On 11-09-20 9:48 AM, August Abolins -> Alan Zisman wrote:
 AA>>> Apparently, the metro ui can be disabled: AA>
 AA>>> ..and also bring back a more familiar look: AA>

 AZ>> Interesting... I am puzzled, though, as to why anyone would go
 AZ>> to the trouble to download and install this pre-release
 AZ>> version of Windows and then disable its key features - if you
 AZ>> want to run Win 7, run Win 7!


 AA> Apparently, Win8 has core OS improvements over Win7, not just the
 AA> default metro UI look. This Win8 pre-release "look" seems
to be targeted
 AA> for tablets or perhaps a desktop/all-in-one with a touch screen. If
 AA> there will be a Win8 is intended for desktop users, those users who
 AA> prefer an uncluttered desktop look will *not* want to deal with metro.
 AA> Maybe the production release will have desktop and tablet options.

Metro comes with a Desktop tile.... clicking it takes you to a Win7-style
desktop with one major difference - there is no Start Menu... clicking the
Start button takes you back to the Metro interface.

Apparently - at least as of this preview release - that's the thinking for
standard desktop computers; similarly, 'old-style' applications will run in
this Desktop interface; Microsoft is, however, trying to convince
developers to recompile existing applications for Metro - full-screen and
lots of other changes under the hood - apparently, the re-compilation is
not for the faint of heart.

Though MS is promising Win8 for ARM-style CPUs (which power iOS and Android
tablets, among others) it's unclear as of yet whether the ARM version of
Win8 will support this Desktop interface and legacy applications. Most are
currently suspecting this won't be the case. (The Samsung tablet that MS
gave out to developers at last-week's conference was Intel i86-powered,
making it more of a standard touch-screen PC than a new-generation tablet).

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