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Today I would like to share information with you on the editions that will be available for "Windows 8" when it is released to market. We have talked about Windows 8 as Windows reimagined, from the chipset to the user experience. This also applies to the editions available – we have worked to make it easier for customers to know what edition will work best for them when they purchase a new Windows 8 PC or upgrade their existing PC.
Windows 8 has the flexibility you need - whether you’re on an x86/64 or a WOA PC. You can use a touch screen or a keyboard and mouse – and switch anytime. It’s beautiful, fast, and fluid design is perfect for a wide range of hardware. And you’ll love browsing through the Windows Store and downloading all the apps you want. And those apps can work together too so you can share photos, maps, contacts, links and whatever else you want faster and easier. All editions of Windows 8 offer a no-compromise experience.
First, Windows 8 is the official product name for the next x86/64 editions of Windows.
For PCs and tablets powered by x86 processors (both 32 and 64 bit), we will have two editions: Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. For many consumers, Windows 8 will be the right choice. It will include all the features above plus an updated Windows Explorer, Task Manager, better multi-monitor support and the ability to switch languages on the fly (more details on this feature can be found in this blog post),which was previously only available in Enterprise/Ultimate editions of Windows. For China and a small set of select emerging markets, we will offer a local language-only edition of Windows 8.
Windows 8 Pro is designed to help tech enthusiasts and business/technical professionals obtain a broader set of Windows 8 technologies. It includes all the features in Windows 8 plus features for encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity. Windows Media Center will be available as an economical “media pack” add-on to Windows 8 Pro. If you are an enthusiast or you want to use your PC in a business environment, you will want Windows 8 Pro.
Windows RT is the newest member of the Windows family – also known as Windows on ARM or WOA, as we’ve referred to it previously. This single edition will only be available pre-installed on PCs and tablets powered by ARM processors and will help enable new thin and lightweight form factors with impressive battery life. Windows RT will include touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. For new apps, the focus for Windows RT is development on the new Windows runtime, or WinRT, which we unveiled in September and forms the foundation of a new generation of cloud-enabled, touch-enabled, web-connected apps of all kinds. For more details on WOA, we suggest reading this blog post which shares more detail on how we have been building Windows 8 to run on the ARM architecture.
The below chart breaks down key features by edition (this list should not be considered an exhaustive list of features):
Feature name
Windows 8
Windows 8 Pro
Windows RT
Upgrades from Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium
x
Upgrades from Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate
Start screen, Semantic Zoom, Live Tiles
Windows Store
Apps (Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging, Photos, SkyDrive, Reader, Music, Video)
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote)
Internet Explorer 10
Device encryption
Connected standby
Microsoft account
Desktop
Installation of x86/64 and desktop software
Updated Windows Explorer
Windows Defender
SmartScreen
Windows Update
Enhanced Task Manager
Switch languages on the fly (Language Packs)
Better multiple monitor support
Storage Spaces
Windows Media Player
Exchange ActiveSync
File history
ISO / VHD mount
Mobile broadband features
Picture password
Play To
Remote Desktop (client)
Reset and refresh your PC
Snap
Touch and Thumb keyboard
Trusted boot
VPN client
BitLocker and BitLocker To Go
Boot from VHD
Client Hyper-V
Domain Join
Encrypting File System
Group Policy
Remote Desktop (host)
In the coming months, we plan to share much more information about Windows 8, including details on pricing and limited-time programs and promotions that we will make available to customers. Today, you can check out a preview of Windows 8 for yourself (if you haven’t already done so!).
NOTE: As with previous versions of Windows, we will also have an edition of Windows 8 specifically for those enterprise customers with Software Assurance agreements. Windows 8 Enterprise includes all the features of Windows 8 Pro plus features for IT organization that enable PC management and deployment, advanced security, virtualization, new mobility scenarios, and much more.
I am sorry but Windows RT doesn't sound like a good name. Is there a reason "RT" was chosen? Is it because of WinRT?
Can you elaborate on the difference between "Device Encryption" (only on Windows RT) and "Encrypting File System" (Only Windows Pro / x86).
Also the lack of RDP Host on arm? Presumably that's because it's a desktop app, is it coming in the future?
Yeah, honestly, this name is terrible, people will hate it or ask reps what it means, the rep will say 'I don't know' and the person buying may be scared away. Why would you use that name? Why not this:
Windows Next
You already have the motto of "Be what's next", Sell it, sell the Next!
For China, a local language-only edition of Windows 8.
Windows Metro? Something, the comment thread on the Verge has turned into a riot.
This is great- it's operation off a previous strategy that worked for Windows XP with two versions (ignoring the tablet specialized version) and it'll avoid fragmentation. If metro is polished well, this'll be a huge release and a step in the more mobile, connected direction.
Windows RT should be renamed "Windows 8 for Tablets" or something similar. Windows RT is not consumer friendly. Non-tech savvy consumers will be confused by this.
I love the new naming conventions and new strategy with Windows. Having 2 versions is a great step in the right direction Microsoft. I don't really like Metro in Windows 8, but I'm still excited that you've changed it from Home Basic, Premium, Pro, Ultimate.
Windows RT is an ugly name though. Surely it could've been called Windows 8 Touch or anything (Windows Metro). It just doesn't sound good, but at least it shouldn't be visible to the user. Or maybe it is.
iOS, Android and Windows RT huh?
So, thats Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Enterprise and Windows 8 RT...not including language only versions. OK, I can buy Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. Thats simple. Large businesses will want Windows 8 Enterprise (with the vague extras I hope are further defined in the near future). I have to agree with everyone else here, Windows 8 RT? I can imagine walking in to Best Buy or other places, Here are the android tablets, here is the ipad and here are the WIndows 8 and Windows 8 RT devices....HUH? Whats the difference John Q Public will say...
Window RT is a terrible name. I'd go with "Windows Tablet". As much criticism as the name "Windows Phone" got, I actually have started to really like it (especially with the 7 dropped) and I think it was the right decision. It's simple it's clean.
To all those asking for Windows RT to be named "Windows Tablet" or something similar, do not seem to realise that Windows RT is not restricted to tablets only, but any device using a compatible ARM SoC
I don't give a rats rump roast what you guys call it... I'm just thrilled to death to know that you've finally ended the complete NONSENSE of Home Basic/Premium/Ultimate/Professional/Enterprise/Blah/Yakety/Schmackety/etc. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Why is "Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote)" listed as a feature only of Windows 8 RT? What does that mean? (Is "a feature of" different from "available for"?)
Can you please confirm whether this applies to Windows 8 Server family too?
Are you able to confirm that Windows Media Player won't be available on Windows RT? It just seems a little strange, particularly where it includes 'Play To' functionality - I'm sure I'm just missing something.
OK, so Windows 8 RT has Desktop (and improved Explorer, etc), but cannot install x86/x64 applications. What on Earth would I use it for then? The only thing I can think of as a reason for having it is to be productive with file copy tasks in Explorer. Other than that, I do not believe this is a good idea. It will confuse the masses and break the paradigm somewhat. Surely a Metro-based file explorer would have been a better approach, unless I'm missing some use of the Desktop that foregoes the need for 3rd-party "Windows" applications.
@thogek - Windows Office comes standard on tablets.
Judging by the CP and now this, how exactly is the future looking for Windows Media Player? I really hope you're not considering abandoning that application, and instead promoting the Video and Music applications. Sorry, but they are a joke compared to WMP.
Arm applications are not compatible with x86/64 applications because of the architecture behind it- think of it this way. Applications bought on your Ipad will not work in OSX, same difference and no one is yelling about that.
Terms that need to be used with great clarity in these discussions:
Windows RT - the ARM version of Windows
WinRT - the Windows RunTime programming framework available on both ARM and Intel/x86/64 PCs including low power SoC systems
Connected Standby - the ARM & 86 SoC low power state that requires specific hardware that allows chosen WinRT apps to communicate during standby but not desktop apps
For those of us laggards with Vista Home Premium, will we be able to upgrade without losing all our other programs, or will we have to do with a clean install?
Is there any way that Colemak, a keyboard layout, can be added to the list of default keyboard layouts for Windows 8 please? The unofficial way of adding it to Windows 7 causes issues with company applications for some reason, having it built into the OS could make things much easier.
Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro; perfect move there--simple and clean. But Windows RT? How do you even market that? Oh, and thank goodness those awful logos aren't on this page because it gives me some hope they'll be reworked.
Question: In describing the "Media Pack" (Media Center) as an "economical" add-on, does that mean we'll have to pay for it??
Add yet another giant FAIL to those special people who name things at Microsoft.
No "media pack" for the non-Pro edition? I understand moving Media Center to an add-on, but requiring the Pro edition is ridiculous. Upgrading to Windows 8 is going to cost more than I paid for my current media center PC, and I don't want to buy an Xbox to play media. Microsoft just lost one upgrade, looks like I'll move to XBMC or one of its variants.
Instead of Windows RT they should have called it Windows RM. Get it? It would then be easy to explain to consumers why that is different from Windows 8 and easy to remember, Windows 8 for standard "Intel Inside" type devices and Windows RM (arm) for ARM processor devices. After more than 2 decades of Intel advertising, I think most consumers would understand if they were told an ARM processor is a "new" power-sipping, but lower performance, processor made for mobile devices so there is a "new" version of Windows just for those.
Requiring Pro for the MC Pack is a bad idea. It will hinder the adoption of MC even more. The cost to upgrade from Home to Pro is typically $100, and then add whatever the MC Pack costs ($20?). That seems a lot to ask when a lot of people will be getting OEM systems with Home preinstalled or a Win8 upgrade for $50 (or less).
What will be the RAM limit? The 16GB limit of Win7 Home Premium is getting a little low with the reducing price of 8GB sticks etc.
Totally agree about the media center comment. it should be an add-on for either Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. most home users who might want media center will have Windows 8, not Windows 8 Pro.
If it is going to be an add-on hopefully some of the bugs that have been there for a long time will actually be fixed and updates will be available.
Personally I would prefer it if media centre were split into a number of different Metro applications.
I agree, I'm a heavy Media Center user, upgrading to Windows 8 Pro, then adding another "Paid" media pack doesn't make much since to me economically, being that I would be upgrading from Windows 7 Home Premium with Media Center already included. Depending on cost I'll just stick to Windows 7 in that case
What a shame. If only they had decided to include domain join and active directory on windows RT. Then they may finally have had something to compete with Apple for the enterprise environment.
@grub5000 - RDP Client is not the same as RDP host. Home/consumer versions of Windows have never had RDP host functionality. RDP client functionality is bundled with all of the editions...
I'd love to hear more about the plans for Media Center
The name of the ARM version should be Windows OK. Because, first of all, OK conveys a positive meaning to people everywhere. And secondly, it makes sense numerically. "Ok" is esperanto for "eight."
Any story why you name it Windows RT? That sounds not a beautiful name.
The new Logo is a visual abomination, evidently de-signed by people for whom the word "iconic" is unknown, and "symbolic" refers to their last session with Sim-City.
dl.dropbox.com/.../Win8LogoIdea.png
Created in thirty minutes with Adobe PhotoShop CS5
Bill Woodruff
p.s. I was referring to the new chimera of Windows/Metro as "Windows Bipolar:" I will update that not to: "Windows Tripolar," although "Win Arm or a Leg" has a certain charm.
Remote Desktop (Host) should be included in non-Pro version!!
It is a basic feature of a OS.
Single-session Remote Desktop is a common usage in Current situation!!
Imagine that you are using your tablet at the bedroom, and wanna control the Living Room computer!!
What about IIS? Which versions will support installing and running IIS?
So is Office still going to be a stand alone product to purchase also? I noticed the one version contained Word and such, but NOT Outlook. You aren't ending Outlook are you????
even classic modes of windows 7 is doing great for me.... y? am i need these graphics.... one advantage is the Touch enabled graphics.... nothing else in 8 upto my knowledge..... i stick to windows 7:) i m pretty happy...
Can we see some of the newer tablets that will be released for these editions? I would so order one now if I was guaranteed a Windows 8 upgrade. The fall is such a long way away and I would like to have it before the end of the world (12-21-12) to at least say I got to play around with it before the end.
You guys are doing a phenomenal job with Windows Phone, Windows 8, etc., which makes the naming of "Windows RT" all the more maddening. You're trying to simplify the rest of the "Windows Live" properties, which I applaud, but then you go with Windows RT? Does. not. compute.
Ok so a couple of things worth mentioning.
There needs to be Windows RT Pro. Why wouldnt business users need a professional version of the tablet? In a business environment this would be ideal. Tablets are already replacing laptops at an alarming rate and this would definately help that along. Domain login and RDP would be awesome on a tablet. Why isnt it an option?
Media center only for PRO? That does not make any sense at all. Its on previous HOME versions of windows which is where it would be used the most. People use HOMe computers as media boxes. Where would anyone need media center in a PRO environment? Almost never. Rediclous. Most likely it will become available for Home in the near future.
Office for Windows RT: Where is outlook and access? Without outlook, blackberry still has the upper hand which is retarded because RIM is all but dead and nobody uses blackberry's anymore. if windows is serious about the business market with phones and tablets, these applications are a must. In our comptuer repair/sales shop we have a work order database in access and i want to use it on a tablet. Also outlook should be a given because windows live mail sucks.
I love it! Reminds me of Windows XP! Thanks for reading feedback on the SKU naming :D Keep up the good work!
first I think Windows RT should be remaned to WINDOWS SLATE
Secondly I don't like the new file explorer,it should have more of a metro feel especially on the the tablets, it should be more like the "select program to open" menu on the consumer preview.there's too much Aero on the new file explorer even when it is minimized
thirdly,i don't know what version of office will be on the Windows RT tablets,but if its office 2010,i think it will be horrible,because it is not very finger friendly(touch friendly)
in general I think particularly for the Windows RT version,Microsoft should go back to the drawing board for most of their softwares,including office(there should be a tablet version) just as there's office mobile
I love Metro and I hate having to be mixing both of them when on one machine or when doing a certain task, when I need to use Aero I just use my windows 7 machine.
there should be a way of being all Metro or ALL Aero not having both of them intermingle,it ruins the User Experience, so for basic things like file explorer there should bbe two versions, for office i'm not so worried since I know some developers will probably come up with substitutes for office in the Windows store
Win RT is a good name , no one will remember it
so i gess based on the future list , windows 8 on arm will be beta software , like windows phone in 2010
not working,no desktop and so forth
it is good to see you are slovly killing your self
and with preeview of windows 8 , i see you have made a lockdown , no directx games on arm
only cut the rope,, a nice show off what the windows tablet can do
i have look at windows 8 's virtual mashine , and it is not good, full of holes
you see your tablet will fail , you have to wait until 2017 to begin selling this
so you have a lot of time , to get red of the 70% of the vista os that are inside windows 8
so it does not fail
Michael
Windows should aim for simplicity in its naming. Windows RT simply won't work.
Keep in mind that part of Apple's success has come from creating an image of simplicity, which brought comfort to the swarms of people who were slowly transitioning to tech tools from no previous experience. Simple names, pure white backgrounds in all packaging and advertising, etc.
This is why you should rename Windows RT to Windows Touch
You can't actually buy Windows RT, it'll come on your ARM tablet or something, so why even discuss its name?
i all most forgot ,,
why do not make the preess release about the windows 8 cloud gaming platform
where we only have to transmit the joystick move to the servers
and the servers will take care of the render ,calc , running the game , and send back the image
the replica of onlive
do make the press release
No domain join or AD support on Windows RT? Seriously??? So, Microsoft, how do you expect to compete with Apple in the education market? I'm an IT Manager at a private school in Australia and I've noticed MANY other schools ALL jumping on to iPads. I have urged my school to resist iPad's simply because I expected MS to make the no-brainer move of supporting AD auth on their (no longer) iPad killing platform. This is just ridiculous - if you lose students in schools to your competitors then you also lose their home computers, phones etc., (we're seeing that trend right now). It's the 'Happy Meal' mentality you should be embracing, get to the kids when they are young and they will use your products for years to come, this level of short-sightedness is going to cost you dearly in schools all around the world.
I'm so disappointed by this news, just when I thought MS was going to finally hit back...
Also, Windows RT is a ridiculous name, what suited monkey came up with that bright idea? For a non-enterprise device it sure does have a very corporate feel about it!
Windows 8, compromises START here...
What no Windows Media Player on Windows RT?? Having a desktop media player is not important?? Deal breaker.
Windows RT is a retarded name.
WMC add on through 8 Pro only is retarded
Metro is retarded.
I won't spend a dime on this pathetic excuse for an operating system much less let my overpowered hardware get the chance to laugh at it
Whatever drugs you are on out there in Redmond, you should stop.
What about the regular desktop games like Chess Titans, Minesweeper etc which aren't included in Windows 8 Consumer Preview? Will they make a comeback on x86, x64? Will the desktop games also be dropped on Windows RT?
RT? really? Maybe MS should defend that by stating what it means. RT=Real Turd? Really Trying? Random Touch? I really hope Media Center works properly in 64b this time.
This goes to show that you can't please everyone. The commenters here are ridiculous. I applaud Microsoft for narrowing down the editions.
Even with all the fuss with Windows 7 and all the drama behind the editions, they sold how many millions of copies?
Go troll on Engadget...
Hmm, Media for Windows 8 (not Windows 8 Pro) would make more sense. FWIW I don't mind paying for a Media Center add-on. Just don't require the Pro version of Win8. I have to agree with the folks scratching their heads over the name Windows RT?? OTOH I do like the reduction in the number of SKUs.
For all the people who say Windows RT is a bad name, I disagree. I doubt they will use that name in marketing, but even if they do It will be fine. People were fine with Windows XP and XP stood for Extreme Programming or something.
Curious where Windows To Go falls in to this lineup... anybody have insight?
The branding mess makes the conversation challenging. We’ve come a long way from the current state but the consumer has to figure out what all of these things really mean:
• Windows 8
• Windows 8 Pro
• Windows 8 Enterprise
• Windows 8 RT
• Windows Phone 8
• Metro Apps
• Media Add-on Pack
The product marketing teams have to stop over thinking this and stop competing with each other to "leave their mark". Focus on simplifying the message to the consumer. They want “Windows”, not “Windows Ultimate Edition with Service Pack 2 including Media Add-on Pack including Metro Apps”. Why not a simple strategy:
• Windows
• Windows Metro – positioned as a subset of Windows functionality optimized for tablets
• Windows Phone – positioned as a subset of Windows functionality optimized for phones
• XBox – home entertainment device that is highly integrated with the Windows experience
Metro apps is then clearly a set of apps that are great for tablet and also work on the desktop version.
Product groups will talk about pricing strategies and how they want to deliver a low price point for consumers while ensuring they don’t cannibalize the riches of the enterprise, but at what point do we cause so much confusion to customers. Leave the complexity for the licensing programs (which all big vendors manage to make overly complex) and they can make up the difference by continuing to adding multi-PC management and virtualization functionality if necessary.
Like Schikitar, I too was looking forward to seeing a wide range of domain ready lightweight smart tablets and ARM devices from Microsoft which could provide a real alternative (and differentiation point) to devices such as the iPad and it's numerous Android-based impersonators.
While there had been some limited movement in this arena, with devices such as the Dell Latitude ST, no current generation Microsoft devices to date have been serious 'spot-light contenders' even closely capable of mainstream adoption - and it seems we are likely see this trend continue.
Having no Active Directory support for Windows RT is maddening: The world doesn't need another re-badged iPad, and without domain support, that's all you're doing.
It would seem that Microsoft has instead opted to classify ARN as being part of the 'portable home user device' market space, rather than seeing it as the future of mobile business computing.
Time will tell, but I - like many others - believe that Microsoft has backed the wrong horse here.
One thing is for sure: this is great news for Apple & Google...
hmmmm "Windows 8" and "Windows RT" ..... nice ....
Might we expect "Windows Phone 8" & "Windows Phone RT" :)
Without Group Policy & Domain Join how are you planning to market WinRT tablets to the enterprise customers ?? :(
Nice to see that MS is reducing the number of SKUs for Windows 8. I like the names for Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, but I have to agree that Windows RT is the wrong choice. What does RT stand for? Is it something akin to NT? Why not just call it Windows ARM? That's what it was designed for, why not use the most logical naming choice? Whoever came up with RT needs to either explain themselves, or get slapped silly.
I also agree that the media pack should be made available for the consumer "Windows 8". Media Center for Home users makes much more sense than limiting it to geeks/professionals and businesses...
Maybe they'll take a page from the Apple Lion OSX upgrade and only charge something like $30 for the upgrade.
I hope there is something built in to Windows RT that allows me to easily stream my home media. I just figured out remote medi streaming and was looking forward to using it on my future Windows Slate....
I need to know version number of the "Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote)" in Windows RT , I think next version of MS Office will release with windows 8,All I need to know about the windows Start Menu(Remove or Not Remove in windows 8)
So when Microsoft releases Windows 9. How do they call WOA...WOA 2 may be. It doesn't sound nice. Why don't they just name it "Windows 8 ARM". Make more sense.
A much better edition list than Windows 7!
Windows RT sounds LOL. And yeah, media pack on should be available to home users as well!! It makes more sense! Even economically
@Jason Hanford-Smith .. If you read properly, the article never says that Windows RT would support Desktop. Please read it properly.
@Brandon
The above Windows matrix is on point and the breakdown is flawless – simple to the point for all consumer & user types.
This blog post has brought out Windows fans in hiding or possible defected MAC users that have the hots for the new Windows 8 releases.
Well either way this is good to see on any level, I can feel the passion in all the above post … oh and future post coming below – so thanks in advance for the love of Windows to all you devoted and awesome users.
Thanks Brandon for the blog post with specs on x86 & ARM – dude we can’t wait for the ARM form factors to hit the market.
“Officially the (Tablet & Pad BetaTest) will be over” let the new countdown began…
- Stay Powered by Windows
Clearing up some common points of confusion:
– The media pack comes pre-installed in regular Win8. It's an optional add-on for the business-oriented Pro because it's a very consumer-oriented feature.
– WinRT isn't tablet-only; it creates and opportunity for ARM-based laptops and desktops as well.
– The big reason to not rename WinRT to Windows Tablet: there will be plenty of x86 tablets.
– People that need Pro features on a tablet will simply get an x86 tablet with Win8 Pro.
– WinRT desktop will be able to run Java and .NET apps, as well as native apps recompiled for ARM.
I really dont know why everyone is complaining aobut the limited functionality of the RT version the answer to this is simple. Boycott ARM based devices and buy the new ultrabooks that come next year that transform into tablets and install Win 8 pro on them. Problem Solved plus no need for reprogramming apps to work on arm.
Great to have simpler editions for once? Does this mean that Mail, People, Calendar, SkyDrive etc. will be included in Windows 8? I hope so, because it means less downloading of apps!
Damn it - I wish that you would make the Media Pack available for plain old Windows 8. I have no interest in the additional features of Windows 8 Pro - but I do want an HTPC...
Thank you for simplifiying things Microsoft. This is 6 editions down to 4 I think effectively.
How about Windows SL8 instead of Windows 8 RT (did you see what I did there? Yeah? Slate/Eight - get it?)
I do production, internet browsing, file management, gaming, everything. Here is the list of features that matters to me...
---------------------------------------
Has classic start menu? XP yes, 8 No
Has any start menu? XP yes, 8 no
Utilizes more than 16 colors? XP yes, 8 No
Has customizable Windows Explorer toolbars? XP yes, 8 No
Has an excessive number of useless services? XP no, 8 yes
Wastes RAM and doesn't report why? XP no, 8 yes
Notifies you that you are transferring a 2 kilobyte file for a minimum of several seconds? XP no, 8 yes
Quick launch show desktop shortcut works? XP yes, 8 no
Has single-click shut down/restart/standby buttons? XP yes, 8 no
Windows Explorer Navigation panel expands sub-folders? XP yes, 8 no
Concern: There is no mention of the Direct Access feature! We have a great deal of clients running Windows 7 Ultimate Edition who are using Direct Access and other features NOT mensioned here and I presume may ONLY be in the Enterprise edition of 8 now. Is Microsoft now going to force customers into volume license agreements to get the features they are running today in Windows 8? This would NOT be acceptable.
Well, that's certainly much better. Thank you for finally listening and not making that stupid amount of different versions. However, why not go all the way and only make one version? That would really simplify things. But then again, you wouldn't be able to have that overpriced Pro edition...
I have to agree with the other comments regarding "Windows RT", though. That is definitely not a good choice - we may get used to it, but that doesn't make it any better. Why not "Windows Metro" or something like that - you know, something you can actually pronounce?
Also, I'm sad to see the end of Media Center. Making it an optional expansion pack is Microsoft-speak for "it's going away in the next version". So this will probably be the last edition of Media Center. I still think Media Center has potential - especially now that Windows run on ARM. Just imagine a set-top box running Windows on ARM with Media Center. But, sadly, that is not to be, it seems.
Not good. The Windows desktop will be too expensive for most small (~5 employees) business owners not located in western Europe or US. This large target group will require Remote Desktop (host), EFS, BitLocker as well as some of those many other features you're reserving for the Enterprise version. To get them you're pushing for your Pro version which you'll price / sell on a one-license-per-machine basis whichm based on Win7's price, will make it very expensive. You do this based on your hallucination that those people will upgrade to a Windows Server based network just like they did in the '90s. It's 2012, Microsoft. People do not need Windows Server for small businesses anymore. Even you somewhat acknowledge this fact by pushing cloud computing and selling the Enterprise version, with a very different licensing model, to any corporation that can afford it. So then why do you insist on shrink wrapping Active Directory support with features that should be present on every Windows version? Until you realize the free fall you're in because of your totally outdated pricing you'll keep seeing professionals from every conceivable small business sector sporting Macs and you'll keep deluding yourself that it's because they're hipsters. Actually, they're just normal people who don't like buying expensive 2nd best stuff such as your non-Pro, for kids, mainstream Windows.
Just call it Windows for Tablets please.
Windows RT is a terribly uninspiring and unexciting name for the most consumer-oriented version of Windows 8.
it can be based on WinRT or a wink to NT or on ReTweet or on R2D2's cousin, nobody on the street will know and it won't appeal to anybody.
microsoft, if you name it, you own it! come on!
You say “Windows RT will include touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word” and “Windows RT does not include Installation of desktop software”.
This sounds like the ONLY possible desktop apps on Windows RT are from Microsoft with no 3rd parties allowed to created desktop apps. Am I missing something….
So far we have not been told how/what desktop apps if any 3rd parties can create for ARM based systems.
let's suggest names for #WindowsRT
Windows 8 Eco
(ARM is just today's low energy processors, tomorrow's could be another manufacturer)
With the absence of an 'Ultimate' edition, will non-enterprise users need to buy Language Packs separately?
An edition without an 'x' in the third row of the above chart I think would sell very well.
I signed up for this website just to tell you what a STUPID name "Windows RT" is for the ARM edition. You have named the Windows 8 Native API "WinRT" or did you forget already? So, now how will you know what is being talked about when someone mentions either, especially since WinRT actually runs on both Intel and ARM machines? I can't believe Microsoft continually makes naming blunders like this. Please hire some idea people and run names by them from now on. Why not Windows 8i, Windows 8i Pro, and Windows 8a? Would that be too simple?
By the way, you have pushed .NET down our throats for over 10 years, now you say WinRT if you want in the marketplace on ARM. You got us all hooked on Silverlight to build "Rich Media Experiences for the web" and WIndows Phone 7 apps and now you are doing away with it and tell us to write C++ and Direct X for gaming apps. You are even basically killing XNA by now placing WinRT, Metro, and Marketplace functionality into the Windows 8 Platform and not supporting any of these in XNA. GENIUS. Please elaborate on how we are supposed to sell games for ARM based "Windows RT" machines with no discreet graphics card in them using your new found native code C++/DX hard on.
I am sitting on the edge of my seat daily waiting to see what nonsense rolls out of Redmond as the talent continues to leave, and jackasses like Brad Watson come on board to "evangelize" us.
Meanwhile in Apple land.... Write objective c = code for iPod Touch, iPhone 1, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4G, (Soon to released iPhone 5) iPad 1, 2, 3, MacOS = Profit from well over 100 million iPhones sold and over 3 million iPads sold in the opening weekend alone.
No wonder web developers are flocking to the LAMP stack, web platforms are going RoR, and app developers are sitting pretty on app stores from Apple and Google.
Oh and remember that time when you released Windows Vista and everyone wanted to upgrade from XP? Me neither.
AND FOR PETE"S SAKE GET RID OF THE RIBBON IN EXPLORER PUT THE START BUTTON BACK IN WINDOWS 8 DESKTOP YOU HARD HEADED MULLETS.
What I expected? Windows 7 Enterprise features like Bitlocker and Directaccess would be available in Windows 8 Pro. Now it seems that bitlocker is on Pro but Directaccess is Win8 Enteprise feature? So many customer want to get Directaccess but they don't have opportunity to purhace SA etc. Also Win8 RT should be able to join to domain and features like Btilocker and Directaccess could be killer features for corporate when they decide between Ipads and WIn8 RT. Microsoft is losing lots of $$$ if they keep version like this.
Just to throw my hat in....Windows RT is possibly the worst name you could have chosen. It will be shortened to Win RT and then will just get confused with the API WinRT!! Just hope you change this before release.
As for media center, should not require pro as a big market for it will be dedicated computers that have no need for ANY of the other pro functionality and just need a cheap edition of windows.
Stupidly confusing naming concept! It is really crazy and will cause lots of misunderstandings when an entire OS-Generation has the same name as one of it's components! If you have to do support, and you are asking the customer what OS he has - and he will answer "Windows 8", you NEVER know whether it is "Windows 8" or "Windows 8 (in an advanced version)". It is a very, very bad Idea not to give the "simple Win8 for home use" any distinguishable name (it' up to you what it would be - "Home" was a really good solution. Hey, you even see it in the answers here: people are calling it "consumer Windows 8", "plain old Windows 8", or what else. Keep in mind: "upgrading to Windows 8" is NOT possible from Windows 7 Pro or Windows 7 Ultimate - "upgrading to Windows 8" is only possible from the "starter" or "home" editions. And if you have to tell a customer: "no, you can't upgrade to Windows 8" (because he has to upgrade to "Windows 8 Pro", you can see how that name convention is a big confusing mess! What specific name you will going to give for now called "Windows 8" (not the whole OS-Generation, but the non-Pro and non-Enterprise version (and just needing to add that big explanation for being able to clarify what version is meant and what not is totally schizophrenic as it ALWAYS creates confusion)) is really up to you (or up to the "brand owner"). But with the name convention you did choose now, a "Windows 8 Pro" or "Windows 8 Enterprise" IS NOT a "Windows 8" (neither is it any other Windows, but BOTH ARE "Windows 8"s. That's pure confusion and poison specially for support business! Btw: Whether WinRT or Win8RT or what else it totally whatever - as long as you can distinguish it from other versions. But as it is now, you can't really distinguish a Windows 8 from a Windows 8 that is not a Windows 8, but a Windows 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterpise - and that makes the name convention unusable! Sorry to tell you that.
Just to add about "how to distinguish a Windows 8 from a Windows 8 that is not a Windows 8, but another Windows 8": either the brand owner wil give a specific name himself - or he will have to live with it that the customers and users do - but in a way the brand owner won't be able control, and that even could be any malapropist phantasy or bogus name ... So if you don't care about ...
Domain join & group policy - should be in Windows RT, hope this changes
RDP host - should be in all editions, this feature hasn't been "client only" for a while now.. Though this can be done with 3rd party tools (some even free like FreeRDP), so it's less of a problem.. But native apps are always welcome.
Please re-think the domain-related features.. This would be a killer feature for Windows RT :-/
I mentioned this sotroy to my bf. He laughed and said Windows ReeeeeeTard. Might I suggest a good long rethink of this before 'Windoze Reeetard' becomes the norm
@Quppa
>With the absence of an 'Ultimate' edition, will non-enterprise users need to buy Language Packs separately?
No, language switching is a baseline feature of Windows 8. You'll note in the Preview version that a language can now be tied to a language profile, just like you already do when switching keyboard layouts. A simple ALT+SHIFT toggle and Windows swaps from English to German (for example).
See:
blogs.msdn.com/.../using-the-language-you-want.aspx
Which version is going to have either NO Metro UI madness or at least allow us to disable it? That is the one I am only interested in. Otherwise there is no point upgrading to an inferior UI version of Windows.
@Marc Jordan - Media Player is a Desktop app, and these don't run on Win RT. On that platform, you will have Metro media player apps - and I expect that they will support "Play to"
The name "Windows RT" really is a very poor marketing and visionary decision. It's almost as if you've chosen to give up on the handheld industry to the likes of Google and Apple, the very moment you're announcing your rival product?!
Microsoft is lagging behind in the handheld market and this is their push to grab back market share and perhaps give consumers something different and better integrated with what they're used to at home and at work to persuade them to "go Windows" as opposed to Google or Apple.
Whilst techies will appreciate the technical advantages of using a Windows-based handheld device over a Google or Apple device, this has never been Microsoft's problem. I've personally used Windows Mobile and then Windows Phone over the years because of the advantages it gave me integrating my handheld with my work, and I'm sure most techies and high-level management felt the same. Actually I take that back because my expectation of Windows Phone 7 was that it *would* give me better integration for example with Exchange ActiveSync than any other handset would - and I was very disappointed to find out that it didn't - and actually offered less than the previous generation Windows Mobile, and nothing more than Android/iPhone would give me. I'm sure the next generation of Windows "for mobile handsets" will offer more, and still attract technical-minded and management people to use Windows handheld devices for the same reasons they have been for years.
Microsoft's problem is breaking into the consumer market for handheld devices and they need to have their offering be as attractive as possible and it starts with the name. I would hope that the people who have come up with the name have been rather happy with clicking the "post" button on their blogs and that the higher levels at Microsoft havn't yet seen this. I would hope even more that the highest levels havn't already seen this and signed it off.
Microsoft is getting ready to push their greatest work to date to the world, with the most significant improvements being their break from the x86/x64 platform and support of ARM devices, yet they will tell handheld users "sorry, you're not getting Windows 8". It just doesn't make any sense, no matter how you look at it.
"Windows 8 is being released soon and it'll compete with Android and iPhone!"
"Really? I heard it's still only for desktops."
A name makes a big difference. Windows 8 Home, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Something. That something can be "Mobile", "Go", "Move", "Next" or anything someone creative with vision can come up with. But it must be Windows 8.You're selling the whole thing, and that is your selling point.
I bet Google and Apple are laughing at this.
The only major feature found in Windows Media Center not covered already with other Metro apps is TV/DVR (with TV Guide).
This functionality is clearly legacy functionality with the advent of IPTV but is still something that will be needed by some users for a couple more years (at least until IPTV will be available to everyone)
So why doesn't Microsoft make a TV/DVR Metro app (and sell it through Windows Store at the economical price announced) to replace WMC?
Combined with Pictures/Music/Video available now we would have all the WMC functionality right on the Start Screen (which loads a lot faster than WMC btw).
And with Remote control / Kinect navigation of the Start screen we would have a far better TV interface than WMC is now. Would be a lot better for the future IPTV app users also and for the Video app users.
I agree that Windows Media Center should be made available to people who upgrade to the plain vanilla Windows 8. I cancelled cable a couple years ago because I was tired of paying over $1,000 a year for a bunch of channels I didn't watch. I use my Windows 7 machine as a DVR and stream live TV into the living room via an Xbox 360. Unless Windows 8 has WMC, even as an "economical" add-on, then I see absolutely no reason to upgrade.
Why not call "Windows RT " as Winlet ? :)
It is an IP, pls contact before usage :)
will upgrading from windows 7 to windows 8 like a windows 7 starter then entered with the correct key upgrades to windows 7 ultimate? will upgrading from windows 7 to windows 8 retains all the files and programs? Is upgrading through Windows Anytime Upgrade?
This is great! No more Windows Ultimate. Two versions for desktop, one for mobile. Wonderful work MS! Seriously I have been waiting for this for a LONG time. GOOD JOB!
Yes, Windows RT is a terrible name, but nobody is ever going to use it in practice, any more than anybody outside of the tech industry ever talked about Windows CE. It's only going to be included pre-installed on tablets/phones, and no doubt marketed to consumers as just 'Windows 8'.
It makes no sense to require Pro to have the privilege to pay more for WMC! None of the other additional features of Pro are needed for an HTPC. If you are going to have it as a separate, paid-for app, then it should be available for all versions.
Personally, with the cost of cable card tuners coming way down, and with Apple upping their game in this space, I think it is a big mistake to take a break now. Kinda like MS did with Windows Phone right when IPhone was coming out!
On behalf of Apple, Debian, and Ubuntu users everywhere; thank you for once again developing an OS, much like Windows Vista... ie... Not user friendly, requires new hardware, and naming it something stupid. Thank you :)
Just dropping in to say that no matter what you call it, or no matter how many SKUs you have I am still not buying it.
Neither are any of my clients either. Which is becoming a bit of a problem as too many of them are wanting to upgrade their XP and Vista PCs now after using your consumer preview that I have setup on a laptop for them to preview.
Well I must get back to work as I haven't had this much business in a VERY LONG time.
Thanks again I guess for such a horrible GUI design (AKA Metro).
Hi Guys,
what happened? Why didn't you stage a contest for a good sounding name? Windows RT??? Is it Windows
Run Time? A sexy name or something else but really not Windows RT. Image hearing people saying, Wow that RT is cute! No connection at all! It doesn't caut in. Iam a software eng. but I think I would have come up with a better name than this. Look windows 8 has a touch interface that is dynamic and sleek, so what should we call it?
Windows 8 MI (MI Metro Interface read as my) or Window Mi8 and you say to your best half pass my8 baby.
It is just a suggestion. Do you want uns to go back to the i-Temples? Change it before release, otherwise....
cheers.
"Windows Media Center will be available as an economical “media pack” add-on to Windows 8 Pro."
So this meand W8 does not have media center as an option at all, and you must go with Pro and BUY something extra which was previously provided with the OS as a default? Or does media center come with W8 and is a paid option for Pro?
Will these new editions have a release candidate in the near future before the product RTM? Also, will there be a conference (Build Conference) from Microsoft later in the year so developers can learn more way enterprises can develop and deploy their own metro apps to these new Win 8 enterprise tablet/slate/laptop/PC?
I'm...just fine with Widows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. Any way.... I'll wait for Windows 9---to hit; then, I'll consider ...upgrading---again. I just don't see the point.
Hi, finaly a good news from Microsoft, now all that we need is a low pricing, for both edition for sinple and pro x86/64 editions. :D
What do I think of the name Windows RT? Really Terrible.
It would be Great too if Windows media center will be avaliable for normal windows 8 and not only on pro
I'm not sure I understand the need for Windows 8 RT to have a desktop interface. I can understand that the other versions need it for compatibility reasons, but Windows RT is supposed to represent a paradigm shift. Why not scrap the desktop on Windows RT and develop a true metro-style Windows Explorer and metro-style Office? If developers cannot program for the desktop portion on Windows RT, why bother keeping it?
Also, as others have mentioned, the new naming convention is a huge improvement, but the Windows RT name is confusing. Why not something as simple as Windows 8 Mobile?
For Consumers:
Windows 8 Mobile/Windows Mobile/Windows Next/Windows Express
Windows Phone 8
For Businesses:
Windows Enterprise
Windows Embedded
I'm glad that there are fewer versions compared to previous Windows editions. However, Windows RT sounds rediculous in my opinion, what does it mean?
Windows 8 RT to bring eclectic mix of PCs
Windows running on power-efficient chips from ARM will inject a new dynamic into the PC market.
news.cnet.com/.../windows-8-rt-to-bring-eclectic-mix-of-pcs
Since Media Center is not only going to cost money but require a more expensive Windows edition, is it safe to assume that it'll be getting lots of upgraded features and improvements? If not, it seems like the cost and limitations are a good incentive for those who use it to stick with Win7.
I'll run Pro anyway, but if I have to pay for the same features I've got now in Win7 for free, I'll just keep the media center PC on Win7 forever.
The overwhelming response to the name for the ARM architecture seems to be thumbs down. I have to concur that it's less than thrilling. Windows Slate has been proposed - why not that? It's simple, straight-forward, and brings a different spin to the name, in contrast to the iPad with IOS.
I am also pretty sure that these decisions, now that they've been announced, are what we will be seeing, and that protests or no, that's that. That seems to be the way this whole Windows 8 saga has proceeded. I don't really see much point in commenting further, since the machine will proceed to do what it does. I don't like the decisions that have given us the Metro UI as the beginning and end of Windows 8; the demise of the Start Menu is a major blooper, but that's old stuff, and irrelevant to the direction that's being chosen.
Good luck with your product. You're going to need it. Time will tell how this release is received.
I would go with Windows Tablet or Windows Mobility rather than Windows RT, sounds like R2D2 from Star Wars which is so very outdated.
I agree with others that Windows RT is terrible.
Windows 8 & Windows 8 Pro are fine. Windows RT has got to go.
The naming of WOA should be aligned with Windows Phone and sound cool to consumers...
So how about:
Windows Sky 8
Please clarify the "Media Pack" addon for WMC as it relates to the versions. We heavily rely on WMC/Xbox360s.
There will only be (2) retail versions (Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro)
Windows RT is not for sale and you can’t change the name to Touch or Tablets because there will be x86 tablets as well running Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. If you have a need to join a domain with a tablet simply purchase one with an x86 chip and Windows 8 Pro.
Will definitely miss Media Center in the non-Pro version but since I did not use with a TV I have many web alternatives. If I have the need to contact to a TV will have to simply purchase Pro and the add-on.
Personally holding out on tablet purchase waiting for an x86 Win8Pro that can be a REAL laptop replacement in a corporate environment. The ability to run new Metro App as well as all of our existing enterprise applications. More than willing to pay the extra $100 maybe for a no compromise Intel tablet.
Could care less about the product name as long as it allows me to continue to work today and tomorrow.
Flavours?
Jeepers people, get original!
the first colored Mac's were "flavors"... orange, blueberry... raspberry
Do you remember back when everything was still IBM beige?
Boring!!!
Mac had flavor, color, life, you know...
originality!!!
Microsoft, you need to get visionary soon,
GET NEW!
No Metro Interface or de-activate option for PC versions please!! Shutdown the pc is not easy without the start button...
I was imagining you guys are gonna make the "Installation of x86/64 and desktop software" feature available in WindOA! Perhaps some way to automagically simulate IA-32 or x86-64 assemblies over ARM's.. :-)
Moreover, what does the "Storage Spaces" feature refer to? If it's the file system's entry points (C,D,E..) drives then you guys better provide "real easy, pervasive and outstanding" way to store, copy/paste, sideload and download data in the ARM ver. rather expecting the developers to initiate the "contract" with the app even for copy-pasting mime and other non-text data. This happens in Windows Phone and this happens in Windows Metro. Perhaps this is an out of the box concept for some Metro advocates but this concept is clearly a downgrade to OLE which we have since 90's. Let's say a person needs to store an image from Metro app to USB in ARM device. Unless the app won't implement the storage capability, we can't even copy to external storage! This should be the end-user choice and we must have a leeway to if we forcefully want the shareable-asset (i agree) moved to the clipboard and make it available for:
Metro-to-Desktop, Desktop-to-Desktop and if the Metro developer has provided copy-from-clipboard support then Metro-to-Metro an Desktop-to-Metro operations.
IMO, something like system-wide "Download Hub" (similar to Users\..\Download folder) would be a great deal. Be it the IE-metro/desktop download, torrent/p2p or manually entered URL(connect.microsoft.com/.../create-download-in-ie-download-manager), all kinds of downloads must be carried out and managed from a single hub. This is where we would be able to segregate the downloads on the basis of responsible app and manage their downloads which may also help to avoid the redundancy. Currently, IE metro and IE desktop have separate download managers. With Firefox 14, there would be a similar manager as of IE and Chrome has its own. The extension can be provided to App/Metro devs so they have choice to make the in-app downloads via download hub..
Is this right that Media Center will only be made available for purchase / download if you are using Windows 8 Pro ??
Why won't consumer versions of Window 8 be able to get Media Center ?
Thanks
What's the difference between bitlocker (only available on Win Pro) and device encryption (only available on Win RT)?
If windows 8 wont have media center then most people just move to XBMC especially if you have to pay for media center add on. And for people who use media center and media center remote they would be out of luck and choose XBMC just because its free and works very well. I would have thought Windows will improve on media center (use scrappers, support for different layouts, etc) on Windows 8 but they went the other route of making money instead.
Originally posted by danielc1026:
"Also, as others have mentioned, the new naming convention is a huge improvement, but the Windows RT name is confusing. Why not something as simple as Windows 8 Mobile?
Windows Embedded"
Thanks for the clarification that WMC WILL come with non-Pro. I would suggest you include it in the table as an 'x' for Windows8, and an add-on for Windows8Pro. Also *please* consider Remote Desktop(host) as an add-on for standard!
With Windows 8 - I would like to see the ability to see an option to perform a seamless upgrade from Windows 8 Pro to Enterprise! The current Win 7 Pro to Enterprise requires a complete wipe/reinstall. So it's be nice to have that as an option because there are cases where people run Pro edition and then change their mind and want Enterprise because of SA in their agreement or because of some features needed.
So tell me why I need BitLocker and BitLocker To Go, Boot from VHD, Client Hyper-V, Domain Join, Encrypting File System, Group Policy and Remote Desktop (host) to have Media Center? Yet more stupid mad decisions made without any thought it seems.
What Latchmor said.
It would seem to be yet another facepalm moment: gcoupe.wordpress.com/.../another-facepalm-moment
Well done, should have thought of the name a bit better, I am sure Windows Re Tard will be well accepted by us techies!!! Also the fact Vista also had its own nickname, means you have not forgotten how bad VISTA was...
Makes me wonder if Re Tard is goin to be as bad as VIsta was...
Let me also add a PC is not a mobile device... If I wanted apps starting up all on there own, then I would just buy an IPAD, which is great!!! If you dont care whats running, I dont want this on my computer... So really looks like I will be sticking to windows 7... It seems better then windows 8, I dont want you to have control, I want control of my own device...
@Brandon.
I think you need to clarify for certain whether Windows Media Center does come with Windows 8 or will it only be an add-on media pack for Windows 8 Pro so that it comes from someone from Microsoft rather than people guessing.
My understanding is that it will come with Windows 8 but not with the Pro version by default and not all for the RT version.
If it doesn't come by default with Windows 8 then that is a huge dissapointment and I can't see the reason to upgrade my Windows 7 PC.
Honestly I am lost for words, how much money does Microsoft want to lose on this DEAD HORSE....
Feedback on editions: Most of our customers have a large set of workstations running 7 Pro and a small set of laptops running 7 Ultimate for Direct Access, Bitlocker and other premium features. These customers DO NOT WANT to be forced to purchase SA on the Windows O/S - the O/S gets updated with the hardware as it's replaced at end of life and always with an OEM copy from the system builder. The lack of an Ultimate edition points to Microsoft forcing businesses to purchase SA on the Windows O/S now - increasing the cost significantly to businesses. Please say it is not so!
I created my account to tell you guys that not having a start menu, and shoving apps down our throat is a good way to make sure Windows 8 is going become another Windows ME.
Seriously. Are you guys even aware of what your customers are saying?
Nice improvisations .....was expecting something more
@nikulsan technologies(http://www.nikulsan.com/)
I really recommend reconsidering the Windows RT name. Not only will you be confusing developers who already use "WinRT" as shorthand for the Windows Run Time, but you will also confuse countless consumers who type "WinRT" or "Windows RT" into Bing or Google and get back a whole bunch of results about programming Metro style applications. I appreciate that naming isn't an easy thing, but I really recommend a different name to avoid customer confusion.
Also, why no Windows Media Player on Windows on ARM?
Hello, i'm part of the 6%, just wanted to chime in about Windows Media Center getting relegated to an add on for Pro users only (according to the current wording of the blog post).
I use Windows Media Center heavily with my xBox since the xBox can't play all the formats I have my video stored in natively; that and the fact that playing music through the native interface is less than appealing during parties. I also use it for watching videos off my computer using a remote control, which does not play well with Windows Media Player.
If my xBox had a better video app for playing high def content stored on my computer stored in formats that work on all my devices or are common on the internet, I don't think i'd care. The MCE model worked nicely though since I could handle codec issues from my PC and not have to wait for a bi-annual update to address a potential definiency in me getting my content to my living room.
I have no problems paying an "economical" fee for the software, and I really like that you've simplified the SKUs, but relegating a content consumption product to a professional sku targetted at domain users seems illogical.
Other than that I really like what I read. I know I'm a minority of your userbase here, but I'm also in the minority that I had planned to buy Windows 8 for my computers instead of waiting for a hardware refresh. This would bring pause to that decision.
RT?
Seriously?
It should well be named Windows ReTreat! (from market!)
Great naming. Like who's gonna remember Windows RT.
Naming the ARM version as Windows Mobile should be better than RT.
I think whoever's doing the naming should get fired.
Competing with iOS, Android by the name of Windows RT? Very bad decision.
And the lack of RDP host, domain join is a big minus for the RT.
seria importante ser menos vulneravel e trabalhar bastante na virtualizacao de forma a obter mais rapidez a custa desde conceito, de forma que os aplicativos que correm em segundo plano nao reflita no desempenho do sistema. Com um arranque a velocidade da luz (apenas com o essencialmente necessario) dominando a compreensao e descompreensao do sistema.
What about system memory limits? Are power users going to have to buy pro just to avoid potential memory caps two years out again?
In the 4th sentence 'it's' should be 'its'. Basic error.
ok... i love progress when it somes to cord cutting technology, But Windows Media center hasn't seen love from Microsoft. It's content seriously lacks and third party plug ins are few and mostly unimpressive. The only use for WMC i have is a RSS podcast aggregator plug in and DVR tv tuner. I also have a xbox used for a extender. Now your saying I have to buy the most expensive version of Windows and then buy the WMC add on?
1 WMC should be available on all versions of windows.
2 Microsoft... you are pissing off you WMC extender users
3. If we are going to pay for WMC... there better be one hell of a compelling update to WMC with some stellar content. \
\
Address these or i will be sticking with win7
There was a time .....
Sorry Once upon a time Windows was said to be user friendly....
Wow with each newer version all pathetic jazz ... cant believe Windows is evolving
It would be good to if windows 8 RT could be released as an installable version and not just pre-installed, as I have an ARM tablet with Android on it and it's horrible, Drivers would be easy to write and eventually easy to find too.
I wonder how many windows a user will see on a WOA tablet desktop... My guess is that windowless metro apps will prevail.
Oh, c'mon you guys.
WindowsRT - ART - ARTY.
It's a play on words. You know. Metro. Colored rectangles. Like that. Arty.
...or maybe Artie. Yes, that could be it too.
Microsoft Artie. Bob's cousin.
The suggestion of calling Windows RT "Windows Tablet" is plain wrong. ARM devices are not restricted to tablets (an ARM notebook makes perfect sense), and tablets are not restricted to ARM devices. So it's clear that a separate name was needed. Windows RT makes sense because you can only install WinRT apps. But that's a bit technical, I agree that Windows Metro (or in fact almost any other name) would be more sexy.
But the real problem is different: Windows RT won't be purchased directly, but only with hardware. So when I buy a tablet, how can I tell whether I can use my old Windows apps? It's unlikely that a consumer will be able to tell from the processor model (just think of AMD!), so they will need to notice and understand the exact Windows product name. It's going to be interesting how Microsoft plans to get the message across.
I agree with others that the Media Center story sucks. You can either require a more expensive Windows version OR sell it as an add-on. But both? This just looks like a big ripp-off, and that's how it will be handled by the press, in forums etc.
I am so glad that with all the change/ upgrades and development that’s gone into Windows 8 that the main thing that has been picked out of all this is the name for the ARM based version is Windows RT!
Personally I don’t care what it’s called, I am far more interested in what it can do and how users who will invariably be sat in front of it will use it and how the software that they expect to be able to use working on it. As long as I can make it work as they expect without them having to understand how we make stuff work in the background then as far as I am concerned Microsoft and my team have done their jobs.
Even the end users will not care about the name I guarantee it.
You've got to be kidding me!! WinRT won't support domains? That is the dummest thing MS has done EVER! The whole point why IT Pros dont like iPads in the enterprise is because they can't be managed natively!!! How hard would it be to add W8 Pro features to RT? Come on MS, THINK!!!
I agree with many others here. Windows RT sounds terribly confusing. In fact, if I was to look at those three names, I would guess that Windows 8 RT was higher than Windows 8 Pro. In other words, I would have guessed RT was the new "Ultimate." Windows 8 for Tablets may be a lot more boring, but for the market you are trying to enter (iPad user) it would make sense to them.
Now, onto other things...
"And you’ll love browsing through the Windows Store and downloading all the apps you want."
The above sentence was right after bragging about how flexible Windows 8 is. If Windows 8 is so flexible, why does the App Store only allow Metro apps? Metro Apps are basically just the newest version of desktop widgets (Windows Sidebar). It will be full of a lot of crap fart apps, Angry Birds, and weather widgets. It will be useless for most people. Desktop and real productivity apps are an absolute MUST in the store.
And, yea, what everybody else said about missing start menu and things real users don't want reimagined.
@Capt_Ron - I found out a while back that the ARM tablets won't have domain compatibliity. I know the consumer market is basically the only thing Microsoft cares about for this iteration of Windows, but I agree with you that the lack of domain joining capability is a terrible mistake. Without it, there is no compelling reason -- NONE -- for IT managers to persuade tablet-heavy managers to go with Windows tablets over iPads.
The silly thing about this is that it's not like Microsoft would have to spend much time adding this feature. Windows 8 RT is just Windows recompiled for ARM. The major work was in the kernel, drivers, and other system-level layers to make it peppy and last a long time on battery. Recompiling the GINA and Group Policy DLLs with domain functionality would barely register. They wouldn't even have to get fancy either. If there are compatibility issues with some policies, just say they don't work on Windows 8 RT. Believe me when I say IT managers would accept the limitations to get group policy management and authentication on the damn things.
Your leaving out what will be the most popular choice for desktops once Windows 8 comes out... Windows 7. Win 8 a Vista or ME type failure in the making.
How is possible that in this technical environment of WTB, that there are so many damned dumb people?
1. RT is for tablets, you will buy the TABLET, no-one ever bought and iPad marketed as an "iOS 4 Mobile Device" did they? You won't see the RT until you've got the damned thing home and booted it up.
2. Media Center is AS STANDARD on "Windows 8" and an ADD-ON for "Windows 8 Pro." How did you not infer this from the post?
I don't know.... sometimes I wonder if iOS-Fanbois are the sensible ones and our world is full of dumb lemmings....
JaG
And as a side point, how much of the market do you think is represented by people who want to connect their tablets to a Windows Server domain? Is it REALLY enough for MS to justify the cost of implementing in WOART? Really?
well, crap!! No domain join or group policy on the tablet???? I have been telling my business groups that a "manageable tablet is coming." I guess I was wrong. This is no different than a freakin' ipad.
@jjbowles - Windows RT (which runs on ARM tablets) doesn't support that, but you could get an x86 tablet with Windows 8 Pro on.
Get ready for a slew of Windows Retarded jokes.
In order for Windows RT to be allowed in an Enterprise Enviroment ( at least in my business - Else I will not allow it)
the following options MUST BE available and functional:
1: Domain Join
2: Encrypting File System ( or the whole device )
3: Group Policy
4: Some form of remoting to the device for troubleshooting
5: Option to "Remote Wipe"
I have yet to see any statement saying that IT professionals will be able to turn off the Metro screen and default back to the standard desktop.
I have heard rumors that there would be an option for this, but nothing confirmed. I know it can be done via a simple registry change, but IT groups managing the hardware I can see where this is a option that needs to be part of the UI settings.
I literally registered to say.... "shut up you ninnies". seriously? I find that very few people that commented did their homework. Windows RT is not for normal desktop or laptops. It is for ARM, a completely different technology. Sorry to post an apple insert but please read and note the difference...
ARM processors are still relatively slow, and unsuitable for the vast array of tasks we take for granted in a desktop or laptop. Compared to the Core i7 in your MacBook Air, the core of Apple’s A5 CPU is similar to that of a 1995-era Pentium Pro. A full-featured port of OS X simply can’t run on an ARM series chip right now, which is what gave us all iOS — a massively stripped down version of OS X — to begin with.
So now does it really matter what the name is when you won't be installing it on your computer? Please grow up. i am not a M$ fan but stop being such lemmings... repeating what someone else said just to sound informed or educated... gosh when will you guys get a personality of your own...
I have windows 8 installed dual-booted with Ubuntu 11.
I like it. you are either ridiculously slow, ignorant or just deliberate if you say you cant understand metro...
If it was left up to you windows 8 would look like Windows3 or NT or 95. absolutely no change, no innovation, nothing different. I deliberately mentioned windows 95. Who else remember when the start button was first used.
Grow up people. windows RT would probably come preinstalled on ARM devices making it cheaper than regular X86 devices. As for Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro... who cannot see that M$ wants to unify all platforms and put a Microsoft device in every living room, kitchen, bathroom...etc. Think about it...Your fridge with Windows 8 installed, checking your Facebook while doing the deed...
If you don't like win8 you can either....1. buy apple. 2. install Linux. 3. stay with win7 or XP or 2000 or whatever or 4. create your own operating system. Easy
Great ideas, guys... I could really care less about carrying my programs over to Windows 8 from 7... Just ensure that it's more defined as to which level of Windows 8 I have to buy to employ a software RAID 1.
Thanks....
Good job!
Truly...simplicity is the name of the game when t comes to naming conventions. Maybe Windows 9 will just have WIndows 9 and Windows 9 T, for Tablets? or Windows 9P for Portable devices?
Such a lot of angst over just the names chosen for Windows 8...
Seriously, though - what is the reasoning to explain that Media Center is going to be an extra cost option only for Windows 8 Pro? Realistically, it would seem that Media Center would be more home-focused than business-oriented.
And for once, I'd like to suggest a simplification of the various Windows SKUs that are going to be coming out. When Windows 9, or whatever its moniker is going to be, is announced, can we just have Windows 9 Client and Windows 9 Server? Why this arbitrary gulf between the features of the home version(s) and the professional version(s)? Just give us one version for the client. Price it decently, and stomp on OS X. Apple knows how to do this stuff - why can't Microsoft emulate the simplicity that Apple brings to OS upgrades? This multiplicity of versions is stupid - it's just stupid, and there's no other word for it.
As for Windows on ARM, since it lacks many of the features that mark the X86/64 versions, why call it Windows at all? Call it Metro, and be done with it. It's obviously going to do a bad job of running Desktop apps, even though that's listed as one of its capabilities. Without RDP support, with no capability to join a domain, and with the other limitations it has, it's pretty obvious this is designed for the (not very demanding) home user. Maybe it should just be called Windows 8 Sorta/kinda, or Windows 8 Almost.
Well, I said there wasn't much point in commenting, and I obviously just did so. The choices have been made, I've had my say, and so have all the other people here who don't much care for the choices of features and names. Does anyone really LIKE what Microsoft is planning to do with Windows 8? I'm not seeing much support coming from the customer community. The day Windows 8 is introduced, it's going to be interesting for me to see what kind of public reception it gets.
That is all.
Had to get my two cents in as well. Win RT makes me immediately think of the term "WinRot" which we use to describe the decay of Windows XP and Vista over a two-year period of time - system bogs down, gets slower until it is unusable and must be re-installed. Here's a slogan, "WinRot, get used to it." Or perhaps you would prefer a better name! I am enjoying my test drive of Windows 8. Funny that I have to use the keyboard to activate the "start" menu, when it should be touchscreen-driven.
Surely the update to media centre could be made available to both windows 8 & windows 8 pro as an economical “media pack”, i know many people who use the current media centre, non of which would use any of the pro features...
One more version is needed. Windows RT Pro. Domain Join and Group policy support (group policy with store control) would make it a very attractive option for businesses and for the K-12 education space. A lower priced device with enterprise control and support capabilities could really be a great thing when tring to get technology into all student's hands.
Does Microsoft really believe enterprise will rush to adopt Win 8? The feedback I see suggests the lack of the Start Button/Menu and multiple personality UI is seen as a non-starter for IT departments. A few simple changes could prevent the inevitable Vista effect.
@JGeDesign.Software Please tell us above where it says that Media Center is AS STANDARD. Even if your Inference were correct why do we have to infer when an explicit statement would be far easier? Ed Bott at ZDNet seems to agree with most of us here that MC is Pro only based on the statement above.
Can you login to a network domain yet with Windows 8?
In an ideal world, MS would have provided something like Rosetta (which allowed Macs to run PowerPC applications on Intel chips). Then the Arm-based devices would have been able to run x86/x64 software. We wouldn't need "WIndows RT" -- we would just have "Windows 8", and the underlying chip would be an implementation detail. I have no idea whether this was really feasible with x86-to-Arm, but it would have avoided the ugliness that is "Windows RT".
The REAL $64,000 question about Windows RT and it's built in Office apps:
Are they 100% feature compatible with the regular Office for the desktop?
It seems to certain competitor in this arena who shall remain nameless didn't include support for some features (like footnotes in documents, speaker notes in presentations and such) in their office suite. And what's worse - didn't bother telling anyone up front. People assumed the desktop and tablet versions were 100% compatible - until they found out the hard way that a lot of their hard work was suddenly missing after syncing documents to their shiny new tablets.
Hopefully, Microsoft is NOT repeating that colossal blunder. If they are 100% feature compatible - that would make Windows RT an EPIC WIN for those who choose to equip their staff with such devices. In fact, it'll be a two-fold win since the above mentioned competition doesn't include their office suite with their tablets. It's an extra charge.
Anyone wanting to "upgrade" to Windows 8 also make sure you check out the list of removed features not available in any Windows 8 edition: social.technet.microsoft.com/.../18b53644-6c6b-4d32-820a-53134a0913f3
"Windows RT" Is it because "Windows XP" is still a great success and needed a similar name OR who ever was in charge decided to go with two letters that appear next to each other on the keyboard ? Guess then "Windows FRED" was an option too. Come on we expect better from Microsoft.
for those whom seem confused . . .
this post is only about client NOT server
Office on ARM will only be available bundled with Windows on ARM but current X86 Office will continue to be available with X86 Windows
"PlayTo" is the user-friendly name of a subfeatureset of DLNA support/certification of Windows, NOT just media player and is avialble within the dedicated media apps (winRT metro-style) as well as any third-party apps choosing to use the APIs whether X86, winRT, ARM, .NET etc.
as several have tried to explain RDP HOST is different from having RDP client or supporting its protocol; home versions have always been this way, you'll still be able to remote into windows servers, windows installations with rdp host or anything with a third-party rdp-compliant server installed as well as having remote assistance and other similar features which rely upon rDesktop Protocol support
DirectX is available on ARM devices with appropriate hardware (NVidia makes ARM SoC's & AMD has partnered with ARM itself; many android benchmarking apps will tell you not just OpenGL but also the DirectX revision supported by the render hardware already, Windows Embedded has Aero currently, which is DirectX-only not GDI)
IIS is only included for compatability in Windows Vista & 7 as an optional feature in Professional editions which is unnecessary with Windows 8 (...and probably possible with Windows 7 SP2) because the inclusion of .NET4 pseudo-natively which provides equivalent functionality
WindowsToGo, DirectAccess etc. are for Enterprise only (which is available via Windows Intune; select partners++oems; not just SA)
Windows Media Player is an X86 usermode app that has always been a subset of the Windows client's inbuilt multimedia support and a subset of windows media center but with the new 'metro-style' (WinRT==WindowsRunTime NOT "Windows RT") dedicated media apps replacing much of Windows Media Center's capability the only need for it is on X86 computers with CableCARD or other alternative or similar technologies and their foreign equivalents (which is a significant source of licensing costs for Msft, hopefully having a seperate paid media addition will help to reduce licensing costs of Winbdows 8 greatly!) with winRT media apps for WoA there' no need for media player there, with the media additon there's on need for media center anywhere and I suspect media player is primarily for backwards compatability but moving towards more of a management/sharing function (mayhap a frontend for HomeGroup on the X86 side in the future..?)
Encrypting filesystem is technically a capability of ntFS (the filesystem) and only works on the contents of its filesystem selectively as enabled and has never been user-friendly norincluded in 'home' editions directly, bitlocker is whole disk encryption with the same tory as above, device encryption I suspect uses the same or similar mechanism but is being specified seperately as its more of an on\off approach for the non-removable embedded flash storage typical of ARM-based devices
Windows on ARM doesn't need "enterprise featureset" (i.e. group policy etc; although it will be nice in future WoA revisions) because businesses will pay more for mobile devices, enterprises usually require modern security and 'hardware-level' management capability not yet possible or widely-available on ARM SoC's, there will be Intel SoC's available obviously using X86 editions, many enterprises are moving towards VDI which is nonexistent with ARM currently, many of the Active Directory and related technologies havn't been ported to ARM and probably never will be as there's lots of unnecessary compatability infrastructure that would serve no purpose on the ARM side and needs to go regardless on the X86 side too
@jason hanford-smith
Ribbon interface & native-code apps are the reasons for desktop existing in Windows on ARM, Office just wouldn't be possible with a native-ARM-code-compiled version
Windows ROT. Love it! Finally MS acknowledges that it exists.
Uhh doesn't Windows RT as a name look similar to Windows NT.. ?
This is great! I can now say that i lived until the day I saw the many useless versions of Windows blown away and replaced with only 2.
Windows RT is really a very ugly name, why not call it Windows for Tablet? Win ARM? Anything that indicated an OS for tablet.
Still, I dream of a day where Microsoft really becomes ONE Microsoft, with ONE operating system. Truly, you spent time to customize these two versions of Windows, while you could have done only ONE, be it for home users or professionals, and saved your efforts for developing something useful instead of adding or removing features. As if home users do not use EFS to encrypt their files! One Microsoft to me ONE operating system, ONE version for all...
Windows 9 should have ONE version, called Windows 9, without any complications or fantasy names. Windows 9 Server should be called Windows 9 Server, not longhorn, nor short stick, not ugly bird ... nothing more, nothing less. Windows Server should have much less fluffy useless desktop and grafical futilities. Classical desktop, classical Start menu (yea, Windows 2000 style)
Microsoft Talks Up Windows RT's App Management Capabilities
rcpmag.com/.../windows-rt-app-management-capabilities.aspx
"Microsoft has said recently that Windows RT devices, when available, will not be capable of Active Directory (AD) management, whereas x86/x64 devices running Windows 8 will have this basic IT management capability. Since AD provides a means for establishing user access within a Windows-based network, it was puzzling why Windows RT would lack direct AD support. The answer to that riddle now seems to be associated with this new management structure for Windows RT, which handles user access to apps. In the background, Active Directory is still part of the process.
Self-Service Portal for Getting Apps
Microsoft's solution for situations where a person uses their Windows RT-based personal device for work, in which they must access "line-of-business" applications on the organization's network, is an authentication approach that's associated with a self-service portal (SSP). This SSP houses Metro-style applications that were internally developed by an organization or developed by an independent software vendor. It also can include links to Web apps and links to Windows Store-based apps."
There are some very clear tactics in play here, the lack of domain join and group policy for RT locks a wide range of new technology into the cloud. Something which many SME's in the UK are years from adopting. Much like windows phone this could lead to poor take up in the enterprise and poor sales performance of new and innovative MS hardware. Such a terrible shame, you're literally ramming this down consumers throats in the vain hope there will be enough take up. Lets hope there are as many competing tablet/ultrabook products available at launch which run on intel atom/i3/i5/i7 instead, as they will be the only products that can be taken seriously within the UK enterprise.
I love Windows Media Center. It's my favorite Windows product. So much, in fact, that I wrote a lengthy review about it and the Ceton card on Amazon. And I never write reviews.
www.amazon.com/.../ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt
Can't lie, I'm extremely disappointed with the way Microsoft is handing WMC for Windows 8. There's many improvements to be made and it doesn't appear they touched the software at all. Also, it should be INCLUDED with the HOME version, not as an ADD-ON for the PRO version. It's as if Microsoft is trying to kill WMC by making it as unattractive an option as possible.
Can someone from Microsoft please explain the rationale for this?
when was it going to be launch in india
Will Windows 8 (not Pro) allow people with WHS 2011 to connect to it remotely via Remote Desktop? According to the breakdown above, RD (host) will only be available in Pro... Does that mean I can connect to a Win8 machine regardless of version, but I must have Win8 in order to initiate a RD session?
It still baffles me how WHS, which is a server menant for a home setting, can't connect to a home version of Windows, but only to pro versions...
Also, I agree with the comments about WMC. For those people who use it, this wouldn't be a compelling upgrade if they would be required to pay extra for a higher version of Win8 in order to keep their current functionality, much less having to buy it as a seperate pack.
What is the W7 Home Premium to W8 upgrade path? Due to "Media Center" being an "add-on pack" to the "Pro" edition of Windows 8, what would happen if someone upgrades from Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 8 'standard'. Would the Media Center application and all its dependency's cease to exist? Would a user have to upgrade to pro and buy the "Add on pack" just go get the same application that was bundled with windows 7?
can I update windows 8 consumer preview to windows 8 or pro .
None of the pre-release versions will be upgradeable to the Final version of Windows 8.
For those of you who cannot accept the Win RT name, perhaps the following article will make it clear.
MSDN Blogs: Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture
blogs.msdn.com/.../building-windows-for-the-arm-processor-architecture.aspx
Like everyone else who uses ARM based processors, Microsoft must purchase a license from ARM Holdings for using that technology.
You must also consider the fact that the acronym 'ARM' is copyrighted, when describing the Advanced RISC Machine architecture. It cannot be used as a name that applies to anything that uses the ARM technology unless a separate license for that usage is purchased.
Windows 8 never reconized my video card nor could I change from the "Standard" video. This product really looks cheap at 640 x 420 on a 24 inch HD monitor. Everything that was opened stayed in memory even after closing. You have go through a special ctrl+key to exit or shutdown, it was not readily available that I could find. To do some things that were available from the Destop go thru the Ctrl+Keys (Do not use Ctrl+L this locks the Windows system).
Windows RT sounds wrong... I would have called it Windows Touch Edition. Makes more sense.
With the greatest of respect, why does Microsoft INSIST on having a "Pro" version and a "vanilla" version? Why cant you just have "Windows 8" and be done with it? Why do you have to have two separate versions? Yes, there are features that some folks wont use, but you'd have that with any OS - if it means that much, come up with some sort of installer that allows features to be added - but just call it Windows 8. Why do you have to have this gulf of differences between 8 and Pro? Sorry, IMO, its just stupid.
And Windows RT? Really? This is your answer to Android and iOS? Not only is the name just ...stupid is the only polite adjective I can come up with...but If that features list (or lack thereof) is any semblance of reality, this edition will be relegated to the forgotten 10 minutes after its officially launched.
OK! My suspisions have been confirmed. This new OS "Windows 8" to me is "Windows 7" with a couple of addons and a new look interface to make more use of the touchscreen capabilities. I was actually expecting "Windows 8" to be a hole new OS rebuilt and remodelled from the ground up. Why is there no Windows Media Centre built in to it. I can't understand why they have taken it out and may make it a seperate addon that they will probably retail seperately (What a money spinning idea that is!) I use the media centre all the time. As for the name "Windows 8", for what it is I think it should be named "Windows 7+" and like "ME" was to "Windows 98" I also think it should be sold as an upgrade only for around $50. As for the 2 major desktop versions "Home" & "Pro" I don't see the point there either. Why not just have one version then the user can decide if they want to have the extra features turned on or off. I don't think I will be going for "Windows 8" it lacks too much for my liking. I think Microsoft might have made a mistake with this version. We will have to wait & see how the public view it after it's release. On the upside though the tablet version looks ok, but is it good enough to rival "Android" tablets & the "iPad", Let battle commence!
Come on Microsoft first the "Vista" name now the RT You guys really don't want to win do you? Apple has already blown you away tablets/phone/ and yes enterprise your years behind in tablets and mobility ditch the RT and the crappy names that turns folks off.
C'mon, people. WindowsRT stands for "run time." The helpful link is the "blog post" one right above the table.. It'll actually be called WOA = Windows on ARM and will be in keeping with Windows Phone, Windows Server, etc. It looks to me like they're taking out a ton of the intricacies of Windows (x86/64) for the home to clean up the code. I think there's something beyond 7000 group policy settings--getting those out will give home users a better experience. Pro will obviously still need that and the other IT business oriented tools to keep it viable as a business client. From what I can see so far, it looks like a solid new OS that will come with much less baggage and be easier to develop for, keep its manageability where needed, and run much faster than anything out there right now.
I have to agree with a lot of people here... Windows RT is a really confusing name because all three versions are built on top of WinRT, are they not? It's like saying that the ARM version is the one that makes the best use of it or is optimized for it? A very poor naming choice for this one...
On the bright side, it's nice to finally have a simple choice on the x86/x64 side of things.
i really don't care about windows name.
i just care of 3 things.
1. missing start menu button: start menu button is like windows trademark thing. i really hate metro style single color design no visual effect look like its only for low level user but whats windows 8 gonna give for power user? having a quad core and 6gb ram running windows 8 seem kinda low level os for me. they should give optional setting to bring start button
2. Hotmail id necessary to access most option of windows 8 is really bad . they will lose the many user because of this feature... internet is everywhere but they are many user who only uses internet timely.
3.they really should give some visual enchantments for power user only single color logon screen is kinda boring. even now windows 7 logon screen much cooler than windows 8 logon screen.
Since you guys are going to make us pay for an upgrade to the Pro Version of Windows 8 AND purchase a media pack add-on if we want to upgrade to Windows 8 Media Center, what level of support should we then expect? Currently, there are 2 issues that MS knows about, and has known for MONTHS, and they are still UNRESOLVED.
1) At least 3 - 4 times in the last 6 months our guides have not updated, and we are left with 4 days of data in our guides when we normally have 11 - 14. Every time MS "fixes" it, it reoccurs. connect.microsoft.com/.../tv-guide-listings-only-update-to-april-30
2) The Guide does not display cover art for movies from 2010 and newer. This has been a ticket for 8 months on connect.
connect.microsoft.com/.../missing-coverart-on-2010-and-2011-movies
I was in the camp, "I will pay" camp for Windows 8 Media Center, but this level of support is making me question that. It appears that whomever is left doesn't understand how Media Center works.
Carl
I hope that Windows 8 will be cheaper. I'm tired of Apple fans holding their $30 OS upgrade over our $120 OS upgrade. That and their $70 USB thumb drive for their OS and our $200 DVD for our OS.
Still no mention of a Bluetooth compatibility application.
Windows 8 has some great features, being a gamer who pays for Everquest 2, I wiped the hard drive and went back to windows xp, I have a 2 gig vidieo card and EQ2 just wont work on windows 8.
Well, this is a thought for windows RT, it doesn't sound great, a bit more imagination in naming would have been good. But as for managability, I'm thinking that with the use of Exchange 2010 and SC 2012 suite, they will be able to connect to the private cloud in a business network. Windows 8 supports logins using Hotmail/windows live accounts to be part of the windows live public cloud, and since hotmail's internals are based on activesync, my guess is that, we'll be able to login to the company(corporate) account using an exchange/domain login, and should have access to an internal/private storage space similar to skydrive.
Just my thoughts.
Media Center is what differentiates Microsoft from Apple. One sentence in the entire post, and no previews of Media Center really concern me. Please pay attention to this. It seems like everyone is focusing on pay per view content. I want an easy way to store, play and enjoy content I've already paid for.
Only in Media Center can you use CableCard technology to record TV for later playback with virtualy unlimitted storage. This is the primary use of one of my PCs. Media Center can use a serious update, because we are working off a 10 year old interface. I don't want IPTV, I need my local college sports. It's not all about primetime TV.
I want to play all the music I own, and I'd like to have a feature rich and quick way to browse it similar to Zune Software. Media Center is not good option for music.
I want to digitally archive and play all of the DVDs I own, and I want an elegant interface that allows me to read all about the movies. Currently I use MyMovies with Meda Center. It's good, but again, a major interface upgrade is needed.
Make it easy to add metadat to everything. Zune does a great job with Music. I have to use third party software for Movies, and you could do so much more with TV.
Allow me to play home videos too, simle enough.
Lastly, I'd lke a codec that plays nice with all Microsoft hardware (Xbox, WP7, Windows 8, Media Center, Media Center Extender). You need to make it easy for me to get my movies in a format I can use with every device. It's a bit painful right now.
I paid for all this content, I'll pay a lot to play it easily, but I'm not going to pay extra if major enhancements aren't made to the product. It works adequately with Windows 7. Windows 8 should strive for more than adequate. I'm a Microsoft fanboy if there was one, but it's only because I have the patience to figure out how to get all this stuff to work. If Microsoft could make this easier, then millions of people could understand the beauty of having all of this media accessible through one device or multiple devices from the same company.
I wil pay, but you have to make it compelling. All the peices are there, just put them together, and don't confuse people that aren't as patient as I am.
WHY ARE THERE STILL "Editions”!!!!???? Just call it Windows, charge $99 and be done with it! For the love of Pete, Microsoft! Anything mobile, just call it Windows Mobile!!! Duh. Stop over complicating stuff! Nobody really cares what the name is as long as it is simple or is logical! (And works). Windows RT? WTFIT? "Dude, check out my new Windows RT tablet!" "Your what?"
Not sure if this is exactly the place for this, but since we are talking about Windows 8 names and features, I figured I'd start here.
Having taken a look at Windows 8, I can tell you that for me, I will not be upgrading. There are many reasons for this - I'll cover a few of them here:
For starters, there is the home screen labeled 'start', and no start button. Why?
Next, implied but not explicitly mentioned in Mr. Harris' consumer preview video is that you'll need a Hotmail account (or SOME sort of Microsoft account) so that you can stay connected all the time and everywhere. What if I'd like to sign into the PC and not the internet? What if I dont necessarily have access to the internet? Sorry, no thanks.
Next - the cloud. I am not a cloud user or fan. I understand others are. Fair enough, but the preview leaves the impression that using a cloud of some sort for data storage is either required or soon will be to do something as simple as emailing a picture to family. I prefer my data to be local, thank you. Further, the lack of features in WindowsRT suggests that Microsoft is trying to push consumers to use a cloud (be that skydrive or whatever). In a word - no.
Next - social networking. I dont use Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook or other social networking services. They do nothing for me. Me, I'd like the ability to uninstall/delete these services (read: NOT just turn them off, but remove them)
Next - apps. I don't necessarily want apps that start all on their own. I have an Android tablet that does that and it drives me nuts. Further, I also dont want to be nickle and dimed to get this feature or that feature via the store. Sorry, no thank you.
Next - UI. Many people like it. I dont care for it. To me, it might be fine on a tablet, but it really isnt what I want on my desktop. It doesnt do anything for me, and 'feels' (my perception) like a hack of Android. Again, what is wrong with the start menu?
Next - picture sign in. Again, why? Whats wrong with a user account and a password? I know there are likely users out there that think this is a nice feature - me, I'd just like to log on to my PC, thanks.
Next - editions. Microsoft still hasnt figured out that its users dont necessarily want 3 or 5 editions of an OS. Give us ONE edition, with features we can install and uninstall.
There just isnt anything there that I personally need.
Yes, I would be interested to hear the difference between device encryption and "Encrypting File System" as well - especially because a lot of corporate Exchange environments (including our own) insist on having "on-device encryption" in order to use ActiveSync with any mobile devices. This is particularly annoying with Windows 8. I am running the CP version on two different tablets and neither of them have a TPM module. In order to use the Mail and Calendar App, I have to use Bitlocker encryption on all the drives in order to pass the "encryption test" in Exchange.
Because there is no TPM, we have to set it up in Group Policy to allow a password or a USB encryption key and one of these must be present at boot-up to access the encrypted hard disk. If it's a password, there must be a *keyboard* for the tablet, because the touch interface isn't yet active in that point of the boot process. Maybe it won't be as much of a hassle if the Windows Tablet has TPM, but it's going to be a huge hassle for Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro tablets - one which iPads and Android-based devices don't have.
is there going to be a way to disable "metro" / "The new start screen" and revert to the classic start button? I find this design horrible. If I wanted to use apps or have an app screen, I would buy a tablet.
Really Excited about this bcz
only 3 versions instead of 6 version
www.pcprompt.net
please be informed that...
we still need Windows XP Professional inside a WINDOWS'
...so is there any Windows XP Mode inside your latest Windows?
and if Windows 8 is finally available in the market'
we hope that a Downgrade Rights to Window XP Professional is still available in the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center...
so far Windows XP Professional is the best Windows Operating System in the Means of Simplicity.
Здравствуйте! Прочитала мнения многих людей, о названии Windows RT.Новые возможости Windows 8 - замечательные. Особенно то, что касается легкого прикосновения, чтобы начать работать в системе.На мой взгляд, я дала бы название Windows 8 Super. Потому, как это совершенно новое и достойное совершенствование в разработке как и ОС , так и самого технического оборудования под эту ОС.Спасибо большое всем разработчикам. которые участвовали в создании этого замечательного объемного и мощного проекта.
I'm very excited, really want to try Windows 8 Enterprise for office and especially RT for home
Windows Media Center is software for an HTPC. HTPCs are typically dedicated machines, put in the living room. Therefore they should be small, low-power, quiet. ARM is therefore the more appropriate architecture than Intel.
Therefore Windows RT is the more appropriate version for Windows Media Center.
Windows 8 standard is also appropriate, to take care of the existing community, who build their own HTPCs.
Windows 9 Pro is the least suited to Media Center, since Media Center has no place in a professional environment.
Regardless, Media Center should be available in all editions, software for only one version of windows makes no sense.
I understand the need for the for the touch screen advancements and improvements for the younger generation and even those under 50 but what about those that are diehard keyboardists. where getting them to mouse properly was a task. the new explorer takes away there visual cues. hell I even had a time figuring how to close out an app and not just switch to another. I'm the IT guy for my extended family. and I am dreading showing My grandparents this operating system. they now love new tech. but getting them to learn mouse gestures (cuz they dont NEED a touch screen there old ones will work...flat panels) is like teaching them how to drive a car without a steering wheel. i personally love most of what youve accomplished but taking out visual cues such as close button for apps seems a bit over done for an operating system you claim is transitional. i understand they background themselves when not closed out but that seems a waste of resources for those who dont know alt+f4 and right-clicking and closing.
Also in Greek :
dailyfix.gr/windows-8-three-different-versions
;) Go Microsoft!!!!
Well Microsoft Should At least Leave The Windows 7 Start Menu as a classic in windows 8 so far windows 8 is looking good . at least They Done like they did with windows XP and Made Windows XP Home edition and windows Xp Professional , They Made Windows 8 which Is Windows 8 Home Edition And Windows 8 Professional
I like the new UI. Using the same UI on multiple platforms makes a lot of sense.
I will stick with my W7 dinosaur until I buy a Mac or other, no more "Windows" for me. I downloaded the Windows 8 Consumer Preview had it on my computer for maybe 30 mins. and after not liking the navigation of everything decided it was not for me. Reminded me of when I bought Vista thinking this might be cool (before reading the forums) and that also lasted a short time before XP was re-installed. I am happy with 7 and 7 I will stay until a Mac or other comes my way.As far as using 8 for tablets phones or what have you yeah might be great but trying to turn a desktop pc into a facsimile of a modern cell phone does make me think that MS is really starting to go down hill. If this really is the logo dl.dropbox.com/.../Win8LogoIdea.png I am glad i am not on that bus.
Windows Elite will be a good name. Anyway, according to the consumer preview, this is very advanced for normal users. (Seems extremely fit with touch screen devices) .So I think if you can add two modes which can initially setup in installation, something like basic mode and advanced mode will be give great value for this version. Ex: In basic mode windows will appear as normal. I mean it will looks like windows 7 options. Like, it includes start menu+normal desktop. But shape of icons and windows appearance are OK. Overall, this is very speed and beautiful. But the missed All Programs menu and the start menu with start button is very bad for window new baby of windows 8. In advanced mode installation can install and use current windows 8 options ( Like as consumer preview),Then only every one can use windows 8. Basically those are the drawback which I experienced till now. Thank you and wish you all the best.
Well I work on and with computers for a living and I have to say Microsoft your glory days are gone. All of my clients want XP back. Most of everyone I know is switching to Macs. Of course I'm in one geographic spot in the country so maybe you are having better luck elseware. When Vista came out many businesses stayed with what they had and I know of some that switched to Windows 2000. The only reason Microsoft got rid of Vista was because the business world wasn't buying into it. Microsoft seems to be betting on consumers believing they don't have a choice. I get more disappointed in Microsoft every time your company comes out with a new OS. Obviously you are acknowledging there is something wrong with your current OS or why else "fix" it? Win7 and Win8 look like Mac OS in design. Microsoft keeps getting closer and closer to the feel of Macs. Is there something you want to tell us Microsoft? Generally PCs have been for people who want to manage and control their computer. Macs are nice but I personally don't prefer them since the Mac OS likes to do everything for the user. I'm an IT professional I like controlling my computer. I also know many successful business minded individuals who prefer Macs to PCs.
And of course all that bunk about Macs being virus and hacker free are nonsense.
My little brother and a friend of his bought Mac books before I paid a visit to their college apartment. They talked like they were impervious to any type of malware. The Apple sales people did a good job in indoctrinating them. So with my XP notebook I accessed my brother's friend's computer and copied a picture off of his Mac and put it on my brother's Mac and deleted it off the friend's Mac. I then asked my brother's friend to show me his picture again. He was a little freaked out when he couldn't find it. I then asked my brother to look in a certain place on his Mac. There was his friends picture. I explained what I did and explained if they had at least a virus scanner and a firewall they would greatly increase there protection when going online.
Back on topic, Microsoft you had an OS consumers were happy with, from what I saw, and then you decided to break it and tried to force the "new and improved" OS down consumer's throats. Dell made a killing in sales after Vista came out because they advertised all their computers would ship with XP. Then Microsoft banned selling XP and said it will no longer support it. In China that might work but not in the USA. Hence Vista was a failure and Mac sales went up and Linux OS variants increased and more were downloaded.
I don't know why Microsoft wants to make their OS have a Mac feel to it. PC users switched to Mac because they can choose to go with what they want and making Windows OS have a Mac feel to it won't bring them back. It will antagonize the rest of us. When you force people in one direction you loose customers. Intel tried the same thing several years back. Their newest processor had a problem and intel said it was only off by one in a (huge number) of calculations. Their press release about the problem tried to downplay the problem. They though they could get away with it because they assumed they were the big shot in town and no one could afford to not buy their processors. Several months after that initial press release intel came out with another one saying they would fix the problem and come out with a new chip and they were dedicated to serving their customers. This was back in the day when computer processor terms included 80 86, 80 286, 80 386, and 80 486 and GHz was considered science fiction. What happened? Many businesses completely halted their purchase of computers with intel chips. No one wanted to buy a processor that would make mistakes even if it occurred one in a (ridiculously huge number) of computations. Despite what intel delusionally beleived they weren't the only processor manufacturer on the planet. Many small processor manufacturers that most people have never heard of even today had record sales during that time. AMD and Intel still aren't the only ones making processors.
Microsoft your board of directors, or rather, board of dictators, do understand that those who don't learn from history are destined to repeat it, don't they? If not time will teach your corporation the same lessons you failed to learn from the experience of others.
Win XP works. I don't see myself staying with Microsoft past Win7. Meaning if a computer I have has Win7 on it and it dies then I'll move on to something else. I can get work fixing a Mac or a Windows or a Linux computer or handling a business that runs those systems just fine weather I have a windows pc or not.
I think, Windows RT is a very good & perfect name.
Would you guys not consider selling WOA copies? I have an android tablet and would prefer to have win 8 on it..
After using Windows 8 for months, I have some suggestions: MS has to continue to develop it further out of its now on disastrous cocoon. Anyway, existing W8 development is only cool for touch screen monitor targeting iPod, iPad, iPhone, Smart Phone,... Major public will run away from this OS, because it causes as mess when navigating, browsing, and executing applications. The consumers have to play hide and seek with new programming concept that put a new mess into their lives. For sure Windows8 will lost a lot of elderly customers whose use to compute with XP then now Windows7, are day by day become more acceptable to them. But with Windows 8 they will give up. People wants something that is friendly to work with, easy to control, so creative only came after they get familiar with the OS.
In fact, there is a way to save W8 while it's still in the development process. My solution is: just integrate a more sophisticated W7 inside W8 so that people still can create with W8 parallel they can work with W7 without interruption.
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Im just gunna save up and buy pro!
Windows 8 is not bad its just the main start i dont like so i just removed it and made it like Windows 7!
To: Microsoft Windows 8/RT Development Team
Can you please explain to me why Windows 8 RT will be lacking key features in comparison to Windows 8 and Windows 8 Professional?
Refer to this link:
www.pcauthority.com.au/.../297262,three-editions-of-windows-8-announced.aspx
I have looked at press releases of the new features and I am not impressed as there is no corporate/advanced edition of the future Windows RT bieng planned by the look of it.
For example from what I can see:
- There is no Windows Media Player in sight.
- There are no abilities to connect to corporate network domains
- The Remote Desktop Feature (hosting) is not available.
- From the feature list it looks like these devices advanced settings are locked down (security policies, advanced file sharing etc) homegroups
and simple file sharing in the corporate environment is a security risk.
- Will there be a integrated firewall on this future RT edition?
Why aren't these important features bieng included on the ARM edition? Why isn't there going to be a Windows RT Pro Edition to connect to a corporate network?
Please explain
Regards,
J876_1
Please have a read of the thread I have started on Microsoft Answers:
answers.microsoft.com/.../652435d4-b71f-40bb-af1b-8267b911fd97
please microsoft don't ship a product without XP Mode built-in! I also need a 64-bit OS which has command.com. I need this as a developer. come compilers like DJGPP and some others will not work without command.com. in fact, some older apps won't run without this, and currently it's only avaiolable in 32-bit versions of windows. I would like to see it in 64-bit. and I would like to see xp mode come back, there are a lot of apps that run on xp systems out there which have not and will not be upgraded because the project has been stale or dropped, but the download is still there.
I loaded the Consumer Preview for Windows 8 and it is not good. The Desktop mode doesn't work as the Win 7 version . There is no start button, so if you don't have an icon on the desktop you can't use it. Unless you get download that will put the start button back on your system. Not all Win 7 programs will run in the Desktop mode. Swath doesn't work in Win 8. The Win 8 installation doesn't provide apps for Office, so you can't get to your office programs unless you have an icon on the desktop. It requires you to sign in to Windows Live Messenger and uses that as your password to log into the system. Where is the option to have your own log in. I would rate this operating system as good as Windows ME which is very bad.
Make sure before you load consumer Win 8 to make an image of your current system otherwise you will be reloading your Win 7 operating system from scratch. I attempted to use Win 8 for a day and now I have a fresh Win 7 system back on my desktop I don't recomment Windows 8
Windows 8 Developers You need to make the Desktop mode in Win 8 compatiable to Win 7. Those of us that still use desktop machines or laptops as our desktop need to be able to use all the functions as we have in Win 7. We need a start button to enable our office programs. If you are going to have Office work in the tablet part of WIn8 you need to add an app in there. Need to spend some time on how to make app windows also for your older programs. I can' not recommend Windows 8 at this time and removed it after frustration using it for a day.
Windows RT? It's like you want it to fail. Seriously, what is wrong with you people?
I'm sorry but windows 8 does work on my laptop. you need to use a different monitor. you need a driver for it to work propley
Ever heard of Windows Live ID? I expected to use that to log onto to a Microsoft blog site. Microsoft really don't like their own stuff working with their own stuff do they? Like Windows 7 phone not working with corporate infrastructure that is ALL Microsoft based, or the new incredibly badly named Windows RT not being domain joined. Just don't want corporate customers any more? Or just showing off the contempt Microsoft has for its customers.
This corporate customer won't be upgrading to Windows8 in any great hurry that is for sure. Start giving us want we want and need. Start listening to your customers.
In windows8 enterprise the "new mobility scenarios' don't include using Windows RT in domain joined corporate environment? So not the newest hottest thing in mobility, just some other lame stuff.
Will it support Enterprise secure Wi-Fi (Windows7 phone doesn't). I'll assume not, that gives you a higher chance of meeting my expectations (i expected to be disappointed).
I think it's kind of stupid that Microsoft is both A. Making Windows Media Center available only for Windows 8 Pro and B. Making people pay extra when it has been available free since Vista. It just doesn't make sense!
I installed win 8 on my computer last night. I notice that when using firefox, chrome that I have lost the ability to enter numbers or character on the top row of keys on my keyboard. It is working here in IE. Is this some sort of block on other browsers? Very frustrating. I can't sign into sites using passwords because I have no numbers and I can't even enter the @ sign.
Help
I have a few things to say...
Bill Gates needs to come out of retirement and start working for Microsoft again.
Windows XP is STILL the best OS I have seen come out of Microsoft,
and as much as tablets are the new thing I love having my big bulky desktop, I have no use for a tiny tablet and probably never will. I honestly feel that Microsoft is stepping in the wrong direction, they should be focusing on improving and making desktop computers look like the fad instead of these tablets. Let Apple deal with the tablets and we should keep Microsoft with the desktops. I feel like Microsoft is trying to turn my desktop into a limited, crappy tablet.. I'm sticking with Windows 7.
honestly I think Windows has come a very long way since they have started with Windows 98. so to be able to make something more simple I think is kewl. personally to me I like it. my netbook on the other hand cant handle it to well. the screen res. is not to standard to run apps on the start menu. but hey I can still do everything that I used to be able to do and that is all that matters.
Windows 8 never reconized my video card nor could I change from the "Standard" video. This product really looks cheap at 640 x 420 on a 24 inch HD monitor. Everything that was opened stayed in memory even after closing. You have go through a special ctrl+key to exit or shutdown, it was not readily available that I could find. To do some things that were available from the Destop go thru the Ctrl+Keys (Do not use Ctrl+L this locks the Windows system). www.tran33m.com/index.php
The Windows 8 concept maybe fine for those who are happy to just select predefined options, but reading this blog...it's a mess! Now, it requires more inputs to achieve anything, many things are hidden by the moronic Metro interface as Microsoft adopt the Apple approach and close the user interface down to a set of predefined options.
Where's the upgrade path from the Win8 beta to this latest Preview version and more importantly, to the Retail version when it becomes available? Have I really got to run a totally clean install?
It's an inappropriate step to replace the intuitive and efficient Start Menu Desktop system on a PC with the awkward/blocky Metro Interface, which requires more manipulation and searching than was previously required.
My comments are based upon some months of using the Consumer Evaluation Version but, thanks to third party efforts, I've been able to reinstate the Win 7 Desktop!
Tried upgrading from Win7 Home Premium and Win 7Ultimate to Win8 Enterprise Release Preview but the upgrade failed due to incompatibility. Based on the article, "Windows 8 Enterprise includes all the features of Windows 8 Pro plus features for IT organization that enable PC management and deployment, advanced security, virtualization, new mobility scenarios, and much more. " so I assumed the result should be the same with the Win8 Pro column above.
Is my assumption right or if not, will you create another column for Enterprise in the table above?
Salute the WINDOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe another version of windows Embedded (now WOA or WinRT) that does not include RDP Host in the OS. I don't want to have to run another piece of hardware (i.e. Windows Server with Hyper-V). So many people want this. I would love the ability to sit at my Windows 8 PC and access and control my Windows 8 Arm Tablet (Media, Files, ect.ect). This would be a huge benefit to add. Come on Microsoft, WE WANT CONNECTABLE WINDOWS 8 DEVICES! I have been through Windows Embedded 5, 6 and now Window Embedded Compact 7. This would be a huge benefit for Microsoft if it could happen.
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You should've included the "Group Policy" feature in Windows 8, not only in "Windows 8 Pro"! I am contented with Windows 8 that has no BitLocker, Remote Desktop(host) and many more advanced features, but why remove Group Policy??? I often use it in lower versions of Windows 7 (like now). I don't use the other advanced features. Please include Group Policy in all versions! -_-
To be Honest... i dont see a big problem with Windows RT... To me its just the name of an operating system, with different features... Its pretty much the same OS as Windows 8, but with different Features... Cant wait for Prices!! Windows 8 Tablets will be my Central Hub for all my information that ill need. Smartglass will be integrated for free on all of those right?
I salute you for streamlining the editions back to "Home" and Pro. I am relieved to hear that my Windows 7 Ultimate will upgrade-in-place to Windows 8 Pro. Congratulations on these very common-sense decisions.
If I buy Windows 8 and then use Anytime Upgrade to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro will I still have to purchase the Media Pack in order to have the Media Center available in Pro?
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Microsoft Windows 8 too!
Read about it (in Greek)
dailyfix.gr/windows-8-release-preview-available-to-download
I'll be waiting for our new os WINDOWS 8!!
I realy like this version of Windows 8, however, I've been having issue finding my wireless networks. I have downloaded the drivers, etc.. and all I can see is the Bluetooth and I can't find my access point. I have to connect directly to the newtwork card wired. I was hoping that someone can help me out.
Windows RT?!?
iOS, Android are short & memorable, right?
How about MetrOS. short & memorable.
A suggestion:
As a lot of people are having difficulty with the name "Windows RT", why not call it "Windows 8 Armadillo" (as in Windows 8 ARMadillo)?
Hi, I just wanted to clear some things up. The reason that Office is listed as a feature is because it comes installed with Windows RT. This is due to the fact that Windows RT is going to be preinstalled on many devices and it is easier for the OEMs to support office compatibility and it will allow Microsoft to standardize the Microsoft Office Suite. Also, having office x86 and office ARM would confuse many users. This will mean that people who have a mobile device with Windows RT and use office will be 'forced' to purchase Office for their Windows desktops. I put forced in quotes though because it will still be possible to use free office suites, but most users will still chose Microsoft office.
I live in Philippines, and wish to purchase win8 Pro when its available, but apparently its only available from Win.Com? will I still be able to take part in the initial special offer???
So far I find Win 8 to be rather less than stellar. The user interface is just plain crappy. It is a throwback to DOS. Who wants to jump back and forth through menus to find what you want? This sucks. If I wanted to go back to Win 3.1 I would go back in time. The start menu works, just stick it back in the build for people that prefer to use it. This just sucks. Yes I did download it and I do not like it. Maybe I will change my mind. This might be nice for tablet owners, but what about the rest of us who like their keyboard or want to watch TV on a computer or HTPC?
Signed Confused . . .
How come you cant log into this blog with facebook?
So I was using a preview release and I go into the preferences setup screen and it would not let me get our of it. What is up with that? It was a screen filling up the entire monitor with no escape. Tried severy things. Eventually had to go to Ctrl-Alt-Del???
STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Before you are thinking of setting a preview of an unfinished project, think again. Download the preview. Then download virtual box (a virtual machine) here: www.oracle.com/.../index.html . Look up on you tube on how to do the rest. Sorry, it's hard to explain.
LOL at Media Center comments! - The Media Pack is standard with Win 8 and stripped from Pro, available as an add on.
Can Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro have drive encryption?
And by the way, how much will Windows 8 and Pro cost when released?
I can't believe I'm posting but it's just overwhelmingly obvious from my perspective as a consumer, reseller, developer, designer and the same for every post I read that there needs to be a huge change in the type of upgrade policy because this is going to eliminate so much business from your loyal resellers and no one I spoke with has any desire for purchasing win8 to begin with. If they heard what I had to tell them I'm going to lose any business I developed. What the heck is going on please? I swear get me the team who decided this so I can write them and let them know how the product as stands is going to fail without doubt and how you are going to lose the people to do the work and make money like me by using microsoft products as a way to survive with job. Someone please provide who i can write because I'm about to have a field day.
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Windows 8 doesnt support punk buster games please fix
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What? I am very much dismayed by this. Is Microsoft really not able to include it in the box, like it does with Windows XP/Vista/7? This is bordering on indecency.
Also, I notice the regular Windows 8 doesn't include Windows Media Center, so if I upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium (which includes Media Center) to Windows 8, I no longer get Media Center. Is that correct?
Finally, I do have to say it's confusing to have to use "Windows 8" to refer both to the OS in general and to a specific edition.
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