Thoughts on Windows 8

So, I'm in the middle of migrating my mail to Google Apps and I've been using the pretty-robust "Google Apps Migration for Microsoft® Exchange" tool.

Long story short: I imported account "A" at wincent.dev to account "A" at Google, but then mistakenly imported account "B" at wincent.dev to account "A" at Google in a destructive overwrite. No manner of rejigging could get the GAMME tool to re-import the full data set, so I decided to start fresh with a new Parallels VM. Why not try the free Windows 8 preview?

I don't want to spend too long on this, but the nutshell message is: this thing is prettier than the last Windows OS I used with any regularity (Windows XP), but it's completely disorienting. Without a Start menu, and no obvious back button to get me back to that "Metro" launch pad that you start at, I felt like I had to jump through ridiculous hoops in order to get Internet Explorer open and download and run the GAMME installer. I was ultimately reduced to opening Windows Explorer and folder-diving. It doesn't pass the "Mom Test".

This overhaul is a gutsy move from MS, but it feels too gutsy.