Windows 8 Consumer Preview

[Beefnot]

It's coming...

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/consumer-preview?ocid=C_WPNewsletter

 

[rosebud5]

Just what we need another Microsoft O/S. Then, we'll get an upgrade for MS Office. Why.. because they are cash cows, this is how MS makes money. They change the colors, rearrange the menus, add a few new worthless features, and charge us an arm and a leg.

I still use Windows XP and Office 2003 and they do everything I need.

 

[Beefnot]

You may be right, but the way Win8 has been hyped, it supposedly changes the game. Redesigned interface and architecture, full touch screen, detachable into a tablet/slate (that automatically strips itself down to a tablet user interface when detached), etc. I'm looking forward to seeing it in action in stores this summer.

 

[carl2591]

if you have read the book on steve jobs you can see how bill gates , microsoft, has always been a couple steps behind apple. they, MS, kept trying to make a pc into a mac.. while it has gotten better over time apple is keeping the gas peddle floored the whole time with products..

interesting read for sure.

 

[hypnotiq]

Consumer Preview has been available since 2/29. If you search, I posted a thread the day it released.

It is different, substantially different. And most people will hate it at first. Because psychologically, people hate change. This is the biggest change in the UX since Windows 3.1 went to 95.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Beefnot]

Well i'll be. I will probably like it as I have a windows phone.

 

[hypnotiq]

Things to remember. It's STILL a Beta release. So I don't encourage putting it on a computer that you're not comfortable with having to clean install later.

Consumer Preview is mostly for your more technically savvy people that like to try things out early.

It will become finished later this summer and be available when the new hardware rollouts in time for Holiday 2012 sales.

I've been using it everyday for months. There is an adjustment period for sure. Some things I love, others, are growing on me.

 

[Talent312]

So MS has finally figured out that consumers are migrating away from desktops+laptops to hand-held, touch-screen interfaces, with apps that nearly run themselves.

Their problem is that their bones are last century and they missed the chance to remain relevant with the onset of moibile app-based systems.
But of course, my bones are also last century as well.

 

[Blues]

if you have read the book on steve jobs you can see how bill gates , microsoft, has always been a couple steps behind apple. they, MS, kept trying to make a pc into a mac.. while it has gotten better over time apple is keeping the gas peddle floored the whole time with products..

interesting read for sure.

Yes, while of course, Apple and Jobs ripped off the entire concept from Xerox PARC.

I'm no MS enthusiast. I agree that XP and Office 2000 or 2003 are all you need, and the rest is all revenue enhancement. But the Jobs religion really gets on my nerves sometimes. Let's at least be historically accurate.

-Bob

 

[ScoopKona]

So MS has finally figured out that consumers are migrating away from desktops+laptops to hand-held, touch-screen interfaces, with apps that nearly run themselves.

Their problem is that their bones are last century and they missed the chance to remain relevant with the onset of moibile app-based systems.
But of course, my bones are also last century as well.

If that were their only problem.

Last century, we had to deal with the "640K barrier" because MS wasn't foresighted enough to fix that before it became an issue. It is a reactive company -- not always a bad thing. Things happen in the computer world and MS reacts to them.

Apple does basically the same thing -- they wait for cool stuff to be invented and then engineer the best and most user-friendly version of that new technology. (They didn't invent any of the pretty electronic crap their user base gushes over. They just made existing crap better and more pretty.)

 

[hypnotiq]

the rest is all revenue enhancement.

Kind of like the yearly releases of iPhone/iPad.

 

[hypnotiq]

I agree that XP and Office 2000 or 2003 are all you need

XP has been sundowned and is end of lifecycle support.

You should at least consider moving to Windows 7 at this point.

 

[Blues]

 

[hypnotiq]

:hysterical:

(right click->save)

Thanks. I havent seen that one before.

 

[Passepartout]

Gee, I wonder if W8 will still support my 5 1/2" REAL floppies. Oh never mind. There's an old 286 around here with a flickery green crt that'll still boot.

I'm looking forward to W8. Both DW and I have WinPhone 7.5s and the interface is soooo similar. It does take some getting used to, but nothing like DOS to Windows the first time. Maybe like the learning curve to Apple for a long time Windows user.

Jim

 

[Blues]

XP has been sundowned and is end of lifecycle support.

You should at least consider moving to Windows 7 at this point.

At work, I have XP on my desktop (old, should be replaced next year) and 7 on my laptop.

At home, I have XP on my desktop (also old) and my netbook. We have 7 on my wife's desktop.

I really dislike Win7. I'm thinking of downgrading my work laptop. Yes, I know the the EOL of XP means that eventually updates will stop. That's why my IS dept wants me to keep 7. But if you follow good practices in the use of your computer, the security risks are minimal.

My real beef? I do embedded systems programming, and talk to a lot of instruments and embedded gear via serial ports. Remember those? I actually found a modern laptop with a serial port! But MS deleted Hyperterm from Windows 7. Yes, they have a version available for download. But it won't keep profiles. Have to set up serial port, baud rate, stop bits, etc, every time I bring it up. Pain in the patootie.

But I think the user IF "enhancements" are mostly a step backwards, too. And because I go back and forth between XP and 7, I keep on having to remember which one I'm on and how to do something in this interface.

Oh, and it keeps on screwing up my file permissions. Constantly setting things read-only, and I have to go back to turn that off in order to edit files. Sometimes it doesn't work, and I don't know why. It's maddening in the way it tries to be "helpful" for security reasons.

:hysterical:

(right click->save)

Thanks. I havent seen that one before.

You're most welcome. One of my favorites. A lot of truth in that cartoon.

-Bob

 

[HatTrick]

I do embedded systems programming, and talk to a lot of instruments and embedded gear via serial ports. Remember those? I actually found a modern laptop with a serial port! But MS deleted Hyperterm from Windows 7. Yes, they have a version available for download. But it won't keep profiles. Have to set up serial port, baud rate, stop bits, etc, every time I bring it up. Pain in the patootie.

In case you haven't seen one of these:

Comes in handy for connecting serial devices to laptops that have only USB ports.

http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtModelID=3914

 

[Blues]

In case you haven't seen one of these:

Yes, I've used 1, 2, 4, and 8 port versions of the above. Generally over 2 ports requires external power; fewer can be USB powered. Very useful devices. I also have a number of serial ports mapped to Digi and/or XPort remote serial ports, including several that are under 3000 feet of water, attached to undersea cables. Even written software to interface RFC2217 type devices to a Java JVM, and modified Linux drivers for same. All the above have their uses.

But an actual built-in serial port on a laptop? Priceless.

-Bob

 

[ricoba]

But the Jobs religion really gets on my nerves sometimes. -Bob

It's funny, Jobs & Apple is kind of a religion sometimes isn't it?

Does this mean that it is a subject that we shouldn't discuss on TUG!

 

[bogey21]

You may be right, but the way Win8 has been hyped, it supposedly changes the game. Redesigned interface and architecture, full touch screen, detachable into a tablet/slate (that automatically strips itself down to a tablet user interface when detached), etc. I'm looking forward to seeing it in action in stores this summer.

All I want is a laptop that works. I don't need a bunch of upgrades and options.

George

 

[Beefnot]

All I want is a laptop that works. I don't need a bunch of upgrades and options.

George

Well then look no further than, er, Windows 8!

 

[Htoo0]

Gee, I wonder if W8 will still support my 5 1/2" REAL floppies. Oh never mind. There's an old 286 around here with a flickery green crt that'll still boot.
Jim

I've got an 8" floppy. (Also two 300 MB drive platters.) I wouldn't want anyone to misunderstand to what I was referring to.

 

[hypnotiq]

My dad brought my C64 up to me this past weekend. Time to insert a floppy, boot it up, and have fun with some of my old games.

 

[Talent312]

But the Jobs religion really gets on my nerves sometimes.

My crystal ball failed me when the iPhone was introduced.
I thought, "What a clunker." I couldn't see why anyone would pay that much just for the convergence-factor, when dedicated individual devices performed so much better.

Okay, so I'm an idiot.