Windows 8: The Thread

[SemiExpert]

i just suggest everyone who does that to first actually try it for a month or so, without changing ANY settings (like the reg tweak above). and read and learn about the changes. about the why, about the how. and only THEN (in the FINAL build, after ONE MONTH of "as intended" usage), judge. only then. not any moment before.

I don't really see why I should perform unpaid product testing for Microsoft? Oh wait, they downsized the people who were responsible for testing Windows 7! Good thinking Microsoft.

After the Developer Preview, where there was no GUI means of closing an app or even shutting the OS down, I think that we're way beyond blindly trusting a development release of Windows 8 from Microsoft.

Will I test the upcoming "Consumer Preview?" Yes, in virtualization. I wouldn't install it, I wouldn't advise anyone to install it to actual hardware until there's some actually user feedback. However, Windows 8 is not a personal priority. I'm not about to worry about an operating system that I might be using in 2013.

i don't really understand that phrase. but as i'm using win8 for a while and share it with everyone around me, everyone so far was more than impressed. so it is quite what public wants. maybe not geeks (typical fear of getting obsolete as knowledge of last version might not be important anymore, and they might not be more fast at using it as other people), but ordinary people. which is what 99.99% or so of windows users are.

First of all, I'd advise you that people tend to be kind when a friend shows them a piece of software. I have a friend who just had to show me his Windows 7 Phone. I smiled politely. I didn't say what I was thinking, since that would have been very, very rude. I'm sure a lot of the people that you've chosen to "share" Windows 8 with are utterly indifferent and or perhaps even outright hostile to the tiled Metro interface, but they no doubt are being polite to you.

Second of all, Microsoft is utterly indifferent to what the "public wants." Judging by the catastrophic commerical reception to the Metro interface in the smartphone market, where Windows marketshare is currently shrinking even further, it's pretty clear that the public doesn't want the default Metro interface on touchscreen devices, let alone in the desktop environment.

Third, Micrsoft has antagonized pretty much the entire mobile device developer base with Windows 8, as well as effectively severing relations with many traditional x86 developers. I don't really see where "ordinary" people are taking to Windows 8 as either a desktop or mobile platform, but there's an exodus of developers away from the Windows platform. Scary, isn't it?

The overall mood around this Windows lauch is pesimistic, with market analysts writing off 2012 for both Microsoft and the Windows PC OEMs. The situation is bad, the silver lining in this dark cloud is already tarnished and the light at the end of the tunnel might just be a speeding locomotive.

On the plus side, Apple is having a very good year.

[MAA83]

Every iteration of windows phone is supposed to be their return to smart phone dominance...still waiting.

I don't thin win8 is bad, I just hate that Metro UI for my laptop. It doesn't seem to provide any added functionality, or quicker access to anything compared to win7 start menu. As far as I'm concerned they're just GIGANTIC shortcuts. I'm neither geriatric nor blind so wth?

[SemiExpert]

Every iteration of windows phone is supposed to be their return to smart phone dominance...still waiting.

Windows CE, the predecessor to Windows Phone, or Mobile, or whatever, did become dominant in the barcoder reader market. And there were Windows powered PDAs. And really, really early proto-smartphones running windows. Some are still out there, and some people are thinking that the drop in Windows marketshare in the smartphone sector is the result of early Windows CE users finally replacing their hardware with Android and iOS handsets.

Or maybe barcode readers are replaced. Who knows. Anyway, Windows Phone 7 is pretty much commercially dead.

I don't thin win8 is bad, I just hate that Metro UI for my laptop. It doesn't seem to provide any added functionality, or quicker access to anything compared to win7 start menu. As far as I'm concerned they're just GIGANTIC shortcuts. I'm neither geriatric nor blind so wth?

I think it's too soon to say if Windows 8 is "bad" in the same sense that Windows XP was bad before SP2. I think it's more likely that consumer acceptance will be muted because of Metro and the general downturn in the Windows PC market.

As far as the tiles, I wonder if Microsoft is aiming for touch screen users who like to punch the screen with a fist rather than tap with a finger tip? (Punch the new Windows 8 tablet! You know you want to!) Anyway, I don't get the concept of "tiles" as opposed to icons, and judging by the consumer response to Window Phone 7, most consumers don't either.

[Hungry Man]

I don't really see why I should perform unpaid product testing for Microsoft? Oh wait, they downsized the people who were responsible for testing Windows 7! Good thinking Microsoft.

Will I test the upcoming "Consumer Preview?" Yes, in virtualization. I wouldn't install it, I wouldn't advise anyone to install it to actual hardware until there's some actually user feedback. However, Windows 8 is not a personal priority. I'm not about to worry about an operating system that I might be using in 2013.

Unpaid product testing... sheesh.

Virtualization is a waste. Win8 handles awfully in a VM. There's no comparison.

[jotm]

Damn, Microsoft really needs to create a better marketing strategy and hire new Google Page Ranking people...

I think Windows 8 is the best OS yet - it's clear they've been paying more attention to actual, real world data about the usage of Windows 7 and have improved a lot of things. It will be faster and sleeker than 7, for sure...

My biggest gripe with the OS - the huge Metro UI icons, but they're actually better than the Start Menu's tiny icons and text - even on my 15.4 inch display with 1680x1050 resolution, it's hard for me to browse through more than a hundred files without my eyes hurting.

[SemiExpert]

Unpaid product testing... sheesh.

Virtualization is a waste. Win8 handles awfully in a VM. There's no comparison.

Well, my suspicion is that if it "handles awfully in a VM," it wouldn't "handle" any better as an actual hardware installation.

And it's not as if you can run Windows 8 as a "live disc." Again, on the basis of my experience with the "Developer Preview," I'd stick with virtualization for now.

[SemiExpert]

Damn, Microsoft really needs to create a better marketing strategy and hire new Google Page Ranking people...

I can agree 100%, but the problem with Microsoft is that the rot starts at the top - Balmer is the problem, he's been a disaster for both shareholders and customers, the man just won't retire, and Microsoft doesn't have a sufficiently independent board of directors to force Balmer out.

I think Windows 8 is the best OS yet - it's clear they've been paying more attention to actual, real world data about the usage of Windows 7 and have improved a lot of things. It will be faster and sleeker than 7, for sure...

Well, that's the marketing hype, which lacks credibility. I won't make a judgement on Windows 8 until the upcoming "Consumer Preview," but I'm not altogether encouraged.

And again, Microsoft's strategy seems to be to ignore actual user feedback, ignore reviews, ignore industry analysts and to antagonize the developers as much as possible. I'm really worried that Microsoft is going to botch this release, and in a big way. Think Blackberry Playbook. Now there's nothing wrong with QNX, as it's the leading OS in the automotive navigation market, but in the absense of developer interest, it fell flat in the tablet market. Quite frankly, I think QNX was probably fundimentally more sound as the basis of a mobile touchscreen OS than Windows.

Windows 8 runs the risk of riding the "Metro" train straight to the bottom.

My biggest gripe with the OS - the huge Metro UI icons, but they're actually better than the Start Menu's tiny icons and text - even on my 15.4 inch display with 1680x1050 resolution, it's hard for me to browse through more than a hundred files without my eyes hurting.

You're not alone, and I'd argue that 1680x1050 on a 15.4" screen has fewer legibility issues that 1920x1080 on a 15.6" screen. With the shift to 16:9, the issue of legibility on high DPI screens became more of an issue.

Microsoft needs something equivilent to Apple's HiDPI settings, which is easier said than done, because OS X has had better text scaling than Windows for generations now.

The Metro "tiles" really aren't a solution, and the ribbon menus are a real problem It's an embarrassment that Microsoft Office users prefer Office 2010 on OS X simply because of the traditional drop-down menus.

[TheAtreidesHawk]

Ballmer won't be forced out so long as he keeps bringing the monies.....MS has the had record year after year and there's no reason to expect that it will go downhill any time soon.

But I agree the guy is a huge albatross around the company in terms of mindshare and creativity.

As for this latest news regarding the "start" button....LOL. Just when you think a company can't find any more ammunition with which to shoot itself with they go and uncover a spare bullet.

MS needs to be careful and not fool itself into thinking that they've reached "Apple status" when it comes to its users. More to the point they are showing signs of sony arrogance from years past....

Personally I'll download the beta/consumer preview but with this news about the start button I am already inclined to dislike it. I want improvements and I don't mind changes but don't make changes just for the sake of change....

[Hungry Man]

Well, my suspicion is that if it "handles awfully in a VM," it wouldn't "handle" any better as an actual hardware installation.

And it's not as if you can run Windows 8 as a "live disc." Again, on the basis of my experience with the "Developer Preview," I'd stick with virtualization for now.

VMs are nothing like real machines. They are far more limited by resources (especially with GPU acceleration) and they can only emulate hardware.

You'll be able to run Win8 as a LiveUSB later after the release.

[Dufus]

Perhaps part of it is just providing another W7 look alike might not entice so many people to upgrade from 7 so MS have made some radical changes.

As suggested I'll wait until the final product and see how it goes. Hopefully though the test versions are just forcing people to at least try metro and the final version will offer classic style for those who find metro just doesn't work out for them.