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See the first official video preview of Windows 8 — Parallax Forums

See the first official video preview of Windows 8

Comments

  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-06-02 10:25
    Egad!

    A desktop system that incorporates HTML (and related technologies).

    Internet scamming is about to skyrocket from it's current horrible level 10,000%. Not good. I'm not fingering the technology, just the potential for increased exploitation.

    OBC
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2011-06-02 12:27
    Good lord.
    The limited functionality is so horrible that it looks like a PC will work more like a faster smartphone and less like a professional environment. I've never been one for Linux, but I may just have to switch when this comes out. The feature when Excel ran may be the only hope; a REAL start bar.
  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2011-06-02 12:46
    As long as I can get to a DOS prompt I'll be fine with it. Actually, Windows 8 looks pretty good, as I watch the video from my Windows XP system at work. Our IT deparment wouldn't move to Vista when it came out, and they have little motivation to go to Windows 7. We just keep adding patches and updates to our XP systems. I wonder what our IT department thinks of Windows 8.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2011-06-02 12:56
    -.- Makes me glad that I use everything else besides Winblows for my life FOR NOW .
  • sam_sam_samsam_sam_sam Posts: 2,286
    edited 2011-06-02 12:56
    Time will tell if this as good as they are demo ing it

    I do not hold any real hope that it will how ever
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2011-06-02 12:58
    Isn't Windows 8 aimed at tablets, sort of the MS version of the iPad?

    I don't think it is for desktops/laptops.

    C.W.
  • davidsaundersdavidsaunders Posts: 1,559
    edited 2011-06-02 18:13
    They say it is aimed at the desktop/laptop/tablet market.

    I keep hoping that the next version of windows will be a positive move, and I keep being disappointed. The last version of windows that I used that was as stable as there competition of the time was Windows/386 v2.11, since it has all been down hill.

    I am using a Macintosh with OS X, as well as PCs with Linux, and wishing that they were as stable as MiNT/TOS, or Magic, or Amiga OS, though at the same being happy that I am using something more stable than Windoze (ANY VER).
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2011-06-02 18:46
    I'm not alone when I stand on the roadside and declare to everyone how excited I am about Microscoff's new, advanced Windows 8. It supports unprecedented navigational technology. Really, there's nothing else quite like it anywhere in the world.

    auto01.jpg
  • icepuckicepuck Posts: 466
    edited 2011-06-02 20:19
    Time to dig out my windows 3.11 floppies....
    -dan
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-06-03 01:25
    MS 3.11 floppies? Try FreeDOS at it has all the drivers for a modern motherboard in DOS.

    Windows 8 looks like a very very latecomer to the iPad clone party. Android (up to version 3.1) is already taking 33% market share from the iPad and seems here to stay. Apparently the 'trick' is to remove the menus and convert Icons to something called Tiles that can be pushed around on a touch screen. Behind all that, you may still have a Windows GUI and a M$ file system - I suspect that neither is as good as Apple or Unix/Linux for stability.

    I am not exactly sure where everyone wants to go in an OS, but having migrated to Ubuntu Linux over two years ago has made my life much easier. I have MS XP, Vista, and 7 on 3 different machines as a dual boot along side of the Ubuntu Linux. All the M$ OSes require more effort to maintain and would like me to pay $$$ to be completely secure, while Linux just does fine.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-06-03 01:45
    Loopy,

    Here's a little trick. Install some virtual machine software. VirtualBox for example. Now install your Windows operating systems into virtual machines. They can then be run from your Ubuntu without having to dual boot. Very convenient.

    Now here is the magic part. When you have one of those Windows instances all set up and configured as you like and all your favourite apps installed then take a "snapshot" of that disk image. When that running Windows eventually commits suicide or becomes hopelessly mangled, as they have a habit of doing, then you can instantly get back to your clean working system by reverting from the snapshot.
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-06-03 10:37
    When XP finally reaches it's end, it'll be time to wander back over to linux...
    I'll not be installing Windows 7 or 8 on anything I own. If I need to run an application, I'll run a virtual version of it.

    OBC
  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 3,000
    edited 2011-06-03 11:12
    Windows 7 is the best windows OS available. It beats XP hands down. Seriously, do yourself a favor.

    This Windows 8 preview stuff is silly to get all worked up over right now... it's very unlikely to be anything like this when it ships. It's also very likely to have a GUI similar to Windows 7 as an option for desktops.
  • Invent-O-DocInvent-O-Doc Posts: 768
    edited 2011-06-03 18:50
    I watched about 6 videos on this now, including demos from a conference in Tapei. I think this is very impressive, especially with a new bios replacement that allows for much faster booting. The cross-platform capabilities plus x86 legacy compatibility on PCs means a consistent experience is possible across multiple types of devices. The new interface for menus and applications is simple and clean.

    Right now, I really like windows 7. I like other operating systems too, but can get more done with win 7 for what I do.

    Also, I've ordered an iPad this week because the android tablets don't seem to be as good based on my testing. If the win8 tablets aren't total resource hogs, they will be clearly superior to the current iPad. Apple does have a way of suprising us with their innovations, though - we wil have to see what happens then .. . . . .

    Anyone notice that some of the ARM SOCs they show on some of the other win8 preview videos looks a lot like the size of a prop or prop II?
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-06-03 19:23
    I admit that I am now a Linux/Unix bigot. I get more done in Linux that I ever got done in Windows XP/Vista/7.

    Why do I have dual boots? Well, I have original licenses for XP/Vista/7 on 3 different machines and I can either keep the licenses for whatever must use a Windows environment or I dump them. Since I have tons of disk space, I keep them.

    Sure I could run a virtual machine inside Linux, but sooner or late I suspect I would discover something that is not available that is there in real Windows.

    I am not ready to jump on a real iPad or an iPad clone, but I suspect I would go with an ASUS EEEpad and Android 3.1 if and when I do so. AS it is, I use a Toshiba NB250 for 90% of what I do when out and about. With local wifi service, I can even make calls via Skype (as long as M$ lets me).

    Tiles do indeed look fun when compared to Icons, but I am not really too worried about missing out on fun. I just want function.
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2011-06-03 19:31
    Sounds like a waist, I've worked with windows 7 and I've worked with the new Ubuntu 11.04, and even though both the computers were about the same in capability, the computer with Ubuntu always runs faster and smoother. But I guess it all depends on what one wants, a flashy operating system or a computer that works well.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-06-04 03:32
    Invent-O-Doc
    ...cross-platform capabilities plus x86 legacy compatibility on PCs...

    Wow, that is the first time I have ever heard anyone referring to Intel x86 as "legacy". You are perhaps the first of billions. This is a momentous day.

    Having said that I will be very sad if the smart phone/tablet/netbook world that is growing up to replace those huge ugly PCs that sit under our desks becomes another Microsoft mono-culture. Does the world never learn?

    Loopy,

    When running Windows under a VM you are running "real" Windows. In theory there is no way the Windows can tell that it is running under a VM. In practice you may be right. I suspect some games and such may get upset if they have a VM between themselves and the graphics hardware. If you have an existing Windows installed for dual boot it is is also possible to run that from VirtualBox when using Linux. That saves dual booting but you can still boot to the "real" Windows if you have to. Perhaps that starts to get a bit complicated though.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-06-04 04:48
    My attempts at using a VM for Windows offered two insights. Admittedly, this was a few years ago.

    1. If it works exactly like Windows, it has all the security problems that Windows has - at least for the partitions and directories that the VM are installed in. On a dual boot, I am 100% safe from Windows exploits when in Linux. And I do occasionally get attacks to my Firefox that fail due to the lack of a .exe environment.

    2. VM software may not accommodate multiple language, parallel ports, serial ports, or specialized fonts. Since I am using Windows for many legacy software applications, I find it a huge waste of time to install and explore something that may only eventually work with my 'oldies, but goodies'.

    Windows 8 is somewhat odd to me. Is it really a whole new release of Windows or a special fork for iPad-like platforms? I suspect the latter and I suspect that M$ management is as fuzzy about what they are going to do as they are in their presentation.

    My intuition tells me 'go with a real iPad or not at all'. But I really like the Asus EEEpad Transformer for what it seems to offer me as a hacker. There are more add-on features than with an Apple iPad.

    Legacy hardware? AMD looks very near retirement, ARM looks like a rising star. NVidia just makes me wonder if it has a miracle worker for a CEO - very nice stuff but does anyone really want to commit to it??
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-06-04 05:07
    Loopy,

    Yes it works just like Windows. Except now you have Linux between Windows and the net. A very good firewall to stop those nasties getting in. The Windows in a VM cannot mess up your Linux unless you allow it to. It's in a cage.

    Languages and Fonts should all be there. After all they are in the OS not in the VM.


    You may have a point about Serial/Parallel ports, I have yet to have an issue with that. Things just worked.

    No idea about Windows 8. Who cares?

    iPad is nice, I just don't want to be beholden to a single source supplier as we were in the bad old MSDOS/Windows days.

    I read recently that it is possible that AMD are looking in to making ARM systems. They have been "in talks" with ARM at least. Perhaps they see x86 as becoming "legacy" as well.
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