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Windows 8 Editions Revealed

By Island Dog on April 16, 2012 8:19:36 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Island Dog

Join Date 06/2003
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One of my biggest gripes with Windows in past years has been the ridiculous amount of versions/SKU’s for Windows.  It was confusing to both consumers and business customers, and I was concerned this would happen again to Windows 8.  I was wrong and I am glad about that.

Today Microsoft announced the Windows 8 Editions and there are only a few to choose from:  Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT.

For PCs and tablets powered by x86 processors (both 32 and 64 bit), we will have two editions: Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. For many consumers, Windows 8 will be the right choice. It will include all the features above plus an updated Windows Explorer, Task Manager, better multi-monitor support and the ability to switch languages on the fly (more details on this feature can be found in this blog post),which was previously only available in Enterprise/Ultimate editions of Windows. For China and a small set of select emerging markets, we will offer a local language-only edition of Windows 8.

Windows RT is the ARM version and will only be available on PC’s and Tablets pre-installed.  This edition will also include a touch optimized version of Office.

I’m glad they have simplified Windows 8, and I’m looking even more forward to getting the final release.

Check the Windows Blog for a comparison of features between editions.

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/04/16/announcing-the-windows-8-editions.aspx

 

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Reply #26
Uvah
Join Date 05/2006
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April 18, 2012 5:32:07 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Sadly, given Microstuff's track record, i doubt the RTM will be much different than the consumer preview. Sure...they may tweak it here and there but in the end same ole bleh!

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Reply #27
gevansmd
Join Date 12/2008
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April 18, 2012 9:09:29 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

 

 

quoting:  "sooooo use the dev preview instead of the consumer preview a lot to 'prove' your point do you"

I have neither as I currently don't have a PC to spare a test run, I grabbed a screenshot from the web.  Many reviewers have commented on the garish colors. I simply attached a description to that, calling it the Fisher Price interface.  I used to call XP the Crayola interface because of its use of primary colors but it was no way near as ugly as Metro.  I've read reviews and seen video demos and know how it generally looks.

 

However, beyond its appearance, forcing desktop and notebook users into a touch screen interface is stupid.  The x86 and ARM versions are already incompatible enough they could have simply kept Metro for tablets and the old desktop for keyboard based PCs.  My first reaction to Metro was a Facebook post I made, "Microsoft porting its ugly and failed Windows 7 phone interface to the desktop."

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Reply #28
starkers
Join Date 05/2004
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April 18, 2012 5:02:33 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Quoting Uvah,
reply 26
Sadly, given Microstuff's track record, i doubt the RTM will be much different than the consumer preview. Sure...they may tweak it here and there but in the end same ole bleh!

One would hope MS tweaks it enough to make the standard desktop the default UI on PC editions, with Metro as an alternate for the handful of people who like it.  However, it is doubtful and I won't hold my breath that MS is watching the negative towards Win 8 threads plastered all over the internet. 

The other thought one would hope MS has, and that is towards its hardware manufacturing partners/RTM's.  If Win 8 is a dead set flop, which it seems likely to be given all the negative feedback to date, then all those PC's with Win 8 pre-installed will largely remain on the shelf, thus risking profits and jobs right across the industry. 

There may be some sales from those who have no choice but to update their hardware, but me thinks it will be much like in the days of Vista, when users promptly had XP installed on the machine as soon as they got home.  In this case, those users will revert back to Win 7 and wait for an improved Win 9 -10 or 11... without Metro, or they'll switch to a Mac or Linux.  In any event, I can bet the other developers [Apple - Linux] are rubbing their hands with glee over this Metro disaster.

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Reply #29
GigaByte69
Join Date 02/2004
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April 18, 2012 10:45:56 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

RDP access is the only feature of XP/Vista/7 home that was missing that I always needed.  Hopefully they will allow it in 8, but I doubt it.

Have you tried the Windows Live Mesh, part of the windows Live Essentials Pack

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows-live/essentials-other-programs

GigaByte69

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Reply #30
MarvinKosh
Join Date 08/2005
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April 19, 2012 2:04:06 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums

Windows releases go a bit like Star Trek sequels, except it's the even-numbered ones that suck.

Wake me up when they ship Windows with time-travelling Borg.

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Reply #31
Uvah
Join Date 05/2006
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April 19, 2012 6:19:21 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

I'm holdin' out for Win 13. That should be the one what melts  our lappies and desktops into slag. Then we can all gang up on Microstuff and demand restitution. As unlikely as that sounds.

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Reply #32
DrJBHL
Join Date 04/2002
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April 19, 2012 7:40:07 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Sorry to have found this so late into the thread. Might help folks decide which version they might want/need:

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Reply #33
gevansmd
Join Date 12/2008
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April 19, 2012 7:14:48 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

So no direct upgrades from Vista?  For the Vista to 7 upgrade, MS was a little loose in the use of the word "upgrade".  Yes, you could upgrade from Vista Ultimate to 7 Premium, meaning you paid the upgrade price, but it was a clean install, not an upgrade installation.  That meant every app had to be reinstalled.  That's the main reason I didn't upgrade from Vista to 7.  With 2 Ultimate PCs, the upgrades would have cost $438, unless I was willing to reinstall everything.

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Reply #34
DrJBHL
Join Date 04/2002
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April 19, 2012 8:31:18 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Depending on your equipment (age, cpu, RAM, etc), and the fact that clean installations are better than upgrades, you might be better off with a clean install on a new system rather than a sluggish, strained system...

From what I've read, there will be a direct path from XP and Vista to 8 using online installation. There might also be DVD's available but MS hasn't mentioned price.

The online option will supposedly drop installation time and number of clicks: The latter by 82%. You won't have to wrestle with a 25 letter/digit key using the online installation.

I wonder if "No bloatware/trialware" will be an option.

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Reply #35
gevansmd
Join Date 12/2008
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April 20, 2012 11:24:32 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

I understand a clean install is preferable but I don't have a week to reinstall all my apps.  It's absurd that MS still treats its users as if they're buying their first OS.  There's zero reason why they can't do the equivalent of a clean install of the OS while porting the apps.  Laplink can do it, why can't MS?

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Reply #36
Savyg
Join Date 09/2004
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April 20, 2012 12:24:16 PM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

Quoting gevansmd,
reply 27
 
However, beyond its appearance, forcing desktop and notebook users into a touch screen interface is stupid.  The x86 and ARM versions are already incompatible enough they could have simply kept Metro for tablets and the old desktop for keyboard based PCs.  My first reaction to Metro was a Facebook post I made, "Microsoft porting its ugly and failed Windows 7 phone interface to the desktop."

I used the dev preview and the consumer preview, and I've yet to see this mythical 'touch only interface'.

Although the dev preview UI was pretty awful, and the consumer preview could use tweaking for large monitor/high resolution users.

At any rate, can't wait for the release preview.

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Reply #37
RiddleKing
Join Date 04/2006
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April 21, 2012 3:38:49 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Stupid ballmer signing off on stupid UI- this is what happens when you put someone who doesn't no jack shit about computers and software to run a software and hardware company.. Hes no Steve Jobs.. and this metro bs is the worst innovation in software history--hes such a muppet. 

 

 

 

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Reply #38
gevansmd
Join Date 12/2008
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April 21, 2012 4:20:25 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

@Savug, I did not mean the interface only works with touch screens but it is obviously designed for them first and foremost.  Forcing a mouse user to do endless horizontal scrolling was a bad choice.

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Reply #39
piers38
Join Date 12/2004
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May 1, 2012 4:13:23 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Customise win8 to what you want when it goes rtm!. So far from what I have seen it's faster than win7 with slightly better interface. Dont like metro?? swap it out for the desktop that your more familliar with.

 

It's still in beta last time I looked

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Reply #40
Hawawaa
Join Date 09/2006
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May 2, 2012 10:25:10 AM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Just saw this video in my list and had a good laugh.

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Reply #41
mrs_starkers
Join Date 09/2006
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May 2, 2012 11:56:14 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

if he can't figure it out what  hope have I got hehehehe, nah I am sticking with what I know and that is windows 7 I don't like 8

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Reply #42
Uvah
Join Date 05/2006
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May 2, 2012 12:12:43 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Somebody over there at Redmond has access to youtube. There's no way they can miss it.

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Reply #43
benmanns
Join Date 12/2005
+86
May 2, 2012 12:46:37 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

[quote who="Hawawaa" reply="40" id="3143313"]Just saw this video in my list and had a good laugh.

@Hawawaa jupp but he had proven his point after 3 minutes and he could have just helped him out - to be honest i hate that cast ...

sorry

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Reply #44
MarvinKosh
Join Date 08/2005
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May 2, 2012 4:26:16 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums

It's still pretty much interface FAIL if there's no obvious way to navigate back to the interface.

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Reply #45
Uvah
Join Date 05/2006
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May 2, 2012 7:40:09 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Should I reserve a seat at the Improv? They roast stuff like that don't they? Better stock up on some popcorn.

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Reply #46
gevansmd
Join Date 12/2008
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May 2, 2012 7:57:18 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

By what measure is an interface that hides numerous common functions found readily in Windows 7, a better interface?  Adding Metro didn't force MS to make the standard desktop less functional and intuitive.  They purposely chose to make it that way for whatever reason.  You start Windows Explorer and want to return to the program launcher?  Clicking X doesn't do it.  Nope, you have to move your mouse to an invisble point and wait for something to pop up that you have no idea should be there.  Want to close an app?  Hover your mouse near the top of the screen, grab the thumbnail that appears out of nowhere and drag it to the bottom.  Wow, way more intuitive than clicking an X isn't it?

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