Windows 8?

[MajorFubar]

Just canvassing initial thoughts on Win8, for those who have seen or experienced the Beta versions.

Personally I'm not a fan of the default tablet-style interface, but...

I also realise that 30 years ago, the desktop 'WIMP' environment we all now take for granted was also frowned upon by those who preferred to sit and type instructions into command-lines. So it could just be that I'm an old f**t stuck in my ways.

Apple have already dipped their toe in the water with a tablet-style interface in OS-X Lion. But they seem to have approached it from the opposite direction to MS: the desktop interface is still primary (for now?), and the tablet interface - Launchpad - is secondary, invoked from a dedicated app on the taskbar. MS seem to have made their tablet-interface (Metro) primary, while the desktop is an app.

Is this natural progression?

Or is it taking the unification of the tablet<->desktop experience a step too far?

Or does it not matter at all?

Over to you

 

[bigboss]

Can this be moved to the new Windows section please?

 

[Andy Clough]

Consider it done.

 

[bigboss]

It really depends on the execution. There is market for a unified experience. Windows still has 94% or thereabouts share in computer sales. If Windows 8 works, there is a potential to rapidly gain its market share, from people wanting to upgrade their OS.

I for one, am keen for this gamble to succeed.

 

[bigboss]

Consider it done.

Thanks! :cheers:

 

[MajorFubar]

I've obviously no strong objection to my thread being in this subforum, but really I was wanting to canvas people's opinions of Win8 as a PC OS, not on smartphones and tablets, which is why I didn't post in here to start with.

 

[bigboss]

Sorry for the request to move the thread; the description of this sub forum does mention:

Enamoured by the Windows platform and Metro UI? Discuss Windows mobile smartphones and tablets, including the upcoming Windows 8 here.

 

[professorhat]

Apple have already dipped their toe in the water with a tablet-style interface in OS-X Lion. But they seem to have approached it from the opposite direction to MS: the desktop interface is still primary (for now?), and the tablet interface - Launchpad - is secondary, invoked from a dedicated app on the taskbar.

Launchpad is literally just a different (and generally inefficient) way of launching applications - I wouldn't call it a tablet interface. Apple have been very insistent that OS X and iOS will not converge into one OS (like MS is doing with Windows 8 ). The argument is, a laptop / desktop is a different device from a tablet, and is used very differently and the interface needs to be different for each to reflect that.

Microsoft on the other hand clearly think convergence is the way to go, and have taken a big gamble on this with Windows 8 - to be fair, it's all they could do without looking like a secondary player compared to Apple and Google.

Personally, having played around with the Consumer Preview versions of Windows 8, I agree with Apple's viewpoint as things stand at the moment - I much prefer using the proper fully fledged operating system that is Lion on my Macbook Air and it's the reason I didn't go for an iPad for my mobile device. Windows 8 just seems to be like two different OSes bolted together, with little thought as to how to actually make them integrate well. I just don't like it and wouldn't buy a Windows 8 tablet or laptop either as result. Windows 7 works much better as a laptop OS and for a tablet, I'd get an iPad.

Having said that, the devices Asus are coming up with suggest with the right hardware, Windows 8 might work. Time will tell I guess!

 

[MajorFubar]

That still reads to me like the subforum is primarily asking for people's opinion and experience of Windows and Metro primarily on mobile devices, which is the opposite of what I was wanting to canvas, and is why I didn't post it here to start with.

But I'm not going to get all an@l about it.

 

[MajorFubar]

Now I could live with an iPad, because I wouldn't attempt to do the same things with an iPad as I do with a proper Mac/Windows PC (things which involve complex filing and housekeeping for example), so I can live with an iPad not having a WIMP-oriented interface.

But I can't make my mind up whether I genuinely need a WIMP desktop to be my primary interface on a computer, or whether it's just that I've been used to it for 20 years from Amiga->PC->Mac and so I am resistant to change (progress?). Part of me is saying that as long as there is a Finder/Explorer equivalent to allow me to do housekeeping and filing, what difference does it make? But the majority of me is not keen.

 

[daveh75]

I like Ubuntu's approach with Ubuntu For Android (if it goes anywhere).

A single device running separate OSs side-by-side (rather than dual booting) allowing switching or even intergration between the two as and when needed.

I may never need to buy another PC, which is very appealing...

 

[bigboss]

Having said that, the devices Asus are coming up with suggest with the right hardware, Windows 8 might work. Time will tell I guess!

Yes, it really depends on how the convergence devices take advantage of this. Windows 8 is the biggest gamble Microsoft have taken. If it succeeds, all 3 platforms (PC, tablet & mobile) will benefit simultaneously.

 

[fr0g]

I've been using Windows 8 on this laptop since they released the customer preview. There are lots of knockers but for me it works well.

Many people complain that they want the start button back on the desktop, but once you suss it the Metro interface is basically a full screen start button. Start typing the name of an application and it finds it immediately, or of course you select from the tiles you've placed, which could be all of the applications that were in the original start menu if you wished.

It feels quicker than Win 7 and boots up much more quickly. I also like the look and feel of some of the preview Metro apps. Full screen and pretty, and completely useable with a mouse.

Of course the main aim is to spread to tablets. I for one will probably jump from android once they arrive (so long as the full blwn version is not overpriced).

One thing I dislike about Android and iOS when it comes to tablets is the lack of multiple on-screen applications, which may make less sense on a phone, make perfect sense on a bigger screen.

 

[bigboss]

That still reads to me like the subforum is primarily asking for people's opinion and experience of Windows and Metro primarily on mobile devices

You do have a point there. Maybe the subforum should be called "PCs, smartphones & tablets" to enable a dedicated space for discussing Windows & Mac OS. :?

 

[MajorFubar]

Sounds like a good idea, BigBoss

 

[psurquhart]

Hi,

Couple of questions - when is Windows 8 launched to the public ?

If like me, you are using the dinasaur and irratating Vista on a Sony Vaio laptop - is there any point in upgrading to Windows 8 ?

Now that 8 is almost here, will Windows 7 price drop dramatically for me to benefit and "upgrade" to that.

Im not overly familiar with 8 yet, just seen the adverts.

 

[bigboss]

It is probably releasing in October. Windows 8 is dramatically different to the previous versions, & can be confusing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jun/07/windows-8-release-preview-review?newsfeed=true

You can download Windows 8 release preview from here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/download

You can run it virtually in your laptop without deleting vista with VMware player:

http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

Have a play & see what you think.

 

[MajorFubar]

@psurquhart if you think your vista is old you should see my Windows laptop running XP Pro lol.

 

[Alantiggger]

They eventually 'fixed' widows XP the brought out vista which was pants ... microsoft then took the step to fix windows vista and gave us all windows 7 which I and my two sons now use given that the newer up to date games don't work on XP.... I'm sure windows 8 will be great... till windows 9 .... 10 ...11 etc.... and it will all be fine and we'll all be a few quid less in the pocket. ... technology moves forward all the time though eh ?

 

[Tonya]

I've been beta testing W8 since the very first tech preview and it does appear to most people that I have shown it to that it's just a bolt on front for W7.

In fact most that have tested it usually click on the desktop button right away to reveal the GUI that is familiar.
Admittedly it is slicker when using a touch screen interface, but not many people have them just yet.

I predict the really big change will arrive when hardware/software advance to a level where voice recognition will be of a level where it actually becomes useful.
Today, I can talk to my Prius to control the audio, temperature, GPS, etc, my Sony Android phone dials by voice command and will send any SMS that I dictate with 98% accuracy and all of the above are really useful.
The Samsung 8000 TV in my living room springs to life when I ask it to and controls my SkyHD and Onkyo receiver by voice command alone.

Been usng Dragon on my PC and although it's pretty good, it's no real advantage over the current mouse GUI, so as yet it's only a gimmic that I like to play with.

So basically, although W8 has been steadily improving over the first release, it's no showstopper just yet.
In fact, I can't see it doing anything that can't currently be acheived using W7 and some third party widgets that are freely available.
Until reliable voice or motion control can be achieved, W8 will basically remain a cosmetic upgrade and not a revolutionary step up from what's available today.

Just my two cents worth . . . . :shifty:

P.S. Plenty of professionals still use Windows XP even today, one of our card terminals that clocks people in and out of the building is still running Windows CE and much exotic hardware relies on Windows XP Embeded to run although to be fair any sound/light desk worth it's salt has a flavour of Linux under the hood :type:

 

[JohnEdwards]

As per me windows 8 has been launched..you cam check microsocts website for more info....

 

[professorhat]

As per me windows 8 has been launched..you cam check microsocts website for more info....

Nope, Windows 8 won't be launched until October 26th.

 

[Anonymous]

Gabe Newell from Valve is catastrophising about Windows 8 and the Steam platform. Some versions will only allow games to be bought/run via MS through Win8, he states.

 

[hammill]

I also read (in Which) that it does not support DVD playback in the cheaper versions, which seems a bit poor.

 

[chebby]

Give me a chance folks. I've only just got used to Windows 7 Pro (since March this year) on my new Dell Latitude E6420.

Still using XP Pro SP3 on two other machines here (work was also using XP Pro until March) and Snow Leopard on the iMac.

Four computers, three operating systems, two of which are two 'generations' out-of-date* and another one about to be superceded it seems.

Anyway, Microsoft aren't pulling out support from XP for another 650 days yet (I think), so that's long enough to get Windows 7 going on another two machines!

*Or one generation, depending on whether you decided to bypass the whole Vista episode or not. (I chickened out of Vista - for our home machines - and work went straight from XP Pro to Windows 7 Pro without a whiff of Vista. (Was it as bad as they all said?)