Windows 8

[JWBear]

Link (http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-unveils-windows-8-tablet-prototypes/)

I guess I'd better got a new computer befor this POS comes out....


(ETA: I was trying to wrack my brain to figure out why the interface looks so familiar. Then it hit me. It looks exactly like the covers Kaiser P put on their membership guidebooks back in the 90's.)

[innerSpaceman]

Why? Is Windows 7 any good?

[innerSpaceman]

Ok, and what's all this about being designed for touch? I understand that works for phones, but I'm not aware of any desktop computer that has a touchscreen.

So, as long as you don't buy a computer with a touchscreen display, will you not be forced to have it bundled with Windows 8? :)

[Ghoulish Delight]

HP Touchsmart, among others.

But Windows 8 will also be on non-touch screen computers with a more standard non-touch interface. But they're working at merging their mobile and desktop OS's into a more cohesive product. Which I for one welcome. I don't think I'm interested in the MS ecosystem for that, but conceptually I'm sick of the wall between desktop and mobile and am excited to see the two become more compliments of each other.

[innerSpaceman]

Oh, I agree about that. But of course, I just realized - via trying - that while sitting at my desk, say, at work, it's a lot more difficult to manipulate the display by touch than by keyboard. If I have the display where it's optimal to see, it's not optimal to reach. Maybe my arms are too short (like -almost- the rest of me).

[Ghoulish Delight]

Oh, I agree about that. But of course, I just realized - via trying - that while sitting at my desk, say, at work, it's a lot more difficult to manipulate the display by touch than by keyboard. If I have the display where it's optimal to see, it's not optimal to reach. Maybe my arms are too short (like -almost- the rest of me).
And in 1987 the average workplace desk was better suited for a type writer than a computer with a monitor. Current desks are ergonomically optimized for typing and having a monitor for display only. Obviously if touch screens become more ubiquitous, desk and workplace designs would have to be modified to compensate.

I don't think touch screens are going to ever truly replace the standard keyboard and mouse input, but they definitely have their usefulness.

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, but wake me when they solve the problem of not having to clean your display every couple of hours, huh.

Touching things is very intuitive. It's also very stupid. Everything humans touch gets filthy really quick.


(But I actually like touch screens. They're Jetsonish.)

[Alex]

While I'm hardly a Windows hater (I was, for the most part, perfectly fine with Vista), Windows 7 has been extremely good for me. Good features, super stable.

As far as touchscreens go, when in a static situation I don't really have much interest. We have some here (to better emulate development for iPad/iPod) and nobody uses them outside of that niche, even though they could.

Dragging stuff around a 21" monitor is more annoying than you'd think and when you're doing pixel perfect stuff the precision is just awful. Admittedly that doesn't apply to most people it hasn't made me want one of my own.

As far as ergonomics go, I'll be stuck because no matter how good touchscreen gets, I am not going to type in a 250 page functional spec on either a virtual keyboard or a vertical screen. So the environment will still need to be keyboard-centric in its design.

But for a mobile device, cool.

[Kevy Baby]

I guess I'd better got a new computer befor this POS comes out....What have you heard that makes it a POS?

Or are you just getting old and curmudgeonly like iSm? ;)

[Ghoulish Delight]

As far as ergonomics go, I'll be stuck because no matter how good touchscreen gets, I am not going to type in a 250 page functional spec on either a virtual keyboard or a vertical screen. So the environment will still need to be keyboard-centric in its design.
Yeah, this is the reason I find it highly unlikely touchscreens will ever be the dominant form factor. But they will become more and more present in applications where typing and precision screen object manipulation aren't required. Especially things are moving in a direction where the touch screen devices and the standard keyboard input devices are compatible. Then touch screen and standard systems can be mixed in an environment without having to fight through issues of file formats etc.

[Chernabog]

Why? Is Windows 7 any good?

Um, yeah it is actually.

[JWBear]

What have you heard that makes it a POS?

Or are you just getting old and curmudgeonly like iSm? ;)

I've been old and curmudgeonly for years! Are you just noticing now?

Mostly just the look and feel of it. The styling really turns me off - far too busy. It seems like it's geared more towards social networking and entertainment than serious applications. Also, I'm just not a fan of touchscreens - not tactile enough for me.

[scaeagles]

My monitor sits much father away than my arms can reach. Seems totally impractical.

[Moonliner]

This might be a tad on the crazy side, but I thought I'd try running Windows 8 for a bit before rendering a verdict on it.
Windows 8 iso files. (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516)