Windows 8 Metro: The fall of windows or the best invention ever

bpb101

ms are bringing out this new "metro" for windows 8 for pc , laptops and tablets.
This looks like an absolute joke to me. There are no programs , just "Apps"
even office is now an app.
Everything is done with "Tiles" not icons and personal looks like it was designed with a 3 year old kid.
It looks like a big phone and i believe it will crash and burn
take a look and vote in the poll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p92QfWOw88I

demanufactured

Will be fine for the simple home user.

More advanced users Wont use it.

Business wont use it.

bpb101

demanufactured wrote: »

Will be fine for the simple home user.

More advanced users Wont use it.

Business wont use it.

for touch screen maybe but try getting the slide thing out , or dragging windows apps with your mouse

So what do more Advance user use , or Business use
a different windows , mac , linux ?

vicM

bpb101 wrote: »

ms are bringing out this new "metro" for windows 8 for pc , laptops and tablets.
This looks like an absolute joke to me. There are no programs , just "Apps"
even office is now an app.
Everything is done with "Tiles" not icons and personal looks like it was designed with a 3 year old kid.
It looks like a big phone and i believe it will crash and burn
take a look and vote in the poll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p92QfWOw88I

I've tried it on the developer version and dislike it. could be that MS want it to help people familiarize with the OS, to help in the tablet/smartphone market

Outkast_IRE

But isnt it obvious that this is just one type of view, you will obviously be able to set a traditional style desktop, all this is boils down to is it being another level of personalisation depending on your setup .

And everything isnt done on tiles not icons you can clearly see during the video there is a standard desktop icon setup there at 3:19 on the video . this video is obviously only showing a new feature/option

jimmycrackcorm

As I look at how I interact with some apps on my mobile in comparison to desktop UI's I actually see the advantage in the Metro style interface in some scenarios.

bpb101

vicM wrote: »

I've tried it on the developer version and dislike it. could be that MS want it to help people familiarize with the OS, to help in the tablet/smartphone market

where did you get the developer version ? i would like to try it out myself , have a look at it ?

that is if it open for demo

its clear there trying to push the phones and tablets more , and that why this is out , but will it ruin the desktop?

AlmightyCushion

Apps and programs are the same thing. Tiles seems to be a cross between icons and widgets. As long as the information shown in them is useful and there isn't too much of it causing it to look cluttered they'll be fine and a nice improvement. For touchscreen tablets the interface looks very good to me. We'll have to wait and see what the traditional laptop/desktop interface will be like.

LimkUL

bpb101 wrote: »

where did you get the developer version ? i would like to try it out myself , have a look at it ?

that is if it open for demo

its clear there trying to push the phones and tablets more , and that why this is out , but will it ruin the desktop?

Available here, may want to wait for Consumer preview edition end of the month which is being released with Messenger and few other consumer apps included I believe

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516

Consumer Preview/Beta Release expected to be announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on 29/3/12.

It is expected to include the App Store (Skype etc), Calendar, Skydrive, Mail, Camera, Photos.

bpb101

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Apps and programs are the same thing. Tiles seems to be a cross between icons and widgets. As long as the information shown in them is useful and there isn't too much of it causing it to look cluttered they'll be fine and a nice improvement. For touchscreen tablets the interface looks very good to me. We'll have to wait and see what the traditional laptop/desktop interface will be like.

it quite clear that its aimed at touchscreen but using with a keyboard and mouse ?
i know there the same thing , just pointing out the are calling them apps like the word "programs" never existed

AlmightyCushion

bpb101 wrote: »

it quite clear that its aimed at touchscreen but using with a keyboard and mouse ?
i know there the same thing , just pointing out the are calling them apps like the word "programs" never existed

You won't be using it with a keyboard and mouse. There will be two interfaces, one for tablets and one for traditional desktops.

LimkUL

A cool hack to get back the old style Start Menu... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAuvlmPbJE&feature=related

I was sick of the new metro start already! And AlmightyCushion you are correct there are two interfaces, Developer is just touch the consumer preview will hopefully have the other!

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Capt'n Midnight

On a historical note , power users and sysadmins tend to use older interfaces, or change every setting back to "classic"

This will have a knock on effect in support for end users. How many of ye couldn't find the icon to add/remove programs when it was last changed ?

I find the new unity interface in ubunu unusable for all but the simplest tasks and would not be able to provide telephone support for it unless I had an untweaked copy of it running locally , which I would never have.

Windows 95 , with the right click, exposed many more settings to users that we previously buried in control panel. This looks like a step back towards that.

Touchscreen interfaces are great for consuming media. Mouse and keyboard are better for data entry , producing media if you like. There is a bit of chalk and cheese about it and one size doesn't come remotely close to fitting all. The danger with touchscreen interfaces is that it really doesn't matter what is under the bonnet, ipad , pc or whatever.

vicM

bpb101 wrote: »

vicM wrote: »

I've tried it on the developer version and dislike it. could be that MS want it to help people familiarize with the OS, to help in the tablet/smartphone market

where did you get the developer version ? i would like to try it out myself , have a look at it ?

that is if it open for demo

its clear there trying to push the phones and tablets more , and that why this is out , but will it ruin the desktop?

Downloaded from the Microsoft site, haven't checked if it is still available. I struggled to find the shutdown button the first time! But could be just the version in question.
One thing of note though..ISO files are now natively recognised so don't have to use the likes of deamon. Don't know how well that will go down with the European anti-competition arm

Fluffy88

I voted crash and burn, but unfortunately I don't think that will happen.
Like others, I feel that the metro UI is great for Windows Phone and the Windows Tablet market. But it's definitely not a good desktop environment and as was alluded to in a Microsoft conference, Microsoft feel that the tablet and phone market will over take the laptop/desktop market and I guess this move also shows that opinion.

Personally I am a programmer and I will NEVER stop using a normal keyboard & mouse for a touch-screen alternative. My productivity would fall by 90% if I tried. I don't think desktop/laptops will or can be replaced by touch-screen. I'm sure Microsoft understand this too since they are a software company at the end of the day. What I would like to see is Microsoft branch 'Metro' to be it's OS for mobile/touch-screen devices and leave Windows to what it's good at!

In-fairness though, if all the big game dev's would just start developing for Linux I would never use Windows :P

AlmightyCushion

Fluffy88 wrote: »

I voted crash and burn, but unfortunately I don't think that will happen.
Like others, I feel that the metro UI is great for Windows Phone and the Windows Tablet market. But it's definitely not a good desktop environment and as was alluded to in a Microsoft conference, Microsoft feel that the tablet and phone market will over take the laptop/desktop market and I guess this move also shows that opinion.

Personally I am a programmer and I will NEVER stop using a normal keyboard & mouse for a touch-screen alternative. My productivity would fall by 90% if I tried. I don't think desktop/laptops will or can be replaced by touch-screen. I'm sure Microsoft understand this too since they are a software company at the end of the day. What I would like to see is Microsoft branch 'Metro' to be it's OS for mobile/touch-screen devices and leave Windows to what it's good at!

In-fairness though, if all the big game dev's would just start developing for Linux I would never use Windows :P

Everything indicates that is what is happening. Microsoft has said multiple times now that, that is the tablet interface and for laptops and pcs we will have a standard desktop interface.

Fluffy88

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Everything indicates that is what is happening. Microsoft has said multiple times now that, that is the tablet interface and for laptops and pcs we will have a standard desktop interface.

I know the Metro UI is for touch-screen and they have left the old Windows 7 UI or something very similar (I read somewhere, can't remember where, could have been this forum, that they have removed the start button :eek:) as the normal desktop.

It is very clear that Windows 8 is being developed for touch-screen, but my problem is the desktop/laptop end of things is very much being left on the bench with this new release. As Capt'n Midnight said touch-screen and desktop markets are so different one OS cannot cater for both. That's why I said I wish they would split the two into separate OS's.

I do feel touch-screen has legitimate uses and it can be very useful, but I definitely don't want a crappy touch-screen UI forced onto my desktop/laptop in 5 years time.

Capt'n Midnight

no need to split into different OS's , as long as user can choose either interface.

If the user can't choose the interface then they really need to be very very clear in the way they market it.

Look at all the confusion about windows media centre
or the plethora of Windows CE devices sold as netbooks


At present I've a ubuntu install and I'm wondering whether to give up on it and roll back to 10.04 because the unity user interface is wojas even when you've tweaked it back to 2D and fixed the menus. The current ubuntu UI is fine for a touch screen, as long as you don't intend to change setting soften or install any software that isn't the software centre.

I would hate that to happen with windows too. But at this stage microsoft of all people should know how their users will react to yet another major UI change

Overheal

The growing trend of Tablets and Touch Screen All in One desktops, and the shrinking trend of Laptops and Desktops, would indicate to me you'll see lots more of the touch UI. Nobody is suggesting you will type up a paper without a keyboard, but for most tasks it can be accomplished with a touch screen. Or, as some tech is beginning to allude, your eyes.

fionny

I just installed the Consumer Preview on a VM and I have to say its awful... how can they think they will get away with this. The interface might lend itself to a tablet but it certainly doesnt lend itself to a keyboard and mouse.

Businesses are going to give this a wide berth and I think I will be do... very dissapointed.

Couldnt see a way of turning off metro which wouldve been the obvious choice for MS to build in or have a Classic mode...

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

G-Money

I just installed this on my 3 1/2 year old laptop and I'm not sure about it. I'm just going straight to the old desktop but I keep going to where the start button used to be to try and load programs and access the control panel and the like. I think Metro is really only aimed at touch capable devices, but I'm still struggling a bit to work out how to run apps without going back to that Metro menu.

Overheal

fionny wrote: »

I just installed the Consumer Preview on a VM and I have to say its awful... how can they think they will get away with this. The interface might lend itself to a tablet but it certainly doesnt lend itself to a keyboard and mouse.

Businesses are going to give this a wide berth and I think I will be do... very dissapointed.

Couldnt see a way of turning off metro which wouldve been the obvious choice for MS to build in or have a Classic mode...

Based on the above post, I understand a large swathe of consumers will absolutely flip their sh*t when this becomes the Operating System of their time.

I still have the odd customer complaining that we don't sell laptops with XP. Sigh.

G-Money

I think I will be going back to Windows 7 soon!

sink

I will probably try out the consumer preview this weekend but I honestly can't see it replacing windows 7 on my desktop. I multi task with 8+ programs and the new interface looks terrible for heavy users like me.

That said I can imagine it working extremely well on a tablet or HTPC with kinect. Coupled with windows home server, sharing and consuming media across a home network will be a breeze, I just don't expect to get any work done with it.

mossie

sink wrote: »

I will probably try out the consumer preview this weekend but I honestly can't see it replacing windows 7 on my desktop. I multi task with 8+ programs and the new interface looks terrible for heavy users like me.

That said I can imagine it working extremely well on a tablet or HTPC with kinect. Coupled with windows home server, sharing and consuming media across a home network will be a breeze, I just don't expect to get any work done with it.

I'm sure it will be fine on touch screens or tablets but for day to day use on keyboard and mouse it's not up to much. There are good points like the new task manager but overall I don't know. Maybe it will grow on me given time.

G-Money

I'm back to Windows 7 already. Doing my head in not having a start menu and having to flip to that metro screen every time I want to run something.

fionny

Overheal wrote: »

Based on the above post, I understand a large swathe of consumers will absolutely flip their sh*t when this becomes the Operating System of their time.

I still have the odd customer complaining that we don't sell laptops with XP. Sigh.

Ah dude im not one of those I am an early adopter, I installed Windows 7 in very early beta and ran it as my main OS consistently since then. I had done the same with Vista before that.

Windows 8 just does NOT work in a desktop enviornment as it currently stands. Its a major f**k up by microsoft.

fionny

A friend put it right:

Every Second MS os is a just a beta for the next:

Win 8 = ME, Win 9 = XP

ressem

I've had about 4 hours working with the CP version on native hardware (Core 2 2GHz, SSD, 4GB).
First impressions are that, unlike 7, I won't be preordering.

I like the Storage pool & hopefully bitlocker will be included on the Win8 Pro equivalent. Allowing some basic gui applications / multiproc functionality in the command line repair console is nice.

Perhaps it's because this nvidia isn't supported yet, or more dotNet code, but it seems very sluggish in many areas, and much quicker in others.

I thought that hidden menus with no feedback was a big UI no-no. You've to wave your mouse right into each corner of the desktop to see the options.

That panel is really annoying though. I've found myself learning all the windows key shortcuts that I've neglected over the years to avoid that page. At the very, very least I want it to default to the 'All Apps' view.
I greatly prefer the win 7 desktop with Fences.

Seems to be very slow in many areas to permit typing into many textboxes.

I don't yet see many options in the mmc group policy object editor to disable it, or the sliding pre-login screen. Does anyone know whether the executable responsible for that panel can be simply renamed to, say, the powershell or file manager link?

evolutionqy7

Been running this on my PC since it came out. I like it, I like it a lot, went on my W7 laptop for a while there and it was the bad and the ugly.

Though I don't use the Metro Interface a lot. Most of the stuff is done in the desktop app, but Im happy that at least to have the option to have that. Suppose metro interface will have more uses on a touch screen tablet.

I probably wasn't so happy with Windows since my first PC purchase

Especially love the speed increase and its good that a PC that came with Vista works perfect with W8

Now ATI driver support is non existant but I ran Microsoft Flight there earlier on today and it worked on nearly highest settings with no problem

Im running Quad Core 2 with 3GB RAM and SSD

Overheal

fionny wrote: »

Ah dude im not one of those I am an early adopter,

not even my point, just from what you said, it's a viewpoint that you and I both know will be alarmingly widespread when this thing hits the street.

In fact I really would hope they still sell desktop PCs and Laptops with Windows 7 and leave Windows Metro for All in One Touch, and Tablets.

edit: flight is out? since when?

evolutionqy7

Overheal wrote: »

edit: flight is out? since when?

http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/ today

mossie

Overheal wrote: »

Based on the above post, I understand a large swathe of consumers will absolutely flip their sh*t when this becomes the Operating System of their time.

I still have the odd customer complaining that we don't sell laptops with XP. Sigh.

The vast majority of people don't have touchscreens and this OS is very definitely a touchscreen OS. It's fine for tablets etc but definitely not for your average PC with keyboard and mouse. Also changing peoples work practices is a big thing - where I work we have touchscreen with a custom overlay but I never use it as it's much faster using the mouse / keyboard than lifting my hand to and from the screen. I'm sure metro is needed by some people but it should be an option in the install.

_Kaiser_

mossie wrote: »

I'm sure metro is needed by some people but it should be an option in the install.

Well if it turns out to be another ME/Vista then I have a feeling it'll be made optional by SP1 (if not earlier!)

As others have said, I'm sure it's fine for a tablet/phone but I certainly won't be using it as my main OS - and wtf is with Server "8".. it has the same thing?? Can't see many sysadmins or businesses rushing out to upgrade somehow.

Think they've fumbled badly here to be honest. I love my smartphone and it's great for texting or the occasional short email, or browsing boards and such - but I wouldn't expect to get any serious work done on it... that's why I have a laptop and a desktop with Windows 7 installed

One size does NOT fit all.

dasdog

Whatever about the client, and I didn't like dev preview, the server version looks decent so far. I have it running as a VM on a desktop (2x2.33Ghz/8G/2008R2SP1) and its quite fast, using < 1G RAM and < 20% CPU.

The default is a core installation which is meant to be administered by powershell and other remote tools so no sliding phone stuff. The GUI itself is quite light though I'm already reaching for the older tools and easily managed to hose an instance.

elderlemon

I think this is one of the gutsiest moves ever made in the tech world. You may not like the interface but its a brave move. MS are looking at falling notebook sales, increasing tablet sales, windows revenue dropping and people saying windows is old tech, past it, not current etc.

In one move they have made windows "cool" again. Remember that their market is the tens of millions of ordinary consumers who dont use 90% of the options that exist in older windows or the traditional apps. They are reaching to these consumers for their €/£/$'s and I think they will have a hit on their hands.

I've been using it for a few days and yes its clearly designed for touch (I find myself reaching out to push a tile!) but for us mouse and keyboard users its still not a problem and I suspect there will always be a way for us techs to get the older traditional l&f.

For the 99% of the other users who's next notebook, desktop, tablet will all have touch screens they will love it.

Stuxnet

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

At present I've a ubuntu install and I'm wondering whether to give up on it and roll back to 10.04 because the unity user interface is wojas even when you've tweaked it back to 2D and fixed the menus.

at least with linux , you have freedom and choice, the unity ui introduced in ubuntu does rock the boat, but you can very esily change it, no need to panic and jump ship. if you havbent already try the cinnamon desktop, its ace


sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon

logout and re-login selecting cinnamon desktop at the login screen

happy days

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

BigEejit

Well, i tried it and think that the metro interface is utter ****e.

So then i start thinking, what is the killer app of windows 8? Skydrive? If it is I am not interested.

As earlier comments said, its another ME or Vista and i will be waiting for windows 9.

god's toy

Its interesting to me that on my normal laptop metro is just another interface to get use to, however on my touchscreen netbook its a whole other story!
It just works so much better, like a tablet does but with 'windows'
to keep it short, I can see why it works and why it doesn't and IF your your not using a touch screen computer maybe your not really experiencing it as intended by microsoft.

evolutionqy7

I don't understand people who are using metro interface on the laptop why don't ye just use the desktop app? I mean as everyone said the metro interface is mainly for touch. I've no problems using both and I don't have a windows tablet to test it on, but I use it fine on my desktop by just using the desktop app. Took me a couple of hours to get my head around that the start button is gone but after pinning all my maim shortcuts and folders to the taskbar I forgot about them. Just the performance increase alone is worth going to w8

G-Money

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

I don't understand people who are using metro interface on the laptop why don't ye just use the desktop app? I mean as everyone said the metro interface is mainly for touch. I've no problems using both and I don't have a windows tablet to test it on, but I use it fine on my desktop by just using the desktop app. Took me a couple of hours to get my head around that the start button is gone but after pinning all my maim shortcuts and folders to the taskbar I forgot about them. Just the performance increase alone is worth going to w8

I think I'd have to do something like that as constantly flicking to the Metro screen to find Office or whatever app I was using was doing my head in.

Although do you find it irritating having to fill up your taskbar with shortcuts?

evolutionqy7

G-Money wrote: »

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

I don't understand people who are using metro interface on the laptop why don't ye just use the desktop app? I mean as everyone said the metro interface is mainly for touch. I've no problems using both and I don't have a windows tablet to test it on, but I use it fine on my desktop by just using the desktop app. Took me a couple of hours to get my head around that the start button is gone but after pinning all my maim shortcuts and folders to the taskbar I forgot about them. Just the performance increase alone is worth going to w8

I think I'd have to do something like that as constantly flicking to the Metro screen to find Office or whatever app I was using was doing my head in.

Although do you find it irritating having to fill up your taskbar with shortcuts?

Not really. I always had my most used programs on the taskbar and some of the ones I don't use a lot on the recent list. I just pinned notes and calc and other stuff to the taskbar and it doesn't feel like that much of a difference from windows 7. I used it all day Thursday when I was sick and I didn't go into the metro interface at all cause I didn't need anything.

So for me on my desktop the only time i really see the metro interface is when i start up the pc. After that it disappears. None of that going back and forth between interfaces

I can't wait to play around with it on a tablet. It will be probably the other way around. No desktop and all metro. I was considering lashing out 1k for a Samsung w7 slate and loads w8 on it but im not sure yet cause its a lot, 2nd the drivers for longer battery life probably wouldn't be there. So Maybe I will have to hold out till the end of the year.

Acer w500 tablet is just too ugly for me even though its only 400 euro for a 32gb version.

unkel

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Not really. I always had my most used programs on the taskbar and some of the ones I don't use a lot on the recent list. I just pinned notes and calc and other stuff to the taskbar and it doesn't feel like that much of a difference from windows 7. I used it all day Thursday when I was sick and I didn't go into the metro interface at all cause I didn't need anything.

So for me on my desktop the only time i really see the metro interface is when i start up the pc. After that it disappears. None of that going back and forth between interfaces

+1

Pity though you can't disable metro, like you could on developer preview. That said, we do get to keep the new task manager, which is nice

Also, I feel disabled without the start menu, so I installed this free start menu, which works fine

My guess is that MS doesn't let you disable metro, because they want more feedback on it. Come on folks, no such thing as a free lunch. MS isn't giving us a free stable legit OS for a year and want nothing in return

G-Money

I might possibly give it a go again then and add my shortcuts to the task bar. I suppose in fairness, most of the time I'm using Chrome when I'm on the computer so perhaps I don't need to switch to other apps as much as I think.

I know if you right click on the Start preview thing in the bottom left, it brings up a menu which lets you go to the control panels and a few other things.

I'll perhaps give it a go again when I get back to Dublin.

Torqay

unkel wrote: »

Pity though you can't disable metro

Adding more and more gimmicks to a desktop operating system over the years is one thing, but taking the desktop out of desktop operating systems is something entirely different.

unkel

It's not the desktop, it's a touch interface that's suitable for phones and tablets, but not so much for PCs

I have no doubt that using W8 without metro will be an option when it goes final. Not doing so would be suicidal for MS...

johneire31

I installed this Windows 8 and it turned my laptop into a mobile phone. I have never used an operating system before where I had to google to learn how to navigate it. I had to google to turn off the laptop, find the control panel, and all the usual things I would normally find laying about nice and handy. Many years ago, a lot of Linux distros mimicked the windows desktop so that people would find it familiar and easier to use, I don't they will be copying this one.

Perhaps if they get a enough feedback they will at least put in a start button

j

I think it is absolutely crap, the easiest part of this software is the install, seamless and friendly, but using it is horrendous. I will be wiping over again with a clean Win 7.

fionny

johneire31 wrote: »

I installed this Windows 8 and it turned my laptop into a mobile phone. I have never used an operating system before where I had to google to learn how to navigate it. I had to google to turn off the laptop, find the control panel, and all the usual things I would normally find laying about nice and handy. Many years ago, a lot of Linux distros mimicked the windows desktop so that people would find it familiar and easier to use, I don't they will be copying this one.

Perhaps if they get a enough feedback they will at least put in a start button

j

I think it is absolutely crap, the easiest part of this software is the install, seamless and friendly, but using it is horrendous. I will be wiping over again with a clean Win 7.

I hear ya! Im a pretty advanced computer user and I struggled to find how to get to control panel :P I mean seriously.... its not efficient as a desktop interface... shame shame shame.