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Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

windows.microsoft.com

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Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#41

Post by rys »

lubos wrote: post #19
billpatrianakos wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh boy, here comes the obligatory HN-contrarianism and knee-jerk Microsoft bashing. I dislike Microsoft, in particular, Windows, as much as the next guy but you can't just throw out blanket statements like that with nothing to support them. Why will this be such a flop? Are you maybe exaggerating? If it is because of the fundamental changes you mention? Which ones in particular and how are they not proven to be bette…

I'm not bashing Microsoft. Windows is my primary platform, all I'm saying is that I'm disappointed at how radical Microsoft is becoming. 99.9999% of applications for Windows are not going to look like Metro apps including flagship products like MS Office. So Metro is going to get in the way most of the time. I'm not sure what desktop users should really appreciate about Windows 8.

How do you think we get anywhere in computing without taking a few risks and trying new things? The fact that the old operating environment is right there means you can carry on as you are and the rest of the world can give it a shot and move things on.

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#42

Post by drivebyacct2 »

kijin wrote: post #15
arihant wrote: post #12

I do not understand the skepticism against Windows 8, specially from the hacker community. The only reason I do not use a Windows computer (anymore) is because there are so few ways to build things on it, compared to a Mac. I remember back in the day when I used Windows exclusively because Visual Studio was the only way to do build awesome things fast. With Windows 8, MS has brought back those days. Developing for Me…

Developing for Metro might be amazing, but developing on Metro is a non-starter. After all, Visual Studio is not a Metro app (yet). Since most "hackers" will spend most of their time on the traditional desktop anyway, they see little reason to upgrade from Windows 7.

And? No one is saying you should develop in Metro. No one is saying "Avoid desktop mode". It's there for a reason. It is there for people who need desktop mode, who need true, all-the-time window-ized multi-tasking.

Then there are the people who buy iPads, iPhones, Androids, WP7 and others by the millions. The majority of users do not produce content. Windows 8 is an effort to bring them an easy to use tablet experience while still allowing them to be highly productive in a traditional Windows desktop if necessary.

Everyone acts like Windows 8 "breaks Windows". I do not understand this mentality. It's an additional set of apps, UX/UI and APIs. You're not forced to use them or even develop for them. But it's very likely that users are going to embrace Metro Apps for a huge number of reasons (performance [async apis, etc], battery life, notifications, live tiles, ARM tablets, etc)

Very little incentive to upgrade is understandable, but I can still list reasons that I will be interested in upping to Win8: (1) upgrading is cheap ($15); (2) Win8 includes the ability to wipe the machine back to "just installed" clean built in (or can wipe Desktop mode (registry, desktop apps) and leave data + Metro apps); (3) hackers will want Visual Studio (or else why is a "hacker" using Windows) and will likely want/need to target Metro apps; (4) even I like to kick back and mindlessly surf Twitter for an hour in the evening.

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#43

Post by debacle »

I have to say, they've made a ton of improvements since the last release. I'm still not super happy with it (and it still feels like Vista) but it's definitely taken many steps ahead.

I still don't think anyone is going to be using the metro menu. It's just not what people want from Windows.

Edit: Wait, nevermind, I got it to crash within fifteen minutes. Apparently if you remove a tile from metro while moving it to a new column it will hang the metro menu and break the windows key (at least for me).

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#45

Post by Splines »

9999 wrote: post #34
melling wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It'll ship on almost 90% of desktop PC's and there are millions of ageing PC's running XP that have to be near the end of their useful life. In short, how big of a flop could it be?

The potential for a big flop is that instead of buying a PC to replace that aging XP box, the customer will just buy an iPad.

"Hey, look, there's a Windows iPad too. I liked my Windows computer before it just wouldn't turn on anymore, I should try one of those."

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#46

Post by Negitivefrags »

lubos wrote: post #3

This OS might be the biggest Microsoft flop ever. There are just way too many fundamental changes which are not proven to be actually better. I would rather see new Metro UI as another full-screen app to see if it can stand on its own before they go all-in with it. Something similar to what Microsoft did with Windows 3.10 which was basically another DOS program. I guess, Microsoft is being run by different folks toda…

To call Windows 3.1 "basically another DOS program" is to call Linux "basically another GRUB program".

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#47

Post by TazeTSchnitzel »

debacle wrote: post #43

I have to say, they've made a ton of improvements since the last release. I'm still not super happy with it (and it still feels like Vista) but it's definitely taken many steps ahead. I still don't think anyone is going to be using the metro menu. It's just not what people want from Windows. Edit: Wait, nevermind, I got it to crash within fifteen minutes. Apparently if you remove a tile from metro while moving it to…

So much for a release preview...

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#48

Post by recoiledsnake »

factorialboy wrote: post #4

So if I understand corrently it's Metro vs. Chrome OS?

They're totally different philosophies. ChromeOS is about Web applications and there's no touch hardware or support AFAIK. There will be no third party native apps, while on Metro the focus is third party touch compatible applications. So it's more like Metro vs. Android.

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#49

Post by recoiledsnake »

kijin wrote: post #15
arihant wrote: post #12

I do not understand the skepticism against Windows 8, specially from the hacker community. The only reason I do not use a Windows computer (anymore) is because there are so few ways to build things on it, compared to a Mac. I remember back in the day when I used Windows exclusively because Visual Studio was the only way to do build awesome things fast. With Windows 8, MS has brought back those days. Developing for Me…

Developing for Metro might be amazing, but developing on Metro is a non-starter. After all, Visual Studio is not a Metro app (yet). Since most "hackers" will spend most of their time on the traditional desktop anyway, they see little reason to upgrade from Windows 7.

>Developing for Metro might be amazing, but developing on Metro is a non-starter.

You can run the full Visual Studio 2012 natively on any x86 tablet such as this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxJQotodEVQ

Does Android or the iPad have a full featured native IDE with debugging support without resorting to hacks?

>Since most "hackers" will spend most of their time on the traditional desktop anyway, they see little reason to upgrade from Windows 7.

You do realize that the Desktop on Windows 8 will run all programs that run in Windows 8 right? And Windows 8 contains major improvements to the Desktop like file copying, multiscreen taskbar support etc. etc.

Re: Windows 8 Release Preview ready for download

#50

Post by ayiteddybear »

moystard wrote: post #40
kijin wrote: post #18

Can anyone tell when this preview expires? I can't seem to find that information in the FAQ.

Someone needs to install it and execute the process described in this article http://techdows.com/2012/03/windows-8-beta-expiry-date.html to figure it out.

it says 16.01.2013
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