Windows 8 DP

[Chewie]

Anyone else tried the Windows 8 Developer Preview?

I've been tryinmg to play with it for the last couple of hours and am not impressed. I know that, since it's a Developer Preview, it's aimed at getting developers to work on programs (apps, we gotta call them all apps now FFS) for the Metro UI, but pushing them along this line is a ridiculous idea... it is exactly like using a mobile phone, only without a touchscreen.
OK, we will probably all have touchscreens in the future but honestly!
The traditional Start Menu has been disabled, so we have 'buttons' everywhere, one of which is for the desktop... so what's happened to the idea of a clean desktop that MS have been working toward for the last 10+ years? I am willing to bet that the first thing developers do is hack the registry to disable Metro!
Having run a couple of Metro-Apps, I'm a little annoyed that to actually close one, I need to open Task Manager otherwise it just sits in the background doing nothing! Is that such a great idea? That the calculator needs to be kept running just in case you need it again? Don't expect your system to keep flying along even after a few days' uptime like Win7, then, as every app you open will stay open until you shut down.
I've read a few reviews and everyone says it boots in, like, 5 to 10 seconds. Haha, I wiped a WinServer2008 install (pretty much vanilla) for the preview (clean install) and it takes longer on the same hardware. Does this mean that once these guys install all their traditional app suites they're going to change their minds?

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favour of moving forward, but MS has a habit of making drastic changes without considering consequences and half-baked implementations of great ideas. I still miss the delete toolbar button, for example. For another, the feckin' great window snapping in Win7 is ruined if you have a second display!

I'd be interested in what other people think about where MS is going with this.

Edit:
Just went to shut it down and you currently need to go into Settings and Power to accomplish it. :unsure:

[megabyteme]

I still only have lukewarm feelings towards Win7. I can eventually find everything I want/need, but I miss XP. It is a lot like the versions of Office that have come out since that time- everything used to be intuitive, and people still remember where things were in XP/Office XP. Since then, much has been sacrificed for a flashier interface.

Yes, I realize there are some growth/progress features behind the screen. However, I'm not thrilled to go out and buy (or even download) a new version of Windows. It will take some substantial marketing/features I feel I will "need" to get me wanting it.

Outside of a post like yours, which gives hands-on details without hype (thanks for doing so), I don't even pay attention to its development. I wonder how many others on the population feel the same sort of OS apathy.

[ckrit]

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

Windows 8 should have looked like this (http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/24/2822891/windows-desktop-ui-concept), imo. There's not really been a good justification for the mess that is metro yet, afaik. It seems to be equal parts stubbornness, pure mental and god-complex.

Good luck deploying windows 8 in any sort of environment where people are set in their ways and just want to get things done like they used to. Congratulations, IT-departments all over the world.


Not tried it all that much, though. I had a brief look and decided that they mustn't be finished at all and that it was a bit of a joke. Later on I read they intend for it to be that way, however.


If I do end up using it, I might start using windowblinds or similar again. I'm sure someone will take a stab at making something out of that sputnik-theme.

[mjmacky]

I still only have lukewarm feelings towards Win7. I can eventually find everything I want/need, but I miss XP. It is a lot like the versions of Office that have come out since that time- everything used to be intuitive, and people still remember where things were in XP/Office XP. Since then, much has been sacrificed for a flashier interface.

Yes, I realize there are some growth/progress features behind the screen. However, I'm not thrilled to go out and buy (or even download) a new version of Windows. It will take some substantial marketing/features I feel I will "need" to get me wanting it.

Outside of a post like yours, which gives hands-on details without hype (thanks for doing so), I don't even pay attention to its development. I wonder how many others on the population feel the same sort of OS apathy.

I remember being excited about Windows 98SE, then completely disregarding the Windows ME release. Then I started to pay attention when they were about release XP, but had nothing but derision for the then upcoming release of Vista. Then I jumped on the Win7 RC without really hearing much about it. I think we just need proper time to age with our OSes before we're ready to move on. They're like women, every other one's gonna be trouble.

So with that, I am avoiding Win8 like it's herpes.

[Evelyn]

win8 failed to impress me (in terms of easy to use and my requirements).. its miles apart. good for tablet certainly not better then win7 for real day to day serious work environment.
metro Ui is ugly.

[mjmacky]

So with that, I am avoiding Win8 like it's herpes.

I'd like to elaborate on my previous statement. It means there's a possibility that I might contract Win8 during a drunken night of technological vigor.

[abigel]

hello..
really Windows 8 exist...I think it is fake news by someone

[mjmacky]

hello..
really Windows 8 exist...I think it is fake news by someone

I think you're fake news by someone.