Windows 8 for free

[Ed Cryer]

I've downloaded the Win 8 Dev Prev and installed it. The iso file was
too big for a standard DVD so I burned it to a dual-layer one.
I couldn't get VmWare to install it as a virtual machine so I put it on
a spare 250GB partition; and it occupies 18 GB at present.
It installed without a hiccup, ran first time and shows no problems.
There were 9 updates waiting in Win Updates which all went in fine; so
presumably I can continue to get all the updates as they become
available over the coming months. I've run IE and other programs, played
around a bit, looked at the games (the piano with Scott Joplin rags on
it is good). No problems, even though this desktop is a very standard
off-the-shelf box.

I now have the following setup;
Dual boot into Win8 or Win7; and inside Win7 virtual machines for XP,
Win98, Ubuntu, FreeBSD.

I don't know what use it is, but I find it more interesting than Sid
Meier's Civilisation.

Ed

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

I've downloaded the Win 8 Dev Prev and installed it. The iso file was
too big for a standard DVD so I burned it to a dual-layer one.
I couldn't get VmWare to install it as a virtual machine so I put it on
a spare 250GB partition; and it occupies 18 GB at present.
It installed without a hiccup, ran first time and shows no problems.
There were 9 updates waiting in Win Updates which all went in fine; so
presumably I can continue to get all the updates as they become
available over the coming months. I've run IE and other programs,

[]
Doesn't the "Prev" mean it'll expire eventually (presumably after the
real is released)?

 

[Ed Cryer]

I've downloaded the Win 8 Dev Prev and installed it. The iso file was
too big for a standard DVD so I burned it to a dual-layer one.
I couldn't get VmWare to install it as a virtual machine so I put it
on a spare 250GB partition; and it occupies 18 GB at present.
It installed without a hiccup, ran first time and shows no problems.
There were 9 updates waiting in Win Updates which all went in fine; so
presumably I can continue to get all the updates as they become
available over the coming months. I've run IE and other programs,

[]
Doesn't the "Prev" mean it'll expire eventually (presumably after the
real is released)?

No doubt, but so has Win98, and so will XP.

Ed

 

[John Aldred]

I've downloaded the Win 8 Dev Prev and installed it. The iso file was
too big for a standard DVD so I burned it to a dual-layer one.
I couldn't get VmWare to install it as a virtual machine so I put it on
a spare 250GB partition; and it occupies 18 GB at present.
It installed without a hiccup, ran first time and shows no problems.
There were 9 updates waiting in Win Updates which all went in fine; so
presumably I can continue to get all the updates as they become
available over the coming months. I've run IE and other programs, played
around a bit, looked at the games (the piano with Scott Joplin rags on
it is good). No problems, even though this desktop is a very standard
off-the-shelf box.

I now have the following setup;
Dual boot into Win8 or Win7; and inside Win7 virtual machines for XP,
Win98, Ubuntu, FreeBSD.

I don't know what use it is, but I find it more interesting than Sid
Meier's Civilisation.

I've just had a look at it on a desktop machine with keyboard and mouse.

I can't believe that it is intended to run on anything except a touchscreen
device. Either that or I have my set-up hopelessly wrong.

I have figured a way to use the system with a mouse, but I cannot believe it
is intended to be so difficult.

Firstly it boots to a screen showing time and date on a panoramic view of a
mountain range. It seems that I have to double click (or press the Esc key)
to get to the log on screen. Is this intentional ( for whatever reason) or
have I set something up wrongly?

Having logged on and got to a screen full of oversize icons, it appears that
I have to click on the desktop icon to get to familiar territory.

However if I click on one of the other icons, an application starts up in
full screen mode, with no windows borders or control buttons. Having tried
everything except Ctrl-Alt-Del, I finally discovered thet the "Windows" key
would toggle between the start page and the open app. I'm obviously missing
something here.

Finally, when it comes to shutting down the system, I cannot find a
straightforward way of doing this. I eventually discovered that putting the
mouse pointer in the bottom left corner of the screen brings up a small
menu, and that clicking on Settings then opens a pane on the right of the
screen where, among other things , a power button can be found.

I assume that there must be ways of customising Windows 8 to make it better
suited to a conventional desktop system.

Meanwhile I would be grateful if someone could point me in the direction of
a complete idiots guide to Windows 8.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Prev stands for Preview. At present the Win 8 is still in Alpha and has not moved to
the Beta stage yet. The Preview version is not a complete version by far and is
intended for a look\see. It has a built in kill switch which will deactivate the
Preview version after 6 months of use.

JS

 

[Gordon]

I've downloaded the Win 8 Dev Prev and installed it.

{Pedant mode on} Its NOT "for free". Its either "for nothing" or "it's
free". "For Free" is meaningless. {Pedant mode off}

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I've just had a look at it on a desktop machine with keyboard and mouse.

I can't believe that it is intended to run on anything except a touchscreen
device. Either that or I have my set-up hopelessly wrong.

I have figured a way to use the system with a mouse, but I cannot believe it
is intended to be so difficult.

Firstly it boots to a screen showing time and date on a panoramic view of a
mountain range. It seems that I have to double click (or press the Esc key)
to get to the log on screen. Is this intentional ( for whatever reason) or
have I set something up wrongly?

Having logged on and got to a screen full of oversize icons, it appears that
I have to click on the desktop icon to get to familiar territory.

However if I click on one of the other icons, an application starts up in
full screen mode, with no windows borders or control buttons. Having tried
everything except Ctrl-Alt-Del, I finally discovered thet the "Windows" key
would toggle between the start page and the open app. I'm obviously missing
something here.

Finally, when it comes to shutting down the system, I cannot find a
straightforward way of doing this. I eventually discovered that putting the
mouse pointer in the bottom left corner of the screen brings up a small
menu, and that clicking on Settings then opens a pane on the right of the
screen where, among other things , a power button can be found.

I assume that there must be ways of customising Windows 8 to make it better
suited to a conventional desktop system.

Meanwhile I would be grateful if someone could point me in the direction of
a complete idiots guide to Windows 8.

I'll publish the complete idiot's (and non-idiot's) guide right here:

<GUIDE>
Don't get Windows 8.
</GUIDE>

That's based on my rather limited first impressions, very strongly
reinforced by your report.

BTW, thanks for that report.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

{Pedant mode on} Its NOT "for free". Its either "for nothing" or "it's
free". "For Free" is meaningless. {Pedant mode off}

{Non-pedant mode on} "For free" is normal colloquial American English.
{Non-pedant mode off}

I too have a pedant mode, which I am fighting hard to not engage right
now for your use of "its" above

Feel free, or even "for free" , to ignore the above - I am not very
committed to it, and was just in a mood to rattle your chain a little
;-)

 

[Gordon]

"For free" is normal colloquial American English.

Don't care whether it's "normal" or not - it's still meaningless in any
type of English...

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Don't care whether it's "normal" or not - it's still meaningless in any
type of English...

That's interesting, since I understood it effortlessly. At the time, I
didn't even realize that it was grossly incorrect, not to mention
meaningless.

 

[Ed Cryer]

I've just had a look at it on a desktop machine with keyboard and mouse.

I can't believe that it is intended to run on anything except a touchscreen
device. Either that or I have my set-up hopelessly wrong.

I have figured a way to use the system with a mouse, but I cannot believe it
is intended to be so difficult.

Firstly it boots to a screen showing time and date on a panoramic view of a
mountain range. It seems that I have to double click (or press the Esc key)
to get to the log on screen. Is this intentional ( for whatever reason) or
have I set something up wrongly?

Having logged on and got to a screen full of oversize icons, it appears that
I have to click on the desktop icon to get to familiar territory.

However if I click on one of the other icons, an application starts up in
full screen mode, with no windows borders or control buttons. Having tried
everything except Ctrl-Alt-Del, I finally discovered thet the "Windows" key
would toggle between the start page and the open app. I'm obviously missing
something here.

Finally, when it comes to shutting down the system, I cannot find a
straightforward way of doing this. I eventually discovered that putting the
mouse pointer in the bottom left corner of the screen brings up a small
menu, and that clicking on Settings then opens a pane on the right of the
screen where, among other things , a power button can be found.

I assume that there must be ways of customising Windows 8 to make it better
suited to a conventional desktop system.

Meanwhile I would be grateful if someone could point me in the direction of
a complete idiots guide to Windows 8.

It's the future Windows, man! That will be it! Just as we had to migrate
upwards through XP to Win7. There will come a day when that will be it.
And we're privileged to get a free glimpse of it; and even browse, do
email, word-processing, games etc.

In fact (and this is the point) you can build a computer yourself and
put the development version of Win 8 on it for free. And then do all the
normal stuff on it, while becoming acclimatised to the future.

By the way I don't have a touch-screen, nor is my video-card "3D
compatible", but the mouse does everything and gets me by.

Ed

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

That's interesting, since I understood it effortlessly. At the time, I
didn't even realize that it was grossly incorrect, not to mention
meaningless.

Let me entertain you:

From the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition
Under free:
Idiom: for free /Informal/ Without charge.

From Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary, Second Edition
Under free:
36. for free, /Informal./ without charge: /The tailor mended my jacket
for free./

 

[ElJerid]

I've downloaded the Win 8 Dev Prev and installed it. The iso file was too
big for a standard DVD so I burned it to a dual-layer one.
I couldn't get VmWare to install it as a virtual machine so I put it on a
spare 250GB partition; and it occupies 18 GB at present.
It installed without a hiccup, ran first time and shows no problems. There
were 9 updates waiting in Win Updates which all went in fine; so
presumably I can continue to get all the updates as they become available
over the coming months. I've run IE and other programs,

[]
Doesn't the "Prev" mean it'll expire eventually (presumably after the real
is released)?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Everything in moderation. Including moderation. - Billy Connolly('s
website,
according to Radio Times, 14-20 February 2009)

For me, a new Windows should include:
- more user friendly
- better usage of hardware resources
- faster, faster, faster
- less cosmetics
- compatible (as much as possible)
- no re-learning (learning new windows versions is not our main job!)

Windows 7 and 8 include:
- less user friendly
- worse usage of hardware resources
- slower, slower, slower (with same hardware)
- more (only) cosmetics
- poor compatibility (need to buy applications upgrades or new applications)
- a lot of re-learning

and more:
- tons of gygabytes to install
- tons of gygabytes to run
- twice (or more) as much background services

And finally, the good point:
Hardware performance has increased dramatically, and that's the only reason
why we can still run Win 7 or 8....

Maybe the day comes that one at MS thinks about EFFICIENCY (for the
user)....

 

[Ed Cryer]

Let me entertain you:

From the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition
Under free:
Idiom: for free /Informal/ Without charge.

From Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary, Second Edition
Under free:
36. for free, /Informal./ without charge: /The tailor mended my jacket
for free./

for free (informal), for nothing, unpaid, for love, free of charge, on
the house, without charge, gratuitous, at no cost, gratis, buckshee
(Brit. slang) The seminars are free, with lunch provided.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd
Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Ed the Brit.

 

[John Aldred]

It's the future Windows, man! That will be it! Just as we had to migrate
upwards through XP to Win7. There will come a day when that will be it.
And we're privileged to get a free glimpse of it; and even browse, do
email, word-processing, games etc.

In fact (and this is the point) you can build a computer yourself and
put the development version of Win 8 on it for free. And then do all the
normal stuff on it, while becoming acclimatised to the future.

By the way I don't have a touch-screen, nor is my video-card "3D
compatible", but the mouse does everything and gets me by.

Well, I've seen the future! But I can't say that I'm very enthusiastic about
it.

However I'm finding my way around Windows 8 a bit better now - having
discovered that if I put the mouse pointer in the bottom left corner of any
window the Start button pops up (together with Settings, Devices, Share and
Search options).
Clicking the Start button allows me to exit the full screen application and
return to the Start Page.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, ElJerid

And finally, the good point:
Hardware performance has increased dramatically, and that's the only
reason why we can still run Win 7 or 8....

Maybe the day comes that one at MS thinks about EFFICIENCY (for the
user)....

I remember being told that 7 could, under some circumstances, run in
similar hardware to that which XP requires. I have no idea if this
was/is (a) true, (b) only true for a severely crippled version of 7, or
(c) false.

I think it _can_ run in less hardware than Vista needed.

I've also noticed that most of the bottom-end netbooks - all of which
(for practical purposes for joe public anyway) come with 7 - remain with
their 1G of RAM, and mostly 160G of HD and single-core (though in some
cases multithreading) processors. Though I think some of them only have
"Starter edition". I had expected them to at least have 2G of RAM though
- I thought the 1G was a limit imposed by Microsoft for manufacturers to
still keep selling XP machines, and I thought once XP stopped, 2G (or
more) would become the norm; the fact that 1G is still widely available
in new machines at that end of the market does suggest that 7 runs at
least acceptably fast on it.

 

[Andy Burns]

- I thought the 1G was a limit imposed by Microsoft for manufacturers to
still keep selling XP machines, and I thought once XP stopped, 2G (or
more) would become the norm; the fact that 1G is still widely available
in new machines at that end of the market does suggest that 7 runs at
least acceptably fast on it.

This machine (Win7 64bit) uses nearly 1GB just to get out of bed, that's
not including memory shared with the GPU for textures, the largest
culprit is MSE2, but I'd rather have an AV product that eats memory
rather than CPU - I wouldn't fancy a WinXP machine with only 1GB, nor a
Win7 machine.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

This machine (Win7 64bit) uses nearly 1GB just to get out of bed,
that's not including memory shared with the GPU for textures, the
largest culprit is MSE2, but I'd rather have an AV product that eats
memory rather than CPU - I wouldn't fancy a WinXP machine with only
1GB, nor a Win7 machine.

(This netbook seemed to run pretty well under XP in 1G - there were very
few things that made it crawl. I have upped it to 2, but to be honest
that is mainly because I'd bought the 2G having been told XP needed it -
I haven't actually noticed much difference.)

The fact remains that 1G machines are still being sold, in sufficient
numbers that presumably they are being found to be usable.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

for free (informal), for nothing, unpaid, for love, free of charge, on
the house, without charge, gratuitous, at no cost, gratis, buckshee
(Brit. slang) The seminars are free, with lunch provided.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd
Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Ed the Brit.

Sounds like both sides of the Atlantic find that "for free" has meaning,
with the exception, I guess, of just one person

Thanks, Ed.

 

[XS11E]

{Pedant mode on} Its NOT "for free". Its either "for nothing" or
"it's free". "For Free" is meaningless. {Pedant mode off}

So why didn't you change the subject line? Could it be you knew what
the OP meant even though it was "meaningless" or is there some other
reason?