Microsoft Netherlands published a news story on their website on Friday to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the release of Windows 7. Nothing surprising there one would think, except for the fact that the last paragraph of the article gave an outlook at the future, revealing the Windows 8 release date.
This isn’t news. Microsoft already confirmed way before Windows 7 was released that they would intate a 3 year cycle. Windows 7 was released one year ago, so do the math.
Edited 2010-10-24 23:32 UTC
I upgraded to Windows 7, but only because I am the default tech support for my friends and family, so I need to be up to date in order to help them. If it weren’t for that, I’d still be on XP. If WinXP was running rock solid with no security issues as it was for me, Win7 just doesn’t have a whole lot to offer, especially since I actually like the old ‘Win32 classic’ UI better. But, what would I like to see in Windows 8? Well, I stick to Windows because that’s where the best and widest selection of apps are on the desktop, but in terms of functionality, it’s lacking features that have been standard on one or more other operating systems for years.
– For starters, how about a file manager that doesn’t SUCK ASS??? I wouldn’t expect them to include a file manager with as much functionality as Directory Opus (that would be way too much power for mere mortals to handle), but how about at LEAST allowing to filter by file type, and including tabs? And for f**k’s sake, PLEASE bring back the ‘up one level’ button.
– A search function that actually works
– Update the standard mouse driver/APIs to support 4-5 button mice
– A multi-clipboard manager
– A system-wide spell checker
– Tools built into the OS to slipstream latest drivers and service packs into the install disc
– A service to allow me to update any/all installed apps at once, so I don’t have 9 million different apps wanting to install ‘update agents’ in the task tray
– A built in SSH client
– Ability to handle more audio/video codecs out of the box, including blu-ray. (Win7 made improvements in this area, but they could do more.)
– Support for more compression types (such as multi-file rar and 7zip) out of the box
Well, that’s just what I can come up with off the top of my head… these would be a good start.
The “up” button have been replaced by the interactive path, it is much better if you want my opinion. As for the SSH client, why do you expect that, why would they do one? The whole point of PowerShell and the new microsoft effort to comeback in scripting is to be better than Unix. They will not include an utility and say “well, you can at least connect to something better now”. As for truely integration SSH feature in Windows (painless remote Windows, quick file transfer, remote browsing) well, it is there (RDP, LiveMessenger), but it is nowhere near as integrated as SSH can be in Konqueror or using SSHfs. They should fix that instead of adding an ssh client.
As for codecs, archive format and all that, it is patented, and Microsoft is an easy target. Most business fear to directly attack the FLOSS communoty (notable exeption include Oracle and [s] formerly[/s] Microsoft). The collateral damage 300 000 geeks can do to an image is massive. But suing Microsoft is just a nice way to make money.
What I want to see in Windows 8 is a Windows store with strict UI guideline for apps approval. The consistency in Windows is a total disaster, and it is the only way to force pseudo artistic developers to conform for the food of everybody. Mac OSX and KDE done it well until now, but Apple is now in a long transition to iOS guidelines for the desktop, so expect a mess sooner than later.
Edited 2010-10-25 04:15 UTC
I wanted the uplink also in the beginning. But I can live (and miss those now on XP!) now with the breadcrummbs and the backlink and the folder menu to get where I want. Do tell explorer to expand folders!
But yea, have a arrow button extra would be fine.
+1. The breadcrumb bar is a nice addition, but it’s too tiny to be easily targeted (see nautilus for an example of size done right) and most of the time we just want to go up one folder so that common case should be optimized.
If they haven’t changed it from XP, Backspace is a shortcut for that. Much easier to hit than some button using mouse.
Backspace is used as the back button now (I just tested it)
Alt + Up is up, while Alt + Left is back, AFAIR (I’m on XP right now)
At least that makes sense – Alt-left/right is also the previous page in web browsers. But why in hell did they have to change backspace, only MS management knows.
You make some good points there, nothing I disagree with. I do a lot of Windows installs…so making up to date install disks is a must for me (unless I want to sit in Windows Update for hours for each install). I loved nLite for XP. In case you haven’t heard about it, there is a similar tool for 7 that works great IMO. Gives you many of the same options and lets you unlock all editions on any 7 ISO. The tool is RT Seven Lite @ http://www.rt7lite.com/. It takes quite a bit longer than nLite, because of the decompression and rebuilding process…but it still is a handy tool!
Yeah, I know about nLite and its ilk. It is one of the 30+ utils that I run. Point is, these utils should really be baked into the OS. IMHO, that would really bring some value-add to Windows 8. Only problem is, these kinds of tools are for power users, and Microsoft (and Apple for that matter) doesn’t give a shit about power users.
Very true. It doesn’t seem like a feature that I could ever imagine being “baked in” to the OS. But I do wonder why Microsoft doesn’t have some sort of utility that does these things available for download. A lot of administrators and IT people would make use of such a utility. I am not sure if someone working in a large firm would be allowed to use these 3rd party utilities…I kind of doubt it. I am not sure they are illegal in any way, but I know they may go against the IT policies at big firms. I just run a small computer repair shop…so I don’t see anything wrong with using them.
Anything that permits relatively secure file transmission across the public internet, like SFTP or even a working WebDAV client for Windows Explorer. Its a pain in the neck to try and set up VPN and I shouldn’t have to just to share files.
In Windows 7:
Click -> start -> run or Windows key + R-> cmd
after type the command ver and your version of windows 7 is Windows 6.1.xxx not 7.
Nobody has Windows 7 yet,it is marketing name. Windows 7 does not even exist maybe 6.1 = 7?
How can we get Windows 8 if we do not have Windows 7, I mean Windows 7.00
You can check with Dxdiag or Msinfo.
It is always the same story, when Apple wants to release a new OS, Microsoft will try to release also an Os to get an attention, if Microsoft is planning to release Apple has to release something to get the attention.
Now the lion MAC OS X is coming and Microsoft wants to get attention with a new release.
That IS when the Mayan calendar said the end of the world would come, right?
It means the Mayan calendar nonsense is true, and Win8 will use about two months to destroy the world.
Gates and Balmer are prophets of the many tentacled starborn-ones, and Windows 8 is the sacrifice that will open the gateway to the netherworlds