Posted on 09/26/2014 1:20:14 PM PDT by Red Badger
Microsoft is about to introduce Windows 9 next week at an event, ahead of its widespread release in 2015. The project for the next Windows operating system has been given the internal code name as Threshold.
Microsoft watchers have noted that the next OS could indeed be a needed threshold move to win back business users who were put off by Windows 8 because of its tiles-based interface instead of the start menu they had relied on in Windows 7 and older Windows versions. The frustration was palpable last year, and one example was a posting in Micro Doctor, a technology solutions company, headlined "Windows 8.1 is a huge disappointment." Mark Richmond, CEO, said, "If Microsoft does not bring back the Start Menu, I predict Windows 8 will become the second biggest Operating System blunder since Microsoft Vista. Every PC we sell today has Windows 7 Pro installed or downgraded from Windows 8. Perhaps they need to Spin off Windows 8 Touch and Bring out a Windows 9 Corporate Edition with the start menu again."
There are hopes and expectations for a revamped treatment of a Start Menu that looks more familiar to Windows users before the onset of tiles. In addition have been discussions about what Windows 9 will be called—if not Windows 9. Reports indicate Microsoft might unveil a new name for the software. If so, the name change would be "symbolic of a new direction for Microsoft moving away from an aggressive focus on Windows and PCs," said a report in The Guardian by Samuel Gibbs and agencies. The report quoted Daniel Ives, an analyst at investment bank FBR Capital Markets, who said Windows 9 was a potentially game-changing product release for Microsoft.
Microsoft had sent out invitations to journalists to "hear about what's next for Windows and the Enterprise" on Tuesday in San Francisco, reported InfoWorld. Woody Leonhard, senior contributing editor, said in InfoWorld that next week's event, however, should not be expected to provide finer details, but instead to provide a preview to "show off the plumbing and the broad strokes of Windows' future."
Reflecting on possible release dates for Windows 9, Redmond Magazine reasoned in August that a release in spring next year would reflect timing with the next Build event for developers. "Microsoft has previously used its Build events as a main venue to show off its next Windows releases." Another date for the release being eyed is the week of May 4, 2015, which coincides with an event titled "Unified Microsoft Commercial Technology Event," thought to serve as a replacement for TechEd, SharePoint Conference, Lync Conference, Exchange Conference and Project Conference events.
Explore further: Microsoft to spotlight new Windows software September 30
Its a pain in the ass even for techies.
Its not just the tiles, its the system settings UI all over the place.
Checking on services, process monitor, even Wifi scan and setup is stupidly difficult. There is a ridiculous reduction in the data-intensity of the UI in all sorts of system tools.
I see there are free downloads for Windows 8.0 that bring back the classic start menu.
I think we’ve beat this horse to death.
“Granted, expert users would likely post their own templates of optimal systems for different things,”
And that would be bad how?
Great real life story.
Microsoft had a period of time when only Windows 8 computers were available, now they have rereleased Windows 7 and new computers are available loaded with Windows 7.
I had to replace my 8 year old XP laptop at that time and went the Mac route as well.
I need to operate daily with multiple Microsoft programs so I installed Parallels 8 and purchased a copy of Windows 7.
Now I have a spectacular computer that is solid and stable, have two versions of Microsoft Professional (2003 and 2010) loaded and Windows 7 runs extremely well.
Additionally some printers do not have super great drivers on the Mac platform but I’m running Windows so the 10,000 pages I printed in the last month printed perfectly.
I love AirPrint and three of our four printers have AirPrint.
It really is the best of both worlds!
PS. I purchased and set up a 13” Mac Air for a client last month. 8GB RAM, i7 and a 512 GB SSD. Sharp machine and she’s super happy (she did not like either of her Win 8 computers).
Happy computing!
Yes there are options.
I mentioned one in this post, Classic Start Menu.
What’s your point?
my kids use windows 8.1, they like to pin their games (Minecraft)etc to the tiles for quick access, wife has apple..and I use ubuntu
we are a well rounded family...LOL
A lot of the frustration with the abrupt change in Windows 8 (which is made reversible, as opposed to being reversed, in Windows 8.1) is related to a prior revamping of a known, working menu system in the Microsoft Office suite circa 2010. When Windows 8 came out, those “power” users who had discovered what they needed to know to make somewhat efficient use of Windows 7 were incredibly frustrated that all of their skills had been made obsolete, just as when Office 2010 came out.
Microsoft, as a company, appeared/appears to have taken for granted their position among PC operating systems, and in doing so really peeved a substantial segment of those using their operating system. The tile menu style is undesirable for a system without a touch screen - and is in fact aimed at a market of users who do not perform much in the way of “real” work on their computers. By trying to consolidate their OS for use in radically disparate technologies, they alienated their biggest user base.
Ergo, there is a substantial amount of animosity in play against their decision making, in addition to their recent every-other-major-release-is-OK disease.
With regard to not being a big deal, consider that corporate clients have to perform some action on hundreds or thousands of computers to reverse the removal of a feature they like. Others of us who do not have so many computers will do an annual (or more frequent) refresh of our system, deliberately removing accumulated junk by resetting to factory conditions and reloading all software we use along with required data. Having to reverse an unwanted change multiple times is also a major pain in the tuckus.
I guess my point is that Microsoft decided to do something that they *should* have foreseen as angering their biggest customer block. The fact that some users, such as yourself, do not mind or even prefer the change doesn’t alter the fact that many of the money customers in the Microsoft camp end up paying twice for the undesired “upgrade” - once for the OS, and once to fix the defect introduced in its basic makeup (including the time to reverse that decision on every computer or refresh fielded).
From this thread, and every discussion I have with my aerospace industry compatriots, the biggest feature that the users are looking for is intrinsic reinstantiation of the windows menu. That alone should be a warning shot across Microsoft’s metaphorical bow...
NICE!
You have some great boxes!
No - the horse must still be beaten!
As I mentioned in my much larger post, having to expend energy and time (and thereby money) to reverse a terrible decision by a supplier is more than just annoying for some - it is VERY costly.
I H8 Windows 8.1
Had to buy a new laptop three weeks ago, and so far I have found no changes from W7 and XP that I like.
If they could combine the stability and common sense operations of XP with the way W7 easily networks and installs new devices, I’d pay to upgrade. Right now, I’m seriously considering paying 25% of what the new laptop cost to go back to W7.
Your post #47 is excellent.
I’ve no Idea what bee is in Hostages bonnet.
You make excellent points.
Go get the 8.1 distributable from technet. You will be happy again (prolly).
Can you shoot me a link?
Great idea. Thanks.
That may very well be, but I have no intention of EVER owning a touchscreen system for either my desktop or laptop computer. I have enough trouble keeping my monitor screen clean without putting my grubby little fingers all over it. So all of the bells and whistles of a tiled touchscreen system is useless for me.
Heh... nope... it's been on my thumb drive for nearly a year now... I'll go look when I get some time, but no guarantees... But I had a bunch of em that wouldn't upgrade from the web - just like service packs before - the service pack distributable can always handle more stuff than live update.
Solved most of my problem boxen, just sayin'... YMMV
Thanks... I was going to read this thread now, but I’m busy trying to load iOS 8.0.2 on all my devices after uninstalling iOS 8.0.1 from all my devices which was installed on all my devices as as upgrade to iOS 8.0.0 on all my devices following its recent release as an iOS upgrade for all your devices ......
Thanks a bunch, I think I’ve got it.
I sincerely appreciate you bouncing me into the correct direction.
Have a great Fall weekend!
I hate windows 8 (well not as bad as I did when it first debuted), but every time I make some move with my finger on the slide pad on my laptop that it finds in a straight line it shifts me to another windows based program from the one I am currently using, either that or changes the zoom of my browser.
It’s so annoying.
Read #29,31,34. It’s not only Vista, it’s also Win 8.0 and 8.1.
It takes about 3 seconds to reset to the classic start menu. For people to b*tch about this issue shows their lives are so boring they need to get out more.
I cam here to learn something about Windows 9. In stead some tech dweebs choose to waste time b*tching about how Microsoft wastes their time. 3 Seconds to reset and they b*tch about it!
No version of WIndows 8 has the native ability to reproduce the Start Menu power users know and love. There are downloadable 3rd party add on apps that come close, but no cigar.
Fire and water, like H2O2 and H2O are similar but different.
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