Windows 'Threshold': More on plan to win over Windows 7...

Windows "Threshold," the next major version of Microsoft's Windows operating system due to hit around the spring of 2015, is coming into focus.

And not too surprisingly, one of the Microsoft Operating Systems Group's main goals in designing and developing the coming operating system (OS) release -- which may or may not ultimately be branded as "Windows 9" -- is to try to make it more palatable to hold-out Windows 7 users.

In order to do this, Microsoft is working on including in Threshold lots of new features specifically aimed at "desktop" users, meaning those who interact primarily with their Windows computing device from a desktop or laptop PC with mouse/keyboard and optional touch.

With Windows 8.1 Update, Microsoft officials designed Windows around a set of profiles based on the hardware specifications of the devices in use. Certain devices running Windows 8.1 Update include Power and Search buttons on the Metro-style Start screen; others don't. Some of those running Windows 8.1 Update have their machines start up by default in the Desktop/Win32 legacy environment, while others on touch/mobile-first devices start up in the Metro-Style Start Menu by default.

According to my sources, Microsoft will continue in this vein with Windows Threshold. The Threshold OS will look and work differently based on hardware type.

Read more: Windows 'Threshold': More on Microsoft's plan to win over Windows 7 users | ZDNet

 

[visruth]

In my opinion, the best one is:
"Windows Threshold is looking like it could be free to all Windows 8.1 Update, and maybe even Windows 7 Service Pack 1, users."


Oh boy....that's good news!

LOL.

It is clear vast numbers of consumers are staying away from 8x, because they do not like the online integration/metro rubbish.

Governments are also staying away , because they do not like the online integration/metro rubbish.

What is the problem with 8x, then?

MS next attempt will include the online/metro stuff but it will be more subtle, and anything they can think of to get consumers off win7. Including free "upgrade" offers, and a variety of attempts to make it difficult for consumers to get/use win7.

Be fascinating to see how they get on with these manipulation efforts.

I hear they are (allegedly) going to make metro go away in enterprise version. No such blessed relief on the horizon for consumers, though.

yeaa... if MS really wanna get ahead and reach the wider business class or even government organisations, i think getting off the metro apps and bringing in more of win 7 with many more simple enough features yet brilliant ones would be the key & it may be seen only in enterprise edition i suppose.

but for end user consumers i don't think win 8.1 type features including metro apps with necessary desktop features is something that harms... it's actually a path breaking innovation. only thing.. it takes some time to get accustomed to it. bringing up customised start menu is a good option though.


Visruth

 

[visruth]

I seriously doubt 9 will be the panacea everyone expects. I suspect it will be heavy into promoting Bing and Microsoft's cloud services and try to rope consumers into a monthly subscription plan. It seems as though productivity is a mute cause with the company's profit only concept.


All I read about are cosmetic changes, nothing else substantial, the app store will not offer anything new.

If I have 7 and 8 why would I even need 9?

if that's the plan... I'm better off with win 8.1 upd 1/2. will have to wait for reviews n critics convince me that 'I'll regret in not having win 9'.

Visruth

 

[visruth]

In my opinion, the best one is:
"Windows Threshold is looking like it could be free to all Windows 8.1 Update, and maybe even Windows 7 Service Pack 1, users."


Oh boy....that's good news!

That's the first I've heard about being free to Windows 7 SP1 users. That will likely make some people happy. Those that paid to upgrade to 8.0 or 8.1 might be a bit peeved though.

if there's nothing fascinating about '9', even free upgrade won't do the job for me.... win 8.1 upd 1/2 is much better than win 8.1. that's more than enough for me..

Visruth

 

[Coke Robot]

The other thing I'm excited about with Windows 9 is that everywhere that's been quoting these rumors all report that if you look at 9 to 8.1.1, you WILL KNOW which is which right off the bat. That's going to be quite interesting.

But the thing I am expecting them to screw up is the Desktop UI design. Why in the world they thought keeping Aero styling and continuing it, all but flattening down three elements of it is a good idea? It's not. Mixing Aero icons and metro icons is horrendous looking, one has all these drop shadows, faux lighting effects, gloss, and 3D perspectives all while at the same time next to metro iconography that's typically just a white flat icon with that tile's main color. So the obvious is the now just keep what's going on the same and mush them RIGHT next to each other on a start menu. It's just horrid to look at.

I mean, the Windows Phone team isn't as big as the Windows team, but yet when they rebuilt Windows Mobile 6 over to Windows Phone 7, they redid EVERYTHING from the ground up. They made all these new iconography sets for use in the UI and left like four old icons at initial launch. I would just wish the Windows group now gets it together and does that.

Keep things freaking consistent. Gosh.

 

[alphanumeric]

I'm thinking the no Metro option in the Enterprise edition is more for the IT guy than the end user. No none work related activities during working hours.

 

[Superfly]

I'm thinking the no Metro option in the Enterprise edition is more for the IT guy than the end user. No none work related activities during working hours.

Yeah, that must have been a toughie for the board considering Enterprise was specifically given sideloading functionality...anyway hope they finally scrap Sinovsky's ill-conceived hybrid philosophy.

 

[alphanumeric]

I'm thinking the no Metro option in the Enterprise edition is more for the IT guy than the end user. No none work related activities during working hours.

Yeah, that must have been a toughie for the board considering Enterprise was specifically given sideloading functionality...anyway hope they finally scrap Sinovsky's ill-conceived hybrid philosophy.

The higher ups will likely get the use of the Metro Apps. It'll be the grunts in the cubicles that get locked out. I Don't know, obviously some company or companies asked for this functionality, why, who knows?

 

[visruth]

The other thing I'm excited about with Windows 9 is that everywhere that's been quoting these rumors all report that if you look at 9 to 8.1.1, you WILL KNOW which is which right off the bat. That's going to be quite interesting.

But the thing I am expecting them to screw up is the Desktop UI design. Why in the world they thought keeping Aero styling and continuing it, all but flattening down three elements of it is a good idea? It's not. Mixing Aero icons and metro icons is horrendous looking, one has all these drop shadows, faux lighting effects, gloss, and 3D perspectives all while at the same time next to metro iconography that's typically just a white flat icon with that tile's main color. So the obvious is the now just keep what's going on the same and mush them RIGHT next to each other on a start menu. It's just horrid to look at.

I mean, the Windows Phone team isn't as big as the Windows team, but yet when they rebuilt Windows Mobile 6 over to Windows Phone 7, they redid EVERYTHING from the ground up. They made all these new iconography sets for use in the UI and left like four old icons at initial launch. I would just wish the Windows group now gets it together and does that.

Keep things freaking consistent. Gosh.

yea... metro app loaded start menu along side aero icons & shadows will be just like watching Federer play Nadal in grand slam!

 

[EMINENT]

My understanding is they are now one group under Terry Myerson. It wasn't this way before the restructuring. I'm sure we can expect a bit more consistency moving forward, but ain't going to happen overnight.

 

[SIW2]

The higher ups will likely get the use of the Metro Apps

What on earth would they want that for? Unless they have gone into their second childhood. Perhaps you mean like an executive toy, the little swinging balls thing springs to mind.

Cashback Newtons Cradle Executive Desktop Toy Science Museum by Bedroom

 

[Indianatone]

Windows 9 needs to be about choice. If we don't want apps and new metro way of doing things we should be able to turn it off. If we do want a fondleslab mode with no desktop or a desktop with no start menu we should be able to do that too. If we want the whole works (for developers, tech support) then we should be able to install that too. If you go back to Windows 95 and 98 you could select what you wanted to install down to which games, themes and even a screensaver let alone system tools and modes. I know some of that was due to hard drive space in those days but systems were highly configurable then. Now not so much. If they make everything optional so I could for example choose Desktop PC with Aero, Start Menu, Media Center.

 

[Superfly]

The higher ups will likely get the use of the Metro Apps

What on earth would they want that for? Unless they have gone into their second childhood. Perhaps you mean like an executive toy, the little swinging balls thing springs to mind.

Cashback Newtons Cradle Executive Desktop Toy Science Museum by Bedroom

LOL... nothing on Store but Play has it .. guess they gonna have to stick to Angry Birds or something...

 

[alphanumeric]

There is more to Metro apps that just games by the way. Seeing the way this thread is going though I think I'll just bow out now.

 

[RBS]

The other thing I'm excited about with Windows 9 is that everywhere that's been quoting these rumors all report that if you look at 9 to 8.1.1, you WILL KNOW which is which right off the bat. That's going to be quite interesting.

But the thing I am expecting them to screw up is the Desktop UI design. Why in the world they thought keeping Aero styling and continuing it, all but flattening down three elements of it is a good idea? It's not. Mixing Aero icons and metro icons is horrendous looking, one has all these drop shadows, faux lighting effects, gloss, and 3D perspectives all while at the same time next to metro iconography that's typically just a white flat icon with that tile's main color. So the obvious is the now just keep what's going on the same and mush them RIGHT next to each other on a start menu. It's just horrid to look at.

Keep things freaking consistent. Gosh.

I am not quite certain, what you are referring to. If you are talking about the desktop start menu, I read that an option was to be added to allow you to choose the style you wished it to be. If you wanted to turn off Metro menu or the Classic menu, or leave them both on, you could. Supposedly, the MS big push, is to allow the consumer a myriad of options. But, you just can't believe anything you read now-a-days.

But again, to me it sounds like Windows 9 is all about eye candy, Bing and cloud services, not sure it would be worth $120 or $200 for a Pro version. At the least, they should provide Media Center as part of the OS, as in Windows 7.

 

[visruth]

Microsoft is testing a fix for Windows 8.1 upgrade woes

"There are many Windows 8 and RT users who want to upgrade to Windows 8.1 and RT 8.1, but can't. A glitch has kept a seemingly random batch of PCs from installing this latest revision through the Windows Store. Thankfully, relief is in sight. Microsoft tells for Windows that it's testing a patch which automatically upgrades these stubborn computers to their respective 8.1 releases. If you're eligible, you only need to check Windows Update (not the Store) to get the ball rolling. Microsoft isn't saying if and when the fix will spread worldwide."

SOURCE: Microsoft is testing a fix for Windows 8.1 upgrade woes

 

[Coke Robot]

The other thing I'm excited about with Windows 9 is that everywhere that's been quoting these rumors all report that if you look at 9 to 8.1.1, you WILL KNOW which is which right off the bat. That's going to be quite interesting.

But the thing I am expecting them to screw up is the Desktop UI design. Why in the world they thought keeping Aero styling and continuing it, all but flattening down three elements of it is a good idea? It's not. Mixing Aero icons and metro icons is horrendous looking, one has all these drop shadows, faux lighting effects, gloss, and 3D perspectives all while at the same time next to metro iconography that's typically just a white flat icon with that tile's main color. So the obvious is the now just keep what's going on the same and mush them RIGHT next to each other on a start menu. It's just horrid to look at.

Keep things freaking consistent. Gosh.

I am not quite certain, what you are referring to. If you are talking about the desktop start menu, I read that an option was to be added to allow you to choose the style you wished it to be. If you wanted to turn off Metro menu or the Classic menu, or leave them both on, you could. Supposedly, the MS big push, is to allow the consumer a myriad of options. But, you just can't believe anything you read now-a-days.

But again, to me it sounds like Windows 9 is all about eye candy, Bing and cloud services, not sure it would be worth $120 or $200 for a Pro version. At the least, they should provide Media Center as part of the OS, as in Windows 7.

This is what I'm talking about. The legacy vista era icons mixed with the modern metro style.


Simply put, this is what has annoyed me with Windows 8 since the Developer Preview. The lack of attention to the obvious details. Microsoft once went on and on about all the little details "only God can see" but yet disregarded the details God and everyone else can see, which is the Desktop. It's still stuck in the year 2007 and hasn't changed since.

 

[Superfly]

There is more to Metro apps that just games by the way. Seeing the way this thread is going though I think I'll just bow out now.

Yes, sorry about that - (couldn't resist...)

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

For me I don't like that type of Menu -- I'd rather if I'm using a menu (which I don't these days unless it's from a custom toolbar) I'd prefer just the name with the small Icon at the left - I don't want the live tile bits shown on the right. Some metro apps (borderless and updating) which can be re-sized and moved anywhere on the screen would be fine -- some things like stock prices etc which would then on a click take me into my trading account for example would be fine or some real time travel info etc.

As for stuck in year 2007 -- It's actually MUCH older than that -- it in fact is nearly 20 YEARS OLD !!!! -- but like clothing fashions often re-appear long after the original you thought was dead and buried !!.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Superfly]

Some news

Windows 9 Build 6.4.9788 Said to Be Ready, Leak Expected Soon

All speculation at the moment

(LOL at the comments...Linux guys take no prisoners )

 

[Coke Robot]

Some news

Windows 9 Build 6.4.9788 Said to Be Ready, Leak Expected Soon

All speculation at the moment

(LOL at the comments...Linux guys take no prisoners )

That build is incredibly alpha, it's still probably more Windows 8.1 than 9. It'll be more interesting when the build string is at 6.4.1100.