Windows 8 Consumer Preview Thread
- Thread starter bledd
- Start date
Associate
- Joined
- 6 Dec 2004
- Posts
- 1,293
- Location
- Scotland
I hope Microsoft has told 3rd party vendors this. Software is sold in boxes all round the world from shops and mail order companies so if Microsoft thinks the marketplace is the future of software distribution there are going to be a lot of very unhappy companies.
Be interesting to see how the anti-competition rules work with that - I can't exactly see a hell of a lot of companies going for that as they'd have to pay Microsoft a percentage and when you're looking at companies like Adobe, Quark, etc. then the percentage may be small but it's a significant amount of cash.
There will still be ISO's, etc. floating around and the only way this will actually work is if people use it. Have a look at Windows Mobile Marketplace 6 which was shut recently because no-one used it.
Personally I don't want a tablet OS on my desktop.
M.
Big ISVs will continue to sell boxed software as long as it makes financial sense, that won't go away in the short to medium term (although by boxed I really mean direct) simply because they have the marketing clout and established user base to make it worth their while.
But don't forget, large companies like Autodesk and Adobe are already selling their software through the Mac app store, so it's not as if they aren't at least courting the idea. For smaller companies it's a no brainer provided they don't have any specific licensing requirements.
Since Windows 8 will still allow you to run pretty much anything you want, there aren't any anti-competitive problems. WinRT on the other hand... we'll have to see how that unfolds.
But don't forget, large companies like Autodesk and Adobe are already selling their software through the Mac app store, so it's not as if they aren't at least courting the idea. For smaller companies it's a no brainer provided they don't have any specific licensing requirements.
Since Windows 8 will still allow you to run pretty much anything you want, there aren't any anti-competitive problems. WinRT on the other hand... we'll have to see how that unfolds.
Not for desktop apps. For desktop adds they can advertise for free on the market, and it'll just direct you to there own purchase page.
Adobe already have mobile apps on iOS, so I don't see them having a major issue with it, they probably get preferential rates though.
Associate
- Joined
- 23 Aug 2010
- Posts
- 165
I have been computing for years, I am no geek but usually I can find my way around operating systems. After I intalled Windows 8 I had to google to find out how to shut the PC down. Now there may be an app available in the future or perhaps now but I can see lots of people hating this. I liked some of it though, the metro looks good but perhaps this operating system is ahead of its time? Certainly I know my telephone would be ringing a lot if my dad or any other silver surfer friends ended up with this on his PC. Still its only a beta I tried so who knows what the final release will be like.
The final version will come with help/tutorial, there's also more tweaks coming in pre release version.
I can't agree with that, I can't wait to get it on my parents computer. After explaining it to them, I think I will have a load less hassle.
I can't agree with that, I can't wait to get it on my parents computer. After explaining it to them, I think I will have a load less hassle.
Associate
- Joined
- 10 Jul 2006
- Posts
- 2,423
Do we have a date for the new preview release?
1st week of June, no exact date, however they are doing another keynote on the 6th, so I'm guessing public download at end of keynote.
The UI discoverability is a real issue and it will be interesting to see how they tackle it. Even I felt a bit lost when I first used it, and I'm a best case scenario from Microsoft's point of view i.e. able and willing to invest a little bit of time in learning.
I think there will almost certainly be a "first use" demo when you initially "unwrap" the OS but I personally don't think this is enough on its own. People learn through repetition, and the solution might be as simple as an optional desktop wallpaper that literally points to the hot corners and reminds the user which corner activates which control. Once it's ingrained in muscle memory the training wheels can come off.
It's taken me weeks and weeks to get out of the habit of going for the Start menu and people just are going to hate it. Once you get used to it though, it's really not that difficult. I'm becoming faster with the UI and last week I noticed I've even been using the Metro mail app (as patchy at it is) more frequently because it's just as fast as flipping between Metro apps than it is between windows (I have a low-ish resolution laptop for work so I'm usually working with one window at a time anyway)
I think there will almost certainly be a "first use" demo when you initially "unwrap" the OS but I personally don't think this is enough on its own. People learn through repetition, and the solution might be as simple as an optional desktop wallpaper that literally points to the hot corners and reminds the user which corner activates which control. Once it's ingrained in muscle memory the training wheels can come off.
It's taken me weeks and weeks to get out of the habit of going for the Start menu and people just are going to hate it. Once you get used to it though, it's really not that difficult. I'm becoming faster with the UI and last week I noticed I've even been using the Metro mail app (as patchy at it is) more frequently because it's just as fast as flipping between Metro apps than it is between windows (I have a low-ish resolution laptop for work so I'm usually working with one window at a time anyway)
Permabanned
- Joined
- 15 May 2006
- Posts
- 4,107
- Location
- London
oops
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 30,371
- Location
- Dormanstown.
Can someone with a Xonar Card running Brainbit latest drivers and a fully updated Windows 8 (Search for updates) see if the CP's working?
Someone mentioned that a recent update in W8 allowed theres to work.
Someone mentioned that a recent update in W8 allowed theres to work.
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Jul 2004
- Posts
- 20,341
- Location
- Stanley Hotel, Colorado
CD KEY
DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J
Does that work with the latest release?
DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J
Does that work with the latest release?
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 30,371
- Location
- Dormanstown.
Don't think so, just use the one given with the release preview.
I think it is also MS being ahead of the curve, as you allude to. It's not just touchscreen monitors on desktops and laptops we need to be thinking about. With the increase in Kinect abilities (on XBOX and PC) and other more accurate Kinect style products coming out an OS that you can plug your TV straight into and control via hand motions and speech is also something that could corner the market. You already have android moving into the TV segment and small off the shelf HTPCs becoming more prevalent. WMC was ok, but it was still just a program in a much less touch/motion friendly OS.
With the Win8 you have an OS that can be used on a desktop/laptop with a keyboard/touchpad and mouse, on a TV/media centre with Kinect and touchscreen and on tablets with touchscreens as well. All with the same style and ability to chat to each other simply (and the ability to transfer settings/favourites/documents between them with ease). WP8 will then add to it on mobiles. It's a way of allowing MS to get into a lot of new markets as they are growing, not when they are established.
Definitely the new Vista. Can't wait until it's finally out, and there are no "metro apps" worthwhile, just like there were never no "widgets".
Perhaps Microsoft is doing an "ultimate" version with the promise of more apps later.
Not for me, I'll skip this one. I never pay to be a beta tester.
It is sounding like it will be the new Vista...
People with preconceived ideas before it even came out, hating the changes made and rubbishing it in general, while it is a perfectly good OS for most things. Don't worry, MS will release it again (with a few minor changes and some optimisation) to critical acclaim and cal it Windows 9...Just like Vista and Windows 7..
So no ones actually posted about all the new hardware shown off lately at Computex? 
Well, without seeing this stuff i can understand why some people still dont get where MS are going...
Anyway, AnandTech have a preview of the upcoming Acer W800 Win 8 tablet...
This thing has a 1080p IPS screen
and uses a new ultra low voltage Ivy Bridge CPU (it's looking like a custom design). It's meant to have 8 hours battery life, which is extremely good considering the high performance CPU that is vastly faster than any other tablet. It will have an SSD too, not the typical slower nand storage found in current tablets. It's basically laptop hardware in a tablet.
It also has USB 3.0, HDMI and Thunderbolt:
Video:
AnandTech was impressed and says it was the best thing seen at Computex this year. I honestly think this type of thing is the future and will replace laptops/desktops for atleast 80% of people.
Theres also the Acer W510 which has a keyboard dock that doubles batter life to 18 hours (this uses Intel Clover Trail CPU, which is a new Atom, and has similar performance and battery life to ARM's new A15 CPU's).
Asus also have Win 8 tablets coming (videos on page), similar to the Transformer Prime (with keyboard docks):
The above is the Asus Tablet 600 and runs Win RT so it's ARM CPU based. But Asus also have the similar Tablet 800 which is Intel x86 based and runs Win 8.
Theres loads more similar Win 8 devices on the usual hardware sites.
Well, without seeing this stuff i can understand why some people still dont get where MS are going... Anyway, AnandTech have a preview of the upcoming Acer W800 Win 8 tablet...
This thing has a 1080p IPS screen
and uses a new ultra low voltage Ivy Bridge CPU (it's looking like a custom design). It's meant to have 8 hours battery life, which is extremely good considering the high performance CPU that is vastly faster than any other tablet. It will have an SSD too, not the typical slower nand storage found in current tablets. It's basically laptop hardware in a tablet.It also has USB 3.0, HDMI and Thunderbolt:
Video:
AnandTech was impressed and says it was the best thing seen at Computex this year. I honestly think this type of thing is the future and will replace laptops/desktops for atleast 80% of people.
Theres also the Acer W510 which has a keyboard dock that doubles batter life to 18 hours (this uses Intel Clover Trail CPU, which is a new Atom, and has similar performance and battery life to ARM's new A15 CPU's).
Asus also have Win 8 tablets coming (videos on page), similar to the Transformer Prime (with keyboard docks):
The above is the Asus Tablet 600 and runs Win RT so it's ARM CPU based. But Asus also have the similar Tablet 800 which is Intel x86 based and runs Win 8.
Theres loads more similar Win 8 devices on the usual hardware sites.
They will probably work in the same way they work for the iOS store, the Mac store, Google play store and WP marketplace.
I'm sure the companies are going to jump at the chance to have their software sold at a regulated price on a store that only takes 30% of the profit. They will also save on the printing and shipping costs. I'm willing to bet that the big companies don't get anywhere near 70% of the money you pay for software in bricks and mortar stores and places like Amazon after they have taken their cut, the distribution and packaging costs are taken away.
On the other hand we customers may have a more bum deal as there will be one price, that dictated by the producer, rather than by deals done by shops through out the internet.
Great post, can you explain these new CPUs. Which are arm and which are x86 and got any links power and performance charts as well as general details?
"Could conceivable pay be connect to gfx card"
Can any one explain? Is there gfx card that connect via thunderbolt?
Damn it I can't wait for win8 tablets
, so much nicer than apple or android.
Just hope the store quickly takes off and we aren't waiting months or years for apps.
"Could conceivable pay be connect to gfx card"
Can any one explain? Is there gfx card that connect via thunderbolt?
Damn it I can't wait for win8 tablets
, so much nicer than apple or android.Just hope the store quickly takes off and we aren't waiting months or years for apps.
Last edited: