Windows 9: Much ado about little, given cloud shift

Microsoft will reportedly launch Windows 9 on September 30 and could ultimately be known as the last of the software giant's big bang operating system releases.

According to The Verge, Microsoft will feature "Threshold," or Windows 9 on Sept. 30. Mary Jo Foley reported last week that Microsoft would preview what will be Windows 9 later in September.

While the Windows 9 christening will kick off a march to a general public roll out in spring of 2015, it's worth outlining why the operating system is strategic today, but a mere transition product if you zoom out beyond two years.

The Wall Street Journal asked whether Microsoft needed all the hubbub around Windows 9. The short answer is yes — for now.

In a short-term lens, Windows 9 is critical because:

  • Microsoft needs to put the Windows 8 launch to bed to get us talking about something other than Vista analogies;
  • The software giant needs to refine Windows to be both touch and non-touch friendly;
  • Windows needs to hook into Microsoft's platform and productivity mantra;
  • And Windows needs to lay the groundwork for a faster development cadence as well as a cloud approach.

Read more at: Microsoft's Windows 9: Much ado about little, given cloud shift | ZDNet
 
I must be showing my age

C'mon Mustang. You cannot be that old. I am still enjoying that stuff at 76.
Hi whs! You got a genuine laugh out of me with that one! Hell I'm only a youngster at 74! :thumbsup:

@tepid:

XP was never ever meant to last as long as it did, that was an huge MS screw-up
It was only a screw up from M$ profit point of view.

The point is, if it ain't broke don't fix it! My philosophy is to get as much mileage out of something as possible as long as it's fulfilling the need you have.

In my youth ... back in the Jurassic age ... HA HA HA ... a friend bought a brand new VW Beetle. Two years down the track the auto rep came out to see him and told him it was time to think about upgrading to the latest and greatest. This was due to the increased maintenance and depreciation from age. And what the smart buyers did every two years.

My friend replied that he intended to get his full money's worth out of it. The rep replied that he would have to keep it for 20 years to do that. And that's exactly what he did! It later became his wife's car for taking the kids to school. And he is now a multi-millionaire.

So unless you just want new bells and whistles, ask yourself why M$ is worth $billions today?

Aside from the slightly better kernel, and a few cosmetic improvements, where are the ground breaking improvements in W8 to justify the cost! And don't tell me Metro interface is the answer.

I paid $149 at a retail computer store for a licenced copy of W8 with DVD. Then to get W8.1 it was necessary to download a 3GB update that could not be saved as an ISO image, but needed to be downloaded every time I wanted to do a clean install. Those who bought the original software as direct download from M$ @ $49 or thereabouts, got the free upgrade as a saveable downloaded burnable ISO image.

So I bought W8.1 @ $175 from the same PC store. Since then, multiple huge upgrades of 2-3 GB.

And what for? A system that still won't go onto the net with IE11 unless I manually type in a DNS address! And no start menu. No games. And the list goes on! I even bought Office 2013 and frankly consider it inferior in many respects to 2010, which I still have on my backup machine.

No, I'm done with M$ after this OS. Unless they come out with a something radically better. Might just as well get Apple, of which M$ has become a poor imitation.
 
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
My father also got upset with W8. At first Metro looked nice to him, and he stil likes it... but too many things irk him constantly like not being able to install his favorite game from store, irritating behavior of the interface, impossible to log on as administrator or to know wether you have admin right or not at a certain moment and other technical difficulties which he didn't have before (very specific so won't go into details - his problem). I'm glad I decided to wait.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    w9x
My father also got upset with W8. Too many things irk him, like irritating behavior of the interface ...
Yep! Even when ADSL modem is fully connected, as evidenced by all lights green, and being able to access web using mobile phone connected thro WiFi ... IE11 will not connect if the modem is turned on after the PC has been booted up! It's necessary to re-boot the PC. Trivial but a constant annoyance.

How many work arounds can you live with? And that's just one! :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
I am having w8.1 program,
I cannot send any more outward mail to others via Windows Outlook/Hotmail.WHY
I have asked many IT experts ,but no one can give W8.1 answers.
W8.1is loaded on my new HPPavilion laptop
From Harvey Norman in 4118
Can someone guide or help me what to do?
JP
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Hi there

If ONLY managers would ensure stuff is TESTED properly before getting IT people to rush uncompleted stuff out of the door -- over the years I've seen far too much stuff released that had they just TRIED it on about THREE users before letting it out of the door major mistakes would have been avoided.

Unfortunately those Managers moved on with HUGE Bonuses while the poor IT people who advised against early releases lost their jobs and now the situation is EVEN worse with most of the stuff being developed off shore in low wage economies like India / Manilla / Vietnam etc far away from their main users.

Just look at Banks recently -- releasing untested software so people can't access their accounts or their money for in some cases WEEKS (yes it did happen -- Nat West Bank / Ulster Bank was one).

Get back to BASICS, Do Market research, get some of the "Great Unwashed" to test the product and when it's OK tested and designed PROPERLY then release it -- a product that will be universally wanted.

I'm already using Windows less and less -- I invariably now only run it on a Virtual Machine -- Ms Office with Outlook included (2010 - I don't really like 2013), CAD and Photoshop are basically the only things from keeping me drop Windows altogether - even my old SCANNER for which support was last available in XP works fine on Linux !! (XSANE package or KOOKA on KDE).

Some Touch applications also are still better on Windows but that's changing too -- I'm sure the next releases of LM or OPENSUSE will include more of those.

These days jumping ship to Linux is not such a bugbear - nearly everything works straight out of the box, you have decent plug and play so messing around with external devices doesn't require sophisticated Mount commands, NTFS can be read / written to and the systems are much less liable to "nasties". - Even software management has improved decently -- so Ms cannot take for granted any more that Windows is the only system around and people will continue using it whatever comes.

Repairing Windows 8 to W8.1 was OK - but the whole install system needs to be re-jigged -- without an ISO it's a mess if you have to re-install again from scratch -- usually means installing W8 again - then applying all the updates, then upgrading to w8.1 and applying fixes again --WHAT A DOGS DINNER of a mess.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
Hi there

Get back to BASICS, Do Market research, get some of the "Great Unwashed" to test the product and when it's OK tested and designed PROPERLY then release it -- a product that will be universally wanted.

Repairing Windows 8 to W8.1 was OK - but the whole install system needs to be re-jigged -- without an ISO it's a mess if you have to re-install again from scratch -- usually means installing W8 again - then applying all the updates, then upgrading to w8.1 and applying fixes again --WHAT A DOGS DINNER of a mess.

Cheers
jimbo
Brilliant assessment Jimbo ... absolutely brilliant! :thumb:

The irony of it all is that I really don't want to see M$ go down. Despite their shortfalls, I've always liked the flexibility of Windows ... from W98 home, update to XP, stand alone XP Pro, Vista Ult, Win 7 Ult ... but W8? Ugh! :cry:

Maybe I'm a hopeless optimist, but is there any chance they will redeem themselves with W9 ... or W10?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
I dont like that, really
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia Geforce GTX 680
    Sound Card
    idfk
    Screen Resolution
    15' 1080p display
    Internet Speed
    70Mbps
    Browser
    Google Chrome Canary
    Antivirus
    AVAST Premiere 2015
I dont like that, really
Neither do I like it ... ie: being stuffed around by the incompetence of M$!

And paying good money ... TWICE ... for half-baked operating systems.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
Neither do I like it either ... ie: being stuffed around by the incompetence of M$ and paying good money for half-baked operating systems.
You see :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia Geforce GTX 680
    Sound Card
    idfk
    Screen Resolution
    15' 1080p display
    Internet Speed
    70Mbps
    Browser
    Google Chrome Canary
    Antivirus
    AVAST Premiere 2015
Hi there

Get back to BASICS, Do Market research, get some of the "Great Unwashed" to test the product and when it's OK tested and designed PROPERLY then release it -- a product that will be universally wanted.

Repairing Windows 8 to W8.1 was OK - but the whole install system needs to be re-jigged -- without an ISO it's a mess if you have to re-install again from scratch -- usually means installing W8 again - then applying all the updates, then upgrading to w8.1 and applying fixes again --WHAT A DOGS DINNER of a mess.

Cheers
jimbo
Brilliant assessment Jimbo ... absolutely brilliant! :thumb:

The irony of it all is that I really don't want to see M$ go down. Despite their shortfalls, I've always liked the flexibility of Windows ... from W98 home, update to XP, stand alone XP Pro, Vista Ult, Win 7 Ult ... but W8? Ugh! :cry:

Maybe I'm a hopeless optimist, but is there any chance they will redeem themselves with W9 ... or W10?

Hi there

Hopefully all is not lost.

I'm looking forward to a Visit to 'OZ after Xmas - and will get myself totally s--- f---d after a few tinnies of Victoria Bitter !!.

I had to laugh just recently -- A few US folks thought when I showed then the 50th anniversary film of a great musical from Hollywood's classical days "The Wizard of OZ" they expected it to be about "'Aussie Wizards!!!!.

Another laugh at our US friends --watching a Test match between Australia and England the US guy said OK you've had the TEST match --when do we get to watch the REAL Game. !!! .

G'day mate from the other end of the planet. !!

Cheers
jimbo
 

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System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
@ Jimbo: Good one mate! Ozi ozi ozi! Oi oi oi!

Thoroughly enjoyed the witticisms about Aussie wizards & Test Match. You could say: " Ow'zat for LBW!" ... Leg before wicket for the uninformed!
:roflmao:

Watch out that the VB doesn't have a 'bitter' end though! lol! Or if you're ever in the West, try some good old fashioned Swan Lager!
:dinesh:

Cheers Mustang :thumb:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ult Reatil & Win 8 Pro OEM
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Built as DIY
    CPU
    6 core 12 thread & 4 core
    Motherboard
    Inel Extreme & Intel standard
    Memory
    12GB & 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    3 top end SLI linked & onboard
    Sound Card
    In built in graphics card & onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24 & 23 inch Samsung LED backlit
    Screen Resolution
    High def
    Hard Drives
    Corsair Force 128GB SATA3 SSDs in each machine. Plus several external USB3 and eSATA spinner HDs
I'm looking forward to a Visit to 'OZ after Xmas - and will get myself totally s--- f---d after a few tinnies of Victoria Bitter !!.
Watch out that the VB doesn't have a 'bitter' end though! lol! Or if you're ever in the West, try some good old fashioned Swan Lager!
I'd recommend:

  • "James Boag's Premium Lager"
  • "Cooper's Sparkling Ale" (which is actually cloudy).

If you want something with a "bigger kick", you'll have to try boutique beers. :D
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 (64 bit), Linux Mint 18.3 MATE (64 bit)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    n/a
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II x6 1055T, 2.8 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASRock 880GMH-LE/USB3
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 1333 G-Skill Ares F3-1333C9D-8GAO (4GB x 2)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD6450
    Sound Card
    Realtek?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S23B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital 1.5 TB (SATA), Western Digital 2 TB (SATA), Western Digital 3 TB (SATA)
    Case
    Tower
    Mouse
    Wired Optical
    Other Info
    Linux Mint 16 MATE (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 17 MATE (64 bit) - 2014-05-17
    Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 16 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-11-13
    Ubuntu 10.04 (64 bit) replaced with Linux Mint 14 MATE (64 bit) - 2013-01-14
    RAM & Graphics Card Upgraded - 2013-01-13
    Monitor Upgraded - 2012-04-20
    System Upgraded - 2011-05-21, 2010-07-14
    HDD Upgraded - 2010-08-11, 2011-08-24,
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