Windows 8 Windows 8 revealed

[itsme]

Oh gawd here we go again £££££££££££££££££££££££££s

 

[EvanDavis]

Microsoft reveals more Windows 8 beta changes



http://www.winrumors.com/microsoft-reveals-more-windows-8-beta-changes/

 

[muckshifter]

... this is me, trying out W8

!

 

[bootneck02]

After watching the two video's I will NOT be using Windows 8 thanks Mr Mucks, "life is too short" as one of the gentlemen said

 

[EvanDavis]

... this is me, trying out W8

!

I think if I did that to my dad I would be pickingup my teeth off the floor.

 

[bootneck02]

I think the trouble seems to be that Microsoft are tailoring the 8 for touch screen more than for normal PC use. I for one will never have a touch screen I like an old fashioned PC. I am not into what I would call gadgets, I don't even like laptops let alone smart phones, I have got a mobile phone and that is only because her indoors insists I have one with me when I go a wandering with the dogs in case of EMERGENCIES. BAH HUMBUG!!!!!

 

[EvanDavis]

I think the trouble seems to be that Microsoft are tailoring the 8 for touch screen more than for normal PC use. I for one will never have a touch screen I like an old fashioned PC. I am not into what I would call gadgets, I don't even like laptops let alone smart phones, I have got a mobile phone and that is only because her indoors insists I have one with me when I go a wandering with the dogs in case of EMERGENCIES. BAH HUMBUG!!!!!

I shall be sticking with Windows 7 till the wheels fall off it. I just don't see the need to have a touch screen, andtry as I may, I have not been able to get my head round W8 with a moose and keyboard.

 

[Abarbarian]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/...-increased-costs-and-consumer-confusion/20181

Windows 8 users who want out-of-the-box DVD playback capability will not only have to purchase the higher-priced Pro edition, but also the optional Media Center Pack. This is bad news for consumers because it means increased costs, more confusion, and the potential for more ‘crapware‘ to be installed on new PCs.

Microsoft says that the Media Center Pack will be available at “marginal costs“. However, in order to have the option to buy this feature, users will have to be running the higher-priced Pro edition, or upgrade to this edition. Currently, the difference in price between Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows 7 stands at around $100. I would expect the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro to be similar given that the difference in features between the two editions is broadly the same.

Gee I am so looking forward to Windows 8 especialy as Microsoft will almost certainly be offering this extra for 8 aswell.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/...s-99-to-remove-oem-crapware/20446?tag=nl.e539

Microsoft to charge customers $99 to remove OEM 'crapware'


Microsoft even offers up numbers to show how detrimental this OEM-installed crapware is to your system. Microsoft claims that Signature systems start up 39 percent faster, go into sleep mode 23 percent faster, and resume from sleep a whopping 51 percent faster compared to their crapware-ladened counterparts.

Did I say I was looking forward to Windows 8. Not to buy it as I could not afford such a wonderfull piece of software. No just looking forward to reading up on how the rich folks snjoy this cutting edge software.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I'm not defending Win 8 - I don't like it at all - but with every release of a new Microsoft OS there is always a flurry of news items like the one linked to above about Crapware. The author of that article asserts 'no wonder more people are moving to Mac Hardware'. You what? You gotta be kidding me, for all it's crapola, Microsfot still offer more value for money than Apple Mac.

Yes, Macs work well, they look nice and their software is intuitive but all this comes with a teeny drawback - compared to a MS OS and compatible software the Apple equivalent will cost you an arm and a leg.

He says people are switching to Apple hardware, at least Windows gives you a huge choice of hardware to run Redmund's finest on.

If MS really are only going to make DVD playback available on Pro editions and also charge for a media centre then I think they are going to lose a significant amount of custom. But I don't think it's likely, I suspect that may be a rumour or scare-mongering.

If it is true, the solution's simple - just install a media friendly distro of Linux such as Mint alongside Win 8, dual boot (it really is very easy to do) and you can watch all the movies and play all the music you like for gratis.

I for one will wait until the official release of Win 8 before passing comment, praising or condemming but going on the performance of the Beta of Win 8 I have installed I'll probably give it a wide berth.

 

[Abarbarian]

If MS really are only going to make DVD playback available on Pro editions and also charge for a media centre then I think they are going to lose a significant amount of custom. But I don't think it's likely, I suspect that may be a rumour or scare-mongering.

You know me flop's no scare-mongering here only 100% truth

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/...dows-media-center-available-in-windows-8.aspx

From Microsofts own mouth. (or as good as)

Windows Media Player will continue to be available in all editions, but without DVD playback support. For optical discs playback on new Windows 8 devices, we are going to rely on the many quality solutions on the market, which provide great experiences for both DVD and Blu-ray.

Windows 8 Pro is designed to help tech enthusiasts obtain a broader set of Windows 8 technologies. Acquiring either the Windows 8 Media Center Pack or the Windows 8 Pro Pack gives you Media Center, including DVD playback (in Media Center, not in Media Player), broadcast TV recording and playback (DBV-T/S, ISDB-S/T, DMBH, and ATSC), and VOB file playback. Pricing for these Packs, as well as retail versions of Windows 8, will be announced closer to the release date. To give you some indication of Media Center Pack pricing, it will be in line with marginal costs.

We are incredibly excited about the future of entertainment in Windows.

8 is certainly entertaining me

P.S. great idea about installing and using GNU/Linux as an alternative.

 

[floppybootstomp]

And of course as yet no Windows support for Bluray playback, Mr Ballmer having had his nose put out of joint by losing their Hi Res DVD format out to Sony's Bluray. Not that a victory for Sony is any cause for celebration but hell, you'd think Microsoft would stop acting like big kids and acknowledge Bluray won out and is now the accepted standard for quality video playback and therefore provide Bluray support in their media centre. But no, they get all petulant and make the public suffer.

There is third party Bluray playback software available of course, but at a price. Come to think of it, instead of paying for MS Media Centre within Win 8 (no Bluray playback) you may as well pay for something like Arcsoft Media Centre (has Bluray playback plus everything else).

I dunno if there's any open source Bluray playback software available for use within Linux or Windows, haven't looked, but there probably is.

As for Apple Mac, I have not a clue. All I know about Apple Mac software is what friends who own Macs tell me. Which is also why I don't know much about that stuff...

Lemme see, last time I counted I have three friends who own Macs: A shiny new up to date one; an ageing behometh that a friend keeps for video editing and an old Macbook. That's it, in my social circle.

 

[muckshifter]

on my last count, there was going to be ...

Windows 8 Home Premium for consumers.
Windows 8 Professional for business users.
Windows 8 Ultimate.
Windows 8 Enterprise Edition.
Windows 8 Professional Plus edition.
Windows 8 Enterprise Eval edition, presumably for evaluation purposes.
Windows 8 Home Basic.
The Windows 8 ARM edition is, obviously, the version for devices based on ARM processors.

Now you see why they call it Windows 8.

... the fact that there are multiple versions of Windows, doesn't really confuse people, not even the trolls who pretend it does. Home users buy Home Premium because that's the one pre-installed on the vast majority of retail PCs.

 

[EvanDavis]

Windows 8 versions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8#Editions

And

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/.../04/16/announcing-the-windows-8-editions.aspx

 

[floppybootstomp]

Welp, the Windows Blog link would seem to confirm if you want to play video and audio files you are going to have to install third party software.

Fortunately we have the likes of Winamp and Real Alt Player available for free.

Strange, innit? Just as some Linux Distros have thumbed their nose at media playback restrictions and included media playback capability, Microsoft take away a key function of their last three OS's and ask you to pay for the privilege on top of an already bloated price for Win 8.

Young Mr Flops says 'Get stuffed Microsoft' ner ner

 

[Abarbarian]

Welp, the Windows Blog link would seem to confirm if you want to play video and audio files you are going to have to install third party software.

Fortunately we have the likes of Winamp and Real Alt Player available for free.

Strange, innit? Just as some Linux Distros have thumbed their nose at media playback restrictions and included media playback capability, Microsoft take away a key function of their last three OS's and ask you to pay for the privilege on top of an already bloated price for Win 8.

Young Mr Flops says 'Get stuffed Microsoft' ner ner

You will be able to play audio and video files with the Windows Player in all variations of 8 but not DVD discs in all variations unless you pay for a MS or third party add-on.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Ok Mr Barbaric one, I stand corrected, s'probs MS bowing to pressure from the film companies who want a slice. Still not good though, it's not as if Microsoft are short of a few bob is it?

 

[EvanDavis]

Windows 8 Release Preview will be available for down load in the next few days

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/microsoft-windows-8-release-preview-to-land-in-early-june/75080

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dohollan/archive/2012/04/23/windows-8-release-preview-coming-june-2012.aspx

 

[EvanDavis]

Anybody here going to be getting Windows 8 coming this Friday ?

 

[floppybootstomp]

NO!

 

[V_R]

Nein.

In fact, never have i cared less about anything PC related as i do (or not as the case is) with Win 8....