Windows 8 Preview is live

[Zxanphorian]

Maximum PC: Accidental Blog Post Says Windows 8 Release Preview Will Launch Today UPDATE: It's Here!

Direct link to the ISO images.

So, Windows 8 Release Preview is now live. Downloading it at the time of writing, and will be done within the hour, then installing it on a virtual machine.

I'll post back with my thoughts, and if it will suck based on the suckage-ownage release cycle that usually plagues Windows.

[dragonfliet]

I've heard mostly good things about it, but I really don't feel like learning a new system as of yet when Win 7 is still so new and won't be dropped from support in any near future and with Win 8 providing nothing new to desktop browsing. I'm excited about it for tablets, as it is a full OS that is properly scaled down, rather than the bloatware of other Windows tablet interfaces or the stripped down, barebones of iOS or android; but I don't feel like wasting my time on it until consumers and patches finally figure out the desktop v metro divide for me through trial and error.

[Sir_Brizz]

This is crap. It just doesn't work well with kb/m. I can't understand anyone excusing how poor of an experience it is. People keep saying "You can use your computer in desktop mode full time, just make shortcuts to your apps and never click the orb" well this is stupid. What's the point of turning almost 20 years of basic UI on its head for something so awful? They are going full bore into Metro and I am personally hoping it crashes and burns.

Will not be upgrading.

[scott84]

Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

This is crap. It just doesn't work well with kb/m. I can't understand anyone excusing how poor of an experience it is. People keep saying "You can use your computer in desktop mode full time, just make shortcuts to your apps and never click the orb" well this is stupid. What's the point of turning almost 20 years of basic UI on its head for something so awful? They are going full bore into Metro and I am personally hoping it crashes and burns.

Will not be upgrading.

They went full metro. You never go full metro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgHITc1OL-c

[DarkED]

I'm downloading it now and should have it in a virtual machine in about an hour. I'll report back after.

EDIT: The 64bit copy is running fine in Virtualbox, but I can't get the virtual network adapter to show up in device manager. So, no internet.

But yeah, this sucks. Metro can **** off and die.

EDIT 2: Nevermind, got networking to work. You have to set the virtual network to 'bridged adapter' and use the Intel PRO 1000 Desktop virtual adapter.

[Arnox]

Wow. Looks like Windows 7 is going to be the new XP and 8 is going to be the new Vista.

[Lizard Of Oz]

I'll wait for Windows: What were we thinking!™.

[Capt.Toilet]

It's all about the tablets

[Arnox]

Originally Posted by Capt.Toilet

It's all about the tablets

Even so, my mommy could have designed a better interface.

[Zxanphorian]

Originally Posted by DarkED

I'm downloading it now and should have it in a virtual machine in about an hour. I'll report back after.

EDIT: The 64bit copy is running fine in Virtualbox, but I can't get the virtual network adapter to show up in device manager. So, no internet.

But yeah, this sucks. Metro can **** off and die.

EDIT 2: Nevermind, got networking to work. You have to set the virtual network to 'bridged adapter' and use the Intel PRO 1000 Desktop virtual adapter.

How did you get it to work in Virtualbox? When I try to start up the installation, it says "Your PC needs to be repaired."

Edit: I had to enable VT-X on my bios. Installing it now.

[Zxanphorian]

Originally Posted by DarkED

But yeah, this sucks. Metro can **** off and die.

Yep just as I thought. The translation of Metro from a mobile interface to a desktop interface fails on so many levels. It is way less intuitive.

Also no start menu?!?

I'm going to sit this one out and wait for a (hopefully) better Windows 9.

[Kyllian]

Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

This is crap. It just doesn't work well with kb/m. I can't understand anyone excusing how poor of an experience it is....

This and the rest of your post doesn't surprise me.
I remember a statement saying Win8 is supposed to be an all-encompassing OS for mobile/tablet/desktop, 2 somewhat similar systems and 1 completely different one

Arnox's comment about Win7 = Xp and Win8 = Vista is probably gonna be accurate

[Zxanphorian]

Originally Posted by Kyllian

Arnox's comment about Win7 = Xp and Win8 = Vista is probably gonna be accurate

Reminds me of:

[Arnox]

Originally Posted by Kyllian

Win7 = Xp and Win8 = Vista is probably gonna be accurate

Actually, I'm OK with this. Windows 7 actually does a lot of things right and I have no beef with it currently. So, it can definitely fill the role of the old, trusty Windows OS pretty well.

[Firefly]

I'll be sticking with 7.
My pc isn't a tablet.

You'll need a couple of tablets after looking at that interface.

[DarkEmperor]

Reminds me of Gnome 3 unholy mess...

Quoting Torvalds "If you think your users are idiots, only idiots will use it."

[StalwartUK]

The first thing that came to mind when playing with Metro:

[DarkED]

I'll be sticking with 7 for a few more years it seems.

I wonder if Microsoft is going to drop traditional desktops entirely for Windows 9? I mean, they may as well have dropped it for 8.

Originally Posted by StalwartUK

The first thing that came to mind when playing with Metro:

[Firefly]

Just threw this together

[ZenPirate]

Originally Posted by Firefly

I'll be sticking with 7.
My pc isn't a tablet.

You'll need a couple of tablets after looking at that interface.

and Microsoft, Google, and Apple realize that touch based tablets is where the growth is.