All Three Windows 8 Preview Builds Expiring Soon
All three preview builds of Windows 8 -- Developer, Consumer and Release -- will expire in less than a month.
Consumers and developers still running preview versions of Windows 8 will need to upgrade soon if they wish to keep using the blocky modern platform, as they're scheduled to expire next month. Those who insist in using the preview builds after the expiration date will see their computer rebooted every two hours, similar to the way Microsoft handles unactivated copies of other Windows releases.
The Windows 8 Developer Preview (build 8102) will officially expire on January 15, 2013. It was first introduced on September 13, 2011 during Microsoft's BUILD conference, and included SDKs and developer tools for creating apps specifically for the new Modern UI interface. Microsoft said it saw around 535,000 downloads of the preview build within the first 12 hours of availability.
The Windows 8 Consumer Preview (build 8250), set to expire January 15 2013 at 6:59 PM, was released on February 29, and revealed to the public that yes, Microsoft indeed ripped out the Start menu. Former Windows boss Steven Sinofsky even said that more than 100,00 changes had been made to the OS since it was introduced to developers months prior. Microsoft claimed that this build was downloaded over a million times in just 24 hours.
Following the Consumer Preview was the Windows 8 Release Preview (build 8400) on May 31, 2012. Also set to expire on January 15, 2013, this version was a bit more refined and included demo apps like Sports, Travel and News. It offered improved multi-monitor support, new Family Safety features, and a "power-optimized" Adobe Flash Player for Internet Explorer 10.
Windows 8 finally arrived in the hands of consumers on October 26, 2012. Consumers who purchase a new Windows 7 desktop of laptop between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 will be able to upgrade for a mere $14.95. Customers who purchased a Windows-based machine prior to June 2 can still upgrade on the cheap until the January 31 deadline, paying $39.99 for Windows 8 Pro.
That said, there's really no reason why anyone should be still using the Consumer and Release Previews at this point given the cheap upgrade prices. Maybe that two-hour rebooting will eventually push stubborn beta users into forking out cash before time runs out on the discount.
Nah, I'll just go back to using Win7
Even after giving it a chance, the OS is still a little sour for me. Not to mention USB 3.0 won't work on it since there aren't any Win8 USB 3.0 drivers for my motherboard!
Along with the fact that searching for stuff is simply just easier on Windows 7 x)
Unactivated Windows 7 computers don't reboot every two hours, they just shower you with messages to activate.
I installed it a week and a half ago. Everything works, the upgrades to the File Explorer and Task Manager are great, and the OS is crazy fast. I'm giving myself another week to get used to the Modern UI, and if it doesn't happen, I'll happily shell out the $5 to Stardock.
Three years ago, I passed up a $20 upgrade from Vista to 7. I didn't need it since all of my drivers and programs worked without problem, and I just didn't see the need. But then I grew to depend on the subtle UI upgrades in 7 while at work, and it became frustrating to continue using Vista at home. You may not feel like you want Windows 8 now, especially if everything is working in 7, but do you really think two or three years from now you'll still be happy with 7 over 8?
Just an opinion from someone who was skeptical, who made sure he could switch back to Windows 7 if he changed his mind, but then grew to appreciate the other aspects of Windows 8. Two thirds of the bad things I hear about Windows 8 just aren't true, and the other third are a matter of preference, which you can change for $5. I just don't understand the blind negativity towards this. For $40, I think it is smart. And for $15, I think it is a no-brainer.
Steven Sinofsky? Hello?
Maybe Ballmer can find him.
"Take advantage of the speed and features, and if the UI bothers you, install Stardock's Start8."
What features? Every time you click on a jpg the bloody things goes into that crappy metro-picture viewing, I reckon it's a joy for epileptic. You have to "add" stuff tuf browse the pics. Not only is this a pile of shit it works like shit too.
"But then I grew to depend on the subtle UI upgrades in 7 while at work,"
The difference between vista and 7 is far less than the omissions in Win8 coupled with the radical different start-systems (which make OS handling FAR worse.)
"but do you really think two or three years from now you'll still be happy with 7 over 8?"
Sure, like I'm still more than happy with with Windows XP SP3 on my present rig. For a lot of (multimedia) stuff XP is BETTER then Vista/7/8 and for the other stuff it isn't worth the effort. For instance Open Office works as good on XP then it does on Windows 7; so why change OS?
" but then grew to appreciate the other aspects of Windows 8. "
In my own case it was the other way around. I wanted to like the metro UI but I discovered so much annoyances that my interest quickly turned sour. The hassle you need to do to switch of the PC, the ridiculous amount of clicks and myriad of movements to remember to do the most trivial things like seeing all apps or shutting down an app. In fact they didn't even need to remove the start-button as it could have been used to bring forward the start-screen as well. It's like these bozo's threw away the entire book on ergonomics in UI-design and created this monstrosity.
As for Stardock's tool. It cost money. Why pay for something that should have been in this OS.
"I just don't understand the blind negativity towards this."
It's not blind negativity. It's real user experience. From users WHOM downloaded and installed the previews, users whom mentioned flaws and problems to MSFT time and time again, users whom WARNED MSFT NOT to drastically enforce metro upon us. MSFT didn't want to listen, now they will have to pay for it. This time THEIR fat bonusses will be the first victim and then the rest of the company!
Save your $5 and get the free Classic Shell instead.
Also, everyone moaning about Metro UI... nobody is forcing you to use it. Then again why do I expect simpleton clickers to understand such a simple concept. Enjoy your useless Aero, terribly simple Task Manager, primitive networking, missing out on some of the new DX11.1 features etc. I'll take new file copying system, Explorer, seamless network switching between mobile, WLAN and wire and so on. The only true downside with 8 is the forced UAC on administrator accounts (if you want to keep Metro functionality that is). Deleting those stupid desktop.ini/thumbs.db files on my desktop is rather annoying, having to reconfirm the delete for each and every one of them every single day.
Let's not forget the speed of the OS itself and the longer support. I quite fancy the weather app too, even though it's not the most accurate thing (for my town at least), but that's just me.
Pollice verso, come at me.
Don't stop at the previews
Windows 7, who's ever Idea that was? Make him CEO of Microsoft. Fire EVERYONE else.
So does anything else you get from the web. So far these apps has brought better experience then most of these "freebie" desktop programs. They are mini games that are really addicting. Much better than flash games that's for sure. Now that's spyware for ya lol.