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Windows 8 is RTM

RabbieBurns

By RabbieBurns
in Windows 8

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RabbieBurns

RabbieBurns

Posted
Posted

Blogging Windows

 

Today, I am excited to announce that Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing (RTM)! This means we’ve completed the product development and testing of the product and have started handing off the final code to our OEM partners. They can now begin preparing new Windows 8 PCs and devices they’ll introduce starting with General Availability. For more on RTM, I suggest reading this blog post from Steven Sinofsky on the Building Windows 8 blog.
DrPerceptron

DrPerceptron

Posted
Posted
Metro isn't that bad, surely?

 

Bad... not really.

Pointless... definitely. There's so little that actually works for the interface it's practically pointless. The next office version isn't Metro based (just looks that way), the RSATs aren't Metro based, I've been using W8 as my desktop OS for quite a while now and the only Metro app I've used is the Remote Desktop app... and even then, I don't know why. I've used SkyDrive a few times as well, but tbh I was quite happy just using the website before the app.

Gatt

Gatt

Posted
Posted

Release Schedule:

August 15th: Developers will be able to download the final version of Windows 8 via your MSDN subscriptions.

August 15th: IT professionals testing Windows 8 in organizations will be able to access the final version of Windows 8 through your TechNet subscriptions.

August 16th: Customers with existing Microsoft Software Assurance for Windows will be able to download Windows 8 Enterprise edition through the Volume License Service Center (VLSC), allowing you to test, pilot and begin adopting Windows 8 Enterprise within your organization.

August 16th: Microsoft Partner Network members will have access to Windows 8.

August 20th: Microsoft Action Pack Providers (MAPS) receive access to Windows 8.

September 1st: Volume License customers without Software Assurance will be able to purchase Windows 8 through Microsoft Volume License Resellers

 

 

 

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gshaw

gshaw

Posted
Posted (edited)

And here begins the biggest gamble MS have done in a long time, the whole future direction of the company looks to be placed on getting a chunk of the tablet market and the unified Metro UI.

 

Office 2013 is really bizarre at the moment, you'd expect it to have live tiles and run straight from Metro but nope it uses the standard icon tiles and runs via the Win32 desktop... very odd as an Outlook live tile would actually be a Metro feature that I'd actually find useful.

Edited by gshaw
localzuk

localzuk

Posted
Posted

Its not really a case of it being good or bad, or liking/disliking it. I just don't understand it, no matter how hard I try.

 

I understand Metro UI as a tablet interface. Kudos to MS for sorting this out, as Windows on tablet has always been a bit annoying.

 

But on the desktop, I just don't get it.

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localzuk

localzuk

Posted
Posted (edited)
Well if you don't like it, you can always downgrade to Windows 7. Windows 7's supported until 14th January 2020, so it's not going anywhere for a while!

 

I would suggest 'upgrade' to Windows 7... ;)

 

Btw. I'm not just being 'OMG new things! EVIL! Burn the witch! about this, I was one of the few people who ran Windows ME and actually thought it was a good OS. I also thought the change from OS 9 to OS X was a good one.

 

I just need proof that these changes will in some way make my life better.

Edited by localzuk
mrbios

mrbios

Posted
Posted
Looking forward to playing with it, haven't tried it since the developer preview. Going to go in to it with an open mind i think, though i can't see school computers changing from windows 7 for a couple of years (like vista i expect we'll skip windows 8 in school though)
Jamoire

Jamoire

Posted
Posted
I am keen to test metro on smartboards and cleavertouch machines. Has anyone done that please?

 

I tried it on a Smartboard and was a bit disappointed that it still worked as a mouse rather than a touch display, so the touch gestures etc didnt work. May work better with newer drivers later on I suppose.

Zoom7000

Zoom7000

Posted
Posted

I posted my main gripes with Metro in another thread. Here is that post:

 

I seem to be a little late joining the party, however, I just installed Windows 8 Release Preview on to a VM yesterday. I have to say, my fears for Metro on the desktop were just amplified to a whole new level. I just can't see how it can work in corporate environments. For reasons I won't go in to too much detail about, my school are still on XP/2003 and Office 2003. The plans to upgrade was put off as long as possible because most of the people were far too scared of the thought of Windows 7 and Office 2010 - Change, especially the ribbon. The school's argument for not upgrading was backed by the BSF being shelved etc etc. But now they are gonna have to upgrade and most of the staff here who are not so technically minded are bringing up the same fears of change again.

 

In using Metro properly for the first time yesterday, I actually had to do a Google search for how to quit an app using the mouse (without the need for Alt+F4 or simply hitting the Windows key). My favourite phrase here, to staff, is "Google is your friend" because more than 80% of the questions I get asked are simply answered by a quick Google search. Something that regular staff just don't do. If they can't see a Close (X) button at the top of the screen, they're gonna be completely lost. I've walked around school noticing that some users have their taskbars cluttered with 20+ windows, which they constantly flick between, SIMS, Word, Excel, IE, etc. Metro seems to take the productivity of multi tasking away from them. Sure, dragging a screen away using your fingers on a tablet may seem natural, but it doesn't feel right with a mouse.

 

Another thing that is going to confuse end users is Metro and non Metro apps. You go to the Start screen and you get a nice big button for IE10 Metro, which is gonna completely baffle them when they can't find the address bar! (Right Click btw - Again, another Google Search!) but then, when you go to the desktop and then click the shortcut on the taskbar for IE, you get non-Metro IE10. I don't know if Microsoft are thinking this is the answer to the corporate complaints, by giving users a half hearted attempt at a non Metro interface, but I can just see it causing mass confusion. I presume it'll be the same for Office 15 when it does arrive.

 

IMO, Microsoft are trying too hard to move to the Apple way of doing things. Apple are growing at an alarming rate in the consumer market, but they don't have anywhere near as big a base in the corporate market as Microsoft have. Sure, use Windows 8 to get up to speed with the consumer market, because, Metro does work, very well for tablets and touch devices. But I feel by forcing it on the desktop user, because I really can't see large corporate entities adopting touch devices en mass any time soon, they are alienating what has been their bread and butter for many years, the corporate/business/education market.

 

Just my opinions on the matter - Sorry for the mini rant :p

 

As already mentioned by many on this thread, I can see a lot of schools skipping Windows 8. We're due for our full migration from Vanilla XP/2003 to CC4 next September when the full managed service starts and I can see us still going with Windows 7. I will be very surprised if they choose to roll out Windows 8 though!

SYNACK

SYNACK

Posted
Posted
I also thought the change from OS 9 to OS X was a good one.

 

OS9 was the ME of the Apple World, duct taped together and a huge stack of APIs streatching back to the begining of time along with a stack of new ones that they were testing and eventually dropped. The first versions of OSX were the equivilent of Vista, lots of new stuff that they were trying out that wound up developers as it was all new and users as it was different. Apple had the advantage of writing their own drivers though so that did not have 'freinds' like intel dragging their OS through the mud for four strait years while they woke their developers and made them actually change their code.

Theblacksheep

Theblacksheep

Posted
Posted (edited)

There's a version of Windows 8 RTM Enterprise N kicking around that is genuine.

 

3 days pre-kms attempt then 30 days, enough to get you through till official downloads are available to us on the 15/16/17.

Edited by Theblacksheep
Gatt

Gatt

Posted
Posted
There's a version of Windows 8 RTM Enterprise N kicking around that is genuine.

 

3 days pre-kms attempt then 30 days, enough to get you through till official downloads are available to us on the 15/16/17.

 

Erm.. Isn't that technically known as the the "Release Preview" :p

Gatt

Gatt

Posted
Posted

Urgh - Was just trying to find the shutdown link in Windows 8 last night and accidentally clicked the Chrome tile... Only for Chrome to open as a new Metro App! Looks exactly the same as its desktop alter-ego though - which thankfully is still there!

 

Having tried it again this morning I discovered this behaviour when you click the Metro tile:

 

Chrome not running (Metro/Desktop) - Chrome Metro App

Chrome running as a Desktop app - Chrome Desktop App

 

At the moment I can find no way of changing this behaviour...

Gatt

Gatt

Posted
Posted
Yeah, yeah, that's what I meant :)

 

Just checking, though I was sure you were in no way trying to suggest an Edugeeker obtain a leaked bit of software :p

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