the download of Windows 8 preview is free and fast, it's fun to play around with it and find out what the PC will look like in a year, when Windows 8 will be officially released. Opening Windows 8 the first time (see how to install Windows 8 on VirtualBox virtual machine ), you discover an entirely new operating system, very different from the previous Windows.
That big button screen seen on the desktop is called the Metro interface and is used by Microsoft on Windows Phone 7 phones.
Each of those buttons can be a link to start a program or it is a widget, that is an interactive panel that shows information dynamically, updating itself.
The traditional desktop has not disappeared, it can be opened by pressing the relative button from the Metro interface and its appearance is the classic one of Windows, with the icons and the taskbar at the bottom.
You will probably be blown away by discovering that on Windows 8 Preview the Start button does not open the traditional start menu from which to launch programs .
The traditional Windows Start has not disappeared but, I believe only in this preview version, it remains hidden and can be activated by making a change to the registry keys (which I do not recommend doing at least until you have read until the end).
You must then go to the Desktop, press the Windows-r keys together, type regedit, navigate in the key tree on the left to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer and change the RPEnabled key on the right by putting the value 0 instead of 1.
By doing this the normal Start menu returns but the Metro interface with the buttons disappears (or rather, there is no way to open it).
The Windows 8 desktop is the same as the Windows 7 desktop but there is a marked improvement in the window menu when you open a folder to browse the files.
The default window menu interface is the Ribbon that of Microsoft Office programs from the 2007 version but you can also enable the traditional view.
By default, Windows 8 Resource Explorer contains 4 tabs: file, home, share and view .
The address bar containing the navigation buttons and the search bar is under the ribbon.
- The File tab is a menu for starting the DOS command prompt, changing advanced folder options and managing your computer's usage history.
- The Home tab contains the commands to manage files and folders with copy, cut, paste, buttons to select files, view their properties and to delete them.
- The Share tab allows you to quickly create compressed ZIP files for the selected files and folders and send them via Email or even to share files with other computers on the network.
There are also buttons for printing the file list or for sending faxes.
- The View tab shows the buttons to sort the files of the open folder, to decide the size of the icons and to view the hidden files.
When you select a file, a different fifth tab appears depending on the type of file.
For example, if you select an image, there are 4 buttons, to start a slideshow, rotate it or set it as wallpaper.
If an ISO file is selected, the buttons appear for burning the image on a CD or DVD disc or for mounting it on a virtual CD.
Other fast buttons appear when you select a hard drive from computer resources or other items
Pressing the Start menu, if you have not made the change explained above, instead of opening the classic start menu, the Metro interface of Windows 8 opens with many tiles that act as links to open the desktop, Control Panel, Windows Explorer, Weather, RSS, Windows App Store, Internet Explorer 10 and other installed applications.
The intention of Microsoft is to facilitate the use of the computer for all types of users so you no longer have to manually search for programs but applications open automatically depending on what you do.
For example, if you install a new program, a new tile appears so even if you connect a USB stick etc.
By right-clicking on one of the buttons, you can choose whether to remove the link (Unpin), uninstall that program and to display the smaller icon.
Using the left button and keeping it pressed you can move the tiles and arrange them as you wish.
The new Start menu shows 4 options from which you can get to everything.
The list of programs now appears by pressing the Search button from which you can browse all the installed applications and where you can search for files.
The programs are listed in alphabetical order in a horizontally scrollable interface like on modern smartphones.
If you right-click on an application icon, two buttons appear at the bottom, one to uninstall the program (you can finally do it quickly) and one to do Pin or Unpin .
Pin means making the startup link of that program appear on the Metro tape, Unpin to remove it.
With this organization system it becomes easy to add all the links to the programs and tools that are accessed most often, including internet search, the task manager, the resource explorer and so on.
Future versions of Windows 8 will also allow you to make the tiles smaller so you can see all the tiles on the screen together.
The Settings button includes the buttons to turn off the PC, restart it and then also to configure Network, Volume, Connections, Energy and other system notifications.
From the Metro interface, if you leave a window or a program open, you can move the mouse to the left side and see that this window appears miniaturized so that it can be viewed quickly.
Practically therefore, even if at the beginning you have to get used to it, with Windows 8 you can manage open programs and windows with a lot of speed, without having to lose in too many clicks and without risk of getting lost.
The key combinations on the keyboard also become important, in particular the Windows key to switch to Metro quickly.
Note that Windows 8 has two separate and different interfaces .
For example, opening the control panel from the Metro interface you have a guided options screen while opening it from the desktop you have the classic list of icons to select.
Internet Explorer 10 is also different if started from Metro, full screen and with address bar at the bottom.
Also note the presence of a Store icon that opens the new Windows Store (still not available) and the Sync option from the Metro control panel that will allow you to save all Windows settings online on Skydrive so you can always have it the same on any computer used (logged in via your Hotmail or MSN account).
