Windows 8 Consumer Preview Thread

Where? I see none.
Unless it's the FTP site, and "Asus FTP" brings up nothing, only the older dead link for me.
What's the link?

EDIT : Got it on the FTP, can't find anything for Windows 8 drivers for sound cards.

I'm still waiting for the Xonar win 8 drivers, so I can get my control panel back, grrrrr!
 
I'm still waiting for the Xonar win 8 drivers, so I can get my control panel back, grrrrr!

You remind me of the dreadfully long wait for scanner drivers for Windows 7 - HP took months to come up with anything. There was the excuse that no one had been trying Windows 7 (although developers would have had copies early) but not there are these public betas companies have no excuse but to get on and sort drivers.

Its a disgrace that they don't all manage.
 
I rarely need to use Metro. I really don't see what the problem is with Windows 8. Some people just seem to use Metro as an excuse.


Nothing new really, XP was referred to as Fisherprice with people very defiant to stay on 98se yet it turned into a blinder of an OS, far surpassing Win98 in every way.

Win windows 8 do the same? who knows, but one thing for sure is Metro is here to stay, you may as well get use to it!

People just dont like change.
 
Nothing new really, XP was referred to as Fisherprice with people very defiant to stay on 98se yet it turned into a blinder of an OS, far surpassing Win98 in every way.

Win windows 8 do the same? who knows, but one thing for sure is Metro is here to stay, you may as well get use to it!

People just dont like change.

It not so much that people don't like change but that, for those of us with big screens and who are running multiple applications, neatly arranged on the screen, it becomes hard to see the point of a 'Metro' app that fill the whole screen just to do a calendar or the mail. I just can't think that such 'apps' are going to be very useful.

Obviously one quickly gets used to how to do things without resort to 'Metro' at all - I'm back with Windows 7 at the moment and am using the same tricks and shortcut key combinations! Maybe its just power users, but 'Metro' seems clunky and pointless right now - maybe a crop of new apps will inspire us though. I not holding my breath for that though! :-)
 
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You remind me of the dreadfully long wait for scanner drivers for Windows 7 - HP took months to come up with anything. There was the excuse that no one had been trying Windows 7 (although developers would have had copies early) but not there are these public betas companies have no excuse but to get on and sort drivers.

Its a disgrace that they don't all manage.

Canon flat out refused to do drivers for x64 for a lot of their scanners. They wanted everyone to buy new bits. Joke was on them though as far as I'm concerned. I just installed VirtualBox and stuffed XP on there for the rare occasion I needed mine, and next time I decide to buy a new scanner, it won't be one of theirs *insert big rasp* ;)
 
It not so much that people don't like change but that, for those of us with big screens and who are running multiple applications, neatly arranged on the screen, it becomes hard to see the point of a 'Metro' app that fill the whole screen just to do a calendar or the mail. I just can't think that such 'apps' are going to be very useful.

Well, I'll personally use a Metro/whateverwearesupposedtocallitnow mail app as I certainly don't need Outlook or similar power user level email program just for my personal stuff and much prefer the integration over web apps. Granted, I'll spend mst of my time on the desktop for other tasks but having apps like Springpad and similar services accessable without having to run up a browser session will leave firefox for actual surfing.

After trying it for a week or so the Consumer Preview has it's quirks that I'm not sold on yet. The search results being divided up is a bit jarring - can't see why all results can't be shown first with the option of filtering? Also having a few problems with waking the computer after it's turned the screen off but it may be a problem with the fact it's not a clean install.

I like the full screen start menu though - has it's benefits besides the metro apps for me. More items can be pinned to the first screen so any programs that you use are there ready (which can be appropriately grouped for easy access) without having to search through dubiously named folders in All Programs...

I'll be upgrading - planning on getting a tablet in the future so it makes sense to have them both running Windows 8. No pressing reason to upgrade besides that but no real drawbacks either so may as well early adopt for the cheaper price.
 
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....I like the full screen start menu though - has it's benefits besides the metro apps for me. More items can be pinned to the first screen so any programs that you use are there ready (which can be appropriately grouped for easy access) without having to search through dubiously named folders in All Programs......

For me thats the exact same thing as desktop icons/shotcuts Just bigger.

Theres always been other options to searching through all programs.
 
Downloaded the RTM preview. It's smoother round the edges, but I still really dislike Metro. Not to worry, though - it's plain that I'm simply not the kind of user who MS is targeting with Win8 (like most users here). It's an OS for people who prefer to use their tablet and, when they have to use a PC, want a tablet-like experience there as well.

What surprises me is how unashamedly consumer-oriented Win8 is. Is MS essentially writing off the corporate market with Win8? Where is the incentive for businesses to upgrade? Very little about the new OS actually enhances productivity.
 
Downloaded the RTM preview. It's smoother round the edges, but I still really dislike Metro. Not to worry, though - it's plain that I'm simply not the kind of user who MS is targeting with Win8 (like most users here). It's an OS for people who prefer to use their tablet and, when they have to use a PC, want a tablet-like experience there as well.

What surprises me is how unashamedly consumer-oriented Win8 is. Is MS essentially writing off the corporate market with Win8? Where is the incentive for businesses to upgrade? Very little about the new OS actually enhances productivity.

True, but who thought the corporate market was going to update to Windows 8. They are only just moving in numbers to Windows 7 from XP, jumping 1 version. Given how well Windows 7 has gone down, and the cost of conversion, I'd bet Windows 8 and 9 will be skipped by businesses who will, after all, have nearly 10 years support for Windows 7. Windows 9 is possible set for 2014 so I bet that businesses generally won't be moving again until Windows 10.

Thus it is fair enough to make an interface that might keep ordinary people away from Apple technology. Even then, 'Metro' is only a layer on top of an improved version of Windows 7. In use, one need hardly ever see the 'Metro' screen even though there is a missing Start Button and menu. Just a few shortcuts make it simple.
 
Not to worry, though - it's plain that I'm simply not the kind of user who MS is targeting with Win8 (like most users here). It's an OS for people who prefer to use their tablet and, when they have to use a PC, want a tablet-like experience there as well.

.

So when will Microsoft be releasing Windows 8 Desktop Edition?
 
So when will Microsoft be releasing Windows 8 Desktop Edition?

They won't. They want to keep the Metro concept as central to the brand identity.

Look at it from MS's point of view. If they keep going with a standard desktop OS, they can kiss goodbye to the iPad demographic which wants instant gratification and simpler user interfaces.

And for what purpose? To appeal to businesses and 'traditional' PC consumers? Both of those groups are almost inevitably gonna keep buying Windows anyway. Your average PC purchaser will receive a copy of Win8 the next time they buy a new OEM PC. And businesses will continue doing what businesses do - they'll probably skip Win8 because they're still considering Win7, and will then cautiously upgrade to Win9 or Win10 when they can't stick with Win7 any longer.

The market is changing, and for MS to align itself with the new market is more important than keeping traditionalist users happy.
 
There is actually a lot of business value in the new versions of Windows but it isn't relevant yet. A lot of the cool stuff we'll be able to do in the future will have its roots in this wave.
 
Has anyone installed Windows 8 over Windows 7, as in doing an 'upgrade'? Just got Windows 8 Pro free through DreamSpark, so was wondering if anyone has tried this and had any adverse effects (performance wise).

When I run it, it does a check of the system and it only lists Microsoft Security Essentials as a program that won't work on Windows 8. Strange considering its a Microsoft program, but its the only thing that is incompatible on my system.
 
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