Is there a new build of Windows 8?

[cluberti]

This is expected behavior, leaving the tab large so your mouse cursor is over the X on the tab next to the one you closed. I know there was a blog post on this - I'll edit the post when I find it, if it's still out there. There's a Microsoft Answers post on it that I have, at least:
Internet Explorer 10 Consumer Preview tabs grow when closed - Microsoft Answers

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Thanks. It's the same way in IE 9 on my 7 side. I don't really ever open that many tabs to have noticed. I remember calling back a M$ rep on the phone once. He said he had about two dozen open and was searching for the tab that concerned me and my M$ account! Geez! That's alotta tabs! :huh:

 

[R0bR]

Now if only the tiles could be made more customisable for standard (non metro) apps

Have to agree, that's my only gripe about Metro, the desktop shortcuts look out of place, we should be able to modify their look.

He said he had about two dozen open and was searching for the tab that concerned me and my M$ account! Geez! That's alotta tabs!

That's an average number for me for work, too bad that the graphical application preview turns into a list after a certain limit because it's easier to locate the tab you want from an image.

 

[gizbug]

Wish the new build would show up on windows update =)

 

[Coke Robot]

A developer here on this forum has told me he's getting close to finishing an applet that will allow use to tweak the Start Screen colors to our heart's content. Red tiles and black background, here I come!


Windows 8 starts up for me just about as fast as a clean install of 7. I have Kaspersky Interwebster Security 2013 installed, so boot time is a bit slower. But even still, it's strange. For me, boot time from RP to RTM increased a bit. Strange. Even with everything defragged and unneeded startup items disabled, and everything the same as it was too...

 

[torre]

Windows 8 starts up for me just about as fast as a clean install of 7. I have Kaspersky Interwebster Security 2013 installed, so boot time is a bit slower. But even still, it's strange. For me, boot time from RP to RTM increased a bit. Strange. Even with everything defragged and unneeded startup items disabled, and everything the same as it was too...

Two questions please

- You have a copy of RTM already ?

- Please give me a comparison with the RTM startup/shutdown with KIS installed as compared to Win7. Would you say the delay is noticeable ?

Personally, the quick start/shutdown is a main "selling" point with me in purchasing Win 8.

Thanks !

 

[Coke Robot]

Windows 8 starts up for me just about as fast as a clean install of 7. I have Kaspersky Interwebster Security 2013 installed, so boot time is a bit slower. But even still, it's strange. For me, boot time from RP to RTM increased a bit. Strange. Even with everything defragged and unneeded startup items disabled, and everything the same as it was too...

Two questions please

- You have a copy of RTM already ?

- Please give me a comparison with the RTM startup/shutdown with KIS installed as compared to Win7. Would you say the delay is noticeable ?

Personally, the quick start/shutdown is a main "selling" point with me in purchasing Win 8.

Thanks !

Yes, it's the Enterprise trial.

I should stipulate that at RESTART, or a clean boot, it's a tad longer than before. I believe with the Release Preview, I tested clean boot time to be about 43 seconds. I haven't timed it with the RTM, but it feels to be about a minute or so. To me, the delay is more noticeable because after the boot screen, it takes about 10 seconds for the lock screen to appear. And then a couple seconds more at the Welcome screen then to Start. I'll be a little more spatial, with the RP, the little spinning ball circle spins a full two times (one time is two spins, then it replays) and a half. In the RTM it's three full spins and a half. Then all the extra time I said.

But hybrid boot is still fairly quick. I remember with the Developer Preview, I just sat there for 10 minutes shutting down and starting up because it was that fast!

 

[Coke Robot]

I've come across some info about this new .205 build number, along with the rumors that the next version of Window is codenamed Blue.

Well, it seems that ballmer is FINALLY bringing in leadership back into Microsoft as some insider information I've found claims that he has split the Windows team into two teams, one focused on Windows 9 development, and Windows Blue, or 8 Development. Basically, Windows Blue is expected to be a major update to Windows 8, probably like how Windows Phone 7.5 was a huge major update to the platform as it brought in new features. So most likely, there will be new features, maybe UI enhancements as well with Blue. What we see here with build number 9200.205 might just be a sub-build of Blue as it will be categorized under the 9200 build numbering.

Very interesting stuff, and reassuring that Microsoft is getting their poop in a group as ballmer as is demanding a new OS every two years because of vista.

 

[Barman58]

Surely this is the normal process after RTM? It was certainly the way that things happened after Windows7 and all previous Operating Systems.

The life cycle at Microsoft for OS production and Development has always been based around a three to four year issue. Only the Longhorn / Vista cycle breaking this system, though of course if you treat Longhorn as an Operating system in it's own right, that wasn't actually released, then the cycle is maintained.

It is normal for the team for the following OS to be recruited about half way through the development of an operating system.

They started to build the team for for windows8 well before Windows 7 was released, the same will be true for windows 9 or windows Blue, whatever the next itteration of the OS will be called.

It is also normal for some of the active developers to move from their current project to the next in the pipeline, as their particular fields are no longer required. This movement is normally major migration of staff at major milestones such as RTM, and Final "Gold" status

 

[Coke Robot]

True, it is normal for Microsoft to be working on a future and current Windows version at the same time, but what isn't normal is that the Windows division has been officially split between two OS's, where a Windows 8 team and a Windows 9 team are focused primarily on those two. That I've never heard. And more not normal is how they're planning on a bi-yearly release schedule. Normally, it's been roughly three years, but in today's technology, that is almost an eternity. Just look at vista, when it came out laptops were the huger thing. Windows 7, netbooks. Windows 8, tablet PCs and touch. It's been roughly three years between those versions and the software isn't adapting to the hardware fast enough.

But I think 2 year releases is a good idea, it keeps Windows Phone fresh along with Windows.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

@ Barman58 and Coke. Good posts and interesting topic to say the least.

640K ought to be enough for anybody.
~ Bill Gates, 1981

This was 31 years ago that he made this statement. In those days and in that era’s viewpoint, this was expensive, but reachable. Of course today we know that is an absurd statement in present time, for we now talk in terabytes. Ironically, I found this quote in one of the quote-dedicated sites. It was placed in the category of "Stupid quotes". I don't think it to be stupid, for it was quite the statement for the time.

There has always been a tug-o-war between hardware and software through the years. Hardware, for the most part, has usually been more lax, but with recent technological breakthroughs, especially with memory medium and capacity, presently software may be lax. Why with newly developing architecture, HDDs, faster processors, larger RAM, graphic cards with their onboard RAM and architecture, and now the newly rediscovered and implemented touch technology, with this all at very reasonable price, I believe, has catapulted us into another phase of enterprise and home computing. Let’s call it the year of Windows 8. Mark it on your mind's calendar.

All the more reason for MS and others writing apps to develop new implementation of the new UI. I’ll leave it up to you fellows to report how they manage to do that, but for sure, it seems to me, that they will pour a lot of effort and resources to make it work.

We were ever slowly reaching and now quickly reaching the “Star Trek” level of technology so far as computing goes. As of June of this year the IBM Sequoia Blue Gene/Q supercomputer runs at 16.32 petaflops. That's mighty fast! This record is usually broken approximately once every year.

So far as "Star Trek" type engines and warp speeds, well, we’ll have a way to go there with that technology.

 

[Fredledingue]

I don't exclude a last minute decision to make booting into the Metro UI an option (just plain common sens). But probably I must be dreaming writing so.