Windows 8

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I don't think Valve is worried about competition, not from Microsoft at this point. I think he's attacking the fact that it's an OS that is exerting control over the platform where none is needed and the entire idea of a touch screen OS for hardware that doesn't use touch screens is a silly idea.

You still have yet to really spell out what the benefits of Windows 8 is. You say it's a great OS with plenty of benefits, but what are they? What is it about this OS that makes you excited? What features are you looking forward to?

[X]

I don't think Valve is worried about competition, not from Microsoft at this point. I think he's attacking the fact that it's an OS that is exerting control over the platform where none is needed and the entire idea of a touch screen OS for hardware that doesn't use touch screens is a silly idea.

You still have yet to really spell out what the benefits of Windows 8 is. You say it's a great OS with plenty of benefits, but what are they? What is it about this OS that makes you excited? What features are you looking forward to?

Okay, let's start with the interface. The tiles are easy to use and you don't need touch. You just click the app that you want. You can also still pin things to the desktop with no issue. Drivers load really fast for new devices. It's linked to my Live id and when I log on I also log into live and can sync the info from my computer to my laptop, ect.

From a visual standpoint. I see the benefits of the tiles. It has nothing to do with just being touch, but a quick visual display of what you have. Since you can customize the tiles, you can have everything that you want to use often, right there when the system boots up. It's not mind blowing, but it is easy to use.

The OS is designed to work easy with a mouse or a touch, but clicking something does seem out of place at all.

All in all, it's a very streamlined interface that doesn't dismiss the mouse in favor of the touch, it works for both.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I don't think Valve is worried about competition, not from Microsoft at this point. I think he's attacking the fact that it's an OS that is exerting control over the platform where none is needed and the entire idea of a touch screen OS for hardware that doesn't use touch screens is a silly idea.

You still have yet to really spell out what the benefits of Windows 8 is. You say it's a great OS with plenty of benefits, but what are they? What is it about this OS that makes you excited? What features are you looking forward to?

Okay, let's start with the interface. The tiles are easy to use and you don't need touch. You just click the app that you want. You can also still pin things to the desktop with no issue. Drivers load really fast for new devices. It's linked to my Live id and when I log on I also log into live and can sync the info from my computer to my laptop, ect.

From a visual standpoint. I see the benefits of the tiles. It has nothing to do with just being touch, but a quick visual display of what you have. Since you can customize the tiles, you can have everything that you want to use often, right there when the system boots up. It's not mind blowing, but it is easy to use.

The OS is designed to work easy with a mouse or a touch, but clicking something does seem out of place at all.

All in all, it's a very streamlined interface that doesn't dismiss the mouse in favor of the touch, it works for both.

Ok, fair enough. I see what your saying.

I still disagree that the UI is a good idea. (Probably just going to have to agree to disagree on this) Its designing a touch interface for a hardware platform that doesn't use it. I am of the opinion that you design the software around the hardware. That's why we don't see Mac OSX on an iPad. Maybe laptops will use the touch interface and obviously Tablets/Phones will for the forseeable future, but I just don't see myself, reaching out to my screen to do something at my PC. And its not that mouse and keyboard won't work, we've seen in Mac OSX that a touch-centric desktop works just fine, but it feels like a step backwards in usability on Mac OSX and I'm not seeing it any better with 8. Idk, time will tell ultimately. Just my 2 cents I suppose.

[Rico]

For long time PC and Windows users, Win 8 is a step back.  We know how to use Windows and Windows 7 works very well.  For someone maybe brand new to using a PC I can see the benefits of tiles and the new interface.  But I don't need it.

[billybob476]

Though I guess you can't fault Microsoft for trying something new and trying to push things forward (even if some of us see it as a step back).

[Rico]

Though I guess you can't fault Microsoft for trying something new and trying to push things forward (even if some of us see it as a step back).

Actually, yes I can.  If you look at the established user base of Windows/PC users vs. a brand new person coming into using a Windows based PC it is pretty clear to me that most people seem to be doing just fine with the current edition of Windows (or even several editions back).  If my mother-in-law can handle using a Windows PC right now just about anyone can.  Perhaps by launch for Win 8 it will be easier to get the OS to give you a more "typical" Windows system for those of us that want it.  For now, I only see drawbacks by upgrading for my use and I really think this launch is not going to go well for MS.  I have anxiously bought and used each new version of Windows when they came out (even Millennium) - but not this time.

[X]

I think we all just have different takes on it. The only really obvious major difference that I've noticed is that there is no start button. It basically has been replaced by the tiles and pretty much serve the exact same function except that you don't have to click start, go into the file you want for the program you want and then click the program. It's already there on the screen, ready to click. At the very worse, you have to scroll left or right to get the program you want.

The desktop is still there and you can set up it exactly how it was, save for the start button. Hit the start button on your keyboard and you get the tiles.

touch or drag the mouse to the side of the screen and you can access all of the setting for your computer.

Everything else is still there and working as far as I can tell, but it is a lot faster getting to that stuff.

Learning curve isn't that hard, but the benefits for me far outweigh the few minutes it took to learn the system and start customizing my tiles.

[Dangelus]

And now 3rd party developers have reassurected the start button!

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

[KingIsaacLinksr]

And now 3rd party developers have reassurected the start button!

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

I think the fact that someone even bothered means Microsoft might as well just re-add it back. Why was it even removed in the first place?

[Dangelus]

Because it has been replaced by the Metro start tiles. All your apps are displayed there. The desktop is just a legacy for desktop apps as far as Microsoft are concerned.

You can't even boot into the desktop (at least without some hacks) or into desktop apps.

Like I've said before I've no need to upgrade right now but I'm really interested in how it goes down with the public after October 26th.

[ricdude]

Possible Steam strategy:

1) Port to Linux
2) Convince a few top-name game houses to port to Linux
3) Release a "Steam Console Linux" distribution
4) Wait for other game houses to follow (snowball effect, tipping point, etc.)
5)
6) Profit!

[WillEagle]

I'll be selling this at work so I hope I sell alot, but I don't want to upgrade. That might not be a good selling tool to use. 

[turtlesrock]

because it's funny:

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Notch (creator of Minecraft) weighs in and says that Windows 8 will make or break Indie Developers. His fear is that Microsoft will lock down Windows 8 with its Apple-like App Store and kill off the Indie scene.

Blizzard also weighed in, stating that Windows 8 "is not awesome" for the company either.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118846-Notch-Windows-8-Could-Be-Very-Very-Bad-for-Indies?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news

[Dangelus]

These industry comments are really there to stir the pot. Think about it.
 On the one hand many are saying Windows 8 is a bad idea that won't take off. If that's the case Windows 7 will retain market share and developers and software houses will have no problem. If Windows 8 succeeds it will be a huge boost to indies especially.

It's funny that Apple have been applauded for increasing the profile of indie developers but when Microsoft adopt a similar model they get the negative response.