Windows 8 Consumer Preview Hits 1 Million Downloads

[randomizer]

[citation][nom]hotroderx[/nom]I am not sure I will be in the minority on this but I cant stand the Metro Desktop. I just find it extremely hard to navigate and use. We have used the same basic system of desktop navigation since 1995. I dont understand why after all these years it needs to be changed. [/citation]
Because everyone else is changing it. Microsoft don't want to miss the last boat out of the 20th century, even if thems were the good ol' days.

[citation][nom]otacon72[/nom]I'll download when you can disable the Metro UI... no point right now unless you have a touch screen.[/citation]
Why would Microsoft let you disable Metro? They are trying to kill off the conventional desktop and the Win32 API. Allowing you to dump the new paradigm in anything but the Enterprise edition (to retain it for business users and prevent a colossal loss of productivity for 6 months) makes no sense. It is only there now because the number of Win32 applications is enormous, whereas there are almost no WinRT/Metro applications. I wouldn't put it past them to dump the desktop fallback entirely in Windows 9 or 10.

Having said that, placing power controls (shutdown, restart, etc.) in the Settings menu makes no sense either.

 

[pjmelect]

Their stupid downloader does not give you a choice as to which version you download, I wanted an ISO so I could make a bootable CD but I got a collection of installation files. Does anyone know where to download a bootable ISO from?

 

[pjmelect]

Their stupid downloader does not give you a choice as to which version you download, I wanted an ISO so I could make a bootable CD but I got a collection of installation files. Does anyone know where to download a bootable ISO from?

Never mind I have figured it out .

 

[bobusboy]

I hate the lack of a start button and I hate metro; there are far too many clicks to get anything done whether using metro; or the explorer desktop

 

[zachusaman]

My gut says that they will allow desktop users to choose between the 2 later on, but for now they want people to get used to metro so they can start designing stuff and whatnot with metro in mind, that way the apps and whatnot are compatible across all the platforms.
just what I think here.

 

[darkavenger123]

I was a day 1 adopter for Vista and Windows 7. I love my Vista despite all the negative comments (and drivers issues early in it's life)....I have also experienced with MAC OSX (which i installed on my Intel PC rig), which i easily adopt to despite never using it before. And i have tried UBUNTU, which i am not so impressed with....

BUT THIS....WINDOWS 8.......i can't love. It's horrible crap which can't make up it's mind as a tablet of desktop OS. It'll be destined for total failuire. No IT Manager will be sane to ask their users to upgrade to this....it's totally mind boogling inconvenient...like trying to turn your desktop into a tablet by force....i can imagine the nightmare of the IT Department should this be adopted...even before the technical integration problem crawls in, the UI will provide the bulk of the calls and complains....(btw, i work in IT).

Wanna bet...after this is launched, nobody will remember how bad VISTA supposely was....because Windows 8 will set the new benchmark for a major failed product for MS for decades to come.

 

[jasonw223]

Well I don't know about you guys - but I'm liking it so far. Installing Windows 8 looks quite a bit easier, Metro isn't bad for anyone who has an Xbox 360 or Windows Phone, and the little things are nice as well (new task manager, file copying, etc.). I'll be switching when I build my Ivy Bridge PC.

 

[qu3becker]

The Setup crashes when looking for software compatibility. Even though I would try it on a different drive partition but it won't let me do it.

 

[confish21]

I moved from vista and yeah metro is redundant. I don't use it very much but once I right clicked on the lower corner of the desktop i was fine. Metro sucks but the price is right Bob.
Only real gripe is that I feel like microsoft is watching me. I feel the fear.
but it is fast...

 

[smelly_feet]

I like it. Its the way of the future, especially if touch screen monitors become more affordable.
I hope the final version has a new revision of mediacentre.
I find it as snappy as win7

 

[confish21]

[citation][nom]hotroderx[/nom]I am not sure I will be in the minority on this but I cant stand the Metro Desktop. I just find it extremely hard to navigate and use. We have used the same basic system of desktop navigation since 1995. I dont understand why after all these years it needs to be changed. Glaring example of how Windows 8 is much harder to navigate is as follows (unless I am missing something) lets open the C: Drive. First: Open the Metro Window by going to the bottom left hand corner (far corner) and highlighting the small indent. This will pop up a window that will allow us to access metro window. Second: We need to right click any where in the metro Window where there is nothing that will open a bar at the bottom that allows us to click all apps Third Once all Apps has been accessed we have to click on Computer which will then exit metro taking us to the desktop with our drives showing. All this for something that should be as simple as double clicking the My computer icon on the desktop. This system might work great on a touch screen or on a tablet but I just don't see it working that great for the average user. Personally I will stick with my Windows 7 unless Windows 8 is given a proper start button or the option to setup a proper start button. Worse case might have to look into going Linux if Windows truly does adopt this new interface access system and continues it down the road.[/citation]

right click "the corner", click windows explorer. U can place an icon on your desktop by draging the icon.

 

[cold fire]

[citation][nom]hotroderx[/nom]I am not sure I will be in the minority on this but I cant stand the Metro Desktop. I just find it extremely hard to navigate and use. We have used the same basic system of desktop navigation since 1995. I dont understand why after all these years it needs to be changed. Glaring example of how Windows 8 is much harder to navigate is as follows (unless I am missing something) lets open the C: Drive. First: Open the Metro Window by going to the bottom left hand corner (far corner) and highlighting the small indent. This will pop up a window that will allow us to access metro window. Second: We need to right click any where in the metro Window where there is nothing that will open a bar at the bottom that allows us to click all apps Third Once all Apps has been accessed we have to click on Computer which will then exit metro taking us to the desktop with our drives showing. All this for something that should be as simple as double clicking the My computer icon on the desktop. This system might work great on a touch screen or on a tablet but I just don't see it working that great for the average user. Personally I will stick with my Windows 7 unless Windows 8 is given a proper start button or the option to setup a proper start button. Worse case might have to look into going Linux if Windows truly does adopt this new interface access system and continues it down the road.[/citation]

Wow, you say you've been using Windows since 1995 yet it took you that many steps to access your C drive? You'd think that by now you would know that you could've just tried WinKey + E and voila you open Windows Explorer and there you go!

 

[giovanni86]

Can i just have windows for what windows is.. I'm not looking for the apple experience or the ubuntu either.. I buy windows because its windows. That and it plays all my games from the 90's =P If this fails i rather just buy 7 and hope 9 is better =P How 7 was trying to clean up the mess of vista although i own vista and love it, just wish i bought more memory =P

 

[A Bad Day]

I'll be installing this today. I wonder if some of the drivers on my laptop specifically written for W7 would work on W8 beta?

 

[olaf]

[citation][nom]A Bad Day[/nom]I'll be installing this today. I wonder if some of the drivers on my laptop specifically written for W7 would work on W8 beta?[/citation]

they will, so far my 2 soundcards say that they do. An X-fi and my onboard realtek. atleaast i good thing in win8

 

[Dereck47]

[citation][nom]hotroderx[/nom](unless I am missing something) lets open the C: Drive. First: Open the Metro Window by going to the bottom left hand corner (far corner) and highlighting the small indent. This will pop up a window that will allow us to access metro window.[/citation]

Once the window pops up you right-click and then select Windows Explorer.

 

[mikeangs2004]

Does this require UEFI?

 

[blazorthon]

[citation][nom]Zingam[/nom]It is fast because it is a fresh install. When you install Windows 7 for the first time it is also fast. But if you use it for an year and install and uninstall stuff it starts to slow down.[/citation]

That is only part of why it is faster. Win 8 is a lighter OS with less bloat than 7. This is also why 8 uses less memory than 7.

[citation][nom]mikeangs2004[/nom]Does this require UEFI?[/citation]
No, I've used it natively on some of my older machines and they lack UEFI.

[citation][nom]Zingam[/nom]I use a keyboard that doesn't have WinKey[/citation]
Yuo can reassign a key or a Fn+key value to the start key. This can be done multiple ways, but the control panel's Keyboard and Mouse settings is probably the fastest.


@Everyone complaining about Metro

Metro can be disabled. Microsoft didn't make it easy, but there are registry hacks and third party programs that disable Metro. This doesn't excuse Microsoft for making it as hard as they could besides making it impossible, but whining about it this much is pointless. I've heard that some of the current methods for disabling Metro don;t work like they did in the dev preview, but there will be more, many more.


Once Metro is disabled, Win 8 is better than 7, plain and simple. f you can't find a way that works on the customer preview yet then try the dev preview with Metro disabled. I can personally vouch for at least one registry hack and a third party program called MUIT, aka Metro User Interface Tweaker.

 

[tonewheelmonster]

this site, mostly power users, has some extreme whining babys on it. I was freaked out by metro at first too, even though ive had a windows phone since day one. I didn't get the navigation paradigm. I spent a few days using it, even though I wasn't as fast navigating the os, just learning different things. Many of the things I was looking for that the start menu did for me in 7 are still there and metro is actually just as fast as the start menu. Seriously. baby steps guys, baby steps.

 

[DjEaZy]

... metro UI sux for desktom... i understand, why apple keep OSX and iOS apart and graduali blend the features... first iOS is more popular than windows mobile 7, so more users are familiar to the UI... but the metro UI is just terrible for desktop use... the multitask sux, ui sux... i'l wait 4 windows 9...

 

[aidynphoenix]

i think the majority of complaints are from desktop users that simply dont like that windows 8 was not meant for them. it is meant for tablet/phone/touchscreen devices, and not desktop users.
it will not replace windows 7 for people who take their computer seriously.

i think microsoft should of have called it something other than windows8, because that implies that it should be a improvement over windows7. which its aimed at different devices..
its like making a new minivan, and calling it the new ferrari.

 

[stingray71]

Played with it for half a day, no compelling reason to upgrade from W7. I smell another ME/Vista in the making. MS realized their Vista mistake and came out with W7, how could they take another 90 degree turn and come up with Metro/W8?

Looks like W7 is the new XP.

 

[Supertrek32]

Why was Windows originally named Windows? Because it allowed the user to open and view multiple applications in different windows.

The Metro UI is attempting to throw away this system-defining feature. Nothing more needs to be said. When you try to take the windows out of Windows, you're doing something very, very wrong.

 

[redberd]

I tried w8 for a few hours and I absolutely hate it. If this is the direction that windows is going then I will use w7 for as long as I can and then change to another operating system. I have always been a windows fan. I even liked me and vista. But this I just can't stomach.

 

[Prescott_666]

The Metro UI will be OK for tablets, but not for desktops or laptops. Windows 8 will be a bigger failure than Vista.