Windows 8 Release Preview Now Available

**RicheemxX** · May 31st, 2012, 03:42 PM

Earlier today the Windows 8 Release Preview site went live and the full download is now available. AFAIK this is basically the final release candidate version. I tested the earlier releases and don't like the new UI so I doubt I'll test this one out but I'd love to hear some feedback from anyone that does.

**Whir** · June 19th, 2012, 08:44 AM

The Surface has been around for years. They had some pretty cool ads to go with it, and some college kids made a sweet interface for it for using it as a live map for Dungeons and Dragons games.

Gonna download it and check it out, I'll let you know how much it has/hasn't changed, Rich.

**Whir** · June 19th, 2012, 08:48 AM

Woops, almost downloaded the "let's install it right over Windows 7 right now version." That would have been silly.

Use the ISO, Luke!

**thephilosophizer** · June 19th, 2012, 10:16 AM

Surface isn't the same thing it was, it's just a standard tablet now. MS is going right after the ipad with this one, building their own hardware.
I don't mind the metro UI, and I could see it being really useful once things like firefox, chrome, thunderbird, etc. are integrated. And is definitely a pretty slick interface for using a tablet. But it's the apps that'll make or break the thing, and right now there aren't many.

**GroundZero3** · June 19th, 2012, 10:42 AM

I have a windows phone from work that I guess is using the metro interface and its not bad, I dont know if it is something I would want on a desktop.

**SoloCamo** · June 19th, 2012, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Whir

Woops, almost downloaded the "let's install it right over Windows 7 right now version." That would have been silly.

Use the ISO, Luke!

I did the same thing and freaked (and realized for that matter) when it said 'we will need to do a series of reboots'. Luckily I ended that quick enough to catch it.

Anyways! Been trying to use and force myself to get used to Win8. It's ok, and I'm not liking metro that much on a desktop environment...yet. I just want my start button back, thats all I ask for.

Plus being that Asus is lazy, there are no drivers for my sound card for it yet either.

But overall? It's been stable and moves quick. Plus the windows 8 scheduler is more efficient and actually takes proper advantage of my AMD FX-8 core, so if I do decide to upgrade, it should help out (slightly) with general performance.

Though to be brutally honest, I just finally switched to Windows7 in January from XP anyways

**Whir** · June 19th, 2012, 11:29 AM

Default Start screen. Hasn't changed much.

Will have to mess with it later.

**Whir** · June 19th, 2012, 11:38 AM

Well, one thing before I take off, the new Bing Weather app is pretty swell.

**RicheemxX** · June 19th, 2012, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by thephilosophizer

Surface isn't the same thing it was, it's just a standard tablet now. MS is going right after the ipad with this one, building their own hardware.
I don't mind the metro UI, and I could see it being really useful once things like firefox, chrome, thunderbird, etc. are integrated. And is definitely a pretty slick interface for using a tablet. But it's the apps that'll make or break the thing, and right now there aren't many.

Not many Apps? Surface now has two varieties, one will basically be a laptop in a tablets body running a core i5 and be based on Windows 8 Pro which will run any App that Windows does now. The other runs on Windows RT. That one will be the only one that will need to be concerned with Apps as from what I hear there isn't a ton of support out there yet.

Personally I like the new Surface, that case/keyboard cover was slick. I'll reserve judging Windows 8 on a tablet until I actually try it, but I for my desktops I still don't think I'll make the switch over.

**SoloCamo** · June 19th, 2012, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Whir

Well, one thing before I take off, the new Bing Weather app is pretty swell.

This much, I definitely agree.

**Taxmancometh** · June 20th, 2012, 01:01 AM

You had the following:

Windows 3.1, was great.
Windows 95, sucked.
Windows 98, was great.
Windows ME, sucked
Windows XP, was great.
Windows Vista sucked,
Windows 7 was great.
Windows 8 looks like it will suck.

**SoloCamo** · June 20th, 2012, 01:19 AM

Well it's official. After two days of not using it, I launched Win 8 and it failed to load. Even after multiple reattempts and a wind0ws 8 self repair failure.

I've lost hope. LOL.

**Whir** · June 20th, 2012, 10:03 AM

It's probably your computer. I've been using it since developer preview came out and I've never had any problems.

One thing I have noticed is that it's very slow to find my Windows 7 computers over the network. It sees them right off, but it takes a good minute before it can access them.

Otherwise, I have had zero trouble with the release preview so far. I got Trillian installed and working, CCCP + MPC_HC installed and working and sorted out the Start page tiles quickly and easily.

One thing I noticed on mine, though, is that I thought when you hit the Windows Start key on the keyboard, it is supposed to jump back to the Start screen. Mine does not. It's easy enough to bring up anyway, just stick your mouse in the bottom left and left click, but I almost always leave my left hand on the keyboard (gaming habit), so being able to use the Start key would be pro. It may just be my computer. Maybe you guys can give it a try and let me know.

Today I am going to install DX9 runtime (for MPC D3D modes), Steam and Civ5 and see how that works. Civ5 actually supports touch screen pretty well BTW. Not perfect, but well.

**SoloCamo** · June 20th, 2012, 11:37 AM

I'm certainly hoping that's it, though the HDD I've got it on has never failed me yet or given me trouble on W7 or XP for that matter. Going to try to do reinstall tonight sometime.

**Whir** · June 20th, 2012, 12:15 PM

Someone on my FB posted this link for me, saying it summed up his thoughts well. I disagree on several points and at least one is flat-out wrong, but it's a good and thorough read for information and possibilities.

Mobile Opportunity: Fear and Loathing and Windows 8

**tony_j15** · June 20th, 2012, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Taxmancometh

You had the following:

Windows 3.1, was great.
Windows 95, sucked.
Windows 98, was great.
Windows ME, sucked
Windows XP, was great.
Windows Vista sucked,
Windows 7 was great.
Windows 8 looks like it will suck.

I disagree!

95 was good, and Vista was not bad. It just got hyped too much and MS tried to go the Apple route and throw up the upgrade barrier which didn't work because they underestimated the amount of legacy software being used.
Also, not to throw off your cadence there, but you left out Windows CE, NT, and 2000.

**GroundZero3** · June 20th, 2012, 12:51 PM

I thought win95 was okay too and windows 2000 was decent.

**tony_j15** · June 20th, 2012, 02:22 PM

Here's my big question about W8, somewhat in response to Whir's link. How well does it work for multitasking?

Right now, I've got a video editing machine running on two monitors (still on XP, blerg) and I can end up having Premiere, Word, Chrome, Soundbooth, AfterEffects, and Encore all open. It's nice because all my programs can be seen on the taskbar, and they are easy to switch between.

I know W8 has the "desktop" hiding inside as an app, but can I use this space to pin and run my programs? Or am I going to have to use Metro to switch between tasks? I do not want to have to do that.

**Whir** · June 20th, 2012, 02:30 PM

Nope, you can use the desktop just like W7's. You don't need to use the Metro UI once you're in the desktop environment if you don't want to, though you will have to have stuff pinned to the taskbar or icons on the desktop if you don't want to have to switch back to the Metro Start screen at all. You can also still alt-tab through open applications. Start-tab doesn't work the same way though, it brings up the left quickbar and lets you tab through open apps that way.