Windows 8 A new kind of OS

[keideki]

Microsoft has just revealed Windows 8 and boy is it a change from Windows 7.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-unveils-windows-8-tablet-prototypes/

After you watch the embedded video in that article, sound off on what you think gaming will be like with a totally new interface to work with.

Obviously Win8 is touch oriented, but the guy in the video keeps saying it will also run on a desktop with keyboard and mouse, but I get the feeling we are going to be seeing more app like games. A move away from CoD and towards Angry Birds.

P.S. Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.. but it seemed relevant to gaming.

UPDATE

http://gizmodo.com/5807615/windows-8-and-its-incredibly-cool-new-touch-interface

*From Gizmodo*

Apparently we will see a lot more in September at Microsoft's Build conference. So I'm still hoping to be blown away as we get deeper inside Windows 8.

Microsoft's official list of new features shown off today:

? Fast launching of apps from a tile-based Start screen, which replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps.
? Live tiles with notifications, showing always up-to-date information from your apps.
? Fluid, natural switching between running apps.
? Convenient ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so you can really multitask using the capabilities of Windows.
? Web-connected and Web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that have access to the full power of the PC.
? Fully touch-optimized browsing, with all the power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10

*From Endgadget Live Blog of Computex Event*

Minimum of 1366 x 768 resolution for the best Windows 8 experience. 1024 x 768 will be the absolute minimum for the new UI fanciness and 1024 x 600 will let you run Windows 8 in the classic desktop mode.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/live-from-microsofts-windows-8-preview-event-at-computex-2011/?sort=newest&refresh=60

 

[oplinger]

That...actually looks really annoying. Definitely more of a laptop/tablet platform than a desktop keyboard/mouse one.

Cool idea and all...just, actually, no. That kinda sucks. It's gonna be like using my Wii on my PC >.> Or having a media center program running all the time...

Not power user friendly at all D:

 

[Feralcentaur]

Noooeeess! I like my Laptop and I don't wanna have "upgrade"! D=
Well, I suppose I should've seen this coming when I got into PC gaming game playing.
Although, that certainly doesn't seem like something real suited for Video Games, so I'm safe! =D... For now...
Unless if this is the death of "hardcore" games, which would suck...

 

[omicron1]

My first and foremost point is, do we still have deep control of O/S functions?

Or is it closed off and barely functional a la Mac OS?

Can I make folders with ease? Browse files in the Windows root? Edit registry keys with less than four commands? Or is it just "touch and go," install programs by dragging them to desktop then you'd better not worry about them again?

Still, bravo to Microsoft for actually doing something new. I am cautiously optimistic.

 

[infohippie]

Oh God, no! That looks horrible. It looks just like Windows Phone 7, and that's very crap as it is. And I thought the interface designer of Windows 7 was on crack. What the hell is wrong with whoever's behind this?!
Seriously, Microsoft, stop letting designers have anything to do with building the interface to an OS. Get an engineer to do it. I want practicality, not "artistic expression"!

 

[Zer_]

Microsoft has just revealed Windows 8 and boy is it a change from Windows 7.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-unveils-windows-8-tablet-prototypes/

After you watch the embedded video in that article, sound off on what you think gaming will be like with a totally new interface to work with.

Obviously Win8 is touch oriented, but the guy in the video keeps saying it will also run on a desktop with keyboard and mouse, but I get the feeling we are going to be seeing more app like games. A move away from CoD and towards Angry Birds.

P.S. Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.. but it seemed relevant to gaming.

Yeah, MEH to that. I've no interest in Touch interfaces as a gamer.

 

[viranimus]

If that apple-esque garbage is the new windows OS I will go ahead and jump full force into Linux. The biggest problem I have with windows right now is how they feel compelled to do what Apple does and tell you what you need and where it should be. This sort of Operating system is one that forces the user into an inefficient usage path, no matter how much they think it makes things easier.

 

[infohippie]

Two things at once. Sure, whatever. How's this going to handicap those of us who prefer to do twenty things at once?
And I notice he said they want to make it easy to get to files on other Windows PCs on your network. Does this mean they're going to keep trying to make it harder to get to my files that are on my Linux server? Windows 7 certainly made it more trouble to do that than XP did. There's a reason the only Windows box on my network is my gaming box.

 

[Raikoin]

From what I saw, it's very similar to the iPad's/iPhones/most touch screen product's visual setup in that its a bunch of icons/tiles arranged in pages. So really nothing new if this is being kept to tablets and touch screens. Mouse and keyboard with this type of interface would be pretty terrible but I'd assume if it's going to be used with them they have some sort of plan.

 

[Zantos]

Looks interesting if you're into that sort of thing. However it didn't address a very serious issue, what will support be like for non-windows programs like Steam, VLC and Chrome? If it can't do games and porn then it's no good to me.

 

[Conza]

Microsoft has just revealed Windows 8 and boy is it a change from Windows 7.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-unveils-windows-8-tablet-prototypes/

After you watch the embedded video in that article, sound off on what you think gaming will be like with a totally new interface to work with.

Obviously Win8 is touch oriented, but the guy in the video keeps saying it will also run on a desktop with keyboard and mouse, but I get the feeling we are going to be seeing more app like games. A move away from CoD and towards Angry Birds.

P.S. Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.. but it seemed relevant to gaming.

Probably the right forum considering the OP question.

Anyway, not sure if I like this, I love the start bar, and would want it even if I had to have giant icons, but to be honest, I don't use the start button, all programs, ect, like I ust to (because it hasn't been as power user friendly since vista), so, maybe this illusion of control I have over my operating system can be better managed with a giant ribbon type, layer. Terrible, terrible example of applications though, a if anyone has pictures and weather and news on their desktops, I use iGoogle like everyone else .

Oh God, no! That looks horrible. It looks just like Windows Phone 7, and that's very crap as it is. And I thought the interface designer of Windows 7 was on crack. What the hell is wrong with whoever's behind this?!
Seriously, Microsoft, stop letting designers have anything to do with building the interface to an OS. Get an engineer to do it. I want practicality, not "artistic expression"!

Here here!

 

[keideki]

My first and foremost point is, do we still have deep control of O/S functions?

Or is it closed off and barely functional a la Mac OS?

Can I make folders with ease? Browse files in the Windows root? Edit registry keys with less than four commands? Or is it just "touch and go," install programs by dragging them to desktop then you'd better not worry about them again?

Still, bravo to Microsoft for actually doing something new. I am cautiously optimistic.

From the looks of it the deep down stuff is unaffected, it is just the UI they are overhauling.

 

[Lord Devius]

So basically it's Zune/Windows Phone 7 in desktop form?

...Welp, I'm staying with Win7, and when that becomes obsolete for gaming, I'll stop gaming on the PC.

 

[Worgen]

meh, they finally made a much better os then xp with windows 7 so I care not about this windows 8 bs

after watching the vid Im still not impressed, besides, windows 7 just came out, its good, we dont need another one already

 

[Sacman]

Ugh, that made me cringe... it looks like they're trying to pass off a tablet or phone OS for a desktop... and that just doesn't work... I can only imagine how terrible it would be to try and operate this thing with a mouse and keyboard they seem to barely even give it an after thought... and dragging anything is a terrible gimmicky idea, everything should just be open and practical, one click and you're there, I don't give a damn how it looks...

 

[not_you]

I saw at some points that it still used the WIndows 7 interface....
So, maybe there's a way to make windows 8 stay with the same UI as 7 or Vista/XP...

Like how you can make your windows 7 computer look like it's still running 95 or 98...

But yeah, I can see how this will be annoying, and how this will be bad...
With everything becoming touch orientated, it will be really, really bad for those of us who like the way a mouse+keyboard or controller works....

Somehow though, I don't think Microsoft will be THAT stupid to realise this...

 

[Chase Yojimbo]

Eversince Bill left Microsoft... it just has been going for the worst and they are nothing but Tools now, either wanting to be Nintendo, Sony, or Apple... God Help Us.

I can see this being useful for just a Tablet, but that's it. Keep Win8 away from Laptops and Desktops or I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU MICROSOFT! *Pull's out a large bag of Gil and threatens to hand it to Yojimbo.* Zanmato you bitches...