The Windows 9 Dilemma

by
in microsoft on (#2RWV)
With rumors of Windows debuting Windows 9 at the end of September, pundits everywhere are asking how Microsoft could possibly dig themselves out of the hole they dug with the troubled 'feature set' of Windows 8. According to Ed Bott of ZDNet, it can be done.
We already know a little about what will be in what will probably end up being called Windows 9. Microsoft has officially announced the return of the Start menu, with a new, modern design, as well as the ability of mobile (Metro-style) apps to run in windows on the Windows desktop. More recent rumors suggest that virtual desktops will be added and Windows 8's signature charms menu will vanish. Cortana might even make an appearance.

[A] metaphor for this release might be the crack of a starter's pistol, marking the beginning of a new stage in a very long race. What gets delivered this fall as a preview will be updated in a few months as a final release, which will then be revised and expanded again and again over the next few years as Microsoft's new, faster update cadence continues.
Hey, if this version's good enough maybe I'll stop using Windows 95.
Reply 8 comments

I have no pity (Score: 2, Interesting)

by hyper@pipedot.org on 2014-08-30 14:52 (#2RWY)

They dug this hole for themselves. Getting out will be rough. Perhaps it is they they jumped onto the linux-on-the-desktop and just give up on Windows.

Re: I have no pity (Score: 1, Insightful)

by Anonymous Coward on 2014-08-30 16:26 (#2RWZ)

The put all of their efforts into the WINE project and release Winux. That'd be pretty sweet actually.

Re: I have no pity (Score: 1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward on 2014-08-30 16:49 (#2RX1)

Careful...that sounds about as crazy and Apple-like that they might try it.

Of course, I suspect MS would realize very quickly that the GPL is a very different beast than the BSD license. If they wanted to go this route, they'd either need to GPL a good chunk of it, or else go the same route Apple did and grab a BSD and show it the meaning of rugburn.

Re: I have no pity (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2014-08-30 16:59 (#2RX2)

Yeah. Let's remove choice and diversity.

Re: I have no pity (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2014-08-31 03:29 (#2RXM)

Hey now, there's plenty of choice with Windows 8. As it happens, I am using a machine with Windows 8 on it right now knowing accepting and understanding that I have the full choice of continuing to use this POS operating system ***OR*** shove this screwdriver through an eye.

Boy, that screwdriver is looking really good right now. Really good.

Re: I have no pity (Score: 3, Insightful)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2014-08-30 20:11 (#2RX5)

Hey, be nice! If you remove Windows, who will Linux devs have to copy from? I'm being snarky, but it's more than half true on the interface/GUI front, at least. Although there's a fair bit of aping of Apple these days too. I find the new KDE5 interface to be full of low contrast pastels and thin, sans serif fonts. Looks like iOS. Come on guys, be original!

Re: I have no pity (Score: 1)

by hyper@pipedot.org on 2014-08-31 03:26 (#2RXK)

Original as in the god awful interface Mint had the last time I put it on? Big buttons down the left hand side? Like that? :P
A UI so terrible I gave up on Mint, yes even though I could easily have ripped it out and thrown KDE or Gnome on.

I do not have a problem with them copying each other. However, just like in school tests: it is important to copy the good stuff, not the bad stuff

Re: I have no pity (Score: 1)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2014-08-31 11:43 (#2RXR)

I still find myself going back to WindowMaker. Not sure why, but it has everything I need, stays the hell out of my way, and doesn't try to be fancy.