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Ensure Windows 8 Compatibility in progress
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Kuroko I am currently running Windows 8 Consumer Preview and I'm having issues with the DOSBox. So before the Windows 8 officially ships it would be probably a good idea to check that all the Gog.com distributed games which come with DOSBox are compatible with Windows 8. It also wouldn't hurt that compatibility is ensured with the old Windows titles too. Besides who cares about Windows 7 at this point? Windows 8 rocks!
rinea.kathe Windows 8 is love, Windows 8 is life
LinuxFire 2019 - 43.62% Windows 10 - 36.52% Windows 7 - 4.13% Windows 8.1 (netmarketshare) 1.53% Linux
##@@##@@ I'm pretty sure that Kuroko saw reason back in 2012, switched back to Windows 7 and uses it to this day. And as a direct result, they completely forgot that your Windows version even 'can' be an issue. :)
Cifer84 The guy who made this wish lives in a fantasy world. Everyone hates Win 8 and it's DEAD. However, Win 7 is still widely used and Win 10 is the future, so we need compability with these two.
boutique 
StorkV88 How about windows 10....
Lhug Kind of sad what I'm reading here. "skip windows 8, no one uses it anyway", "skip linux, because reasons", "u win usrs al sux" (yes, not actual quotes, but you get the idea).
Just a clarification: I use several systems, one of those is Linux, one is Windows 8, one is Windows XP in box, and another is win 7 in box. And yes, there are still more systems I use. So, please spare me the "u are biased because" replys, I am not.
But I am lazy, and like convenience.
Now, skipping platforms is generally a bad idea, but sadly, IF any should be skipped, it would be the one least used as desktop OS. And, sadly, this is Linux. May change in time, but right now, it is.
Harrassing users because of their OS is something one should just not do - especially not "anonymous" via internet. And sadly, everyone has to accept the simple fact that windows 8.1 (and windows 8 for that matter) are the most widely used - no matter what you think of it regarding its design, usability or sense. So... please stop harrassing those who think differently, some have no idea, some are afraid of trying something else, and some just have made up their mind to use the windows system after testing others. That is just too low for any half-decent human being.
kazereal Well, soon there will be new Windows and 8 will go the same way as Vista did.. ;)
tiptie W8 now gives us a tablet that can compete or exceed the features of an iPad or Android tablet. i have all three types. What i would love to see implemented is a timed function that gives the user the ability to see how compatible a program is in a tablet enviroment. i have two branded W8 tablets that feature a digitizer pen that is amazing when playing games that take advantage of that tool. Even the older Syberia games work very in a tablet. So, give the user a brief timed trial to test the compatiblity.
jacobg830 LOL no thanks...
##@@##@@ I'd like to add a note that from the newer Windows releases I've most liked about 2000, Vista and 8. XP was horrible because its UI is ugly, it has had most security related problems than any other Windows before it, and not to mention that most BSODs I've encountered were with XP. With Seven I'm encountering serious bugs, especially with the fundamentally broken taskbar. Seven also has many security bugs which were not in Vista. Besides Vista was much more reliable and much more stable. It looks better than Seven and in general is better when you know what you're doing. Windows 8 on the other hand is looking promising on UI front. So I don't share your views on the "Only every second Windows release is good" theory. Windows 8 will probably cause people to have mixed views but as a guy who uses it almost daily I'd use Windows 8 over Windows Seven at any given point of time because it's way better. <a href="http://www.outletside.com" class="light_un" target="_blank"><br /> www.outletside.com</a> and www.imclearance.com
localfreak @Switchblade
I think I like people harassing Win8 users, it makes a change from all the XP harassment I see everywhere else.
Ensure WinXP compatibility on all new releases xD
Switchblade @ Shmacky-McNuts
Stop harassing people using Windows 8. Insults towards Microsoft or Users of Windows 8 do not help altogether. Accept that there are people who use it and are fine with it. No need to "skip" that version of the Windows Operating Systems. If you want to skip platforms, do it with Linux.
Shmacky-McNuts I like the idea of Win8 as much as letting a lobotomized retarded lab monkey the chance to shave my crotch with a rusty razor.
Let GOG off the hook and skip Winblows 8!
Buy a machine and use Linux or even Vista! For crying out loud people. A touch tablet based OS for a population that uses 93% of the market with NON-touch based devices wtf!? >_>
##@@##@@ www.zcheap.org/wholesale/jordan-shoes-replica/
dstoops I have had trouble with dosbox not running as fast on windows 8 compared to windows 7. and the directdraw issue is bothering me. I did not have the chance to play these games long ago. so now I have trying to catch up on things I missed. but windows 8 seems to blocking my nostalgia. Microsoft thinks no one plays older games anymore. or the uses startmenu. first with vista they remove sound hardware acceleration and now the removed directdraw hardware acceleration.it totally software ran now. now I tried every command and tried replacing files and fixes known to man. and some games just wont run fast. I dont think they took long enough time to work on windows 8. look how long it took for vista.
windows 7 is the new windows xp for me.
funkmaster5000 I quike like Windows 8, it's kind of fast and is responsive, but it's not for retro games due the lack of DirectDraw support. If you have the choice: stick to WIn7! Scince I own WIn 8: please ensure compatibility :)
Jalister Support Linux before Windows 8. There are many of us that will never use Windows 8.
grove12345 To me Win8 is the best and worst idea MS (or any tech company) came up with. Forcing the metro or app screen to users with no touch screen PCs or laptops. Is COMPLETE fail. I gringe when people have it on their regular computers.
But Win 8 on a tablet. Holy mother of god. About time. A fully working OS. I know people diss Win 8. But on the other hand why would anyone get an iPad or and Android tablet? Its just a bigger screen version of their phones. Its redundant. Win 8 runs apps and programs. Congrats Win 8 tablets can do about 300,000x more things than the rest of the tablets.
BlueSharkCZ Pche, easier not to use that iOS wannabe, touch based POS, microsoft is trying to force on us. As always, better just to skip it like 95, ME and Vista.
Gemini000 Most problems with Windows 8 and DOSBox can be resolved by telling DOSBox to run in OpenGL mode and by avoiding the use of most scalers. (Normal2x/Normal3x work fine.) The catch is that DOSBox's OpenGL mode has issues on earlier Windows systems, like Windows XP, so having an option to choose between DirectDraw, OpenGL would be helpful, autodetecting the best mode to use ahead of time based on the OS.
Walen Why would anyone *want* to have a win8 on a laptop/desktop is beyond me. Wake up guys, gaming on windows is about to end with win7.
graspee @Kestrel "Metro is a good idea" --maybe it is... on a tablet. On a desktop PC it's a terrible idea which is doing more harm to MS' reputation than even Windows ME did.
##@@##@@ Windows 8 LOL
##@@##@@ I don't believe this is really the best place to comment on the relative merits of Windows 8 versus other OSes. Windows 8 is here, and as time passes more and more GOG customers will be using it. Making sure things work with the new OS is just good sense.
cool_recep And there are people who does not have their own opinion and just agree others :) have even used it for one week. You have no difference than the "forever XP" guys. Remember them? Yeah, they all use 7 now...
cool_recep Windows 8 does not suck. What sucks is your crappy, 10 yeras old computer. I am using it on daily basis and I can say that is the best OS ever made by MS. If you install it for 2 hours and complain while using it, then you are not even ready for evolution. Go back to stone age boy...Or use XP... Once you get used to perfect features of 8, you never turn back to 7...
Kestrel.788 Windows 8 is not much else but a specced up Windows 7. I've been using Win 8 Release Preview since it came out as my primary OS. Metro is a good idea but it needs additional functionalities to be fully usable. When you go to desktop, you get a normal win7 styled desktop, and if you install a custom shell mod then you hardly see any metro at all. Application compatibility is good, there are some issues related to old Direct Draw games, but that will hopefully get ironed out. All the dosbox games I own run flawlessly. Personally, when RP expires I will go back to 7 for a few months just to wait until they fix all of the most important compatibility issues. Which are just that - issues to be resolved. I heard that RTM version that got leaked already fixes alot of the stuff. And the system is very fast, much faster than Windows 7, uploading to an USB 2.0 drive can finally be done on max speed, something which I never saw in seven.
Love & Thunder (Sorry about the double-post-like thing, but that previous comment was more of a reply to a previous comment than a normal comment, so...) This is a good idea, even though Windows 8 will probably suck, because some Gamers will use it, so it's a good idea to make sure that just because they're stuck with Windows 8, that shouldn't mean that they can't play older games.
Love & Thunder I agree with Levendis.
Levendis i'm buying a cheap win 7 laptop just for my gog stuff, as it is im going to skip 8. Just remember you have to skip every other windows version, i.e. buy xp, skip vista, buy 7 skip 8 etc...
Spaghettaboutit Respectfully a tough request....seeing as how GoG has to make sure everything works on Vista and Win 7 32 & 64....and the fact that they add new games all the time....I'm sure most games that work on Win 7 will work on 8....but this will be a rocky start....
DkryptX I agree with this request... Now to get to my opinion of this. I used Windows 98se until sometime around 2004 from the time I got my first computer in 2000 until sometime in 2004. I went with XP and STUCK with it until last summer when I switched to 7. I do repairs and I kept getting customers begging me to downgrade them back to XP from Vista... Vista wasn't even worth touching in my opinion it crippled systems and killed compatibility. I switched to windows 7 64bit and I've only had issues with 3 apps and a soundcard driver (which was fixed by running the XP configuration app), other apps just needed an update. 7 in my opinion is a nice and stable system and I plan to stick with it for several years. As for Metro it seems like a bad attempt to emulate OSX and I think its ugly as hell. Microsoft is attempting to kill projects to restore the old interface like that one program from Stardock. Honestly I'll admit the kernel in Windows 8 is better than the one in 7, it just isn't stable enough at this time (its not even released yet) for day to day use in my opinion. I like how their adding touch screen support but an interface entirely optimized for touchscreens is worthless to me, I don't have one and I don't want or need one. Personally the whole UI reminds me of OSX and I don't like it. I can't use a Mac to save my life, it literally took me and another friend who is also a computer geek 45 minutes to get office open and type a 3 slide power point and save it to a flash drive. Honestly I'm waiting for more apps to get going on Linux, I'm seeing much more support for it with the Humble Bundle, and the Wine Project is making amazing strides... But its still not perfect. The only thing holding me to Windows is games, if I wasn't a gamer I don't think I'd run windows at all. Also for Source coming to Linux it really shouldn't be that difficult, they ported Source to the PS3 / OSX and neither of which can run DirectX, I think they both use OpenGL for rendering. After that I think most of the work is done.
Kuroko I'm going directly to the matter and skip the crap as you hoped. First of all Windows 8 didn't contribute towards Steam for Linux development start. Why? Because most of the people in community knew that Valve was working with Steam for Linux at least since 2007. And as a software engineer I know that things like these take time. Especially in case of projects like Steam were they're using their own UI framework instead of something that would come with the operating system itself. Not to mention games. Source engine had to be ported to Linux too. (www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NjA1NQ) Timing is indeed interesting. The timing to reveal that there's a Linux port of Steam and Left4Dead (and perhaps even Counter-Strike) is interesting. I can accept that it was perhaps influenced by Windows 8 design that Gabe decided to give video interview about it. But there are other factors to be considered like the fact that Linux client was already revealed in 2010. (www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=valve_steam_announcement&num=1) Not to mention that Mac OS X and Linux share common characteristics as *NIX-like family members. Think what you want but it's sure that Windows 8 wasn't the cause to start actual development. Porting game engine to alien platforms is time consuming and it takes years to accomplish such a task. And now I want to ask a question. Why are you so much about Gabe? Why aren't you giving your own opinions instead? I don't give a crap what others think about Windows 8. if I did have that attitude then I would have missed tons of good music, comics, books and other stuff. If I think something is crap I at least can tell why by my own terms. Authority is good when you're seeking facts. Gabe is totally better application programmer than I am and he can explain tons of stuff why something is like that. But he is also human and he has his opinion he can freely express. Let's try to keep facts and opinions separate here. If I please can ask you that. Opinions can be countered with opinions but that in itself doesn't speak on behalf of the subject or against with facts. For example here's a article from Lockergnome about good things in Windows 8. www.lockergnome.com/windows/2012/05/24/why-i-like-windows-8/ - But please don't misunderstand me. I actually respect lots of Ars and they have written tons of good articles. But for example things they're complaining about, Microsoft is trying to provide a fix for them like here the hot corner issue which I too find annoying... arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/05/microsoft-sprucing-up-windows-8-to-boost-consistency-multimonitor-friendliness/ - Killing arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/05/microsoft-sprucing-up-windows-8-to-boost-consistency-multimonitor-friendliness/.o. is imho a good thing. It was a almost working style in Windows Vista but in Seven it was just broken combination of Win32 and all the new stuff Microsoft has built. And about the Visual Studio 2011... I had this talk already in an another forum so I'm going to be quick... I am not sure if you know or not but you have always had to pay "something" to develop applications for Microsoft Windows. The Express suite was introduced as late as 2005. If they're now limiting one API out of it they can do it. But I agree that open APIs/tools are better than closed or limited APIs/tools. This comic hits the nail about this subject: www.bonkersworld.net/images//2011.02.16_tools_apis.png - Although as a Objective-C know-how I have to add that truth is that both Microsoft and Apple are much like. And that Apple used to be open source supporter before they became rich. If you want you can still use older Visual Studio express suites to develop for WIN32 desktop. But I can see how sad move it is on part of the Microsoft that they're limiting their products again and misusing their powers. Maybe they're doing it for now because they're trying to launch completely new and different application platform? There's no telling if they will later release the desktop support... - As a end note I don't believe that majority of desktop owners will quickly jump to 8. It will be slow process and probably majority will use Windows 9 out of traditional desktop users. It was the same in last two iterations of Windows development. However despite of that Windows 8 will surpass Windows 7 probably quickly because the tablet PCs are generally in high demand and if Microsoft manages to add interesting tablet friendly environment to Windows it will be noted by the developers and companies. And if there will be interesting applications then people will buy more devices with Windows 8 and the circle is done. But without any interesting applications Metro and Windows 8 is so doomed to fail that Microsoft might even drop out of the competition on Tablet PCs altogether leaving this vacuum to be filled by Appl and Google which eventually might eat traditional desktop PCs out of the market. I generally hope that Microsoft succeeds since iOS is horribly restricting from the developers point of view. Microsoft isn't that restrictive. Also what I really hope would be that GNU/Linux community succeeds in their tablet and desktop efforts but after Nokia abandoned Meego it seems still so far away.
FutureSuture I can prove my claims after doing a bit of research to find where I read about them again. This is probably all going to turn into a circular argument where each side says that the other is committing a logical fallacy and discrediting the opposing side without actually saying why, as is the case with you saying that the point is that Gabe often changes his mind, regardless of the reasons as to why he does so, which irks me. Loads of nitpicking will ensure from the both of us. I already regret getting into this discussion. I don't really care why Microsoft is doing what they are doing, the point is that Gabe isn't happy currently and has begun working on Steam for Linux. The news of Gabe thinking that Windows 8 is crap and him moving to Linux came at exactly the same time so make of it what you will, but I conclude that they aren't mutually exclusive, and considering who Gabe is, I think his perspective carries weight. Thanks for the history lesson, and I see your point, but in the short term, I remain unconvinced. Like I said, I fully endorse GOG making old games compatible for new operating systems, I am just disputing that Windows 8 rocks judging from all the pieces I have read about it. I am sure you're more knowledgeable than I, but there are many more knowledgeable people than I who think Windows 8 won't be any good and are sticking with Windows 7. I'll leave you with this here, though: arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/05/no-cost-desktop-software-development-is-dead-on-windows-8/
Kuroko @Future_Suture: Can you prove your claims? I know that I can prove mine but your story about Steam GNU/Linux client being a hobby and that Gabe moved his desk are not on a solid ground in my opinion. And I think you're committing a logical fallacy here. The point was that Gabe often changes his mind. And we aren't talking about the reasons for that, no matter how good or bad those reasons might be. Even thought Gabe might be a knowledgeable authority, are you sure that he is aware of the challenges at Microsoft and the reasons they're pushing the changes now coming in Windows 8? I don't think so. Microsoft is in difficult situation with Tablet PCs claiming the markets over Desktop PCs. I'm very happy that Microsoft complied with the original Tablet PC vision Bill Gates had when they started developing Windows 8. Windows 8 rocks because it's faster than any other Windows I've ever seen. It also has plenty of great architectural changes like Vista did. Windows 8 has vastly improved security model over Seven which isn't even on bar with Vista. While developing Seven, Microsoft had to remove some security features from Seven to make legacy applications run. They're bringing some of those security features back to Windows in Windows 8. Metro as a user interface is still not fully developed. We haven't even seen the final traditional desktop appearance of Windows 8 except in a form of a small screenshot Microsoft gave out in their Building Windows 8 blog at MSDN... I don't know but I'm pretty sure that you're too young to remember how people cried when Microsoft announced that they will not develop MS-DOS any further and will only work with Windows based products. It took almost 10 years for Microsoft to phase out MS-DOS. I understand the differences here but we have to understand that what we can see now in that "Metro" is comparable to what people of the year 1990 stared at when they saw first widely spread Windows, the Windows 3.0, for the first time ever. I'm confident that Metro will be much better in upcoming revisions of Windows... However I do admit that I don't like some of the usability related problems in Windows 8. But Microsoft is working to fix them before the Windows 8 released. Besides when there's millions Windows 8 running Intel-based tablets out there which are capable of running GOG.com games it would be good business for GOG.com... This GOG.com comment system is wrong place to talk about Windows 8 in these lengths. I hope we can find a more suitable forum for this talk. :-)
FutureSuture The Linux version of Steam was something the guys at Valve did as a way to pass time as the chain of command is very flat over there. Nothing official was in the works. With the advent of Windows 8, Gabe displayed his dislike for the platform not only due to the new user interface but also because of Microsoft's more walled off approach to the operating system, much like what Apple does. Gabe literally moved his desk to where the folks working on the Linux client are and is actively contributing to the project now. Considering how Gabe is an ex Microsoft millionaire who worked on three versions of Windows, this seems larger than you give it credit for. That, plus Gabe changed his mind about the PlayStation 3 after the folks at Microsoft made it clear how restrictive they are with Xbox Live whereas Sony was a lot more forthcoming. I fully agree that GOG should continue their amazing efforts to make games compatible with new operating systems, however. I was just disputing that Windows 8 rocks.
FiatLux I just had this funny idea ;-) I see that people wishes for Windows 8 compatability.... But have giving it a thought about the many games that people have on Steam , GamersGate or wherever that will never run on anything other than Windows XP , what will the companies policy be when Windows XP will no longer be supported by M.S. . How long will we then be allowed to use and download our games on and from Steam and GG , ecetera ????
Kuroko @Future_Suture: Steam for Gnu/Linux was under development long before Windows 8 was even shown to public (which we know mainly because of the job posts of Valve, and Phoronix). Gnu/Linux community has been asking it for a really long time too. So it isn't possible that Windows 8 was the trigger for Gnu/Linux development branch of Steam. Gabe is also known to change his opinions as time passes. Good example is the Playstation 3... There are people who do like the Metro UI. I make a guess that you haven't tested it yourself and you're forming your opinion based on what others have written about Windows 8 and the metro UI. I think you should try it yourself when the Windows 8 Release Preview comes out... We people hope to be able to play our GOG.com games on Windows 8 in the near future without problems. Besides who knows what kind of problems there will be with Windows 9 if the issues with Windows 8 aren't addressed now?
FutureSuture Windows 8 rocks? Gabe Newell, owner of Valve and Steam, is hating on Windows 8 so much that he's working on getting Steam on Linux. That, plus everybody else seems to be disliking Windows 8 big time. I will be sticking with Windows 7.
Love & Thunder I'm almost definately skipping Win8, but this is still a good idea regardless.
WiNDHUNDiE /sign Since Windows 8 will be on my PC for sure (just love the new outfit), I truly hope that GOG is able to provide patches to all games (if necessary) at release of MS´ new operating system.
Tevosion.480 It has rather to do with the Bitstructure of the CPU. An 64 Bit processor can support 32 Bit. But an 64 Bit can't support 16 Bit processor because it only goes 1 Generation back (32 Bit)... Thats why emulation windows 95 and 98 games on a 64 Bit system is impossible but possible on a 32 Bit system. I Would change the title to Ensure 128 Bit compability :)
FiatLux @cannard , The Win 7 OS ought to be supported by Micro$oft until the year 2020. If following their typical "Modus Operandi" then they will however probably try to implement features or software or hardware demands that only Win 8 will be able to fulfil....
cannard I would love to keep my Win 7 computer as long as possible but given my horrible luck with dying computers mine will probably crap out by the time Win 7 computers are no longer available to buy. So definitely this, will eventually be a necessity anyway
MEGATRUCK I'm just having troubles downloading files from the site now. Any help?
FiatLux GOG are not "Masters of the Universe" so it would be very hard for them having to fix EVERYTHING everytime that Micro$oft wants to make more money by publishing a new O.S.
SkunkShampoo With some of the questionable decisions Microsoft made with Windows 8, I figure Windows 7 is still ideal for a large number of users. For me, what makes Windows 8 appealing is where it has taken things from Windows 7 and made them better, faster, and more full featured. Metro on the other hand... I generally avoid the new start menu because it flies in the face of a multi-tasking desktop environment. If you only like to manage one process at a time, though its very smooth and visually appealing. I'd say its geared more towards consuming media (at the cost of work flow). Which is fine in it's own right, and is probably where the money is. But in any case, my system needed an OS so I took the opportunity to try out Windows 8. It performs better than 7 and dispite Metro's issues, I'll be future ready in case I find myself in need of a particular app. So... Yeah, got my vote :). And really, I mean compatability issues will have to be addressed at some point. Its the new version of Windows.
Kuroko I'd like to add a note that from the newer Windows releases I've most liked about 2000, Vista and 8. XP was horrible because its UI is ugly, it has had most security related problems than any other Windows before it, and not to mention that most BSODs I've encountered were with XP. With Seven I'm encountering serious bugs, especially with the fundamentally broken taskbar. Seven also has many security bugs which were not in Vista. Besides Vista was much more reliable and much more stable. It looks better than Seven and in general is better when you know what you're doing. Windows 8 on the other hand is looking promising on UI front. So I don't share your views on the "Only every second Windows release is good" theory. Windows 8 will probably cause people to have mixed views but as a guy who uses it almost daily I'd use Windows 8 over Windows Seven at any given point of time because it's way better.
Lokathor Windows 8 is horrible, and only furthers the idea that for a long time every other version of windows has switched from good to bad and back (2000 / ME / XP / Vista / 7 / 8). I'm sure many many people will be staying on Windows 7 for years to come, given that the world share of WinXP users just recently dropped to 30%, five years after Vista came out and three years after 7 came out (www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp).
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