Do You think that Windows 8 is that bad?

[fafhrd]

I think the clue to how much Microsoft expects to earn from you via the cloud will be reflected in the price of retail versions of Windows 8 when they begin to appear in the stores. If relatively cheap when compared with previous versions, look out!

Remember that the marketing Department at Microsoft is in many ways indistinguishable from a cartel of Central American Drug Barons, and will encourage the distribution of free samples outside school gates in order to hook future customers.

 

[Data359]

If major business vendors can agree that the cloud is the way to go for business applications (Oracle, IBM) then it makes sense that Microsoft would create a consumer OS to give them traction in this market. With most major corporations now offering IPads as an alternative to the laptop for senior executive and those employees that are on the road for the majority of the time it is not hard to see why Microsoft have designed Win 8 the way they have they need an equivalent device and operating system but with the ability to still retain corporate standards to keep IT departments happy. The OS still needs work but the ability to customize most of the metro style apps from the opening screen if required and the ease of use to get too most required dialogs via the search make the case for me. I look forward to the release candidate - and hope fully a fix to the mail account problems (adding removing).

 

[Max Peck]

why should a desktop user ever see metro in the first place, let alone have to switch back-and-forth to it during the course of their work?

I don't know why you think you have to keep switching back-and-forth? I don't have to. I only use the Metro screen to launch programs, which is far easier than finding programs on the old start menu. The programs I use all the time I pin to the task bar.

I dunno, perhaps you're right. Still, to me the thing doesn't seem like an upgrade in any sense. I have absolutely no use for the Metro interface in a desktop environment. Unless something else about the system sells itself to me as a reason to upgrade I just don't see the point. I've read the technical specs. It just doesn't offer anything I need or want. Perhaps at some point if I wind up buying a system that has it installed by default I may revisit the idea but it doesn't present itself as acceptable as an upgrade to any of the systems I already have.

-Max

 

[Konceptz804]

Architecturally, Windows 8 is superior to Windows 7 in every way. Its lighter, faster, and handles system resources better. But, I do not like how they are forcing metro on us. Metro is useless on a desktop/laptop. I LOVE the new lock screen. Its nice to have a large clock with appealing background. Would be even better if you could setup an aquarium or some sort of moving animation. It would save me from having to buy a fish tank for my 3 year old.

 

[Max Peck]

Architecturally, Windows 8 is superior to Windows 7 in every way. Its lighter, faster, and handles system resources better. But, I do not like how they are forcing metro on us. Metro is useless on a desktop/laptop. I LOVE the new lock screen. Its nice to have a large clock with appealing background. Would be even better if you could setup an aquarium or some sort of moving animation. It would save me from having to buy a fish tank for my 3 year old.

LOL ... well yeah, we absolutely must have a cool lock screen eh? Well ... I don't have any more 3-year-olds around my house, the kids have all grown up and my wife and I are just waiting for the cat and dog to die off so we can keep the house clean! ;-) If you want a cool lock screen go to the HAL project (halproject.com) and get the screen saver. Makes your machine look like it's running Metro (HAL 9000 O/S) when the screen saver kicks off! (Where do you think the idea for Metro came from?)

As far as architecture goes, I guess I don't much care anymore. I've been writing code for a little over 35 years now and it's been awhile since the lower-level stuff mattered to me. I used to write device drivers and O/S-level stuff but now I just write business intelligence logic (in my regular job) and desktop applications for my own use.

To me, Metro is just an ugly front-end that I don't like. I was a Windows Mobile user up through 6.5 but once I saw Metro I ditched WM for an iPhone4. I don't expect that Metro in Windows will make me ditch my Windows equipment as I have way too much invested in hardware and software to toss it and go "Mac" but it will take a major "gotta have it" feature to get me to consider upgrading anything I'm running to Metro. So far said feature has not presented itself. Win7 will not owe me a penny once I'm done using it!

-Max

 

[legacy7955]

The Metro part is THAT BAD for a desktop. It has NO place on any desktop.

I won't be buying it.

I was originally under the impression that the use could select which layout he wanted and that it would be a "one click" solution that was accomplished during the first use (boot) of Win8 obviously this is not the case.

ALSO JUST SAY NO TO THE CLOUD!

 

[Coke Robot]

I voted no.

To me, Windows has been something that has slowly evolved, and doesn't always have something magnanimously different to it. 7 is much like vista, vista is just a securer, slower performing, glassy-looking version of xp. Xp is a prettier and better navigable version of 2000. Simply put, Windows doesn't TRULY change a lot. That is good for usability, but that can't stay the way it is. Windows 8 changes everything.

Honestly, once you actually USE the Start Screen and not pee on it and complain it doesn't do this or that or ruins something or another, it's excellent. Yes, there does need work to improve it, but that's why it's still in development. The Desktop we know and love in 7 still remains, but needs the modern metro design and better integration. It's not that bad as people claim it to be.

 

[SIW2]

The Desktop we know and love in 7 still remains, but needs the modern metro design and better integration.

I hope you are being ironic.

A small portable device has a tiny screen.

Therefore simplistic little retrograde squares are a compromise one can accept.

On a larger screen those compromises are not necessary and one can indeed have a sophisticated modern design.

 

[Coke Robot]

The Desktop we know and love in 7 still remains, but needs the modern metro design and better integration.

I hope you are being ironic.

A small portable device has a tiny screen.

Therefore simplistic little retrograde squares are a compromise one can accept.

On a larger screen those compromises are not necessary and one can indeed have a sophisticated modern design.

Then what would be a more sophisticated modern design for the Desktop?

 

[GMan]

Then what would be a more sophisticated modern design for the Desktop?

Not taking anything away from the design(ers) of Win 7 desktop, because it is great. Aero is great too. But with today's modern graphic cards, amazing things can be done.

You want reimagined? (Talking to Microsoft here.) How about looking at modern 3d games and making Windows like that? Like the menu of games even...let my graphics processor work to make my desktop...work hard...make that thing gleam and jump off my screen.

So many peoples' machines won't handle it and/or enterprise will not want that, but they can make it a choice to use. It wouldn't be easy but well within means to be done. Hire game producers if necessary. Make Windows into a modern 3d game gui. Now that would be something. Make everything you do look and feel like you were running a 3d game and/or its settings menus. Then, a legacy option if one so chooses.

This would be the "proper" way to push sales of hardware, instead of Metro nonsense.

 

[SIW2]

MS are doing a great job so far with the main ui - the sophistication and customizing options are about as modern as you can get with current hardware.

Animation, fading, transparency,shadowing and being able to customize all of those and the continuing improvement - some of that is new in win8 main ui - are excellent.

Gman is on the button that the future holds 3d and eventually something akin to holography.

Metro is the complete opposite of modern , let alone futuristic.

 

[DooRules]

Vote yes. It just doesn't do much of anything better than W7.

 

[jimbo45]

Vote yes. It just doesn't do much of anything better than W7.

Hi there
The Windows to Go concept is EXACTLY what roving consultants need and want. Whether the traditional I.T dept is able and willing to embrace this technology is another issue -- but that's not a technical but a political problem.

Ms is actually WAY WAY ahead here -- although it will take time before this type of stuff is universally used -- and probably the biggest obstacle will be from the I.T dept itself as it feels its control over how users access central I.T services is being eroded.

Most people in any business --especially if they've worked for YEARS in them do not like to feel they are being sidelined - especially by "Bog standard Users".

Ms DEFINITELY has a winner here even though it might take some time before this is realized.

The whole idea of a "Portable Desktop" HAS to be a win win scenario for everyone -- company doesn't need 10 zillion licenses and the consultant can use software they are used to using in their normal jobs..

Access to specialized company software such as Back end SAP systems, portal stuff or CRM / shopping baskets etc. can still be done through company VPN's etc.


Cheers
jimbo

 

[tseven]

It's not bad but it definitely could be better. Feels like they have an unfinished product. Desktop and metro mixing doesn't feel right it just feels obviously different. As a matter of fact doesn't even feel like there is any mixing it's two separate worlds where they don't even blend. What I really don't like is the fact that after all these years we still need certain programs to view common files. For example we need the live photo gallery to view .tiff and some other formats and even raw files. It should be baked into the operating system.

 

[Vince53]

It DOES take some getting used to. But after using it for a while, I love it.

 

[Philgo]

If I made an operating system and loads of potential customers were moaning about it, I would give them what they want along with what I think they want.

How hard can it be to put back the start button and give the option whether to boot to Metro or not.

 

[Max Peck]

If I made an operating system and loads of potential customers were moaning about it, I would give them what they want along with what I think they want.

How hard can it be to put back the start button and give the option whether to boot to Metro or not.

Well, I think it's a little bit more complex than that however, yes, that does cover much of what's going on. My objection to what MS is doing this time is that they're foisting the touch-centric type interface on everybody (including desktop users who don't want or need it) in place of a paradigm that is well known and understood. Yeah, I know you can go to the desktop from Metro and that will probably work out OK however the fact that Metro is pushed as the default front-end with no choice in the matter is really kind of silly.

I have no doubt that they could have left the desktop as-is and brought Metro in as a subsystem that could be launched from the desktop when on a desktop machine or run by default on a tablet device with a simple option setting provided to control that behavior. There is some other agenda at work behind this. (I'm not implying "evil" agenda, just an agenda).

Until and unless the O/S offers some compelling feature that I just can't live without I see no point in disturbing a well functioning Win7 (or XP or Vista for that matter) desktop system with Win8. Just exactly why would a desktop user ever be compelled to run Metro unless ... unless there existed an application that only exists in Metro form that someone has to have.

At any rate this will all be very interesting to watch how it shakes out.

-Max