Windows 8

[Khendraja'aro]

Played around with Windows 8 on my slate. As it has only a Wacom type touch screen (i.e. pen input) and is also a bit underpowered, it's a bit rough going - and they still have to work on the UI, some things are disingenuous - I mean, I understand that this is a new paradigm, but still...

Gripe nr. 1: Save for settings and desktop, no apps would open. Discovered that the minimum resolution for apps is 1024x768, the resolution after install was set to 800x600, though.
Gripe nr. 2: There's no fast way (for me, at least) to close an app. I have to move the pen to the upper screen border, drag down to the middle and then to the complete left. Then I'm seeing just the green Metro background, another tap/click brings me back to the app overview.
Gripe nr. 3: No sliding through the app overview for me, unless I use the scroll buttons
Nr. 4: Where's the shutdown? Oh, it's hidden in "settings => power"
Nr. 5: If you go to the desktop, the start button will not give you a menu but will take you back to Metro. Accessing your programs has to be done by getting the Search pane (pulled from right screen border), tap on "apps". What's nice though: The programs and apps are sorted alphabetically if you want a complete overview.
Nr. 6: If some application pops up the virtual keyboard I didn't see an easy way to fold it in again.

Summary: Not ready for prime time, yet. Though I do like the "Reset Windows" option - no more reinstalling!

[CitizenCain]

Though I do like the "Reset Windows" option - no more reinstalling!

Lotsa luck with that plan; the "reset Windows" option has been around since Win 2k, and it hasn't eliminated the reinstall need yet.

[Loki]

Am I missing something or is the insane tablet/mobile version of Windows going to be the only one available? If true, this is going to royally piss off businesses that use Windows.

[Wraith]

The desktop you're used to is right underneath.

[RandBlade]

Explorer.exe has always been an app, but surely running that shell on top of Metro (whatever you call it now) will be more resource intensive than before? I'm assuming for those who want to stick with the traditional desktop (so far I find it cleaner) there'll be a setting somewhere so it loads straight up rather than having to be started manually.

The touchscreen interface works well for a tablet (I probably use my iPad more than Laptop/PC now) but not sure I want it on a full machine. For one thing they get dirty quickly, my iPads screen cover doubles as cleaning for it as well (it gets rid of the finger prints when you close it) but you don't put a screen cover over a Laptop/Monitor. They'd be filthy and require regular maintenance. Plus I like big monitors on my full machines, which typically means sitting back.

Having said that, I do miss touching and scrolling, swiping, pinching to zoom in etc which you get used to on iOS.

[Khendraja'aro]

"Resource intensive"? Naw. Current machines already have more RAM than they need - and that's precisely where processes reside which are not currently active. And for those machines a bit more constrained, those would be running Windows RT anyway which does not have the legacy desktop.

And I've been running the release version of Windows 8 for almost two months now. It works and does not really get in your way. I don't really miss the Start menu either. It's much faster to press the Windows key and start typing the name of the application you want to run. For example, I want to run Visual Studio? Easy: Windows, V, I, Enter, done. Much faster than sifting through multiple layers of folders.

[Aimless]

So far my experience has been that windows 8 is generally comparable to or better than even Windows 7 wrt performance. I have been wholly satisfied with it, been running the beta for months and months now on several computers and it's been a blast it'll be the first windows version for which I'll buy a separate license. Had some issues due to my computers being stupid, but windows itself has mostly been amazing.

Of course, I very rarely use metro apps atm. I'm not sure how well such apps will lend themselves to the various use-cases that require using several programs in tandem, but I'm sure it'll all work out in the end. Def. not keen on windowsRT atm but maybe things like Splashtop will change that.

[Loki]

The desktop you're used to is right underneath.

I've read that the start menu is now gone. Is that not true? I still don't understand why the new Windows is geared entirely toward people who use tablets, when tablet users are nowhere near the majority of Windows users. Why not just make it for Twitter users only?

[Khendraja'aro]

It doesn't exist in the form you're used to. I've found my combination of "Windows-Key + first letters of what you want" much faster than the old menu. Also, if you invoke the Search menu, you can also scroll through all installed programs.

[Loki]

Why require extra clicks and navigating? And what if I don't remember the exact name of the file?

[Khendraja'aro]

Extra clicks? It's exactly the same amount of clicks as before, maybe even less.

And your "What if"-questions remind me of those guys who desperately want to find something to grumble about even when there is nothing to grumble about. Yeah, what if, man! What if!

Geeze. Then you invoke the Search menu. With half a brain and maybe a modicum of intelligence you'd have figured that out by yourself, given the fact that I already said that.

[Loki]

Yeah, who knew that someone that's been using a program for months would have a clearer understanding of how it works than someone who hasn't.

[Khendraja'aro]

Also, if you invoke the Search menu, you can also scroll through all installed programs.

And what if I don't remember the exact name of the file?

Learning to read might help.

[Aimless]

Why require extra clicks and navigating? And what if I don't remember the exact name of the file?

If you really like doing it old-school windows explorer is still there

[Ominous Gamer]

Yeah, who knew that someone that's been using a program for months would have a clearer understanding of how it works than someone who hasn't.

I haven't got to play with Windows 8 yet and I so far recall the answers to the questions you and rand are thinking up. Cause you know, google and shit. The annoying part is that you and rand both attempt to correct your ignorance by presenting your questions with a dash of opinion and negativity. If you're curious, more power to you for trying to figure it out, but thats no reason to slam the concept.

[Wraith]

It doesn't exist in the form you're used to. I've found my combination of "Windows-Key + first letters of what you want" much faster than the old menu. Also, if you invoke the Search menu, you can also scroll through all installed programs.

That's my usage pattern with the start menu anyways.

Why require extra clicks and navigating? And what if I don't remember the exact name of the file?

The desktop is still there, and works like it used to. The start menu is bigger, but that should actually require less mousework on average to get what you want running, not more.

[Asmodian]

I do not see any reason to switch to this over windows 7, most of my friends have not even switched to 7 and are sticking with xp as it runs faster. I am sticking to 7 as it is better at repairing itself when it breaks. The news that the mouse is dead is greatly exaggerated, mouse will die together with PC gaming or when people actually start enjoying being totally destroyed by someone who has kept his antique input device.

[Steely Glint]

If true, this is going to royally piss off businesses that use Windows.

Businesses aren't going to be moving onto Windows 8 for a goodly while, if at all.

[Khendraja'aro]

Businesses aren't going to be moving onto Windows 8 for a goodly while, if at all.

Most of those businesses are probably only now moving onto 7, after all. Usually takes quite a while for the larger businesses to make that sort of a switch.

[Loki]

Businesses aren't going to be moving onto Windows 8 for a goodly while, if at all.

Are we assuming Windows 9 will go back to being business-friendly? Why release a Windows product that isn't going to be bought by a huge portion of your customer base...

[Wraith]

Again, the desktop and explorer you're used to is still there.

[RandBlade]

I don't know why Khen is making out that Start then typing keys is a new improvement ... I already do that on 7. In fact I'm pretty sure you could do that on Vista if not XP.

[Loki]

Again, the desktop and explorer you're used to is still there.

Why not have the desktop as the default view and make people waste time to get to the tablet screen? After all, tablet viewers are probably more computer-savvy.

[Khendraja'aro]

So, you want to start Excel directly after booting the computer.

Which means that:
1) You enter your credentials (just like in all other Windows versions before)
2) you type "Exc", Enter and you're done.

No time wasted, at all. Maybe certain people should try stuff before talking about things they obviously don't know jack-shit about?

I don't know why Khen is making out that Start then typing keys is a new improvement ... I already do that on 7. In fact I'm pretty sure you could do that on Vista if not XP.

Maybe you could point out to me where I said that this is a new improvement? Don't expect me to hold my breath.

I said that I don't miss the Start Menu and stated why. I stated nowhere that this wasn't possible before. Work on your reading skills please.

[Loki]

Or I could click on the shiny Excel icon on the screen, requiring exactly 0 seconds. Better yet, I can click on the exact Excel file I want to open in 0 seconds. And I can do that for a dozen other programs that I deem important enough to be on the desktop. Meanwhile, I don't have to go blind from looking at all kinds of crap at the main screen that I have no intention of ever clicking on.

[Aimless]

you can put whatever shortcuts you like on the start menu and you can remove the ones you don't like

[Khendraja'aro]

Aha. So, after typing your credentials, typing another three letters afterwards is slower than having to take your hands away from the keyboard, take your mouse, find the icon and click on it? And that's zero seconds? And please don't tell me that you're storing important Excel files (or any documents at all) on the desktop. You're making SysAdmins all over the world cry.

You probably invented time-travelling while you were at it. Hyperbole, thy name is Loki.

(Protip: This precious Excel icon of yours you're so anally fixated on? It's available on the Metro screen as well. So, if you absolutely have to click on something, why don't you click on that?)

you can put whatever shortcuts you like on the start menu and you can remove the ones you don't like

Well, that's what you get when people try to complain about something they don't have a clue about.

[Wraith]

Why not have the desktop as the default view and make people waste time to get to the tablet screen? After all, tablet viewers are probably more computer-savvy.

That's the opposite of true. Tablet users are mass-market. Desktop users are now the more savvy ones. But it doesn't matter. You can do everything you can with windows 7 with windows 8.

Or I could click on the shiny Excel icon on the screen, requiring exactly 0 seconds. Better yet, I can click on the exact Excel file I want to open in 0 seconds. And I can do that for a dozen other programs that I deem important enough to be on the desktop. Meanwhile, I don't have to go blind from looking at all kinds of crap at the main screen that I have no intention of ever clicking on.

Everything you're talking about can be done on Windows 8.

[Illusions]

How does it handle multi-monitor programs like After Effects, Maya, etc.?

[Wraith]

The device I've got it installed on only has a single monitor, so I haven't tried it myself, but I can't think of any reason why it would be different/worse than 7.