Windows 8 - 10/26/2012!

[Purge]

Metro is simply the full-screen start menu, when it comes right down to it. There are some other UI changes which I like, such as the top-left alt-tab.

[Dante Rising]

I upgraded to Windows 8 on my Samsung Series 7 slate late last evening via the $40 upgrade. A few general thoughts:

-upgrading was simple and flawless. Everything carried over properly and I've had absolutely no conflicts or issues moving up from Win7 Professional.

-My legacy programs all appear to be working properly and in many cases they are using less system resources. For example, Media Player Classic Home Cinema is now using 12% less resources when playing 1080p MKV video.

-You can immediately switch back to the "old" Windows 7 desktop screen via a massive button located prominently on the Win8 start screen. So I'm not sure why so many people are gnashing their teeth over the lack of a normal desktop. But....the desktop appears to be slightly more difficult to use, as the "Start" button is now gone. So I'm still trying to determine how to quickly open programs via the standard desktop now, without going into Explorer, or pinning them to the task bar.

-Navigation is as fluid as the ipad. Swiping is very responsive, and jumping between programs shows no delay or stuttering.

-The new app store is easy to use, but still lacks for true content. Hulu, Netflix, and Kindle are all available, so I'm happy. The apps also seem to be getting added at a fairly quick pace.


Overall I'm happy with the upgrade, and for my tablet it was a good decision.




-

[Purge]

Dante,

think of the metro interface as your start button. New programs get added there when you install them (including from the desktop).

You can hit start- and start typing the name and it narrows it down (and is much quicker than w7's version).

[Greggy_D]

For those of you that do not want to deal with Metro, have a look at this:

http://www.startisback.com/

Awesome, awesome utility.

[Laner]

Vista/Win7 Start menu replacements are going to be popping up like mushrooms... here's another one:

http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

[Blackjack]

I fiddled with Windows 8 a bit at a Best Buy, on one of the newer Ultrabooks (which has a touchscreen if you feel like it etc.). Hadda get a bud at another forum to explain to me how to get back to the Metro main screen, once you're in a program/application (click/touch lower left corner). I woulda thought maybe Esc or something like that would get you back.

It might've just been the setup at BB (this was a near top of line Ultrabook), but there seemed to be a few seconds delay between clicking a tile and the associated program starting up. Is that typical?

I kinda liked the tiles idea though I'd probably want to customize it down to a few things. I don't think I'm hyperactive enough to want to scan 12-16-20 tiles of info.

I could actually see my computer-phobic mom liking this. For whatever reason, she just can't grasp the typical Windows desktop/Start Menu stuff. A Metro screen with just 4-5 tiles going to the few things she needs to use regularly might just fit the bill for her.

[Victoria Raverna]

I fiddled with Windows 8 a bit at a Best Buy, on one of the newer Ultrabooks (which has a touchscreen if you feel like it etc.). Hadda get a bud at another forum to explain to me how to get back to the Metro main screen, once you're in a program/application (click/touch lower left corner). I woulda thought maybe Esc or something like that would get you back.

Press the Windows/Start button get you back to the main screen. Think of the Metro Main screen as a full screen simplified start menu.

My problem with the metro interface is that you need to do more than one click/touch to access your programs on your old start menu. You need to get to the start menu then open the bottom bar to show the All Apps button. Then you touch or click that to show the contents of your old start menu.

And it also ignore second level folder of your start menu. So anything under gog.com/<sub folder> are now listed in gog.com section so all those utilities that is contained in each game folder are now all together, since a lot of those have the same name, now it is hard to find the correct one.

[hepcat]

Started creating VMWare images of Windows 8 this morning for work. 

I loathe Windows 8 right now.  That might change, but right now...I loathe it with the heat of a thousand suns.

[Purge]

No you don't. When in the metro interface, go to settings on the charms bar. You can tell it to show all administrative etc.

Also, just start typing what you want to open. Much faster than W7

[hepcat]

No you don't. When in the metro interface, go to settings on the charms bar. You can tell it to show all administrative etc.

Also, just start typing what you want to open. Much faster than W7

I'm not sure how it's that much faster than windows 7 since windows 7 had a pretty decent search function that's only difference was having to click on Start.

I did make sure to say "right now".   I may grow to like it later.  But "right now" I absolutely hate it.  Of course, I hate metro on my 360 and stopped using that in favor of my ps3 ages ago too.

[Purge]

Overcompensation, no doubt.

[MonkeyFinger]

Heard an interesting piece on NPR about something called skeuomorphic design which is a fancy way of saying that an object looks like the function it represents - a trash can, for example or the leather calendar with stitching that matches what's in your private jet. 

With Scott Forstall gone from Apple, some people are hoping they move away from that design philosphy... and the company they hold up as an example of the future is Microsoft - specifically Windows 8.

[Destructor]

So, question:

I know that Microsoft is offering an upgrade deal for $40 to any XP/Win7 user. Is that a System Builder (only good on one PC) edition? Or is it a full fledged one (where as long as you can install XP/Win7 onto it, you can upgrade to Win8 via it)?

The reason why I ask is that my current PC is a full retail copy of Windows 7 (so unlimited reinstalls). And I'm debating on replacing the motherboard, processor, and RAM shortly. And no doubt drop Win8 onto it after, assuming it'll let me.

[Knightshade Dragon]

So, question:

I know that Microsoft is offering an upgrade deal for $40 to any XP/Win7 user. Is that a System Builder (only good on one PC) edition? Or is it a full fledged one (where as long as you can install XP/Win7 onto it, you can upgrade to Win8 via it)?

The reason why I ask is that my current PC is a full retail copy of Windows 7 (so unlimited reinstalls). And I'm debating on replacing the motherboard, processor, and RAM shortly. And no doubt drop Win8 onto it after, assuming it'll let me.

I picked that up, Tim.  It's a full pro 64 bit version.

[Bullwinkle]

I've been trying for days, and I cannot get W8 to install.  I've run the Upgrade Assistant and taken care of all the potential problem areas listed.

I'm not going through the hassle of a clean install for this upgrade (I know the benefits, but I also know the pain in the ass aspects.  Asspects).

It seems to crap out at 80% on migration every time.  Grrrr.

[Hrothgar]

Heck, I'm still surprised that a failed upgrade leaves you with a usable system.  Cold comfort, I know.

[Purge]

I've been trying for days, and I cannot get W8 to install.  I've run the Upgrade Assistant and taken care of all the potential problem areas listed.

I'm not going through the hassle of a clean install for this upgrade (I know the benefits, but I also know the pain in the ass aspects.  Asspects).

It seems to crap out at 80% on migration every time.  Grrrr.

Is your existing OS a fresh install? It could be a permissions issue with old /artifacted accounts.

I'd personally take an image of the existing system on an external HDD, and do a fresh install.

Oh, wait, that is EXACTLY what I did.

[JCC]

PC sales are tanking and windows 8 is taking the blame.

PC hardware sales down 14% in first quarter

Time to get windows 9 out! I'm not at all surprised. Consolidating you market leading desktop os with your phone/tablet os which is just tanking in the market isn't a good idea? Wow!

I have 8 on my gaming pc, and while I don't have problems, it certainly adds nothing. I don't ever use metro, and the thing defintely does not boot up any quicker than 7 did. On a desktop pc, a mouse and keyboard is just much more intuitive and accurate. Duh...

[lex]

PC sales are tanking and windows 8 is taking the blame.

PC hardware sales down 14% in first quarter

Time to get windows 9 out! I'm not at all surprised. Consolidating you market leading desktop os with your phone/tablet os which is just tanking in the market isn't a good idea? Wow!

I have 8 on my gaming pc, and while I don't have problems, it certainly adds nothing. I don't ever use metro, and the thing defintely does not boot up any quicker than 7 did. On a desktop pc, a mouse and keyboard is just much more intuitive and accurate. Duh...

As much as I don't think Windows 8 is awesome sauce, and blaming Windows 8 makes for great headline, the article actually points to other contributors as well.

http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24065413#.UWhnVrVzF8F

Fading Mini Notebook shipments have taken a big chunk out of the low-end market while tablets and smartphones continue to divert consumer spending. PC industry efforts to offer touch capabilities and ultraslim systems have been hampered by traditional barriers of price and component supply, as well as a weak reception for Windows 8.

...the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices

In the United States, Lenovo outperformed the market with double digit year-on-year growth compared to the market's double-digit contraction. Shipments in Asia/Pacific declined, however, keeping Lenovo's overall growth flat.

Apple fared better than the overall U.S. market, but still saw shipments decline as its own PCs also face competition from iPads.