Windows 8 preview now available...

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by orlok

I think they should alter the interface depending on whether it is being installed on a system with touch-screen or not. I don't like being reminded that it's primary interface appears to be designed for touch. I have also found navigation and just finding damn stuff hard - it took me 15 minutes to work out how to power off the first time... As with all things, familiarity will make it easier (or breed contempt - jury's out on that one at the moment), but right now I'm not convinced.

My understanding is, and if I'm wrong, someone please correct me, that you can run W8 like W7 on a regular desktop if you want to. Ie, use the old style interface.

[Belfaborac]

That's the case according to the reviews I've read. The main difference with Metro turned off is that Aero has been removed.

Personally I'll give it 'till the final version is out and has been thoroughly reviewed. Unless W8 has any weighty improvements vs W7, or any particularly nifty new features, I'll be skipping this particular iteration.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by VaporPunk

My understanding is, and if I'm wrong, someone please correct me, that you can run W8 like W7 on a regular desktop if you want to. Ie, use the old style interface.

I'm sure you are right - I've not had a chance to fiddle much. I installed it on an old Vista laptop that ran like a dog, and the good news is that it does seem to be performing better, so not all bad.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by VaporPunk

My understanding is, and if I'm wrong, someone please correct me, that you can run W8 like W7 on a regular desktop if you want to. Ie, use the old style interface.

Which is exactly what I am doing, you only run into the Metro interface when you hit the Windows key. I just pulled icons for the programs use most to onto the desktop and rarely leave there. I prefer the old multi-tasking environment to the new one-program-at-a-time (I guess they just changed it to allow two Metro programs to run side-by-side).

[hn333]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Which is exactly what I am doing, you only run into the Metro interface when you hit the Windows key. I just pulled icons for the programs use most to onto the desktop and rarely leave there. I prefer the old multi-tasking environment to the new one-program-at-a-time (I guess they just changed it to allow two Metro programs to run side-by-side).

Metro isn't for multitasking. If you want to multitask use the desktop app. It's really very simple.

[hn333]

Originally Posted by CyGuy

I agree. Windows 8 will be a flop like Vista was. They are taking some huge steps backwards, it just doesn't make sense. It is starting to look like Windows 7 will be around for a very long time in the same fashion that XP stayed around for much longer than MS wished.

Same for Windows Phone 8, they really messed that one up IMHO. How in the world could they fail to properly support removable media? They shot themselves in the foot.

Vista wasn't a flop, where do you guys get this from? You don't need removable media when you have cloud storage.

[Belfaborac]

Of course you do. There's no way in hell that I would rely on cloud storage of anything, nor would I ever consider buying an OS or a device which doesn't support removable media.

[hn333]

Originally Posted by Belfaborac

Of course you do. There's no way in hell that I would rely on cloud storage of anything, nor would I ever consider buying an OS or a device which doesn't support removable media.

Good luck with that.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by hn333

Vista wasn't a flop, where do you guys get this from? You don't need removable media when you have cloud storage.

Came from MS... they admitted that majority of sales were new machines, low uptake for upgrades... that sounds somewhat flop like...

[Belfaborac]

Originally Posted by hn333

Good luck with that.

Can't see the problem, but feel free to elaborate if you can. Oh, and ROFL to you too.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by morantis

For me, it was ok, nothing to great, but for someone using a non-Touchpad and being a little non-tech, they may have some trouble finding their way around.

It's a problem for those of us who consider ourselves tech savvy as well... nothing is where it makes logical sense to put it!

I dropped Windows 8and went back to my trusty Linux Mint. They let me customize my interface.

[BeccaPrice]

Originally Posted by hn333

Vista wasn't a flop, where do you guys get this from? You don't need removable media when you have cloud storage.

Not everyone has unlimited bandwidth. I can only get satellite internet, which strictly limits bandwidth per day - a few youtube videos, and we're down to dial-up speeds for the next 24 hours. I have to download my audiobooks at my husband's work, because they're too big a slug for our allotment.

There's an arrogance to people who live in major metropolitan areas.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

Not everyone has unlimited bandwidth.

Not only that, not everyone is comfortable using a cloud as the only form of backing up vital data. Businesses of various kinds will still need to be able to use removable storage, and so will lots of individuals, based on what exactly their data is, and how important it is to them to have immediate access to a backup, without needing to go online.

Different situations create different computing needs, and Microsoft has in the past been good about acknowledging that, that's why there are Home and Business versions of their operating systems. I'm sure Windows 8 will be great for devices where the primary input method is a touch screen and removable storage devices aren't used. But for someone who types large amounts of text every day, who frequently uses multiple removable storage drives and switches between them a lot, and so on, it's probably not a good solution.

[CyGuy]

Originally Posted by hn333

Vista wasn't a flop, where do you guys get this from? You don't need removable media when you have cloud storage.

Removable media is an absolute must-have feature, not optional. Cloud storage is taking a huge step backwards. What is next, terminals?

As for Vista, it most certainly was a flop, in a very big way. It was a resource hog and was very unstable on even the most awesome hardware.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by hn333

Vista wasn't a flop, where do you guys get this from? You don't need removable media when you have cloud storage.

I can't install my games if I can't use the removable media the installer is on. Nor can I install any other software that comes on a DVD or has been backed up to a bootable USB drive.

And I can't believe it took me until now to think of that. I need more coffee.