Windows 8 Consumer Preview

[AYHJA]

Wow...

So, this came out a little while ago and I'm just now getting my copy installed..? Yes, I have slipped quite a bit..!

At any rate, this is a pretty dramatic gui change...I do not know all of the details, but this seems like its build for touch screens, clouds, etc...I am still figuring my way around it, but it seems VERY nice, VERY smooth so far...I like it...

I don't know how long the preview lasts, but I suggest that if you have an able PC, you mosey on over to get yourself a copy and see what you think...And I didn't do a full format, I just did the upgrade...Running it live, and not in a VM...

[5829]

I haven't read much about it, but I think that it was designed for touch screens and is supposed to have a tablet/smart phone look/interface. I think that I head that they were supposed to get rid of the Start button.
Do you know when the release date is?

[AYHJA]

Nope, not for the final, just the version that I have now...And I can definitely see how it was designed for touchscreens, which is awesome IMO...It's still pretty desktop friendly though...No more start button, and I'm itching to have a frequent programs menu, but that may be a feature I'm overlooking...

[jdog]

I downloaded Windows 7 the moment it became Beta. Purchased Windows 7 Home Premium to upgrade from Vista the day it came out.

Windows 8? Don't really care about it. I tried Windows 8 Developer Preview and was turned off. I don't game anymore so I have no real need to upgrade from Windows 7 at all.

[5829]

Installed the consumer preview on my laptop. Runs pretty quick and found all the drivers except for the card reader. I am still trying to figure out how to navigate. Have not found a built in tutorial.

Does anyone know of a good tutorial for Windows 8?

Any suggestions for settings that I should change?

[AYHJA]

The only things that I can think of are related to development projects, namely for Android...Those are the only issues that I've found so far, those that have to do with driver signatures and what not...If you have a driver that doesn't work, but worked in Windows 7, that's likely the culprit...

As far as settings goes, the only thing that I changed was Windows creating thumbs.db files, a PITA because they often prevent you from working with folders that have media in them right away...

You can find a variety of functions by right clicking on the start menu icon when you go to the bottom left hand corner of your screen...That's a pretty cool tip...

[5829]

Now that the consumer preview has expired, does anyone know of a way of extending the life? Those messages and reboots are annoying.

[AYHJA]

I was able to buy my copy of 8 pro for $15...That's the best way to go if you ask me..!

[5829]

How do you get a copy for only $15?

[AYHJA]

They have a promotion, that if you bought a Windows 7 PC last year, you could get it for that price...I think I remember you saying that you'd gotten a new Gateway desktop in October of last year that had Windows 7, right..? ;) Act fast, offer runs out soon...