Posted on 06/02/2011 9:26:00 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
This week, Microsoft revealed a little of what to expect from the next Windows operating system. With its Windows Phone look and touch - literally - and tiles everywhere, it will be a major refresh, but there's a still a number of unanswered questions. Here are my top five:
Can Microsoft keep desktop users happy with Windows 8?
In demonstrations this week, Windows 8 is shown running legacy applications like Office side-by-side with the hip new OS. But the version of Windows 8 that runs on the ARM processor won't have legacy support. That creates an OS quandary.
While Microsoft says Windows 8 is backward-compatible, if I want to take advantage of the most revolutionary features -- namely touch and tablet functionality -- I'll need all new hardware and probably software, too. So where does that leave Windows users who want all the old desktop-oriented bells and whistles that shipped with Windows 7 with the new tablet-oriented Windows 8 OS?
Do we need Windows touchscreens everywhere?
So Windows wants a piece of the tablet pie, I get that. But I've rarely had any desire to reach over this keyboard and swipe at my screen, be it on a laptop or desktop or even a netbook. I especially don't plan on running out to buy a new system just to have touch functionality.
(Excerpt) Read more at pcworld.com ...
SOMETHING NEW FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS:
Microsoft is pushing the fact that Windows 8 is based on HTML5 and the other languages that underlie the Web. This means developers can hit the ground running on day one to develop Web apps for Windows 8. This is a radical shift from Redmond’s typical modus operandi (software control freak)
I thought M$ was moving away from new OSes every few years in favor of periodic enhancement updates. Did they change their minds again?
If 7 was so great, why are they rolling out another version barely 2 years after it?
[answer: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$]
windows has conveniently had a “old style” skin option on the os systems.
I don’t like their phone os.
PS don’t forget you may not need to touch the screen. MS owns the kinect tech that registeres movement.
That’s the problem people have with Microsoft... you have barely gotten used to their latest operating system and now they are practically forcing you to move on to the next one.
JERKS !!
I still use xp on my main rig, w7 on my laptop. I absolutely loathed w7. Its slower, bulkier, and generally more of a hassle to get my fav apps to run. And here comes windows 8. Sigh.
Jimminy freaking Christmas!!!.... Windows 7 barely on the market and their already making 8?????
PLEASE SOMEBODY!!! Stop the insanity!
Come on Microcrap!... try stabilizing at least ONE operating system before moving on to the next one!
It’s looks pretty nice....as long as they’re able to keep the line between the tablet features and the desktop features strong.
If they start blending blatant tablet features into the desktop portion, they’re going to have an immensely unpopular OS on their hands.
I have Win 7 on one netbook that I use with some specific (and few) applications. The rest are XP with the exception of one running Linux. I think that the future for me will be Linux with XP as long as I can hold out.
Forcing? Now that's funny. The company I work for has over 70,000 PCs running on its networks. All using Windows XP, 2002. (Which is why Windows 8 is completely irrelevant to me.)
I work on a PC but I live on a Mac.
The way I read this is that the legacy apps that run on the desktop / note book now will continue to run on that hardware under Windows 8. Applications will need to be ported to run on ARM (tablet / smartphone) platforms.
Yes, if you want the tablet / smartphone versions of those applications you're going to have to have different hardware - namely a tablet or smartphone. Duh.
It's Windows NT with this year's shade of lipstick.
Maybe there are some who will ... the sort of people who will line up at midnight to be the first to get it.
My strong suspicion is that by far the majority of people will not upgrade; they'll mope along with what they've got until it's time to get a new computer, and they'll go with whatever OS comes pre-loaded.
Just like they always have.
I’m still using and am content with XP.
I love the Metro UI on the WP7 phone. It will undoubtably work well on tablets too. However, I’ll be switching my new Win8 PC back to the “old” UI for desktop/laptop use.
Yes, its the same with me. I tried running w7 on my main rig and i hated the new (windows) explorer interface/quicklaunch. Apps like ClassicShell helped somewhat, but it still took me 3-4 clicks to find something that xp could do in 2. Not knocking w7...it has its moments, but xp seems to me to be more stable (though I do admit to using almost all of Stardock’s apps for xp as well).
Stardock’s apps?
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