Windows 8

[Caled]

Does anyone know if this move will be a difficult one?

I've tried to research it but I keep reading conflicting articles. Some suggest a whole range of obstacles to be overcome in order to make software work in it, and other articles suggest it will be easy, to the point where it shouldn't be considered a problem at all.

[Vadi]

I have no idea, literally, but I imagine it'd be the same as windows 7 - programs that use the relatively new windows APIs will be fine, ancient stuff won't be.

[Caled]

I have no idea, literally, but I imagine it'd be the same as windows 7 - programs that use the relatively new windows APIs will be fine, ancient stuff won't be.

I stumbled across the answer today. The reason I've been reading conflicting articles is because of this:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/mic ... lets/11325

So for a non-ARM based device there will be no major problems, and even for ARM devices it would probably still be possible to make a program like Mudlet available on their 'Metro' store.

[Vadi]

Barely anyone uses ARM though...

[Caled]

Barely anyone uses ARM though...

Maybe. Who knows? I'd want a tablet for work if I could do more with them, and if Windows 8 achieves that I'll probably buy one. (Whether I go for a cheaper ARM device or not is another matter).

The important part is that the confused articles claiming the entire windows 8 experience will be as restrictive as the ARM-Windows 8 one (i.e. to an app store) are just that - confused and wrong.

[Vadi]

Apps for ARM will need to be compiled specially for it, since it's a different CPU architecture. Something like the PPC vs Intel macs thing that they had.

Though when buying a product, I'd consider the things I'd be doing with it and whenever all are feasible.

[Caled]

Yeah. The boss bought a few ipads for us to use at work. In theory it was a great idea - a laptop, even a netbook, is too much to be carrying around. The touch screen and the portability of it is perfect, but the functionality falls short and it was an almost complete waste of money.

I basically need an A5 sized touch screen with autocad, excel, external storage, and more connectivity. There is an asus tablet with windows 7 that almost gets there but it's over $1200 and has its flaws. Maybe in a couple more models. The cost would be okay if it was able to replace a laptop entirely, but the lack of a GPU is prohibitive.

Anyway, I digress, hehe.

[tsuujin]

I'm waiting for devices to start coming out supporting linux with Gnome 3. You can tell the interface is designed to be used with a tablet device.

I think I read a rumor somewhere that Ubuntu has plans to implement this.

[Vadi]

This guy: http://bodenm.wordpress.com/ is porting Ubuntu to an HP TouchPad... I'd like to see Ubuntu on a tablet as well, we got an Archos g9 tablet. But it's very impractical for MUDding - typing is still slower, even on the way bigger than phone keyboard.

[Caled]

Obviously you'd want a keyboard for it as well.

Tizen, Ubuntu, Gnome 3 and ZaReason's ARM tablet
Ubuntu on the HP touchpad

With luck, Windows 8 will encourage the production of more of these types of offerings:
Asus EP121

and once one with a decent GPU option exists, I'll buy it. This external GPU option from Sony, using Light Peak across USB 3 (scroll down to read about the power media dock) seems like the perfect solution for giving a tablet pc extra grunt when needed while keeping the weight and power consumption down when in the field.
If only someone will actually make it