The Windows 8 Thread

[Glaucus]

With tile/phone OS, you don't need a htpc interface. as it already is one.

 

[CaptainCrash]

With tile/phone OS, you don't need a htpc interface. as it already is one.

It's not just about the 10-foot interface, some useful functionality would have been lost (support for TV tuners in particular).

 

[DreXeL]

I'm quite pleased, I know there are more sophisticated HTPC solutions around, but WMC works nicely out-of-the-box with a minimum of faffing, for me at least.

Me too, I've tried other solutions but I just haven't found anything else that just 'works' as well as WMC, especially when it comes to handling live TV.

 

[Mr-White]

Here's some more info

Windows 8 release date

We originally wrote that we expect the Windows 8 release date to be in early 2012 and on 23 May 2011, Ballmer confirmed that Windows 8 will be released in 2012. He didn't go as far specifying when in 2012, though.

Bizarrely, Microsoft later said: "It appears there was a misstatement," adding "To date, we have yet to formally announce any timing or naming for the next version of Windows." However, it now seems he was spot on - as you'd expect.

However, more stories are now adding weight to the 2012 date. Microsoft corporate vice president Dan'l Lewin, hinted that the Windows 8 release date is likely to be next autumn - late 2012.

Seasoned Microsoft-watcher Mary Jo-Foley suggested on 27 June 2011 that the RTM, or Release to Manufacturing, date could be April 2012.

Speculation is rife that a Windows 8 beta will surface at Build, a developer conference being held by Microsoft in mid-September 2011. Expect to see some Windows 8 action there for sure.

Windows 8 system requirements

The new demo shows Windows 8 running on touchscreens (potentially tablets too) - expect many Windows 8 devices to be touch-orientated - and this may make its way into the device spec. Both Windows Vista and Windows 7 have system requirements of a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. Vista requires 15GB of free hard drive space, and Windows 7 requires 16GB.

Given that there's been no real jump in requirements from Windows Vista to 7 (unlike the jump from XP to Vista, where XP required a 233MHz processor and 64MB of RAM) we'd expect Windows 8 to happily run on a system that can run Windows 7.

On 13 July 2011, Microsoft confirmed our assumption that Windows 8 would have the same system requirements as Windows 7. At Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference, Corporate VP of Windows Tami Reller talked about "continuing on with the important trend that we started with Windows 7, keeping system requirements either flat or reducing them over time."

Windows 8 price

Windows 7 Home Premium costs £99 for an upgrade copy and £149 for the full version. Expect the Windows 8 price to be similar.

MW

 

[Glaucus]

It's not just about the 10-foot interface, some useful functionality would have been lost (support for TV tuners in particular).

But this can and will be supplied by apps and you just have the relevant apps in the metro user face. I can't see the problem. Metro user face is a user face specifically designed for media devices and for me, that includes HTPC, just like iOS or android would make a great HTPC OS

 

[CaptainCrash]

But this can and will be supplied by apps and you just have the relevant apps in the metro user face. I can't see the problem. Metro user face is a user face specifically designed for media devices and for me, that includes HTPC, just like iOS or android would make a great HTPC OS

I have nothing against the Metro interface, and I'm *not* disputing that WMC functionality can be supplied by apps, I'm just pleased that MS are continuing to bundle that functionality with the OS. They obviously agree there's a demand, hence the decision as reported in the blog.

I really can't see why you're turning this into an argument...

 

[Atomic]

I got Windows 7 when they were doing the £40 quid or so price. I was on Windows XP prior to that and hated Vista from experience at work. I love Windows 7 for the most part with exception of the cluttered control panel, but generally it's a great O/S.

However, I think I will skip Windows 8 if the price tag is not around £40/£50 for a full copy especially if release cycles are every couple of years.

There's nothing so far that screams 'buy me'. All nice little touches and interesting ideas, but nothing that will change my computing experience that much.

 

[Glaucus]

They would be mad not to do the special offer again.
It worked so well for them. Huge number of sales and an instant large user base to get developers on extra fast. We saw so much software updated so fast, I think a lot of that was due to such a large instant user base.

 

[stealthgeek]

yeah must have had a big impact on piracy too, I'll be keeping an eye out for the pre-order bargains again - £45 for a full retail OS! Get in

 

[Subliminal Aura]

They would be mad not to do the special offer again.
It worked so well for them. Huge number of sales and an instant large user base to get developers on extra fast. We saw so much software updated so fast, I think a lot of that was due to such a large instant user base.

Well they needed to prove a completed vista. No such woes this time round with a successful windows 7 run.

Only call for discounts this time round would be if it had a direct competitor at the time of release

 

[Mr-White]

So far from what I've seen W8 it looks like a tweaked version of W7. I'm hoping we see more before the end of the year before they start releasing betas

MW

 

[MR.B]

I've updated my first post with more stuff thats either definitely coming, or very likely coming (as in pretty much confirmed from leaked builds and other news).

So far from what I've seen W8 it looks like a tweaked version of W7. I'm hoping we see more before the end of the year before they start releasing betas

MW

Theres load more stuff coming and i'm expecting a newer / updated UI look for the desktop too but MS always leave that to last. Win 8 will be a much bigger change than Win 7 was from Vista. You could say any new version of Windows is a tweaked version of the last, it's how any OS update works (most of the time), but Win 8 will certainly have more changes than most. Infact i'd say it will be the biggest change for any new Windows version ever released

 

[MR.B]

I just realsed i didn't add one of the biggest things about Win 8 to my post... ARM CPU support! Derp. Just added it.

What do you all think about this? Now there wont just be Intel or AMD to choose from, but super power efficient ARM CPU's. Obviously these will be used in many Win 8 tablets and things like that, but you could also likely build or buy a ARM PC, or a ARM based HTPC. It could be totally fanless and extremely compact but able to run 1080p video! For instance my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone uses a 1.2GHz Dual-Core ARM CPU, and it's fully capable of recording and playing back high-profile 1080p video, i can even hook it up to my TV with HDMI.

We'd likely start seeing HTPC's almost as small as phones... imagine a device as small as a phone with a full OS on it? Not some cut down Android or especially iOS. Cant wait.

 

[unwashed potato!]

i quite like the idea of the ribbon thing though it's damn ugly at the moment. one thing i was shocked not to hear was when he said about quickly sharing files he didn't mention on places like facebook, and given how much they paid to have shares in facebook which iirc was said to be a partnership between the 2 i'd expect to see some more social integration, so when say selecting images you can just click share with...facebook, google+, dropbox, add your own, etc

 

[Atomic]

They would be mad not to do the special offer again.
It worked so well for them. Huge number of sales and an instant large user base to get developers on extra fast. We saw so much software updated so fast, I think a lot of that was due to such a large instant user base.

Look at how fast the HP tablets sold once the price was reduced massively. I think there's an excellent argument in having the price around £45 for Windows 8 and will fly off the shelves. But if it's over £100 then I will stick to Windows 7.

I don't see the massive desire or need to change to Windows 8 if it's high priced. From XP or Vista to Windows 7 then sure it was great. With Vista's flaws, and the dated Windows Xp the Windows 7 was an excellent and needed option. It was also too good to turn down at £45.

What can Windows 8 give me what Windows 7 can't? Sure there's Metro, Arm support and other things, but nothing that screams "MUST HAVE". I certainly will be sticking with my quad core PC for many years, so I have no desire to upgrade hardware either.

 

[Mr-White]

This is what happens when you provide support for so long, people don't upgrade. They could take Apple stance and drop their support for older versions pretty quickly. Although Apple's o/s costs less than £30 due to making their money on stupidly over priced hardware.

MW

 

[anything I don't mind]

i quite like the idea of the ribbon thing though it's damn ugly at the moment. one thing i was shocked not to hear was when he said about quickly sharing files he didn't mention on places like facebook, and given how much they paid to have shares in facebook which iirc was said to be a partnership between the 2 i'd expect to see some more social integration, so when say selecting images you can just click share with...facebook, google+, dropbox, add your own, etc

You can't seriously be suggesting facebook integration in to windows. The day that happens i am definitely going to switch freebsd for desktop OS, i don't even care if i lose functionality.

 

[unwashed potato!]

not necessarily facebook out of the box but the ability to add more ways and it deals with them nicely.

 

[MR.B]

Yeah i'd like a way to configure the share option in Win 8 to share to your fave sites easily. Basically a "Share to >" drop down option.

 

[EdwardTeach]

I just realsed i didn't add one of the biggest things about Win 8 to my post... ARM CPU support! Derp. Just added it.

What do you all think about this? Now there wont just be Intel or AMD to choose from, but super power efficient ARM CPU's. Obviously these will be used in many Win 8 tablets and things like that, but you could also likely build or buy a ARM PC, or a ARM based HTPC. It could be totally fanless and extremely compact but able to run 1080p video! For instance my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone uses a 1.2GHz Dual-Core ARM CPU, and it's fully capable of recording and playing back high-profile 1080p video, i can even hook it up to my TV with HDMI.

We'd likely start seeing HTPC's almost as small as phones... imagine a device as small as a phone with a full OS on it? Not some cut down Android or especially iOS. Cant wait.

I don't think it will be the same version of w8 running on arm. I expect it will look the same and be able to run programs designed for w8, but won't be able to run legacy apps. I would definitely like to here more about arm w8.