Windows 8 Upgrade Details

[PowerYoga]

And yet vista was such an abortion they quickly pushed out windows 7 to replace vista. What's your point again?

 

[dagamer34]

And yet vista was such an abortion they quickly pushed out windows 7 to replace vista. What's your point again?

Quickly pushed out? Windows 7 took 3 years to develop, the normal time between Windows releases. It was not rushed in any way.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

The average person on the internet visits the following 3 sites the most: Google, Facebook, and YouTube. I'd argue that 2 of those 3 would be better as Metro apps than websites (especially Facebook because it's terribly messy). That's why Windows 8 will succeed, even on desktops/laptops.

Or lets take eBay, 23rd most popular site according to Alexa.com. It looks far better as a Metro app than a website: http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2011/12/windows_8_ebay.jpg

That looks just great for folks that only go to one website at a time. My issue isn't necessarily with apps. My issue is the one at a time rule at the exclusion of everything else to run one. That's fine on a tablet. It's not fine on a PC. It's a step backwards from a multiasking environment that's existed for two decades. Multiple open apps with tabs would be a step in the right direction, but that's still one step down from what we already have- apps on the desktop with the task bar.

I admit there will be a large group of people, particularly tech geeks that will hate Metro. Just plain hate it. They won't like it. They want their desktop apps. They want Microsoft to die in a pit of fire in hell. Guess what? Windows 7 or Linux will run just fine for you. But just because you don't want to use Windows 8 doesn't mean it will fail. Similar things were said about Vista and Microsoft still made a TON of money (anyone who calls that product a failure out of spite seems to forget that companies only care about money, not public perception).

Don't even try to act like MS made as much money with Vista as they would have if they had released something as polished as Win7 (or even Vista as it is now) initially instead. Apple's gains during that time were no coincidence either, and MS alienating a user-base quite content with their current OS isn't any better strategy now than it was before. You don't have to be a computer geek to see that instead of progressing the platform, Win8 hammers limitations of other platforms onto the PC.

 

[HeXen]

i likely won't upgrade to an OS just to do the exact same things i enjoy doing now.
if they can't offer me something new i can do that i would enjoy or want/need that i'm unable to do in my current, then i'd be retarded to pay money for it.

 

[sygyzy]

They're selling a full generational upgrade for $40 and you guys are complaining? This is great news.

 

[HeXen]

They're selling a full generational upgrade for $40 and you guys are complaining? This is great news.

i have a problem with your use of the word "generational upgrade". its not an upgrade when it takes 3 clicks more to do just about anything that you already do in your current. Its even 1 more click just to freaking log in!!!
"Upgrading" is not paying money and losing stuff like WMC for no reason whether you use it or not.

I can buy a lot of things useful to me for that $40. But i'm not paying that just to install Chrome and Steam and all my other 3rd party useful apps just to launch them more slowly because i have to click more to use them?

i used Consumer Preview for almost a month..."upgrade" isn't quite the right word here.

 

[Pretty Cool]

If you want to use Metro apps: stay in Metro (obviously). If you feel that uncomfortable with desktop apps within the Metro environment, go to the desktop mode.

Then install something that duplicates the functionality of the Start Menu within the desktop mode like Classic Shell. Once that program is installed, you will think you are using 7 in that most everything will be done in desktop.

Note that I am guessing that Classic Shell will still work with the final release of Windows 8.

 

[GrumpyMan]

From what I understand you can't just stay in the desktop mode after let's say the initial log in, which is what people want, is that incorrect? Don't you at some point have to go back to Metro or through Metro? I don't want to see tiles ever, is that possible at any time?

 

[Rangoric]

Actually I use a metro app (people) on the edge of my secondary monitor and desktop apps (IE Desktop, Visual Studio, One Note right now) on the rest.

I'd like it much better if I could also put something on the primary sidebar (I'd say mail, but the autodownload of images is BS, that's for letting spammers know that I'm real).

Also I'd like for the start menu to not banish the sidebar while it's open. Basically multi-mon support is good (and vastly improved) but can be better.

 

[Dominato3r]

From what I understand you can't just stay in the desktop mode after let's say the initial log in, which is what people want, is that incorrect? Don't you at some point have to go back to Metro or through Metro? I don't want to see tiles ever, is that possible at any time?

The biggest metro related change that is effecting some people is the start search. In Windows 7 you could hit the Windows key and start typing for what you wanted. Now it still has the same functionality, but is fullscreen instead. Personally, it doesnt make much difference, plus the parameters are much better now

 

[Pretty Cool]

In Classic Shell's version of start search using a keyboard, you would hit the Windows Key and then the TAB key. Then, you would start typing whatever you are searching for. Their version of start search is not full screen. Results just looks like items on an XP Start Menu. Actually, Classic Shell's Start Menu looks like XP's Start Menu except you can do searches like in 7.

As I mentioned in the other 8 thread, you can get to the desktop a little faster by putting the Desktop Tile as the 1st tile on the upper left of your screen. Then after you type in your password at login, hold down the ENTER key. This will launch whatever is your 1st tile. In this case, it would be the desktop.

 

[Kristijonas]

Any ideas on whether win8 RTM (release to manufacturing) will be available to the public? I suppose not? It should appear this month.

 

[ViRGE]

Any ideas on whether win8 RTM (release to manufacturing) will be available to the public? I suppose not? It should appear this month.

To the public? That won't be until it goes on sale, which would be October-ish.

 

[tommo123]

The biggest metro related change that is effecting some people is the start search. In Windows 7 you could hit the Windows key and start typing for what you wanted. Now it still has the same functionality, but is fullscreen instead. Personally, it doesnt make much difference, plus the parameters are much better now

what happens then if i'm watching a video and want the start menu? right now in win7 obv the start menu comes up i can still watch the video. in win8 i assume my video carries on playing on another screen i can't see?

 

[HeXen]

what happens then if i'm watching a video and want the start menu? right now in win7 obv the start menu comes up i can still watch the video. in win8 i assume my video carries on playing on another screen i can't see?

by default when you play a video, its using a metro app. i guess its the wmp metro version. i can't remember if it had a different name or not.
It pauses when you switch metro apps...i dunno if there are options

you can force videos to play in the standard WMP though, i never tried to open metro with it playing however. Point is, its not default. Maybe it will change from consumer preview in the final release, but you know how MS is.

Overall, its not really the UI thats such a big issue but how you access it, between charms and the 4 corner hotspots, but its definitely far slow to navigate everything, even when you know exactly how to get there. So to keep pace, you have to use Hotkeys for most everything. But using a mouse in the UI is horrible and slow

 

[tommo123]

i'd be using media player classic and only that media player. my point is, if i'm watching a video there are times i'll be doing something else but still want to see what i'm watching. it sounds like metro completely screws that up

i can believe re: the UI being slow. i gave up on win8 when the beta came out in feb i think. only lasted 2 days iirc.

 

[mikeymikec]

They're selling a full generational upgrade for $40 and you guys are complaining? This is great news.

What qualifies as a "full generational upgrade", exactly? A version number change, like Chrome and Firefox?

AFAIK, there aren't many differences between Win7 and 8. Metro, some scheduling changes that suit Bulldozer, allegedly reduced memory footprint... looking at what wikipedia is listing, I'm thinking "whoop-de-do". USB 3.0 should have been native in Win7, just like XP had USB 2.0 support in with a service pack (was it SP2 or 1? can't remember).

I wonder if Microsoft should employ a similar 'tick tock' release schedule like Intel, do a cheap upgrade OS (and not a time-limited offer) after the main one, which includes a few extra features but mainly under the bonnet enhancements, perhaps a light version of a major feature due in the next major release, etc.

 

[piasabird]

Microsoft will just try to quit selling Win7 and demand everyone sell new PC's with Win8, just like they did for every other OS. I see no reason not to use win8 for the average grandma user. It does need some improvements though if people plan on using Metro. They put like two diff versions of IE10 in the thing. One works from the desktop and one works from Metro. The metro side IE does not do streaming right. It will not even go to full screen for HULU. However, I think this is all a push to try to cash in on the Tablet Cash Cow! That is what is driving it. I dislike tablets. They are slow and klunky to use the their android interface.

There are always early adopters who will want the latest OS. I think Win8 might actually work better than Vista. It is based on Win7 basically. However, some basic security features will not work. Like requiring the user to type Ctrl-Alt-Del to log in can not be used. I can not see paying for an evaluation preview of an OS that is not a finished product. You can download the 8400 build release preview for free.

The first time I used Win8 it confused me and I did not know how to navigate in it. I was in full screen and couldn't figure out how to get out of the screen. Plus it uses a lot of Keyboard shortcuts which would make zero sense as a tablet??? Then a lot of the shortcuts are designed with a Microsoft keyboard with the Windows Key in mind. I still am using my old IBM Keyboard . . . . That figures. This is a sick trick to get people to purchase a Microsoft Keyboard.

 

[postmortemIA]

Good upgrade for people still on XP, decent if on Vista, not much so for people on Win 7.
I personally plan to keep running one partition on XP for a next few years, still many old games like 32-bit OS and native sound HW acceleration.

 

[Pretty Cool]

You do not need to use Ctrl-Alt-Del for login. To get to the login screen from the lock screen, you could just click your left mouse button. Actually, you could get rid of both the lock screen and the login screen if you wanted.

Within the Metro UI, I think using the mouse is much easier than remembering keyboard shortcuts. For just running desktop programs though, it is probably more comfortable for most people just to stay in the desktop mode & install some 3rd-party Start Menu-like program.

A Windows key has pretty much been standard on all keyboards since maybe the Windows 95-era. We are talking at least 15 years. Even the cheapest/crappiest keyboards from that timeframe had a Windows key. So, it certainly is not an exclusive to Microsoft products.

 

[Rhonda the Sly]

They put like two diff versions of IE10 in the thing. One works from the desktop and one works from Metro. The metro side IE does not do streaming right. It will not even go to full screen for HULU.

I just tried it and it works just fine. Admittedly, it switched to the regular view when I switched the active window but I also tested under chrome and it did the same thing there.

However, some basic security features will not work. Like requiring the user to type Ctrl-Alt-Del to log in can not be used.

I just tested this as well and it works exactly as expected.

Plus it uses a lot of Keyboard shortcuts which would make zero sense as a tablet???

Just use the gestures then?

 

[gmaster456]

I was thinking of getting the upgrade only to move away from Vista on my wife's laptop. For $40, it's a no brainer compared to freakin vista. I'd try linux on it but it's my wife's laptop and it'd be a nightmare trying to explain stuff to her. And I'm not linux savvy anyways...

Edit: Anyone know how W8 would run on a laptop? Can I duel boot the beta or prerelease from the laptop?

It will run better than vista.

 

[gmaster456]

I decided I'm going to bite the bullet and upgrade to Windows 8. There is a lot in it that I am intrigued by and I like keeping my OS's up to date. Considering keeping Windows 7 on a different drive however.

 

[Dominato3r]

I decided I'm going to bite the bullet and upgrade to Windows 8. There is a lot in it that I am intrigued by and I like keeping my OS's up to date. Considering keeping Windows 7 on a different drive however.

I feel like I will be doing the same. I'll eventually move over to Windows 8 completely once all the drivers and software I own are updated for it.

 

[lopri]

It will run better than vista.

It does in its current form. Win 8's desktop performance is definitely an improvement over Win 7. It's why Metro is all the more frustrating.