Windows 8 Preview Available Today, Blog Leak Reveals
Thursday, May 31, 2012 by DrJBHL | Discussion: WinCustomize News
What used to be called “RC” (Release Candidate) has been spun to “Preview”, but the meaning remains the same.
Apparently, the W8 RC is planned to be released today. This was “accidentally” revealed in an MS hardware and driver blog post (Chuck Chan, Corporate V.P. Windows Development team), yesterday. The blog post has since been taken down.
Owen Williams nailed the screen shot on Neowin though and here it is:
According to Owen Williams, the W8 Driver Kit will also be made available today.
Check out his article for links which aren’t active yet.
Source:
http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-8-release-preview-to-land-may-31
Reply #3 Thursday, May 31, 2012 9:51 AM
Nah, someone at MS just forgot to fill in correct publish date for that article.
Reply #4 Thursday, May 31, 2012 9:55 AM
In my opinion, I wish Microsoft didn't release early previews. People make too many assumptions based on what they initially see and fail to realize changes will most likely be made.
With that being said, I'm excited to try the next release.
Reply #5 Thursday, May 31, 2012 10:18 AM
Yeah, I was all over the Consumer Preview when it was first released, but it sucked too hard for me to use.
But do seem to incorporate user feedback, at least in some cases (like when they improved the awful gray-gray visuals of the new Visual Studio).
Reply #6 Thursday, May 31, 2012 10:49 AM
How about feedback re: Start Button and the non-Metro desktop? Think they're listening? I don't. 
Reply #7 Thursday, May 31, 2012 11:00 AM
It sure doesn't look it. 
Reply #8 Thursday, May 31, 2012 11:10 AM
I don't remember seeing this posted but if it has I'm sorry for doing it again and will remove it if asked.
May want to check this out as it will affect any hopes we had for a start button and menu.
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-working-to-kill-windows-8-start-button-hacks
Reply #9 Thursday, May 31, 2012 3:37 PM
Downloading the ISO 64bit now from here:
http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/windows-8-release-preview-now-ready-you-194527
Reply #10 Thursday, May 31, 2012 6:15 PM
If Neil B fixes some sort of Skinstudio for it... We´ll live with it 
Reply #11 Friday, June 1, 2012 1:48 AM
[quote who="DaveBax" reply="8" id="3164988"]I don't remember seeing this posted but if it has I'm sorry for doing it again and will remove it if asked.
May want to check this out as it will affect any hopes we had for a start button and menu.
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-working-to-kill-windows-8-start-button-hacks[/quote]
Removing 'legacy' code that hacks can revive isn't the same as someone adding a 'shell' which replaces the function.
The latter is not affected by legacy code removal...
EG, with Litestep one could delete 'explorer.exe' and PROVIDED a launcher was set to tell windows to use 'litestep.exe' there was no drama at all.
If not, you'd load shell-less and you'd need to launch taskman.exe [not part of the shell] to find and start the litestep.exe process.
....but running 'naked' [without a shell] was always.....entertaining....
Reply #12 Friday, June 1, 2012 2:55 AM
http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/windows-8-release-preview-now-ready-you-194527
Aero-Lite is still an msstyle, see here: http://winfuture.de/news,61990.html
so it can be skinned, at least without WindowBlinds.
Reply #13 Friday, June 1, 2012 2:59 AM
May want to check this out as it will affect any hopes we had for a start button and menu.
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-working-to-kill-windows-8-start-button-hacks
Removing 'legacy' code that hacks can revive isn't the same as someone adding a 'shell' which replaces the function.
The latter is not affected by legacy code removal...
EG, with Litestep one could delete 'explorer.exe' and PROVIDED a launcher was set to tell windows to use 'litestep.exe' there was no drama at all.
If not, you'd load shell-less and you'd need to launch taskman.exe [not part of the shell] to find and start the litestep.exe process.
....but running 'naked' [without a shell] was always.....entertaining....
well, you'll would have to create all shortcuts for the menu on your own, as there is probably no longer a start menu folder structure. no big deal, if you aren't using hundreds of apps.
i wonder if it would just be enough to set explorer.exe as shell (i guess it no longer is) to directly log in to the desktop.
Reply #14 Friday, June 1, 2012 3:28 AM
the thought of using explorer.exe as an alternative shell is a little ironic 
has anybody tried this yet?
SharpE's setshell.exe utility works with 64bit Windows, so maybe someone with Windows 8 on a virtual machine could download the non-installer version, extract the folder and try to eliminate Metro: http://sourceforge.net/projects/sharpe/files/SharpE%200.8/
Reply #15 Friday, June 1, 2012 7:16 AM
moshi...the prospect ofd using an alternate shell was/is extreme....as all that'll be required is a third-party interface ...not a 'hack' but a shell 'extension' application....
Reply #16 Saturday, June 2, 2012 11:21 AM
That statement is close to being as "???" as when Bill Gates told the Macworld crowd how the best platform for developing was on the Macintosh... 
Reply #18 Saturday, June 2, 2012 11:38 AM
Tim Shiesser posted at Neowin.net that Start 8, ViStart and Classic Shell were not affected by this action as Neil and Jafo confirmed, yesterday in Forums.
Mr. Shiesser went on to write however,
“They probably won't work come the RTM version of Windows 8, but for now you can still enjoy the combination of new and legacy Windows features.”
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Reply #1 Thursday, May 31, 2012 9:40 AM
Does this mean we get a second shot at Win8? The first one didn't go over too well. lol