I've installed Windows 8 on a VM and played around with it for a couple of hours, and I'm honestly wondering if I've missed an option somewhere - I cannot believe that what I'm using is meant to be the next version of MS's main desktop OS.<p>Just about every W8 program seems to want to run only as a single window full screen app which seems to go against pretty much everything that window-based OSs (certainly multi-tasking ones) were introduced to do. Even trying to switch between multiple open browser sessions was horribly clunky, although at least you do seem to be able to run IE on the old Windows desktop if you want - an option that I couldn't find for most of the other apps.<p>I'm sure this may work great on a phone/tablet, but seems totally wrong on a standard computer. Apple has had a go at fittin similar iOS features into MacOS (tablet-style program launcher/full screen mode etc), but at the moment they are thankfully entirely optional.With Windows 8, this looks to largely be the only choice.
><i>Let me tell you, that whole process was far and away the most invigorating and intensely satisfying experience I had all week</i><p>For me, this puts the rant in the proper perspective. I recommend stepping away from the computer and going on a date.
Ranting about the Windows 8 Consumer Preview seems a bit unfair. It says "Consumer" and "Preview". Both words indicating it is not for the more advanced user.<p>At work we always use Windows Server Edition as workstation OS. I must say that those Server Editions are very good.<p>So if you don't like the bling just don't use the Consumer Preview but install a Server Edition instead.
<i>I pushed aside the psychological torture of opening program after program and never closing one, despite knowing I would never come back to it.</i><p>Does this mean Windows 8 doesn't let you close programs? Have they abstracted away a layer of resource management from the user to the OS?
I have trouble trusting this. Years ago everyone pissed and moaned about how terrible Vista was, only to have 7 be received as The Messiah, even though it was basically the same as Vista. I feel as though a narrative is being set up where 8 will be the terrible horrible worst thing ever ever, and 8.1 will be incredible genius by golly MS has done it again.