Windows 8 Dev Preview: First Impressions

Well, the Windows 8 Dev Preview has been out for a few days, I have been trying to install it for a few days in VirtualBox and it was constantly failing - Not Windows 8 fault, hardware visualisation wasn't on, but that's a different story.

So, these are my first impressions of Windows 8 Developer Preview. The impressions of a normal Windows User and not a Dev or a real Power User.

Installation:
It took about 15 minutes for a clean install on VirtualBox, its exactly the same as the Windows 7 install.

Login Screen:
Oh boy, this is where it all changes, I'm not sure if it was set up for a tablet, but before I could even type my password, I had to flick up a screen with the date and time on it, very annoying. After you flick that up, you come to the login screen proper.
Couple of differences, your picture is bigger and the input for your password is in the top right corner, that's about it.

Desktop:
The desktop is exactly the same, except the start button is square and gray.

Start Menu:
Oh. My. God! I'm hating it all ready! If you have seen the Windows Phone 7 UI you will know all about it, I haven't used Windows Phone 7 so I cant really compare - But the Metro interface isn't right for a Desktop Operating System. Your programes are right at the back of the menu, in tiny 200x200ish squares where as anything Microsoft are at the front and various different sizes.
I really hope you can change this in its final release.

Internet Explorer:
Take what you know about browsers now, and throw it all in the bin! The UI is very minimal and at the bottom of the screen. Its usable, but then comes another problem...

Software:
You Cannot Close Software... Really, there is no X button in the top right corner like we are all used to, unless you use the windows button on your keyboard, I didn't try it, because I just though of it lol, but throw everything you know about windows in windows, really. Its going to get really annoying, really fast.

So, that's my first impressions of a quick go of Windows 8 before Doctor Who. I'll power it up again tomorrow and update this post with more detail and possibly some screenshots. I just hope you can change it to look like windows 7.