Windows 8 Consumer Preview 2/29

[richard1980]

Steve is going to hunt you down and punish you for saying something that makes sense.

[NWW]

Where can we provide feedback/wishes about the CP and/or WMC8 ?

[richard1980]

The official W8MC-CP forum is here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... ndows_8-tv

[mark1234]

The official W8MC-CP forum is here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... ndows_8-tv

Nice find, thanks.

(Does kind of make you wonder why they set up WEC though..)

[cw-kid]

Known issues:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... 14e82e6a1f

[NWW]

The official W8MC-CP forum is here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... ndows_8-tv

Thanks.. Kind of lackluster, but hey, that'll be better than nothing...

[barnabas1969]

What's interesting about that site is that almost all of the posts are from Media Center users. That sends a clear message to Microsoft that many people want to continue using Media Center in Win8 and future versions of Windows. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[wayner]

What's interesting about that site is that almost all of the posts are from Media Center users. That sends a clear message to Microsoft that many people want to continue using Media Center in Win8 and future versions of Windows. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

But the link posted is to a subforum under the topic "TV and Movies on Windows". The more general Win8 Answers site is here http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... /windows_8 and there are very few MC posts there.

[barnabas1969]

Ah. I didn't notice that. Thanks.

[cjmccarthy72]

Like Wedge, I have bailed out! Reverted back to Windows 7- I put up with my family moans for three weeks and I have to agree with them. I have gone through betas and release candidates in the past and don't mind experimenting, but it looks like I will be sticking with 7 for now. I feel like I am simply tolerating 8- and I certainly won't pay £80 for that. As I have a SSD, I can't even say the speed gains are that noticable. I just think desktop users, espcially those who use the mouse the most, are having a 2nd class experience compared to tablet users. I have my PC connected to the TV and find remote/mouse the most convenient way of using it, but with 8 I found myself reaching for the keyboard more than I liked. I will be very curious to see how often the only tile people reach for on Metro is the desktop tile....

[newfiend]

Wow I'm glad I waited on the preview. I'm not sure if I'll be jumping to Windows 8 at release. I did that with Windows 7 because Vista was a train wreck for me. In fact I ran the Windows 7 preview all the way till 7's official release I hated Vista so much. Guess I'll wait and see others comments after Windows 8 is released before I purchase the new OS.

Sent from my WP7 using Board Express

[tommo]

i had enough, seemed tuners dropped and then i started getting media center errors on startup.

Just pray they actually bother fixing it before it's released as the win8 one looks like they just fired it up and it worked and they marked it as "working".

[makryger]

Just installed Windows 8. My first impressions: Yeesh, is it complicated to navigate. I've got a bad feeling about the direction of this OS. Microsoft may have just shot themselves in the foot.

Well, it doesn't help that I've installed it on old hardware that doesn't even have install a graphics driver. But at the least, I miss the start menu/orb. Maybe if my next laptop has a touchscreen, I'll consider W8. But for my HTPC, I'm not seeing any benefit at the moment. Even if there weren't any of the bugs people reported above.

Other than the new touchscreen UI, is there a list of tangible improvements to Windows 8?

[STC]

It's +1 on 7?

[gcoupe]

I think it’s worth remembering that when Windows 95 was introduced, its user interface was radically different from previous versions of Windows, and there was a similar outcry from people who hated the new interface. Over time, people accepted the change, and now, once again, it seems that many cannot conceive of Windows in any way other than what they are used to.

As for me, after a month of using Windows 8, I am very relaxed about the new user interface. It doesn’t bother me, and I seem to be accomplishing my tasks equally well, albeit in a different way. It is still the fact that, at the moment, I rarely use any of the new Metro applications (except to play the occasional game), but that’s simply because their functionality is not yet on a par with their traditional Desktop equivalents.

[mark1234]

I think it’s worth remembering that when Windows 95 was introduced, its user interface was radically different from previous versions of Windows, and there was a similar outcry from people who hated the new interface.

I loved Win95 over Win3.x - took to it instantly!

I love my WP7 as well. Just really not sold on Win8 though.

[adam1991]

I have to laugh here, as Mac people went through this 11 years ago with the switch to OS X. OS 9 to OS X was *more* of a switch than Win8; at least with Win8, all the old stuff is still there.

And, frankly, we're still going through it--because Apple keeps switching things up with every revision. 10.6 to 10.7 is a major switch, although you wouldn't think so, and many (like myself) won't do it until/unless absolutely necessary.

[mcewinter]

I personally decided to give 8 another day in court when I have the means to "touch" it wether it's a tablet or touch capable monitor. I found the interface to be an impedance in a desktop environment as we know it and there isn't any excitement without the "touch" aspect. I could easily overcome the "impedance" as I put it, but why? There aren't really any improvements otherwise so it just isn't fun. no resentments. just not fun.

[milli260876]

How many button presses to shut the pc down from the desktop? That in itself is a reason not to buy it... Ad in no remote capability for"apps" and that's it... I had high hopes for the metro UI after wp7 but for an htpc it just doesn't work....

[mcewinter]

There is definitely potential after release but that potential will come from third parties most likely and things could be "fun" later on. I can see the power off frustration but my decision would not be based on that. I don't see Windows 8 as an upgrade but a new beginning that won't be exciting until all cards are in.