If you haven’t already, please read part one before going any further. This part will have a more personal touch. In the first half of his review, I pointed out some of the shortcomings that Windows 8 still has. Today’s look will highlight some of the many improvements. For this, a leap of faith is a prerequisite. Change always demands that we let go of conventions so that we can objectively assess the new.
After using the final version of Windows 8 for a day now, it’s easy to disagree with the mixed reviews around the net: Modern UI is not a failure, regardless of your setup. It works just as well with keyboard and mouse as it would on a touch screen. Me, I personally use the mouse just to select files or click on menu items. For the rest, there are keyboard shortcuts, which begin with the Windows key.
People seem to forget there’s a Windows key. It would eliminate the problems users now have with the missing Start menu.
So here is a little reminder for everybody:
- Windows key: opens the Start screen. Just like in Windows 7, you can start typing to search for an app.
- Win + D:closes all windows to reveal the desktop.
- Win + C:opens the new Charms menu, where you can search, share, and change settings.
- Win + I:opens the Settings panel, where you can change settings for the current app, change volume, wireless networks, shut down, or adjust the brightness.
- Win + H:opens the Share panel.
- Win + Q:brings up the Search screen.
- Win + W:brings up the Settings search.
- Win + F: brings up the File search.
Just because it worked great for me doesn’t mean you’ll have a similarly positive experience. Not every computer is equipped with an SSD, so the actual installation maybe extends beyond 10 minutes. All in all, though, Windows 8 should be faster on the same machine that ran Windows 7 smoothly. Don’t take my word for granted; it simply served the purpose to illustrate how well Windows 8 runs on my three-year-old machine.
One feature that I cannot test, unfortunately, is Windows To Go. It’s pretty similar to a Linux Live CD, in principle. However, this is not just a simulation of Windows 8, but rather a fully functional Windows partition. It’ll adapt to any computer, and load directly from a USB stick. According to some reviews online, it works very well and is seamless to the experience, but this feature is only available in Windows 8 Enterprise. For those interested in testing that particular feature, you can download a 90-day trial edition of Windows 8 Enterprise.
Right now one of the biggest mysteries is how the puzzle will fit together. A new SkyDrive, Outlook email service, and Modern UI elements everywhere are already in place. However, one big question mark remains: the apps in the Windows Store. Will there be enough? From now until October 26th, developers will have the time to assess Windows 8 and, it is hoped, start filling the store with meaningful apps.
The SkyDrive Modern app looks identical to the newly updated website. It’s easy to navigate. In fact, there’s a lot of polish when using the preinstalled apps. Sometimes there’s a bit of a disconnect between Modern UI and the traditional desktop, but it’s only a matter of breaking habits.
Many of the games are fun and visually appealing. On a Windows 8 tablet I can imagine them to be great fun, even for more than one player. Other, more practical apps, like the iCookbook app, could also prove to be very useful on a tablet. I can imagine having this app open while cooking dinner. Visually, it lends itself beautifully to multi-touch. Also, don’t worry about resource hogging. I found it much better to just leave your most-used Modern apps open. When you switch to the desktop mode, they go into a sleep mode; as soon as you switch back, your apps are waiting.
Conclusion
To be honest, I see no reason why the general public should not upgrade to Windows 8 — especially if they can buy it for $39.99. In an enterprise environment, it’s a different matter. However, if people simply let go of previous conventions, then daily computing routines will be greatly simplified.
Am I biased? I have used every consumer version Since Windows 3.11, including the great Windows 2000. I dare to claim this is the best version of Windows as of yet, but only if you’re able to try something new. If you’re already stubborn about not liking the new Modern UI, well, then you’re limiting yourself. Yet I’m not saying that Windows 7 is archaic. On the contrary, I believe that Windows 7 will become the new XP. I just pray that people don’t refuse to upgrade for silly reasons, like not warming to the new interface design.
If you don’t like the “Metro” look and feel, then don’t use that part. It’s that simple to still enjoy all other improvements Windows 8 brings with it. Human beings are able to adapt to almost anything, so I predict that in less than a year, no one will ever be complaining about the missing Start button, or tile-based Start screen. Windows XP also looked like a product from Fisher Price, yet it became the most dominant OS for a whole decade.
In two months, Windows 8 goes on sale for the whole world. The Windows RT Surface will appear, alongside a whole array of Windows-based tablets. This Christmas season users will have the first serious choice between an iPad and a competing device. Let the users choose, because they decide the market, too. However, I hope that Microsoft continues on its new journey; everybody benefits from it.
Image sources: The Verge and Microsoft
I am very pleased to hear that Windows 8 is not another disappointment like Vista. I’ll definitely upgrade!
‘ I believe that Windows 7 will become the new XP’
I agree 100% with your assessment.
Also some great news about my system. It was my hard disk that was the slow boot problem. I popped in a new hard drive, re installed Windows 8 RTM and bingo! W8 is running like a champ. I m very pleased with the performance.
You didn’t defrag in a while?
That’s to hear that you can see how fast it is. What was wrong with the other hard drive?
I played around with the Release Preview for several weeks. I didn’t have a problem with the Modern UI but, for a desktop environment, I didn’t find the value to me of the other incremental improvements in Win8 to justify the cost and bother to upgrade from Win7 – especially considering I would have to give up some features I like.
Windows 8 takes some getting used to, but ultimately its success will be determined by the general public. Let’s hope Windows 9 will be a bit less rough around the edges.
My biggest reservations on Windows 8 is the inability to use programs i paid for that currently run on Windows 7 I have heard various different explanations some saying games will not work in Windows 8 until updated by the devs other say they work fine in the desktop mode. Once I can ensure that I can use all the software i paid for (games and applications) then I will happily make the switch.
Every single program I have, which ran under win 7, is running without any problems on Win 8.
I agree with the other reply to your post. I’ve had NO problems running ANY of my software or programs inside Windows 8. Even if you do come across a few that don’t, I’m sure the developers behind them will quickly make them available. Developers do not want to cut their programs off to a whole platform.
this is good news, like I said i heard mixed reviews taking both sides of the argument. I have no issues learning the new experience its the programs I would hinge this on. Maybe I will try it out after backing up my win 7 install in case i need to revert. But hearing that your guys programs work without issue on the RTM is a huge relieve to me.
Windows 8 is ready for the world, but I still don’t think most of the world is ready for Windows 8. It’s not that people couldn’t use new software, just that Microsoft hedged its bets with a bifurcated UX. Windows 8 doesn’t know what it wants to be when it grows up – or, it knows what it wants to be in the future and still thinks it can cling to the past.
It not the I hate the modern UI as much as Microsoft FORCING it down our throats that rubs most the wrong way.
Skydrive was mentioned. Can someone who has used Skydrive please tell me if the entire Skydrive can efficiently be copied back to a local hard drive, or must this copy be done one folder/file at a time ?
Because if Skydrive is a truly a backup, then it should be able to allow recovery of the entire files/folder upload if the same files are lost locally
I use Skydrive as backup. It basically synchronizes everything you have the in designated “Skydrive” folder to the cloud, and vice versa. You can’t make a full system backup, and save it in Skydrive.
As soon as you install the Skydrive program, after formatting a computer, everything you have saved in the cloud will be automatically downloaded to your hard drive.
Thank you. So for an average computer user who has 100GB of work and home related documents and data, with an average internet connection – how long does this ‘synching’ take for files to be synced from the Skydrive folder in the cloud to your newly formatted local drive ? Oops, Im guessing you cant have 100GB on the cloud without paying
Well it all depends on your upload spead. Yet anything below a 3 mbit upstream is a little unrealistic for that much data. At 3 mbit it would still take about 1 week of nonstop uploading. So the first time it will take quite a long time, unless you have fiber.
Skydrive is actually the cheapest provider for more storage. 100 GB cost you $50/year, which more than reasonable.
I LOVE Windows 8 and can’t wait to upgrade from Release Preview in October. Windows 7 was slow and sluggish but they’ve totally re-written Windows in order to be a super fast booting fast…speedy…fast machine. As was mentioned in these posts, it really is up to the Windows developers to really have a go at filling the app store with some great and useful apps! I’m at least hoping for official Facebook and Twitter apps. I know there’s a few third party Twitter apps but they all seem to be missing one or two features. I also agree that anyone simply turning their nose up at Windows 8 for its looks are ignorant and are living in the past. Forget Windows 7 – join us on the Windows 8 side of life. The grass is greener here.
Tweetro is great for Twitter. But the FB apps are still shit IMO
I would love to see Windows 8 succeed, if not for the new code which provides a much cleaner and speedier experience but purely for progression. People are endlessly moaning about how their computers never work but they also never do anything to change it. If everyone (Consumers at least) that currently use 2000, XP, Vista or 7 move to Windows 8 then I could see the entire PC ‘community’ being more enthusiastic, for having a great user experience and a lot less people will be moaning about their PC’s.
I haven’t heard if Windows 8 supports virtual machines like Windows 7 does. Is that feature available? Anybody know or have tried it?
ubuntu had the same problem of braking habits when they switched the default gui to unity
I don’t like Windows 8′s interface because I can’t deal with change. That is the most redicilous prospect ever even as I am in fact very prone to great new idea’s and curious to new software. The fact that I use both Windows and Linux (with the not very much praised unity interface!) and had no issues with Win7′s interface changes is a testament to that. But thats the problem. Forcing a tablet interface onto me is not a great idea. There should always be a way out. The thing about the way something works is that you can either love it, or hate it.
Changes should for all intents and purposes be tried, but why in the name of all that is holy can’t I just switch it off?! As a power user its hopelessly inefficient. I know this because i have already tried multiple iterations of Windows 8 in which i have spent multiple hours. For the first time ever I am not too jumpy of upgrading my Windows version like I did in the past and is has nothing to do with not wanting change, its just that I very honestly feel feature wise (in terms of GUI customizablity) Windows 7 is superior.
There’s one thing i like metro for, and thats organizing my applications. Basicly an application launcher. It feels easier to find them / cooler than using the start menu in Windows 7. But thats it, my problem with it is i don’t want tablet optimized UI on my desktop. It doesn’t feel right. I don’t want to scroll through windows store, to find applications of my interest. What makes it worse, are the damn gigantic tiles. I bought a bigger resolution monitor to gain a larger workspace! Not to watch 3 big squares in full screen (Store specific)
That beeing said, there are some great changes. New task manager, faster bootup, and finally a store! (But not as an desktop application *sad*). My main reason to stick with Windows is games. But not long ago Blizzard and Valve, my two favorite companies announced how they dislike Windows 8. I couldn’t be more happy. As valve decided to create a native steam client and port games, i’ve dug into ubuntu more. I discovered open source, and i love it! If Blizzard joins for the porting, im going to give ubuntu a serious shot. Until then im going to run Windows 8 for a while, i can live with it. It’s probably better with a trackpad, than my mouse.
I am planning to purchase an notebook for college next year, and i am going to say it. Macbook Air is appealing a lot more to me, than Windows 8. As of now, i don’t think 8 is ready to take over Windows 7′s sucesss.
I’m running Windows 8. Got it from Dreamspark. It runs brilliantly!