My Windows 8 Preview Impressions

Check out my full review with a ton of screenshots

I have started messing around with Windows 8 Consumer Preview recently. I installed it on a VM using Virtual Box. Its quite straight forward, and it worked quite well in a VM. It can be unstable to start with, needing a few restarts to boot, but once booted, its quite stable, and it works well.

The question to me is, is it worth upgrading? As it stands, I don’t think so. I am not going to upgrade because to me it seems more like a stripped down version of Windows. There are severe limitations when using the desktop version, and all the apps don’t really add any value. It just seems to limit the functionality. I can’t imagine any business upgrading to Windows 8, considering that Windows 7 is so stable, reliable, and easy to use.

Overall, Windows 8 has not been the change I was expecting to see. I am hoping the final release version would be better in terms of offering users the choice between using the Metro Start Screen and the Windows 7 start menu. Of course, there is also the possibility that the metro interface is going to be a huge hit among consumers, and one day will be look back at the time when we complained about it. Only time will tell.

Check out my full review with a ton of screenshots

I have started messing around with Windows 8 Consumer Preview recently. I installed it on a VM using Virtual Box. Its quite straight forward, and it worked quite well in a VM. It can be unstable to start with, needing a few restarts to boot, but once booted, its quite stable, and it works well.

The question to me is, is it worth upgrading? As it stands, I don’t think so. I am not going to upgrade because to me it seems more like a stripped down version of Windows. There are severe limitations when using the desktop version, and all the apps don’t really add any value. It just seems to limit the functionality. I can’t imagine any business upgrading to Windows 8, considering that Windows 7 is so stable, reliable, and easy to use.

Overall, Windows 8 has not been the change I was expecting to see. I am hoping the final release version would be better in terms of offering users the choice between using the Metro Start Screen and the Windows 7 start menu. Of course, there is also the possibility that the metro interface is going to be a huge hit among consumers, and one day will be look back at the time when we complained about it. Only time will tell.

I'm using it right now. What are the severe limitations of the desktop? Seems pretty much the same. If you don't like metro then just windows+d.

I love your portrait; that is all.

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

microsoft needs more money though...

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

I installed it on my laptop and I haven't really found much use for the new features. Most of them are very obnoxious actually, especially the full screen metro apps that I'm required to use for stuff like viewing pictures...

66 views, 6 posts. Thank you thread. I was a sucker to switch to this Windows 7 bullshit, windows 8 can burn in hell! I miss my XP.

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

@VisariLoyalist said:

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

microsoft needs more money though...

It's to gain ground in the tablet market. Windows 8 looks quite promising for tablet/laptop hybrids especially.

There's some neat improvements coming for 'traditional' desktop users too. Yeah probably nothing major or significant, but to me Vista > 7 was the same, I was one of those apparently rare people that had no problems with Vista so 7 felt like a pretty minor upgrade to me.

I probably won't upgrade to it until they force us to with Dx13 or something.

@Skytylz said:

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

I installed it on my laptop and I haven't really found much use for the new features. Most of them are very obnoxious actually, especially the full screen metro apps that I'm required to use for stuff like viewing pictures...

That is exactly what I have been thinking! There are apps for viewing pictures and listening to music. They take up the entire screen, and you are not given a chance to multi task. It makes me wonder why a desktop user would ever use this app?

Also, I couldn't figure out a way to quit the application. Lets say I open Windows Mail app. I then hit the Windows + b and go to the desktop, and the app is still running, using up memory.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n-sVtJMC_YXX0qcVih-24dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

One of the things I hated the most is how Microsoft seems to expect users to be using just one app or may two apps at a time on the desktop. On a tablet, that makes a lot of sense, but its stupid on the desktop.

@august said:

I'm using it right now. What are the severe limitations of the desktop? Seems pretty much the same. If you don't like metro then just windows+d.

Yes, I got that, but if I wanted to launch any programs that don't have a desktop shortcut, I have to go to the start screen, and find the app, and launch it from there.

I really wouldn't mind metro if I didn't have to exit out to it each time I want to do something. This is the part I did not like at all.

@Skytylz said:

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

I installed it on my laptop and I haven't really found much use for the new features. Most of them are very obnoxious actually, especially the full screen metro apps that I'm required to use for stuff like viewing pictures...

You're not required to use the metro apps for anything.

@august said:

@Skytylz said:

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

I installed it on my laptop and I haven't really found much use for the new features. Most of them are very obnoxious actually, especially the full screen metro apps that I'm required to use for stuff like viewing pictures...

You're not required to use the metro apps for anything.

But then that begs the question, why do we need Windows 8 or Metro apps at all? Has anyone seen an app that justifies a switch or Windows 8 for a new machine? So far the answer is found very lacking.

From the media I got the impression they were just chasing tablets and laptops and not giving a shit about home desktop pc's.

@august said:

@Skytylz said:

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

I installed it on my laptop and I haven't really found much use for the new features. Most of them are very obnoxious actually, especially the full screen metro apps that I'm required to use for stuff like viewing pictures...

You're not required to use the metro apps for anything.

I know and I don't, it just sucks that the native/standard option to view a photo or play an mp3 is fucking terrible and a giant step backwards.

@EXTomar said:

@august said:

@Skytylz said:

@CL60 said:

Everything I've seen from Windows 8 seems incredibly pointless, and entirely unnecessary.

I installed it on my laptop and I haven't really found much use for the new features. Most of them are very obnoxious actually, especially the full screen metro apps that I'm required to use for stuff like viewing pictures...

You're not required to use the metro apps for anything.

But then that begs the question, why do we need Windows 8 or Metro apps at all? Has anyone seen an app that justifies a switch or Windows 8 for a new machine? So far the answer is found very lacking.

I have honestly not seen anything in Windows 8 is is worth upgrading. The metro apps do not add any value to the user experience because you are restricted to one screen. Can you imagine listening to music on your PC and not doing anything else? That's basically what the Metro app expects you to, at least from the looks of it.

Once you are in the desktop app, everything is as usual. It seems like its a faster OS, but that's about it.

Windows 8 is looking like it will be a giant failure. It's completely banking on everyone switching to touch screen devices and I don't think that's fair to those who still prefer laptops.

I just replaced 8 with 7 last night. To me, its just 7 with a fresh coat of paint. The changes, such as the start menu, etc, while flashy, don't add anything to the experience that I can't do in other ways. I'll probably upgrade at some point, but not until at least a year in.

I tried Windows 8 for a day or two, just to see what was up. The biggest thought that I came away with was: if Microsoft were launching this alongside a well-made (as in, iPad good) dockable tablet, they could have a real winner. But as this won't be the case most likely, 8 just feels like a product designed for hardware that doesn't exist. It's a shame, because some of the changes they made the Explorer are really good and useful and I can see a good use for apps and the store in Windows.

I installed it on a laptop for a bit. It was alright and seems like it would be awesome on a touch screen device, but I just found the metro stuff to get in the way with a mouse/keyboard. There are some improvements to the desktop interface that I really like, but nothing that would make me want to spend the money on this OS over Windows 7. I'll probably stick with Windows 7 until the next version of Windows, unless something is added to 8 that would change my mind.

well i didn't plan on upgrading. i am still using windows xp and they are still updating it. whenever i upgrade to a new computer i'll upgrade it.

@BiG_Weasel said:

I just replaced 8 with 7 last night. To me, its just 7 with a fresh coat of paint. The changes, such as the start menu, etc, while flashy, don't add anything to the experience that I can't do in other ways. I'll probably upgrade at some point, but not until at least a year in.

I thought so too. They did make some good changes, but I just did not feel that any of those changes are worth upgrading to. They seem very minor, and if I have to put up with the metro interface with no way to customize it, then I see very little value in going for it. Hopefully, Microsoft will realize the blunder they made, and either make some solid changes before the release or we will just wait for Windows 9.

@iam3green said:

well i didn't plan on upgrading. i am still using windows xp and they are still updating it. whenever i upgrade to a new computer i'll upgrade it.

Same here. XP is working fine, so why would I bother. Considering 95% of the time I am on Mac OSX, it would be a giant waste for me. Maybe when I upgrade to a new computer I will look at it.

I'd rather use Win8 on a tablet. That seems to be the main intention of it and after my experience with WinPhone7 I REALLY love the metro interface for touch devices.

Win7 suits me just fine for now on my desktop PC.

@selbie said:

I'd rather use Win8 on a tablet. That seems to be the main intention of it and after my experience with WinPhone7 I REALLY love the metro interface for touch devices.

Win7 suits me just fine for now on my desktop PC.

I am actually holding off from buying a tablet simply because Windows tablets are going to be launching this year. I think the metro interface is going to be awesome on there.

I sincerely wish they would give us an option of using the start menu on the desktop. Its really inconvenient to not be able to use it.

I am a pathological neophile so of course I use Windows 8.

I've really noticed the faster boot since going from 7 to 8. And I like the tiles that display the weather, calendar and mail data as soon as the computer is on. Sure you could do that with gadgets on the desktop before, but I think this is better in some ways. It is also a plus that it will remember all your apps and how you've arranged them on any machine as long as you know the password.

Other than that it's still kind of Windows 7. Except the taskmanager is a little better. I liked Windows 7 but initially I was kind of hoping you could live in the metro OS even on the desktop, and say goodbye to folder hierarchies, .exe files and viruses. But after interacting with it I realize that it's not plausible. Still waiting for the store to get a little more content. I can't believe they don't have a standard rss metro reader yet, you'd think that be the first thing they'll do.

@Regal: I don't know if saying good bye to the folder hierarchy is a good idea. Imagine all the software that uses this traditional format that would be rendered useless. Personally, I have no problem with the Windows folder system and all that. I absolutely love Windows 7, and I wouldn't care to switch just for a faster boot time. Of course, if Microsoft decides to make DX11 Windows 8 specific or something dumb like that, then yes, I guess I have to switch.

I thought the Task Manager in Windows was a great addition as well. I loved how detailed it was. Of course, the task manager also shows the draw backs of the metro app style interface. Because you can't really quit applications, you just navigate away from them, all those apps you just opened are still running, and the task manager does a good job of showing that :P

Of course, they are not super memory intensive, but its annoying nonetheless.