# Windows 8 MS official unveiling.



## MA-Caver (Jun 2, 2011)

> Microsoft has officially unveiled some key new features of its forthcoming operating system. The next-generation OS, which may or may not be called Windows 8  (its internal code-name), delivers a completely re-imagined user  interface, with a heavy emphasis on touch-based functionality that takes  a hefty helping of inspiration from the Windows Phone UI.                  One of the first major design changes from previous Windows versions is  the completely overhauled Windows Start menu, which has been replaced  with a colorful tiled design that evokes the Exposé screen of Firefox,  or other similar quick-screen-navigation features found in most new web  browsers. Rather than web pages, however, the new Start screen shows  both static program icons and widgets, called live tiles, which  provide constant notifications and updates. Windows 8 also allows users  to access all the files on their computer in the same visualized way  that programs are accessed, which helps make the OS easy to navigate  with touch alone.
> 
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20110602/tc_digitaltrends/microsoftofficiallyunveilswindows8



Damn, does it mean I have to buy a touch-screen monitor now? 
All pretty and everything doesn't guarantee reliability from MS (remember Vista?). So even though I'm still kinda in the dark ages with my XP OS while waiting for an opportunity to buy 7 at a low price (whenever!) ... I doubt that I'll be rushing out to get this newest version anytime soon... Comgeeks however I'd imagine are frothing at the keyboards. 
Or are they?


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## Carol (Jun 2, 2011)

Not me.  Microsoft pissed me off so much with Windows 7. I'm divorcing them and going Mac and Linux.


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## Omar B (Jun 2, 2011)

I'll give it a look, but I'm still a Mepis Linux user through and through.


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## dancingalone (Jun 2, 2011)

I am tired of 'innovation'.  At this point of my life, I'm into productivity with my computer time, and changing interfaces every 3 years or so with the accompanying learning curve is not my idea of using my time wisely.  For example, I hated the ribbon added in MS Word.  It may be fine for people who have just learned on the latest version, but I was very efficient using the Office 97-2003 versions, and the transition to Office 2007 was torturous for me.

The problem is that no platform is immune to this phenomenon of changing things just for the hell of it.  Ubuntu Linux recently released a disastrous version with a totally new UI meant to appeal to the smart phone/Mac crowd.  Never mind that they made the old hands completely furious.  What used to take a click or two now can take 4-5 clicks, and attempting to customize errant behaviors like these can be a Quixotic quest, at least until Ubuntu offers a few patches.  Ultimately, users might just have to wait another six months for the next version to be released.  This fiasco might wind up being the Linux world's version of Windows Vista.  And now it looks like Windows is also moving into the same direction.  Sigh.

I am not fond of Apple lock in either.  I've been a Ubuntu user on some of computers in the past, but I will be moving all the household PCs to either Linux Mint or Debian Linux.  At this point, I have reason to believe these Linux distributions are more respectful of their users than Ubuntu/Canonical.


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## dancingalone (Jun 2, 2011)

Omar B said:


> I'll give it a look, but I'm still a Mepis Linux user through and through.



The latest version is supposed to be quite nice.  I like Linux Mint myself.  If I were younger with more free time, I'd probably be hacking away on Slackware or Arch.


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## Carol (Jun 2, 2011)

dancingalone said:


> I am tired of 'innovation'.  At this point of my life, I'm into productivity with my computer time, and changing interfaces every 3 years or so with the accompanying learning curve is not my idea of using my time wisely.



*This* :asian:

I'm running Fedora now to keep consistent with what I have in production.   But at some point I'd like to play one of the other distros just for fun


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## Bob Hubbard (Jun 2, 2011)

I went Mac because I didn't care for the direction Windows was heading. Currently, not regretting it at all.
(and yes, there are many many posts around where I refer to macs as 'boat anchors')


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## Carol (Jun 3, 2011)

Bob Hubbard said:


> I went Mac because I didn't care for the direction Windows was heading. Currently, not regretting it at all.
> (and yes, there are many many posts around where I refer to macs as 'boat anchors')



I thought seriously about Mac when I went to purchase my laptop.  What stopped me is that I met a few people that ran Macs, and loved them, but no one could tell me _why_ they loved them.  This raises kind of a red flag with me That and how they've (wisely) positioned the brand as a luxury brand instead of a technology brand...I was just too skeptical.  I'm not a very good water carrier. 

Now that I am working for a much smaller company, I have to work side by side with hardware experts and software experts and....there is a lot to the Mac that the hipster ads don't tell you.  The Department of Defense uses tons of Macs for testing.  The processing and throughput is greater and more reliable than the Wintel platforms.  Its simply more bang for your...mips.

For folks like the rest of us who don't have to be concerned with testing submarines...the better processing and Windows emulator means Windows programs run faster and more efficiently on a Mac than they do on a PC! :lol:


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