Windows 8 Release Preview

Status
Not open for further replies.
So if W8 is out in October, when should we expect the Surface Pro? Early 2013 I assume? Really hoped a xmas release. :(
 
This.

Ms should turn it into a default metro control for any developer to use as well.

They probably will.... once they figure out the best use cases for the wheel and integrate it fully in win9. I see the metro one note as a test case for moving full office over to metro (and expect that to be when everything goes metro).

The interesting bit is the wheel could even potentially work for the smaller snapped window since it appears where you touch.
 
If I am running windows 7, and install windows 8 release preview will all my files and programs move over with it? need this answered. thank you
 
Files will move over - all the files from Users and, IIRC, Program Files and Windows folders will be dumped to a new catalog named Windows.old.
Programs won't move over. You will have to reinstall everything.
 
What are the differences between Win8 RT and Win8 Pro?

Am I correct in thinking that Win8 RT is completely Metro and doesn't have a desktop environment at all?
 
What are the differences between Win8 RT and Win8 Pro?

Am I correct in thinking that Win8 RT is completely Metro and doesn't have a desktop environment at all?
RT has the desktop. You can only use Windows Utilities and Office (comes with it) and IE though.
 
If I am running windows 7, and install windows 8 release preview will all my files and programs move over with it? need this answered. thank you

I installed right over Windows 7 on my junky home computer and it was pretty smooth. The install advisor will tell you what programs will carry over and what will need to be reinstalled.
 
RT has the desktop. You can only use Windows Utilities and Office (comes with it) and IE though.

I can't help but think they're going to kill access to the desktop altogether. There's no logical explanation for having it there for office/ie only.
 
I take same amount of time to find something generally compared to Win7. I would suggest using the keyboard shortcuts.

Win+Q = apps
Win+W = settings
Win+F = files

Is there a program I could use to change those shortcut key combinations so that they at least make sense? E.G.

Win+A = apps
Win+S = settings
Win+F = files
 
RT has the desktop. You can only use Windows Utilities and Office (comes with it) and IE though.

Yikes... There's no way I'd want FireFox-less internet browsing, much less an iOS-like 'walled garden' type of environment from Windows8. I guess I'm the regular "Win8" Edition all the way, if I end-up upgrading.

I can't help but think they're going to kill access to the desktop altogether. There's no logical explanation for having it there for office/ie only.

It sounds that way. I mean like, what would be the point of the Desktop environment if you're just shoe-horned back into Office/IE, likely the metro versions too.
 
anyone else using Windows 8 on a Lenovo A720?

I've wanted to splurge a bit on something gaudy recently so I just bought one of these, and I dig it a lot actually. There were some quirks though with needing to reinstall drivers after I put Windows 8 on it, and I was getting some random crashes initially (that seemed to be fixed after some updates...knock on wood), so it obviously isn't 100% ready for prime-time, but I love being able to switch back and forth between BIG ASS TABLET, and regular mouse/keyboard input. The fold-down screen helps address a lot of the "why would I use touch on a desktop?" issues. Even regular old phone games (like Cut The Rope) feel pretty amazing on a 27" touch screen that's tilted down like an architect's table.

It kinda feels like having a Microsoft Surface in my home.
 
anyone else using Windows 8 on a Lenovo A720?

I've wanted to splurge a bit on something gaudy recently so I just bought one of these, and I dig it a lot actually. There were some quirks though with needing to reinstall drivers after I put Windows 8 on it, and I was getting some random crashes initially (that seemed to be fixed after some updates...knock on wood), so it obviously isn't 100% ready for prime-time, but I love being able to switch back and forth between BIG ASS TABLET, and regular mouse/keyboard input. The fold-down screen helps address a lot of the "why would I use touch on a desktop?" issues. Even regular old phone games (like Cut The Rope) feel pretty amazing on a 27" touch screen that's tilted down like an architect's table.

It kinda feels like having a Microsoft Surface in my home.

I'm holding out for a kinect/leap solution where I don't have to fully reach for the screen and can just seamlessly raise my hand from my m/kb whenever i want to do something quickly and not get my fingers all over the screen as well. Also wouldn't have to buy specific monitor.
 
What are the differences between Win8 RT and Win8 Pro?

Am I correct in thinking that Win8 RT is completely Metro and doesn't have a desktop environment at all?
Before dlm8r comes in and flips out, Windows RT=/=windows 8 and is specifically for ARM tablets. You cannot buy or upgrade to windows RT as a result because it's being put on specific devices. And yeah it's metro apps only with the exception of Office 15.
 
Been using Win 8 for the past week and I still don't know why I need metro on a desktop. The apps are all crappy and the desktop alternatives are pretty much better in every way. I might as well just unpin everything except for my programs. Speaking of which, can't I just make it so the windows key takes me to the "all apps" section? Why do pictures open up in metro when I'm on the desktop?

Seriously, I click weather and it does the spinning circle thing longer than it would've taken me to just google the weather in Chrome. And I don't have to deal with a nonsensical horizontal scrolling layout either. There are really only two reasons to go into metro, you have a touchscreen device or you like doing everything you do slower and in more cumbersome ways.
 
Seriously, I click weather and it does the spinning circle thing longer than it would've taken me to just google the weather in Chrome. And I don't have to deal with a nonsensical horizontal scrolling layout either. There are really only two reasons to go into metro, you have a touchscreen device or you like doing everything you do slower and in more cumbersome ways.

Metro apps take WAY too long to load, I agree. I expect things to load instantly at this point, but some of the Metro apps are insanely slow comparatively.

Metro works for touch screens and would work well with trackpads that support multitouch gestures. With mice, they did not do nearly enough.
 
Hey GAF I have a question. I'm thinking of bootcamping my iMac with the Windows 8 release preview so I can play a bunch of Steam games I just bought. Is there an expiry date on the preview? If so when, and what happens when that date comes?
 
Hey GAF I have a question. I'm thinking of bootcamping my iMac with the Windows 8 release preview so I can play a bunch of Steam games I just bought. Is there an expiry date on the preview? If so when, and what happens when that date comes?

1/15/2013. It'll give you warnings and then start to auto shutdown. Steam games can easily be reinstalled by copying them to another partition/drive if you install W8 RTM in October.
 
1/15/2013. It'll give you warnings and then start to auto shutdown. Steam games can easily be reinstalled by copying them to another partition/drive if you install W8 RTM in October.
RTM? Why wouldn't I be able to copy Steam games right now with the current preview?
 
has someone posted the new leaked rtm stuff?

More on page 3 of that thread too.

Seriously, who's in charge of this stuff:

fhskydrive2.jpg


Terrible design. And if this is RTM... there are still Vista-styled icons there. Why even bother going with the flatter UI when every single icon clashes terribly with it?

Does Microsoft even know what "consistent" means?

icons-desktop.jpg;pv883c17d887782d5c


Yuck.
 
More on page 3 of that thread too.

Seriously, who's in charge of this stuff:

fhskydrive2.jpg


Terrible design. And if this is RTM... there are still Vista-styled icons there. Why even bother going with the flatter UI when every single icon clashes terribly with it?

Does Microsoft even know what "consistent" means?

icons-desktop.jpg;pv883c17d887782d5c


Yuck.
That's all the Desktop view, though. It's vestigial at this point, with Metro as the new standard look of Windows.

I'm surprised they bothered to reskin Desktop assets at all. Perhaps to indoctrinate the industry more deeply into the world of their new Metro overlords. I, for one, welcome them.
 
So I just bootcamped my iMac with Windows 8.

I don't like it it all. Not to mention is crashes after 5 minutes every time I boot it. Is there something I'm doing wrong that's making it so very unstable?
 
So I just bootcamped my iMac with Windows 8.

I don't like it it all. Not to mention is crashes after 5 minutes every time I boot it. Is there something I'm doing wrong that's making it so very unstable?
Yea probably using it on a mac. It shouldn't be crashing at all.
 
So I just bootcamped my iMac with Windows 8.

I don't like it it all. Not to mention is crashes after 5 minutes every time I boot it. Is there something I'm doing wrong that's making it so very unstable?

Windows 8 has issues with Mac's and Boot camp. Read somewhere that you need to wait for Apple to fix it.
 
Damn. I'll probably just buy windows 7 then. I don't like the changes that Windows 8 brings anyway, I just want to play my Steam games.

Then what in Windows 8 prevents you from doing that?

If you're only using it as a Steam launcher Windows 8 uses a smaller foot print and less memory than Windows 7.
 
I was getting a bunch of random lockups initially. I then noticed that it didn't install my actual video card drivers (it was some random default Microsoft video driver). After upgrading those, and installing some other windows update stuff, it's been stable ever since.

I'm not on an iMac though (it's the lenovo a720 I mentioned in a post above)
 
I like metro-ified Office icons. Hopefully some user will make a similiar set for all Windows icons.


Anyway, a funny thing. In Poland we have a free newspaper (handed out for free on the streets, it survives on adds alone) called Metro. It's publisher (Agora) just merged the official news website of the newspaper with Microsoft's msn.pl site and billboards such as this appeared on streets:

900140resizeBigger001_1337201298.jpg


Such an obvious, but still very fun thing to do :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom