News - Microsoft Windows 8 plans leak

[oolon]

Did you miss the buy an SSD part of the imaging process?

Nope I didn't just obviously didn't understand what you wished to do correctly. Your first sentance seemed to say... "Hay I have all the software I cannot afford to lose" and you second one says "Going to put a blank drive with a new os on it". Hence the confusion. I don't think however that does protect your programs if you re-install your OS you probably need to re-install the programs. Saved data is a different thing.

[miniyazz]

That wasn't me btw

With most programs you do indeed need to reinstall them, only a few work when copied. For me though, it's not the reinstalling that's the problem, it's the recustomising which is annoying. Generally though, I find if you backup the various program folders, reinstall Windows, reinstall the programs, then restore the contents of the original program folders, that it restores your customisations. A fairly dirty way of doing it, but it does the trick.

[oolon]

That wasn't me btw

Appologies, It was Badass I see and not you. My comment still however stands, about not really understanding what they want to do.

[Purple]

Really like the look of the App Store, its a great idea if executed correctly, multiple versions of the same App could be developed and sold as a package for all device levels. I.e. I buy Doom 5 on Windows for my PC and because of the Device categorisation (Staging I think they called it) I would be able to use my Roaming account Log In on my Windows 8 Phone and play the Mobile version of Doom 5 on the bus.

The "reset" thing looks cool as well, reinstalling everything bought or tracked by the Store (kind of of Steam on steroids) is great. Looking forward to this becoming the main way we buy software in the future will make the world easier to live in (if it doesnt BSOD)

[crossy]

They could store free 'approved' apps to, I really like the software centre in ubuntu as an example so for ti to work liek that would be nice.

Yes, the Ubuntu Software Centre is a good idea. Then again, as long as you've got the appropriate repo added, 'apt-get install ..' works fine too.

Yeah, that would be nice actually... although if they called it an AppStore I might be forced to vomit.

How about "Window Live Mart" or "Window Live Mall". Personally I think the latter is more likely, since it's a nice bit of Apple-bashing - 'they only have a (single) store, but there's so many Windows apps, that we need a whole mall!"

Another advatnage of an app store type thing for windows is that if you format and reinstall, you just enter your credentials and everything you had before gets downloaded and installed. Job done.

Does the presentation say that they're going to include that functionality? If so, then I'm impressed - since that putting-your-apps-back-on is the biggest PITA in rebuilding a Windows system - trying to figure out where all the settings etc are stored is a major hair loser (some put in app directories, some in local directories, some in the Registry, and some really crap ones do all).

I'd also like to see the WLM entries install ONE app - none of this "you wanted X, but we'll put Y and Z". For example, iTunes installs QuickTime (which is okay I guess since it's a key component) but then defaults to putting MobileMe and that crappy Safari on too. Or Adobe insisting on you installing the vile Adobe Downloader plugin, just so you can have a less insecure version of Reader in future.

But where they could score major points with me, is if they could centralise updates too (just like Linux - right Percy1983?!), so rather than waiting 5-10 minutes while umpteen different programs' startup-resident updaters 'call home' to see if there's a newer version, we get one app that runs through the programs you have and updates them all in a single operation (a la Ubuntu Update Manager)

Just as long as it's not a Vista-like disaster with all the UI ability of Office2007 ...

Bob

[Percy1983]

Well yes the cental updates on ubuntu works great too.

I know there is other ways of installing, just how easy the software centre works is amazing, my other half and nephew can both work it!

Overall Windows 7 is the better OS, but there could learn a thing or 2 from ubuntu (and the other linux distros)

[Funkstar]

Does the presentation say that they're going to include that functionality? If so, then I'm impressed - since that putting-your-apps-back-on is the biggest PITA in rebuilding a Windows system - trying to figure out where all the settings etc are stored is a major hair loser (some put in app directories, some in local directories, some in the Registry, and some really crap ones do all).

I haven't seen the slides, but it seems the most obvious feature of an application marketplace. After all, that's what happens on Android, iTunes and Steam. The tree biggest software or content market places around at the moment.

From Engadget:

Update 2: We've had a nice long look through the slides ourselves, and that Windows Store is looking pretty interesting even at this early juncture. Early mockups show a Zune-like interface with content curated not only by Microsoft, but also partners and device manufacturers, and there's even a "Apps your friends love" section. The Store will also apparently recognize which device you're using and display content appropriately -- things that run on a desktop may not play nice with a tablet PC -- and there's a robust-looking developer dashboard so indie devs who intend to monetize the new platform can keep track of the goods. See what the experience might look like in the gallery below.

(emphasis added by me)

I personally think it sounds fantastic

But as others have said, I wouldn't want all my apps delivered that way. I don't want to download Office at ~735MB (~1.83GB when you add the other office productivity apps like Visio and Project) when I have it all on my network share. And I especially wouldn't want to install the Adobe Creative Suite from downloads every time either! But perhaps they could use Windows Home Server to cache all the installers so the second time someone on your home network buys or installs it, it gets launched from there! That would be sweet! Same goes for Windows updates, just SUS for home users.

[badass]

Nope I didn't just obviously didn't understand what you wished to do correctly. Your first sentance seemed to say... "Hay I have all the software I cannot afford to lose" and you second one says "Going to put a blank drive with a new os on it". Hence the confusion. I don't think however that does protect your programs if you re-install your OS you probably need to re-install the programs. Saved data is a different thing.

It was me that said that.
All I said was that steam will make my transition to an SSD easy.
1. Backup steam games
2. use windows easy transfer to backup everything else bar office, adobe reader etc
3. Install Win7 SP1 on new SSD
4. Move user data (my docs etc) to HDD
4. Install Office etc from discs/internet
5. Install steam to HDD
6. Restore Steam games from backup.

Much simpler than the install each game from DVD pain I had before.