Windows 9

The rumor mill as now posted on several sites that Windows 9 is now going to be coming out in November 2014.

Don't kill the messenger. . .please. . .

 

[HippsieGypsie]

After thinking on this awhile, I'm thinking this must be a pretty big project if the speculation is true that it's 20 months away. Could it be a new OS code-named Blue, but named Windows 9 or another name? The last two were numbered, so I'm assuming it'll be 9. Who here knows the history and timeline on when they start to develop their next OS? I would think immediately?

I would imagine they have an idea of what direction they want to go in their overall business plan, especially with the big change of 8 along with the Surfaces. There must be much consideration of market demand/desire and user data they collect from past OSs. Technical advances in hardware also. I would think much discussion in many meetings of planning would be undertaken before any code is written. If so, how long would that take? It's mind boggling to me. They invest millions on develpement and marketing.

I think the Start Screen will stay, but with some improvements, such as tiles opening to or exploding to more "subtiles" like in a submenu as in the past. The Start Screen gets to get rather large otherwise. The idea of windowing Modern apps such as with ModernMix is something I think they will consider, for there is much complaint as to this. "After all, it is called Windows". But, then again they need to keep the desktop to perform this. Perhaps it'll be another type of " personalized multipane user screen" where one can open multiple apps there. It will be able to be saved for use again and again. Sort of like the old desktop, but within the Modern GUI.

The big question I have is whether or not the desktop will remain. I don't know enough about writing code to know whether or not all software can be written in the Modern interface within Window Store apps. Some say they can't, some say yes. If it can be, then I would think the desktop would go eventually. No need for it then.

Of course, a lot depends on market trends. How and what are people using to compute nowadays? Consumption and/or creating? It seems we don't want to sit behind our desktop PCs any longer, although it is still much needed in business. Desktop PCs have flatlined. More pads and cell phones being sold for sure. Societies are more mobile. Data is almost instantaneous with the speed of our infrastructure (including more free WiFi hotspots) and hardware. We don't need the "leash" of a wire as much. The internet is billions of pages big. A lot of information at hand. The Cloud is another item.

All in all, I would imagine there is much to consider when creating another OS. It must be exciting to be a part of it.

Those are some of my thoughts today. I hope I've added just a little to your original intent of your thread, Lee. Y'all have a good weekend!

 

[Lee]

Hi Hippssie,

I would think immediately. The first month is probably just setting around and brainstorming which is the part of any project that I really liked doing the best. When planning to build a new ship (Marine Engineer) it was always fun to just set and draw up designs, propulsion ideas, etc.. To see the final ideas in one ideal was always the saddest part because it was now finished and time to move to the next project.

. . .and yes you did add to what I was looking for; insight.

 

[fafhrd]

Windows 95 was being planned in 1992, 2 years after Windows 3.0 was released, and just before Windows 3.11 and NT were released. Microsoft was trying to make sure it could compete with IBM's OS/2, both in stability and with interface design.

NT itself was a fork of OS/2 from the days of cooperation between IBM and MS on the project. Microsoft decided to release it with the familiar Windows Program Manager, rather than the object based desktop it acquired later.

The IBM Workplace Shell was the forerunner of the Windows Desktop, but the other advantage was that OS/2 could run a Virtual DOS machine, and Windows 3.0 upon that.

Still, IBM managed to misunderstand the PC market, yet again, and lost out to Microsoft, despite the advances in OS/2 3.0 WARP, failing to get OEM support, and forgetting that users needed their devices to have OS/2 drivers to work properly. Oh, and the most complicated and long-winded OS Installation ever!

 

[Ray8]

Thanks Lee, that's exactly what I was hoping it would do. I still can't believe why Microsoft didn't provide this from the outset, it was so bleeding obvious.

 

[chrisa]

After thinking on this awhile, I'm thinking this must be a pretty big project if the speculation is true that it's 20 months away. Could it be a new OS code-named Blue, but named Windows 9 or another name? The last two were numbered, so I'm assuming it'll be 9. Who here knows the history and timeline on when they start to develop their next OS? I would think immediately?

"Blue" will be released sometime in the summer. Its rumored to have the support for smaller screens, better touchscreen, amongst other things. It'll be a free update of Windows 8.

Windows 9 is Windows 9 and should be released at the end of 2014.

And they don't develop stuff back-to-back or whatever, you'll have overlap. So something like Blue and Windows 9 would be developed concurrently(with Windows 9 development probably started a while before 8 was even released), with anything they put in Blue or Windows 8 also being carried into Windows 9.

 

[vrosa]

Yes, "Blue" is gonna be an improved version of Windows 8, especially regarding touch !

[video=youtube;utbVYi8UurA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utbVYi8UurA&feature=player_embedded[/video]

The public preview will be avaiable in Q2 2013

 

[HippsieGypsie]

@ chrisa

Thanks for that info on timeline. So, Blue will be an SP1.

@ Vlad

Thanks. Q4/13 it is then. I saw that video posted on another thread, but haven't been able to watch it yet.

 

[Night Hawk]

Does ModernMix allow you to move the apps to the second screen and use the desktop at the same time?

Yes.

With DisplayFusion, UltraMon, or some other similar program the "move" button is an option you see placed to the left of the minimise-maximise buttons on every window you open. I imagine the same would be seen for Metro apps also being opened in a windowed mode rather then the need to drag each over from one display to the next. This is provided you use the extended desktop not cloned desktop mode. The programs also offer the extended smart bar to supplement the main task bar on the extended as well.

Now the word on Blue is that was one blog's referral to MS releasing a totally free Windows not as any upgrade to 8 or SP1 but a totally different free release while likely being limited in a number of ways as far as what you can do on it. So actually What is Windows Blue? since that was brought up.

[h=2]What is Windows Blue?[/h] Simply put, Windows Blue is Microsoft’s new strategy when it comes to updating their popular Windows OS. Instead of waiting two or three years to bring out new features, Microsoft is going to take things up a notch.
While everything we know about Blue has been pieced together by keeping our ear to the wall, we now believe that Windows Blue is the first of possibly many yearly updates to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. At the same time, it is also the replacement to traditional service packs.
In the past, Service Packs were used to bring critical fixes and even performance updates over to Windows, but largely didn’t add much if anything when it came to new features. In that way, Windows Blue is like a “Service Pack Plus” – bringing everything you are used to getting in a service pack along with a few new features that just can’t wait until the next major Windows release.

Rather then seeing any 8SE like you saw way back with a 98SE or Second Edition you now have a go between release version type release.

 

[Lee]

Does ModernMix allow you to move the apps to the second screen and use the desktop at the same time?

Yes.

With DisplayFusion, UltraMon, or some other similar program the "move" button is an option you see placed to the left of the minimise-maximise buttons on every window you open. I imagine the same would be seen for Metro apps also being opened in a windowed mode rather then the need to drag each over from one display to the next. This is provided you use the extended desktop not cloned desktop mode. The programs also offer the extended smart bar to supplement the main task bar on the extended as well.

Now the word on Blue is that was one blog's referral to MS releasing a totally free Windows not as any upgrade to 8 or SP1 but a totally different free release while likely being limited in a number of ways as far as what you can do on it. So actually What is Windows Blue? since that was brought up.

[h=2]What is Windows Blue?[/h] Simply put, Windows Blue is Microsoft’s new strategy when it comes to updating their popular Windows OS. Instead of waiting two or three years to bring out new features, Microsoft is going to take things up a notch.
While everything we know about Blue has been pieced together by keeping our ear to the wall, we now believe that Windows Blue is the first of possibly many yearly updates to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. At the same time, it is also the replacement to traditional service packs.
In the past, Service Packs were used to bring critical fixes and even performance updates over to Windows, but largely didn’t add much if anything when it came to new features. In that way, Windows Blue is like a “Service Pack Plus” – bringing everything you are used to getting in a service pack along with a few new features that just can’t wait until the next major Windows release.

Rather then seeing any 8SE like you saw way back with a 98SE or Second Edition you now have a go between release version type release.

Thanks. Was looking for this article a couple of times to attempt to explain the reason for Blue and any new updates. This is Microsoft idea of coming up with updates instead of SPs.

 

[Night Hawk]

I suspect this is something new MS will be trying out as a way to add new things without a lot of problems when wanting to see not only OS fixes but new features added in. If this will preserve the existing programs files already installed it could be a much smoother ride to apply updates then running into things failing to work after an update or BSODs at times from a bad update install. Plus MS can insure people are running the SP1 or SP2 without the manual effort if they have the automatic disbled when applying Blue.

At present MS is dumping SP1 on everyone automatically yet has no plans for any SP2! That would make Vista as the last to see a second service pack.

 

[FuturDreamz]

Last I checked Vista NEEDED a service pack 2.


that being said, there is a patch rollup out that could be considered a proto-service pack.

 

[fafhrd]

Reimagining a Service Pack as a Free Upgrade is a fiendishly clever way of expanding your OS user base, especially if all extra functionality is via cloud-based, mostly paid-for Apps, or leased applications like Office 365 to guarantee revenue. It abolishes the stigma of having an unfinished OS product launch, where the final beta testing is done by paying punters. At the same time, most OEM new equipment comes preloaded with the cut-down OS requiring a paid-for upgrade to the fully featured version. Brilliant strategy, even if the product is not what you really want.

 

[Night Hawk]

Vista initially needed SP1 since there were a few bugs like not reporting the total amount of actual memory installed on a 32bit system as well as the problem of installing the 64bit with more then 2gb of memory installed. Often you had to remove all but 2gb to get the 64bit install to go on good and then put the rest back in! None of that was ever run into once 7 was out since I only ran the 32bit Vista and noticed the difference following the SP1 install when upping the ram from 2-4gb on the last build.

For 9 one thing that would be real good would be getting past the 1.5tb barrier both 7 and 8 seem to have while 8 is coming on larger drives still seeing a recovery partition not the full 2tb however being use for the C primary.

 

[Lee]

Reimagining a Service Pack has a Free Upgrade is a fiendishly clever way of expanding your OS user base, especially if all extra functionality is via cloud-based, mostly paid-for Apps, or leased applications like Office 365 to guarantee revenue. It abolishes the stigma of having an unfinished OS product launch, where the final beta testing is done by paying punters. At the same time, most OEM new equipment comes preloaded with the cut-down OS requiring a paid-for upgrade to the fully featured version. Brilliant strategy, even if the product is not what you really want.

This is the way Apple as been doing the OS X series for over ten years now, and when they jump OS X levels (OS X 10.6 to OS X 10.7) they charge a fee. Now this fee used to be around $130.00, but in the last three OS X changes they have lowered that price to $29.95. Also Apple puts out a new roll out approximately every two years. Now let see what Microsoft does especially with the cost factor.

 

[jimbo45]

Reimagining a Service Pack as a Free Upgrade is a fiendishly clever way of expanding your OS user base, especially if all extra functionality is via cloud-based, mostly paid-for Apps, or leased applications like Office 365 to guarantee revenue. It abolishes the stigma of having an unfinished OS product launch, where the final beta testing is done by paying punters. At the same time, most OEM new equipment comes preloaded with the cut-down OS requiring a paid-for upgrade to the fully featured version. Brilliant strategy, even if the product is not what you really want.

Hi there
It's called that absolutely hideous word "Monetisation" -- I.e Extract as much dosh from the customers without them realising it.

I'm beginning to get ready for running Linux again and extend the life of old windows OS'es via using VM's. I can use Linux for say the Internet and video (films etc) , and use PHOTOSHOP and OFFICE on a Windows Virtual machine which won't need any security updates after end of life. There's plenty of Linux "Geeks" out there to ensure drivers etc are maintained etc.

If Windows DO go a subscription route --then apart from say business users then IMO it's the beginning of the end and their stupid "monetisation" will blow back in their faces.

Installing VMWARE PLayer in openSUSE 12.1 (Works BTW so I'm all set if and when !!!!!).

Cheers
jimbo

 

[chrisa]

Reimagining a Service Pack as a Free Upgrade is a fiendishly clever way of expanding your OS user base, especially if all extra functionality is via cloud-based, mostly paid-for Apps, or leased applications like Office 365 to guarantee revenue. It abolishes the stigma of having an unfinished OS product launch, where the final beta testing is done by paying punters. At the same time, most OEM new equipment comes preloaded with the cut-down OS requiring a paid-for upgrade to the fully featured version. Brilliant strategy, even if the product is not what you really want.

Hi there
It's called that absolutely hideous word "Monetisation" -- I.e Extract as much dosh from the customers without them realising it.

I'm beginning to get ready for running Linux again and extend the life of old windows OS'es via using VM's. I can use Linux for say the Internet and video (films etc) , and use PHOTOSHOP and OFFICE on a Windows Virtual machine which won't need any security updates after end of life. There's plenty of Linux "Geeks" out there to ensure drivers etc are maintained etc.

If Windows DO go a subscription route --then apart from say business users then IMO it's the beginning of the end and their stupid "monetisation" will blow back in their faces.

Installing VMWARE PLayer in openSUSE 12.1 (Works BTW so I'm all set if and when !!!!!).

Cheers
jimbo

Personally, what I find more disconcerting is the cost of mobile phones. I really don't think the cloud OS thing is going to come to pass anytime soon(at least not until connection speeds get *a lot* faster.. like fiber fast), and if it does it'll be part of some niche service that takes advantage of it. PC's aren't going to suddenly be getting their OS from the cloud next week. The jacked up price of smartphones and mobile bandwidth, however, is here and now :<.

 

[BillWindows]

Reimagining a Service Pack as a Free Upgrade is a fiendishly clever way of expanding your OS user base, especially if all extra functionality is via cloud-based, mostly paid-for Apps, or leased applications like Office 365 to guarantee revenue. It abolishes the stigma of having an unfinished OS product launch, where the final beta testing is done by paying punters. At the same time, most OEM new equipment comes preloaded with the cut-down OS requiring a paid-for upgrade to the fully featured version. Brilliant strategy, even if the product is not what you really want.

Hi there
It's called that absolutely hideous word "Monetisation" -- I.e Extract as much dosh from the customers without them realising it.

I'm beginning to get ready for running Linux again and extend the life of old windows OS'es via using VM's. I can use Linux for say the Internet and video (films etc) , and use PHOTOSHOP and OFFICE on a Windows Virtual machine which won't need any security updates after end of life. There's plenty of Linux "Geeks" out there to ensure drivers etc are maintained etc.

If Windows DO go a subscription route --then apart from say business users then IMO it's the beginning of the end and their stupid "monetisation" will blow back in their faces.

Installing VMWARE PLayer in openSUSE 12.1 (Works BTW so I'm all set if and when !!!!!).

Cheers
jimbo

Personally, what I find more disconcerting is the cost of mobile phones. I really don't think the cloud OS thing is going to come to pass anytime soon(at least not until connection speeds get *a lot* faster.. like fiber fast), and if it does it'll be part of some niche service that takes advantage of it. PC's aren't going to suddenly be getting their OS from the cloud next week. The jacked up price of smartphones and mobile bandwidth, however, is here and now :<.

That's what amuses me about people, they'll readily hand over $800 for a smartphone, but not for a tablet with a full computer OS on it. Maybe the subscription model IS the way to go.

 

[jimbo45]

Reimagining a Service Pack as a Free Upgrade is a fiendishly clever way of expanding your OS user base, especially if all extra functionality is via cloud-based, mostly paid-for Apps, or leased applications like Office 365 to guarantee revenue. It abolishes the stigma of having an unfinished OS product launch, where the final beta testing is done by paying punters. At the same time, most OEM new equipment comes preloaded with the cut-down OS requiring a paid-for upgrade to the fully featured version. Brilliant strategy, even if the product is not what you really want.

Hi there
It's called that absolutely hideous word "Monetisation" -- I.e Extract as much dosh from the customers without them realising it.

I'm beginning to get ready for running Linux again and extend the life of old windows OS'es via using VM's. I can use Linux for say the Internet and video (films etc) , and use PHOTOSHOP and OFFICE on a Windows Virtual machine which won't need any security updates after end of life. There's plenty of Linux "Geeks" out there to ensure drivers etc are maintained etc.

If Windows DO go a subscription route --then apart from say business users then IMO it's the beginning of the end and their stupid "monetisation" will blow back in their faces.

Installing VMWARE PLayer in openSUSE 12.1 (Works BTW so I'm all set if and when !!!!!).

Cheers
jimbo

Personally, what I find more disconcerting is the cost of mobile phones. I really don't think the cloud OS thing is going to come to pass anytime soon(at least not until connection speeds get *a lot* faster.. like fiber fast), and if it does it'll be part of some niche service that takes advantage of it. PC's aren't going to suddenly be getting their OS from the cloud next week. The jacked up price of smartphones and mobile bandwidth, however, is here and now :<.

Hi there
I'm often amazed how many people from the US have complaints with their mobile phone systems -- in Europe with almost universal availability of the new blindingly fast 4G systems - speed of connection etc isn't an issue any more. Public Wi-Fi systems are also gradually being updated as fibre optic cable is laid - at least in urban areas, and the quality of Wi-Fi cards is now much better too -- gigabit transfer is theoretically possible with wireless once the routers get updated.

If you don't need the latest and greatest smart phone - mobiles aren't hideously expensive and you don't have to take a contract out either --at least here you don't. - "Pay as you Go" type SIMS are available and for a lot of people this is far better than a contract especially as decent Wi-Fi is universally available so people don't need the Mobile data connections to use the Internet etc.

(Used / reconditioned smart phones are also fine -- I just got a decent reconditioned unlocked HTC phone for 50 EUR for a friend --OK It runs Android 2.1 rather than 4.1/4.2 but the screen is clear and the Internet is fine. Friend was really pleased with it).

Cheers
jimbo

 

[chrisa]

Hi there
It's called that absolutely hideous word "Monetisation" -- I.e Extract as much dosh from the customers without them realising it.

I'm beginning to get ready for running Linux again and extend the life of old windows OS'es via using VM's. I can use Linux for say the Internet and video (films etc) , and use PHOTOSHOP and OFFICE on a Windows Virtual machine which won't need any security updates after end of life. There's plenty of Linux "Geeks" out there to ensure drivers etc are maintained etc.

If Windows DO go a subscription route --then apart from say business users then IMO it's the beginning of the end and their stupid "monetisation" will blow back in their faces.

Installing VMWARE PLayer in openSUSE 12.1 (Works BTW so I'm all set if and when !!!!!).

Cheers
jimbo

Personally, what I find more disconcerting is the cost of mobile phones. I really don't think the cloud OS thing is going to come to pass anytime soon(at least not until connection speeds get *a lot* faster.. like fiber fast), and if it does it'll be part of some niche service that takes advantage of it. PC's aren't going to suddenly be getting their OS from the cloud next week. The jacked up price of smartphones and mobile bandwidth, however, is here and now :<.

Hi there
I'm often amazed how many people from the US have complaints with their mobile phone systems -- in Europe with almost universal availability of the new blindingly fast 4G systems - speed of connection etc isn't an issue any more. Public Wi-Fi systems are also gradually being updated as fibre optic cable is laid - at least in urban areas, and the quality of Wi-Fi cards is now much better too -- gigabit transfer is theoretically possible with wireless once the routers get updated.

If you don't need the latest and greatest smart phone - mobiles aren't hideously expensive and you don't have to take a contract out either --at least here you don't. - "Pay as you Go" type SIMS are available and for a lot of people this is far better than a contract especially as decent Wi-Fi is universally available so people don't need the Mobile data connections to use the Internet etc.

(Used / reconditioned smart phones are also fine -- I just got a decent reconditioned unlocked HTC phone for 50 EUR for a friend --OK It runs Android 2.1 rather than 4.1/4.2 but the screen is clear and the Internet is fine. Friend was really pleased with it).

Cheers
jimbo

The core problem with the US as opposed to Europe is population density and sheer land area. Europe's population is far more dense and with a lot more people in a smaller physical area(and usually centered around the cities), it makes laying wire a lot less expensive. Same thing with Asia, where wiring one building can hook up thousands of customers.

Most of the US outside of the major cities is very spread out and mostly consists of suburbs where people live in houses on a block grid. The amount of wire you have drop into the ground to reach the same number of customers is enormous. Then when you get out to the more rural areas, its even more spread out.

As a result, we're probably more likely to have mobile ultra-broadband, before Fiber is laid enmasse. Until then, it'll simply be a city here and a city there.

 

[Night Hawk]

FIOS, WiFi(still requiring a hard wired connection somewhere no less), and then there's always satellite connections! With satellite however they charge you for every page you visit! That's like getting a cell phone and paying for extra minutes as soon as you reach a set number like 250min. a month unless with some plans 1,000 or unlimited for a flat rate.

Any OS with a web browser can get you around the web. Even with an old Legacy version you can get running you can browse but! The much newer versions for most browsers are still going to be needed to login on many sites. So you end up back at Squate #1 needing that newer version or release of something.