Windows 8 Now Ready for MSDN, TechNet Subscribers
Hear that? It's the sound of a bell ringing as developers and IT professions dart out the gate, racing nose to nose to download their copy of Windows 8. Based on current reviews, there may be no need to rush.
Microsoft's new Windows 8 platform is now up for grabs for developers and IT professionals subscribed to MSDN and TechNet. The OS went RTM back on August 1, essentially "going gold" and made available to OEMs ready to add the new OS to their portfolio of gadgets. This final build sports features not available in the Release Preview that went public back in May 2012, but so far there are reports that it surprisingly isn't much different.
"Back when we first demonstrated Windows 8 in May 2011, we described it as 'reimagining Windows, from the chipset to the experience,' and that is what Windows 8 (and Windows RT) represents for both Microsoft and partners," said Steven Sinofsky in a blog during the RTM announcement. "The collective work: from the silicon, to the user experience, to new apps, has been an incredibly collaborative effort. Together we are bringing to customers a new PC experience that readies Windows PCs for a new world of scenarios and experiences, while also preserving an industry-wide 25-year investment in Windows software."
Ars Technica reports that the RTM should be available to subscribers by 10am PDT although there may be delays as bits make their way across the Web to Microsoft's various servers. There are also a number of hands-on reviews already hitting the news stream provided by the likes of Gizmodo (incredibly innovative, incredible important, not quiet incredible), Engadget, InfoWorld (yes, it's that bad), Computerworld (still a two-headed beast), CNN Money (makes you re-learn how to use PC), PCWorld and many others.
"Sometimes engineering achievements are appreciated only by the engineers," reports InfoWorld. "From the user's standpoint, Windows 8 is a failure -- an awkward mishmash that pulls the user in two directions at once. Users attracted to the new touch-friendly Metro GUI will dislike the old touch-hostile desktop underneath. By the same token, users who rely on the traditional Windows desktop will dislike having to navigate Metro to find settings and apps they intuitively locate in Windows 7. Microsoft has moved the cheese."
"With the intersection of PC and tablet interface in Windows 8, Microsoft hasn't just made a gamble on its Metro interface catching on; it's introduced a whole new set of variables to an overwhelming frontrunner," reports Gizmodo."It's like Usain Bolt going home and training to run the 100m while playing the bagpipes. The degree of difficulty is staggering. The ambition behind it admirable. And the execution? Not half bad. But not quite there yet, either."
id Software's John Carmack said he saw no reason to jump on the Windows 8 bandwagon just yet, and he may be right. Microsoft will likely make additional improvements to the OS via updates before it goes retail at the end of October.
I cant really speak for the "professionals" but when I got access to the Developer Preview I had trouble with finding drivers that worked on my machines. Today I have had success finding raid drivers so I can install it on a more serious test bench instead of stuck testing on a laptop with no compatible video drivers. Now the real fun begins.
I cant really speak for the "professionals" but when I got access to the Developer Preview I had trouble with finding drivers that worked on my machines. Today I have had success finding raid drivers so I can install it on a more serious test bench instead of stuck testing on a laptop with no compatible video drivers. Now the real fun begins.
Please post somewhere!
Windows 8 runs smooth, it boots up in 15 seconds (past POST) which is faster than my Quad with an SSD. Its quite impressive. The tweaks to the desktop are quite nice - except for the metroized- desktop interface design. The UI design in 8440 is perfect, IMHO.
But metro makes it all not worth it. Otherwise I would jump all over this $40 upgrade version.
Oh well. When I move to Linux, it'll be free.
I'm impressed! The tweaked features are all good. Only the flattened UI elements are ugly, unlike the very nice tweak in the Win8 8440 RP version. UGH!
Metro makes none of these things improvements worth using the OS as a whole.
Oh well.
it is a free download from the MSDN website... literally anyone can go get it and there is no product key (just a "I will kill your computer in x days" counter in the corner).
1) If I was not already similar with windows shortcut keys I would be totally lost
2) I like the idea of the new UI, but it will take a lot of getting use to
3) It's damn fast!
it is loaded on a C2Duo 1.8GHz with 2GB of ram and an old 80GB HDD we had laying around, integrated graphics, nothing special. I can't wait to play with it on a real machine at home (i7 with 16GB of ram... soon to have RAID0 SSDs woot
My own impressions (note that I actually like the idea of the new interface, but just thought it needed improvement):
1) Much improved on keys/mouse input support, while it could still be better it is at least now usable
2) It feels faster than CP, but most of my expierence with CP was on a netbook, so that may just be the difference between CPUs
3) Thought I would miss Aero, and while I do a little, I would be lying if I said the new desktop was 'bad'
4) A few WTH moments trying to find where they moved some settings... seriously, why move things? we knew where they were before.
5) Stoked that Minesweeper is back! lol at the fact that minesweeper now gets product updates... I mean that is just sad.
6) IE10 sucks even less now that it nears a final build, but still not winning my business back from Chrome or FF
7) Office 2013 looks much more at home on win8 than it did on win7; still think I will stick with my old copy of office 2007
If your using AMDs S700 for chipset and/or RAID (claims to work for newer), try these and good luck :
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/raid_windows.aspx
Guess that means you'll never use an OS - because none of them release to date were "done" at release.
So, how's DOS 1.0 treating you?