Thoughts on Windows 8?

[Noah]

I just recently downloaded and installed the developer preview with all the tools, as I'm in the process of doing some coding, and I think it's actually going to be a really good OS. I'm not a big fan of the new shell style, but there's always 3rd party patches and whatnot. So anyone who's running it, what are your thoughts?

 

[Prog]

My thoughts?

*Can'tSayThisOnTV* tablets, that's what Android's for. MetroUI is not a suitable replacement for the start menu.

 

[XCVG]

Although I have to (ugh) spend more time to get a real good impression, what I have tried of Windows 8 is terrible. The new interface is *Can'tSayThisOnTV*ing terrible. I can go from Windows XP to Windows 7, even to Windows 3.x and Android 3.x Honeycomb. I try Windows 8 and I have no *Can'tSayThisOnTV*ing idea how to use it. Interestingly, I have a similar problem with iOS- maybe there's a trend there. The new Metro UI is ugly, inflexible, and actually rather cumbersome to use. It basically throws away twenty years of interface development- it wouldn't be that hard to make Windows work for touch devices and still keep a similar look and feel. In addition, much of the OS feels disjointed and disconnected, like a file manager that feels separate (MAJOR step backwards) and two distinct environments. It's just a developer preview, but many of the issues are fundamental problems that won't be solved.

Which is a shame, since the core OS isn't bad. I am very much a hater of Windows 8, I'm sure others actually like it. While I will keep my opinion of those people to myself, I will say this. Windows 8 is definitely a Base Breaker- that is, very polarizing to its fanuserbase. I should also mention that although reception from tech sites has been largely positive, everyone I have talked to IRL that used Windows 8 hated it.

 

[Zero]

If you don't like Metro UI then don't use it, that's all. I sure as Heck won't be using it on my desktop, but it seems wonderful for media centers and tablets.

 

[Noah]

I just think since more than half of us with computers have desktops or laptops that aren't touch, Windows 8 will turn out to be a fail like Vista. Now for tablet users and those with touchscreens, it will be a good OS. I have a netbook/tablet which is why I think it will be a good OS, but that's going to be the only computer I run it on.

 

[XCVG]

I find it rather unpleasant even for touch devices, however. Metro is cumbersome, inflexible, and too much of a departure from prior iterations of Windows. And it was totally unnecessary. Look at Honeycomb. I found it very Windows-like in look and feel, much more than Windows 8, and it is plenty usable. For those of you that say I'm crazy, have a side-by-side comparison.

And switching to desktop isn't really an option without hacks, because the start menu, which I use every five seconds, is gone. It seems that whenever Microsoft tries to make things easier, they make them harder. Look at the Office fiasco. The thing gets harder to use with every version.

I will restate, however, that opinion is very much polarized, with some hating and some loving and not a lot in the middle.

 

[Zero]

Microsoft isn't stupid, they will include an easy way to change from Metro UI to the Windows 7 style start menu in the retail release. This is only a developer preview to help people make stuff work for Metro, not for daily use (hence why disabling Metro is a simple registry entry, but there is just no setting to change it yet). Do you really think they're going to force all those corporations that use Windows to use Metro UI? It'd be suicide for them.

It won't be "a fail like Vista", because once you disable Metro it's Windows 7 with a pretty skin. No one wants Metro on their desktop PC and they know that, so just let them release the Dang thing before you judge something that's not even in beta. It's called a developer preview for a reason.

 

[ttsgeb]

As someone that was using a Metro UI device (Samsung Focus w/ATT) for approximately 6 months beforehand, the transition has been very smooth.

Do I like that I don't have my traditional start menu? No. Do I detest the replacement? No.

It's actually quite nice to use, and it gives an amazing new feel to my computer when I'm using the natively full screen applications...

But... It does feel horribly segmented when it decides to open one link in desktop IE10 and another in Metro IE10. That seriously needs to be worked on.

Honestly, though, with how it is now, and where I see it going, I would recommend it to most of my non-tech friends.