windows 8: inside what and how

Seminar Report

1

1 Windows 8 Consumer Preview:

Frequently asked questions

Windows 8: Inside What and How

Harsh Kishore Mishra, B.Tech. IT

International Institute of Management Engineering and Technology, Jaipur

2 Windows 8: Inside What and How Harsh Kishore Mishra, B.Tech.-IT

1.Introduction

Microsoft Windows 8, the latest “Next generation” operating system from Microsoft Corp..

Windows 8 has been the most buzzing word in computing since Oct,09, the time when

Microsoft Corporation launched its operating system Windows 7. Due to huge success,

stability and reliability of Windows 7, there was a talk started about what’s next?

Windows 8 was just one of possible names for the succesor of 7. Microsoft also confirmed

that Windows 8 would be its next operating System. On 29th 02 2012, a big day for the Windows

team. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain a few moments ago, they unveiled the

Windows 8 Consumer Preview to partners and press.

Microsoft Windows 8 has been reimagined to focus on your life. The

beautiful, fast, and fluid design is perfect for a range of hardware: from compact, touch-

enabled slates and lightweight laptops, to large, powerful all-in-ones with high-definition

screens. It’s smooth, intuitive, and gives you instant access to your people, apps, and stuff, so

you spend less time searching and more time doing. You’ll love browsing through the

Windows Store and downloading apps to help you work more efficiently, or install the latest

games and compete with friends. Apps can work together, too, so you can share photos,

maps, contacts, links, and whatever else you want faster and easier.

No matter what task you want to complete, Windows 8 helps you get

it done quickly. It’s fast—whether you’re completing a project or playing a game. Windows 8

starts quickly and uses less memory so there’s more room for your apps and data. Windows 8

is cloud connected so you can access your photos, documents, and settings from wherever

you are, on any Windows 8 PC. Windows 8 has the flexibility you need.


The first version of Microsoft Windows,

degree of functionality, achieved little popularity and was to compete with Apple's own

operating system. The first version of Microsoft Windows included a simple graphi

painting program called Windows Paint

appointment "calendar"; a "cardfiler"; a "

terminal"; "Clipboard"; and RAM

called Reversi.Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends

Microsoft Windows version 2.0

popular than its predecessor. Windows 2.03 (release date January 1988) had changed the OS

from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The result of this change led to Apple Co

filing a suit against Microsoft alleging infringement on Apple's copyrights.

Microsoft Windows version 3.0

to achieve broad commercial success, selling 2 million copies in the first six months. It

featured improvements to the user interface and to multitasking capabilities. It received a

facelift in Windows 3.1, made generally available on

ended on December 31, 2001.

Windows 8: Inside What and How Harsh Kishore Mishra, B.Tech.

2.History of Windows

The first version of Microsoft Windows, version 1.0, released in November 1985, lacked a


The first version of Microsoft Windows included a simple graphi

Windows Paint; Windows Write, a simple word processor

appointment "calendar"; a "cardfiler"; a "notepad"; a "clock"; a "control panel

RAM driver. It also included the MS-DOS Executive

Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends

version 2.0 was released in November 1987 and was slightly more


from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The result of this change led to Apple Co

filing a suit against Microsoft alleging infringement on Apple's copyrights.

Fig:The Windows family tree.

version 3.0, released in 1990, was the first Microsoft Windows version



facelift in Windows 3.1, made generally available on March 1, 1992. Windows 3.1 support


3 Harsh Kishore Mishra, B.Tech.-IT

, released in November 1985, lacked a


The first version of Microsoft Windows included a simple graphics

word processor; an

control panel"; a "computer

DOS Executive and a game

Windows 1.0 is not a complete operating system; rather, it extends MS-DOS.

was released in November 1987 and was slightly more


from tiled windows to overlapping windows. The result of this change led to Apple Computer

filing a suit against Microsoft alleging infringement on Apple's copyrights..

osoft Windows version



March 1, 1992. Windows 3.1 support


In July 1993, Microsoft released Windows NT based on a new kernel. Windows NT 3.1 was

the first release of Windows NT. NT was considered to be the professional OS and was the

first Windows version to utilize pre-emptive multitasking. Windows NT would later be

retooled to also function as a home operating system, with Windows XP.

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95, a new, and major, consumer version

that made further changes to the user interface, and also used pre-emptive multitasking.

Windows 95 was designed to replace not only Windows 3.1, but also Windows for

Workgroups, and MS-DOS. It was also the first Windows operating system to use Plug and

Play capabilities. The changes Windows 95 brought to the desktop were revolutionary, as

opposed to evolutionary, such as those in Windows 98 and Windows Me. Mainstream

support for Windows 95 ended on December 31, 2000 and extended support for Windows 95


Next in the consumer line was Microsoft Windows 98 released on June 25, 1998. It was

followed with the release of Windows 98 Second Edition (Windows 98 SE) in 1999. Second

Edition was also much easier to use and much smoother than the first edition of Windows 98.

Hardware support through device drivers was increased. Many minor problems present in the

original Windows 98 were found and fixed which make it, according to many, the most stable

release of Windows 9x family—to the extent that commentators used to say that Windows

98's beta version was more stable than Windows 95's final (gamma) version. Mainstream

support for Windows 98 ended on June 30, 2002 and extended support for Windows 98

ended on July 11, 2006.

As part of its "professional" line, Microsoft released Windows 2000 in February 2000.

During 2004 part of the Source Code for Windows 2000 was leaked onto the Internet. This

was bad for Microsoft as the same kernel used in Windows 2000 was used in Windows XP.

The consumer version following Windows 98 was Windows Me (Windows Millennium

Edition). Released in September 2000, Windows Me implemented a number of new

technologies for Microsoft: most notably publicized was "Universal Plug and Play".

Windows Me was heavily criticized due to slowness, freezes and hardware problems.

In October 2001, Microsoft released Windows XP, a version built on the Windows NT

kernel that also retained the consumer-oriented usability of Windows 95 and its successors.


This new version was widely praised in computer magazines. It shipped in two distinct

editions, "Home" and "Professional", the former lacking many of the superior security and

networking features of the Professional edition. Windows XP SP1 was released in September

2002, SP2 came out in August 2004 and SP3 came out in April 2008. Service Pack 2

provided significant improvements and encouraged widespread adoption of XP among both

home and business users. Windows XP lasted longer as Microsoft's flagship operating system

than any other version of Windows, from 25 October 2001 to 30 January 2007 when it was

succeeded by Windows Vista. Additionally, the first "Media Center" edition was released in

Fig: Windows XP

2002, with an emphasis on support for DVD and TV functionality including program

recording and a remote control. Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14,

2009. Extended support will continue until April 8, 2014.

In April 2003, Windows Server 2003 was introduced, replacing the Windows 2000 line of

server products with a number of new features and a strong focus on security; this was

followed in December 2005 by Windows Server 2003 R2.

On January 30, 2007, Microsoft released Windows Vista. It contains a number of new

features, from a redesigned shell and user interface to significant technical changes, with a

particular focus on security features. It is available in a number of different editions, and has

been subject to some criticism.


On October 22, 2009, Microsoft released

which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 was intended to be a more

focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, wi

applications and hardware which Windows Vista was not at the time. Windows 7 has

touch support, a redesigned Windows shell

home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements.

Windows 8 has been the most buzzing word in computing since Oct,09, the time whe

Microsoft Corporation launched it’s operating system Windows 7. Windows 8 was just one

of possible names for the succesor of 7. Microsoft also confirmed that Wind

it’s next operating System. On 29

World Congress in Barcelona, Spain a

Consumer Preview to partners and press.

Fig: Windows 7 Logo


On October 22, 2009, Microsoft released Windows 7. Unlike its predecessor, Windows Vista,


focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with

applications and hardware which Windows Vista was not at the time. Windows 7 has

Windows shell with a new taskbar, referred to as the


Fig: Windows 7 taskbar

Windows 8 has been the most buzzing word in computing since Oct,09, the time whe


of possible names for the succesor of 7. Microsoft also confirmed that Wind

it’s next operating System. On 29th 02 2012, a big day for the Windows team. At Mobile

World Congress in Barcelona, Spain a few moments ago, they unveiled

Consumer Preview to partners and press.

Fig: Windows 8 Logo


. Unlike its predecessor, Windows Vista,


th the goal of being compatible with

applications and hardware which Windows Vista was not at the time. Windows 7 has multi-

, referred to as the Superbar, a


Windows 8 has been the most buzzing word in computing since Oct,09, the time when


of possible names for the succesor of 7. Microsoft also confirmed that Windows 8 would be

02 2012, a big day for the Windows team. At Mobile

few moments ago, they unveiled the Windows 8

Windows 8 Logo


3.Windows 8 Pre-Releases

Windows 8 is available in pre-release versions till now. Two pre-releases are available.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview is a prerelease version of Windows 8 that focuses on people

and apps and gives you powerful new ways to use social technologies to connect with the

people who are important to you. It's Windows reimagined. Windows 8 Consumer Preview is

built on the rock-solid foundation of Windows 7 and has the security and reliability features

you expect from Windows, but we’ve made it even better. It’s fast, and it’s made to work on

a variety of form factors—especially the new generation of touch devices. Before Microsoft

Windows 8 Consumer Preview (further referenced as “Windows 8”), Windows 8 Developers

Preview was launched in September, 2011.

1. Windows 8 Developers Preview

Microsoft unveiled new Windows 8 features and improvements on September 13,

2011, day one of the BUILD developer conference. Microsoft also released a

developer preview (build 8102) of Windows 8 for the developer community to

download and start working with. This developer preview includes tools for building

"metro style apps", such as Microsoft Windows SDK for Metro style applications,

Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows 8 Developer Preview and Microsoft

Expression Blend 5 developer preview. According to Microsoft, there were more than

500,000 downloads of the developer preview within the first 12 hours of its release.

The Developer Preview introduced the Start screen. The Start button opens the Start

screen instead of the Start menu in this build. Microsoft has released the Windows 8

Developer Preview or pre-beta version of its next Operating System. Windows 8

Developer Preview or pre-beta version can be downloaded directly from Microsoft

servers by anyone who wants to try it. In this blog post we will be talking about some

of the features which come with this new operating system compared to previous

versions.

On 16 February 2012, Microsoft postponed the expiration date of the

developer preview. Originally set to expire on 11 March 2012, this release is now set

to expire on 15 January 2013.


2. Windows 8 Consumer Preview

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft unveiled the Windows 8

Consumer Preview to partners and press. Based on a broad range of feedback,

claimed over 100,000 code changes and the Consumer Preview represents a refined

product ready for broad and daily usage by those of you willing to test a pre-release

OS. Key among the changes and additions are new navigation features, completely

revamped Metro apps and the addition of "charms," which are tools that bring a

variety of features such as Search within easy reach. Whether you have a logo PC or

you’ve built your own PC, the recommendations for the Consumer Preview include:

• 1 GHz or faster processor

• 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)

• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

This setup gets you going with Windows 8 such that it is functionally equivalent to

Windows 7, and as we have talked about previously, you should see measureable

improvements in performance in a number of dimensions with a system at this level.

With so much to dive into, let’s talk about what is different in the Consumer Preview

at a high level:

Fig:Windows 8 Start Screen


• Broad range of product changes and improvements: Since the Developer Preview

in September, designed to preview the programming platform, Windows 8 has

progressed across every dimension. From completing the user experience for touch,

keyboard, and mouse, to refining the development platform, to improving

performance, quality, and reliability across all subsystems as well as new features, the

Consumer Preview represents a complete view of the capabilities of Windows 8.

• Windows Store with an “App Preview” of new apps: The Windows 8 Consumer

Preview marks the opening of the Windows Store for testing. You’ll see a variety of

new Metro style apps from both third-party developers and Microsoft. During the

Consumer Preview, these apps are available to try and experience at no cost to users.

Please note, these apps and the set of preinstalled apps are at an early stage of

development and are available as an early App Preview, and will be updated via the

Windows Store. In addition, the Store will offer personalized recommendations, and

Windows 8 gives users the ability to take their apps and settings with them across

multiple PCs, making it easy to discover and try new apps while offering developers

the greatest opportunity of any platform

• Connecting to the cloud across Windows PCs and Windows Phones: You’ll

experience seamless integration with the content across your web services. Optionally

signing in with a Microsoft account provides access to features including the ability to

roam all settings, use cloud storage, communicate with email, calendar, and contacts,

and connect to a broad range of services. Your connection to the cloud works across

your Windows PCs and your Windows Phones. You’ll also experience early previews

of the Metro style apps for Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging, Photos, and SkyDrive.

• Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview 5: With IE10, we reimagined the browser to

create a new experience designed specifically for Windows 8 devices. It provides an

edge to edge interface that is all about less browser, and more web. Fast and fluid, IE

is hardware-accelerated to enable web performance. The same rendering engine and

high-performance script engine is available on the Windows desktop as well.


4.Windows 8 Features

Windows 8 is a reimagined windows with a new user interface and designed especially for

new touch screen devices. Of course, Windows 8 offers much more with it’s feature rich

design. Windows 7, only better

Behind the bold, new look of Windows 8, is the rock-solid foundation you’ve

come to expect from Windows® 7. Immerse yourself in the exciting features of a new

generation of PCs while enjoying the full power of Windows. In addition to the sleek, new

look of the Start screen, Windows 8 incorporates the desktop that you’re already familiar

with. In the desktop, you’ll see that the settings, devices, and features you used in Windows 7

are still there. You can run older apps, too. And just like Windows 7, security and reliability

is built into Windows 8. Everything that was great about Windows 7, we made even better.

Beautiful design Windows 8 has a bold new style that’s sleek and modern, and

it’s been beautifully designed. From the clean look of the words on your screen to the way

apps animate, the experience is new and the way it works is intuitive, so you can get started

right away.


Major Features at a Glance

� Metro interface

� New App model

� New Start Screen

� Charms

� Reset and Refresh feature

� Old Windows Desktop

� New Ribbon interface

� Multiple monitor support

� Windows To Go.

� No activation

� Skydrive and Windows Live integration

� Social integration with Facebook & Twitter

� Faster Boot times

� USB 3.0 support.

� Internet Explorer 10: the web by Touch

� Built-in Metro apps

� Tools for power users.

� Navigating & Mousing around

� Touch or Keyboard or Mouse: your Choice


� Metro Interface

The major difference between Windows 8 and any other previous ones is the Metro

Interface which basically somewhat similar to how the interface of popular tablets look

like. Instead of Normal desktop Layout, you will find a fluid layout which flows quite

smoothly. If you want your old Windows 7 kind of Desktop layout, you can get that by

using the Desktop Metro app which means that the old Explorer interface is just now

another Metro app in Windows 8. Metro, which is patterned after the Windows Phone 7

interface, made its appearance in the Developer Preview, and it's seen considerable

improvements, including the newfound ability to place apps into customized groups.

Windows 8 boots directly into the Windows 8 Metro Start screen. Rather than seeing the

traditional Windows Desktop, you're greeted by a group of large colorful tiles, each of

which is a separate app. (To show how Microsoft has relegated the Desktop to the

sidelines, the Desktop is merely one app among many on the Start screen. It's also the

only app that isn't written for Metro.)

Metro apps are "live" -- that is, they can grab information from elsewhere, such as from

social networking services or other Internet locations, and use it and display it right in the

tile itself. So the weather app, for example, displays the current weather, a stock app

displays current stock prices, a calendar displays current meetings, and a social

networking app (called People) can display the latest updates from social networking

services. In this way, you don't have to open many of the apps to reap their benefits; all

you need to do is glance at them on-screen. You can, of course, click on any app to

launch it in order to get more information and interact with it.

Metro is very clearly designed for tablets, because the tiles are all quite large, even those

that don't display changing information. There are so many tiles that they scroll off to the

right of the screen. On a tablet, you use the swipe gesture to see them. On a traditional

computer, you need to scroll to the right, which is a lot more awkward. Although the

Metro start screen is aesthetically pleasing, I found myself longing for the Desktop's more

efficient use of real estate; there, I could see all my apps on a single screen.


� New App Model

Apps work together: Windows 8 makes it easier for

you to do the things you love because it allows apps to

work together so you can share information between

them. In the Photos app, select a picture from an album

and email it to your one of your contacts using the Mail

app. Even better, Windows 8 enables any app—if you

so choose—to have the power to consume your content

in Microsoft SkyDrive®, lets you share with any of

your contacts in the People app, and makes it easy to

send mail to anyone you know.

Fig: Apps in Windows 8

The more apps you have, the more you can do. For example, without any apps, searching in

Windows 8 will search only files and settings. With your personal set of apps installed, the

search will include the content in your apps, so you can find books on Amazon, movies on

Netflix, information on Bing, and more. You can watch, buy, or explore in ways that work

for you. So go ahead and add a lot of apps. The more you add, the better they work together.


� The New Start screen

The new Start screen has all of the information you care about in one place, such as your

contacts, the weather, and the next appointment on your calendar. Windows 8 is truly yours:

websites, playlists, photo albums, contacts, and your favorite apps are front and center.

Because you decide how to organize and group things on the screen, viewing and interacting

with content is faster than ever.

Fig: Start Screen with Apps Options

The tiles on your Start screen are brimming with content, and they change and update in real

time so you can see what’s going on and stay on top of things. You can share and connect

with other people in a couple of clicks, and get real-time updates about things like news,

sports, and what your friends are up to. Check your schedule or get the latest weather

forecast—all without searching for information. Tiles are a quick way to see it all. Launch

apps, switch between tasks, and check notifications without digging for information. It’s all

right here on the Start screen.

Windows 8 also incorporates the PC desktop that you’re already familiar with. In the desktop,

you’ll see that the settings and features you used in Windows 7 are still there.


� Charms

One new interface feature that takes some getting used to is what Microsoft calls "charms" --

icons that let you perform an action, such as searching or changing options. When you move

your cursor to the upper-right corner or lower-right corner of the screen, five of these charms

appear: Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings. Some are quite useful, while others appear

to serve no purpose.

Fig:"Charms"

Search, as its name indicates, lets you search through local apps, through local files or via the

Web -- it's quite customizable.

Share is designed to let you share with others from within your current app, but I was unable

to find a way to use it. When I clicked it in the Mail app, for example, I got the message

"Mail can't share." I received the same message when I attempted to use it in every app I

tried, even in the People social networking app, whose primary purpose is sharing. Perhaps it

will work better in future versions of Windows 8.

The Devices charm is also somewhat baffling. By its name, one would expect that it would

help with configuring and managing devices. However, the only device setting that was


visible was for using two monitors with Windows 8 -- I found none for tasks such as setting

up a printer. And when I attached an external USB hard drive to my test system, that wasn't

listed.

One would expect that clicking the Start charm would always bring you back to the Metro

Start screen, but that's not what it does. Instead, it switches you to whatever you were just

doing -- the same thing that happens when you press the Windows key or click in the lower

left portion of the screen.

The Settings charm, as the name indicates, allows you to change systems and/or settings,

depending on the context. In Metro and Metro apps, the Settings charm is context-sensitive

and will change the settings related to the app you're currently in. Inside Desktop apps,

however, you can only change the overall Desktop settings, not those for the program you're

running.

� Reset and Refresh Feature

Windows 8 Developer Preview comes with a new Reset and Refresh Feature. Its like system

restore feature of Windows 7 redefined. No one likes to have computer problems, but

sometimes things go wrong. With new options to refresh your PC, Windows 8 makes it

simple to go back to a fresh installation of Windows without losing your personal files or

settings, or any apps you’ve installed from the Windows Store. You don’t have to get out an

installation disc or burn DVDs to back up your photos, videos, or music. Just start the

process, and Windows will do all the work and get you back in action.

Reset feature of Windows 8 deletes all data on the system and returns your computer to its out

of box state i.e. just like when it was shipped to you or you can call it as Factory reset. All

this process takes 15-20 minutes. ( In my HP laptop with Windows 7, Factory reset for me

takes 3 hours to complete).

Refresh feature of Windows 8 preserves user data like pictures, Music, Documents etc.

(including Metro Apps) and deletes everything else. This feature is useful when you don’t

want a Factory reset kind of restore and want to keep your data intact.


� Old Desktop Interface

When you click the Desktop tile on the Metro Start screen, you're sent to what is essentially

the old Windows Desktop, including the taskbar at the bottom, icons for launching programs,

and so on. It looks and works like the Desktop you've grown used to over the years, with a

few minor changes.

The biggest change, and possibly the

worst one, is that the Desktop no longer

has the Start button -- which seems to

me like a step back. In Windows 7 and

Windows Vista, the Start button was a

paragon of simplicity, packing many

useful features into a small amount of

real estate. You could click it to launch recently-run and commonly-run programs, to search

your computer and the Internet, to open documents you'd recently used, to run the Control

Panel, and to see a menu of all the programs on your computer, among other tasks. Taking

away the Start button makes the Desktop less useful than it was in Windows Vista and

Windows 7.

Fig: Windows Old Desktop


The Quick Launch bar has also been eliminated. In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, that bar

made it easy to quickly launch the applications you most commonly use. In Windows 8, you

can no longer do that, because the bar is gone.

Because the Start button has been killed, its search box has been too, and that's a loss. To do a

search, you now have to move your mouse to the upper right or lower right portion of the

screen, and select the Search charm.

And the search you can perform simply isn't as good as the older version. In Windows Vista

and Windows 7, the search displayed multiple results in a small, easy-to-scan list, and it let

you quickly switch between searching your computer and the Internet. Not so with the Search

charm -- it drops you into a Metro interface in which each result takes up more real estate.

The new Search charm does let you more easily narrow your search -- still, Microsoft should

have kept the old Desktop search, to give you a choice of different search methods.

The Desktop also isn't integrated well with Metro. Inside Metro apps, for example, the

Settings charm is context-sensitive -- those settings are specific to the app you're running. But

inside the Desktop, the charm isn't, and doesn't relate to the app itself. Rather, it relates to the

Desktop.

On the plus side, the Desktop seems to run Desktop-based Windows applications with no

problems. I ran SugarSync, Microsoft Office and Libre Office with no trouble.

� Skydrive and Windows Live integration

It comes with Skydrive and Windows Live integration. This developer preview though

doesn’t have Skydrive integration. Finally, SkyDrive, which is Microsoft’s own cloud

service, is a part of Windows 8. The SkyDrive Metro application makes it easier to sync files

to your SkyDrive account. Gone are the days when you have to be downloading third party

softwares to get a mediocre SkyDrive experience sync experience on the desktop. Now

everything works as expected with room for improvement. Windows live integration lets you

create a user account on your system with having to create a local user account and you can

sign in into your system using your Windows live account.


� New Ribbon Interface

New ribbon interface is being used everywhere in Windows 8 which includes windows

explorer too. Instead of the old menu, you will find the new ribbon interface in all the user

interface. Of course, we all remember that we were first introduced to the Ribbon toolbar in

Office 2007. And, when Windows 7 was released, we found the Ribbon in WordPad and

Paint, two applets whose UIs had remained virtually unchanged for 14 years. The Ribbon

then appeared in Windows Live applets, such as Movie Maker and Photo Gallery. So I guess

that it was inevitable that we would see more of the Ribbon in Windows 8. Another benefit of

using a Ribbon for Windows Explorer is that it lends itself well to a touch interface.

Microsoft also promised that this new version of Windows Explorer would provide a level of

customization like we had in the Windows XP’s version with the Customize Toolbar feature.

The Windows Explorer Ribbon contains the File menu and three Core tabs titled Home,

Share, and View that always appear in the Ribbon, as shown in Figure A. There are also a set

of colored Contextual tabs that appear based on the type of object that you have selected,

such as a location, a folder, or a file, and provide a set of related commands.

For example, when you open the Pictures folder or select a JPG file, the Picture Tools tab

appears; when you select a drive in Computer, the Disk Tools tab appears. This system of

Core and Contextual tabs is designed to expose close to 200 different file management

commands in Windows Explorer without having them buried in numerous nested menus,

pop-ups, dialog boxes, or right-click/context menus.

Figure A

Windows Explorer’s base Ribbon contains the File menu and three Core tabs titled Home,

Share, and View.


Well, it appears that Microsoft felt our pain at the demise of the Up button in Vista and 7 and

now it is back in Windows 8. It’s right between the Address box and the Back and Forward

buttons, as shown in Figure B

Figure B

The Up button is back in Windows Explorer.

As I mentioned, the Contextual tabs are colored so that they stand out and get im

noticed. In the Consumer Preview, Microsoft has tweaked the colors in an attempt to make

them more appealing. For example the Picture Tools tab is now a light orange rather than a

light purple, the Disk Tools tab is now light purple rather than l

Tools tab is now light orange rather than light green, shown in

like a big deal, but I bet there is a lot of usability study that went into these changes.

Figure C

Microsoft changed the color of m

� Multiple monitor support

It comes with multi monitor support letting you span your single desktop background across

multiple monitors. You will also find a slider kind of interface in Metro App when Wind

is started and you need to slide it to get access to different metro apps.




Figure B.

The Up button is back in Windows Explorer.

As I mentioned, the Contextual tabs are colored so that they stand out and get im



light purple, the Disk Tools tab is now light purple rather than light yellow, and the Library

Tools tab is now light orange rather than light green, shown in Figure C. This may not sound


Microsoft changed the color of most of the Contextual tabs in the Consumer Preview.

Multiple monitor support


multiple monitors. You will also find a slider kind of interface in Metro App when Wind

is started and you need to slide it to get access to different metro apps.




As I mentioned, the Contextual tabs are colored so that they stand out and get immediately



ight yellow, and the Library

. This may not sound


ost of the Contextual tabs in the Consumer Preview.


multiple monitors. You will also find a slider kind of interface in Metro App when Windows


� Windows To Go

A feature first seen on Linux is now making its way to Windows 8. Basically, with Windows

To Go, you can carry Windows 8 on a thumb drive and boot it in any machine. Exciting? You

bet it is. By making a copy of Windows 8 on a thumb drive, you can walk with your OS and

your files for use on any machine that supports Windows 7 or Windows 8. Windows To Go is

an enterprise feature of Windows® 8 Consumer Preview that enables users to boot Windows

from a USB-connected external drive. Windows To Go drives can use the same image

enterprises use for their desktops and laptops and can be managed the same way. Windows

To Go is not intended to replace desktops, laptops or supplant other mobility offerings.

Rather, it provides support for efficient use of resources for alternative workplace scenarios.

Windows To Go operates just like any other installation of Windows with a few exceptions.

These exceptions are:

• Hibernate and sleep are disabled by default. To help prevent Windows To Go from

accidental data corruption during roaming hibernate and sleep are disabled. They can

be re-enabled by using Group Policy settings.

• Internal disks are offline. To ensure data isn’t accidentally disclosed, internal hard

disks on the host computer are offline by default when booted into a Windows To Go.

Similarly if a Windows To Go drive is inserted into a running system the Windows

To Go drive will not be listed in Windows Explorer.

• Trusted Platform Module (TPM) isn’t used. When using BitLocker Drive

Encryption a pre-operating system boot password will be used for security rather than

the TPM since the TPM is tied to a specific computer and Windows To Go drives will

move between computers.

• Windows Recovery Environment isn’t available. In the rare case that you need to

recover your Windows To Go drive, you should re-image it with a fresh image of

Windows.

• Push Button Reset isn’t available. Resetting to the manufacturer’s standard for the

computer doesn’t really apply when running Windows To Go, so the feature was

disabled.

Windows To Go drives can be booted on multiple computers. During the first boot on a

computer Windows To Go will detect all hardware on the computer and install drivers. When


returning to that computer Windows To Go will identify the computer and load the correct

drivers automatically. Users can do this on multiple computers with the same Windows To

Go drive enabling the ability to roam between them.

The applications that you want to use from the Windows To Go workspace should be tested

to make sure they also support roaming. Some applications bind to the computer hardware

which will cause difficulties if the workspace is being used with multiple host computers.

� No Activation

It also comes without any kind of restrictions on who can test it. You don’t need a key to

activate it or rearm after you are finished with installing Windows 8 on your System. This

small step will help Microsoft in gaining loads of beta testers for its Windows 8 which can

help in building a excellent product when its launched finally. Keep in mind, No Activation

is applicable only for this build and hopefully when final version of Windows 8 comes out,

it will come with some kind of Activation Mechanism.

� Social integration with Facebook & Twitter

It comes with two metro apps which integrates your twitter and Facebook account directly on

your Windows 8 Desktop. Even though these apps are far from perfect, still Microsoft have

long time to fix bugs before the final version of Windows 8 comes out.

� Faster Boot times

Windows 8 boosts of faster boot times in the range of 5-10 seconds. Keep in mind, this faster

boot times wont be achieved on older systems with spinning hard disk. You will need solid

state drives, new hardware to achieve almost switch ON OFF kind of booting. Normal

systems which we have will still see some great improvements in booting times compared to

previous versions of Windows.

� USB 3.0 support It comes with support for USB 3.0 which means ultra fast copy

and transfer of data between two compatible devices.

� Internet Explorer 10: the web by Touch


With Internet Explorer 10 Consumer Preview, we’ve reimagined what a great web

experience can look like. Internet Explorer is designed to dedicate your entire screen,

edge to edge, to your websites. Websites extend over your whole screen, and tabs and

navigation controls appear only when you need them and then quietly get out of the

way when you don’t. Browsing is as easy as using the rest of Windows.. Everything you

want to do on the web is a swipe or tap away, and it uses

protection,hardware acceleration, modern browser standards like HTML5, and the

quick core of Windows to make browsing fast and fluid.

Internet Explorer is a leader in protection against malware and phishing, and it will help

keep you more secure when browsing the web. SmartScreen Filter identifies scams and

sites that are known to be malicious and warns you when your security might be

threatened. Metro style Internet Explorer 10

browsing experience that’s all a

app-like. The address bar is at bottom and not visible always.

interface of Internet explorer

Internet explorer from there and you w

� Built- in Metro apps





gation controls appear only when you need them and then quietly get out of the


want to do on the web is a swipe or tap away, and it uses

re acceleration, modern browser standards like HTML5, and the

quick core of Windows to make browsing fast and fluid.

Fig: Metro Style IE 10


hen browsing the web. SmartScreen Filter identifies scams and


Metro style Internet Explorer 10 provides a fast and fluid touch

browsing experience that’s all about your sites, making them feel increasingly more

like. The address bar is at bottom and not visible always. If you want your

interface of Internet explorer, that too you can have under desktop App. Just run

Internet explorer from there and you will have the older interface with tabs etc..

in Metro apps





gation controls appear only when you need them and then quietly get out of the


want to do on the web is a swipe or tap away, and it uses better security

re acceleration, modern browser standards like HTML5, and the


hen browsing the web. SmartScreen Filter identifies scams and


provides a fast and fluid touch-first

bout your sites, making them feel increasingly more

If you want your old

, that too you can have under desktop App. Just run

ill have the older interface with tabs etc..


The Developer Preview shipped with a small number of Metro apps, which were a bit rough

around the edges. But the Consumer Preview comes with a full suite of them, including

email, calendaring, maps, SkyDrive, messaging, Xbox and social networking, among others.

As expected, they appear to have been designed more for tablets than traditional computers,

with simple, colorful bold interfaces. The results are often striking; take, for example, the

visually compelling Weather app.

However, in the pursuit of simplicity and tablet friendliness, Metro apps often sacrifice power

and functionality.

Fig: Apps in Windows 8

Mail allows you to see all of your mail in one place, whether it’s Hotmail, Gmail or your

company’s Exchange mail. Just like the Mail app, Calendar combines your information into

a single view and enables you to have one view of the day, week or month, by pulling

together your multiple calendars. With Microsoft SkyDrive® you never need to worry about

being able to access your documents and photos because when they’re in your SkyDrive, you

can access them seamlessly from any device. Photos puts your pictures at your fingertips.

Your albums from Facebook, Flickr, and Microsoft SkyDrive®, and of course your PC, are

there when you connect your Microsoft account to these services.


The People app is your most complete address book. You can include contacts from Hotmail,

Messenger, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Gmail, and others. Quickly see what’s new, share

an update, comment, or initiate a conversation. Messaging makes it easy to chat with all your

friends on Messenger and Facebook. The best example of this is the Mail app. On the plus

side, it's simple, colorful and makes it very easy to add and read mail from multiple mail

accounts. On the downside, it offers very few tools that you expect in a modern email

program, such as creating rules to automatically route mail to specific folders. In smartphone

and tablet-based email software, these limitations aren't unusual, because those devices

typically aren't someone's primary computing device. But you expect more in a desktop or

laptop app. The Mail app simply won't be up to the task for users of desktops and laptops.

The Metro-based Mail app Where the Metro apps generally shine is in their ability to grab

information from elsewhere and display or use it in some way. For example, the Calendar

app automatically grabs the birthdays of your Facebook friends and displays them on the

proper day. And if you've created a Google account, it will also automatically populate and

sync the Calendar with your Google Calendar information.

Metro apps do take some getting

used to. They don't have menus, and so it's not clear at first how to access certain features.

But right-click anywhere on the screen, and a series of icons appear for that app, such as

adding locations in the Weather app, or viewing all of your accounts in the Mail app. There is

one very simple and useful navigational tool missing, though: There's no minimize button.

That's because you don't minimize Metro apps -- you just switch away from them.

� Tools for Power Users

It comes with tools for power users including a better task manager. The new Task Manager

is your easy-to-use, all-in-one dashboard for monitoring and controlling your PC with colour-

coded tiles, real-time summary graphs and detailed information on processes, applications,

and history. You can also see the services associated with each process on one screen.

File management. Windows Explorer is enhanced to make file management and navigation

straightforward. The ribbon organizes Windows Explorer and reveals features that used to be

hidden. We’ve brought back a long-lost favorite: the Up button. It’s easier to view and

manage all of your file operations in one place.


� Navigation and Mousing around

Although the large tiles practically cry out to be touched rather than clicked upon, Metro is

still navigable using a mouse. If you're like me, at first you'll find it takes some getting used

to. But after a full day, I found myself comfortable with it, so much so that when I went back

to my Windows Vista and Windows 7 machines, I occasionally found myself using the

Windows 8 mouse movements (to no avail, of course).

Apps themselves are launched with single clicks rather than double-clicks. Although the

navigation inside Metro apps varies on an app-by-app basis, generally you'll find yourself

using scroll bars. (On a tablet, you'd be swiping to your heart's content.) Windows 8 employs

global navigation, usable when you're in Metro, the Desktop, a Metro app or a Desktop app.

in other words, no matter where you are. To switch between your current app and the last

app you used, either press the Windows key on your keyboard or move your mouse to the

lower left corner of the screen and click. If you want to see a thumbnail of the last app you

used, hover your mouse over that lower left corner. If you hover the cursor over the upper left

corner of the screen, you'll also see a thumbnail of your last app -- but if you then move your

cursor down, you'll display the thumbnails of your other open apps.

There are keyboard shortcuts as well. You can press the Windows key and Tab key

simultaneously to open thumbnails of your open apps, and then move to any you want to run.

And the old Alt-Tab standby still works.

Fig: Intracting with Windows


At first, there doesn't seem to be a way to actually close a Metro app. I finally discovered that

it's possible by moving the cursor to the top of the screen and dragging it down towards the

bottom of the screen. The app first shrinks from full-screen size to a window, and when you

drag it off the bottom of the screen, the app closes.

� Touch or keyboard and mouse: your choice

Windows 8 is hands-on. On touch-enabled PCs, the things you used to do with a mouse and

keyboard are now easy to do with touch. You can switch between apps, organize your Start

screen, and pan and zoom. With the innovative touch keyboard, you can navigate, type, and

interact on the go. The touch keyboard has two modes designed to suit the way you work. It’s

a full-sized touch keyboard with large buttons that converts to a unique thumb keyboard so

it’s easy to use when you want to take it with you. This flexibility makes it more comfortable.

Typing feels natural whether you’re sitting down or walking around. The touch keyboard in

Windows 8 helps you speed up your typing and makes it more accurate. The keyboard

technology is designed to increase efficiency and reduce mistakes.

Fig: Type naturally with the touch keyboard

If you mistype a word, Windows will suggest words as you type so you can get it right with a

single tap. Type naturally with the touch keyboard.The innovative thumb keyboard makes

typing on portable devices easier The Windows 8 keyboard speaks your language. On touch-

enabled PCs, the keyboard layout automatically adjusts to the language you choose for

Windows. Your language settings apply to the whole PC rather than just certain apps, so you


can communicate effectively right from the start. Windows 8 is equally at home with a mouse

and keyboard. You can choose how to interact with your PC. Plug in a keyboard and mouse

and you have familiar methods of getting to your apps. People work in different ways and

Windows 8 adapts to your needs. So whether you want to type and click, or swipe and tap,

you can navigate easily with Windows 8. The choice is yours.

Rotate to turn

Rotating two or more fingers turns an object. You can turn the

whole screen by 90 degrees when you rotate your device.

Mouse equivalent: Support for rotating an object depends on

whether the specific app supports it.

Swipe from the bottom or top edge for app commands

App commands are revealed by swiping from the bottom or top

edge. Swiping from the top to the bottom of the screen lets you

dock or close the current app.

Mouse equivalent: Right-click on the app to see the apps

commands.

Swipe from the right or left edge for system commands

Swiping from the right side of the screen reveals the charms with

system commands. Swiping from the left brings up previously

used apps.

Mouse equivalent: Place the mouse pointer in the lower-right

corner of the screen

Press and hold to learn

You can see detailed information without having to commit to an

action. In some cases, pressing and holding opens a menu with

more options.

Mouse equivalent: Hover over an item to see more options.

Tap to perform an action

Tapping something causes an action, such as launching an app,

following a link, or performing a command.

Mouse equivalent: Left-click on an item to perform an action.


FAQs

Windows 8 Consumer Preview: Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to some common questions about Windows 8 Consumer Preview. We'll update this list with more questions and answers, so check back later.

Is Windows 8 Consumer Preview ready for everyone to try?

We strongly recommend that only experienced PC users download Windows 8 Consumer Preview. Before you download the preview, you should weigh the pros and cons of installing software that's still in development. If you install the preview release, you'll get to try out the many new features, but you might also encounter errors that you wouldn't encounter using a released version of Windows.

You should consider downloading the Windows 8 Consumer Preview only if all of the following apply to you:

• You like to use the latest software and enjoy experimenting with new technology. • You're comfortable backing up a PC, formatting a hard drive, and installing an

operating system from scratch. • You feel comfortable troubleshooting PC problems yourself. • You don't mind updating software frequently. • You have the installation or recovery media and the knowledge to restore your

previous operating system after you're done testing Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

Are there risks to installing Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

Yes. Windows 8 Consumer Preview is stable and has been thoroughly tested, but it’s not the finished product. Your PC could crash and you could lose important files. You should back up your data and you shouldn't test Windows 8 Consumer Preview on your primary home or business PC. You might also encounter problems like:

• Software that doesn’t install or work correctly, including antivirus or security programs.

• Printers, video cards, or other hardware that doesn’t work. • Difficulty accessing corporate or home networks. • Files that might become corrupted.

You should carefully balance the risks and rewards of trying out the Windows 8 Consumer Preview before you install it.


� Downloading and installing

What are the system requirements for Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

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 a monitor that supports multitouch. • To access the 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.

What happens when I download Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup?

When you download Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup, the following happens:

1. Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup checks your PC to see if it can run the consumer preview, and provides a compatibility report that you can save or print (make sure your devices are connected to your PC and turned on before you run the Setup program). The Setup program then selects the optimized version of the download (up to 25% smaller) that is right for your PC (32-bit or 64-bit).

2. The built-in download manager lets you start, stop, and resume the download at any time.

3. Once Windows 8 Consumer Preview is downloaded, you choose how and when to install it. You can install on the current drive or you can make an ISO or bootable flash drive for installing Windows 8 Consumer Preview on another partition, virtual machine, or another PC (requires Windows Vista or Windows 7).

Is there an alternative to using Setup? Can I just download an ISO image?

Yes. As an alternative to using Setup, Windows 8 Consumer Preview is also available to download as an ISO image.

Can I upgrade from previous versions of Windows to Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

Yes, you can upgrade to Windows 8 Consumer Preview from Windows Developer Preview, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP, but you might not be able to keep all of your files, programs, and settings. The following table shows what you can keep during an upgrade depending on the current version of Windows running on your PC:


Current operating system What you can keep

Windows Developer Preview • User accounts and files

Windows 7

• Programs • Windows settings • User accounts and files

Windows Vista • Windows settings • User accounts and files

Windows XP • User accounts and files

If you create installation media, start your PC from the media, and then install Windows 8 Consumer Preview, you won't be able to keep your files, programs, or settings. You must install Windows 8 Consumer Preview using the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup program to move files and settings over to Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

How large are the Windows 8 Consumer Preview download files?

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup program will check to see if your PC can run Windows 8 Consumer Preview before downloading either the 32-bit (x86) or the 64-bit (x64) version and will select the architecture that’s currently installed on your PC. If you prefer to choose a different architecture, you can download an ISO image. The table below shows the sizes of the download packages when using Setup.

Download Download package size (approximate)

Setup 5.0 MB

32-bit (x86) Windows 8 Consumer Preview 1.5 GB

64-bit (x64) Windows 8 Consumer Preview 1.9 GB

Will my devices and programs work with Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

Windows 8 Consumer Preview should work with the same devices and programs that work with Windows 7. In some cases, the device or program might require an update or you might need to uninstall some programs, and then reinstall them after installing Windows 8 Consumer Preview. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup program will scan your PC to determine what's compatible and provide a report that you can save or print. Make sure your devices are connected to your PC and turned on before you run the Setup program. If you want compatibility info for a specific device or program, see the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Compatibility Center.


How do l install Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

The easiest method is to start downloading from the Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview page. Once the download has completed, you have a couple of options:

• Run the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup program from the PC where you want to install the preview. (Setup checks to see if your PC is running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows and provides you with the correct download.)

• Run the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup program and use the built-in tools for converting an ISO image into installation media, such as a DVD or USB bootable flash drive (requires Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows Developer Preview). You can then use this media to install the preview on another partition, virtual machine, or another PC.

If you don't want to use the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup program, you can download an ISO image and use it to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive to install Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

Do I need a product key to install Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

If you install Windows 8 Consumer Preview using the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup program, you won't need to enter a product key—the setup program automatically provides the product key. If you create installation media, start your PC from the media, and then install Windows 8 Consumer Preview. You'll need to enter this product key: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J.

What is a Microsoft account and do I need one to use Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

A Microsoft account is an email address and password that you use to sign in to Windows. You can use any email address, but it's best if you choose the one you already use to communicate with friends and sign in to your favorite websites. You don't need a Microsoft account to use Windows 8 Consumer Preview, but we highly recommend that you use one. When you sign in to your PC with a Microsoft account, you’ll connect your PC to the people, files, and devices you care about. (If you need an email address, we can give you one for free.)

When you sign in with a Microsoft account, your PC is connected to the cloud and:

• Your friends’ contact info and status automatically stay up to date from places like Hotmail, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as soon as you connect those services to your Microsoft account.

• You can get to and share your photos, docs, and other files from places like SkyDrive, Facebook, and Flickr.

• Your personal settings are synced to any PC running Windows 8 Consumer Preview that you sign in to, including your themes, language preferences, browser favorites, and apps.

• You can get apps in the Windows Store and use them on any PC running Windows 8 Consumer Preview that you sign in to.


If you've already installed Windows 8 Consumer Preview and didn't sign in with a Microsoft account or you don't have a Microsoft account and want to get one, follow these steps:

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, and then click Settings.)

2. Tap or click More PC settings. 3. Tap or click Users. 4. Tap or click Switch to a Microsoft account.

� Apps and the Windows Store

Do I need a Microsoft account to use the Windows Store?

Yes. With a Microsoft account, you can see all of the apps you bought from the Store and you can install any of those apps on up to five PCs.

To sign up for a Microsoft account

1. Open Windows Store, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, and then click Settings.)

2. Tap or click Accounts and preferences, tap or click Sign in, and then tap or click Don't have a Microsoft account?

I got an app from the Store but can't find it on my PC. Where is it?

After apps are installed, a tile for the app appears on the Start screen. If you don't see the tile for an app, you can try searching for the app on your PC:

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, and then click Search.)

2. Make sure the search is set to Search Apps, and then enter the name of the app.

If an app doesn't appear in the search results, you can reinstall it on your PC:


2. Tap or click Accounts and preferences, tap or click View your apps, and then choose the app you want to reinstall.

How do I use my apps on other PCs?

You can install any of the apps you bought from the Store on up to five PCs. To install one of your apps on another PC:



2. Tap or click Accounts and preferences, tap or click View your apps, and then choose the app you want to reinstall.

� Internet Explorer 10 Consumer Preview

Why don’t toolbars and add-ons work?

Internet Explorer 10 provides an “add-on free” experience. It supports HTML 5 for video content, but you can't install toolbars and add-ons in Internet Explorer 10.

If you are viewing a webpage that requires an add-on or uses Flash, you can view the content by opening the website in Internet Explorer for the desktop. To do this, swipe in from the right edge of the screen (if you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen), tap or click Settings, and then tap or click Use the desktop.

Where do I find my favorites?

Internet Explorer 10 doesn't use the traditional Favorites from previous versions. Instead, you can pin websites to the Start screen or open a list of pinned sites and frequently visited sites using New tab. If you open Internet Explorer for the desktop, you can use the traditional Favorites, but you can’t access the pinned sites from the Start screen.

I can't find the Internet Explorer 10 tile on the Start screen. How do I get it back?

Internet Explorer 10 might have accidentally become unpinned. To pin it back to your Start screen, follow these steps:

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, and then click Search.)

2. Enter Internet Explorer, and then tap or click Apps. 3. In the search results, swipe down on the Internet Explorer icon, and then tap Pin to

Start. (If you're using a mouse, right-click Internet Explorer, and then click Pin to Start.)


Conclusion

If you haven't downloaded Windows 8 Consumer Preview yet, and want to try it, the setup

can be downloaded from Microsoft's website, while the .iso images can be found here.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/iso The new version of Windows

breaks with its past -- and for tablet owners, that will be a good thing. The new Metro

interface is ideally suited for tablets and touch. But desktop and laptop owners will likely see

it as a mixed success. Metro apps are more visually compelling than Desktop-based ones, and

they do an excellent job of integrating information piped in from the Internet. But the

Desktop is underpowered compared to previous Windows versions, and overall the operating

system feels more natural to touch-based interaction than it does to mouse- and keyboard-

based use.

I certainly look forward to using Windows 8 on a tablet, because it offers useful and

innovative features, such as displaying changing information directly on tiles. I can't say that

I'm as enthusiastic about using it on a traditional computer, though. Switching between Metro

and the Desktop feels awkward, and I never shook the sense that I was using two different

operating systems. While I appreciate Metro's new features, I think Microsoft should have

worked on adding new features to the Desktop as well, and done a better job of integrating

the separate interfaces.

Given that the software that many people use on a daily basis -- Microsoft Office -- works

only on the Desktop, and that the next version of Office will be a Desktop app as well, many

people will spend a good deal of their time on Windows 8 desktops and laptops using the

Desktop. I certainly will. So while I'm looking forward to taking advantage of Metro's new

features, I'm not at all pleased to know that for most of the time.

So should Windows 8 be downloaded? We say yes. The OS is great and feature rich, and

because you need to learn a bit about how to use it, it is best that you do it now rather than

wait until the full version is released some time in Q4 2012.


References

www.microsoft.com

www.techrepublic.com

www.redmondpie.com

www.computerworld.com