Windows 8 Consumer Preview

[TheOneAndOnly]

Originally Posted by Melfranks

WIN+I, <up arrow>, <enter> brings you to the Sleep, Shutdown, Reset menu.
Just <up arrow> again to your choice.

<ctrl>+<alt>+<del> to get Lock, Switch User, and Sign Out menu.
WIN+L locks the computer immediately.

Yeah, that sure sounds easy enough for Grandma to do...

I showed it to another IT tech yesterday. Only took him 5 minutes to find the shutdown menu. Your average casual user ought to have loads of fun finding that in the "Settings" charm

[TheOneAndOnly]

Originally Posted by Cylphid

Well, after some time with this, I have to say I believe removing the orb was a huge mistake. It isn't that anything is difficult to find or use, it's that nothing about this interface is intuitive at all.

Considering that they are trying to jam in two entirely different OS's into one, why would it be more intuitive? Thats the part I have trouble discerning. It makes no sense to do so.

Everything from installation to configuring multiple monitors was reasonably painless, and everything about this OS from file transfers to extracting just seems snappier and smoother.

Metro has a good deal of functionality from reviews I've read, but using them just doesn't feel right - maybe it will grow on me, but I don't think so.

It's just not an efficient start menu for the average user.

I like the internal fixes that they have implemented. The new taskbar, file transfers, storage options, all sound great. But in the meantime, other than a few new functions and tweaks, the classic desktop feels like no more than a SP1.
And yes, the removal of the start button will confuse many, even experienced windows users. Why they are trying to alienate 90% of those who will use this OS (non-touch users) is beyond me. They are once again trying to copy Apple in all the wrong ways... as usual

Many people believe that Apple is merging the OSX and iOS UI's. That could not be farther from the truth. While they are adding iOS apps and gestures to OSX, they are only doing so where it makes sense. And yes, I hate the new calendar and address book skins. But the gestures are entirely an alternative method, not required. Other than that, there is little change in the OSX UI and workflow.
Mac, iPhone and iPad all have different interfaces which work for them, even if there are some similarities where they make sense. And people do not have a problem using them, because they take advantage of the uses for that particular device.
But MS mistakenly believes Apple will eventually merge OSX in iOS to be the One OS for Apple. And so they are apparently trying to beat them to the punch.
In essence, they are going to end going where the puck never will.

BTW, for those that do not know, I use Windows XP/7 at work, Window 7 and sometimes Lion at home, along with iPad 2 and iPhone 4. But I am primarily a Windows user due to games and windows apps that I use. I primarily use my Mac for hobbyist photo and multimedia work.
I am also an IT hardware/software support tech, both a contractor at a major corporation, as well as owning a business supporting home users and small businesses. So I would like to disabuse some of you of the notion that I am an Apple fanboy. I love using Windows 7, and have been a windows user since Windows 2.0. I should also tell you that by my typical usages and experience, I am not against using different OS's and UI's.
However, this release I am likely skipping, although I may run it in a VM just to keep up with the eventual support calls I will be receiving. And if they decide to stay with Metro on the Desktop, then I may be forced to move more of my work to the Mac.
I have not been so disapointed with Microsoft since Windows ME came along. And that was only a temporary glitch soon to be ignored. Hopefully the same can be said of Windows 8 and Metro on the desktop computer.

[Melfranks]

Originally Posted by TheOneAndOnly

Yeah, that sure sounds easy enough for Grandma to do...

Just sharing some simple shortcuts with Cylphid, not sure what grandma has to do with it.

I showed it to another IT tech yesterday. Only took him 5 minutes to find the shutdown menu. Your average casual user ought to have loads of fun finding that in the "Settings" charm

This isn't going to be some "find the options with no guidance, good luck" game at release, there will be getting started tutorials.
Two minutes explaining the corner hot spots and its simple from there.
This idea that everyone is a complete moron and wont get it is absurd.

[Cylphid]

Originally Posted by TheOneAndOnly

Considering that they are trying to jam in two entirely different OS's into one, why would it be more intuitive? Thats the part I have trouble discerning. It makes no sense to do so.

I couldn't agree more. My hope is a refinement by RC time that someone who has no computer skills to speak of will be able to just look at and figure out easily, I'll post a good example down below.

I like the internal fixes that they have implemented. The new taskbar, file transfers, storage options, all sound great. But in the meantime, other than a few new functions and tweaks, the classic desktop feels like no more than a SP1.
And yes, the removal of the start button will confuse many, even experienced windows users. Why they are trying to alienate 90% of those who will use this OS (non-touch users) is beyond me. They are once again trying to copy Apple in all the wrong ways... as usual

Yes...nothing to add there

Originally Posted by Melfranks

Just sharing some simple shortcuts with Cylphid, not sure what grandma has to do with it.



This isn't going to be some "find the options with no guidance, good luck" game at release, there will be getting started tutorials.
Two minutes explaining the corner hot spots and its simple from there.
This idea that everyone is a complete moron and wont get it is absurd.

Thanks for the tips. I guess a better way to clarify my position is this. I work both home and business end users (I'm not an IT, but somewhat related) and field huge amounts of questions about simple configurations (how do I find my IP address, just switched to cable from DSL and can't get online)...that sort of thing, very simple stuff if you know where to look.

I installed Win 7 on a good friends laptop a while back and she dove right in, no issues coming from XP other than "this looks different"

I had shown her a Ubuntu install (Gnome desktop) some time ago, as well as an open suse DT, and again, she had it all figured and was doing her thing within 5 minutes.

I sat her in front of the preview at the log in screen (the initial screen you have to move) last night. She clicked everywhere, rt clicked, hit escape etc...I finally showed her how to move it and log in.

Up comes Metro. She clicked on the desktop, opened ie, browsed a second, and asked me what to do. I showed her the charm bar, keyboard shortcuts etc.

Instant hate She's quite intelligent, a bit better schooled than *many* of the home users I work with, and wants absolutely nothing more to do with it. Too clunky and hard to use, she says.

I hope they streamline a lot of the interface for PC users prior to release, I really do. It's the average, non forum browsing, non geeky types I'm thinking of, and the pain they will cause myself and the more educated in PC related fields.

[Cylphid]

Just got this email, probably along with a lot of you. I laughed, and cringed, at the bolded part.

Experience Windows 8
Thank you for being one of the first to try the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. It’s Windows reimagined and reinvented.

Learn how to personalize your experience, download and pin apps, and master the new language of touch. And get the in-depth Consumer Preview product guide.

Don't these goons realize most PCs do not have touch screens?

[Rakeesh]

Originally Posted by Redeemed

Because of this I'm going to keep Win8 installed in a VM. Will have to learn the intricacies of this new OS so I may better serve any clients that are using it.

I went for a real install this time around, it's easier than you think to install it on your main PC *cleanly* without reformatting anything, and without even the need for a second drive. Uninstalling and reverting back to just windows 7 is even easier. Again I need to emphasize that this can be done VERY cleanly.

Go into disk management and shrink your windows partition (no reboot or anything - it can be done live.) Download a copy of easybcd and make a backup of your BCD.

Reboot and install windows 8 to the free space you just created. When its completely finished installing, reboot to windows 7, run easybcd and restore your BCD backup. Add a new entry in your BCD for that other partition with windows 8.

That's it, you'll have a dual boot, and no reformatting necessary.

To remove windows 8, simply boot to windows 7, go into disk manager and delete the windows 8 partition, expand your windows 7 partition back to fill the disk, and then restore the BCD from the backup you made. No reboot or anything necessary.

I've already done all of this a few times, both install and uninstall, and it works fine. Easybcd is pretty intuitive so it's a no brainer.

[mojoman0]

I did that all without any mention of BCD, I don't know what that even stands for besides Binary Coded Decimal.

On my laptop I just shrunk my partition, quick formatted a new one, rebooted and booted from win 8 disk. The install is easier than even win 7.

[Redeemed]

I'm on a 30GB SSD. I only have just over 5GB free on it and don't really care about Win8 enough to dig through my 30GB SSD looking for things to delete so I'd have enough for a Win8 install.

Do appreciate the tips though.

[TheOneAndOnly]

Originally Posted by Redeemed

I'm on a 30GB SSD. I only have just over 5GB free on it and don't really care about Win8 enough to dig through my 30GB SSD looking for things to delete so I'd have enough for a Win8 install.

Do appreciate the tips though.

Good God, I couldn't even store all of my music on that little of space...

But I do guess I am a little spoiled with my 6TB

[Cylphid]

I'm done with this until RC. I'll get it through technet when RC is available. I don't see the sense in learning shortcuts by the bucketfull when (hopefully) it may change drastically by release.

[Redeemed]

Originally Posted by TheOneAndOnly

Good God, I couldn't even store all of my music on that little of space...

But I do guess I am a little spoiled with my 6TB

The SSD is my boot drive. I've 3 other HDDs- a 320 dedicated to Steam (which is almost full), a 500GB which has all of my documents, music, family pictures and videos, as well as iTunes movies on it, then a 640GB I mostly use for VMs and such.

Hoping to be getting a *much* larger SSD for my boot drive her before too much longer.

[TheOneAndOnly]

In a nutshell...



Change for the sake of change, and will leave users wondering why, when the old was working wonderfully.