Foo - Windows 8 Consumer Preview (Win8 beta)

Currently have Vista Home Premium 32bit and Ubuntu (I believe it's the 'Ocelot') 64bit using the wubi installer on my laptop.

Should I bother experimenting with the new OS?

Friend of mine is evaluating for his office... he says it looks like windows 3.1 and they took away the task bar or the start button or something weird like that.

i cant wait to see how stupid win 8 is. i already hate win 7.

i have vista business so ill worry about a new os when my support runs out in 2014.

i cant stand the way they keep making windows more flasy and on win 7 you cant even rid the thing of all the new bs like you could on vista or xp.
personaly i think after win 2000 they have all been a let down. win 2000 was amayzing you could put it on a win 95 or 98 pc and it would run faster than with the old win on it.

i personaly think win is trying to look like mac os in the newer releases ... if i wanted that ugly bs id get a mac.

just my 2c

It probably sucks.

Friend of mine is evaluating for his office... he says it looks like windows 3.1 and they took away the task bar or the start button or something weird like that.
The start button is still there, but it's hidden (or not as intrusive, anyway). I've seen a couple of vids on CNET (http://download.cnet.com/Windows-8-Consumer-Preview/3000-18513_4-75677106.html?tag=mncol;txt)about it- it is supposed to work the same on desktop, laptops, and tablets. But the UI leans more toward the tablet side of things.

It's a free trial of a beta. It's not even a release candidate at this point- which means it's going to have more quirks than what I'm used to dealing with. However, so long as it's stable enough to launch and run a browser, I can do everything I currently do on my laptop now- except possibly watch DVDs. Still on the fence, though...

If it's another "improvement" like 7 was I'd say it leaves a lot to be desired.

It probably sucks.
So says the confirmed Linux guy.

Truth is, if my Ubuntu had a UI more like Vista than XP, I'd strongly consider just going with that full time. That and if it would support the cursor like that I have in Vista- big, solid black, with trails. That little cursor on Ubuntu is too hard for my blind self to follow at times.

Actually, I have heard a lot of negative about the interface as it applies to non-touchscreen devices.

... and yeah, there may not be a good high-viz cursor option in Ubuntu. Sorry about that... But I see on my OpenSUSE machine here that I can change to a black theme and rather large. No trails, though.

Vista is trash.

7 bothers me with it's lack of options (as in turning off stuff), but it's better.

I've been following the development of 8 since there were rumblings of it. It will be a very untraditional Windows OS. I take issue with the Mango stylings that are supposed to be built in as well.

I'd be wary of a regular beta that does not include a professional version. This is their pop culture consumer pandering OS they want to run on tablets and touch screens as they try to take back some market share. It's going to be a train wreck to test for people that want depth and control over their machine until they come out with some sort of pro version.

I've been messing with Windows 8 in a VM. It is neat, but still has some things to work out.

Mickeysoft is in my backyard and I've worked out there 3 times. I'll pass.

It's going to be a train wreck to test for people that want depth and control over their machine until they come out with some sort of pro version.

I hear you... I have a machine here that can't even change the background pic (early win7 bounded netbook). It's stupid and annoying.

Actually, I have heard a lot of negative about the interface as it applies to non-touchscreen devices.

... and yeah, there may not be a good high-viz cursor option in Ubuntu. Sorry about that... But I see on my OpenSUSE machine here that I can change to a black theme and rather large. No trails, though.

I just recalled my experience with IE9 beta, and realize that I don't want to deal with any Windows beta apps.

However, I'm intrigued by OpenSUSE now. I wonder how it compares to Ubuntu...

I still run XP Pro on my dev machine. I hate vista on my laptop, and Win 7 seems a tad better. Although it could be because there is more ram in a laptop that has it.

It's going to be a train wreck to test for people that want depth and control over their machine until they come out with some sort of pro version.
You missed the developer preview.

I really like Windows 7. Windows 8 has turned into a horrible direction. I don't like it. My next computer with either run Linux or be a Mac (or both?)

I really like Windows 7. Windows 8 has turned into a horrible direction. I don't like it. My next computer with either run Linux or be a Mac (or both?)

You represent the core of current Windows users- you actually like Win7. You probably had Vista before and couldn't wait for the next OS. Win7 has been such a hit, nobody is really frothing at the mouth to try Win8.

I've been trying it out on a VM and so far I am not a fan. I do like Win7, and Win8 (so far) seems like it would be great with a touch screen but I don't like it with a mouse right now.

You can get to what the current way windows works from the title interface and clicking "desktop". This lets you run multiple windows in the same screen, resize them, etc. The seach bar doesn't show up there, though, and the main tile interface is where you search from now I think. So I start typing "fire" to run firefox after I've installed it and open up some tabs and whatnot. Then I decide I want to run internet explorer and type "internet" and push enter. It runs, but i's the metro UI version and I don't have access to the desktop and it takes up the whole screen. I can alt-tab and get back to the desktop, though.

It really feels like it is running a virtual machine for desktop apps, and you get get to them in an inconvenient way, but the main focus is the Metro UI stuff. Again, i think i would like it for a smaller touch screen device like a tablet - but I am not a fan of using a mouse + keyboard for this. I love my mouse and keyboard btw.

I also am not a huge fan of gnome or KDE, but maybe after Win7 gets a lot older and unsupported I'll have to switch back to linux for the desktop.

I just recalled my experience with IE9 beta, and realize that I don't want to deal with any Windows beta apps.

However, I'm intrigued by OpenSUSE now. I wonder how it compares to Ubuntu...

Some Linux zealots hate OpenSUSE because it is partially backed by Novell (they put out SUSE Linux Enterprise Server). But OpenSUSE works so darned well as a desktop in this environment and the sysadmin tools are great, I just couldn't format the drive again. I am running it with XFCE.

Back on topic, I also like Windows 7 (just not as much as Linux of course)... I have it in a VM and also use WS2008 through Terminal Services whenever I need access to Access and Excel. I just turned Aero off in both cases and went back to the Win2k style interface like I had in XP. 7 could be the best Windows ever, but I am not sure it beats XP or 2k.

Windows 8 (hopefully) will be a major game changer. Having the same software platform from cellphones to servers is a big deal in terms of security, cross compatibility and SW development costs. P.S. Android != Linux.

Android != Linux.
Android runs a monolithic form of the Linux kernel.

Windows 8 (hopefully) will be a major game changer. Having the same software platform from cellphones to servers is a big deal in terms of security, cross compatibility and SW development costs. P.S. Android != Linux.

And complete and total vendor lock-in. Not even Apple can achieve this level of lock-in, as Lion Server is kind of a joke from what I've read and they abandoned the datacenter market (again).

Bring back DOS 6.0! :mad:

Bring back DOS 6.0! :mad:
Ugh, why would you want that crap?

Things were so much better back in the day with punch cards.

Ugh, why would you want that crap?

Things were so much better back in the day with punch cards.

Slide rule.

Android runs a monolithic form of the Linux kernel.

Linux is a monolithic kernel, there isn't a microkernel version of linux.

Some Linux zealots hate OpenSUSE because it is partially backed by Novell (they put out SUSE Linux Enterprise Server). But OpenSUSE works so darned well as a desktop in this environment and the sysadmin tools are great, I just couldn't format the drive again. I am running it with XFCE.

Back on topic, I also like Windows 7 (just not as much as Linux of course)... I have it in a VM and also use WS2008 through Terminal Services whenever I need access to Access and Excel. I just turned Aero off in both cases and went back to the Win2k style interface like I had in XP. 7 could be the best Windows ever, but I am not sure it beats XP or 2k.

I happen to like Aero myself, but can't stand the classic look of XP. That's one of my major gripes with Ubuntu- it mimics XP so well...

Back to Win8: I actually started the set up wizard yesterday. First thing it does is to scan for hardware and software issues. I didn't save the report, nor did I continue past that point. What the report had was some interesting findings. iTunes would not be allowed to install, nor would Microsoft Security Essentials. <-That concerns me.

:lol: a MS OS won't allow MS Security Essentials to install.

MSSE is not a bad anti-virus program, by the way.

:lol: a MS OS won't allow MS Security Essentials to install.

MSSE is not a bad anti-virus program, by the way.
I know, because I am using it. The fact I couldn't use iTunes doesn't bother me, but not being able to use MSE did.

I use MSSE on my Windows desktops, but we have an agreement with Sophos here, so that's what goes on the servers.

One other note on going with a Windows Beta... Before Vista, I know a lot of people absolutely loved Longhorn (Beta name). Then Vista came out. They should have stuck with the Beta version.

In other words, don't go Beta thinking you'll just upgrade to 8 when it comes out, because there's a very good chance you'll want an earlier version back.

You guys keep paying your expensive license fees for your bloated Mickeysoft software.

One other note on going with a Windows Beta... Before Vista, I know a lot of people absolutely loved Longhorn (Beta name). Then Vista came out. They should have stuck with the Beta version.

In other words, don't go Beta thinking you'll just upgrade to 8 when it comes out, because there's a very good chance you'll want an earlier version back.That's what the restore disk is for ;)

One other note on going with a Windows Beta... Before Vista, I know a lot of people absolutely loved Longhorn (Beta name). Then Vista came out. They should have stuck with the Beta version.

In other words, don't go Beta thinking you'll just upgrade to 8 when it comes out, because there's a very good chance you'll want an earlier version back.

True stuff.

After longhorn, I stopped horsing around with microsoft betas for this reason. It was a total waste of time.


PS: I think the metro interface chews.