New Company, New Operating System

[LovingWindows]

Wait, why does Kat banned?

I know why, but I'm keeping it to myself.

 

[Coke Robot]

CEO Australian Distribution: Kat

Now for the $64 qustions and a free hit:

1. What would you name the new Company and Operating System?

2. In the light of all the discussion that's gone on in Win8 Forums over the past year, how would you build the Operating System from the ground up? No limitations.

• One OS for all platforms including Enterprise, OEM installers, Desktop, Laptop, Tablet, Smartfone, etc?
• Primary control orientation to mouse, keyboard, touch?
• Folder menu orientation to text/drop down menus, ribbon?
• Start Menu orientation as tiles, alpha numeric, cascaded, whatever?
• Whatever you feel should be left out, added or amended to W8?

Try to look at it from all perspectives of design, production, marketing, distribution, competition, etc.

No holds barred. Go for it and enjoy!

Oh boy, this is REALLY going to blow up this thread!!

 

[Coke Robot]

Ummm......I choose to amend Windows 8.

First thing would be to chuck out the Aero iconography, it's a SERIOUS design antithesis with the metro design. I'd like to expand the invasion away from the Desktop UI toward the metro UI, but amend the metro UI. I would focus on touch, natural speech input, as well as keyboard and mouse obviously. For the metro UI, I feel like making it more windowed, but keeping it along the lines of clean design. How this will be done, DO NOT KNOW for sure. All I know is that with touch, making a window bigger would be an awesome touch gesture where you just do a three finger pinch, then spread your fingers open to make the window bigger. Then, make metro app snap better. There is a divider bar, and that bar can be used to manually adjust the snapped apps, so it can be 50/50, 10/90, whatever. The metro design in Windows 8 can be improved FOR SURE. Windows Phone's design with the metro concept is cleaner looking, Zune software is a VERY good clean example, Office 2013 as well. Clean lines, typography, and color.

The Desktop File Explorer WILL be replaced with a metro file explorer, with the advanced abilities as the Desktop. OH! The metro apps WILL have to have more advanced functions akin to Desktop software, only way this can work in the long run. I would consider moving away from the Ribbon, towards a Radial menu, like OneNote MX has. THAT is a GREAT touch menu! Very neat, very concise! Again, it should work good with a mouse, but touch input has to be considered as well.

I wouldn't divide operating systems, as that would cause REAL fragmentation in the user experience. A start menu in the enterprise, a Start Screen for the consumer, and Radial menus for Windows RT, HOLY COW! It's best to keep the UIs similar. I would keep Windows RT, maybe. But, it needs renaming to Windows 8 RT, so there's Windows 8, Windows 8 RT, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Enterprise. It makes sense that way, as RT is basically a version of Windows 8, but for ARM processors. It'll make the marketing easier on my behalf.

Windows Phone 8 will be Windows Phone 8.

It'd also like to redo the Windows Store better so apps are easily filtered and found better.

The Start Screen will have smaller tiles, like the All Apps tile size. More flexibility that way and less All Apps accessing.

I would like to rework some of the Windows code, instead of ditching ALL the legacy code and having to build off that to keep compatibility and risk security and development impediments (Windows Longhorn), I want to virtualize the NEEDED legacy Windows code to run software or drivers. It'll sandbox the code from say, xp, from Windows 8 so it wouldn't be prone to security problemas as xp is like awful with security. It'll kind of like be running mini-VMs, except just running the bare base stripped down code and the legacy software will only access that code when the program is running.

To separate away from the Desktop in the long run, the Desktop will have to end up being more like command prompt. It's like DOS, but not the base of Windows. The Desktop will be there to run the legacy Desktop software, while the new metro apps (better developed ones and most likely windowed) will be center on stage.

Among other things...

 

[Mustang]

@Cokey. I have to say I am really impressed at your knowledge and the postive edits to Win8 ... very constructive ... almost converts me to a fanboy! Very well thought out post.

Also had to laugh at your comments in the role of marketing manager:

It'll make the marketing easier on my behalf.

Cheers M :thumb:

 

[Coke Robot]

@Cokey. I have to say I am really impressed at your knowledge and the postive edits to Win8 ... very constructive ... almost converts me to a fanboy! Very well thought out post.

Also had to laugh at your comments in the role of marketing manager:

It'll make the marketing easier on my behalf.

Cheers M :thumb:

I try.

If anyone from Microsoft is reading this, I demand a salary and paid vacation!

But in all honesty, Windows RT really needs to be renamed to Windows 8 RT. I was thinking about this these past couple of days, it makes a LOT more sense when it's called Windows 8 RT.

 

[MrShowdown]

@Cokey. I have to say I am really impressed at your knowledge and the postive edits to Win8 ... very constructive ... almost converts me to a fanboy! Very well thought out post.

Also had to laugh at your comments in the role of marketing manager:

It'll make the marketing easier on my behalf.

Cheers M :thumb:

I try.

If anyone from Microsoft is reading this, I demand a salary and paid vacation!

But in all honesty, Windows RT really needs to be renamed to Windows 8 RT. I was thinking about this these past couple of days, it makes a LOT more sense when it's called Windows 8 RT.

or Windows 8 Mobile Edition, or Windows 8 ARM.
Seriously, what does Windows RT stands for?

 

[Coke Robot]

@Cokey. I have to say I am really impressed at your knowledge and the postive edits to Win8 ... very constructive ... almost converts me to a fanboy! Very well thought out post.

Also had to laugh at your comments in the role of marketing manager:

Cheers M :thumb:

I try.

If anyone from Microsoft is reading this, I demand a salary and paid vacation!

But in all honesty, Windows RT really needs to be renamed to Windows 8 RT. I was thinking about this these past couple of days, it makes a LOT more sense when it's called Windows 8 RT.

or Windows 8 Mobile Edition, or Windows 8 ARM.
Seriously, what does Windows RT stands for?

RT stands for RunTime, as Windows RT relies solely on the new winRT app design platform.

 

[Mustang]

If anyone from Microsoft is reading this, I demand a salary and paid vacation!

Aaaahhh Cokey, you never fail to make me laugh!
Good call! And you deserve every bit of it ... salary, paid vacation and honour status! Cheers M

 

[HippsieGypsie]

My apology that I'm answering to this a bit late. I just noticed this thread surfing this afternoon. I did have a rather busy weekend.

A novel idea, Mustang, but I couldn't imagine the first "meeting of the minds" with those you chose, for we would for sure have to work very hard at "setting our differences" aside. Lol! Some of us are like night and day! Perhaps I'll write a spoof of what I think what the conversation of the meeting would entail.

I'm deeply honored you picked me for software, but unfortunately I can't write anything near the likes of a line of code! Lol! Computer software language?! I have trouble with my native American English, let alone code. I believe mdmd would be a good candidate to hire for the job, for he knows like what? -> Ten computer languages?! I don't want to leave anyone out, but crawfish, Mystere, and so many others I think also know how to write. Bottom line, I don't think we'd have a hard time finding writers for sure. Lol! -> I think the management aspect would be the biggest problem.

I could, however, advise the writers and their teams of what I think it should be. If it be mdmd or Mystere (again, I don't want to leave others out), it would have to be very similar to 8, for I think we all believe that MS is heading in the right direction so far as touch UI and a platform across multiple devices, which includes the desktop PC. I believe that would be a big problem for your CEO.

Here's a list of my demands for the OS on a tower PC, if I had my way:

Everyone would be forced to use at least two monitors, for we have entered well into so much of the "Instantaneous Information Age" via the internet and company intranets at such high data speeds that it is getting to be impossible to fit all the "instantaneous-information" windows, gadgets, live tiles, notification popups, and what have you that we need to place it and keep on one monitor, unless, of course, we have a 48 to 60 inch monitors, which would be feasable, but not practical.

I like the idea of the start screen with the live tiles instead of gadgets, but unfortunately we can't continue to remain on that screen and if on the desktop we cover gadgets up with open windows. So, I think the solution would be to dedicate one monitor solely to a "Start Screen" entailing multi-live (or non-live) panes of the most common apps one uses, such as email, instant messaging, stock tickers, clock, calendar with appointments, social sites, news, weather, productivity apps, and the like. All the "live" ones updating in real time. There would be a choice as to how many panes. Just stack them on the monitor like blocks. When they start to fill up the screen, they get smaller. One could easily fit 8 to 10 panes on a 24 inch monitor. Or one can have two monitors full of these, if one wishes. The possibilities of any multi-monitor and/or multi-pane scenarios cannot be restricted.

With the other monitor (or monitors), one would be able to drag or open an app, or two, or three from the original "dedicated (Start Screen) monitor" in which they would do work within. This would also have to be able to multi-pane. Or open/drag apps to another included monitor.

A hierarchical "All Apps" page would open anywhere one would like to open it to open. If one wants to place a folder there, then the folder would open to it's content just like the legacy Start Menu.

I could go on, but I won't bore you any longer.

If you think these are goofy ideas -> Wait. We've just seen the tip of the iceburg with OSs like 8.

 

[Mustang]

Very well thought out post Hippsie. A good manager doesn't necessarily need to write code, but be able to bring together the most talented people who can, and co-ordinate their efforts to get the best out of them.

It wouldn't be easy, but in times of war people are forced to put their differences aside and work as a team. So instead of "warring" with each other, it would be good to put all that energy into solving the problems to get a solution that would satisfy all needs.

Cheers M

 

[geeve420]

Not real good at much LOL, but I will be more than happy to try to break something in alpha and beta as well as hardware limits and testing compatibility (when I am not on smoke break)

Plus I have the power of being a giant @ssh*(e, so that should help my promotion chances...... (That's how it works where I am employed anyway )

Geeve

Edit: I am a musician and do home recording so I could throw my hat in the ring to do the startup music and other various sounds, (thinking some nice clean acoustic guitar sounds mostly, then go for some heavy riffs, and raunchy chords, for errors)

Edit 2: Company name could be something like Octadic Group LLC, because we are on the 8 forums

 

[Mustang]

Good stuff Geeve420, now this thread is really starting to "rock n' roll" with you on board!

Cheers M

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Thanks, M. Yes, management is that simple. It's reading people and knowing their individual talents to place them at the right task relating to that talent. I'm a middle child of twelve. The go-between of eleven other personalities. I've was reading personalities at an early age.

Being the go-between I was caught in the middle of many a sibling dispute to help settle. Emotions abundant! Once emotions settle down, I simply presented the facts. The argument gets settled. I guess one could say it was my family "job". Lol!

War effort -> On the other hand, if an outsider attacked the family, watch out! Instant unification. They put there differences aside in a hurry. Lol! Believe me, there's power in numbers!

Anywho, there certainly is enough talent on this forum to create an OS. I've concluded I'd be better fit for design. I hear the complaints of most. There are valid points of both pro and con. I'm sure all know that in any endeavour, one begins to see big picture.

I think we have reached a new era of computing. Coinciding with the introduction and market demand for touch, we also have this thirst for instantaneous business, social, and world information. That's why I think MS introduced the Start Screen. It makes perfect sense to me. An ingenious idea to me.

I hear those say it doesn't fit the business production scenario, mainly because of screen real estate. "The Start Screen takes me away from my desktop!" I agree. That's why the dual-monitor / multi-pane idea of mine.

The introduction of gadgets in Vista was a novel idea. They introduced the thirst for instantaneous information, whether it be information of the system or outside information. So what did we do? We cluttered our desktops with them only to hide them with open windows. The screen real estate problem began with Vista when we think about it. 7 was worse with the elimination of the side bar. Gadgets galore!

I've used a PC to run a small construction business, mostly estimating, bidding, contracts, and light book keeping. I'll have an Excel workbook, a browser, an estimating program, and Notepad open. I use flip instead of sizing windows. I'll praise the day I get my second monitor!

I have never worked in a productive high-traffic networked office situation, so I won't pretend to know. I've walked through and seen them. I just don't understand how anyone could be productive with just one monitor. Perhaps a Pro could fill me in.

Yes. I get long-winded!

 

[azasadny]

I'll take endpoint security!