Microsoft to Release Windows Blue, the First Free Windows Ever – Rumors

IMO, this looks like a pre-emptive strike at Linux. The make the OS free, like Linux, but interfere with or make it difficult for linux to be used. Look at what Linux is going through now with secure boot. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=336393

IMO, this is anti-competitive behavior at its finest. Absorb the financial loss and sabotage a competitor with their influence on hardware vendors, driver availability, etc.

 

I don't believe linux is any kind of threat whatsoever to MS. I think this might just be an attempt to adjust, and recover some from poor 8 reception... If it's actually something good, then it's probably a smart move....

 

W8 recently released, & now they want to people to ditch it in a few months for Blue Why didn't they just concentrate on Blue instead & release that in time for Xmas ? Strange ! It sounds like they are admitting that W8 isn't "All That" & very early on too

So no more update Tuesdays etc. That'll be the day

You don't say ! I'll believe it if i Ever see it, which will be never

I smell a BIG rat. Blue will be free or low $, but my guess is that's ONLY initially. After that expect yearly charges for updates, similar to AV's etc. So nothing to do with a better/leaner etc OS, but just another Balmer marketing scheme

 

I just liked the gaudy colours of XP. I wouldn't want to bring back any dodgy old code. I still miss that jpeg editing tool in Windows Photo Gallery on Vista. I was thinking more 'theme' wise than hardcore software.

 

The industry including Microsoft is trying to *eliminate* full-featured, flexible, "traditional" computing platforms which empower users to control their own device, software, data, which products/services they use and where they acquire them, the degree to which they are exposed to online services and secondary revenue generating schemes involving advertising and monetization of user information/behaviors, etc. If Blue were simply "Windows 8 with metro stripped off" it would be a step backwards from Microsoft's POV.

I can understand many wanting and hoping for such a thing, but doesn't it seem more likely that Blue will be an additional step *away from* the traditional platform? Perhaps, as some are speculating, a (more) unified development/runtime platform for desktops, tablets, and phones? Something like Windows 8 with WinRT v2, the desktop stripped out, and Win32 APIs no longer supported?

 

I'll make some comments on each issue in the last couple of posts:

1. Linux is not enough of a threat to have influenced this. If any OS has influenced this decision, it's Mac.

2. I can't see anything here that would suggest anti-competitiveness whatsoever. SecureBoot is an entirely different discussion and one in which I would still disagree that it's a shot at Linux instead of a security measure.

3. Update Tuesdays will have to happen unless Windows Blue is going to be completely different underlying code and brand spanking new. Even then update Tuesdays are likely to happen because there isn't a single flawless programmer alive.

4. There may very well be a catch someplace. After all, this is quite a different direction quite quickly.

 

Yeah, who knows what they're doing with this... No way to tell until it's either available for trying in a release preview or beta, or until it actually is released. I personally think the move away from traditional desktops is terrible if it's forced in an all or nothing kinda way like 8 does (meaning the forcefeeding of metro and the inappropriate UI)... Give me a choice and a better transition, and I'll work with it. I was just thinking today how much I enjoy my nice 24" monitor attached to my laptop, with an external keyboard and mouse. If the future is limited to this MS vision and the direction it's going, then that's pretty sad.....

 

Didn't read every post, but has anyone speculated perhaps free upgrade for W8 folks only?

 

Unfortunately I must agree. We've been conditioned to accept this over time by the wireless carriers exercising total control over smartphones and now MS is extending this to the desktop. I tolerate this on my Android phone, but will not on my desktop. It looks like I'll be using Windows 7 for a very long time.

 

I read this in another article. If it is free, is would be only as an upgrade from 7 or 8.

 

5 Ways Microsoft Can Save Windows 8


Microsoft's new OS holds plenty of potential, but so far consumers aren't loving the radically redesigned desktop. Microsoft should consider these changes.

 

Thank you and yay 7 too! There is that weakness in me for wanting to try new things although I never did try 8. If this Blue turns out to be close to "conventional" and is indeed free, why not? is what I say!

 

Shocking news, who would have thought it!

Windows 8 Sales Well Below Projections, Plenty of Blame to Go Around
Uncertainty could turn Windows 8 into the next Vista

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-8-sales-well-below-projections-plenty-blame-go-around

 

Same here. Actually if MS goes that way then I will most likely switch to Linux which is very slowly maturing over the years.

 

I wonder how Windows Blue will affect Microsoft's Server OS, which is losing to Linux.

 

If Windows Blue turns out to be more than mere speculation/rumor then it will be interesting to see how "Windows 8-like" it is, I didn't jump on the Windows 8 band wagon for the cheap downgrade cost (and wouldn't even if it WAS free) and if Windows Blue in any way represents Windows 8 I'll skip it as well.

 

From what I've read (what little there is) it appears that it'll be pretty much the same as 8.. I wouldn't expect anything else, at this point....

 

Hi noone_particular,

The Secure Boot issue has just been solved as M$ signed the certificate that Matt Garrett was working on. Take a look at the Secure Boot thread over in the all things Unix forum here at Wilders.

-- Tom

 

What's with the name 'BLUE' ? Is it an acronym ?

 

Would just like to point out that this could be MS changing to a release model similar to that used by Windows Phone 7. Big and small feature changes (including new functionality for developers to exploit) and bug fixes rolled out in point releases of various scale, some point releases may include bug fixes only, others could be equivalent of XP sp2 (like WP 7.5 Mango) - I think MS aimed for major updates once a year approx (WP 7.5 and 7.8 ) and there was smaller updates inbetween.
This might make more sense where there vendor specific changes to WP8 and Win8 RT that MS has to work into updates specific to those platforms and the vendors have to do their own testing.

It won't be a completely new OS for the simple reason it would alienate developers who are still migrated to Win8, who would be stuck with the choice of starting again with this new OS or ignore the new version.

IMHO it will be more along the lines of how OS X gets regular new updates, new features added, some old ones dropped.

Cheers, Nick.

 

It will be interesting to see what attracts Windows 7 users to update to Blue when many have already said, "No" to Windows 8. I wonder how Microsoft will deal with that challenge?

 

What challenge? It's going to be free so I'm sure it will attract lots of users.

I've already purchased two licences for Windows 8 due to the low $40 cost. If it was more expensive I'd still be running Windows 7.

 

Didn't read every post, this sounds like just an update (significant though).

But I do not see it as a FREE OS. Like going from bare metal to Blue.

 

Supposedly it will be "very low cost or perhaps even free"... We'll see I guess.. But from what I've read, it's just 8 with some mods..... So people who don't like 8 probably won't go for this either... even if it's free. It appears to be an attempt by MS to get as many people as possible on board with their "new direction"...