Next from Microsoft: 'Blue', the Windows 8 they hope you don't hate

Re: nothing to see here

"Blue" is the codename for the service pack style release concept. So this IS likely a Service Pack.

Re: nothing to see here

Nobody wants? are you sure you can vouch for every single member of the human race?

Guess what, tastes vary. Not everyone likes One Direction despite them being very popular. So I guess because so many people do like them all the other people who don't should be forced to listen to it and stop choosing to listen to something else?

@AC 18:49GMT - Re: nothing to see here

Whatever! Hopefully my Windows 7 is good until 2020 so at that time I'll jump straight to Windows13.

Re: nothing to see here

"...Has the words "I traded in my *nix box for Windows 8" even been thought, let alone spoken?.."

Well, presumably you thought them when considering writing that sentence... and now, all of us reading it are hearing the words in our heads. So, yes, those words have been thought quite a lot round here lately... and it's all your fault!

Re: nothing to see here

"no it's not a SP, it's going to cost you money, which makes it a New Upgrade Version"

No - this is a free upgrade for existing users.

Service packs with a few notable exceptions have primarily been about consolidating patches and updates, not providing new features.

This is a minor update release, and as such is unlikely to be called a Service Pack. This would likely be similar to Windows Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2.

Re: nothing to see here

I gave up with Ubuntu and upgraded to Windows 8 - It is Microsoft's best OS effort yet by a long way. I did have to read the included help files on how to do things like move Live Tiles to where you want them though, as it was not obvious (drag them up/down if you are scrolling left to right).

Re: nothing to see here

LOL +1 however it does appear to be just too difficult for the majority of el reg readers and authors

Re: nothing to see here

Not spoken - done. Had a "dwarf penguin" around since I had no spare Win7 licence for the HP/Compaq E-Series box I got on eBay. When the Win8 offer came I dug out a spare XP licence from a long dead notebook and killed the penguin.

And the "last penguin" is just hoovering on the brim of the tran cooker until a WP8 smartphone with keyboard or stylus comes out - than the Note becomes lamp oil (well ends up at eBay like the bigger brother did)

Re: Resizeable/groupable tiles - meh

I installed Classic Start Menu 5 mins after Win 8, and I haven't seen a tile for months.

Re: Resizeable/groupable tiles - meh

I didn't install Windows 8, I haven't seen a tile since the Consumer Preview.

Microsoft presumably would like to sell their product. Unless/until I have the option, without messing about with 3rd party add ons, to have a "classic" mode (or whatever you want to call it) then I will continue to not buy it*. It's pretty clear I'm not alone in this.

*I may well not buy it even then, of course. Win 7 continues to be working just fine here, and next time I need to update my work hardware it will quite likely be a Linux + VM for when I need Windows. Nevertheless, as things stand right now it's a guaranteed lost sale.

Re: Resizeable/groupable tiles - meh

On my xp box I have 382 files in 144 folders. How any serious user could migrate to windows 8 without a decent start menu is a sign of micrisoft's insanity

As it is I have to waste time removing useless tiles every time I install anything on my touchy feel slab.

Re: Resizeable/groupable tiles - meh

I have about 600 shortcuts on my Windows 8 All Apps menu - bet I can migrate to any of them much faster than you can on XP!

Re: Resizeable/groupable tiles - meh

And those 144 folders all end up in your "start" menu? Wow - talk about unusable/deep structure. IIRC the "last used" popup is a Win7 (maybe Vista) feature.

My start menu never had more than the programs in it (< 72) and the rest was done through them. If I really need documents - I pin them on the desktop. Easier now than ever since my programs are pinned on the seperat Modern screen.

Re: Think I'll wait for Windows 9

The mouse works perfectly. Windows 8's response to mouse interactions on the other hand ...

Re: Think I'll wait for Windows 9

I'm that rare breed that actually likes Windows 8, and also thinks the Surface is a perfectly good tablet. But let's be honest, the mouse does not work perfectly in Windows 8, especially in the Metro interface.

Re: Think I'll wait for Windows 9

My mouse works just fine on windows 8, not sure what type of mouse you are using but if it's an old fogey like you maybe it is time for some upgrades to the 21st century!!

Hint: Get rid of the rollerball mouse too!!!

@vonRat: Re: What OS?

"Every version of Windows should have a 'Classic' UI option emulating Win 95. This would remove 99% of the complaints... "

Well that, and a decent file manager. As a li'l sidenote, I'll add that the WinXP Windows Explorer qualifies as a "decent file manager" only in comparison to all succeeding versions of Windows Explorer in subsequent Windows releases.

Re: Windows Explorer

A decent file explorer?

Is this a reference to the old two-pane file explorer that disappeared at the same time MS tried to claim Internet Explorer was an integral part of the OS in a bid to avoid an anti-trust ruling?

I get on okay with Windows explorer on 7... it doesn't crash too often, and the Win7 'Snap to half screen' feature makes it easier to recreate the old two-pane functionality.

Re: What OS?

> Every version of Windows should have a 'Classic' UI option

Maybe users would want that, but it would fail to meet Microsoft's future plans. MS's mobile market share has decreased from 42% of the US smartphone to less than 3%. Eventually this would impact on desktops as users move to Android, ChromeOS and OS/X or even Linux as being more familiar to them than the archaic Win95 derived UI.

In order to make Metro UI familiar MS needs to force it down users throats until they love it. Then they will demand that UI on phones and tablets. Making it optional it not an option.

Re: What OS?

W7 explorer was far better than XP explorer IMHO. The fact that it wouldnt tank large file copies due to one file being iffy was the biggest bonus. Various copy/rename functions and a proper "just remember what I chose the first time dammit!" options were good too.

Cant say ive had it crash many times, if it does then unless it is a hard blue screen error then it picks itself up again neatly.

It seems that their UI designer rides Harley bike.

HOGs are notorious for spending time customizing their bikes instead of riding, so the same mindset applied here ..

So this is two non-overlapping windows sharing the screen like er... Windows 1 in 1983?

Some progress, I suppose.

How many programs can a ARM toy tablet run at the same time? One or One?

Re: How many programs...

The raspberry pi uses a "toy" ARM processor and manages to run a normal desktop OS. That's *probably* because 2013's "toys" have more oomph than anything you could buy in previous years, but it *might* also have something to do with the OS not being a bloated steaming pile.

Re: What goes around...

The fact that people have two or even three monitors is testament to the fact that multiple windows and overlapping doesn't work well in reality if you need to look at two things regularly.

Re: How many programs...

Sorry but that's BS. The tile UI is about supporting touch screens well.

When Microsoft released XP tablet edition people moaned they couldn't use the whole OS with touch. So they produce a fully touch capable OS and people are now complaining that their desktop is gone.

Re: How many programs...

I think you'll notice that you made your own statement redundant

"XP tablet edition"

See that little word in the middle there, that word, tablet, you know, for small touch screen machines.

As I sit here reclined in my sofa my monitor (tv screen) is a good 3 meters away from me, so yeah, I couldn't give a fuck about touch, also all my computers have normal stand up monitors and only an idiot would think touch screen was anything but an RSI/Health and Safety law suite waiting to happen.

So argue the pro's of metro as much as you like, but don't bother talking about its touch capabilities on a normal desktop or laptop pc.

@mmeier

"How many programs can a ARM toy tablet run at the same time?"

Why should your cheap, battery dependent, small screened, input deficient ARM toy dictate the behaviour of my high end, hex core, multimonitor, mains powered PC?

Microsoft cross promotional marketing requirements is not an acceptable answer.

@AC 18:53

When Microsoft released XP tablet edition people moaned they couldn't use the whole OS with touch. So they produce a fully touch capable OS and people are now complaining that their desktop is gone.

Why do we have to have one or the other exclusively? We could have, I don't know, two versions, so they could offer both a desktop version, for those who want to use big monitors, mouse and keyboard, and a tablet version, for use with touch screen devices. You, know, something called choice, that radical concept where you get the privilege of making decisions about what kind of interface you prefer to use to do a particular job?

"How many programs can a ARM toy tablet run at the same time? One or One?"

Unless it runs Windows RT - in which case it can run multiple screens and multiple applications at the same time!

Re: MS will learn the masses - or it's LOST DECADE II

"Microsoft noticed how easily the plebeians have accepted the Ribbon"

*sigh*

Get over yourself. Some people prefer the ribbon set-up, I happen to be one of them, it works particularly well in Windows Explorer. I also happen to have been writing software for over 20 years, run macs and linux boxes and just happen to use a Windows 8 laptop as my main machine. Calling people who prefer a simple change in user interface design "plebians" makes you look like a moron. Just as calling someone who happens to like something by Apple a "fanboi" makes you look like a moron, and just as calling someone who happens to like something on Linux a "freetard" makes you look like a moron.

Microsoft will do what it wants, in order to sell software, because it is a business and that is how it makes money. If you don't like what they're doing with their software, don't buy it. But I strongly suspect Microsoft know an awful lot more about how to make money by selling software that you do. I suspect this because you made yourself sound like a moron.

Re: @AC 18:53

How many versions are really needed, regular win8 already has both and works fine here, they gave choice and the majority of people cant handle the choice!! as proven by the number of crackhead comments here how windows 8 sucks so badly because you switch between metro ui and desktop ohhh noooz

Re: How many programs...

And a pi is - NOT a tablet! Currently all ARM tablets run castrates OOB - be they iOS, Fragmentdroid or Win/RT. The only ARM tablet in production that barely qualified for "tablet pc" is the Note series. Barely since the software is at best WinXP quality in the critical areas like Handwriting, often not even that

As soon as I get to non-mobile devices the small benefit an ARM may have in power consumption is lost and the Atoms, even the aging CTrails, win hands down.