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Good news,
best regards,
Otto

Computerworld - Microsoft will allow users of Windows 8 Pro to downgrade their new PCs to Windows 7 or even Vista, according to the operating system's licensing agreement.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9230815/Microsoft_will_allow_downgrades_from_Windows_8_to_Windows_7_Vista

Why are they good news ?

Are they scared about a possible disaster ?

Possible ? Sure ...
Maybe they are delaying the release, to test all the way to restart the computer

Antonio,

Why you consider Windows 8 a dissater?.

Many people claimed about the Ribbon in Office, and it is consolidated without a discussion.

Or in the past, when Windows 95 was launched, many voices claimed about that, suggesting to say in DOS and saying that DOS applications were much faster....

I said maybe, as many others have commented too (John Dvorak, Valve, etc.) mainly because it is a very disruptive change.

More over, Windows 8 it is not Windows. It is a different operating system. In fact Microsoft could have named it in a different way, as it is not Windows. Not the Windows that we known and have used for so many years.

And Microsoft is aware of this. In fact Steve Ballmer said that it was the most risky desition that Microsoft has taken in many years...

I am not against Windows 8. I think it is a new OS and not what we call Windows.

I did install Windows 8 but I had to uninstall it.
In my opinion Windows 8, as said Antonio Linares, is not Windows, it is a different OS that is not intuitive and is not helping us as Windows 8 is not keeping the previous Windows legacy.

George

Wow ! I now have Windows 8 RTM installed on my desktop, notebook, laptop ... and soon a slate tablet. I am TOTALLY satisfied with it. Yes, the Win 8 ( formerly Metro ) apps have a lot of work to do, but they are stable with what they do, and time will bring refinement. The OS is fast, and VERY EASY to use. I have dual monitors, and essentially have the desktop running all day on both monitors. My apps run great in WIn 8, the speed is the best ever, the new themes are sharp and clean, and I don't need external security software.

Having worked every version of OS Microsoft has put out there ( even IBM DOS ), this is the best OS I have ever encountered.

I realize people don't like new things, but then they want features and innovation. Sometimes you have to branch out in a new direction to get there. Unlike other deviations ( ME, Vista ), this transition was effortless and had absolutely no errors. People will initially be a little confused by the new stuff, but that won't last long.

If you "put it on and took it off" then try it again ... but be sure you are using RTM. Earlier versions were clearly beta test releases that were receiving heavy modifications based on user input.

One sidelight. Often people post in this forum in Spanish, and I had to go find a utility to translate it. Now, I just highlight it, right click the mouse, and select Translate with Bing. Wow ... now I can understand every post here, and that gives me more resources to explore ( the Spanish forums ).

Seriously, technology really advances with this Windows 8. I don't know why Antonio says its not Windows because Desktop mode is a faster version of what I used in Win 7.

Tim

To All

I do not see much change in Microsoft's license policy .. when I worked for the State ( under the microsoft advantage plan ) .. if you had a license for any MS OS .. you were allowed to install any OS of lesser vintage... meaning if we ordered new machines with Windows 7 we could re-format the OS and put XP on them with our Corporate Key.

Rick Lipkin

Tim,

Windows 8 Desktop is not Windows 8, it is just the legacy support part for previous Windows 7, etc.

Windows 8 is the new main menu, the absence of title bars, corner buttons, popup dialogs, full screen apps, etc. Are you using any app with the new interface ? If so, they are totally different from previous Windows versions apps. In fact, they are NOT compatible at all. As I said, it is a new OS

Antonio,

This is where we disagree. Windows Office 2013 has also been modified, but it runs on the Desktop in Windows 8. Microsoft has clearly acknowledged that there will be both Form based software ( what we create now ), and the RT style apps. Both will extend far into the future. All Windows primary applications run on the Desktop. In fact, if you use a dual monitor, the desktop is always on the second monitor, and the primary can be either the start page or a desktop.

I don't know if you have seen Server 2012, but I did install it and worked with it a bit. It is essentially a Windows 8 Desktop interface.

I'm using Microsoft Lightswitch, their newest development technology, to build new Windows apps. These are Windows 8 apps and will run in the cloud, or on the Desktop. Clearly Microsoft is not moving away from desktop apps. The tiles interface Windows 8 RT apps ) will gain popularity, but Microsoft does not see this happening quickly. They have projected a 3 year window for this to rise in prominence. They do encourage people, however, to do the upgrade, and they have made the price very inexpensive, because overall Windows 8 is a great new direction.

Tim

Dear Tim,

I don't see a new direction. I see a fork (a bifurcation). If "Metro" succeeds, in a matter of x years, the Windows desktop will be at its end, and only the Metro way will continue. This try is very risky for Microsoft. They know it.

If you take a Windows desktop app, it does _not_ work on Windows 8 "Modern" interface. More over, you have to learn a complete new way to develop applications for this new "modern" interface (Metro name has been deprecated due to license issues).

Your desktop app will never run on an Microsoft ARM tablet. It will never run on a Windows Phone. It will never run on a Xbox.

Microsoft had to react to Apple iPhone/iPad and Google Android. Tablets are here to stay. The iPhone is extremely popular. The question that many analysts do is: was really needed this rupture ? Couldn't the new "Modern" interface run on top of the desktop ? Was it really needed to stop backwards compatibility ? i.e.: see the Microsoft Media center: it runs on top of Windows.

Remember what happened to Visual Objects when it tried a rupture with Clipper. See what we keep using...

Win 8 desktop clearly modifies the theme of my apps. They have the more modern look ( what Microsoft has titled Cosmopolitan ). It also offers cleaner screens,supports touch screen, and much more.

RT is the one side of the development platform that is on Across all platforms. Yes, some tablets will only run RT apps ( ARM ). Others will run both. To be supportive across all platforms there does need to be a common system.

I think it was a wise move. CA was never "all in" on the Clipper language. Microsoft has bet everything on this new system and having spent a lot of time in their training sessions, I see the beauty of it.

Dear Tim,

Besides our endless arguments, the facts will be seen in several years from now.

So lets wait and we all will see what happens...

I agree. And as most of us belong to what is today called “best ager”, “50plus”, “over 50”, “silver hair“ standard windows is sufficient for the rest of our business lifetime.
Best regards,
Otto

Otto:
I'm not silver haired. I'm a silver fox.
What about our dark haired users?