Windows 8 coming... Yes, no?

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#710043 31-Oct-2012 20:07

We borrowed a demo box from IT at work the other day with the RTM build, to have a quick play "see what we thought". The consensus was that, compared to Windows 7, it's truly, utterly, *awful*.

It might work on a touch screen system, but on a desktop it's truly bad.

Main gripes were the interface - Metro looks like a three-year old ate a packet of brightly coloured crayons and then vomited over the screen. The user experience is schizophrenic, it's almost like there are two duelling OSes competing with each other. You are faced with unnecessary mouse clicks to get to desktop (who, oh why, don't they provide an option to set it to start in desktop each time?), gratuitous hoops to jump through do do tasks that used to be easy, and the start button should have been left in for those used to it. The whole UI is counter intuitive, inefficient, and just plain butt-ugly.

We sent the box back, and told IT that we would in effect burn them alive, torch their cars and kill their cats if they ever tried to upgrade us to that stinker of an OS.

Personally, I won't be upgrading. I will delay upgrade of my venerable system to a new box that I was planning to get in January. If I can wait I will sit it out until Windows 9 in the hope that MS will fix this mess. If not, I will either spec Windows 7 or get an Apple.

It's kind of funny, I have been with Windows since the 3.11 days, and haven't used a Mac since the Mac Classic days. Years of marketing by Apple has never managed to convince me that I want an Apple, or should contemplate paying the premium mark-up to get one. However, MS has managed to convince me to seriously look in this direction in a single afternoon!

(I am prepared to accept that, of you can cope with the ghastly colour screen, Metro might be usable on a tablet. But why try and force desktop users with keyboards, mice and no touchscreens into a tablet paradigm?)

So, coming back to the "yes or no" question the thread poses - a resounding no from me.

Ropenuts

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#710071 31-Oct-2012 21:07

I wanna upgrade to Windows 8 but im kinda scared that some drivers wont work or whatever. Kinda dont want to mess up my 3k Alienware haha. Can you make a full backup of windows to a hard drive? Like a full restore to what my pc is at this time? Probly a noob question but ive never needed to do one. Cheers

Ropenuts

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#710076 31-Oct-2012 21:18

Actually dont worry. Alienware have they're own recovery software. Makes it pretty easy

hairy1

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#710081 31-Oct-2012 21:37

JimmyH: We borrowed a demo box from IT at work the other day with the RTM build, to have a quick play "see what we thought". The consensus was that, compared to Windows 7, it's truly, utterly, *awful*.

It might work on a touch screen system, but on a desktop it's truly bad.

Main gripes were the interface - Metro looks like a three-year old ate a packet of brightly coloured crayons and then vomited over the screen. The user experience is schizophrenic, it's almost like there are two duelling OSes competing with each other. You are faced with unnecessary mouse clicks to get to desktop (who, oh why, don't they provide an option to set it to start in desktop each time?), gratuitous hoops to jump through do do tasks that used to be easy, and the start button should have been left in for those used to it. The whole UI is counter intuitive, inefficient, and just plain butt-ugly.

We sent the box back, and told IT that we would in effect burn them alive, torch their cars and kill their cats if they ever tried to upgrade us to that stinker of an OS.

Personally, I won't be upgrading. I will delay upgrade of my venerable system to a new box that I was planning to get in January. If I can wait I will sit it out until Windows 9 in the hope that MS will fix this mess. If not, I will either spec Windows 7 or get an Apple.

It's kind of funny, I have been with Windows since the 3.11 days, and haven't used a Mac since the Mac Classic days. Years of marketing by Apple has never managed to convince me that I want an Apple, or should contemplate paying the premium mark-up to get one. However, MS has managed to convince me to seriously look in this direction in a single afternoon!

(I am prepared to accept that, of you can cope with the ghastly colour screen, Metro might be usable on a tablet. But why try and force desktop users with keyboards, mice and no touchscreens into a tablet paradigm?)

So, coming back to the "yes or no" question the thread poses - a resounding no from me.

Yep. Interesting thoughts there. We are in a reasonably short space of time going to see most laptops with a touch interface and I can see hybrid tablets being an extremely popular option. I can see that Microsoft's strategy long term is to end up at the metro start screen. It doesn't work particularly well with a mouse but when I am using it I just try to think of the metro start screen as the replacement for the start button.....

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

tdgeek

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#710125 31-Oct-2012 23:03

hairy1:
JimmyH: We borrowed a demo box from IT at work the other day with the RTM build, to have a quick play "see what we thought". The consensus was that, compared to Windows 7, it's truly, utterly, *awful*.

It might work on a touch screen system, but on a desktop it's truly bad.

Main gripes were the interface - Metro looks like a three-year old ate a packet of brightly coloured crayons and then vomited over the screen. The user experience is schizophrenic, it's almost like there are two duelling OSes competing with each other. You are faced with unnecessary mouse clicks to get to desktop (who, oh why, don't they provide an option to set it to start in desktop each time?), gratuitous hoops to jump through do do tasks that used to be easy, and the start button should have been left in for those used to it. The whole UI is counter intuitive, inefficient, and just plain butt-ugly.

We sent the box back, and told IT that we would in effect burn them alive, torch their cars and kill their cats if they ever tried to upgrade us to that stinker of an OS.

Personally, I won't be upgrading. I will delay upgrade of my venerable system to a new box that I was planning to get in January. If I can wait I will sit it out until Windows 9 in the hope that MS will fix this mess. If not, I will either spec Windows 7 or get an Apple.

It's kind of funny, I have been with Windows since the 3.11 days, and haven't used a Mac since the Mac Classic days. Years of marketing by Apple has never managed to convince me that I want an Apple, or should contemplate paying the premium mark-up to get one. However, MS has managed to convince me to seriously look in this direction in a single afternoon!

(I am prepared to accept that, of you can cope with the ghastly colour screen, Metro might be usable on a tablet. But why try and force desktop users with keyboards, mice and no touchscreens into a tablet paradigm?)

So, coming back to the "yes or no" question the thread poses - a resounding no from me.

Yep. Interesting thoughts there. We are in a reasonably short space of time going to see most laptops with a touch interface and I can see hybrid tablets being an extremely popular option. I can see that Microsoft's strategy long term is to end up at the metro start screen. It doesn't work particularly well with a mouse but when I am using it I just try to think of the metro start screen as the replacement for the start button.....

There will be evolvement to this type of interface, but its a sharp change right now. Ideally, a switch to the normal desktop interface and Metro will have eased the change. Giving all users the updated Windows 7 and Metro, to use when required. A few have mentioned waiting for Windows 9, I cannot see that going back, it will certainly be a new an improved Metro interface, surely?

Interesting times, but remember, there are third party softwares to "fix" this sudden change back to the traditional desktop, there by giving full choice.

I can see Win 8 giving Windows Phone a really nice boost. Integrating PC, Phone, Tablet, Xbox, new Music Store is great. Worked for Apple, and they did not have a PC base to speak of. Plenty of potential for Microsoft to kick start their small smart device presence.

macuser

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#710144 31-Oct-2012 23:50

Windows 8 works great on my non touch dell laptop,

3 shortcuts to make life easier

Winkey+D - show desktop

Winkey+C - Show charms(settings)

Winkey+Z- show 'metro' app options

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mattwnz

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#710156 1-Nov-2012 00:30

How many people on a desktop actually use any of the full windowed apps on the metro interface? I guess the metro screen is a good screensaver screen with the tiles(widgets), that can show you things at a glance, which is were apples IOS is lacking on the tablet.

DoggNZ

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#710314 1-Nov-2012 12:00

mattwnz: How many people on a desktop actually use any of the full windowed apps on the metro interface? I guess the metro screen is a good screensaver screen with the tiles(widgets), that can show you things at a glance, which is were apples IOS is lacking on the tablet.

I've played around with them all but find them pretty useless. I use other apps for news, video, music etc. The idea is good though.

wasabi2k

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#710438 1-Nov-2012 14:38

Installed last night - hated it for 2 hours.

Now - getting to like it. I can do everything I want in Desktop - works fine - same as Windows 7.

New Start Menu takes some getting used to but is growing on me - can see it be more compelling as more apps arrive for it.

You really need to use it for a while - and use desktop shortcuts as well as having an open mind. If you had asked me an hour in i would have hated it.

geekiegeek

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#710445 1-Nov-2012 14:47

installed last night. Dont have any need for the live tiles in metro and like to have a clean look with the handful of apps I use in the taskbar, so really have no use for metro at all.

Installed a start button app (may not keep this as I don't really use the start menu a lot in win 7) and a hack to launch desktop at login.

So now I have windows 8 features without metro. perfect.

trig42

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#710468 1-Nov-2012 15:36

hairy1:
JimmyH: We borrowed a demo box from IT at work the other day with the RTM build, to have a quick play "see what we thought". The consensus was that, compared to Windows 7, it's truly, utterly, *awful*.

It might work on a touch screen system, but on a desktop it's truly bad.

Main gripes were the interface - Metro looks like a three-year old ate a packet of brightly coloured crayons and then vomited over the screen. The user experience is schizophrenic, it's almost like there are two duelling OSes competing with each other. You are faced with unnecessary mouse clicks to get to desktop (who, oh why, don't they provide an option to set it to start in desktop each time?), gratuitous hoops to jump through do do tasks that used to be easy, and the start button should have been left in for those used to it. The whole UI is counter intuitive, inefficient, and just plain butt-ugly.

We sent the box back, and told IT that we would in effect burn them alive, torch their cars and kill their cats if they ever tried to upgrade us to that stinker of an OS.

Personally, I won't be upgrading. I will delay upgrade of my venerable system to a new box that I was planning to get in January. If I can wait I will sit it out until Windows 9 in the hope that MS will fix this mess. If not, I will either spec Windows 7 or get an Apple.

It's kind of funny, I have been with Windows since the 3.11 days, and haven't used a Mac since the Mac Classic days. Years of marketing by Apple has never managed to convince me that I want an Apple, or should contemplate paying the premium mark-up to get one. However, MS has managed to convince me to seriously look in this direction in a single afternoon!

(I am prepared to accept that, of you can cope with the ghastly colour screen, Metro might be usable on a tablet. But why try and force desktop users with keyboards, mice and no touchscreens into a tablet paradigm?)

So, coming back to the "yes or no" question the thread poses - a resounding no from me.

Yep. Interesting thoughts there. We are in a reasonably short space of time going to see most laptops with a touch interface and I can see hybrid tablets being an extremely popular option. I can see that Microsoft's strategy long term is to end up at the metro start screen. It doesn't work particularly well with a mouse but when I am using it I just try to think of the metro start screen as the replacement for the start button.....

This, IMHO is the secret to 'getting it' - think of ( the interface formerly known as) Metro as a kicked-up start menu.

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compost

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#710691 1-Nov-2012 21:46

JimmyH: We borrowed a demo box from IT at work the other day with the RTM build, to have a quick play "see what we thought". The consensus was that, compared to Windows 7, it's truly, utterly, *awful*.

It might work on a touch screen system, but on a desktop it's truly bad.

Main gripes were the interface - Metro looks like a three-year old ate a packet of brightly coloured crayons and then vomited over the screen. The user experience is schizophrenic, it's almost like there are two duelling OSes competing with each other. You are faced with unnecessary mouse clicks to get to desktop (who, oh why, don't they provide an option to set it to start in desktop each time?), gratuitous hoops to jump through do do tasks that used to be easy, and the start button should have been left in for those used to it. The whole UI is counter intuitive, inefficient, and just plain butt-ugly.

We sent the box back, and told IT that we would in effect burn them alive, torch their cars and kill their cats if they ever tried to upgrade us to that stinker of an OS.

Personally, I won't be upgrading. I will delay upgrade of my venerable system to a new box that I was planning to get in January. If I can wait I will sit it out until Windows 9 in the hope that MS will fix this mess. If not, I will either spec Windows 7 or get an Apple.

It's kind of funny, I have been with Windows since the 3.11 days, and haven't used a Mac since the Mac Classic days. Years of marketing by Apple has never managed to convince me that I want an Apple, or should contemplate paying the premium mark-up to get one. However, MS has managed to convince me to seriously look in this direction in a single afternoon!

(I am prepared to accept that, of you can cope with the ghastly colour screen, Metro might be usable on a tablet. But why try and force desktop users with keyboards, mice and no touchscreens into a tablet paradigm?)

So, coming back to the "yes or no" question the thread poses - a resounding no from me.

Nobody is being forced - Win 7 is supported until at least 2020 and probably beyond, so you don't have to change a thing for a long time to come. New hardware can even be downgraded to Win 7 if you want. If your (over)reaction is to move to a completely different OS where a fraction of your existing applications are supported then you may as well torch your IT department.

So what do you think a future portable productivity device OS should look like? I for one have no interest in either iOS which looks like a dumbed down Windows/Mac OS, or Android which is getting so widgetified that one day it will look like Diablo and the journey back to the 90s will be complete.

The Win 8 start screen is a dashboard, and dashboards are part of the visual language of senior execs. YOU may dwell in the detail and have no respect for dashboards, but it would be to your benefit to understand it, at the very least.

A time-poor geek is hardly a geek at all

ahmad

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#711006 2-Nov-2012 15:04

I can't seem to get the WMC code by email. Yes, I have checked SPAM. Anyone else take more than 48/72 hours?

freitasm

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#711007 2-Nov-2012 15:04

Mine took about 16 hours, on the first day.

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crackrdbycracku

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#711025 2-Nov-2012 15:53

Here is the thing; JimmyH is repeating the same criticism I have been reading for the last six months.

Basically, Windows 8 is fine if you are on a tablet but not good on a PC and ... lots of people have PCs with keyboards and a mouse. People find a classic PC the best thing for what they do and they like using their PCS.

All the commentary is saying what Windows 8 needs is a 'Return to Windows Classic Desktop' button in the settings so that when you start it up you get the basic Windows 7 desktop you know and want. Who wants to give me odds on how long it will take for this to appear?

Sure, if you work on it you will eventually 'get it' but that isn't the point. The UI is supposed to get out of the way and allow you to do what you want to do, this enhances the UX. The point of the UI is not to give the opportunity practice your problem solving skills.

Remember Vista? This feels similar.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

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