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

"Citing sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans, The Verge reports that Windows Blue is going to be released in mid-2013 and will comprise significant UI changes, most likely supposed to address the controversial Windows 8 features."

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Micr...e-First-Free-Windows-Ever-Rumors-310494.shtml

 

This doesn't sound like a service pack either. Hmmmmm.

 

Maybe it'll be just a Start button, with no OS.

 

Mind: Blown. You know, stupidly at first I thought yearly upgrades meant an end to these insane Windows Update patch-a-thons ((I slept late, it screws with my head.)) I'm utterly confused though. First, why this sudden change of business plan? Are they tired of working on 3 year releases? Is there some chart out there I've missed that shows some alternate universe in which Macs and..Google?..are outselling Windows OS? Is this some sneaky little MS plan to make a lot more cash by charging out the wazoo for these yearly upgrades? Is 40 million Windows 8 licenses sold so far too pitiful for them and they're switching up the game?

I generally pay attention, but this one has me a bit befuddled.

 

I'm not surprised about it being free at all. We saw with Windows 8 they were much more interested in getting it out, and getting people on the latest version with cheap or even free upgrades.

I doubt they make that much off of licenses sales for user licenses, likely that they get more money from the products running on Windows, OEM Licensing, and Enterprise Licensing.

Making Windows free is a way to keep people off of OSX and the like.

Now if only they would open source.

@Mman,

I think they're very worried about OSX rising market share long term. I doubt they're too worried about ChromeOS, AFAIK it isn't selling very well.

I'd expect those to be free too. What they'll continue to charge for is MS Word, Enterprise and OEM licensing, and developers for access to the Windows 8 store (they get 30% of the profits from purchases iirc).

 

I have to admit I haven't heard about this until now. I'm really surprised especially this:

According to The Verge's sources, a new version of the Windows SDK will be released with Blue, and "Microsoft will stop accepting apps that are built for Windows 8, pushing developers to create apps for Blue."

 

Do they honestly think that Win 7 users who don't want to upgrade to 8 will willingly upgrade to a free & untried OS?

 

I had honestly thought the cheap price of 8 was because this was an entirely different monster from past releases and they were doing what they could to not make the entire thing blow up in their face ((40 million seems like a lot, but it isn't. So that blowing up threat isn't over)). I'm surprised they think OSX is a real threat as well. Yes, you can pick the OS up rather cheaply, but the hardware well, I just don't see the multitudes paying the kinds of prices Apple charges for systems. There has to be a gotcha in there someplace. Anyway, if they handle this right and don't make too many changes each yearly release, it might be just the thing to get the corporate world to start upgrading along with the rest of us. Of course, if they fiddle with it too much, corporate may upgrade even more slowly.

 

It sounds to me Dave like they are considering reverting some of the lesser-enjoyed aspects of Windows 8 and simplifying it. And for most guys here who have backup images at the ready, I bet my bank account they'll take a shot for free. It won't be untried though, the media will get a hold of it closer to release time and so will Beta users. We'll have an idea of what we're getting into. I had no plans to go to 8, and sure won't now that it seems like it's going to the scrap heap ((in a way)). I'm a prime candidate for this.

 

Interesting moves.

http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-blue-the-next-big-windows-8-update

 

I wonder what people will end up paying in privacy and ad-viewing terms.

 

MS is always looking at competition. In their Windows 8 design docs they set out to pull the OSX userbase with the UI, that was a design goal from the beginning and they explicitly stated it was related to OSX.

I think they need to come up with a real plan and stick with it. It felt like they were putting their eggs in the Windows 8 basket, now it feels like Windows 8 is just beta for future versions. They should develop this process in the open so that users, like myself, aren't left wondering what the hell is going on.

 

So what, are they considering Windows 8 as they envisioned it a failure already? If they had been planning Blue for any length of time, why the devil did they bother going through with Windows 8 as it sits? I imagine that a pretty big size of the puzzle is missing here with these new reports, and maybe it will make some sense once Redmond starts talking more. As it stands, I simply don't get it. Windows 8 confused consumers as it is, and sales are suffering somewhat I'm sure. What on earth are they going to think about Blue? I would imagine Windows 8 app developers are probably sitting there with blank looks on their faces now as well.

 

Microsoft Windows singing the blues?

Free or not is the 64 thousand $ question that only Microsoft will be able to answer. Msft., keep the suspense going eh?

 

Well, it looks like a better bet than Win 8. Makes you wonder though, was this an emergency contingency plan if Win 8 didn't take off as expected?

 

Maybe it will end up in Cracker Jack boxes! Who knows...

 

Well I doubt Steve Ballmer had a dream about it a week ago and decided what the heck I'm not at MS so my guess is as good as yours, but I suspect it's an idea they've had for a while. I'm still not quite sure how Windows 8 fit in the picture if this was the route they were planning all along. Unless..Windows 8 was never meant to be big on the desktop but was instead a Hail Mary play to succeed for once in mobile and whatever happened on the desktop front was icing on the cake. After all, the 3 year period between releases was coming up anyway, so they tried to kill two birds with one stone? That's a lot of guessing there and I could be light years away from the facts. I just don't know what else would make more sense here.

 

A yearly release schedule would fit in nicely with Microsoft's market plans. Windows 8 and such can be considered LTS releases while the supposed Windows Blue would be more like Ubuntu's six month OS releases. I don't imagine Mark Shuttleworth is flattered that Redmond is ripping off Canonical!

 

Considering the lackluster reviews Ubuntu is getting right now, I'd be more concerned about my own state of affairs than what MS may or may not be copying. Besides, I'd hardly call it ripping anything or anyone off.

 

In business, companies copy and imitate all the time, they just try to do what works and is successful... so no big deal there....

 

If it's something like 8 with metro stripped off, then I'd give it a try...

 

There isn't much that is making sense with MS at the moment anyway. LOL

 

Yeah, with a hint of Win7, a trace of XP & a sprinkling of the best parts of Vista ...

Maybe there is a Santa after all.

 

Hahaha... Yeah, you never know, right? let's wait and see...

 

In all seriousness Dave, what exactly would you want to see from XP that is missing in Windows 7? All I can think of separating the two is a serious lack of default security common sense and long abandoned programs/games. I'd say the best parts of Vista are still with us in Windows 7.