[Grizzly]

Also, I'd like to recommend this in-depth Windows 8 review/walkthrough.  It's the best one I've come across so far: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/windows-8-review,3334.html

Hmm.

I'm quite skeptical on using Win8 if even someone who generally likes it still suggests I read a 20 page article on how to use my 6th iteration of Windows. I really shouldn't have to study how to use Windows at this point.

The thing is, the only thing that is really different is that there's a whole new "METRO UI", which is basically like getting used to the UI of any new program/Phonething/Linux distro --- Which is completely optional. You can just use the start menu and the desktop, the only difference is that the start menu is now a fullscreen thing, and is MUCH, MUCH easier to navigate IMO (it basically is like the desktop).

In fact, untill you use programs that actively use the metro UI (which is rather neat by the way, as it is basically like having the "F11 fullscreen" mode you ahve in some browsers and readers, but then on all the time and having a universal way of browsing trough them) - Windows 8 is a very marginal difference over Windows 7. Over that, it's not even worth upgrading. Basically: What "The E" said.

As for learning to navigate the Metro UI - it's not that hard. Just move your mouse to the top corners of the screen, and watch how stuff appears.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

Hypothetically, if this UI catches on, and more and more laptops/desktop are gonna feature touchscreens - I wonder what Apple would do? If it turns out that the customer likes this newfangled touch thing, would Apple follow suit, or would they stick to the good old desktop?

FSF, perhaps increase mouse sensitivity?  I like mine so I can get diagonally across the screen just using my thumb and fingers, keeping my hand stationary.  Takes getting used to but well worth it.

Let me reiterate: NOT. USING. IT. I'm perfectly happy with my Ubuntus, and I still have a W7 install that does everything I really need Windows for.

[m]

Even reading the more positive reviews, I can't see how this could possibly be a good thing for 'power users'.

It wouldn't be a "good thing" or a "bad thing," really... just an adjustment.  There's a few niceties like extra detail in the Task Manager and such, but I don't think there's any huge gains or losses in functionality.  Unless you're talking about Windows RT.  Not quite sure what MS was thinking with that one.  If anything, maybe they should have released the full version first, let the app base grow, then release RT later so that they had more than a threadbare app selection.

I'm quite skeptical on using Win8 if even someone who generally likes it still suggests I read a 20 page article on how to use my 6th iteration of Windows. I really shouldn't have to study how to use Windows at this point.

I'm not suggesting that you'll have to read all 20 pages in order to use Windows 8.  That would be truly awful.  It's just a very thorough review that should be able to answer a lot of FAQs.

[TwentyPercentCooler]

The more I use Windows 8, the less I dislike the random changes. It's certainly almost worth it for the under-the-hood improvements alone. My testbed laptop, running on a truly pitiful dual core 2.0 GHz CPU, 3 gigs of RAM, a typical 5400RPM HDD, and integrated graphics, goes from power-on to desktop in 15-16 seconds, including the couple of seconds spent on the BIOS screen. I was pretty damned impressed by that little detail.

One thing I'll say about it: learn your keyboard shortcuts and you'll be absolutely fine.

[Luis Dias]

Gimme an example of a keyboard shortcut.

(Apart from the classic ones that is, alt-d, alt-e, alt-tab and so on).

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Heh...here I am all the way back on XP, I still haven't managed to upgrade the family machine from Vista to 7, and now apparently 8 is an utter cluster****.  Fun fun.

7 is good. My sister and I found it very usable (we skipped Vista because we don't upgrade often and I recommended 7 because I had a bad feeling about 8). Stick to 7 if you want something that has the feel of Windows XP.

They've gone nuts with the advertising here in Singapore. A (terrible) Windows 8 Television commercial and Windows 8 stickers on the upper windshield of double-decker buses may not seem like a lot, but it's the most visible mass advertising for any desktop OS ever seen here.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

They've gone nuts with the advertising here in Singapore. A (terrible) Windows 8 Television commercial and Windows 8 stickers on the upper windshield of double-decker buses may not seem like a lot, but it's the most visible mass advertising for any desktop OS ever seen here.

Hey, I saw that commercial in the cinema the other day (Germany). Funny how they advertise screw-multitasking W8 with the slogan "Everything at once" The entire city has been plastered with W8 posters, too.

[TwentyPercentCooler]

Gimme an example of a keyboard shortcut.

(Apart from the classic ones that is, alt-d, alt-e, alt-tab and so on).

Mostly, I mean the Windows key shortcuts, like Win+E for explorer, etc.

[Mikes]

Gimme an example of a keyboard shortcut.

(Apart from the classic ones that is, alt-d, alt-e, alt-tab and so on).

Mostly, I mean the Windows key shortcuts, like Win+E for explorer, etc.

I hate it because it's unfamiliar!

[Luis Dias]

^ Yeah that was what I meant. Win+E, Win+D, Win+tab (LOL), Win+U, Win+M and so on.

[BloodEagle]

Even reading the more positive reviews, I can't see how this could possibly be a good thing for 'power users'.

It wouldn't be a "good thing" or a "bad thing," really... just an adjustment.  There's a few niceties like extra detail in the Task Manager and such, but I don't think there's any huge gains or losses in functionality.

Didn't someone a page ago mention that you can't use more than two windows / scale them anymore?  That's a pretty serious design change that will hurt productivity in A LOT of fields.

[LHN91]

Even reading the more positive reviews, I can't see how this could possibly be a good thing for 'power users'.

It wouldn't be a "good thing" or a "bad thing," really... just an adjustment.  There's a few niceties like extra detail in the Task Manager and such, but I don't think there's any huge gains or losses in functionality.

Didn't someone a page ago mention that you can't use more than two windows / scale them anymore?  That's a pretty serious design change that will hurt productivity in A LOT of fields.

Only in the Metro/Modern interface. On the desktop you still have the same Windows 7 style management abilities.

[Luis Dias]

It's just soooo confusing....

[LHN91]

It's really not that confusing once you get a bit more of the workflow figured out. I have no real issue jumping back and forth between Windows 7 and 8, as my desktop and laptop are both 8 machines and my HTPC, the girlfriends computer, and my spare test/dev/cart-to-parent's-place tower are all running 7. Most of the critical settings and such are in the same places once you get past the slightly different abstraction layer to get to them, and the quick menu when right clicking on the bottom left is mighty handy. As is the improved task manager, integrated AV and integrated ISO and VHD mounting. Just nice little add-ons that I find myself missing a bit on fresh installs of Win 7.

Nothing I've thrown at it has been difficult to make functional, with the exception of a remarkable amount of difficulty getting the Android ADB and SDKs working. At worst, I've had to do a compatibility mode install of the drivers for my Radeon 4870 that got bumped into the home theatre, as the Windows 7 drivers and CCC work fine, but won't install in Win 8 without the compatibility mode set.

In short, not as huge of an immediate usability jump as from, say a fresh install of XP to a fresh install of 7; but still a nice upgrade if you aren't paying full price for it.

(Notice I'm comparing fresh installs here. I reinstall often as a reason excuse to organize and consolidate files every 6 months or so, and I notice the difference in setup time getting to the same level of usability)

[The E]

In interesting news, Steven Sinofsky has left Microsoft. Why is this important, you ask? Simple. Windows 8 and The-UI-formally-known-as-Metro were Sinofsky's babies. He was also considered one of the most accomplished project leads MS had; It was his direction that salvaged 7 from the disaster that was Vista. Going to be interesting to see what'll happen next.

[Luis Dias]

He was "fired" because he was a jerk. And apparently he was deemed as the "next CEO". Come on MS, really? Even in this issue you *had* to run your photocopiers?

Anyway, the problem apparently was that he was a jerk to other teams, and wasn't paying attention to "cross-platforms", which is ridiculous in this day and age of windows phone 8 and XBox. There's a huge potential being completely forgotten there. There's aledgedly lots of (quiet) hurrahs in Redmont now.