By now most if not all computer enthusiasts have heard of it. It'll be the biggest change they've made to Windows since 95. This "big change" is the fact that they've completely removed the start button and start menu and have replaced with this a 'start screen' for launching full screen apps. I downloaded the consumer preview a while ago. There is some good things about it but it's very hard to get used to and very difficult to use with a mouse or track pad. And because of the full screen "metro" apps it'll be very difficult to multitask. The full screen apps wouldn't be such a problem if I didn't use two monitors with software to extend the entire desktop across both (so it acts as if it's one monitor) and apps didn't run in the background (like in iOS where apps close automatically when you switch programs.. in Windows 8 they stay open until you close them.. and there's no indicator that they're opened)

Windows 7 for me will be the last Windows system I ever use.. on the desk/lap top that is. If Windows 7 was no longer an option I'd install Start8 and go from there or install Ubuntu (or even Arch Linux if I'm feeling geeky) and mod the hell out of it to get my Windows 7 experience back. Probably the latter. I also think that this will be like Vista all over again.

I have it installed on a virtual machine.. here are some pictures of it.


Default tile set and arrangement for the start screen.


The desktop

Will you be upgrading or sticking with your current OS?

It's like Android only worse...

What was wrong with 7 again?

I'd rather be sticking with 7 thanks...

Changes like that have the potential to work out really well, but for me, it's just something else to get used to. Desktop computers aren't cell phones, so why have a smartphone-like interface for them?

Agreed.
We've come to know the traditional desktop and start menu very well over the past 20 years.. if it ain't broke.. don't fix it.

lol, now I'm hearing that Gabe Newell thinks Windows 8 is a "catastrophe" and he wants to support Linux.

I now like Valve twice as much as I did

I'll be sticking with 7.

I quite like 7... and won't upgrade unless I have to. If I buy a new computer, and it comes with 8, I'd be willing to try it.

I'm looking into a new computer but I'm hoping to get it before 8 comes out. Windows 8 seems like Vista's evil twin, where Vista is the good one...