Windows 8 Release Preview Now Available To Download 363
Posted
by
timothy
from the air-conditioning-for-me dept.
from the air-conditioning-for-me dept.
MrSeb writes "Microsoft has announced the immediate availability of Windows 8 Release Preview. Unfortunately there isn't a Consumer Preview > Release Preview upgrade path — you'll have to format and perform a clean installation. After downloading the ISO, simply burn Windows 8 RP onto a USB stick or DVD, reboot, and follow the (exceedingly quick and easy) installer. Alternatively, if you don't want to format a partition, ExtremeTech has a guide on virtualizing Windows 8 with VirtualBox. After a lot of fluster on the Building Windows 8 blog, the Release Preview is actually surprisingly similar to the Consumer Preview. Despite being promised a new, flat, Desktop/Explorer UI, Aero is still the default theme in Windows 8 RP. The tutorial that will introduce new users to the brave new Start buttonless Windows 8 world is also missing. Major features that did make the cut are improved multi-monitor support — it's now easier to hit the hot corners on a multi-monitor setup, and Metro apps can be moved between displays — and the Metro version of IE10 now has a built-in Flash plug-in. There will be no further pre-releases of Windows 8: the next build will be the RTM."
IF YOU WANT TO PIRATE A COPY (Score:5, Informative)
Here's a working activation key:
TK8TP-9JN6P-7X7WW-RFFTV-B7QPF
Re:IF YOU WANT TO PIRATE A COPY (Score:5, Informative)
If activation works in the release preview like it did in the consumer preview, there will only be one "activation key" for the publicly downloadable copy. Presumably, that key activates it for the limited time period and each copy will expire or de-activate on whatever their target date is.
What you're suggesting is about as far from piracy as you could get. I personally 'pirated' the consumer preview because the tail end of the official download (which I tried 3 times on that release day) was corrupted by whoever's transparent proxy service I had the joy of unknowingly using. Probably Time Warner's, as I've had corruption isses with other large downloads from official sources for other software.
Odds of Microsoft coming after you for torrenting freely available 'free' previews are pretty darn low. They have bigger fish to fry.
Re:Metro apps (Score:4, Informative)
Simply put, it's so that Metro app developers don't have to concern themselves with supporting anything smaller.
Re:What? (Score:5, Informative)
I ran the CP in my shop for nearly a month and that is what my customers said as well. in fact I've NEVER seen such a negative reaction, not even with Vista. with Vista they were curious about it but after 5 minutes with Win 8 the ONLY question I got asked is "But YOU will still be able to get me Win 7 if I need it, right?"
I have a feeling this is gonna make WinME look like XP, hell I wouldn't be surprised if this is the release that FINALLY gets the board to punt the sweaty monkey, its just a giant fail. Why oh why didn't they just improve Win 7 for the desktop and keep Metro for mobile devices? because it seriously sucks ass on the desktop and laptop. Even Gabe from valve said "Not just the worst Windows MSFT has ever come up with but the worst software PERIOD". When a guy that is making a fortune off your OS not only slams it but is seriously looking at going to all the trouble and expense of making a "Steambox" Linux to avoid it? you KNOW you're in trouble!
Re:Ok, Sherlock, your mystery is not a, uh, myster (Score:2, Informative)
The secure boot was only for arm based devices (TABLETS) that will carry windows 8.
Partially correct. It's also for x86 devices, the only difference is that it's mandatory with no ability to disable for ARM.
Re:Ok, Sherlock, your mystery is not a, uh, myster (Score:5, Informative)
You wanna see how REAL people deal with Win 8? Well here you go [youtube.com] and as a retailer that set up a Win 8 CP for customers to try I can say that is pretty typical...the only difference I saw was more frustration and cursing.
I'm sure Win 8 is GREAT for cell phones and tablets, along with touch screen PCs...the problem is that is less than 5% of MSFT's market. in fact if you take out POS and Kiosks last numbers I saw had touch enabled X86 units at less than 2% of the market.
So you take a giant shit on 95% of the market.,...for 5% of the market and around 2% of the touch screen X86 units because POS and Kiosks run their own custom software. yep, no chance of a flop at all here. BTW Win 8 DID help my business, i had a lot of folks that were sitting on the fence buy Win 7! Thanks MSFT! Oh and thanks again for the year and a half of extra money as I get paid to wipe it off like i did Vista, that was a GREAT time for me, Thanks MSFT!