MS Windows 8: speculation picks up

It's pointless having a debate with someone who thinks over 3 years is "soon" or "so early". Your sarcasm only hides your weak attempt at an argument.

 

Or will it still be XP Mode?

 

I think not. Your accusation of sarcasm doesn't hide the fact that Microsoft made a mistake by releasing Vista too early. It was a huge problem for them to even sell it. My argument is still perfectly cogent. It was released retail (in the US) on January 30, 2007. Win 7 was released retail on October 22, 2009. That's short even by Microsoft standards. The plain fact of the matter is that they released Vista in almost a beta version. There were huge problems with it & it quickly garnered a bad reputation. Whether this was eventually remedied or not is basically irrelevant. There were nearly four years between NT 4.0 (24 August 1996) & Win 2000 (17 February 2000) & they were relatively different operating systems. Win 7 replaced Vista in just thirtyfour months!

"A proper release cycle and lengthy beta phase ensures that we never again become stuck in an "XP" situation."

Well, without wishing to sound sarcastic, just how did Vista manage to get released apparently without the benefit of a 'lengthy beta phase'?

Plus, Win 7 is the same kernel as Vista & is more of a comprehensive upgrade than a new operating system.

I still maintain that all this marketing of Win 8 is an attempt of MS to distance itself from the perceived failure of Vista.

My whole pointless debate argument is that why didn't MS get Vista right in the first place & then move on to a more advanced OS?

That's the $64,000 question for many people.

 

There seems to be a desperation to get folks to buy a certain OS. Unfortunately, the arguments or logic or whatever are so weak or made so distastefully or so aggressively that any purchase of said OS will be likely be "despite rather than because".

 

Windows 7, although superior to Vista in many respects, was a marketing strategy to boost sales of what was, for whatever reason, the disastrous early release of Vista. Win 7 is in all essence a more stable version of Vista & should have been what Vista actually was in the first place.

Yes, I think most people upgrade naturally as they eventually upgrade their own hardware. What fascinates me the most is why MS, which is essentially an hegemony, needs to pursue aggressive marketing strategies in the first place. What was the rush with Vista? Who were they racing?

Of course, I could be cynical & claim it is all about the spondoolies ... $$$$££££

 

Windows 7 would not have been the gem it is if Vista had not been such a colossal failure. Overall response to Vista forced MS to shake up the entire Windows development division and resolve the most prominent pain points reported by users.
IMHO, the most important reason for Vista's failure was non availability of highly tuned third party drivers for basic components like Wi-Fi, graphics, audio, HDD controller etc.

 

Well, they say every cloud has a silver lining.

Ermm, possibly. I don't think that was a major factor when it was released in the UK though. I think its reputation sank it Stateside, probably undeservedly, & MS have been trying to make us forget it was released ever since.

 

Portable Workspace looks like the most useful new feature.

I'm surprised at how Microsoft is determined to keep Windows on tablets.

 

Several features from competitors, and some original ones. Looks to be very interesting and mostly worthwhile.

 

Bring on beta, my main machine needs a spring wipe.

 

From there:

Should have been "and Safari" (not Opera)?

Chrome'experience showed that building "PDF support" really isn't so simple. Opening plain vanilla PDF files was easy but there are a variety of complicated PDF files that fail to open with the Chrome PDF Viewer. Of course, Chrome may not really care since their aim could have been to use the PDF Viewer primarily for Print Preview but users weren't amused when the Chrome PDF Viewer was made default.

 

I hope they overcome these issues. I'd say one of the strongest advantages to consumers of having a built in PDF reader (aside from the fact we have 1 less dependency on adobe) is that it would auto update via windows updates. No more seeing people with ancient versions of PDF readers.

 

Or update the browser in the case of Chrome.

 

This is a company where good ideas rarely make it to the surface, and when they do, they are held back by corporate hierarchy and worst of all the most stupid marketing and branding departments in IT ever. They still cannot figure out the need to emphasize on good hardware for the gem they have created in Windows Phone 7. Rant End. In 2012 they will have 2 main OS cores - Windows 8 and Window Phone 8. Former will power PCs and Tablets while the latter smart-phones. This is in contrast to the earlier belief that a single unified version will power all devices.

 

Windows 8 might include new "Protogon" filesystem

http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-8-found-to-include-new-protogon-filesystem

 

i hate the fact that the year gaps on MS's OS is kinda short compared to the 10 years ruling of windows Xp

 

Eagerly waiting for Sinofsky's appearance at D9. He is like a poor man's Steve Jobs.

 

They had to do something about the juggernaut called iPad.