In Pictures: The Windows 8.1 Preview

[Guest]

Windows 8.1, previously referred to as Windows Blue, is a major update that introduces numerous ergonomic improvements to Windows 8, gives you a number of new personalization options, and introduces a handful of Apps that were noticeably missing before.

In Pictures: The Windows 8.1 Preview : Read more

 

[CaptainTom]

I am seriously excited for this! I like Windows 8, and this should fix its small list of problems plus add so much more!

 

[DarkSable]

Okay, I actually don't want the start button back.

I always found it to be ugly and obtrusive with my minimalistic style, and would use programs to hide it. If it's not only ugly, but also does the same thing that's already there with both the windows key and the corner pop-up... there better be a way to disable it.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

The picture for the calculator page is a voice recorder...

 

[vipervoid1]

I really excited to upgrade this "update" to my Windows 8 ~

 

[digiex]

I don't care about the UI issues, as long as it respond smoothly better than XP or Windows 7 its good for me.

 

[DjEaZy]

... there is a start button, bot no easy to access to shut down and restart button... no search in start... no easy app close for desktop's and laptop's with no touchscreens... it is still awful... and i work in retail... nobody sticks with windows 8, they downgrade or buy a computer without windows and get a copy of Windows7...

 

[Fierce Guppy]

It is buggy as you'd expect for a beta release. The upgrade went flawlessly on my laptop but doesn't manage to complete on my desktop PC, which is running Win 8 pro. The USB ports don't appear to be getting initialized before the License Terms screen appears and I need a keyboard or mouse to accept the license terms. At least the rollback is far quicker than the install. The final release is due at the end of the month so I won't lob a nasty-gram at MS just yet.

 

[lancelot123]

Did you even read any of this DjEaZy? I think not.

"All you need to do is right-click on the Start Button and hover over the Shut down entry to bring up options for Sleep, Shut down, and Restart."

And that is just one of many things that you were complaining about.

 

[JOSHSKORN]

So I'll just wait for the release of Start8.1. I really don't appreciate Microsoft's attitude of "You're using a Touch Screen and that's final.". Really, if you think about it, that seems to be the case. The Start button on Window 8.1 doesn't give you a Start Menu (which isn't finger friendly), it brings you to the Start Screen (which is).

 

[jdwii]

as soon as i saw metro over and over again at the picture setting i was like i can care less

 

[lancelot123]

as soon as i saw metro over and over again at the picture setting i was like i can care less

Might I suggest you actually read it? Really good changes. I might switch now.

 

[chumly]

Imagine that! Microsoft CAN make a desktop OS for a desktop.

That means it's almost time to upgrade from Windows 7. Of course, I'm going to let all of you guys install it first and find all of the bugs for me. Thanks, by the way.

 

[lawson72]

I dont understand for Windows 8, I find it to be a fairly good upgrade from 7 and this is making some great changes cant wait

 

[FrankInKY]

Just keep drinking that kool-aid Microsoft, and keep telling yourself everything will be all right.

 

[SteelCity1981]

for the people that like windows 8 then they will like windows 8.1 even more for the people that like windows 7 and don't care for windows 8 then none of this matters to them. if ms would just enable a real start menu, have an option to disable metro and have an option to enable aero glass, a lot more windows 7 users would be interested in windows 8, but since none of that will happen at least not in windows 8.1 then windows 8 isn't going to interest windows 7 users to jump on windows 8.

 

[Fierce Guppy]

DjEaZy;

1) The Alt+F4 method never went away.

2) Yes, a close gadget for apps would be more convenient than left-clicking the top and pulling an app to the bottom. No biggy for me. I spend 99.5% of the time working from the desktop.

It's a pretty good OS. Love the quick-access menu which I use a lot and the tidy program list layout (Win+Q) as opposed to the wretched hierarchical menu system. Also, for some reason the HDD write performance across multiple drives is a great deal faster when recording gameplay using Dxtory than under Windows 7, like around 30%. It's still very much a solid Windows desktop OS. I use apps for displaying quick snippets of information that I used desktop gadgets for in Win 7 like weather, exchange rate, and gold price.

 

[damianrobertjones]

"no easy app close for desktop's and laptop's with no touchscreens" - Ehh? THrow your mouse to the top left, drag down, right click and close the 'app'. Have you even used windows 8?

 

[damianrobertjones]

@ta152h - I prefer choice and an OS that can fit onto any device and work. I have no issues with Windows 8 and I'm working exactly as I did before. If you keep on saying the same thing over and over again I'm sure that you'll convince someone of your views

 

[apache_lives]

ah the mindless Windows 8 haters

go use the OS some time, seriously

 

[Saga Lout]

To nail this shutdown argument once and for all time, Alt and F4 works as well now as it has since (Windows) time began.

I'll buy a Windows 8.1 if they have the same £25 British special offer they had for W8 in January. Failing that, I'll stick with it on one machine and pass until the next one.

 

[stillblue]

Seems to me that Windows is where Ubuntu was 2 years ago when it launched the Unity desktop. Ubuntu listened and everything is easy to find now and it's touch screen ready, just see the Ubuntu Edge. If Microsoft wants a "one system to rule them all" it should add to the installation disk the options A: Optimized for laptop/touchpad B: Optimized for Desktop/mouse C: Optimized for touch screen... and let the user decide.

 

[lanceton]

Don't you feel the 'new start button' is the ultimate mockery towards PC users?
It's obvious that windows 8's primary interface 'start screen' is designed for the tablets if not solely for MS's Surface PC, which many PC users consider a 'screw you' from MS.

We PC users simply want the START MENU back so we don't need to spend too much time arranging the interface and stay productive.

So the MS said: sure, here's your 'start button' back - and a click after, it's the fooking START SCREEN again.

I have no idea how they dare to do this kind of thing... such arrogance will be their undoing and I personally believe there is already no redemption for them.

 

[FrankInKY]

If Google, or some similar company, releases an OS compatible with WinXP then the days of Microsoft will be numbered. Maybe Google will buy out the ReactOS effort and bring it to completion, or maybe MICROSOFT will decide to support the hundreds of millions of users who have bought into the Windows eco-system.

 

[cscott_it]

So far the preview is a step in the right direction. Still don't see what all the kafuffle is all about and the rash of downvotes are for, but people have a right to their opinions.

Though - all they did was map the start button to Windows Key + X.

For those of you who want an easy way to search from whatever you doing, you can do Windows Key + S and it pulls up the search pane on the right hand side of the screen. (noticed a lot of complaints on the forums here about this)

For me, Windows 8 hasn't changed much of anything as I still live in the command prompt, power shell, and shortcut keys (and I like the improvements in Server 2012, previewing 2012 R2 on a test VM at the office).

From a business perspective, I think Windows 8 is a right move - because a unified platform is the right direction. Did they get it right out of the gates? Absolutely not.
Do I think that it is a gambit that will pay off in the long term? Yes, I think in a few years it will prove to be the correct move.

Anyone who preaches the imminent doom Microsoft are the same sort of hacks that believe that Apple, Google, Oracle, etc. will be dead in three years. In the case of Microsoft, I've found it's usually "Power Users" and "Arm Chair IT".