Metro is quite impressive as a tablet UI. Frankly, I think it's the only legitimate alternative to iPad. But on a mouse-driven desktop it's at best uncompelling, and at worst baffling and frustrating.<p>There's a risk Microsoft could pull another Vista, where an overwhelmingly negative public perception of Metro on the desktop overshadows some otherwise good features.<p>The other risk is that if they insist on coupling ARM Metro releases with Desktop Windows releases it may prevent them from moving as fast as they'll need to effectively compete with iOS. Development speed has been a problem for Microsoft these last 10 years or so.
I'm still baffled as to why Windows 8 is not a dedicated tablet OS. I think it would be a dream to use on a touch device and commend Microsoft for the Metro design, but they had to screw it up by shoehorning it onto the desktop too.<p>I've given Windows 8 an honest try on my dual monitor setup and it just isn't happening. Metro is out of place, consumes 100% screen real estate (meaning fast context switching between windows or monitoring multiple windows is impossible) and is constantly frustrating with its hidden controls and undiscoverable features.<p>The fact that they had to <i>include Windows 7 in Windows 8</i> is proof enough that Metro is not suitable for the desktop. Windows 8 feels like a bizarre mashup OS that has no place on the desktop.
I think the comparison with Grub is a little unfair--if you look at a distro like OpenSUSE[1], the grub screen actually looks very good. You still can't use the mouse, but I would happily trade speed for that, especially since using the keyboard to select the right system is easier and faster anyhow.<p>[1]: <a href="http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~tikhon/openSUSE-grub.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~tikhon/openSUSE-grub.jpg</a><p>That said, I'm really happy that people are moving towards prettier interfaces everywhere. Why don't distros like Ubunutu or Fedora do the same?
My two cents after using Win8 for a week on a laptop:<p>- Hot corners: fail. MS needs to extend hot zones. Finding the exact point with the touchpad is sometimes tricky. I can imagine the horror on multimonitor configuration.<p>- I actually like the start screen. It's clean, and it responds to typing even faster than Win7 start button. Two minor problems: 1) you need to clean up icons after every installation and 2) it doesn't shows <i>everything</i> when I'm typing - I need to explicitly select "settings" after I type "mouse", for example (it's tab - down - enter, not a big deal, but still). Windows 7 start screen displays all find results at once.<p>- Keyboard is your friend: Win + c for charms, Win + q for programs search, Win + w for settings search. Learn these three shortcuts and you'll have less angry fist shaking.<p>- Metro: I really hope that the next year will bring us laptops with touch screens. Until then, metro applications aren't very useful when you have only mouse and keyboard.<p>The rest is, more or less, the same as in Windows 7.
“If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last few months, you probably know all of the following:”<p>Whenever I see articles starting in this manner, I suppose that:<p>1. The writer does not know how to write; or<p>2. The writer is so far immersed in their topic that they have lost sight of what is important and relevant to the rest of the population.<p>In either case, I stop reading.<p>Am I wrong? (Genuine question, not rhetorical!)
We are "stuck" in 2001.<p>Since the ServicePack2-update XP has been doing what an OS is supposed to do: doing its job and being invisible at it.<p>We skipped all the Windows versions since XP and we think we are going to like Windows 8 ;)
My issue with the active corners is that they are impossible to use with multiple monitors. Fitt's Law actively works against it; instead of being able to slam your mouse, you have to gingerly move it to the right spot.
The only thing that is annoying me with Windows 8 so far are the contextual menus where you need to move your mouse to the bottom right-hand side. The delay is too long and it makes the experience less fluid IMO.<p>I'm liking the Start Metro screen and getting used to the dynamic tiles.
Something about that start screen feels like you're watching every TV in the TV store at the same time, with about the same inability to focus. Also seems ripe for abuse by 3rd parties, but we'll see.
There is a certain amount of irony that Windows 8 works quite well is most (all?) virtualization software except Microsoft's VirtualPC.<p>Also, is anyone else feeling that they love Windows 8 on a tablet but are constantly frustrated trying to use it on a desktop? One of my first experiences that kind of sums of my experience was clicking on a 2-second mp3 (I wanted that gorgeous notification tone), only to find myself waiting 3 seconds to it to switch from Desktop/Explorer to Metro/Music Player, play my 2-second clip and then leaving me staring at a rather dumb, blank looking Metro media player. (It would be helped if there was a metro version of explorer, but still, I feel very limited without many windows open and expose mode, and of course windows 8 hasn't really improved the command prompt.)