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[Stumpokapow]

Stump, is the right click - Your Apps section in the store not what you're looking for? Seems like purchase/download history to me.

Your Apps?

Edit: Yep, that's exactly what I wanted. LOL. Still doesn't have a billing history component, only a download history, but that's a huge improvement.

I'll redact my purchase history criticism and double down on my "The context menu implementations are wildly inconsistent" criticism

 

[Birbo]

Was thinking of buying the upgrade since I'm still rocking Vista, but did I read correctly I won't be able to keep any of my installed software?

 

[bloodforge]

Really loving Windows 8. Boots fast as hell on my SSD.

Thinking about getting one of those Logitech touch pads for non game use.

 

[shungokusatsu]

The link in the original post no longer works, but is there an option for the full, retail pro version? I'm skeptical since Windows 7 Ultimate still runs $289 retail.

 

[DayShallCome]

Windows App Store
I don't like that there's no way to view purchase history on the OS. You can't view your review or download history from the store. To view your purchase history you need to go into your account from the store, and click a URL which brings you to a website (billing.microsoft.com) which requires secondary email verification in order to let you in. Apple's purchase history in iTunes is terrible, but it's much better than this, particularly on devices where you can at least see your download history. Please don't quote this paragraph and say "They'll fix that in an update". I'm using W8 today. They're selling W8 today. You don't need to point out that a year from now, it might be a better product. I'm reviewing it today.

Just an FYI on this - if you bring up the appbar in Store (right click), you can view "Your Apps." From this page, you can reinstall any app you've previously installed (you can batch up multiple installs at once). One nice touch is that you can see the apps that are installed on each PC you own.

EDIT:

Wow, beaten badly.

 

[PG2G]

Anyone else using Xbox Music a lot already? I have a feeling Microsoft is really going to be touting the success of the service in a couple weeks.

I have a paid subscription though. How are you guys liking the ad supported version?

 

[Stumpokapow]

Just an FYI on this - if you bring up the appbar in Store (right click), you can view "Your Apps." From this page, you can reinstall any app you've previously installed (you can batch up multiple installs at once). One nice touch is that you can see the apps that are installed on each PC you own.

EDIT:

Wow, beaten badly.

Yep, this is quite well executed once you find it!

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

So to the people who are using it. What do you think so far? Honestly I love it.

I think being exposed to the Developer/Consumer/Release Previews & the Enterprise RTM has made me feel indifferent about Windows 8 as a whole.

The desktop enhancements are fantastic. I actually don't mind the implementation of ribbon UI into Windows Explorer. The file handling dialogues are very detailed and the Task Manager is the best implementation so far (very useful this time around).

I don't mind the idea of Windows RT apps working on Windows 8. I like using some of the apps (TuneIn Radio / Giant Bomb). What I don't like is that I either have to use fullscreen or split screen. You can't resize them into what you want, because either Microsoft was lazy as hell and was in a rush to get a product out the door before it was too late (it is too late) or Microsoft doesn't give a fuck about power users who aren't impressed with 'side-by-side' multitasking (and I think it's both cases).

I have my criticisms regarding the Start menu, but much like living on a farm, if you smell shit all day, eventually you won't smell the shit at all. I'm at a point where I can't smell the shit anymore, even though I know it's there.

Summary: It's mostly okay. Slightly snappier than 7. Modern UI is tolerable after being broken down.

 

[joeygreco1985]

Anyone else using Xbox Music a lot already? I have a feeling Microsoft is really going to be touting the success of the service in a couple weeks.

I have a paid subscription though. How are you guys liking the ad supported version?

Ad-supported version isnt too bad. One ad in the hour I used it

 

[jagowar]

Also another note on the music player.... there is a setting that lets it go straight to your music. That said because of the free music streaming I find it much better to keep it as-is because it exposes you to all that new content.

 

[jmdajr]

Anyone try installing Windows 8 on a netbook?

I wanted to but I read the Intel Atom graphic driver doe snot work with Windows 8

 

[ep85]

Anyone else using Xbox Music a lot already? I have a feeling Microsoft is really going to be touting the success of the service in a couple weeks.

I have a paid subscription though. How are you guys liking the ad supported version?

I was an avid user of Spotify in W7, I have yet to download it since I upgraded to W8. The interface is kind of clunky but that can improve. As I type this gushing review I just ran into a song that I can get the full version in Spotify for free, ugh. If Microsoft pushes this, it can be great.

 

[goldsoundz]

The Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant is taking ages on the "Checking apps and devices" step. Is this normal? I don't want to close it and have to sit through this again if it is.

EDIT: Nevermind, it's done.

 

[PG2G]

The Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant is taking ages on the "Checking apps and devices" step. Is this normal? I don't want to close it and have to sit through this again if it is.

Yeah, it does take a while

 

[cbox]

Anyone try installing Windows 8 on a netbook?

I wanted to but I read the Intel Atom graphic driver doe snot work with Windows 8

I believe one of the requirements is a 1366x768 resolution, aren't most netbooks 1024 x 600?

 

[Solideliquid]

Any issues with steam? I assume it launches in the desktop?

 

[Ghost]

Anyone else using Xbox Music a lot already? I have a feeling Microsoft is really going to be touting the success of the service in a couple weeks.

I have a paid subscription though. How are you guys liking the ad supported version?

Early days with the ads, they obviously haven't got many yet so mostly what you hear is just 'you're listening to Xbox Music'. They will get more annoying when other companies start buying ad time.

Overall the service seems pretty good, the app needs some work though, it's not very good as a music discovery tool right now which is a big negative compared to Spotify. I guess Smart DJ is what I'm supposed to be using to find new music but I get the 'Cant start smart DJ for this artist' message for all but the most popular of the bands I listen to. Hopefully they just need user data to make this work better.

Also obviously the lack of other device compatibility is a big ball ache, I don't want to manage my play lists in different services.

I don't think it will ever be a better service than Spotify is offering to be honest, their app platform has just sky rocketed them above the competition as far as I'm concerned, the only thing working in their favour for me is that I'm thinking a Lumia 920 will be my next phone and Spotify is garbage on Windows Phone 7.




I do kind of think they are pushing their luck deploying Xbox Music and Xbox Video with Windows on desktop though, they can argue about iTunes and Google play, but Google & Apple don't have monopolies, which was the crux of the IE case.

 

[jmdajr]

I believe one of the requirements is a 1366x768 resolution, aren't most netbooks 1024 x 600?

My netbook has 1366x768. But even then I heard there might be issues. Don't want to fork over 40 bucks if it doesn't work.

 

[Weenerz]

My netbook has 1366x768. But even then I heard there might be issues. Don't want to fork over 40 bucks if it doesn't work.

Find and use the free RTM? This isn't rocket surgery.

And Steam works great, loads to desktop and all games seem to function just fine.

 

[Benjamin1981]

Bought it and i'm rather confused by it. Might go back to Win 7 for my gaming.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Overall the service seems pretty good, the app needs some work though, it's not very good as a music discovery tool right now which is a big negative compared to Spotify. I guess Smart DJ is what I'm supposed to be using to find new music but I get the 'Cant start smart DJ for this artist' message for all but the most popular of the bands I listen to. Hopefully they just need user data to make this work better.

I started Smart DJ for Led Zeppelin and they played Grand Funk Railroad... and then Queen... and Jimi Hendrix... and Lenny Kravitz... and more Queen... and "Detective, Basket of Masks", and... Kingdom Come... and Soundgarden... but no Led Zeppelin.

 

[Ydahs]

I would just like to add that as someone who has developed on both iOS and Android, developing Metro style interfaces is a lot more intuitive than either. Microsoft's XAML implementation in Visual Studio is superb and incredibly easy to follow.

Developers should have no trouble at all porting applications over. I was going to spend December and January working on some Android Apps, though I think I'll focus on Metro Apps now.

Bought it and i'm rather confused by it. Might go back to Win 7 for my gaming.

Give it time. After I became accustomed to the hotkeys, it became a much better experience than Windows 7. I personally see Windows 8 as the evolution of Windows and cannot wait to see the direction it heads in the next couple of years.

 

[Dipswitch]

Out of curiosity - has anyone applied for and successfully received the media center upgrade code yet?

I put my email address into the offer page earlier, it said it sent it to me and that was the last I heard of it. Nothing in my inbox or junk mail folders. So not sure if the site is getting pounded or if something has gone squirrely.

 

[glaurung]

Out of curiosity - has anyone applied for and successfully received the media center upgrade code yet?

I put my email address into the offer page earlier, it said it sent it to me and that was the last I heard of it. Nothing in my inbox or junk mail folders. So not sure if the site is getting pounded or if something has gone squirrely.

I have.

 

[Dead Prince]

Out of curiosity - has anyone applied for and successfully received the media center upgrade code yet?

I put my email address into the offer page earlier, it said it sent it to me and that was the last I heard of it. Nothing in my inbox or junk mail folders. So not sure if the site is getting pounded or if something has gone squirrely.

took a few hours for me to get it yesterday.

 

[antiquegamer]

I love the Xbox Music (Zune may you rest in peace)! Ugh, this free streaming going to lead me to subscription...

 

[yn-neko hates a cat]

*lots of thought-provoking observation*

That was a good post. I sense you're leaning more on the pessimistic side of things as far as how many of the problems will be corrected. It's critical that MS addresses some of the issues you pointed out like no local purchase history and better [user] feedback from buggy applications (and some other good ones you brought up). I think you hit the nail on the head as far as the potential lack of interests from experienced developers in the ecosystem but I believe the market will react to meet a need because the opportunity for profit is pretty great. I think the success of the OS will depend greatly on how fast MS can respond to some of these criticisms and how fast the market can respond to user demand for quality applications.

Things like ads in applications will be more common-place now as platform storefronts have established this as a viable business model but let’s not forget that it's nothing new. MS itself has demonstrated with both Solitaire and their News app that they can be guilty of the best and worst of those but the option to bare the ad or find a less annoying alternative falls on the user. That's really not something to be corrected.

I strongly disagree with the idea that’s Metro is something that has no place on the desktop. I think striking the balance is critical and MS has to fine tune it a bit perhaps. That said however, full screen apps that command your attention are not a bad thing. You don't want to be bogged down with window management when you’re on a mobile app or lightly consuming content. Likewise, when you do want the opposite, a metro app may not be the solution you would pick; the desktop ecosystem exists in full for that. I'd personally love to see more interoperability between the two layers and that's a major area MS needs to address but I also see why the cleaner break was made here as well. I wonder if you see and offer that as proof that Metro should be separated from legacy. I certainly didn't come to that conclusion simply because I feel both developers and users alike need to adopt the additional UI languages introduced into windows by metro for us to move forward. It's a bullish and positive change that was necessary.

Hopefully we'll see developers taking the initiative to design software that respects all forms of input as MS made a platform where gesture, motion, key and precision inputs have all been standardized. It's a polish issue and it doesn't fall solely on MS. Developers need to make better software and MS needs to keep improving as well as building on what I think Windows 8 is shaping up to be: A sometimes uneven but solid foundation.

 

[PG2G]

Any good Google Reader clients?

 

[cyberheater]

Thanks to the op. I'm installing Win8 Pro just now. And only £24.

By the way. It still allows the upgrade on a non-genuine win7 install.

I bought a license for Win7 on ebay which worked for about 4 months and then MS revoked it. Needless to say ebay didn't give me my money back as they said that type of sale wasn't covered under their protection scheme. Then why the fuck allow the sale you bastards.

But I digress.

The installer checked my machine even though it was saying that it might not be a genuine license and allowed the upgrade. Great.

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

Any good Google Reader clients?

I think there's one called Flux, but it's utter shit. I'd stick with the browser version (yes, I know) until someone competent develops one.

 

[bedlamite]

I found News Bento to be a decent RSS reader, what I like about it is that you can pin each RSS feed as a live tile on the start screen.

 

[dark10x]

I know this isn't possible yet, but I would love to have a clean way to enter Steam Big Picture Mode directly and seamlessly from the Metro UI.

 

[brotkasten]

Any good Google Reader clients?

No.

I don't get if it's so hard to design a good Google Reader client or if Reeder is just so god damn fantastic, even though it looks simple.

I found News Bento to be a decent RSS reader, what I like about it is that you can pin each RSS feed as a live tile on the start screen.

The font rendering in Bento is terrible, disgusting even.

I get eye cancer.
My eyes fall out.
They want to kill me.
But fall apart before they get the chance.

That's how bad it looks.

 

[joeygreco1985]

I know this isn't possible yet, but I would love to have a clean way to enter Steam Big Picture Mode directly and seamlessly from the Metro UI.

The Metro UI is so ripe for Xbox 360 controller compatibility. MS needs to get that in soon

 

[fluffydelusions]

The Metro UI is so ripe for Xbox 360 controller compatibility. MS needs to get that in soon

I know and it would be nice if worked for Netflix app

 

[MrBig]

I know this isn't possible yet, but I would love to have a clean way to enter Steam Big Picture Mode directly and seamlessly from the Metro UI.

You should be able to create a shortcut to the steam exe with the BPM target and pin it to the start screen

 

[Dynoro]

I know this isn't possible yet, but I would love to have a clean way to enter Steam Big Picture Mode directly and seamlessly from the Metro UI.

Could you add a batch file to the UI that launches Steam BPM?

 

[PG2G]

No.

I don't get if it's so hard to design a good Google Reader client or if Reeder is just so god damn fantastic, even though it looks simple.

I think developers are going a bit too Metro. Hope they learn to reign it in some for the sake of functionality. I just want a two or three page layout. I dont need everything to look like a tile.

Hope the WP guys (Wonder Reader, NextGen Reader) do a good job with their apps

 

[Zabka]

You should be able to create a shortcut to the steam exe with the BPM target and pin it to the start screen

I did this but it only works if Steam is closed completely.

 

[dark10x]

You should be able to create a shortcut to the steam exe with the BPM target and pin it to the start screen

Hmm, I didn't realize you could launch directly into BPM.

 

[Troll]

Is there a way to get the 14.99 upgrade for anyone?

 

[AndyMoogle]

Chrome is complete shit in Windows 8. I can't use Google Authenticator anymore (yes, I have synced the time), and I can't get my history or extensions back either.

The more I use Win 8, the more annoyed I get. I'm thinking about installing Win 7 again.

 

[longdi]

Is there a way to get the 14.99 upgrade for anyone?

yes, anyone and everyone since microsoft upgrade offer is very lax about a pc purchase in the last 4 months...

 

[hemtae]

Although the text looks kinda weird, I'm really liking this full screen metro IE. I hope google/Mozilla hurries up and makes a browser like this.

 

[Dunlop]

Chrome is complete shit in Windows 8.

If this is the case for everyone, my adventure in updating OS planned for tonight is over before it began

 

[bob page]

Chrome is complete shit in Windows 8. I can't use Google Authenticator anymore (yes, I have synced the time), and I can't get my history or extensions back either.

The more I use Win 8, the more annoyed I get. I'm thinking about installing Win 7 again.

Chrome works perfectly fine in desktop mode (if you launch it from a shortcut on the desktop). If you launch it from the metro UI, it's in an entirely different instance and I can never get it to run properly.

Still, it's an issue with Chrome and not the OS.

Is it OK to use sleep mode for desktops? I never used it on Windows 7, XP because I always thought it would damage the HDD but I wasn't sure if things are different nowadays.

 

[AndyMoogle]

Can I get rid of all the annoying animation effects in the OS? I always turn that off asap, but I can't find any settings for it. Considering that I upgraded from Win 7 and they are still there, I'm assuming that you can't.

 

[Dead Prince]

Chrome is complete shit in Windows 8. I can't use Google Authenticator anymore (yes, I have synced the time), and I can't get my history or extensions back either.

The more I use Win 8, the more annoyed I get. I'm thinking about installing Win 7 again.

chrome 2 step authentication was broke before Win 8 ;P

 

[brotkasten]

Chrome is complete shit in Windows 8. I can't use Google Authenticator anymore (yes, I have synced the time), and I can't get my history or extensions back either.

The more I use Win 8, the more annoyed I get. I'm thinking about installing Win 7 again.

After installing Windows 8, I switched from Firefox to Chrome.

0 issues here. Extensions work, synchronization works.

Unless you're talking about the Metro version, of course. I've never used it.

 

[Totakeke]

Whatever you were using in Windows 7 is the same as in Windows 8, unless you unwittingly used the Metro version which is very different in the first place.