Microsoft Windows 8?

Windows 8 ?

3 Jun 2012

The latest release of Microsoft's Windows software, version 8, is now available for download.

Described by the BBC as the 'biggest redesign since Windows 95',

and there is another description here -

In summary it would seem that this version of Windows has been designed primarily for phones, tablet computers, and PC's with touch screens.
What do folks think ?

4 Jun 2012

Previous history says that this will be crap. MS is known to not be able to write 2 good OS's on the trot.
But, Windows 8 for PC'slaptops is pretty much Windows 7 with a new GUI front end. Windows Server 8 on the other hand seems to be a big improvement over 2008 SP1 (which is a damn fine server OS).
It will boil down to if you like Metro or not for the average user.

4 Jun 2012

Rob,
It's a release preview therefore think we'll wait until the final version of this that actually ships before deciding, especially given the changes between Developer Preview (Sept 2011), Consumer Preview (Feb 2012) and this the Release Preview. Afterall it's a few months between now and the likely finalised version in a few months.
Agree with Lilly, the one of main talking points around Win 8 is the version that you can install designed for Windows Smartphones, Tablets and the small number of people using touch screens (aka Metro interface), though most of the existing Windows user base will probably, when upgrading, choose the Win 8 with the traditional mouse & keyboard interface..
One feature they are promising is improved multi-monitor support - though to be honest the one in Win 7 is pretty good and a lot better than Vista and XP in this respect.
At this time think it'll be a 'wait and see' excercise before we perhaps drop a copy of Win 8 to a box for testing, etc. and a while before it goes anywhere near our main desktops.

4 Jun 2012

Oh bloody hell. I haven't found half the XP functions that they hid on MS7 yet. banghead

4 Jun 2012

will you still have to type " " in DOS to get windows running?
bolt

4 Jun 2012

Quote by GnV
will you still have to type " " in DOS to get windows running?

GnV,
nah, DEL *.*
innocent

4 Jun 2012

Quote by HnS
will you still have to type " " in DOS to get windows running?

GnV,
nah, DEL *.*
innocent

Unfortunately, the crappy ntfs file system won't let you do that because of file locking. a good idea that as usual, MS mucks up.

5 Jun 2012

Quote by Mr_Lilly
will you still have to type " " in DOS to get windows running?

GnV,
nah, DEL *.*
innocent

Unfortunately, the crappy ntfs file system won't let you do that because of file locking. a good idea that as usual, MS mucks up.
I think you can put the ' ' in the files on Windows 7 wink

? You could also type either 'del .' or 'erase .' which had the same effect as 'del *.*'.
I agree Mr Lily I too have noticed the 'good then bad .....' releases with MS as well. The other thing I noticed of MS Windows is that every new version takes at least 5 times as long to start as the previous version. Now then I tend to buy a PC then use what ever version of windows is on it until the the computer breaks. So, having bought a shiny new computer at least 1000 times (and on one occasion 1000,000 times) faster, this just seems wrong :-x .
Finally this changed with Windows 7 which is the only version where the boot up time was faster than the last computer smile

. So just maybe Windows 8 is going to be a major lemon?
I did think from reading around that the 'Metro Interface' was going to be the default, and not very usable if you didn't have some form of touch screen (phone, tablet, or errm 'touch screen').
Will await the HnS reviews :)

5 Jun 2012

Quote by Robert400andKay
I agree Mr Lily I too have noticed the 'good then bad .....' releases with MS as well. The other thing I noticed of MS Windows is that every new version takes at least 5 times as long to start as the previous version. Now then I tend to buy a PC then use what ever version of windows is on it until the the computer breaks. So, having bought a shiny new computer at least 1000 times (and on one occasion 1000,000 times) faster, this just seems wrong :-x .
Finally this changed with Windows 7 which is the only version where the boot up time was faster than the last computer .

Rob,
The joys of buying a new PC. You read the spec's, drool, save up, pop down the local emporium, hand over the readies, get home, boot it up, then wait............. and then wonder why it runs like a tortoise.
The simple fact is that most new computers supplied today come bundled with a load of 'trial-ware', freebies, etc. that are configured so that most load at start up so consume loads of system resources leaving you wondering what you've bought.
Most people don't realise this and put up with things. However help as been around for years and there are free programs about to help you get what you actually bought by removing all this pre-installed 'crap', funnily enough they are called 'de-crapifier' programs. With the last new laptop the first task was to download one, dis-connect from the internet, and then run it so as to identify 68 items of this 'trial-ware' and remove them all.
The next re-boot took 20% of the time of the previous one and it ran more like the expected sports car the spec's suggested rather than the overloaded 3 wheel Robin. Then the only task was to install the Internet Security/Anti-Virus package of our choice and the software that we wanted, e.g. Flash, etc. It's why family & friends usually spend an afternoon with us whilst we de-crapify their machines, transfer data, settings, etc. over from their old computer.
(also see below)

Quote by Robert400andKay
I did think from reading around that the 'Metro Interface' was going to be the default, and not very usable if you didn't have some form of touch screen (phone, tablet, or errm 'touch screen'). Will await the HnS reviews :)

From reading a lot of reviews the tablet/pad/smartphone generation are generally positive about Win 8, whilst the traditional 'PC' users less so given the radical overhaul akin to the switch from Windows to Windows 95 some 17-18 years ago in many descriptions. However all agree one of its qualities is speed as it generally starts up, resumes from sleep and shuts down faster than Windows 7.
As for what people will actually see in the end product, given the changes in the 'versions' seen so far and the feedback Microsoft have had, then expect some 'tweaks' between Consumer Preview and what ships/you can buy in 3-4 months, and probably a raft of optional downloadable extras from the Microsoft website, Windows App Store, etc. after it's launched.
No doubt we'll end up dropping a copy to a spare machine and 'playing' later in the year and SM will upgrade early whilst H will wait for the traditional first Service Pack or big 'fix' bundle before deploying to any other computers.

5 Jun 2012

I think you can put the ' ' in the files on Windows 7
Really? I'd never have known :doh:

8 Jun 2012

G,
don't worry, it's basically Win 7 under the coveres any way, just with some fancy interfaces for the smartphone and tablet/pad users aka Metro, as well as other low power ARM devices where the Windows version called RT will only be sold direct to OEMs rather than the general public

8 Jun 2012

Windows 8 will sink or swim by its Metro UI. Think I will wait for Windows 9 lol

8 Jun 2012

Quote by Andy_Jules
Windoze 8 *laughing* I mean c'mon, it's doomed to fail even before it gets off the ground.
Suggestion 1 : Ditch Windoze
Suggestion 2 : Switch to Mac
Result: Perfection
j

At hardware which is twice the price. For most of us any perceived improvement is irrelavent when compared with the cost.

8 Jun 2012

Quote by foxylady2209
At hardware which is twice the price. For most of us any perceived improvement is irrelavent when compared with the cost.

You could try Ubuntu Linux. It also comes with all the open office loaded which saves a bob or two as well.

8 Jun 2012

To every member who has contributed to this thread, you are talking bollox.
Nothing to do with what you said...............I just haven't understood a word anybody has said lol

I'll go read my fluffy threads instead bolt

Dave_Notts

11 Jun 2012

No need for Windows or Flashplayer using this

And the chat's much faster too.
:giggle:

12 Jun 2012

I want one, but with a disk drive. Getting stuff to save and load from a cassette player was just nasty and would be far too hard for work smile

13 Jun 2012

Quote by paddy
No need for Windows or Flashplayer using this

And the chat's much faster too.
:giggle:

Still have one of those knocking around somewhere. Still works fine too. Most of the program tapes are useless now though. sad

5 Sep 2012

Its confusing and just like the phone really ...
great for IT workers though .. they are still fixing XP now .. this will be riddled with faults i bet ..
Sticking with apple here .. they look great and just work too ... worth the extra £££ for me
J

4 Nov 2012

Seeing the adverts for Windows 8 the computers now all seem to look like the ZX spectrum smile

4 Nov 2012

I like 7 and am sticking with it ta very much :-)

15 Nov 2012

Win 8 Pro on one of the desktops at the moment, but be a little while before gets rolled out across the others.
Not that any wrong, just a couple of new programmes we use haven't done win 8 drivers/versions yet ......... how long they had banghead

15 Nov 2012

Quote by Robert400andKay
Seeing the adverts for Windows 8 the computers now all seem to look like the ZX spectrum

:laughabove:
I'd have to agree, it looks crap, square boxes with strong colours that looks dated rather than being an improvement.
I think the " Big Sell" will be the touch screen functionality although I can't see that as advantage when one is using older software sitting on a new OS platform.
Nokia got it wrong with Symbian, now the've got it wrong with Windows 8 introducing the brick the Lumia
Microsoft got it wrong with the following

I think the Two Big Players, Apple and Google are leaving the Microsofts and Nokia behind now. Microsoft will always be a larger player in OS systems, is Windows8 a good choice, I'd say not - why not just Install Windows ME or Windows Vista.
Paddy

16 Nov 2012

I ditched Microsoft a while ago and made the move to Linux, well almost. I chose , a flavour of Linux, based on Ubuntu (despite it sounding like a Bond villain lol

). It is described as "The gateway to Linux for Windows users", so far so good, Oh and it's free.

16 Nov 2012

Quote by samson63
I ditched Microsoft a while ago and made the move to Linux, well almost. I chose Zorin, a flavour of Linux, based on Ubuntu (despite it sounding like a Bond villain ). It is described as "The gateway to Linux for Windows users", so far so good, Oh and it's free.

I would be interested in trying something non-windows but what about compatibility? If I write a document, can Windows users still open it? Can I even write a document? :veryignorant:

16 Nov 2012

Quote by foxylady2209
I would be interested in trying something non-windows but what about compatibility? If I write a document, can Windows users still open it? Can I even write a document? :veryignorant:

Yes, you can use OpenOffice (included in most Linux distros) and as far as other compatibility goes you can use WINE (allows Windows apps to run on Linux).
There are many Linux distros out there, Ubuntu being the most popular, but Zorin is closest to Windows, in appearance anyway. I'm far from an expert, still finding my way around, but happily enjoying this site and the forum on Zorin.

16 Nov 2012

Quote by foxylady2209
I ditched Microsoft a while ago and made the move to Linux, well almost. I chose Zorin, a flavour of Linux, based on Ubuntu (despite it sounding like a Bond villain ). It is described as "The gateway to Linux for Windows users", so far so good, Oh and it's free.

I would be interested in trying something non-windows but what about compatibility? If I write a document, can Windows users still open it? Can I even write a document? :veryignorant:
Ubuntu (I haven't used Zorin) comes with an Open Office bundle which allows you to save documents in pretty much all the Microsoft Formats. Failing all other options save as MS Word 97/2000/XP format. Some of the later Microsoft Office can also read the Open Office format.
Open Office consists of Writer, Calc, Draw, and Impress which correspond to the MS Office products Word, Excel, MS Graphic, and Power Point. The Open Office will just open the equivalent MS files and save them as the MS format. If you just want to try Open Office you can also download a version for Windows.

If you want to try Unbuntu you can download a copy and make a DVD

Or stick it on a memory stick and run it from that (this is a bit more complicated). Running off the DVD (or memory stick) you can try it out without even affecting the installed Windows (well unless you then ask it to install or write stuff to the hard drive).

17 Nov 2012

Quote by foxylady2209
I ditched Microsoft a while ago and made the move to Linux, well almost. I chose Zorin, a flavour of Linux, based on Ubuntu (despite it sounding like a Bond villain ). It is described as "The gateway to Linux for Windows users", so far so good, Oh and it's free.

I would be interested in trying something non-windows but what about compatibility? If I write a document, can Windows users still open it? Can I even write a document? :veryignorant:
Foxy,
can always dual boot, i.e. have 2 OS's installed and can choose at startup whether to go into Windows or another OS, e.g. Linux variant.
That way you can see how you get on with alternatives and at the end either keep both or just choose one to stick with.
A nice option in Win 8 Pro (64-bit) is their Hyper-V, aka formerly known as Windows Server Virtualization, basically you can boot into Win 8 as normal and then can setup & subsequently access any virtual machine (VM) partitions you have installed, which might be running older versions of Windows e.g. Win 7, Vista and even XP as well as other OS's that you might fancy.
(Technically it's actually Client Hyper-V provides the same virtualization capabilities as Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012. A similar functionality in Windows 7 is called Windows XP Mode. Hyper-V supports the creation of both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems in virtual machines).
Hope this helps

18 Nov 2012

Windows 7 was/is a great OS. Windows8 is built using 7 as its foundation. There are some key features that are different.
DirectX 11.1 is only available in win8. This is an updated programming language that games are built with. The win8 version gives added support for 3d games.
The new Xbox when released will also be using this language which will help build the porting bridge between them both.
the kinect hardware will also be supported in win 8 bringing the reality of the minority report control system.
Win8 boot times have drastically improved over the previous versions because it stores the boot sequence correctly into your RAM. It's the same concept of booting from an SSD hard drive.
Microsoft are attempting to bridge the gap between hand held devices and consoles. Creating a single environment for programmers to use to develop for all and then releasing their work via the windows market place. A one stop shop so to speak.
I can see MS releasing a config change to remove the metro UI on startup if the users don't want it. It's not the best UI for a desktop and there are already work arounds to male it boot into desktop view already.
Win8 is definately an improvement on 7 though. Performance wise especially.