Windows 8 Discussion and Support - Release October 26, 2012

[MaddMoose]

I love how people create fictional scenarios to justify their irrational hate for something.

iOS is completely locked down and you can only install things via an app store. Yet their are free alternatives for just about everything. Like it has been for god knows how long, you have to decide if the free app suits your needs or if the money for the paid version is worth the extra features.

[Cas Bitton]

I've spent some brief time with Windows 8 again over the past week. At this point in time I'll be sticking with my Windows 7 Ultimate install, but that could change. Win8 was extremely fast and responsive, viewing the desktop was pretty much the same as it's always been.

I even had the luxury of installing any software I wanted, and it dropped a nice icon into the start menu for me to quickly use.

Calling it now, for those who are reasonably savvy with computers already - it's not going to redefine your life or present you with anything that amazing. You might even have a cry about how you hate the changes, until you learn and become familiar.

But for pretty much everyone else, MS have a bit of a winner on their hands. Want email? Click the email button. Want anything else you need, click the clear and relevant menu item. Anyone who has played with ios, android, chrome etc should know how effective this is when you put it into the hands of a novice.

Not having to think at all, ever when using an OS is pretty brilliant.

Settings and basic configuration are also masked behind a very friendly (idiot proof) set of menus, in a lot of ways this is pretty awesome. Sure you still have the possibility of jumping into the control panel and causing some weird damage to your OS, but it's safe to say that the average user will never probably even open it.

When it comes to finding a way to reduce support time, make things easier and "just work", removing the layer of difficulty entirely is certainly one way to achieve that. I'm glad someone realised that it doesn't need to be hard for the sake of it always being "this way".

Pretty keen on getting my hands on a surface tablet in October or at least trying one out, a real desktop OS with some solid hardware behind it is going to shine on a tablet.

But *shrug* I'm sure plenty of us will update and tweak the install all night, set up everything just how we want it and call it a day .

[Clontarf[X]]

You make a good point regarding the "click on email" no-brainer, which makes me think that perhaps this is an attempt to take market share back from OSX? ignoring the obvious unified user experience they are trying of course (Windows Phone/Tablet/PC). That being said, the same functionality exist already in Windows 7 with the current start menu, albeit with a little manual intervention needed if you have an alternate browser/email client.

I had a bit more of a go of W8 Consumer Preview and I still instinctively expect there to be a start menu that doesn't hide my desktop. The act of going back to a full-screen panel to switch programs just infuriates me. Performance wise it did seem snappy but I didn't fully load it with my usual operating environment (being a VM). The ribbon menus will also take a while to re-learn, however over time that shouldn't be a hard task. If only they let us have the traditional start menu. One simple UI/UEX item would stop a lot of complaining.

[Aetherone]

Can't see anything in the list of new features that is of any interest to me as a software developer or as a gamer. Am I missing something?

After the "novelty" of metro wore off the extra steps to my useful everyday windows functionality is becoming a real pain.
I like my unsimplified / customizable traditional desktop
But anyway im trailing i just feel i can do a lot more in less time in Windows 7

Funnily enough, its for these reasons that I'm still rocking along with WinXP-64. Win8 might be good on my i5 based multi-touch tablet though ... will have to load it up one day soon.

[PalZer0]

A wild Aetherone appears!

I remember back when you were a Tech Mod.

[Cas Bitton]

Just noticed the pricing is starting to appear! This is ridiculously cheaper then any other version of Windows i've seen at retail before .

Microsoft Windows 8 Pro - $58
http://www.harveynorman.com.au/homepage ... 8-pro.html

[dinofreak]

That's an upgrade package, which will become $199 at the end of January or so I have heard. The oem pricing that my suppliers have seems the same as Win7.

You may have seen the HN page before they did their ninja edit of "This version installs Microsoft Windows 8 Pro on a new computer" to "This version installs Microsoft Windows 8 Pro from a previous version of Windows."

Also worth pointing out that there will be no retail copies to buy off the shelf but it will be acceptable for people to buy an oem without having to buy hardware with it. I guess MS realised that all the dodgy stores were selling it anyway and all the legitimate ones were missing out.

[Disco LT]

Just noticed the pricing is starting to appear! This is ridiculously cheaper then any other version of Windows i've seen at retail before .

Microsoft Windows 8 Pro - $58
http://www.harveynorman.com.au/homepage ... 8-pro.html

The pricing is an attractive point, I may have legitimately bought Windows 7 had it not been prohibitively expensive.. I think I'll stick with Windows 7 for the time being though.

[Nekosan]

Funnily enough, its for these reasons that I'm still rocking along with WinXP-64. Win8 might be good on my i5 based multi-touch tablet though ... will have to load it up one day soon.

Oddly enough I've just moved to a Windows 7 PC after years of being the only person i know who had XP, not enjoying myself so far, the majority of changes seem like they were just for their own sake rather than to make things easier or more intuitive, aside from prettier looking windows i don't really like it. Veeery close to losing my **** every time i go to taskbar a window and have to click the stupid little cascade icon and select the right one...

[Ninja Catfish]

I remember the digital upgrade cost being advertised as $39 by Microsoft a month or so ago. At that price I'm definitely giving it a proper try.

[-Slayer-]

Veeery close to losing my **** every time i go to taskbar a window and have to click the stupid little cascade icon and select the right one...

You could try these key combo's Windows+Tab and scroll your mouse wheel to rotate your windows like a filofax then just click the window you want or bring it to the front and let the keys go, or hold down Alt and press Tab.

I reckon windows 7 has been the best windows yet and I've come through from 98SE, Windows Millennium (which was very stable for me), XP Pro 32bit, Vista 32bit, and now Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit.

Windows 8 on a PC you seem to have to install third party programs to just get it to look like a desktop windows so I'll be staying away from it, but it's good for touch screen applications, it should be put out in a touch screen and a desktop version if they want it to take off.

[jellygoose]

Just thought id post in this thread that there was an interesting article in this months PC power play about windows 8 for PC gamers, Although i have yet to try it out for myself i was put off by the fact that you can buy the "start" button on the app store for $4.99.

[Cas Bitton]

Add Windows Media Center to Windows 8 Pro for FREE Save $9.99
http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/82944

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/wind ... ture-packs

Just punched in a few email addresses, with any luck I get multiple keys . May come in handy!

[Matty]

Veeery close to losing my **** every time i go to taskbar a window and have to click the stupid little cascade icon and select the right one...

You can change that.
Right click taskbar>properties>Taskbar buttons.

[Cas Bitton]

And we are live! Windows 8 has landed

I'm sure a few of us punched our details into this page and picked up the pro version for $15. If you didn't there is still plenty of time (until 31 January 2013). Just make sure that you correctly fill in the "Windows 7 PC purchase information".

Do I have to install the Windows 8 upgrade on the eligible PC, or can I install it on another PC?
The upgrade offer is tied to a Windows 7 PC purchased between 2 June 2012 and 31 January 2013, but you can choose to redeem the offer and install the upgrade on any compatible Windows-based PC with a qualifying base operating system.

Now to sit back and wait another 45 minutes for this upgrade to download, actually I'll call it a night and get some sleep! Catcha in the morning, won't surprise me if a few of us have it all installed before 9am