading it now...

May try it tomorrow on my MotionComputing LE1600 tablet just for giggles. Definitely on a spare hard drive of my desktop.

Here's to hoping I'm not going to despise it as much as I have a feeling I am based on the whole bassackward concept M$, Apple and others seem to be hellbent on that desktop computers need to start functioning more like phones/tablets, rather than phones/tablets functioning more like desktops.

 

[Subyman]

Metro apps keep locking up on my install. Windows seems to lose track of what colors I assigned to windows as well after turning on and then off the "high contrast" mode. Weather app does work, twitter app is slow, news app locked, and the control panel in metro freezes when trying to set a background. This is a very beta build, so beware.

The new task manager looks awesome though IMO, the entire thing is totally pointless for a desktop. Metro is a glorified Windows Media Center in its current condition.

No way to close apps that I can see, also how do I power down? lol this is a weird ass build...