Windows Blue 9364 Screenshots Show Feature Enhancements 502
An anonymous reader writes "As expected, a new pre-public version of Windows Blue (build 9364) has leaked online and it reveals a handful of features that are coming in the next big Microsoft Windows 8 update." Several sites have screenshots from the build; Hot Hardware says "Assuming this is all completely legitimate, the most obvious change pertains to the Metro UI, including greater flexibility in sizing Live Tiles and customizing the Start screen, particularly as the Personalize setting (among others, including Devices and Share) is now under the Settings charm. The Name Group feature for the Start menu looks a little more polished, too."
And it still looks like (Score:5, Insightful)
Shit.
Charms? Live Tiles? (Score:5, Insightful)
As a Win7 user, did anyone else feel completely lost reading the summary?
Re:Idiocracy! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:And it still looks like (Score:5, Insightful)
Unfortunately, I have to agree.
If they would have even hinted at bringing back the normal desktop, it would have been big news. Well, at least they didn't mandate ribbon menus on all applications written for Windows. But then, until they ditch Metro, I'm afraid that enterprise adoption will remain a little slow...
Re:And it still looks like (Score:5, Insightful)
I keep getting suckered into this articles just to see if the failing PC market has finally forced them to pull their heads out of their *sses and reinstate the desktop by default and the start button...
Maybe I'd better luck wishing for some higher res displays as standard on notebooks... How is it that cell phones need 1080p displays, but for doing real work, 1366x768 is supposed to be great ?!
Refusing to give customers what we want (Score:5, Insightful)
Several sites have screenshots from the build; Hot Hardware says "Assuming this is all completely legitimate, the most obvious change pertains to the Metro UI, including greater flexibility in sizing Live Tiles and customizing the Start screen, particularly as the Personalize setting (among others, including Devices and Share) is now under the Settings charm. The Name Group feature for the Start menu looks a little more polished, too."
They don't get it, do they? Power users and most business users don't want to tinker with the Metro UI. We want to be able to get rid of it and boot straight into the Desktop with a traditional Start Menu.
Re:Idiocracy! (Score:5, Insightful)
It doesn't really give you both, though. The whole thing is built to make it inconvenient to use in desktop mode, because now you have to go back to a full screen menu every time you want to start another application. The purpose of Windows 8 is to throw Metro in your face, so as to push Windows developers to use Metro, and therefore be forced to go through Microsoft's app store (or whatever the fuck they're calling it since Apple apparently owns the phrase "app store"). Short of purchasing extra programs, there's no way to avoid fucking around with Metro when using Windows 8.
Re:Idiocracy! (Score:4, Insightful)
The "vast majority of human beings" don't sign massive EA contracts that pay Microsoft's bills.
We'll see how it shakes out when enterprises begin tinkering with OSX and/or Linux on larger scales towards the end of their upgrade cycles.
Perhaps your looking at the wrong OS. (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe I'd better luck wishing for some higher res displays as standard on notebooks... How is it that cell phones need 1080p displays, but for doing real work, 1366x768 is supposed to be great ?!
...maybe you should look at a chromebook like the pixel. [2560 x 1700 at 239 PPI] which has a higher than 1080P resolution :)
http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebook-pixel/ [google.com]
Re:Charms? Live Tiles? (Score:5, Insightful)
I can agree to that, but only to an extent - doing so would show that Microsoft is playing a short game, not a long one.
Win7 will likely hang around enterprises for at least the next 5-7 years (or more) if this is the case, but then what? An "enterprise" version that has the familiar desktop?
I'm not seeing anyone, not even Microsoft, demanding that the workplace convert over to touch-screen UIs, even in a distant future. The reason why is as close as the nearest heavy user of Excel...
Re:And it still looks like (Score:5, Insightful)
Windows 2000 desktop please..
Some of us just want to use a pc, not get entertained by dancing buttons and other crap.
Re:And it still looks like (Score:5, Insightful)
They're going to keep heading that direction, and the old desktop is going to go away. The problem with the old desktop is that they don't get 30% of the cost of every piece of software installed on it. They they people will knuckle under and pay it, because their only choices other than Windows is Apple, who will most likely have the same app store lock-in in OSX by then as well, and Linux. They figure the extra money is worth the loss of customers. Personally, I'm hoping there is a rush to Linux and they die a horrible death, but I'm probably overly optimistic.
Re:Perhaps your looking at the wrong OS. (Score:3, Insightful)
The Chromebook Pixel is a laptop that brings together the best in hardware, software, and design to inspire future innovation.
While using an Intel 4000 integrated graphics chipset... pass.
Re:And it still looks like (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:And it still looks like (Score:4, Insightful)
And somehow desktop shortcuts, quicklaunch bars, favourite apps, and pinned apps didnt help you???
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Re:And it still looks like (Score:5, Insightful)
We don't, and we did.
Re:And it still looks like (Score:4, Insightful)
yeah, because having to take your hand off the mouse constantly to use a stupid search box is much faster than a quick hotkey combo. For those of us who know how to use hotkeys, they're much faster than search boxes or idiotic fisher price full screen menus. Having the search box at all is a concession that your gui sucks because the whole point is to NOT have to type much or guess at what you're looking for. If you're going to add search boxes to every window, then just give me a full fledged command prompt back again.
Re:And it still looks like (Score:4, Insightful)
1. starting a program should not be a fullscreen interruption that requires you to navigate a scrolling panel of oversized tiles. this is not better than a little menu that offers easy access to links.
2. search boxes do not make up for shitty gui layouts. in fact they're crutches for bad layouts. a lot of people around here seem to think they excuse shitty guis, but they don't. search boxes that let users 'guess the command you want' are not as efficient and far more stressful than a simple, well laid out GUI...or command prompt for that matter.
Re:Idiocracy! (Score:4, Insightful)
man you people just don't get it
If you're resigned to typing out executable names, then you don't need a gui or menu at all, fullscreen or otherwise, ergo metro is useless
If you want to start programs with out extra keyboard/mouse/(touchscreen) context switching, a little menu in the corner is far better than a fullscreen context interrupting scrolling pile of crap, ergo metro is useless.
It's meant for a touchscreen! Stop making excuses for it!
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