Windows Threshold

[colonydata]

Highlights
Start Menu is back with metro tiles pinned to it. it will expand to a full screen.

Windows RT and Windows Phone are merging into one OS. Desktop mode is a goner.

Early 2015 launch along side a Xbone software update.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/21/5924013/windows-9-screenshots-start-menu

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Essentially Windows 8 with a start menu of sorts but no desktop for tablets or phones? We'll see how Windows 9 actually goes when it hits market.

 

[colonydata]

Essentially Windows 8 with a start menu of sorts but no desktop for tablets or phones? We'll see how Windows 9 actually goes when it hits market.

Phones do not have desktop mode to start with. Since Desktop Mode in RT is pretty limited anyway its not a big loss. Basically it's dropping Windows RT in favor of Windows Phone for tablets ala IOS or Android.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Hopefully they will rebrand it Windows Mobile so that people don't wonder why a tablet has a phone OS. Or maybe they think users are now with it enough to understand that what with Android and iOS running on both.

 

[phaZed]

Hopefully they will rebrand it Windows Mobile so that people don't wonder why a tablet has a phone OS. Or maybe they think users are now with it enough to understand that what with Android and iOS running on both.

Won't be Windows Mobile, as in "Windows Mobile CE" - been there done that, the original Windows smartphone before Apple and Android.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I'm not talking about CE. Most users have no knowledge of it so they can safely reuse the name.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Kind of wish they would make it more like Windows 7, but might be interesting.

 

[cypress]

Kind of wish they would make it more like Windows 7, but might be interesting.

That's the rumor mill! lol. Keep hearing Windows 9 may sway that way, but honestly who knows!

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Here's the deal. Windows 7 just works. Period. With Mac OS X, yes they change things. I was Apple certified back around the days of 10.4-10.6. Do I know every new feature? No. Can I sit down and play with a Mac for a few minutes and knowledge start to come back and still feel reasonably comfortable with the OS due to an interface that is pretty common to the older one? YES! That's the key. Apple is adding new stuff, but the things they add don't get your way, they allow you discover it instead of being oh, we are going to make you use it, you can many times ease into it. Whereas Windows 8, Microsoft basically said here's the way you are going to use our system now.

 

[Martyn]

Here's the deal. Windows 7 just works. Period. With Mac OS X, yes they change things. I was Apple certified back around the days of 10.4-10.6. Do I know every new feature? No. Can I sit down and play with a Mac for a few minutes and knowledge start to come back and still feel reasonably comfortable with the OS due to an interface that is pretty common to the older one? YES! That's the key. Apple is adding new stuff, but the things they add don't get your way, they allow you discover it instead of being oh, we are going to make you use it, you can many times ease into it. Whereas Windows 8, Microsoft basically said here's the way you are going to use our system now.

Yes and for the first operating system since Windows began! If you gave someone a pc with any version of Windows bar 8 they would find their way around if they have experience of any other version bar 8.

 

[colonydata]

Won't be Windows Mobile, as in "Windows Mobile CE" - been there done that, the original Windows smartphone before Apple and Android.

I'm not talking about CE. Most users have no knowledge of it so they can safely reuse the name.

I think that is probably the best choice. there are a limited # of choices using the Windows _______ naming convention.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

I'm not saying to Microsoft don't innovate, but if you are going to do different UI's, allow the users to have choice. Make a menu that loads the first time they load their pc asking how will they use the computer and do they want a classic or modern interface. If you want, sell an older style start menu in windows store and advertise it for 10-15 bucks a head! I'm sure there would be takers.

Found another article with more screenshots.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2456...veal-more-detail-about-reborn-start-menu.html

 

[colonydata]

I'm not saying to Microsoft don't innovate, but if you are going to do different UI's, allow the users to have choice. Make a menu that loads the first time they load their pc asking how will they use the computer and do they want a classic or modern interface. If you want, sell an older style start menu in windows store and advertise it for 10-15 bucks a head! I'm sure there would be takers.

Found another article with more screenshots.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2456...veal-more-detail-about-reborn-start-menu.html

except that there is a ton of UX research that shows that more choice actually provides a worse user experience.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Ok, then just give the Windows 7 menu.

 

[colonydata]

Ok, then just give the Windows 7 menu.

take it you never tried a XP or 7 tablet that used a pen or touch screen then?

 

[colonydata]

So according to MS's CEO, they are merging all 3 into one OS. Desktop, Tablet, and Phone. Suck it up Metro isnt going anywhere.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Enough to not want to. I've used Windows 8a little on a touch-screen, and it works, but don't force the touch interface on to a traditional system.

 

[brandonkick]

The applications out there that give back the classic windows 7 UI are only going to get better.

Aside from that, we still have several years of windows 7 hanging around. Microsoft may be a little dense, but they won't throw away good money. I'm sure they know how big of a flop metro is.... they just need to find a way to go back to the way things were while maintaining their pride.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Well if they want to add in things that's fine, just don't force change that's not needed on us is all I'm saying. However, if they were smart, put the classic style start menu in the windows store, 20 bucks a head buddy.

 

[colonydata]

Well if they want to add in things that's fine, just don't force change that's not needed on us is all I'm saying. However, if they were smart, put the classic style start menu in the windows store, 20 bucks a head buddy.

so what they should do is keep making Windows 7 Ad infinitum. and just ignore the fact that Desktops and Laptops represent a shrinking number of sales.

It still amazes me how many people in this business are part of the flat earth society. I'm pretty sure if computer techs designed PCs we would still be using something that looked like Windows 3.1 or 95, and the computers would still be beige boxes, or bulky fire breathing dragons that got 5 minutes tops on battery.