Windows 8 Consumer Preview Thread

this_is_gav · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:29

What they should have done is implemented Metro in the desktop, as an option alongside the Metro layer if necessary. Automatically switch between Metro and a desktop interface when docking a device such as a Transformer. Giving the desktop an overhaul and rather than just the tired icon grid, give it a Metro-based look, yet retain the functionality that Windows has had since Windows 95. Retain the abilities of the taskbar and the Start menu, yet replace the static Windows background picture with what's good about Metro. Much of the code would be the same, yet you'd have the best of both worlds - tablet users would have the Metro interface, yet desktop/laptop uers, or tablet users when docked, would have a more flexible, productive and informative platform than we do at the moment.

At the moment it's all very half-arsed.

NathanE said:
Mobile working is a relatively new practice. Firms will be quite happy to issue many of their employees with brand new Win8 tablet devices. As this is seen as a way to boost productivity and business efficiency. In much the same way as the original "desktop computer" was in the 80s and 90s. In the same way that "mobile phones" were in the late 90s. Win8 tablets fall under a new bracket of responsibility for the I.T. department.

Sorry, I normally respect your posts here, but as the guy who actually deals with the licensing at work, there's not a cat in hell's chance that productivity would increase with Win 8 here. Indeed, other than those who work in the field (as in work outdoors frequently and/or needing extraordinary portability) I'm struggling to think of any job where productivity would increase due to... well what is just a half-arsed layer. Windows 7 suits our needs far better, and is already well established. I've got the CP on one of my laptops, but that's where it will stay, as a play thing to test compatibility, as it offers zero benefit to us. This isn't a Windows XP/Vista/7 thing, where a modern product should be replacing an ancient one - it's a case of using the product on a device for which it was intended.

Unless something changes before launch (highly unlikely) then I won't be buying it personally and I certainly won't be implementing it at work. The whole Metro/desktop thing needs a complete workover - at the moment it's still too much of a mish-mash. We want the ability to use both or either and play to the strengths of each, not a half-way house.

marc2003 · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:29

TallPaul_S said:
Or

some people (well me) don't want to get on their hands & knees to reach for the power button.

(yeah i do have to do this when i want to turn it on)

Subliminal Aura · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:29

TallPaul_S said:
Or

Orrrrrrrrrrrrr

Click a blank space on the desktop and hit alt-f4

King Damager · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:32

this_is_gav said:
What they should have done is implemented Metro in the desktop, as an option alongside the Metro layer if necessary. Automatically switch between Metro and a desktop interface when docking a device such as a Transformer. Giving the desktop an overhaul and rather than just the tired icon grid, give it a Metro-based look, yet retain the functionality that Windows has had since Windows 95. Retain the abilities of the taskbar and the Start menu, yet replace the static Windows background picture with what's good about Metro. Much of the code would be the same, yet you'd have the best of both worlds - tablet users would have the Metro interface, yet desktop/laptop uers, or tablet users when docked, would have a more flexible, productive and informative platform than we do at the moment.

At the moment it's all very half-arsed.

Unless something changes before launch (highly unlikely) then I won't be buying it personally and I certainly won't be implementing it at work. Metro needs a complete workover - at the moment it's still too much of a mish-mash. We want the ability to use both, not a half-way house.

I completely agree with this actually. I would have loved a traditional task-bar system, with perhaps a metro background - image interchangeable to what I want please! with my apps on it, but still maintaining everything that was good about the same system that's been slowly tweaked since 95.

marc2003 said:
some people (well me) don't want to get on their hands & knees to reach for the power button.

Or reach across their desks

Randomface74 · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:33

This is how I organise things at the moment, there's no equivalent to this for me, so I'm not too chuffed about the way Windows 8 is looking right now.

I'd encourage everyone to also write their feedback on the Microsoft site, I imagine that's where they're looking for it: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8?sort=HelpfulCount&dir=Desc

King Damager · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:59

If there's an actual feedback link, please provide it, I'd love to make sure this isn't like Vista, which I feel it might be...

I'm starting to think that even though this is a consumer preview, it's what Vista was, and W9 will be like W7.

kd

Randomface74 · 2 Mar 2012 at 22:11

King Damager said:
If there's an actual feedback link, please provide it

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8?sort=HelpfulCount&dir=Desc

this_is_gav · 2 Mar 2012 at 22:17

billysielu said:
I'd encourage everyone to also write their feedback on the Microsoft site, I imagine that's where they're looking for it: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8?sort=HelpfulCount&dir=Desc

Yeah, mine got deleted. :rolleyes:

WoZZeR · 2 Mar 2012 at 22:35

MR.B said:
I installed Win 8 on a very old laptop with just 512MB RAM for the lolz... and it runs atleast as good as XP did!! The ancient laptop has been given some new life. It's single core Pentium 4 as well!

Win 7 on the same hardware feels bloated and is almost unusable, it also uses way more RAM than 8. Win 8 also boots faster than both XP and Win 7.

What are other peoples results on old or low-end hardware like netbooks? I've noticed others are seeing considerable improvements over 7 as well...

I am getting to like it, love the speed, it definately feels quicker on my netbook. Metro isn't relevant to my needs so wish it could be disabled. I may try it on a friends netbook which has just 512 of RAM.

PAz · 2 Mar 2012 at 22:37

Client Hyper V

TallPaul_S · 2 Mar 2012 at 22:40

WoZZeR said:
I am getting to like it, love the speed, it definately feels quicker on my netbook. Metro isn't relevant to my needs so wish it could be disabled. I may try it on a friends netbook which has just 512 of RAM.

It is really quick, takes less than 30 seconds to boot for me on an old 2.5" 5400rpm hdd, can't imagine how quick it would be on an SSD!

Murray · 2 Mar 2012 at 22:48

TallPaul_S said:
You have to set your desktop backgrounds as a slideshow, so for 3 screens select at least 3 pictures to use, and it'll set one for each screen - if 2 are the same right click on the desktop and click next desktop background (repeat if necessary).

Don't think there's a way of setting 3 different ones permanently, but you can set them to change every 24hrs, and of course you can now span backgrounds across screens so you could make a single image of the 3 wallpapers you want and set that as a single wallpaper.

Perfect, thanks

silversurfer · 2 Mar 2012 at 22:53

Subliminal Aura said:
Win + I is your friend

This needs to be stickied on the 1st post

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=21375848&postcount=323

Good to know

paradisiac said:
so is this slowly killing my hard drive then?

I dont think its that aggressive. I always set my temp directories to other drives, I hate how windows wants to source programs from the same drive as windows as well.
Speedfan will monitor the HDD. The performance tab on taskmgr is not bad either

Andrew_McP · 3 Mar 2012 at 07:03

TallPaul_S said:
It is really quick, takes less than 30 seconds to boot for me on an old 2.5" 5400rpm hdd

When I first installed Win7 I was amazed at how quickly it booted. Of course that never lasts. Windows is like a lorry... faster when empty. :-)

hellarda · 3 Mar 2012 at 07:19

Is anyone getting freezes about 20 minutes after boot?

My iTunes music just stops then I can keep using the program I am in, but as soon as I click the task bar to switch programs it hangs, can't use the program I was just using and can't click on anything. Mous still moves though... Really annoying as I was startingg to like metro

doesn't do this on win7

paradisiac · 3 Mar 2012 at 07:23

hellarda said:
Is anyone getting freezes about 20 minutes after boot?

My iTunes music just stops then I can keep using the program I am in, but as soon as I click the task bar to switch programs it hangs, can't use the program I was just using and can't click on anything. Mous still moves though... Really annoying as I was startingg to like metro doesn't do this on win7

no problems here with that :confused:

maybe a driver or piece of software isn't right

Murray · 3 Mar 2012 at 07:48

my skype freezes if I go into the menu where it gives you updates and lets you change your status thing, only problem I have had really.

PAz · 3 Mar 2012 at 09:47

Is everyone here running the stock drivers or has anyone changed anything?

smithy83 · 3 Mar 2012 at 10:27

PAz said:
Is everyone here running the stock drivers or has anyone changed anything?

i just put the new nvidia drivers on and its messed it up, the os is now freezing every 30 seconds may just do a reinstall

Pants · 3 Mar 2012 at 10:31

I've put nvidia drivers on too. Everything works apart from source engine games (L4D 2, Portal 2 etc).