Windows 8
 

I searched and didn't find its own topic so I thought I'd start one. Has anyone tried Windows 8 yet? What do you guys think of it? I've read a lot of mixed reviews. Some of the most interesting were the ones that said that Windows 8 was designed with business owners in mind who want to control the OS of all their computers so that their employees couldn't do non-work related things on it. A little more security I guess? It wasn't made for the average consumer and those with Windows 7 should just stick with that. Any thoughts?

BTW Amazon currently has a deal on an upgrade from Windows 7 --> Windows 8 Professional + $30 Amazon Credit for $70. This is a deal as in, you get the same thing from digital download for $40 but with a DVD. Link for those who want it:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008H3SW4I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?t=slicinc-20&tag=slicinc-20&ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER"]Amazon.com: Microsoft Windows 8 Pro: Software[/ame]

I've been rocking it for about 6 months now. My company has an EA with microsoft, so I got the official Win8 release a few weeks ago. I really like it. I use a Samsung tablet, so it makes use of the touch screen aspect of the Metro UI.

I won't ever go back to a Win7 machine. The only other system I use is my MacBook.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...RH/photo-6.jpg

How is it without the touchscreen capabilities though? On a desktop?

My coworker is using it on a standard desktop, and when I have my tablet docked it is more or less just the same - no using touch screen, just mouse and keyboard.

To me it is the same. I use a lot of hotkeys to get around, and those haven't changed. Scroll side to side in the Metro UI using the scroll wheel on your mouse, no start menu on the windows desktop though, so those who aren't used to simply hitting the Windows key on the keyboard might squawk about that. You can rearrange the tiles to put your commonly used items up front so you don't have to go digging for apps. Everything else is pretty much identical to Win7. Windows 8 is more secure as it locks the kernel on boot-up, so it prevents viruses from getting in and causing major havoc.

edit: I forgot - I have Win8 on my mac via VMWare, so I have been rocking it without touch as well, just not as much as I have used my tablet.

As far as the tablet app market goes, it will be interesting to see if Microsoft will improve support for its Marketplace of apps or rely on another source.

I liked my Windows Phone apart from the lack of applications

Well, apparently the market likes it too. The pre-orders for the Surface RT have already sold out.

I'm planning on picking up the Surface PRO this holiday season for myself to replace my existing laptop.

1 reason: Online school. I want something with the functionality of a laptop but the convenience of a tablet yet my Nook Tablet isn't capable enough for my online school stuff (cuz android) and the iPad is all App based and doesn't have flash (which many of my school stuff needs).

I'm also a big fan of Windows Phone 7 and am really looking forward to Windows Phone 8. Samsung ATIV S or the Nokia 920

Forgot these are already out... I'm losing track of technology already, I must be getting old. :iono:

The UI in that picture looks so... non-windowsy... Looks more like something Android made.

I think the surface could easily replace the iPad as a workplace tool for the reason the OP mentioned. The Apple products aren't really enterprise friendly from a security standpoint while Microsoft has always shined here and will continue to do so, even more with Win8 and Surface. Given the option most firms would choose to provide their employees with a device they can secure vs one they cannot.

I personally do not like Windows 8. I do not see myself upgrading unless it's like Win7 UI wise. I hate that Metro UI.

It still has the standard Windows UI - the start menu is now the Metro UI. That is all.

I ordered a Surface Pro this afternoon for testing. Hope I get it next Friday.

Huh? Apple products like the iPad are incredibly enterprise friendly.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/

http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/integration/

iPads (and iPhones) have been deployed in numerous business critical settings and iOS adheres and shines when it comes to enterprise protocols and security. Microsoft has really dropped the ball here and it remains to be seen if this recent attempt at an iPad killer is anything more than another Zune.

-J

I use iPhones and iPads at work and the data plans are an absolute bitch to manage. I will be happy to get rid of the iPads and replace them with these. iPads are not laptop replacements where the Surface might fill that spot. My sales guys don't like carrying their laptops AND iPads. I see this as a potentially perfect medium.

Data plans? Keep in mind that won't be a problem with these new Surface tablets because they don't even offer 3G or LTE as options. WiFi and Bluetooth only. Not so perfect, eh?

That is what will be perfect. Tether via existing iPhone datapro plan. Cuts down my AT&T bill $3,600 a month.

Hmmm... I'll have to check this out. If Windows 8 is more business related then I can see it being very beneficial in my work place. And the picture you posted reminds a lot like the Xbox live setup.

will this run on macs with boot camp, what ever program is needed to run windows.

LOL WUT :lol: have you ever picked up a WP7 or played on a 360 recently... the metro theme is something microsoft has been developing for years now, and it's nothing like android... NOTHING...

I'll be picking one of these up, as well as investing in microsoft stock for when the surface drops.

I hate it. But I hear once you get use to stuff it can be OK. I don't like change :)

Perhaps it is because I work with this stuff for a living, but adoption has been pretty effortless for myself and the couple "beta testers" I have.

Whoah relax, didn't mean to offend you there. In fact the only Microsoft thing I have is my PC ( Windows 7 64 bit. :)) I; personally, don't like the XBOXs, again that's just me.

For the most part, windows 8 is ok. I do however think there will be some things about it that will confuse and anger most people who use it on their desktop.

1. sleep/shutdown/restart is a couple steps deep instead of being 1 or 2 clicks away. You have to expose the "charms" bar and choose settings before being able to shutdown.

2. The charms bar is not intuitive. You have to hit a hot-corner to get it to appear and when you have 2 monitors it really takes some skill to get it (very annoying).

3. Using metro apps is not as intuitive with a mouse as it is touching the screen. Closing a metro app is really strange with a mouse.

4. You cannot default to desktop mode. You have to open desktop mode from metro. There is also no longer a start button on the taskbar.

5. There is a metro version AND a desktop version of some apps and they don't share settings. For example: There is a metro version of internet explorer and a desktop version. This might not be obvious to some people. The icing on the cake is that they do not share settings or bookmarks.

My biggest pet peve is that I cannot have it default to my desktop with a start button. I have not used it on a tablet yet, but I can only assume it works well on a tabled because all the things that suck about it are desktop related.


Also, if you plan on buying an ARM based tablet (like Microsoft Surface) to run windows 8, keep in mind that you cannot run any desktop app on an ARM based tablet. You can only run metro apps on an ARM tablet.

Skip 8. Seems every other os ms makes is good. Xp=great vista=fail 7=great 8=fail 9=great?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Lol no offense taken, I'm just trying to make a point. I've had a WP7 for almost 2 years now, and Im a big fan of Metro. It's made my life easier.

I do also but by that logic I assume you switched to and love Vista? :)

There was nothing wrong with the interface so I don't see any benefit yet in changing it.

But we still need to get used to the change since every company using Windows OS will only ship their PCs with Windows 8 later. You can't avoid it, unless you downgrade (or upgrade?LOL) your OS after you receive your PC or you don't buy a new PC.

I personally love the metro style, it looks fresh and sleek. I want to own both Windows phone and Windows PC. I've tried a Lumia 900, it was blasting fast with single core, even faster than my dual core Android. I expect the dual core Window Phone 8 to outperform quad core android army. I will probably pick up Lumia 920 and Asus gaming laptop running Windows 8 this holiday season or next year. Very excited. :D

Until very recently you could still get XP shipped from mfrs though so I really don't see that being an issue. I think 8 is great for tablets, I'm just not at all convinced for a desktop. I'm more excited about Server 2012 though.

I'll download it from MS and maybe install it this weekend on a VM or spare laptop and see how it goes.

Fortunately no.

Vista...

http://i.imgur.com/X5bSB.gif

If there was nothing wrong with the interface we all should have stuck to XP and steered clear of Win7. It was pretty stable... but MS put out Vista and shot themselves. EVERYONE can agree to that. Win7 was great, but Win8 builds on that.

The GUI between XP and 7 are similiar enough. 7 and 8, not until you switch and even then not so much.

So far I'd rather switch to a Mac than Win8 ;)

Sans the start menu being Metro UI, the GUI is the same... but yes, I agree about a Mac. It is all I own personally.

We're on the down tick for this one! Hahaha
Time will tell though.

As for iOS in the Enterprise, my only complaint is Exchange integration. More specifically, calendaring.

If MS get's this right, then I think this might be a compelling reason to move away from iOS. At least from my perspective. Many of the upper level executives are heavy iOS users and calendaring is the biggest complaint.
Personally, I hate supporting laptops, and it won't be long before they become a thing of the past in certain environments.

The only thing i dont get MS did. Why would they even have the metro style interface for a desktop pc? That interface was meant for touchscreens. They should have an option in the install to complete remove that feature.

I've seen this reasoning before. I think Win8 this might break the mold. The reasons I believe the pattern will change is:

1: Win 8 is not a complete change from Win7. It's much like Win7 with the Metro UI overlay. Like Win7 is the Econoline Van and Win8 is the C-Class motorhome built on a E350 chassis. (terrible analogy but whatever)

2: The Metro UI is a cross platform unifying experience: Computer, Tablet, Phone and Xbox.

3: Xbox -> Xbox 360 was a success and IMHO every update to the UI on the Xbox 360 along with Xbox LIVE has been an improvement. I think a lot of what was applied in terms of ideology transferred over.

4: Manufacturing their own product. The Surface, like the Xbox, is a piece of hardware made by MS. This is not MS software run over OEM hardware. Tying Windows 8 to something like the Surface Pro could be a very good thing.

Read my above statement. Metro was never designed for desktop use, i find it super slow. It is also the main hub of 8.

I've had a copy through work for a little while now that I threw onto a spare laptop. The first 30 minutes were frustrating, annoying, and I was ready to dismiss it. Then I figured what the hell, I might as well see how it works. Played with it, got to know the locations of things, and will be installing it on my desktop eventually. I know most people hate change, but I'm generally always willing to at least try out the new stuff and give it a fair shot.

For those waiting for Win9, I have a feeling Metro won't be going anywhere, so it might just be setting yourself behind on the learning curve. Not that it's a big deal, just pointing it out.