Microsoft has made Windows 8's final release available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, so if you are one of those - have fun. The 90-day trial has also been released, so us mere mortals can have a go at it as well. The evaluation version is Windows 8 Enterprise, so it contains a number of features regular users normally won't see. As far as I can tell - it's a bit unclear - the trial version cannot be upgraded to a final version a few months down the line. Happy testing!
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Member since:2010-06-12
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Member since:2008-09-11
Member since:2005-07-06
As a Mac user who is tempted to jump ship after giving the 90 day trial an install, I can't work out where what all the hatred is about - honestly. I'm sitting here on my iMac running Windows 8 and sure it is a bit different but holy shitballs the way some people react around here is as though Steve Ballmer with Steven Sinofsky in tow both took pot-shots at your mother. Compared to previous releases it finally appears that Microsoft understands the concept of fit and finish rather than previous releases looking little more than quasi distributions resulting from the haphazard amalgamation of different groups works into a single distribution.
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-08-17
"Compared to previous releases it finally appears that Microsoft understands the concept of fit and finish"
Seriously? you have two totally different GUIs running at the same time. You jump between them depending on which app you are running. One of these GUIS is really inconvenient on a desktop PC and its best "feature" is that it shows you less information instead of more on the screen.
Member since:2005-11-16
In my opinion Windows 8 has about the worst "fit and finish" of any Windows version released in the last 20 years.
The Windows 8/Metro UI just doesn't fit in alongside the traditional desktop. Using the two together has the feel of an unnatural Frankensteinian creation, patched together from different UIs designed for different purposes.
It's much less consistent, both visually and functionally, than the mix of Classic and Aqua apps back in the early days of Mac OS X. And unlike that situation, Metro/Win8 is too limited to be a full replacement for the desktop. Because of that this inconsistent mix of user interfaces will hang around indefinitely, rather than just being a temporary issue as people transition from the old to the new.
Of course this isn't a big issue if the only Win8/Metro component being used is the Start Screen, but Microsoft seem determined that this restrictive tablet interface is the future of the desktop OS. My main negative reaction to Windows 8 is down to the thought of eventually having to use crippleware full-screen mobile apps on my large screen mouse+keyboard desktop PC.
Member since:2008-08-27
Wait, but you just described how Windows 8 feels like. (bold text in the quote above) Jumping from non-Metro to Desktop and back from Desktop to non-Metro feels just that bad.
Windows 8 has a lot going on for it, especially in the performance department, but the user experience is a downgrade compared to Windows 7, unless you are happy with the limited UX from tablets.
Edited 2012-08-16 15:20 UTC
Member since:2006-06-02
I have been quick to disagree with you in the past but I also want to show I can be just as rapid in agreement.
I also find it a pain in the wotsit that people vote one down instead of replying. I also don't get the hysteria.
On the Windows 8 issue itself, I am genuinely undecided - but if what I have read on there being a $40 upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium is true, why not just try it out? It's not much more than the money I have voluntarily donated to Linux Mint in the recent-ish past, so it seems pretty reasonable on the face of it.
Keep posting, naysayers or no!
Member since:2012-06-22
Here is the short list:
Infrequently used start menu items
Recent documents
Being forced to boot into the metro
VM hot spot problem
Poor organization of start menu items
And worst of all, the malware Metro screen that animates every time you want to do something simple like search or run a program from the start menu.
But if you spend all day in a browser then you won't notice the difference.
Member since:2008-09-11
As a Mac user who is tempted to jump ship after giving the 90 day trial an install, I can't work out where what all the hatred is about - honestly. I'm sitting here on my iMac running Windows 8 and sure it is a bit different but holy shitballs the way some people react around here is as though Steve Ballmer with Steven Sinofsky in tow both took pot-shots at your mother. Compared to previous releases it finally appears that Microsoft understands the concept of fit and finish rather than previous releases looking little more than quasi distributions resulting from the haphazard amalgamation of different groups works into a single distribution. "
You see, that's the problem: we are Windows users and this one seems to be a release targeted at Mac users & demographics, that's why we hate it so bad.
Member since:2007-11-11
Challenge accepted.
Oh Windows 8 how do I hate thee? let me count the ways: 1.- Tile UI quickly becomes a mess if you actually install any programs, 2.- Many of the "apps" (oh how I hate that word now) including those by MSFT are low res crap that looks bad even on my 1600x900 widescreen, 3.- Last one I used (CP, haven't had a chance to try it in RTM) you had to fricking download a 200Mb "app" and wanted an XBL account to play freecell... it's fricking freecell not an MMO! 4.-Without touch the UI is clunky as hell, 5.- Locking out the ability to just go to desktop means I'm trapped in TIFKAM (The Interface Formerly Known As Metro) whether i want it or not, 6.-Most of the under the hood changes could be trivially ported to Win 7 but I'm sure they won't, 7.-The new "faster boot" is actually an ugly MSFT hack (hybrid boot) that will cause problems down the line I'm sure, 8.- The MSFT appstore makes GFWL look good, 9.- After installing more than a dozen programs TIFKAM goes so tile crazy that the only way to use the OS is to bypass TIFKAM using the keyboard making the whole new UI completely pointless, 10.-The "one app at a time" full screen garbage wastes too much space and the low res tablet UI design makes it look just nasty as it wastes my monitor.
That enough for ya? If I spend another 30 minutes in Windows "LOL Hai! I IZ A Cellphone now LOL!" I could probably add a dozen more but then I'd probably pull an Elvis on my monitor and I don't want to buy a new one. As one of the poor bastards that will have to support this turkey (Although from the reaction of my customers the only "support" will be in the form of "Kill that ugly thing and put win 7 on!") I'll buy the $40 Win 8 Pro and run it in a VM just to learn how to fix the turd but that is gonna be about as pleasant as Vista with its constant "Cancel/Allow?" broken UAC mess.
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Member since:
2005-10-11
Same here. I wouldn't even run it if they gave me a free copy + $200.