SC Tom wrote:


"Dave "Crash" Dummy" wrote in message
...
SC Tom wrote:


"Dave "Crash" Dummy" wrote in message
...
SC Tom wrote:


"Dave "Crash" Dummy" wrote in message
...
SC Tom wrote:


"Dave "Crash" Dummy" wrote in message
...
...winston wrote:

"Dave "Crash" Dummy" wrote in message
...

I have heard that Windows 8 RTM is available for everyone, but
every download I see in Microsoft requires a username and
password. Can someone direct me
to a download that doesn't require a sign in?


General Availability afiak remains Oct 26.

Sure you're not downloading Windows 8 RTM 'Evaluation Version'
? - 90 day trial - not upgradeable to the final GA licensed
version


Yes, I'm getting the 90 day evaluation version. 90 days is more
than enough time to decide if I want to install it permanently.
If I do, I'll pick up a copy of the educational release at the
university IT department when it
is available.

I installed it yesterday (Enterprise Eval 64-bit), and had a few
devices that weren't picked up, or updated. One was my wireless,
but I managed to find a work-around on line. After fixing the
rest of the devices, I installed Classic Shell, and kinda like it
(Win8). I probably won't buy it when it's released, since I
haven't seen it being any faster on anything I've done with Win7,
but I have to admit that the RTM is definitely better than the
two preview versions I tried. Part of the driver problem is that
Acer hasn't released any for my Aspire V3-731 yet. I was able to
shotgun a couple of Win7 drivers in, and the others came directly
from Intel and Qualcomm-Atheros. I don't like the tiles, but with
Classic Shell I can bypass that and add a start menu. There are
still some things that won't get added that way, so
I have to drop out to the tiles to do them (one is Solitaire).
Then it gave me grief using my Live ID sign in sigh. I'll keep
it for a while and test it out, but unless I see something
radical that I haven't seen yet, I'll pull that drive and put my
Win7 one back in.

Thanks for the heads up. I haven't installed it, yet, but when I
do it will be as a dual boot with Win 7. You said you "kinda like
it." What is it you like, compared to Win 7?

I guess I should have said I kinda like the fact that it's not any
slower than Win7. It does seem leaner, but I can't truly explain
what I mean by that. It's very responsive, but that may be because
it's a fresh installation with no third-party software
installed yet.

I dislike the whole tile thing, though. Even with Classic Shell,
sooner or later, you have to drop out to the Start tiles to get to
things. I may uninstall Classic Shell (or just reinstall Win8)
and see if I can get used to the tile system, but since I couldn't
stand it in the two previews I had installed, I doubt seriously if
I'll like it any better even if it reacts faster and
more smoothly.

I probably will buy it, even if I don't install it right away. I
had forgotten about the new PC $15 upgrade until I saw it in
another newsgroup. Since I just bought a new laptop last month, I
qualify for it. $15 for a new operating system? Hard to pass
*that* up :-)

I have friends in low places, like the university IT department, so
I can get it cheap. I didn't pay anything for Windows 7 Ultimate.

I know I won't ever like the tiles. I have been running with icon
free desktops since Windows 95. I use the task bar for my frequently
used items. I was disappointed when I discovered that Windows 7 no
longer allowed an active desktop, but I figured out how to work
around it. This serves as my living room clock:
http://crash.thedatalist.com/temp/desktop.jpg There are also some
hidden features that show up with a mouseover.

Oh, I know what you mean about desktop icons. I've been icon free
since 98/XP (I don't recall I was any further back than that). I look
at my SO's desktop and wonder how she finds anything :-0

Except for the few items shown on the taskbar, I use the Start menu and
Explorer for everything.

Does your background behind the clock change, or is it part of the
clock? I think I could get used to the clock :-) Where did you get
it, or did you write it?

The background is part of the clock, but it is selectable. I wrote all
the code for the clock, including a separate script that generated the
hands and dials, also selectable. The weather information is read from a
local weather website.

Kudos! That's a nice desktop!

Thank you. You can see why I am not interested in a screen filled with
tiles.
--
Crash

"The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion."
~ Arnold H. Glasow ~