So, is anyone going to be trying it?

Having used the Developer Preview since day 1, I have to say I'm impressed with what I've seen, and am looking forward to downloading the Beta when I get home tonight. I was going to download it at work, but have since realised that I need to leave on time, (14:30) as I have to tax the cars today, but I can wait until I get home.

Any thoughts on the new O.S?

When it comes out, not due out for a while yet, no official announcement. I guess we will learn more when the consumer preview is released.

I like the Metro start screen (on the developer preview). Bit what worries me at the moment is the "full screen" mode of Metro apps. My workflows include moving data between different windows and using windows for reference, whilst working in another. This is one reason why a tablet doesn't appeal to me. A full screen app works fine on my phone, because I am not doing much with it, but as soon as I want to do anything serious, I want multiple windows...

I'm hoping it isn't as bad it sounds - a lack of Metro apps in the developer preview meant it was hard to tell. The Cosnumer Preview will hopefully answer some of those questions. But I'll probably wait for the beta release before really looking into it, as I don't have much time to dedicate to looking at it at the moment.

The people with tablets now are very proficient with them, especially the children. I think that even tomorrows power users will be happy enough with one window at a time, but of course I think they'll be using a number of discrete devices.
Today we have tablets and phones with single, full screen apps. OS X Lion is pushing towards the same thing. Metro is doing similar.

I like having multiple windows next to each other, but I also like having large windows. Before I achieved this by having separate monitors, it's only now I have my 27" iMac that I'm happy to have just one monitor.

Downloaded, installed. Boot record destroyed and rebuilt.
It's nice and snappy on my old laptop.

How old? what specs as could put it on my old HP

It's a creaking Acer T5800 core 2 duo @2.00GHz, 3Gb ram nvidia 9300m GS

LOL that would be "the super-fast gaming rig" in my house

Blood and sand! That's old?

I got it in 2009 and it's just past it's third birthday.

I've a T5450 c2d 1.66GHz, 4Gb (3Gb in use lol) 8400m GS, it's 4.5 years old now and still plenty powerful enough for everything I do within reason. My biggest bottleneck is converting RAW to DNG with a lightroom import, so I set it off and go and make a couple of cups of tea. If I was doing anything professional then I would probably want to upgrade, but at the moment I don't need to.

I'm also guessing rusty is being sarcastic.

I wouldn't say sarcastic - it's just a question "That's old?"

Nope.

• Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 550 @ 2.00GHz
• 1GB Ram
• 120GB HDD
• Intel integrated graphics

I'm on the old laptop because we're in a flat - my main rig is both old, big and in storage. But even that is a Socket 754 Athlon64 3000+

But frankly, I can't afford anything newer and won't be able to for the foreseeable future.

Just thought, the computer I'm on is about a quarter the spec of that "old" Acer despite being brand new. I bought it because it uses less electric

I'm not installing Windows on it. Not any flavour, ever, unless I suddenly need a Windows 2000 Server

I'm using it on a C2Q 9650 system; nice and snappy, looks good.

Microsoft have clearly taken the design cues from Windows Phone 7, navigation so far has been an absolute nightmare & I'm not sure I like all the full-screen apps. yet. That said, I'm slowly getting used to it and some of the in-built functionality is excellent - I particularly like the messaging app.

While the desktop is present in this iteration it's clear that it's meant to play second-fiddle to the Metro interface. I wouldn't be surprised if the desktop as we know it disappears entirely in Windows 9 or 10.

I downloaded and installed the Windows 8 Beta (64 bit) yesterday, and I have to say that, on first impressions, it's looking good.

The App Store, (whatever MS are calling it, is working) and I downloaded a couple of really good recipe apps, which Mrs. V. likes, but I haven't installed any software on it yet, aside from Google Chrome and MS Essentials, which both work.

I'll carry on testing, when I get time and start posting my findings here, if anyone's interested.