windows 8 Microsoft Drops Aero from Windows 8

[mrp04]

Not to mention that the mouse is dying. Microsoft knows this, Apple knows this, and Google knows this.

Only a fool would think the mouse is dying. It may no longer be the only input method but it's going nowhere. Nothing can beat it when you're actually trying to get work done and not just consuming content.

[Dot Matrix]

Only a fool would think the mouse is dying. It may no longer be the only input method but it's going nowhere. Nothing can beat it when you're actually trying to get work done and not just consuming content.

Did you even read the article?

While it will die as the primary input method for computing, the mouse will continue to reside for many years as a precision tool. It?s something that graphical designers and hardcore gamers will continue to pray at the alter of (or trackballs, I suppose). But the rest of us will be touching our data, our apps, the web, etc. And this early look at Windows 8 is nothing if not an admission of that.

The mouse had a good run. But it?s over.

[Kyang]

Not sure why there's so much whining over wanting shiny, glossy, translucent things. I remember the move to aero glass in the first place was widely panned on these forums too. The forum was split down the middle about its introduction. Glass was ugly, glass was a "disco", glass was distracting, glass was cluttered, glass was bloated, on and on.

Now it's leaving and it's whine, whine, whine again.

[Ently]

same here i'll stick with win 7

Yeah same I have yet to see any real features that win me over or even make me want to jump to 8..

[subcld]

i didn't like the transparent mode any way specially the glass look on taskbar

[korupt_one]

everyone is making changes, Apple, Google and Microsoft. All of them hoping to get to the finish line the quickest. Apple is slowly making changes between ios and osx but they are taking a long time. Google just don't really know what they are doing and are going around in circles, Microsoft is making one swoop at changing it all at the same time. Windows 8 is a far superior OS to windows 7, it will just take a while for everyone to see that.

[George P Global Moderator]

Not sure why there's so much whining over wanting shiny, glossy, translucent things. I remember the move to aero glass in the first place was widely panned on these forums too. The forum was split down the middle about its introduction. Glass was ugly, glass was a "disco", glass was distracting, glass was cluttered, glass was bloated, on and on.

Now it's leaving and it's whine, whine, whine again.

People on here, or maybe it's just techies in general, suffer from some serious memory problems. Every thing they're now holding up as oh so great when first introduced years ago had just as many people whining about it and how it sucks. Now today many of those people seem to forget those older complaints because they found something new to whine about and heck it wouldn't be good for their "point" to remember it.

The Win8 Blog post does a good job of pointing out the complaints and I remember most of them as well since I've been using computers back when the Apple IIe was king. It'll never end, and MS knows this. While they'll make changes where it fits in the end metro is here to stay, the desktop is going to change to fit metro and the start screen and in the end we're in a post-pc era anyways, right? BTW Win8 works great with just a keyboard, if any of you are power users like you make it seem then you wouldn't cry over the mouse or touch options.

[Buio]

Windows 7 is a huge success.

What Microsoft is doing now is bringing their anti-success Windows Phone 7 to the desktop.

It's insane.

[MS Bob 11]

You don't know what you're talking about or how accelerated graphics work at all do you.

And how does removing transparency make it ony for battery powered devices, when transparency or not it has no effect on battery time.

??? Have a reading comprehension problem? Go back to pre-school. I didn't say removing transparency improves battery life. The removal of glass, transparencies, gradients and eye candy etc is being justified by some here as the factors affecting battery life so I said even if that were true (MS doesn't say anything on their B8 blog about it but the glass affecting battery life topic was discussed ages ago: http://windowsteambl...ttery-life.aspx), powered-devices should have been able to enjoy Aero glass. They are just removing the glass to match Metro.

[Tech085]

The OS that just keeps giving. Perhaps next they can remove all the colour and start using nothing but white, grey and black. Then the transformation back to the mid 80's will be complete.

+1

[V23]

everyone is making changes, Apple, Google and Microsoft. All of them hoping to get to the finish line the quickest. Apple is slowly making changes between ios and osx but they are taking a long time. Google just don't really know what they are doing and are going around in circles, Microsoft is making one swoop at changing it all at the same time. Windows 8 is a far superior OS to windows 7, it will just take a while for everyone to see that.

Great post.

Are they also planning to remove the 'glass' effect from the taskbar as well?

[George P Global Moderator]

Great post.

Are they also planning to remove the 'glass' effect from the taskbar as well?

I'd like to say no, I think in the end the taskbar will keep it's "glass" look though it'll be toned down and not like the Win7 version.

[MorganX]

Yea, I am in the same train of thought. Windows 7 is exactly what I want in terms of user-interface, and interaction. Windows 8 just isn't for me.

Microsoft can really win here. A really meaningful Windows 7 SP2 will go a long way. There's a lot in 8 that can't go in 7, but driver refresh, optimizations, fixes, native USB 3.0, etc. will instill a lot of Good Will and smooth things over until Windows 8 and the native Metro apps desperately needed prove themselves. Considering how many WILL stay with Windows 7, hopefully they do this.

Funny thing is, Windows 7 doesn't need much. Microsoft needs to generate a reason for people to upgrade (revenue stream).

Love it or hate it, and I do hate Metro on the desktop, Windows 8 will make PCs more useable and accesible to non-technical consumers. That be millions of people whose PCs just collect dust and send the occasional email now.

[Pikey]

Windowblinds anyone?

[TygrScott]

Ok, So Windows 8, the new Windows 3.1. I normally upgrade my entire house of 5 active PCs with the latest Windows. I'm not upgrading. That preview version still haunts me.

[bogas04]

Would be fun to see Winxp and Win8 ppl to download ViStart / WindowsBlinds etc to get vista/longhorn/7 look :D

[abecedarian paradoxious]

where did what go? Below see Win8 CP and aero "glass" effects.

Can you see the background through the title bar and taskbar?

[abecedarian paradoxious]

Yep.... Aero is gone.

[abecedarian paradoxious]

Yep.... Aero is gone.

And you can have your Metro and Desktop too... if you have at least two monitors.

[Inactive]

where did what go? Below see Win8 CP and aero "glass" effects.

Can you see the background through the title bar and taskbar?

That's the old consumer preview. I hope you realize it is not finished and that there are and will continue to be newer builds until it's final.

The Aero glass effects are gone now. Also did you really need to make three posts in a row?

[c3ntury]

The OS that just keeps giving. Perhaps next they can remove all the colour and start using nothing but white, grey and black. Then the transformation back to the mid 80's will be complete.

Have you seen the amount of under-the-hood improvements and other positive changes they've made with Windows 8? You're looking at one aspect of the OS and taking it as gospel for the rest.

[abecedarian paradoxious]

That's the old consumer preview. I hope you realize it is not finished and that there are and will continue to be newer builds until it's final.

The Aero glass effects are gone now.

There's a "new" Consumer Preview?

[Inactive]

There's a "new" Consumer Preview?

There are obviously newer internal builds, the consumer preview was never going to be the final version.

[abecedarian paradoxious]

There are obviously newer internal builds, the consumer preview was never going to be the final version.

And just because there are "newer" internal builds, what I just posted, proving Aero is still there.. and "Glass" is there too is rubbish?

[Inactive]

And just because there are "newer" internal builds, what I just posted, proving Aero is still there.. and "Glass" is there too is rubbish?

Facepalm. Aero glass has been removed from the latest build and it will not be in the final. It's gone.

No one is talking about the consumer preview, it's an old build and a lot has changed since then.