Windows 8 Consumer Preview Hits 1 Million Downloads
The Windows 8 Consumer Preview wasted no time hitting the first big milestone.
It's been just two days since Microsoft released the Windows 8 Consumer Preview for download but already the software has reached a huge milestone. The Microsoft Windows 8 Build team on Thursday afternoon announced that they had seen one million downloads of the consumer preview after only one day.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview launched on Wednesday morning, approximately six months after the Developer Preview was released in September of 2011 at BUILD. Windows 8 is a notable departure from Windows 7 in that it includes the Metro UI, which most people will recognize from Windows Phone 7. The famous Start button has also been removed and Microsoft has replaced this iconic Windows feature with a sort of hotspot in the bottom left corner. Windows 8 also includes the ability to sign in via Windows Live, and the Windows Store, which is similar to the Mac App Store.
But why force the issue?
Wouldn't it make more sense to include Metro as a frickin feature that can be turned off and on?
That way you can keep the stupid start bar and have metro or whatever....
Makes sense don't it?
Win8 is starting to turn out like Vista for other reasons..... and then... to make matters worse, they are doing it to Server 8 too.......... what a joke...
BUT THIS....WINDOWS 8.......i can't love. It's horrible crap which can't make up it's mind as a tablet of desktop OS. It'll be destined for total failuire. No IT Manager will be sane to ask their users to upgrade to this....it's totally mind boogling inconvenient...like trying to turn your desktop into a tablet by force....i can imagine the nightmare of the IT Department should this be adopted...even before the technical integration problem crawls in, the UI will provide the bulk of the calls and complains....(btw, i work in IT).
Wanna bet...after this is launched, nobody will remember how bad VISTA supposely was....because Windows 8 will set the new benchmark for a major failed product for MS for decades to come.
For clarification I use Win7 on my desktop, and Ubuntu on my laptop (my main computer)
Just for informative purpose's, what are the reason's why your "not loving it"?
pain to navigate, no start menu / desktop / task manager is a pain to use... it's just horrible
The desktop is there and it's fine. No Start menu? Right click the lower left hand corner, a ton of functions are there and if I can't find something I can start typing in Metro and it shows up immediately. The new task manager is also quite handy. From a sysadmin point of view I like the new server management console that's installable, it's very feature-rich in comparison to the tools provided for Vista and 7.
Problems? I have none. Accepting that it's the future of Windows is the first step. Using your brain and understanding what's there versus what you need to do is the next.
First: Open the Metro Window by going to the bottom left hand corner (far corner) and highlighting the small indent. This will pop up a window that will allow us to access metro window.
Second: We need to right click any where in the metro Window where there is nothing that will open a bar at the bottom that allows us to click all apps
Third Once all Apps has been accessed we have to click on Computer which will then exit metro taking us to the desktop with our drives showing.
All this for something that should be as simple as double clicking the My computer icon on the desktop.
This system might work great on a touch screen or on a tablet but I just don't see it working that great for the average user.
Personally I will stick with my Windows 7 unless Windows 8 is given a proper start button or the option to setup a proper start button. Worse case might have to look into going Linux if Windows truly does adopt this new interface access system and continues it down the road.
For clarification I use Win7 on my desktop, and Ubuntu on my laptop (my main computer)
I realize this is not the final build, but so far I'm planning on sticking with W7. If I get a windows phone ever (doubtful, GSII ftw..) maybe I'll use it for sync with the next xbox or something, but it's definitely wierd.
its cumbersome , i find it annoying the "metro apps" don't have a close button or so far i have not been able to find it .... wich is odd since im pretty tech savvy, its really not mouse friendly , it looks bleak , if you have to do work on it you will be even more depressed, really the color scheme is horrible, unlike windows 7 that improved est-ethic wise over xp and vista. I like some of the enhancements they did to copy and the task manager but so far the cons outweigh the pro's by a lot.
But why force the issue?
Wouldn't it make more sense to include Metro as a frickin feature that can be turned off and on?
That way you can keep the stupid start bar and have metro or whatever....
Makes sense don't it?
Win8 is starting to turn out like Vista for other reasons..... and then... to make matters worse, they are doing it to Server 8 too.......... what a joke...
/e16 driven minimalist
And it's completely illogical. For instance, want to shutdown a Windows 7 machine? Click start, shutdown. Very similar to previous versions of Windows, right? And Windows 8? Hover by the right side of the screen where there are no markings AT ALL indicating it, click 'Settings', and THEN power, and shutdown or restart. To log out, go to the metro UI (which you do by hitting the windows key or hovering by the bottom left and clicking or hovering by the right-side of the screen and clicking start, no indicators to help you figure that out btw), click your username, and THEN logout/lock. Or with Windows 7, start, click the arrow right next to 'shutdown', and logout or lock. Windows 7 looks REALLY intuitive and logical in comparison. How do they expect most people to figure out those "hot corners" anyway? As a power user, I can barely figure it out. Dooming themselves for sure...
I can reassure you, you will NOT be in the minority on this one. They had better include a workaround for a "classic" desktop or there will be many feeling alienated. Even though the "ribbon" was introduced in Office 07' and again a no workaround in 10', I still can't stand it and get used to it - choice can be good!
Or have windows like Ubuntu, and when you log in you have the option to log into metro or windows classic like Ubuntu had the option to log into Unity or Ubuntu classic. Metro is the worst thing since Microsoft Bob.
I agree, you have to hit the windows key to exit the program which is annoying to do as I prefer to only use the mouse when using my computer and only use the keyboard when I need to input text.