Windows 9 set for release next year

Soldato
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All an OS is for is to interface hardware and software and make it easy to launch software. If a new release makes this better, easier, it is a success. If it puts hurdles in peoples way increases complexity or is confusing, it is not.

Dos 5 ran from a command prompt and was generally a pain to launch anything. Then Dosshell came along and it was easier to move around directory and file structures so it was an improvement. Windows 3.0 was the first proper microsoft windows OS (1 and 2 were crap) but took two revisions to make it good 3.1 and 3.11.

95 and NT were different branches basically FAT and NTFS.
98 and 2000 similarly. So a typically 3 year cycle.

XP ran for a long time because it took the good bits of both streams and worked very well for both gaming and business.

Vista was OK and 7 a good update but Vista failed in my opinion because it was not supported well by PC manufacturers and drivers initially and when 7 was released, most of the hardware had either a Vista or 7 driver that worked.

Of 8 and 8.1 I have limited and largely unbiased experience, but I feel it is not really an improvement and was a bit of a gimmick by MS to address tablets etc. without improving the desktop experience.

On top of all this we have an increase in take up of resources by about 1000x since 3.11, storage, Ram and processor cycles etc.

What I want is multiple virtual desktops a la linux.
 
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Soldato
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Not bothered about Win 9 at all, still I will probably upgrade the very first day it is available. Win 7/8 have been a very solid releases and I think the times of bad windows are all but over.

Let's hope we can get a cheap pre order upgrade like we did with windows 7 and even cheaper windows 8 :)
 
Soldato
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Of 8 and 8.1 I have limited and largely unbiased experience, but I feel it is not really an improvement and was a bit of a gimmick by MS to address tablets etc. without improving the desktop experience.

They actually did improve the desktop experience; a fact that gets washed over all too often. It just happened simultaneously with a few backward steps in other areas.

The virtual desktop thing is something I mentioned the other week. Windows is generally headed in a panoramic direction with regards to content, and it would be interesting to see how that could be applied to some sort of 'expanded' desktop. It could easily be gesture based and allow you to quickly move between tasks.
 
Associate
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I've only reason taken to Win 8.1, Start8 definately helped my decision.

Hopefully Win 9 improves on the benefits of Win 8 / 8.1 and making it more PC based.
 
Associate
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I can put a start button\menu where ever I like on the desktop in Linux. The steam box is out soon with games to follow.

More companies\People use XP then Win 8 and MS backed down when they tried to force them to change.

You honestly expect people who can't use 8/8.1 without a start button to be able to figure out how to pin a start button on linux?
Corporate stays with XP due to the vast cost and disruption to do an OS changeover, if it works ok for them it's easier to stay where they are.

Win 8/8.1 is doing very well at the consumer level (average joe with a pc who plays games at home etc) with figures at around the 20% mark and climbing quiet fast now.
 
Soldato
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If you can't be flexible enough to handle simple changes in software then I really don't know how you get through life and what that chucks at you.

I am nearly 40 and handled the change from 7 to 8 in 20 minutes, my father who is 72 manged in 30 minutes and is going a little senile...

If you can't handle the change and think its a pile of crap then you should not be using a computer or even leave your own house.

Really 20min? That must be your age showing.

I handled the change in less than 5min (with a bit of reading up before RTM were finalized) and still think it's a pile of crap.
 
Soldato
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Win 8/8.1 is doing very well at the consumer level (average joe with a pc who plays games at home etc) with figures at around the 20% mark and climbing quiet fast now.

Well no. Windows 8 has 6.93% and windows 8.1 has 3.95%. That of today and no it's not growing.

Oh and just because MS sell X-amount of licences does not mean that people are using it.
 
Soldato
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Well no. Windows 8 has 6.93% and windows 8.1 has 3.95%. That of today and no it's not growing.

Oh and just because MS sell X-amount of licences does not mean that people are using it.

Indeed. I expect MS claim Windows 8 license sales for all the HP business PCs we resell at work, yet 99% go out running Windows 7.
 
Soldato
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The usage share figures are from boxes that are switched on, connected to the internet, and running Windows 8.x. So yes, the proportion is accurate for their metrics regardless of how a vendor obfuscates their license sales. The usage share has increased steadily since launch (which is literally the definition of growing by the way)

The 20%+ share figure is amongst Steam users, which is obviously more of a consumer/enthusiast demographic and therefore you would expect it to be higher.
 
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Well no. Windows 8 has 6.93% and windows 8.1 has 3.95%. That of today and no it's not growing.

Oh and just because MS sell X-amount of licences does not mean that people are using it.

Notice i said consumer, you are still including corporate which includes things like ATM machines which there are millions of running on XP.

New figures for Jan are out today which puts consumer use at up around 21.5%

http://hexus.net/business/news/gene...ws-8x-usage-21-per-cent-according-steam-data/
 
Soldato
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Notice i said consumer, you are still including corporate which includes things like ATM machines which there are millions of running on XP.

New figures for Jan are out today which puts consumer use at up around 21.5%

http://hexus.net/business/news/gene...ws-8x-usage-21-per-cent-according-steam-data/

Yes I included the lot because that's what MS does as well. In real time Windows 8 has gone down
where as windows 8.1 has stayed the same. http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0&clearaf=1

MS have been in the mobile market for donkeys years and haven't made a dent yet. I wish they stick to what there good at.
 
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Never really used Windows 8.x myself but EVERYONE I know who has it, hates it.

My old boss actually said that he dreads having to use his laptop with windows 8 and avoids it if possible.
 
Soldato
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Yes I included the lot because that's what MS does as well. In real time Windows 8 has gone down
where as windows 8.1 has stayed the same. http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0&clearaf=1

The data you're linking to doesn't support what you're saying. Pointing out that Windows 8.0 is losing share is like pointing out that OSX Mountain Lion is losing share i.e. a red herring. Both have been superseded by a free update so it's obvious that share of the preceding version will decline.
 
Soldato
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The data you're linking to doesn't support what you're saying. Pointing out that Windows 8.0 is losing share is like pointing out that OSX Mountain Lion is losing share i.e. a red herring. Both have been superseded by a free update so it's obvious that share of the preceding version will decline.

Originally Posted by deuse View Post
Well no. Windows 8 has 6.93% and windows 8.1 has 3.95%. That of today and no it's not

That was posted a few days ago. Now in real time windows 8 is 6.63% and windows 8.1 has stayed the same.

That site is real time. You can't get better then that. I've just adjusted the time frame to Monday and it's the same.
I don't know of any other site that is real time and is used a lot by companies like MS.

EDIT http://thenextweb.com/insider/2014/...are-passes-vista-windows-8-falls-6-63/#!uxXRH
they all say the same. Windows 8 is not popular with PC users.
 
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Associate
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Ugh when we get an XP machine in for a reformat it makes me cry. XP takes HOURS to reinstall and setup (finding drivers etc). Windows 7/8 reinstalls are usually complete in 20 mins or so inc all drivers.

Love windows 8.1 - I use it for all new office PC builds and after the initial shock of change my customers are all happy with it. The ability to bypass metro at bootup is such a simple addition to 8.1 that Microsoft should have asked each user in vanilla Windows 8, would have avoided 90% of it's bad press I reckon. Such a stupid idea to force it onto desktop users. Perhaps the Windows 8 installer should have detected whether running on a laptop or if there is a touchscreen present and disabled/enabled metro based on that.
 
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