Microsoft: Windows 8 News and Discussion Thread

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Jun 1, 2011 | 10:27 PM

#41

05TLdcc

Coal

Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 7,363

Likes: 137

From: Freaking everywhere

want

Jun 1, 2011 | 11:48 PM

#42

Lightus

I've got spurs...

Joined: Jan 2007

Posts: 1,499

Likes: 6

From: Gainesville, FL

Seems that they are really trying to stay ahead of the market with this one. It's obvious tablets are going to be the "next big thing" and having an OS to run on both tablets and desktops is smart.

I'm actually pretty curious about the "hybrid boot" feature (although I probably won't ever use it). There is already sleep and hibernate, what could this hybrid be?

Also, I like the theme. I love my Zune HD's GUI and wouldn't mind it having on all my machines.

Jun 2, 2011 | 12:33 AM

#43

stogie1020

Needs more Lemon Pledge

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 52,768

Likes: 2,000

From: Phoenix, AZ

NOW we are talking...

Mildly interested...

Jun 2, 2011 | 07:56 AM

#44

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

Angry Birds or meh. Can't watch the vid at work

They better make it right this time. If it fails no one will ever take them serious in the tablet market. It better not get

Last edited by doopstr; Jun 2, 2011 at 08:01 AM.

Jun 2, 2011 | 05:00 PM

#45

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

Here's the longer demo from All Things D9

<object id="wsj_fp" width="800" height="600"><param name="movie" value="http://s.wsj.net/media/swf/microPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashvars" value="videoGUID={20D08FE8-3928-43F3-AFE1-35DA78EB79FF}&playerid=4001&plyMediaEnabled=1&conf igURL=http://wsj.vo.llnwd.net/o28/players/&autoStart=false" base="rtmpt://wsj.fcod.llnwd.net/a1318/o28/video"name="microflashPlayer"></param><embed src="http://s.wsj.net/media/swf/microPlayer.swf" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"flashVars="videoGUID={20D08FE8-3928-43F3-AFE1-35DA78EB79FF}&playerid=4001&plyMediaEnabled=1&conf igURL=http://wsj.vo.llnwd.net/o28/players/&autoStart=false" base="rtmpt://wsj.fcod.llnwd.net/a1318/o28/video" name="microflashPlayer" width="800" height="600" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>

Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Jun 2, 2011 at 05:04 PM.

Jun 2, 2011 | 06:34 PM

#46

guitarzandstuff

7th Gear

Joined: May 2011

Posts: 7

Likes: 0

From: Warminster PA

Very interesting!!

Jun 2, 2011 | 06:46 PM

#47

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

I'm wondering how useful that touch interface is on a machine that doesn't have a touch screen. I'm also wondering if it's a pain in the ass to constantly have to switch between the classic windows desktop and the new interface if I have apps running in both. Neat tricks though. Why not commit to 2012? Looking like 2013+ to me.

Last edited by doopstr; Jun 2, 2011 at 06:55 PM.

Jun 2, 2011 | 09:07 PM

#48

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

I'm sure it will be 2012 they just aren't going to discuss it. They announce thing on their terms when they want to announce them, just cause they asked doesn't mean they have to answer.

They don't want to say because that may effect sales of Windows 7, people may just wait until Windows 8 to get a new PC.

Jun 2, 2011 | 11:24 PM

#49

Mizouse

Moderator

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 64,067

Likes: 3,317

From: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)

Jun 2, 2011 | 11:37 PM

#50

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by doopstr

Me too. I'm not sure if I'd want this on my desktop. If I had a tablet sure. I'm wondering if a tablet user could go most if not all of the time without seeing the windows desktop. Doesn't seem like Office will have a touch friendly app ready anytime soon so that sucks.

Right now it's kinda reminding me of Windows Mobile 6.5. They brought out the Honeycomb UI and it was nice looking and had a little Zune-ish flare to it but once you get past that "start menu" it went back to ugly Windows Mobile UI.

Will there be a touch friendly email app, what about touch friendly control panel? Also what about updates and installing software like installing updates to flash and java, what about UAC prompts? I don't want to have to use a non touch optimized app in order to get something done, I don't want to see the desktop. Some people may and that's great to give them the option but on a tablet most people won't and they better realize that or this could be worse than Microsoft Bob.

Nothings even close to final so I'm not going to make any judgements now.

Jun 2, 2011 | 11:41 PM

#51

stogie1020

Needs more Lemon Pledge

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 52,768

Likes: 2,000

From: Phoenix, AZ

As long as they still have the really helpful Mr. Paperclip I am cool with it.

Jun 3, 2011 | 12:00 AM

#52

Mizouse

Moderator

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 64,067

Likes: 3,317

From: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)

heh, i miss that guy.

Jun 3, 2011 | 12:44 AM

#53

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

This Windows 8 is a big deal, there's a lot riding on this. If this fails then this could be the end of MS in the consumer market.

I think this UI being added to Windows can introduce the WP7 UI to hundreds of millions of people and if it works out that everyone loves it than it will a huge success not only for Windows but for MS mobile strategy as well. I think WPs get the halo effect or iPod effect of the success or failure of this UI in Windows.

If this fails in Windows than people won't give the UI a chance on mobile and they'll lose that market because of it. If it succeeds then this along with the Nokia deal means MS should do fantastic in the mobile market but it all rests on Windows 8.

This is why Ballmer said months ago that Windows 8 was the riskiest bet that MS is making.

Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Jun 3, 2011 at 12:46 AM.

Jun 3, 2011 | 05:30 AM

#54

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

Quote:

Originally Posted by stogie1020

As long as they still have the really helpful Mr. Paperclip I am cool with it.

That was great a couple week ago on The Office when Darryl was trying to write a resume. He called Microsoft and asked them where Clippy was.

Jun 4, 2011 | 08:02 PM

#55

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

I was emailing Paul Thurrott about Windows 8 and I guess he put our email convo on his website, so I'll put them here. my emails to him are in italics.

Quote:

Does the new Windows 8 Start screen remind you of Windows Mobile 6.5?

Daniel S. asks:

[The Windows 8 Start screen is] pretty up front but underneath is plan ol' non-touch-friendly Windows. If Microsoft can manage to keep the regular Windows desktop hidden for most tasks, then yes it could be a success, but I'm not sure if they can pull that off. Doesn't it remind you of Windows Mobile 6.5?

No, because it's not just a patina of new paint, it's a new platform with a comprehensive API that's going to be extended with new apps by third party developers. I think this is going to reverse Microsoft's fortunes in the tablet market dramatically.

Maybe. Look at WPF. I was really hoping that would take off in Vista and then in Windows 7, but it hasn't happened. Why should I expect this new API to be any different?

Because this API is the new Windows shell, and it's based on HTML 5 + CSS + JavaScript, the most popular programming environment of all time. But it honestly doesn't matter if it takes off, per se, since it's the shell. This is what Windows is going to look like, period. So you can install and run apps normally, but you'll do so from a much prettier UI.

I didn't email him back right away after the last part so I guess it didn't make it in time for the article but here it is

Quote:

Originally Posted by my follow up email that didn't get published

So then the success of Windows 8 in the tablet market relies heavily on whether or not 3rd party devs will make or redesign the UI of their apps to be optimized for touch UI first and K&M 2nd. If the sales aren’t there then why would a dev put in the effort and if the touch optimized apps aren’t there then why would anyone buy a Windows 8 tablet over an iPad? Will these simple single purpose touch designed apps be a big success on regular PC that don’t have a touch screen? I’m not sure they will be.

I guess we’ll have to see what MS announces in the future about the new API/SDK and the Windows Store and if it’s requirements to be in the store will make devs put in the effort to redo apps in order to be in the store, that’s if MS will such put rules on the apps in the store like Apple does. In this case I think they should to give devs incentive to be in the store…..

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/...edition-136372

Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Jun 4, 2011 at 08:07 PM.

Jun 4, 2011 | 08:55 PM

#56

stogie1020

Needs more Lemon Pledge

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 52,768

Likes: 2,000

From: Phoenix, AZ

Quote:

Originally Posted by doopstr

That was great a couple week ago on The Office when Darryl was trying to write a resume. He called Microsoft and asked them where Clippy was.

I did not know his official name! Thank you.

Jun 4, 2011 | 10:39 PM

#57

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

Here's a pretty good demo. They keep saying that this is the future for tablets but they keep demoing it on a Dell desktop. Show me a tablet! I'd be amazed to see an ARM run the legacy stuff that was compiled for Intel at a reasonable speed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGGLTLYyAsk&NR?hd=1

BTW I've noticed that Fun is to Microsoft as Magical is to Apple.

Last edited by doopstr; Jun 4, 2011 at 10:45 PM.

Jun 4, 2011 | 11:15 PM

#58

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

Idk why that would impress you. When this lands there's going to be 1.6 ghz dual core ARM processors on the market. The MBA has or had a 1.6ghz c2d and my has set 1ghz as the minimum speed for a processor for windows 7 and ms is saying that 8 will lhave lower sys requirements than 7 did.

They showed office running on ARM back at CES

Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Jun 4, 2011 at 11:19 PM.

Jun 4, 2011 | 11:18 PM

#59

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

Does this new ui work in portrait mode? They haven't showed portrait mode. In windows today rotating the screen is very slow, the screen goes black for a few seconds during the switch. This better change with 8

Jun 4, 2011 | 11:46 PM

#60

AZuser

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 19,208

Likes: 3,404

This WP7 interface is perfect for a tablet. It's an interface designed primarily for consuming media. But for a traditional PC, like those in a business environment? FAIL!

Looks like Microsoft is taking the one size fits all approach and I think this will backfire on them.

Jun 5, 2011 | 01:00 AM

#61

Mizouse

Moderator

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 64,067

Likes: 3,317

From: Not Las Vegas (SF Bay Area)

thats the thing with tablets and phones, its all about content consumption. NOT creation.

some people just dont understand that.

well maybe with a tablet there could be some light creation, but nothing full blown. IMSO.

Jun 5, 2011 | 08:51 AM

#62

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

Quote:

Originally Posted by #1 STUNNA

Thx, I just watched the vid. As of this vid they are expecting vendors to recompile their applications for ARM. Their doesn't seem to be something like Apple's Rosetta that can convert from one instruction set to the other. So if your favorite application doesn't get recompiled for ARM you are SOL.

The reason I was worried about slow CPUs was that I was hoping that they were going to have something like Rosetta that could convert x86 to ARM on the fly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCREv-RDSBM

Last edited by doopstr; Jun 5, 2011 at 09:00 AM.

Jun 5, 2011 | 09:09 AM

#63

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

Microsoft calls Intel's Windows 8 comments 'inaccurate'
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05..._on_windows_8/

Quote:

Microsoft has said that recent comments from Intel software chief Renée James on the next version of Windows were "factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading."

At Intel's Investor Meeting 2011 at the company's Santa Clara, California, headquarters on Tuesday, James told her keynote audience that the upcoming versions of Windows that Microsoft will provide for ARM-based systems will not run "legacy" applications. "Our competitors will not be running legacy applications. Not now. Not ever," she said, after referring to the next incarnation of Windows by its apparent code name, Windows 8.

She also told the gathered investors that "Windows 8 traditional" – a version of the new OS for x86 chips – will offer a "Windows 7 mode", and that this version would allow users to run "all of their old applications."

She then indicated that Microsoft was developing four Windows versions for ARM systems. "There will be four Windows 8 SoCs for ARM. Each one will run for that specific ARM environment, and they will run new applications or cloud-based applications," she said, referring to system-on-a-chip architectures. "They are neither forward- nor backward-compatible between their own architecture – different generations of a single vendor – nor are they compatible across different vendors. Each one is a unique stack."

When Microsoft announced its ARM versions of Windows at this January's Consumer Electronics Show, it mentioned only three ARM-system partners: Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.

On Wednesday, Microsoft took issue with James' comments – but it declined to provide any clarification on what part or parts of her comments were problematic. "Intel’s statements during yesterday’s Intel Investor Meeting about Microsoft’s plans for the next version of Windows were factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading," the company said in a statement sent to The Register. "From the first demonstrations of Windows on SoC, we have been clear about our goals and have emphasized that we are at the technology demonstration stage. As such, we have no further details or information at this time."

Intel declined to elaborate on James' comments. "We are not commenting further on this one," a company spokeswoman told us. ®

So there is going to be 4 different Soc builds? Now they expect dev shops to maintain 4 Soc builds plus Intel?

They better fix that before gold.

Jun 5, 2011 | 09:39 AM

#64

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

Actually I guess that explains why the Windows 8 stuff will be HTML5 and Javascript. That stuff is portable so you shouldn't have to much problem maintaining separate builds, if you write the stuff correctly it should just work cross platform. Now we know why no .NET.

Unless they show us different I'm not expecting Win 8 tablets to be able to run legacy applications that haven't been recompiled.

Last edited by doopstr; Jun 5, 2011 at 09:51 AM.

Jun 5, 2011 | 11:31 AM

#65

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

If you use the new SDK for Windows 8 then those apps will be cross platform and run on x86 and ARM.

IDK why you highlighted all those comments from Intel and then MS says that they're inaccurate.

There's going to be one build of Windows and it will run on both x86 and ARM. I think Intel was trying to spread some FUD about it's competitors.

Here's the demo from computex, they show Wndows 8 running on a bunch of different ARM processors.

<iframe src="http://www.microsoft.com:80/presspass/silverlightApps/videoplayer3/standalone.aspx?contentID=win8_preview1&src=/presspass/presskits/windows7/channel.xml" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

Jun 5, 2011 | 11:35 AM

#66

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

I think it's a good idea to make devs recompile their apps to run on ARM. Those apps aren't going to be touch friendly anyways so they might as well make them touch optimized too while they're at it.

Jun 5, 2011 | 03:38 PM

#67

doopstr

Team Owner

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 25,967

Likes: 2,685

From: Jersey

Quote:

Originally Posted by #1 STUNNA

IDK why you highlighted all those comments from Intel and then MS says that they're inaccurate.

Because if I didn't highlight both sides of the argument you would have gotten pissy about that too.

Jun 5, 2011 | 03:48 PM

#68

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

I don't think it's an argument, just one Intel guys is talking out of his ass spreading FUD about thier competitors. I thought that was obvious.

Aug 27, 2011 | 05:11 AM

#69

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

They've finally started talking more about Windows 8. They recently created a new blog called Building Windows 8 (B8) much like they did for Windows 7.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/

This is video showing the improvements to file copy and file collision UI. Pretty suite, you can pause and resume file transfers in 8!

<iframe width="853" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5eiE1qXyiBw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Also they've rewritten the USB stack for USB 3.0

Aug 27, 2011 | 05:11 AM

#70

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

Also notice in that video that the ribbon UI is now in Windows Explorer and the folder up button is back

Aug 27, 2011 | 04:56 PM

#71

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

Quote:

Finally, in addition to these big improvements, we’ve also done a thorough scrub and removed many of the confirmation dialogs that you’ve told us are annoying or feel redundant (i.e. “are you sure you want to move this file to the recycle bin?” or “are you sure you want to merge these folders?”) to create a quieter, less distracting experience.

Also the system tray is gone from the taskbar and media servers has been added to the links on the left under Computer

Eftfb.png

Aug 27, 2011 | 11:09 PM

#72

stogie1020

Needs more Lemon Pledge

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 52,768

Likes: 2,000

From: Phoenix, AZ

I will miss the system tray...

How we gonna get notifications and see what's running?

Aug 28, 2011 | 12:13 AM

#73

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

probably pull down notifications from the top much like what's in Android/Windows Phone and iOS 5, not sure though that's just my guess

Aug 28, 2011 | 12:29 AM

#74

stogie1020

Needs more Lemon Pledge

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 52,768

Likes: 2,000

From: Phoenix, AZ

Hmmmmm.....

Aug 29, 2011 | 01:37 PM

#75

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

Here's a video of the Windows 8 Ribbon UI, looks pretty good!

<iframe width="853" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WoRlMIx1vwM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Once of the reason's the added the ribbon was because the majority of the most used explorer commands aren't in the command bar in Windows 7. Which means that bar is hardly used.

They also made changes so that the new explorer UI takes up a little less space than it did in Windows 7.

at copy path and open admin cmd prompt!

Much more info here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2...-explorer.aspx

Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Aug 29, 2011 at 01:42 PM.

Aug 29, 2011 | 01:48 PM

#76

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

notice that the system tray is back in that video....may be an earlier build or a later one

Aug 29, 2011 | 02:18 PM

#77

Scrib

Administrator Alumnus

Joined: Oct 2001

Posts: 26,326

Likes: 131

From: Northwest IN

that fawking ribbon...

Aug 29, 2011 | 02:24 PM

#78

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

most of the time people didn't use the command bar or menu bar to interact with explorer so they won't really be missed.

Context menu and hotkey will still work the same

Aug 29, 2011 | 02:26 PM

#79

#1 STUNNA

Thread Starter

Sanest Florida Man

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 45,850

Likes: 11,669

From: Florida

actually hotkey will work more because all of the options on the ribbon are accessible via keyboard shortcuts by using the alt key just like it is in Office.