Windows 8

[E.Z. Flyer]

In the early days of aviation many pilots simply hopped in and took off in their first efforts of learning to fly. Instruction was literally on the ground. Pre-flight, wind check and go.

W8 Consumer Preview expects as much. The video referenced omits one key element of instruction as to liken in early days of flight regarding the throttle. It is in the lower left corner where the Start frame has always been located.

From there on, it is a powerful upgrade to perhaps a laptop that's seen its better days, or fast becoming obsolete. The Consumer Preview is good to use until Jan. 2013.

For a developer now is a good time to learn what the "tiles" are about.

Where, in Google Chrome, the "app tiles" are not as dynamic. Might look the same or seem easier, but the "app tiles" in W8, are integral to the OS and when active become resident in the system for executable instruction when data is sent or received. So that, as an event notification changes on the screen along where all your other tiles are placed. Information that is updated in real time is viewed within the frame space of the tile. A large tile is 30x150 pixels and may be programmed to display text, image, either of which information is always streamed through, unless clicked upon. The start page might have 10 or more tiles displayed. Links to web pages, temperatures, time, indices, web cams, email notification, or social media updates, or however any app installed uses the system to perform the task assigned.

The start window is only what the user "pins" on it. In a touch screen environment the window is a "snap" screen. Without the touch screen capability the mouse pointer is used to locate the hidden windows a snap screen is designed to reveal when touched.

There is quite a bit to learn because the resources of the computer are being used to a greater extent than ever before.