Thoughts on Windows 8?

[1yR4jE8b]

I've been running the Consumer Preview for about a week now. Other than a few graphical glitches in Firefox, it's been an amazing experience. I was a little taken back by Metro, but once you realize that the start screen is just a super customizable start-menu on steroids it's all gravy.

Metro apps are odd at first, but it really is an interesting paradigm. Being able to snap a metro app to the side of the screen, and use the regular desktop on the other side is also nice.

Having a taskbar on each monitor is really convenient, and being able to directly mount ISOs and having a native PDF reader is very convenient.

From a technical standpoint, it seems like a nice step up from Windows 7 and the rewritten Process Scheduler definitely shows.

I'm trying to come up something that I would want to make with the new WinRT/Metro API, maybe a simple game that I can sell in the Windows Store for 99 cents or something...

[blueberry]

Wow. I didn't even know windows 8 was being developed.

Seriously though, a Windows Store? Sounds like its becoming more like a Mac everyday.

[ascii]

When I first saw it (and all I've seen was a developer video a few months back) it seemed like it sucked with a mouse and keyboard. How does it actually feel without any kind of touchscreen features?

[1yR4jE8b]

I really like it, it took some getting used to but after giving it a genuine chance (I went into it expecting to hate it -- and I did at first) it really is a smooth and good experience.

The Consumer Preview is substantially different than the developper preview, they removed the start menu and replaced it with a hot corner in the same location -- but before you cry heresy -- it really is nice to use; and the Metro/Start Screen functions much like the Windows 7 start menu, just full screen.

Ninja Edit:

Windows Explorer now has the ribbon interface, and a redesigned "File Progress" window which let's you pause/unpause in-process file operations. I wish they would really add tabs and a split-pane, but this is still better than it was before.

[Gaminic]

When is supposed to launch? Should I wait out for it if I'm planning to buy a new gaming/general purpose laptop?

[hanst99]

I'm more interested in whether they finally support workspaces. I hate tabbing.

[1vRz3TCk]

For me Windows 8 is a big fail (or at least the metro interface is). I find it far to 'Alien' and counter intuitive to use smoothly. For me, touch screen on a desktop PC is a waist of time as the monitors are out of reach. Simple tasks look like they are meant to be a few pokes and gestures away but are tedious with a mouse and keyboard (the less said about using it with the little trackpad on the Laptop I tested the better).

I guess it may be different if I had a Windows equivalent of Apples Magic Trackpad but as it is I don't and I hate Windows 8.

[1yR4jE8b]

find it far to 'Alien' and counter intuitive to use smoothly.

I'm curious what you feel makes it counter-intutive? What about using a trackpad did you not like about it?

[1vRz3TCk]

darkestfright wrote:

I'm curious what you feel makes it counter-intutive?

Mainly that I kept going round in circles (in the UI) trying to find the right place to do what I wanted. I will admit that the first time I used Windows I ended up 'pulling the power' because I could not find how to shutdown.

darkestfright wrote:

What about using a trackpad did you not like about it?

It is a single touch, non-gesture, tiny little thing that I hate. Anything over simple point and click is a not good for me and there seemed to be a need to do a lot of dragging while clicked and other stuff that would seem more at home on a multi-touch, gesture oriented trackpad than what I had to hand.