Windows 8 BETA (Consumer preview) download.

[Lokinhow]

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/iso

System Requirements
Windows 8 Consumer Preview works great on the same hardware that powers Windows 7:

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)

Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device or higher

Additional requirements to use certain features:

To use touch, you need a tablet or monitor that supports multitouch

To access Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768

To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768

Enjoy

[Sparky]

Oh sweet, I'm going to download this for testing purposes on a tablet we have here at work.

I have my doubts on its usability for a desktop PC, but for a Windows-based tablet it should be fine.

[demonkevy666]

Oh sweet, I'm going to download this for testing purposes on a tablet we have here at work.

I have my doubts on its usability for a desktop PC, but for a Windows-based tablet it should be fine.

misconception that a normal desktop GUI doesn't exist.

[Sparky]

I had the developer preview on the tablet. The start menu was always in metro. Maybe the consumer preview will have a normal start menu as well, which is entirely possible. That's one reason I'm downloading it, to find out more.

[jbartlett323]

actually, from what i have read/found, Metro is the start menu. and its this way on purpose (although i cant fathom it)

[EniGmA1987]

When is the full version due out? By end of year or sometime in 2013?

[Sparky]

actually, from what i have read/found, Metro is the start menu. and its this way on purpose (although i cant fathom it)

If that is the only option for the start menu then it will suck horribly for desktop usage. For a touch screen interface? Yes, its great. But NOT for a desktop.

[Lanek]

actually, from what i have read/found, Metro is the start menu. and its this way on purpose (although i cant fathom it)

I see it like an ameliorate " log on " menu ( where you have the user )... with fast access to software, internet etc .. if i want use anything other than thoses fast access, i go directly in the desktop.

( nbfor me, later, disable this service and enter directly normal desktop )

[xVeinx]

I have to say it's interesting. Somewhat different, somewhat the same...

[Lanek]

I have to say it's interesting. Somewhat different, somewhat the same...

The most sensed comment i have read today ... really . (its not a joke, im totally serious )

[Iconyu]

The most sensed comment i have read today ... really . (its not a joke, im totally serious )

Agreed, there were some posts where people actually thought Win8 would be fully virtual, and they'd have to be online for use, without physical media. Seriously, I barely held my that day. Nothing annoys me more than the stupidity people will believe, and then they are corrected they still hold their incorrect beliefs.

[xVeinx]

If that is the only option for the start menu then it will suck horribly for desktop usage. For a touch screen interface? Yes, its great. But NOT for a desktop.

From my very limited experience with it at the moment, the transition seems a little awkward, though I think that will be ameliorated by using hotkeys instead of the mouse for certain tasks. There are certain similarities between this and other interfaces being explored by linux desktop environments, and hotkeys can have a bigger impact there.

[kuroikenshi]

hummm I'd like the ARM complied version of this... I just downloaded both 32 and 64... might have a play later on

[95blackz26]

If that is the only option for the start menu then it will suck horribly for desktop usage. For a touch screen interface? Yes, its great. But NOT for a desktop.

if it's like that i'll stick with win7 till it dies. (downloading the consumer preview now) getting a VM ready for it.

tried the developer preview awhile back and wasn't a fan of the metro style stuff especially for a desktop. (i'm aware you can disable the metro stuff and go back to normal like it is now but that turns off some of the cool stuff like advanced task manager.)

[Hoboclese]

i find myself using a start menu in the traditional sense less and less, if i open the start menu i know what i want to open so i just type it in rather than using the mouse. I think microsoft knows this is true of more and more users and are adjusting accordingly. This means that the metro start menu, which is more useful for a tablet pc, will not interfere with how most people use windows already. Keyboard shortcuts are a much faster way to move around an operating system so i think it only logical that we use them more

[kgk]

Why release a "unified" Windows 8 at all? The Metro UI is horrible for desktop use. For a tablet it's probably great. On a desktop it is a programmable abortion.

Why couldn't they have just released an OS called "Metro" for tablets that synced well with Windows 7? Just like Apple did with OSX and iOS. Would that have been too simple or common sense?

Looks like Windows 7 is the new XP

[95blackz26]

for anyone interested this will not install in Vmware but works in VirtualBox.

why can't they have different versions. one for tablets and one for desktops. they had no problem in the past with having 7 different versions of windows.

[Sparky]

i find myself using a start menu in the traditional sense less and less, if i open the start menu i know what i want to open so i just type it in rather than using the mouse. I think microsoft knows this is true of more and more users and are adjusting accordingly. This means that the metro start menu, which is more useful for a tablet pc, will not interfere with how most people use windows already. Keyboard shortcuts are a much faster way to move around an operating system so i think it only logical that we use them more

I work in IT and know plenty of people who don't even know that the tab key can move from box to box on a form, or they do but they find the mouse "easier."

I agree that keyboard shortcuts can be much faster in many instances, but the general user doesn't get it.

[MrEs]

When is the full version due out? By end of year or sometime in 2013?

October this year
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/11/27...e-date-october

[OS-Wiz]

See post #87: http://thessdreview.com/Forums/opera...ems/1127-3.htm

[[XC] hipno650]

all i want is an option to turn off the metro menu and go back to a normal start menu... the rest seems pretty great so far IMO... it's one option microsoft... thats all i want... does anyone know if this is possible or not?

the new task manager ROCKS i will say though.

[Lanek]

all i want is an option to turn off the metro menu and go back to a normal start menu... the rest seems pretty great so far IMO... it's one option microsoft... thats all i want... does anyone know if this is possible or not?

the new task manager ROCKS i will say though.

It was possible on my previous beta version, so i think it is still possible ( beta, i should say alpha, but i think you can imagine thoses versions was really for early tests ( Autodesk versions )

So I think yes, but im not 100% sure for the retails versions.

[bamtan2]

windows 8 is windows 7 with metro instead of the start menu

so you figure it out

(I think metro sucks)

[highoctane]

for anyone interested this will not install in Vmware but works in VirtualBox.

I just installed the 32bit version without issue using vmware, seems to all be working fine so far.

So it seems the start button has turned into the metro gui toggle but the desktop overall seems to be the same as windows 7.

Not really sure what I think of it yet.

[Pantsu]

MS wants to create a more connected ecosystem for its products, which requires Metro. If you go the MS way, you'll have a WP smartphone, a WOA tablet and W8 PC, and you'll be able to sync the devices easily. The other option is to go the Apple way with even more closed ecosystem, or the more open Google way.

Metro does bring a lot of new features I appreciate, but at the same time I can see skipping between Metro and desktop as bothersome and jarring at times. Only time will tell how well it works out, I'm not about to make final judgements after an hour of beta testing like many people seem to.