My Well-Being

Microsoft announced the availability of the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 at the end of February. If you heard about it you might be wondering: Should I care? Or, do I need to do something with my Windows laptop or desktop?

 

That depends…

 

First, what is a "Consumer Preview?"

 

Years ago Microsoft would have called this version of an operating system a "beta" release. In other words, we think it is ready to be used by people who are not computer programmers. At the same time, it is an unfinished operating system.

 

If you are leery of downloading and installing anything that is not ready for prime time, make a note of the fact that Windows 8 will be available soon and check back here in a few months.
On the other hand, if you describe yourself as adventuresome and a technology early adopter you'll probably want to download and install the Windows 8 operating system like I have.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/consumer-preview?ocid=O_MSC...

 

If you are still reading and want to know about what's different between Windows 8 and the last two or three Microsoft operating system, it is pretty easy to describe.

 

The Windows 8 operating system will look very different from anything you've ever seen on a PC. Here is what I'm talking about:

 

One might think that the above looks like something from a mobile phone or a tablet. Nope. The above is the Windows 8 desktop available to you on a PC as of the end of February. Want to know what Windows 8 might offer that Windows XP, Vista or 7 don't? I'd say that Windows 8, given my limited experience to date, enables easier access to everything via the equivalent of a larger desktop.

 

I say this as opposed to slide, swipe and zoom (which you'll hear about as the HUGE difference in this new operating system) because not to many of us are currently tablet/touchscreen users. In other words, if we installed Windows 8 today we wouldn't be able to take advantage of the touch and gesture (e.g. swipe) this new operating system invites. For example, the Internet Explorer tile above (that's what the boxes and the rectangles pictured are called) on a tablet could be touched to launch it. Or, one could swipe a finger across the screen to reveal tiles located to the right that are currently out of view. Because you and I are still making maximum use of a keyboard and mouse when using our PCs it is the "larger" desktop and what we can do when we mouse click in the four corners that will make Windows 8 a better PC experience for us.

 

To set your frame of reference, the screenshot above is what you'll see after booting Windows 8 and logging in. No task bar. None of the traditional icons (e.g. trash) on the desktop. Just "Start" and the tiles as depicted above.

 

In place of the task bar there is a scroll bar at the bottom of the desktop. You can use the mouse to move the slide to reveal everything on the desktop. Consequently, the desktop appears larger.
Mousing to the lower-right hand corner minimizes all the tiles on the desktop. The tiles shrink so you can see all of them.

 

The upper-right hand corner reveals the Windows 8 "charms." These charms include: search and settings that were previously in the "Start" menu.

 

Moving the cursor to the upper-left hand corner provides the user with one-click access to all recent applications used.

 

The lower-left hand corner returns the user to the desktop.

 

The following Link provides a video of what I've just described:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/get-started?page=vid2
Windows 8 will be at least the seventh version of the operating system that I've been around for… Consequently, I've learned the conventional wisdom of everyone who doesn't consider themselves a beta tester or an early adopter.

 

These individuals fall into the following categories:

 

 

If you want to wait on Windows 8, I can't argue with you. If you want to give it a try, as I have, it'll probably be worth your time if for no other reason than to see what Microsoft is doing to improve your PC-using experience.

 

If you do download and install Windows 8, do let me know and keep the following blog handy:
http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/windowsexperience/archive/2012/02/2...