I'm confused about Win8

Burgurne

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Can someone enlight me? I have a good stationary PC with Z77 chipset, and 3570K (OC to 4,4Ghz), a Nvidia GTX580 graphic card, a Auzentech soundcard, Logitech Z5500 speakerset and a 24" monitor. How do MS think this PC is going to be swapped for a tablet???
How do MS think I want to buy a "touch" OS for this gaming PC? (which is also used for homebanking, some job, emails, surf, music aso).

I have tried the CP version of Win8, but it was ugly (especially Metro). No eyecandy at desktop, Metro is crammed down my throat, and windows at desktop is back to win98, completely square. On the other hand, Win8 has a faster boot, and a faster shut down, and my tools (totalcommander and other) are working just fine, so I still have to find a compatibel-error.

If MS is angry enough about we're not buying their Win8, what is the possibilities that DirectX 12 will be a "Windows 8 ONLY" like they did with Dx10 and XP?

Also, in the RTM version of Win8, is the mediaPLAYER missing, or is it just the mediaCENTER?

English is not my first language, so please bear with me :eek:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64bit Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 3570K @4,4Ghz
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77A GD65
    Memory
    16Gbyte DDR3 1866Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX770 lightning
    Sound Card
    Auzentech X-Fi Forte 7.1
    Monitor(s) Displays
    BenQ BL2411
    Screen Resolution
    1920*1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840EVO 240Gbyte, Samsung 830 256Gbyte SSD, Seagate 4TB , Western Digital black edition 1,5Tbyte
    PSU
    Zalman ZM850 HP
    Case
    Corsair Carbide 500R
    Cooling
    air
    Keyboard
    Logitech G15
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Internet Speed
    60/60mbit fiber
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender total security
The media player is missing from all "N" versions of Windows, which are sold in Europe due to the EU's demand that MS remove it for competition reasons.

Media Center is not in the basic Windows 8, but can be added by purchasing a key to give it media center capabilities.

As for the rest of your question, you miss the point. MS doesn't care one way or the other if you use touch on your desktop. But they want to use the same OS on Phones, Tablets, and Desktops. So that means the OS has to be "Touch Friendly", because it's all the same OS.

Metro apps are designed to be cross-platform apps that work on any supported architecture (currently x86, x64 and ARM), so the same apps work on all platforms (phones, tablets, and desktops).

Traditional x86 apps and games will still work on Windows 8, and will continue to work on Windows for the foreseeable future. But, Metro allows app developers to develop new apps that target all platforms and devices, so you can use the same app everywhere.

As for DirectX 10. It wasn't supported on XP because it was built upon the GPU architecture and 3D accelerated graphics engine of Vista+. XP couldn't technically support it. They would have had to radically change the driver model of XP to make it work, and that's just not something you do to an existing system. Sure, Microsoft *COULD* have made it work, but it wasn't worth it to them to expend the effort on an OS they weren't going to be selling anymore.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    CPU
    Intel i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z77X-UD4 TH
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GTX 650
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Auria 27" IPS + 2x Samsung 23"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440 + 2x 2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    Corsair m4 256GB, 2 WD 2TB drives
    Case
    Antec SOLO II
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
    Mouse
    Logitech MX
OK, so if I will switch to Win8, I'll have to find a NON-version "N"? As I have understand it, win 8 (in all versions) will support other languages like Windows 7 Ultimate? i.e. I will be able to buy an English version, and after install, I can switch to my language (danish) via Windows update?

As for an app-solution that work "on any device", it worries me, that they will just take the lowest common denominator for all, and make it this way, like many games today is made for Xbox, PS3 and PC, and we PC-gamers are stuck with games that is WAY under, what our hardware can handle.
I don't want touch on my stationary (but on my phone it is the best!!), and an app that run on my Phones little screen don't look very nice on my 24" monitor :confused:. But for tools aso where graphic is not important, I can see a big advance in making the program, and therefore in the price I will have to pay for it :D.

Is there any change in the way Win8 boot to Metro in RTM compared to the CP I have tried? The missing START is not a BIG issue to me, just a little one, but the Metro-start is not my cup of tea. I would like to boot direct to desktop, as I have no touch.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64bit Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 3570K @4,4Ghz
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77A GD65
    Memory
    16Gbyte DDR3 1866Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX770 lightning
    Sound Card
    Auzentech X-Fi Forte 7.1
    Monitor(s) Displays
    BenQ BL2411
    Screen Resolution
    1920*1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840EVO 240Gbyte, Samsung 830 256Gbyte SSD, Seagate 4TB , Western Digital black edition 1,5Tbyte
    PSU
    Zalman ZM850 HP
    Case
    Corsair Carbide 500R
    Cooling
    air
    Keyboard
    Logitech G15
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Internet Speed
    60/60mbit fiber
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender total security
Well, there will probably always be apps optimized for different classes of devices. But many apps can be written to take the size of the device into account and self-optimize for the device it's running on. Currently, I don't consider Metro apps to be my "Primary" apps, I look at it more as a freebie... In addition to all the normal desktop apps, I can also run all these apps that are designed for phones and tablets.

When you look at Windows 7 and Windows Phone 7, the apps were completely different. You couldn't run Windows Phone 7 apps on Windows 7, even if you wanted to. It's unlikely that major gaming companies will give up desktop gaming for Metro gaming. They may have Metro versions of games (like The Sims) though. And lots of games just don't need more than Metro offers (solitaire, Puzzle games, etc..)

If you have an "N" version, you can download the media player separately, it just doesn't ship with it for legal reasons.

As far as the start menu and booting to desktop, there are various solutions for that. There's third party apps that give you a start button and a menu, those solutions usually let you boot directly to the desktop as well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    CPU
    Intel i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z77X-UD4 TH
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GTX 650
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Auria 27" IPS + 2x Samsung 23"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440 + 2x 2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    Corsair m4 256GB, 2 WD 2TB drives
    Case
    Antec SOLO II
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
    Mouse
    Logitech MX
You can always make the Desktop tile the first tile. That way, once your PC boots up and loads the Win 8 UI, all you have to do is press "enter" to get to the desktop. Or you can press Win+D.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows Server 2012 Standard w/Hyper-V
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP ProBook 4430s
    CPU
    Intel Core i3-2310M
    Memory
    16GB DDR3
    Hard Drives
    80GB Intel 320 SSD
    500GB Samsung Momentus
Here's one that no one has said yet. You don't have to switch. Win7 is going to be supported fully until around 2020. Just leave your system alone and use what you have. You will miss nothing.

-Max
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17R / Dell XPS 8300
    CPU
    Intel i5 (17R) / Intel i7 (XPS)
    Memory
    8GB / 8GB
Well, you miss the improvements to Windows 8 that have nothing to do with Metro, such as the multi-monitor improvements (taskbar on each screen, individualized wallpapers per screen, etc..), performance and resource usage improvements, Client Hyper-V, etc..
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    CPU
    Intel i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z77X-UD4 TH
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GTX 650
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Auria 27" IPS + 2x Samsung 23"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440 + 2x 2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    Corsair m4 256GB, 2 WD 2TB drives
    Case
    Antec SOLO II
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
    Mouse
    Logitech MX
Yes, you do have to give up on some features to stay with Windows 7, but Windows 7 is solid. It might be worth it to some to skip those extra features to get back the desktop and aero the way they were used to it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
And if you do stay with W7, hopefully M$ will eventually honour their committment to W7 buyers and provide SP2 which will include those improvements to the basic OS engine. Or they might even go the whole way and provide a direct boot to desktop and start orb/menu for W8.

But that won't happen until W8 has achieved it's goal of penetration into the laptop/hybrid, tablet, touchfone market.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
OK, it seems like I just want to stay with Windows 7 Ultimate x64 for now.
I don't use tablet or windows phone, I'm only having 1 monitor, so it is very limited what I am going to miss, I assume.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64bit Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 3570K @4,4Ghz
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77A GD65
    Memory
    16Gbyte DDR3 1866Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX770 lightning
    Sound Card
    Auzentech X-Fi Forte 7.1
    Monitor(s) Displays
    BenQ BL2411
    Screen Resolution
    1920*1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840EVO 240Gbyte, Samsung 830 256Gbyte SSD, Seagate 4TB , Western Digital black edition 1,5Tbyte
    PSU
    Zalman ZM850 HP
    Case
    Corsair Carbide 500R
    Cooling
    air
    Keyboard
    Logitech G15
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Internet Speed
    60/60mbit fiber
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender total security
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