Microsoft takes a whole new direction with Windows 8

While Windows is one of the most popular operating systems for desktops and laptops many will agree that Microsoft has done some real screw ups with Windows. Remember Windows Vista? That frustratingly obnoxious and buggy OS that almost everyone either downgraded from when they got it or just waited till Windows 7 was released. Well we all knew that Microsoft was heading in the right direction with Windows 7, but now Windows 8 is about to launch later this year – will it be another flop or will Microsoft continue on what Windows 7 had started and make it even more user friendly and innovative? Let’s find out!

So you get the new Windows 8 Operating System and have it installed. Once you start up your  computer you are taken to the desktop like usual but you will see a key feature missing: the “Start” menu!  So what’s it replaced by? A fancy Metro User Interface.

This Metro UI will have bright colored squares each with different logos representing the different features or services that they will take you to when clicked. There is a left screen swipe and you can view all of your current running applications. It honestly feels like it should be on some touch screen device rather than on a computer however physical testing will have to confirm what the overall experience is with this new UI.

Of course the standard Explorer is there on your desktop but that can easily be replaced like thousands of users will do almost immediately. There are a few other differences, one of which is the absence of Windows Live that will now be replaced by Microsoft Account – something that techies will love since it makes it simple to sync, share, and distribute files and settings from different devices.

Another improvement with this new operating system is the fact that it should help improve battery life and overall performance due to the fact that Windows 8 will not depend on heavy graphics. This is definitely a feature that many laptop users will love since most who don’t have state of the art laptops, like me, constantly get frustrated at a laggy experience and are amazed at the battery life sucked out of the laptop after continuous use for a short period of time.

Overall, the new operating system is a huge change from Windows 7. It will definitely be incredibly difficult for users to get used to the new interface and all of the other complex changes however this is a big step for Microsoft. They are completely redoing the look and feel of their OS and, while this first attempt may not be perfect, it is definitely a big step in a towards a new direction.

Unfortunately, the new Windows 8 OS isn’t expected to be available until Fall of 2012, however it will be interesting to see the comments from converters and first time users. Only time will tell!