Window 8 : Download window Developer Preview

Windows Developer Preview downloads

The Windows Developer Preview is a pre-beta version of Windows 8 for developers. These downloads nclude prerelease software that may change without notice. The software is provided as is, and you bear the risk of using it. It may not be stable, operate correctly or work the way the final version of the software will. It should not be used in a production environment. The features and functionality in the prerelease software may not appear in the final version. Some product features and functionality may require advanced or additional hardware, or installation of other software.

Windows Developer Preview with developer tools English, 64-bit (x64)

DOWNLOAD (4.8 GB)

Sha 1 hash - 6FE9352FB59F6D0789AF35D1001BD4E4E81E42AF

All of the following come on a disk image file (.iso). See below for installation instructions.

• 64-bit Windows Developer Preview
• Windows SDK for Metro style apps
• Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows Developer Preview
• Microsoft Expression Blend 5 Developer Preview
• 28 Metro style apps including the BUILD Conference app

 Windows Developer Preview English, 64-bit (x64)

DOWNLOAD (3.6 GB)

Sha 1 hash – 79DBF235FD49F5C1C8F8C04E24BDE6E1D04DA1E9

Includes a disk image file (.iso) to install the Windows Developer Preview and Metro style apps on a 64-bit PC.

 Windows Developer Preview English, 32-bit (x86)

DOWNLOAD (2.8 GB)

Sha 1 hash - 4E0698BBABE01ED27582C9FC16AD21C4422913CC

Includes a disk image file (.iso) to install the Windows Developer Preview and Metro style apps on a 32-bit PC.

Live Connect

Sign up for the Live Connect technical preview.

Live Connect provides developers a set of controls and APIs that enable applications to integrate Single Sign On (SSO) with Windows Live ID and enable users to access information from SkyDrive, Hotmail, and Messenger.

System Requirements

Windows Developer Preview works great on the same hardware that powers Windows Vista and Windows 7:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
• Taking advantage of touch input requires a screen that supports multi-touch
• To run Metro style Apps, you need a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 or greater

Window 8, Microsoft’s Great Touch-based Hope

    

  What you’re going to notice about Windows 8 the first time you use it is its willingness to work with whatever you throw at it. Applications are able to communicate with one another for activities like, for example, sharing, in a way that certainly hasn't yet been perfected in any other system, a few mobile operating systems coming in close seconds. Creating an operating system that works with every bit of software your previous software was able to work with; that’s just smart business.

    Right out of the box you’ll be able to work with pen styluses, keyboards, and mice without trouble, this of course referring then specifically to the tablet-based implementation of the software. Of course it’s time and time again that it must be reminded that Windows 8 does not have different versions for Tablet and PC, instead its running on what’s essentially the exact same user interface wherever you’ve got it running. One UI to rule them all should Microsoft be saying, now it’s got us wondering if Windows Phone 8 (only on 7.5 at the moment) will be the great connector of systems, mobile and non-mobile, as Microsoft does very much appear to be pointing towards this week at their developer conference BUILD 2011.

    Moving, adjustable, and customizable panels make up your screens, each of them able to be made from a smaller bit of the other or made to represent an app that’s large and in charge. For example, you can make a panel that only connects to a single webpage, and if that webpage has an RSS feed, your panel will have a pretty good chance of showing you the feed as its updated on your Start Screen where it sits. Its pretty wild, to say the least.

    This entire Reimagining of Windows will be positive for Microsoft. Windows has been an operating system that’s had no significant changes made to it that the public made any sort of recognizable ruckus about for too many years now – it’s time for a change, and it’s exciting to see that this is it. While there’s always room for requests on improvements and real improvements as the system progresses, remember the following factoid: as of this week, 1,502 product changes have been made to Windows XP since Microsoft released it to manufacturing. This number comes from Microsoft tracking said number with its update service showing the wild, wild truth.

We can expect what appears to be quite a hearty effort coming from Microsoft here, along with some rather large hints that integration changes will continue to occur until Microsoft is a singularity.

Window 8: The End of Adobe Flash?

Microsoft appears to be taking a page out of Apple's play book saying it will dump plug-ins such as Adobe Flash from Internet Explorer 10 in Windows 8. Well, sort of.

You'll still be able to view content requiring plug-ins in Windows 8, but you'll have to switch to the old fashioned Windows desktop to see it. Users who prefer to remain in the touch-centric, Metro-style interface, however, will have a plug-in free (and presumably Flash-free) experience. Instead, the new touch-centric IE 10 will rely on HTML5 technologies for online video and other functions.