Discussion on:

Windows 8: Four big takeaways for business and IT

No it isn't, it's just tucked away and hidden better. Now we will refer to "file" and "folder" as Microsoft wishes us to, such as "tile". No, I don't care for Macs and I use Windows PCs, but this is a misconception....

So much is true. But is this any good? What is the reason for this? I personally cannot answer the first question and have no response for the second one. One thing is sure: the first look and feel of Windows 8 is quite different, without any obvious benefits or advantages to justify this difference.

Microsoft has just Taken their OS and stripped out all the good things just to make it work on Phones, Tablets and PC. At this rate I'll never move to windows 8. Hope MS changes it direction with 9 As for it being more security... Ha, I've heard that before, and they still hape problems.

Many companies have Office licenses for their employees ... but per the faq, until your company has licensed Office 2013, you're not covered for business use of Office RT.

Not that anyone will pay attention, and MS will no doubt wink at it.

Should also be clear that macros, add-ins, InfoPath forms, and 3rd party apps built on Office won't work with the RT version.

moment you buy the device with the software preloaded you can legally use it whatever way you like. They would NOT win a case in court if a business didn't buy a commercial licence for Office 2013 - anyway, MS maintain the version of Office on the RT is NOT the full one, so why would you want it for business.

I think it's time to see if you will stick to windows or check if a linux flavour is more your style. I'll guess we'll see a revival of terminal servers/citrix and other emulators to keep old apps (you know: prrrrogrammmms) running.

I have to wonder if anything will be done. The following was noted in the post:

http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-352310

... where I witnessed very interesting conversation. The topic was Windows 8 application design for developers. Lecturer described grid, fonts, margins etc into great detail, and then she went on to menus, navigation, and so on. During this, she was interrupted by somehow irritated question from the public:

"Hey, what about data entry?"

Answer: "Windows 8 apps are not meant for data entry. They are meant to be used anytime, anywhere, in any situation, for information consumption, not production. You know, browsing shopping catalogues, news, and such."

Question: "But what about business applications?"

Answer: "They belong to desktop, not to Windows 8 app store. Business apps deal with tens of thousands of items or more. There is now way Windows 8 app UI could handle this. As a matter of fact, I can't even imagine things like Photoshop running under Win 8."

Q: "B-b-b-but grumble grumble!?"

A: "Consider this. What would you prefer do develop
- a business application only a couple of companies are interested in
- an application for App Store with at least half a billion of potential customers?"

..................

That makes it clear MS see Win 8 as a purely retail consumer use product only, not an enterprise capable one.

I wonder if we'll now see two variants - odd numbers of Windows releases for consumer users and even numbers for enterprise users - - that would make a lot more sense and tie in better with the corporate roll over to a new OS pattern.

The main bugbear for me is that in Metro interface, Windows 8 'has no windows'.

It's a pretty fundamental point.

Straight Windows 8 has both the new touch interface and the familiar Windows 7 desktop. Only if you buy the RT only version will you lose the old interface.

So the learning curve is not steep to run Windows 7 apps, yes you have a different looking start menu, but after you are in the desktop it's the same.

For RT and the metro/modern interface, yes there is something to learn, but that is only to swipe in from the edges. The right side for system stuff, the top or bottom for app functions and the left to go back. Sorry, that wasn't that steep either.

Let's face it though the new interface will not be much use to business in the short term so few should be buying RT only tablets right now. It won't replace your desktop and you'll be frustrated by the lack of full functionality - even in the web browser. Fortunately in full Windows 8 all the functionality you know and love is still there.

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Use the "Metro" UI for tablets, phones, etc but keep the old windowing system as per Windows 7 INCLUDING THE START BUTTON & MENUS, PLEASE as is on Windows 7 for enterprise and legacy's sake - Simples!
It would be easy to implement as underneath, the system is NT 6.
Trouble is, the goons at Microsoft cannot see this simple solution.

What you may not understand yet is that the Metro interface IS the start menu. They took what was formerly BURIED beneath the start menu and lifted it to be your primary interface. Thats why when you swipe the right side of the screen and press the START icon it takes you to the Metro interface.

If you want quick access to the administrative functions that used to be available on the start menu, you need not look any further than pressing the WINDOWS+X key combination.

But I couldn't reach the monitor.

And why should I be happy that what used to be available at the touch of the Win key now requires that I press the X key in addition? How is moving from one keystroke to two keystrokes "easier"?

Not everybody has a mobile device. Not everybody wants a mobile device. And nobody who works in a text- or data-based environment (and there are many-many of us) is going to try to do actual work on a mobile device...more than once.

nt

to get to the start button, left click in the lower left corner where the start button used to be.
to get to administrator functions, hover on the start screen thumbnail (where the start button used to be) in the lower left corner where the start menu used to be and right click it.

No extra keys required. No swipe required.

Desktop mode in Windows 8 is the old Windowing system. Only the start menu is bigger, what's the big deal?

and it provides NO benefit over the current Win 7 start except on a small touch screen device.

That's a different problem. If you don't like the colour you can change it, and the pattern. The desktop does have some advantages over Win7, the whole thing is smaller and quicker to install and it starts a lot faster than Win 7 too. There are many small improvements like the copy files dialog, better parental controls, etc. For me it's worth the price of an upgrade even if I never used the Modern UI stuff.

of a finger nail without blowing out the resolution to something ridiculous - not even the local Microsoft support people can answer that one and have it open that way each time.

My client has given up and had the trial copy removed from his system. I'm glad I use Zorin OS Linux at home, so I don't have to put up with Win 8, and I get faster operation with better features.

I put Zorin on a VM (VirtualBox) and encountered a lot of bugs right off the start.
Things like, only the default "Theme" works, switch to any other and odd boxes and stuff appear.
The site shows more options for the desktop switcher, but you only get XP and Windows 7.

I locked it up repeatedly trying to install the VB6 runtimes into Wine.

Also other strange stuff like taskbar items not showing up, and I couldn't find the taskill program so I couldn't figure out how to kill a non responsive program (wine program).


I only suspect the VM software cause when I tried the latest Mint, it wouldn't even show my mouse on screen, I had to use keyboard shortcuts.

my son has used it in his system without any issues, but neither has run it in a VM, only as a Live CD or an install. He has an i7 system and I've used a number of i5 and P4 systems.

Depending on what you're running it on, it could be the VM or the base software - Linux uses Industry Standard command sets, while Windows does not, so not sure how well the VM software will handle that type of low level hardware hand off as I don't use VMs too often.

Neither Zorin nor Mint will run well in VirtualBox. Even with 2GB RAM assigned, they're slow. I get a faster response from my old P2, and it's running WinXP with only 256MB.

Press Win+I (or go to Settings) and click Tiles, turn 'Show more Tiles' on. Of course you can zoom out on the start screen at any time, it's as easy as holding Ctrl and moving you mouse wheel.
More Windows 8 tips here:
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/Windows8ProductivityWhoMovedMyCheeseOhThereItIs.aspx

hasn't happened on any of the trial systems, you need about forty or so tiles before they shrink much

Lets See what better things it has got along with that!!!

Thank you. That's all I've been saying.

nt

situation, as that's the only reason I can think of why they down voted me for saying you don't want a steep learning curve in a business environment. I just hope that person doesn't run a business using other people's money as they would cost them a fortune.

my 5 yr old works in Windows 8 all the time and loves it. After I removed the RP, he was upset because he likes it better. Is there a learning curve? Yes. Is it steep? No. I think that as tech support people, we sometimes get irritated with users and over time think of them as stupid.

If you have a 60yr old who can barely turn on the computer, then, yes, they will probably have a hard time with it. However, 60-70% at least will complain but then will be using the program in no time at all.

Some of these people, I am supprised they wake up in the morning and remember how to breath.
http://trevorsarchives.homenet.org/temp/Y94PlayhouseDeerCrossingSigns122.mp3

so why are you surprised?

doesn't have 20 years of ingrained Windows habits, practices, and baggage. It's oeasier to learn from scratch than to unlearn previous behaviors.

Proposals, Tenders or Networks does your 5 year Old set up?

Pushing buttons/tiles isn't using the OS it's Playing with it.

Col

The learning curve at work was greater when going from no computer to one computer than Windows 7 to Windows 8.
just saying

How about "Windows Consumer" and "Windows for Business." By using those names, it delineates the products as well as highlighting the fact that the iPad is trying to have it both ways.

...Are already taken. W. C. Fields and Warner Brothers. Yes, this is a comedy cartoon (minus the cartoon graphics) in the making.

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meets the needs of one, so they should have two products with two names - like they used to with Windows Home and Windows Pro

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Is everyone forgetting that the majority of businesses do not adopt a new OS very quickly. The metro OS UI is for phones and tablets. I might be old school, but for a desk top I don't want to touch my screen. I don't really want to clean my monitor every day! I am not sure I like it on tablets that much, but at least they are smaller, portable and thus easier to clean (less time). Least we forget; time is money! Especially in the business world. Surface will only take off in businesses when the Pro version is released, people need to log into the domain. Phones and tablets with RT will be used to surf the web, take notes, communicate (voice, vidieo, and e-mail/messaging) and thus don't need to be on the domain. Unfortunately, businesses will most likely take this opportunity to promote BYOD more and thus the employee will have more out of pocket expenses to do the job! I digress, as some of that is not Windows 8 related, but will be influenced by it.

Does anyone know about any changes to CMD? I mean this is just a painful experience when working with windows.