Windows 8

[Rod Stroker]

Not far away from beta release. Reports of a few leaked builds already. GUI screen shots are out there too.
Looking forward to getting my hands on it

 

[sblack]

There's been a couple of leaked builds already. Last time I checked, there was 2 with a 3rd just surfacing.

 

[Spermbird]

Unless they produce something that is a must have I can't see the point.

Windows 7 hasn't been installed in a lot of companies yet so I highly doubt they are going to upgrade to 8 already

 

[Rod Stroker]

There's been a couple of leaked builds already. Last time I checked, there was 2 with a 3rd just surfacing.

Yeah I saw that but apparently they're not baked enough yet so I'm giving it a bit more time.

 

[sblack]

Yeah I saw that but apparently they're not baked enough yet so I'm giving it a bit more time.

Yeah, would never touch something this early in its development stage.

 

[Borgsta]

Unless they produce something that is a must have I can't see the point.

Windows 7 hasn't been installed in a lot of companies yet so I highly doubt they are going to upgrade to 8 already

Depends what you view as a must have. For me it is a machine the functions the way it should in 2011 and XP doesn't allow that.

Win 7 has increased the speed of 10 year old laptops for me. If Win 8 does the same and is as stable as 7 then it will be a success.

Companies not wanting to spend money is no surprise though.

 

[soonarmee]

Windows 7 hasn't been installed in a lot of companies yet so I highly doubt they are going to upgrade to 8 already

I sorta have to disagree.

The amount of W7 machines I am seeing now out in the field is rather stagering!

From my experience working in varied IT dept's, it's getting pretty well respected from the business world..

 

[seanoff]

Depends what you view as a must have. For me it is a machine the functions the way it should in 2011 and XP doesn't allow that.

Win 7 has increased the speed of 10 year old laptops for me. If Win 8 does the same and is as stable as 7 then it will be a success.

Companies not wanting to spend money is no surprise though.

it's not the software that's the cost in a multi-thousand seat company. in fact the software is dirt cheap.

actually testing the software to see if it works in your environment, testing ALL your software to see if it works and if some doesn't what do you do, then moulding it so it works for you, then developing a workable implementation plan, trying to get the PCs up to spec to run it, etc etc all takes time. then you have to train the users, implement the upgrade, support the upgrade.

this is extended if they change the interface. (see Office 2008, people are still confused by that one. whoever thought it was a good idea to change the menu system should be ritually sacrificed.)

there is also a deep mistrust of MS. people don't like to be bleeding edge, it hurts and can be dangerous for your continued employment. there is also a lot of, "if it aint broke, don't fix it" around.

so you can't just go, ooohhhh Win 8, lets put that in.

 

[Borgsta]

yep i didn't suggest otherwise.

 

[TheStinger]

The company I work for has a database program which contains all of our client and work order info that the whole network can access. When three of our computers (including the one I am on a lot) were upgraded to Win7, the program would just shut down on its own at irregular times.

The company we got it from were coming up with a Win7 patch but it was taking some time. It didn't corrupt the database but it was annoying when you were working on something and you went away to do something else and came back 5 minutes later and the program had shutdown. Lucky it saves after every time you filled a field or it would become rage worthy.

 

[red+black]

Anyone know whether the next server OS will be Windows 2011 or Windows 2012?

 

[soonarmee]

The Tablet market is by no means new and though recent popular opinion states that "Apple created it"...it has been around for a while and not created by the almighty piece of fruit!!

All that aside, I am very well welcoming a tablet that will support a proper full Operating System.

For my line of work, the convinience of such a small platform plus full functionality is enticing and I'm pretty sure the current crop of tablets with Android won't be able to provide me with that that sort of control not to mention that company I canna even speak of......IVoldermort (all things Apple..!)

If Acer can get their Tablet transformer equipment with W7 or 8....Im in

 

[King Elvis]

Apple didn't create it, they just made it viable and useful, so they may as well have. It was a tiny, stagnant and useless market segment before - the tablets weren't tablets, they were laptops with twisted-hinge screens and the like.

Full functioning OS on a tablet; why?

WinXP is alright and still in use at a lot of SMEs, Vista was a disgrace, 7 seems quite good, but XP is stable and solid enough for most.

The Transformer is from Asus btw.

 

[seanoff]

Apple didn't create the tablet market.

but they did recognise that to make them popular, tablets needed a different interface that was more suited a tablets possible uses. that interface just didn't pop out of nowhere, there'd have been a huge amount of research dome before it was even prototyped.

they could have built a tablet with OSX, but that'd be the same as the Windows tablets. nice, but just another computer with a fancy screen.

 

[King Elvis]

Apple didn't create the tablet market.

but they did recognise that to make them popular, tablets needed a different interface that was more suited a tablets possible uses. that interface just didn't pop out of nowhere, there'd have been a huge amount of research dome before it was even prototyped.

they could have built a tablet with OSX, but that'd be the same as the Windows tablets. nice, but just another computer with a fancy screen.

So you're agreeing with what I said.

 

[weevil]

this is extended if they change the interface. (see Office 2008, people are still confused by that one. whoever thought it was a good idea to change the menu system should be ritually sacrificed.)

In the words of John Patrick McEnroe: YOU CAN NOT BE SERIOUS!!!

Having to constantly swap between both interfaces every day I still have a little vomit in my mouth every time I am forced to drag myself back to the Stone Age desktop.

Actually technically I don’t have to swap. I could install office 2003 on my laptop, but I could never subject myself to such an utterly miserable existence.

Just because you are used to the old interface does not make it good. There was bucket-loads of productivity research showing that the new interface slaughters the old one.

 

[red+black]

The Tablet market is by no means new and though recent popular opinion states that "Apple created it"...it has been around for a while and not created by the almighty piece of fruit!!

What does this have to do with the current topic?

 

[red+black]

In the words of John Patrick McEnroe: YOU CAN NOT BE SERIOUS!!!

When I first saw the ribbon toolbar I didn't like it. After using it for a while, I definitely got used to it and probably prefer it now.

I really like Windows 7 and think more people should leave XP (and definitely Vista) behind.

 

[soonarmee]

What does this have to do with the current topic?

Nothing...........I just lurve attacking that Nazi, monopolistic dictatorship of a company that has successfully managed to brainwash the stupid, out of shear enjoyment!!

I think I just like the sport

 

[FIGJAM]

Apple didn't create it, they just made it viable and useful, so they may as well have. It was a tiny, stagnant and useless market segment before - the tablets weren't tablets, they were laptops with twisted-hinge screens and the like.

Full functioning OS on a tablet; why?

I value real estate, houses and apartments mainly, and am starting a new job Monday with these types of flip screen tablets with 3G connectivity. The job involves field data collection (into web browser...bloody IE...basically with 'cloud' storage and end reporting capabilities) and downtime between jobs that a full PC is useful for finishing jobs off in the car.

The full OS is required to run certain Aussie based databases that require it. Some are working out iPad/Android solutions, but it involves writing a whole new program to a large extent. Very expensive and the technology is moving towards being able to have tablet / netbook hybrids with a full Windows OS. Whilst they aren't available just yet, they won't be far off, so why blow the money on creating iOS/Android apps?

So yeah, the whole tablet market isn't just for latte sipping hipsters at cafes who won't submit to reading an actual paper, nor those couch surfers who are too physically weak to nurse a laptop. The tablets arose out of demand from the business market with a need for mobilse solutions. Apple have done a good job making their giant iPhone an option for the personal computer market, but that lack of a full OS is prohibitive to a fair whack of the broader market.

 

[HarryTiger]

I don't like how the newer tool bars seem to be designed for the 3-7 year old age group. Big buttons, curved corners so you cut yourself. Sharp and slick is better.

 

[tandino]

I really like Windows 7 and think more people should leave XP (and definitely Vista) behind.

I can't believe that for an operating system that's essentially a decade old, and been off the market for more than three years, XP is still the most popular operating system in the world.

 

[dylan123]

I really like Windows 7 and think more people should leave XP (and definitely Vista) behind.

For your everyday user, I don't see the point in upgrading from Vista to Windows 7. I've used both operating systems (currently using windows 7) and I really don't see what windows 7 can do that vista can't for the general user? Windows 7 runs smoother for a longer period of time (in my experience) but what else does it bring to the table which will be noticeable for these type of people?

 

[King Elvis]

Vista is terrible.

Unstable, absolute resource hungry, and still has compatibility issues with a hell of a lot of software programs. We use an industry specific CAD program for Design/Manufacture - the suppliers of it recommended against upgrading to Vista, but have had no problems with Win7.

For the common man, it's probably not a big deal, but it's a terrible OS.

I value real estate, houses and apartments mainly, and am starting a new job Monday with these types of flip screen tablets with 3G connectivity. The job involves field data collection (into web browser...bloody IE...basically with 'cloud' storage and end reporting capabilities) and downtime between jobs that a full PC is useful for finishing jobs off in the car.

Nothing here that an IPad isn't capable of?

The Downtime stuff, obviously have no idea what that is, so can't comment.

The full OS is required to run certain Aussie based databases that require it. Some are working out iPad/Android solutions, but it involves writing a whole new program to a large extent. Very expensive and the technology is moving towards being able to have tablet / netbook hybrids with a full Windows OS. Whilst they aren't available just yet, they won't be far off, so why blow the money on creating iOS/Android apps?

Such as?

Almost all modern Database programs can be converted to a web-browser capable version with very little fuss.

Writing Apps isn't very expensive, especially for an industry the size of yours.

Tablets & Netbooks are two different things - IMO, a lot of people make the mistake of assuming they're interchangeable, in most cases, they aren't.

Which technology is moving towards having a full function Windows OS?

OSX and Linux are rapidly gaining ground on Windows - the future of tech wont move towards any of them, it'll be compatible with all.

So yeah, the whole tablet market isn't just for latte sipping hipsters at cafes who won't submit to reading an actual paper, nor those couch surfers who are too physically weak to nurse a laptop. The tablets arose out of demand from the business market with a need for mobilse solutions. Apple have done a good job making their giant iPhone an option for the personal computer market, but that lack of a full OS is prohibitive to a fair whack of the broader market.

You aren't telling me anything I don't already know - Apple viewed the IPad primarily as a business tool from day one.

The Tablet market has been around for years; but nobody had actually executed one that was worthwhile until the Ipad.

I thought the IPad was a waste of time initially and couldn't see how it would fit between and IPhone and a Laptop, but I was wrong. They're a very convenient and very effective business tool, and tablets in general are helping evolve a hell of a lot of businesses at present.

And saying the lack of a full OS is prohibitive doesn't make it so. For the vast majority of people, it's irrelevant.

See above.

We're a relatively small company (~40 people), and we've currently got Software in development for our Design Team, Sales Team, our Site Supervisors, our mobile Tradesman and eventually some of our workshop supervisors.

 

[FIGJAM]

I don't disagree with most of what you have said, Elvis, and I do tend towards Apple fanboidom, but you need to understand that the people running IT in my specific industry are morons and that our margins are razor thin (our banks are the major clients, so we hold our ankles!).

All databases I need are online, but about 3 core ones require IE, all different organisations, including our own DB. Plus sketching software. My last DB had an iPad version, and it looked pretty, but was severely limited. It's ****ed, and far easier for us to wait out full Windows options or just cop the extra weight of the tablet with the benefit of the keyboard for in car reporting.

FWIW, in a month this is the one replacing the piece of shit Toshiba they flipped me in the interim:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/dell-latitude-xt3-convertible-tablet-hands-on-video/

No matter what the product, I just know I'm going to drop it in a pool or something.