Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 25th Oct 2012 20:50 UTC
"Microsoft today announced the global availability of its popular Windows operating system, Windows 8. Beginning Friday, Oct. 26, consumers and businesses worldwide will be able to experience all that Windows 8 has to offer, including a beautiful new user interface and a wide range of applications with the grand opening of the Windows Store." I'm still not clear on what '12:01 AM local time' means, but if it means it goes on sale in every country on 12:01 AM, I'll be buying in a bit over an hour!
Thread beginning with comment 540091
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
RE[5]: I'd rather put my head in an oven.
by Lorin on Fri 26th Oct 2012 03:42
in reply to "RE[4]: I'd rather put my head in an oven."
Member since:2010-04-06
"Or it could mean that you'd rather use an OS that runs faster, boots faster, and is more memory efficient than Windows 7. Not to mention sporting some other features like native USB 3 support, a much improve task manager, hyper-V virtualization, native mounting of ISO files, taskbars on multiple monitors, etc. "
A great description of Linux which has all those features.
Edited 2012-10-26 03:43 UTC
RE[6]: I'd rather put my head in an oven.
by WorknMan on Fri 26th Oct 2012 05:31
in reply to "RE[5]: I'd rather put my head in an oven."
Member since:2005-11-13
RE[5]: I'd rather put my head in an oven.
by Dave_K on Fri 26th Oct 2012 16:05
in reply to "RE[4]: I'd rather put my head in an oven."
Member since:2005-11-16
Or it could mean that you'd rather use an OS that runs faster, boots faster, and is more memory efficient than Windows 7. Not to mention sporting some other features like native USB 3 support, a much improve task manager, hyper-V virtualization, native mounting of ISO files, taskbars on multiple monitors, etc.
All relatively minor improvements that to me are outweighed by the "Modern UI" kludge.
So don't decide you hate it until you spend some time getting acclimated with it.
I've spent quite a bit of time with it.
I don't care about the Start Screen. I don't think its much of an improvement over the old Start Menu, but I can easily live with it.
It's the thought of having to use Modern UI apps alongside my desktop software that I have a problem with. No amount of acclimatisation is going to convince me that full screen mobile apps work well on my 30" 2560x1600 monitor.
And don't worry about the 'classic' desktop being gone in Windows 9. MS needs to do a lot of work before Metro even becomes a viable replacement so they can port 'real' apps to it like Visual Studio. We're at LEAST 10 years away from that happening.
I don't think that the desktop will be removed completely in the next version of Windows. Just like support for DOS and Windows 3.1 software, I'm sure it'll hang around for quite a while in later versions of Windows.
That doesn't mean that all the software I use will continue to be produced for the desktop. Something like Visual Studio may not be switching any time soon, but what about web browsers, media players, file viewers, utilities, and other relatively simple apps?
Writing for modern UI, developers can create one app that runs on both RT tablets and Windows 8 desktops. I can see that appealing to developers if Windows 8 and its app store are a success. Once apps and utilities that I need start moving to Modern UI it'll no longer be so optional and easily avoidable.
In my opinion, the longer Windows 7 stays a popular OS, the longer it'll be before I have to suffer Modern UI apps. Maybe by then Linux will have turned into an OS I can happily use (although I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that to happen).
RE[6]: I'd rather put my head in an oven.
by WorknMan on Fri 26th Oct 2012 21:40
in reply to "RE[5]: I'd rather put my head in an oven."
Member since:2005-11-13
don't care about the Start Screen. I don't think its much of an improvement over the old Start Menu, but I can easily live with it.
It's the thought of having to use Modern UI apps alongside my desktop software that I have a problem with. No amount of acclimatisation is going to convince me that full screen mobile apps work well on my 30" 2560x1600 monitor.
It's the thought of having to use Modern UI apps alongside my desktop software that I have a problem with. No amount of acclimatisation is going to convince me that full screen mobile apps work well on my 30" 2560x1600 monitor.
Well, that was my entire point. The start screen is the only part of Metro you have to interact with in Windows 8 (and not even then if you use a launcher), and even you yourself said the start screen isn't a big deal. There is a lot of nerd rage about the start screen, and I'm not sure why, since it's little more than a reskinned start menu with a couple of new bells and whistles. Just hit the win key and select an app, or start typing if you need to search. It's the same damn thing as before with a different look.
I don't think I'd pay full price to upgrade to Windows 8, but for $40, why not? I hardly ever use the start menu anyway, so Metro is no big deal to me, since I probably own't be dealing with it 99% of the time.
I don't think that the desktop will be removed completely in the next version of Windows. Just like support for DOS and Windows 3.1 software, I'm sure it'll hang around for quite a while in later versions of Windows.
That doesn't mean that all the software I use will continue to be produced for the desktop. Something like Visual Studio may not be switching any time soon, but what about web browsers, media players, file viewers, utilities, and other relatively simple apps?
That doesn't mean that all the software I use will continue to be produced for the desktop. Something like Visual Studio may not be switching any time soon, but what about web browsers, media players, file viewers, utilities, and other relatively simple apps?
As I stated in my original post, keep in mind that the current incarnation of Metro is only a 1.0 release. Unless it flops and MS pulls the plug early, it's going to get better. The more features they add to it, the easier it'll be for 'real' apps to run on it, and (hopefully) the easier MS will make it to run Metro and desktop apps at the same time. Remember that Windows 7 is little more than an evolution of Windows 1.0, and I'm sure when Windows 1.0 was released, people largely gave it the middle finger and kept using DOS. It wasn't until Windows 3.x that it really caught on.
By the time the last of the desktop apps are ported over to Metro (like Visual Studio) and the 'classic' desktop goes away, most people probably won't even notice, except for those who want to run legacy apps and games. It'll be like when they pulled the plug on DOS in 2k/XP.
RE[5]: I'd rather put my head in an oven.
by ze_jerkface on Fri 26th Oct 2012 18:16
in reply to "RE[4]: I'd rather put my head in an oven."
Member since:2012-06-22
The nice thing about Metro is that it is completely optional to use. The one possible exception is the Start Screen
Oh just that one exception, the exception being what people hate in the first place.
When people talk about metro they are talking about the start screen. Even after applying a bunch of hacks there are still areas where you are forced to use it. You are also forced to boot into it which causes problems for companies that use complex autologon scripts. But f--k them I guess, which seems to be the overall theme of Windows 8.
Stop defending Microsoft's decision to artificially remove choice. If Metro in W8 wasn't a POS then they wouldn't be trying to force it. Good software can be sold on merit and doesn't require force along with a fanboy army to defend it. Metro in WP7 makes sense but in Windows 8 it is screen rape. It's worse than a lot of full screen adware.
Oh and here are customers lining up in droves to get metro on the desktop
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2220288/currys-and-pc-worl...
Wait for more news from retailers over disappointing sales over this goddamn dumb plan called Windows 8. Microsoft fanboys better get over to retail stores to help them move some units to minimize the embarrassment.
Edited 2012-10-26 18:21 UTC
Features
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/24/13 17:26 UTC
So, the Xbox One disaster continues. Microsoft's policy for dealing with the used games market has reportedly leaked - and it's a clear and direct attack to destroy the used games market. Prices for used games will be set at the retail value of a new game, and retailers have to hook into Microsoft's computer systems and comply with Microsoft's terms and conditions.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/21/13 21:38 UTC
At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/20/13 11:29 UTC
The day has finally come! Jolla has finally announced the launch device for its Sailfish operating system - and by god this is a looker. It's decidedly different from other phones out there, but it has good specifications and carries a relatively reasonably price tag - EUR 399, and it's up for pre-order today, shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/18/13 21:33 UTC
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.
Linked by David Adams on 05/16/13 4:23 UTC
OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/11/13 21:41 UTC
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/08/13 14:22 UTC
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/02/13 15:28 UTC
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/29/13 21:06 UTC
Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/24/13 22:24 UTC
They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.More Features »
Sponsored Links
Member since:
2005-11-13
Or it could mean that you'd rather use an OS that runs faster, boots faster, and is more memory efficient than Windows 7. Not to mention sporting some other features like native USB 3 support, a much improve task manager, hyper-V virtualization, native mounting of ISO files, taskbars on multiple monitors, etc.
The nice thing about Metro is that it is completely optional to use. The one possible exception is the Start Screen, which really doesn't suck as bad as people thing it does. IMHO, it's actually an improvement over the old Start menu, and I find it the one aspect of Metro that is tolerable to use. You can pin desktop apps and bookmarks there. So hit the Windows key, and it's basically the same as the start menu. You can install Metro apps like Wikipedia if you want and search those right on the Start screen. You can size app tiles and sort them into groups. So don't decide you hate it until you spend some time getting acclimated with it.
And don't worry about the 'classic' desktop being gone in Windows 9. MS needs to do a lot of work before Metro even becomes a viable replacement so they can port 'real' apps to it like Visual Studio. We're at LEAST 10 years away from that happening.
Edited 2012-10-26 03:37 UTC