A .iso image is basically the contents of a DVD (CD images are possible too), saved as a file. There are several advantages to downloading the .iso file and one is that you can burn it to a DVD with free DVD/CD burning software and install it on multiple PCs without having to download it each time. If you ever need to reinstall Windows 8 on your PC because it has gone wrong or you have messed it up, it is easier to do this from the DVD rather than download it all over again.
The 32-bit version of Windows 8 is significantly smaller than the 64-bit version, 2.5Gb vs 3.3Gb. It also needs less disk space and memory, so if you want a lightweight version of the OS because of limited hardware then go for the 32-bit version. If you have a new-ish PC with lots of disk space, RAM and processing power then the 64-bit version is the one to go for.
I grabbed the .iso file because I wanted to run Windows 8 in a virtual machine. Using VirtualBox you can install and run Windows 8 in a window on the desktop of your normal Windows installation. You don't need to back up your PC, reformat the disk or change anything on your PC, you just run VirtualBox, choose the option to create a new virtual machine, select Windows 8 from the menu and so on. You don't even need to burn the .iso file to a DVD because you can tell VirtualBox to boot Windows 8 directly from the .iso file.
After creating the Windows 8 virtual machine, but before you start it, select it and go to settings. Go to Storage, and click the disk icon on the right. Select Choose a virtual CD/DVD file, select the .iso file you downloaded and that's it. VirtualBox will boot up from the .iso file and you can install Windows 8 into the virtual machine.
Is Windows 8 any good? It is interesting to look at previous Windows releases...
- Windows 98 - good
- Windows ME - poor
- Windows XP - good
- Windows Vista - poor
- Windows 7 - good
- Windows 8 - ????
Can you see a pattern here? If Windows 8 follows the pattern of previous releases then it will be poorly received and we'll have to wait for Windows 9 to see the next great operating system from Microsoft.
The problem with Windows 8 is the interface and partly it is just too different from previous versions of Windows, but worse is that it is non-intuitive. Give people any previous version of Windows and they will be able to find their way around, run programs, and so on. Give them Windows 8 and they will be lost.
The new Start screen with its metro interface that is reminiscent of a Windows phone is hard to use until you learn all the tricks and techniques required. The problem is that it just isn't obvious how to use it and you need someone to tell you what to do. I've been using Windows since 1990 - that's 22 years - and I'm lost in Windows 8. I'm scratching my head wondering how to do simple things, things I do without thinking in previous versions of Windows.
I'll quickly figure it out because I'm a geek and I'm used to learning new software, sometimes with strange interfaces, but not everyone is like me. Some people will just take one look at Windows 8 and ask to be put back to Windows 7, or they'll stick with XP. (Like a lot of people, I'm still running XP on one of my PCs and will continue to do so until the hardware dies.)
I can't see companies upgrading all their PCs to Windows 8 because employees will not be able to use their PC without spending hours or days on a training course. It would be chaos if everyone turned up to work to find Windows 8 on their PC.
Of course, we'll all get used to Windows 8's way of working, but I suspect that it we won't love it until Windows 9 is released, which will fix all the faults like Windows 7 fixed Vista. Windows 7 is Vista with just a few tweaks and underneath it is pretty much the same. Windows 9 will be Windows 8 with a few tweaks, but they will make all the difference. I can't wait.
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