Windows 8

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yolo

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Wow Windows 8 came out last Friday and nobody has said anything yet.

We got home from our 6 month trip to find that one of our old desktop XP computers chose not to run.  I found a pretty good deal on an HP All-In-One computer with Windows 8 installed.

The Home screen looks a lot like my Droid or an iPhone, apps everywhere and you can go to the Microsoft App Store and get more for free or charge.  Thank god you can get the old desktop up and it will still run DOS commands from a Command Prompt.  Hated the Mail program so I loaded Mozilla Thunderbird and all is well.

Just a whole lot of new glitz.
 
No compelling reason to move to Windows 8 on any existing Windows 7 computers.  But if anyone really wants to do so, you can update in place for $40 via a download direct from Microsoft.  New computers that have Windows 7 will also have an inexpensive upgrade option included.  The biggest source of confusion is distinguishing Windows 8 from Windows RT.  They look much alike but Windows RT will only run on certain tablets and can't run Windows desktop programs.  There's been lots written in the press about the advantages/disadvantages of Windows 8 so I won't reiterate that discussion here.
 
I used a beta copy of Windows 8 last year for a month and I agree with Ned, there is no compelling reason to move to Windows 8 if you have Windows 7. The whole point of Windows 8 is to add touch screen capabilities. If you don't need touch screen then you don't need Windows 8. I am not a fan of the ribbon menus either and that is getting more prevalent in Windows 8.
 
I set up a Win 8 computer for a client on Saturday and have had a Win 8 virtual machine for a few months now.  In my opinion it is not preferred for traditional corporate desktop computing but I believe it will do well with tablets and phones, and I suspect the younger users will accept it more readily than us more seasoned folks.

Stardock has a product, freeware version and a paid version, for implementing a traditional desktop but I had an issue with mounting ISO files after installing it.  Hopefully they fix the issue soon to ease the learning curve.  Native ISO support is handy.

The integration with Windows Server 2012 is outstanding but there are a few small hoops to jump through to attach a Windows 8 computer to SBS 2008 and SBS 2011.

I suspect people are confused by the RT version that is currently shipping.  The full version for tablets should be released within the next couple of months and that is the version I will be utilizing on a tablet.
 
I ordered a Win8 update disk at a good price in the pre-release sale and expect it to arrive today. Figured I would give it a try on my old XP desktop, which is due for some upgrades this winter anyway.
 
I would upgrade to W8 but my security program (HP simple pass) update is preventing me. The update that supports W8 won,t load and operate properly
HP Simple Pass 12 will not "see" the fingerprint reader when installed.
Anyone with any experience with getting this program loaded?
Note that my current version won't operate with Firefox past version 8 either.
Bob
 
I bought a Microsoft Surface with Windows RT yesterday. I want to replace my Kindle Fire with a little more useful for my work than my wife's iPad. I was intrigued with the concept of having legitimate if not full-blown versions of Word and Excel, a keyboard and a usb port on a device that also functions as a tablet. I didn't expect it to replace my laptop for serious code development, and it certainly won't. But the desktop side of the Windows RT user interface is much better for working with Word docs, spreadsheets, and web applications like SalesForce.com than an iPad or Android tablet. And the Touch keyboard/cover works amazingly well. I actually prefer it to the more conventional Type keyboard/cover.
On the tablet side of the equation there are a lot of good things and one significant disappointment. Getting the disappointment out of the way first, I really wish Surface included GPS. The display is so crisp, bright and snappy that I would love to use it as my primary navigation device. Maybe a GPS on a USB dongle will work (unconfirmed at this point), but it really should have been built in.
The screen is better than its specs would indicate. The Retina iPad has higher resolution, but unless you put them side by side, you'd barely notice. I like the clean, modern look and the Live Tile functionality of Windows 8.
There are a limited number of apps available now, but I expect more will be forthcoming in the coming months. Many of the most important apps, like Kindle, NetFlix and Skype, are available now.
The front and rear-facing cameras aren't the greatest, but they're good enough for Skype video calls. I still haven't found a better point-and-shoot than the camera in an iPhone 4S, anyway.
Windows RT isn't for everyone, but I think it has the makings of a worthy iPad alternative.
For a full-fledged but highly portable computer, there are some excellent Windows 8 Ultrabooks to choose from.
If you want a the full Windows 8 experience in a tablet, just wait a few months for the Windows 8 Pro Surface. When that version comes out next year, my RT will likely be looking for a new owner.
 
Just installed W8 this afternoon,  Download and a clean install went great. Right now I am on line with support, Activation problem. They are working on generating a new key. No wait time for support, but have been on line going on 45 min. They just got it activated.  Wouldn't  be surprised if this happens to others.
 
Windows activation problems in general have been rare, and this is the first report I've read about one with Windows 8.  Good to hear MS got it fixed for you without too much trouble.
 
whiteva said:
WOW, windows 8.... I am using windows 95... Is mine 87 times better?

No, just a bit less than 12 times better :D
 
After searching I found this "Your key is an update only key... meaning it won't allow a fresh install... unless you do the registry workaround from Windows 7."  I did a fresh install and told support that. I think that I will like using  W8.
 
Ok, that explains the activation problem.  An update version has to be installed from within a qualifying previous version of Windows.  I believe you still have to options of updating or complete replacement (fresh install) during the installation process.
 
I installed it on a new HD.  It never requested a windows DVD for verification like previous versions of windows.
 
eliallen said:
I installed it on a new HD.  It never requested a windows DVD for verification like previous versions of windows.
MS stopped asking for a verification DVD many years ago. Now it is verified online.
 
SeilerBird said:
MS stopped asking for a verification DVD many years ago. Now it is verified online.
Not talking about activation, but to verify if you have a previous version of windows to upgrade.
 
eliallen said:
I installed it on a new HD.  It never requested a windows DVD for verification like previous versions of windows.

You can't install an update version that way.  You have to start the install from a running version of Windows or you will have the activation problem you ran into.  When the installer sees the running Windows, it allows activation online as it knows that you're performing a legitimate update installation.
 
Previous versions allowed that, I have done it many times with out a problem.
 
eliallen said:
Not talking about activation, but to verify if you have a previous version of windows to upgrade.
Yep, it checks online to see if you have a previous version verified. You must have a legit copy of Windows that has been verified on the machine to get it activated.
 
All I know is that in the past, when doing a fresh install it would ask for a windows  CD/DVD to prove that I qualify for the upgrade. Things change.
 

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