News Microsoft launches Windows 8 Release Preview

[brumgrunt]

Microsoft has launched the Windows 8 Release Preview, with tweaks and changes.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/20...ease-preview/1

[Paradigm Shifter]

Cool; will download today and test when I have time.

Nice to see Microsoft taking a proactive approach toward user rights/privacy - the 'Digital Advertising Alliance' is talking nonsense about "self regulation"... some of the adverts on Bit-Tech are a perfect example of how targeted ads can totally fail to be relevant. And self regulation only works if everything is approached honestly...

[Attila]

I've been a very early adopter for every new Windows release since Win98. Having said that, I'm not interested in 'upgrading' to Eight. Win7 is a fantastic OS and I wouldn't give up Aero for anything. However the "do not track' function in IE is very welcome. You have to laugh at the advertising body though. Somehow they think it's their god given right to sell me stuff. To force me to see what they want me to see. But worst of all, to make me, and others who do not want stuff shoved into their faces, almost feel as we're in the wrong and just not playing by the rules.

[tonyd223]

Ok, is it just me, I'm now pretty bored of desktop PC's (shock!). I have android phones and an android tablet, haven't touched my Win7 netbook in months, and if it wasn't for World of Tanks, I probably wouldn't be using my main desktop either. Windows 7 does everything I want - I installed Win8 as a VM and it just confused me. As a touch screen interface I think it would make more sense, but, for me, this is a good point to think about whether I need desktop computing in my house or not.

Of course I'll keep a desktop for work...

[SpAceman]

Going to try this out on a VM now. I am really keen to start using Win 8. I started using Win 7 as my main OS when it was in RC form and I have never looked back. Learning a new interface will be tricky but from what I have seen from using the Dev and Consumer previews it is definitely a step forward.

[ev1lm1nd666]

Now they just need to add Kinect support so we can use the kinect sensor on the metro interface like we already do on the xbox 360. If the kinect was enabled this way the "touch screen" interface would make more sense on a HTPC (my main pc is attached to my 40" HDTV for movies etc)

In the meantime, I'll stick with Win7 but will try out Win8 in a VM

[Coltch]

Will try this in a VM to see what has changed from the CP, suffice to say I won't be 'upgrading' from Win 7 unless they ditch all the Metro crap.

[Valinor]

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter

Cool; will download today and test when I have time.

Nice to see Microsoft taking a proactive approach toward user rights/privacy - the 'Digital Advertising Alliance' is talking nonsense about "self regulation"... some of the adverts on Bit-Tech are a perfect example of how targeted ads can totally fail to be relevant. And self regulation only works if everything is approached honestly...

Yeah, I laugh when I see adverts for products which received low scores from bit-tech.

[Paradigm Shifter]

I've given Win 8 RP a quick go in a VM on my laptop at work - it's no better than the Consumer Preview, and still won't be an upgrade I'm interested in.

[richythomas]

I've downloaded it at work ready for install at in a VM environment at home.

So far Win 8 has been "utter crap" from my point of view and will not be down-grading to Windows 8 when it's released unless something totally out of this world happens between now and the big release day when Microsoft release it to the unfortunate public.

I really do not like Metro on my desktop or laptop. I can see the point on a tablet or other touchscreen device but a proper computer? Nah, Microsoft have defintely lost the way, then need Bill Gates back at the helm to steer the non-controllable-rudder-fallen-off-ship that is now Microsoft. I can see why Microsoft are trying to cash in on the tablet / touchscreen but this is not the way to do it. A seperate Windows 8 Tablet Edition maybe but a one-size-fits-all Windows 8 is not the way to do it, I'm sure my employers (100,000 employees world wide) will probably not adopt Windows 8.

I'm really hoping something has changed in the latest pre-release but I'm not holding my breath.

[Scarlet0pimp]

Originally Posted by tonyd223

Ok, is it just me, I'm now pretty bored of desktop PC's (shock!). I have android phones and an android tablet, haven't touched my Win7 netbook in months, and if it wasn't for World of Tanks, I probably wouldn't be using my main desktop either. Windows 7 does everything I want - I installed Win8 as a VM and it just confused me. As a touch screen interface I think it would make more sense, but, for me, this is a good point to think about whether I need desktop computing in my house or not.

Of course I'll keep a desktop for work...

I think most people will be like you, though think your being a bit mellow dramatic. If your just browsing the internet a tablet or phone is fine I work on my latop, browse mostly on my phone and game on the desktop I only use it for gaming I play more than just world of tanks though. Ideally I would like a ultra high spec laptop for gaming, but since they are vastly more expensive I will stick to my tower PC in the celler/games room.
As for windows i'm looking forward to the higbrid tablet/latop designs and will probably get one of them at some point, not really intreasted in win 8 for my desktop. Though am lookng forward to the whole Win 8 Eco system thing with phone xbox and pc/tablet all integrated.

[Wavefront]

Well I finally took the plunge and installed it onto my laptop this morning. And it’s a horrible interface. Admittedly I don’t have (and don’t wont) a touchscreen but it’s just broken. I’m now ghosting back on windows 7. I may give the final release another go if they give the option to remove metro and reinstate the start menu but iv very disappointed

[yougotkicked]

I'll be dropping it into a VM as well. Though I doubt it will prove worthy of my desktop, it just might do the trick should I end up with a tablet in the near future.

[yougotkicked]

BTW, you need to follow a second link in order to find the ISO dl's otherwise you end up with some sort of automated download & install program.

[fdbh96]

Originally Posted by Wavefront

I may give the final release another go if they give the option to remove metro and reinstate the start menu but iv very disappointed

Surely that would just make it Win 7....

I actually quite like it and originally I tried it on VM but installed it on a separate parition eventually, and it feels a lot 'slicker' than Win 7 in desktop mode and I think its just as good as iOS for touchscreens.

[Waynio]

It still needs a geek version which is good old windows with improvements & a trendy version for all the smart phone lovers, I feel so alien compared to everyone else these days with not being a cell phone lover busy in my own little world texting people.

I'm dubbing windows 8 as windows smashed.

[Paradigm Shifter]

Further testing of the RP...

It's just so hard to do stuff with Metro on a desktop; it enjoys thrusting things I'll never want to use down my neck, while obfuscating many of the things I want to make easy. I find it particularly annoying that with no touchscreen, half the prompts are things like "Tap on the box to control how Windows handles blah-blah-blah." I could do that - but it wouldn't get me anything other than fingermarks on my LCD. Forcryin'outloud...

[Yslen]

I have to say, I like it. It's Windows 7 with (IMHO) a much better start menu, a platform for handy apps and the social network integration I've been missing ever since I stopped using Ubuntu.

[12modderz]

I tried the Consumer Preview on my main laptop and didnt much care for it, I personally don't think Metro will ever work on non-touch screen devices.

On my Dell Latitude XT (convertible multitouch tablet) however it works a dream and really demonstrates the operating systems strengths on touchscreens, much better than using Windows 7 on it.

I am a little mithered that I would have to do a clean-install over the Consumer Preview which I have some stuff installed on.

[SpAceman]

Metro is actually really nice to use on a desktop when you start using the keyboard to control it. A lot better than Win7 keyboard use and that is really saying something.