Windows 8 Discussion and Support - Release October 26, 2012

[Cas Bitton]

It's been a solid 3 years since we kicked off our original Windows 7 Discussion topic, well received I figured it was time to do the same!

For many of us the changes in Windows 8 are going to bring on a sea of emotions, love or hate we are all keen to check it out and a little bit of banter and support will go a long way .

Release date:
RTM version: August 1, 2012
Retail version: October 26, 2012; 61 days' time



Features new to Windows 8:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_Windows_8

List of features removed in Windows 8:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fe ... _Windows_8

Windows 8 editions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8_editions

More information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8
http://windows.microsoft.com/

[PalZer0]

Not going to put this on my PC for some time to come. I may even skip it altogether for Windows 9 (much like I did with Vista).

[v4moose]

Day 1 Purchase and install for my desktop gaming rig

[Mekon]

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?

[Nekosan]

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?

Some of it even sounds NEGATIVE to me... no start menu? Going to charge us extra for things that used to be free? No thanks.

Every time I hear the words "app store" I want to slit someones throat, it's only a matter of time until you have to pay to install anything on a windows machine at this rate.

[PalZer0]

Have to agree. The App Store model doesn't work in a desktop environment.

[Cas Bitton]

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?

Going to charge us extra for things that used to be free? No thanks.

Wait, what software that was free now cost's extra? (ignoring the various editions of windows for a moment). I'm happy to add pretty much anything to the main topic if it's helpful!

Have to agree. The App Store model doesn't work in a desktop environment.

Seems to work fine for OSX and Steam. *shrug*

[PirateEggs]

This is going to be nice for the family PC, not going to put it on my computer though. Much easier for my lil' bro to find the stuff he wants, nice big buttons, all up in your face, impossible to ignore.

Now, look at how much cheaper Windows is now though. I read somewhere it's $40, for the digital version, and $70 for the hard copy. I'm pretty sure I paid that +$100 for my Windows 7 Ultimate.
I will buy it. I won't use it on my PC though.

[jambo]

Have to agree. The App Store model doesn't work in a desktop environment.

But Steam.

[Mekon]

Wait, what software that was free now cost's extra? (ignoring the various editions of windows for a moment). I'm happy to add pretty much anything to the main topic if it's helpful!

You have it linked in your OP: the "List of features removed in (...)" wiki page:

* Windows Media Center will no longer be included in any version of Windows, but will be available as an add-on.
* Windows Media Player will no longer provide DVD playback functionality, although DVDs will still be playable in Windows Media Center if it is purchased separately.

edit: ugh, the new bold type isn't readily distinguishable from normal text. PinothyJ colours, here we come!

[Cas Bitton]

Thanks Mekon, I missed that one when having a read earlier .

Probably saved a few bucks by dropping the support. Oh well, I'm sure VLC will look after us as usual!

[TheD]

Have to agree. The App Store model doesn't work in a desktop environment.

But Steam.

Maybe he meant the forced app store model (for metro apps).

[Makena]

This thread is already proof of not being able to please everyone, some users are happy that the price is lower, others are unhappy that features are missing. But it's partially cheaper because they're not paying licensing fees for things like DVD playback.

I imagine whatever laptop I get next will have windows 8 on it, I'm quite happy with it for what I use my laptop for. For my desktop, I don't see a reason to update at this stage, Win7 Pro is doing me fine.

The misinformation people spread about win8 is staggering, so yo head off some of the stuff I've seen repeated on IRC about it, non-metro apps work in there entirety and it still has a 'normal' desktop environment, minus a start menu (And I'm sure I'm not alone in rarely using the start menu on win7, at most I use the "Search for programs and files".

Also, you can buy non metro apps on the app store, at this stage it's not an avenue for everything to be metro.

[PirateEggs]

People use Windows Media Center? I've used it twice, and that was to try and network my PC to my Xbox so I could watch a movie from my PC on my TV. Was too hard, so I just put my PC's output (through HDMI) to my TV.

[Cas Bitton]

If I was a developer, I'd be taking advantage of any store platform I could get my hands on. Especially OS level stores. A number of apps on the mac app store are actually cheaper then when the devs sold them via their own website/payment system.

Purely because of the dramatically expanded audience. While this isn't "free" marketing, I'm sure it helps raise their marketing budget from 0 to something.

Will be interesting to see if people begin to "struggle" after moving their products to only be available from the new MS store. I'd love to know if this has been the case for developers selling their games on Steam or for applications/software sold via the Mac OSX/Ubuntu stores .