2012: now we know the truth: Windows 8

[Eric S.]

CNET reports that at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles this week, a Microsoft slide show presented evidence for a 2012 release for Windows 8.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10402783-75.html

Any relation between this and the end of the world is purely coincidental.

[jmann]

Why did go back to numbering their OSes again? They were at 98, up to 2000, then they switched to letters ME and XP and now they are back at 7, and now an upcoming 8? I'm so confused with the inconsistency. :p

[mkrishnan]

Why did go back to numbering their OSes again? They were at 98, up to 2000, then they switched to letters ME and XP and now they are back at 7, and now an upcoming 8? I'm so confused with the inconsistency. :p

Given that Windows 7 is out now, how is the decision to name the next OS Windows 8 an inconsistency? :D

You know, and then they have Windows 9, and then when they get to Windows 10, it'll be a stable and scalable operating system that they can expand upon for many years to come. Oh, wait, I think that story is about another operating system.... :o

[-aggie-]

Why did go back to numbering their OSes again? They were at 98, up to 2000, then they switched to letters ME and XP and now they are back at 7, and now an upcoming 8? I'm so confused with the inconsistency. :p

Because they're trying to be cool like Apple. I think we'll see Windows 8: Dachsund.

BTW, 2012 is when MS takes over the world. :)

[jmann]

Given that Windows 7 is out now, how is the decision to name the next OS Windows 8 an inconsistency? :D

You know, and then they have Windows 9, and then when they get to Windows 10, it'll be a stable and scalable operating system that they can expand upon for many years to come. Oh, wait, I think that story is about another operating system.... :o

I vote for it being abbreviated WinX ;)

Because they're trying to be cool like Apple. I think we'll see Windows 8: Weiner.

How about Windows 9: Poodle?

[LoneWolf121188]

Why did go back to numbering their OSes again? They were at 98, up to 2000, then they switched to letters ME and XP and now they are back at 7, and now an upcoming 8? I'm so confused with the inconsistency. :p
It's not entirely inconsistent/random. They refer to the kernel revision numbers. It goes: Windows 1, Windows 2, Windows 3, Windows 4 (aka Windows 95/98/98SE/ME), Windows 6 (aka Windows XP), and Windows 7.

Same goes for OS X: You've got 1-10, with other minor revisions (after the first decimal) along the way. 95/98/98SE/ME were all minor revisions of the Windows 4 kernel (like Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard).

[Nermal]

Given that Windows 7 is out now, how is the decision to name the next OS Windows 8 an inconsistency? :D

Windows 7 is actually version 6.1 :)

[mkrishnan]

Windows 7 is actually version 6.1 :)

I'll be generous, going off actual progress made by Windows versions, and call them as such....

- Windows 95 was really 1.0
- Win2k was the next worthy iteration, 2.0
- Windows XP was really just a prettying up of 2k, so 2.1
- Vista was...
- And then Windows 7 then can be version 3.0. :)

[Gabriel GR]

7 is good already. Not good enough to keep me using pc's but good. Hopefully the next version will be even better.

Why hate windows. There are things I do better in Windows, others I do better in linux and for everything else OS X. Most of the time I run all 3 simultaneously.

We just need more RAM. 16gb on a laptop with a 8GB OS X and a couple of 3-4GB VM's for the win.

[KeriJane]

CNET reports that at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles this week, a Microsoft slide show presented evidence for a 2012 release for Windows 8.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10402783-75.html

Any relation between this and the end of the world is purely coincidental.


So THAT'S why all those Prophets, Seers and Clairvoyants said 2012 is it!

Wow! Such stunning accuracy. I'm genuinely impressed that all these people that lived hundreds of years ago could accurately predict the unveiling of Windows 8! Oh. Oops. I meant "End of the World". :p

Have Fun,
Keri

PS. I wonder if Nostradamus mentions anything about an "Evil Hex being placed upon the world" at the end of days?

PPS. Just Kidding, OK, Microserfs?

[Gav2k]

Rumor has it that it'll be ready for the ship no ark launch allowing you to steer with the power of your mind. Hopefully they will have service pack 1.0 out in time to either close the door or a bulkhead or the Americans are screwed!

[LoneWolf121188]

I'll be generous, going off actual progress made by Windows versions, and call them as such....

- Windows 95 was really 1.0
- Win2k was the next worthy iteration, 2.0
- Windows XP was really just a prettying up of 2k, so 2.1
- Vista was...
- And then Windows 7 then can be version 3.0. :)

So what does that make Windows 1, 2, and 3? :p
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows#Versions

[flopticalcube]

At least they can give a date. OSX 10.7 is ready when?

[Jason Beck]

They should change the name from Windows to something else.

[TSE]

It always goes about the same:

Windows 95 - Innovating, but has problems
Windows 98 - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable
Windows ME/2000 - Innovates, but has problems
Windows XP - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable
Windows Vista - Innovates, but has problems
Windows 7 - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable

Some of these are highly disputable, but overall I would have to say that is how Microsoft has gone. Windows 7 broke the mold the most by changing the UI, but it didn't do much else besides fix Vista's problems.

[jaw04005]

It always goes about the same:

Windows 95 - Innovating, but has problems
Windows 98 - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable
Windows ME/2000 - Innovates, but has problems
Windows XP - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable
Windows Vista - Innovates, but has problems
Windows 7 - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable

Some of these are highly disputable, but overall I would have to say that is how Microsoft has gone. Windows 7 broke the mold the most by changing the UI, but it didn't do much else besides fix Vista's problems.

There was nothing innovative about Windows Me except System Restore and Automatic Updates. Basically, Gates was fed up with the operating system team because the consumer version of 2000 wasn’t ready, and forced Windows Me to the market thrown together.

It was not a planned product. In fact, after 98 SE was released Microsoft specifically stated that there would be no more consumer releases based on the 9x kernel.

PC Magazine named it the “mistake edition” when it came out.

And Windows XP was fairly innovative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_Windows_XP

[TuffLuffJimmy]

It always goes about the same:

Windows 95 - Innovating, but has problems
Windows 98 - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable
Windows ME/2000 - Innovates, but has problems
Windows XP - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable
Windows Vista - Innovates, but has problems
Windows 7 - Doesn't innovate, but makes the OS more stable

Some of these are highly disputable, but overall I would have to say that is how Microsoft has gone. Windows 7 broke the mold the most by changing the UI, but it didn't do much else besides fix Vista's problems.

That pattern doesn't hold up at all. XP was more innovative than ME or 2000. Vista was not innovative, other than flip 3D and proving an OS could require a ridiculous amount of resources (for the time). Windows 7 is the most innovative Windows operating system I've seen since 95, simply because of the change in window management.

[flopticalcube]

That pattern doesn't hold up at all. XP was more innovative than ME or 2000. Vista was not innovative, other than flip 3D and proving an OS could require a ridiculous amount of resources (for the time).
Vista also came with DX10 and Aero.

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Vista also came with DX10 and Aero.

What was so innovative about DX10? Didn't it just support new graphics cards?

[flopticalcube]

What was so innovative about DX10? Didn't it just support new graphics cards?
Its the other way round. DX10 came first and the hardware came after to support it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct3D_10#Direct3D_10
New features:

Fixed pipelines[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct3D_10#cite_note-8) are being done away with in favor of fully programmable pipelines (often referred to as unified pipeline architecture), which can be programmed to emulate the same.
New state object to enable (mostly) the CPU to change states efficiently.
Shader model 4.0 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shader_model_4.0), enhances the programmability of the graphics pipeline (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_pipeline). It adds instructions for integer and bitwise calculations.
Geometry shaders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometry_shaders), which work on adjacent triangles which form a mesh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygon_mesh).
Texture (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texture_mapping) arrays enable swapping of textures in GPU without CPU intervention.
Predicated Rendering allows drawing calls to be ignored based on some other conditions. This enables rapid occlusion culling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_surface_determination), which prevents objects from being rendered if it is not visible or too far to be visible.
Instancing 2.0 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometry_instancing) support, allowing multiple instances of similar meshes, such as armies, or grass or trees, to be rendered in a single draw call, reducing the processing time needed for multiple similar objects to that of a single one.[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct3D_10#cite_note-9)

[Eidorian]

And Windows XP was fairly innovative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_Windows_XP2000 was enough for me back in those days.

At the time a NT-based OS with plug-in play with an additional multimedia features and hardware set was king until XP Service Pack 2.

[old-wiz]

By scheduling windows 8 after the end of the world, they won't have to worry about making release dates.

[Eric S.]

At least they can give a date. OSX 10.7 is ready when?

I'm sure Apple knows the date and could give it if they wanted to. They're just more into the secrecy thing.

[jaw04005]

I'm sure Apple knows the date and could give it if they wanted to. They're just more into the secrecy thing.

I'm sure they have a year/quarter. We'll likely find out at WWDC '10. Personally, I think 10.7 Cougar/Lynx will ship in the Spring 2011 time frame.

[flopticalcube]

They're just more into the secrecy thing.And this helps customers how? Everyone rags on MS for coming up with a date for their next OS but at least it helps people to plan ahead. Secrecy only benefits the mind games played by a few Apple execs.

[Eric S.]

And this helps customers how?

It doesn't help customers. In fact it's quite aggravating.

Everyone rags on MS for coming up with a date for their next OS but at least it helps people to plan ahead.

Was someone ragging on MS? I just thought it was an interesting bit of information.

[apfhex]

They refer to the kernel revision numbers. It goes: Windows 1, Windows 2, Windows 3, Windows 4 (aka Windows 95/98/98SE/ME), Windows 6 (aka Windows XP), and Windows 7.
So I guess we're just going to pretend Vista never existed then. :D

But nah, you're right (edit: except XP was version 5), Vista was 6.0 and 7 is 6.1, so it's still 6.x though it sounds really silly.

[Gabriel GR]

2000 was enough for me back in those days.

At the time a NT-based OS with plug-in play with an additional multimedia features and hardware set was king until XP Service Pack 2.

In fact 2000 was the best version of Windows. I remember when I updated to XP from 2000. Stinger virus era etc. My computer got infected the very moment I connected to the internet.

My OS history has been

Win 95
Win 98SE
Win 2000 - Red Hat
Win XP SP2 - Ubuntu
OS X - Win 7 - Ubuntu

[Buzz Bumble]

How about Windows 9: Poodle?

More like Windows 8: Chihuahua Puppy ... makes lots of noise, lots of mess, but isn't really useful for anything. ;)

[PowerGamerX]

I've never had anything against Windows, people complain and complain AND complain. But in my experience, I haven't had any trouble with stability or performance since ME. Sure I prefer the Mac environment, but I'm just as comfortable in Windows as OSX. I still use Vista on my gaming machine and I use XP on the virtual machine on my PowerBook. Plus for games there is no other way to go but Windows. :cool:

[Buzz Bumble]

Plus for games there is no other way to go but Windows. :cool:

For games you're probably better off with a PlayStation, Wii, or even a dreaded Xbox. Or for handheld games there's the Nintendo DS, PSP or even the iPod Touch / iPhone. :)

[The Flashing Fi]

So I guess we're just going to pretend Vista never existed then. :D

But nah, you're right (edit: except XP was version 5), Vista was 6.0 and 7 is 6.1, so it's still 6.x though it sounds really silly.

Actually, the "7" does not come from the Kernel number. It stands for the "7th" major release of Windows.

According to Eric Traut, there was Windows 1.0, 2.0, 3.0. They consider the 4th iteration to be Windows NT 4.0, then Windows XP being the 5th, and Vista the 6th.

You can watch this video, where he give a demonstration on virtualization and goes over the previous 6 "generations" of Windows:

http://www.istartedsomething.com/20071019/eric-talk-demo-windows-7-minwin/


It has nothing to do with the kernel number though.

However, he will talk about MinWin though, and it being in Windows 7. It never did end up in Windows 7 though. This presentation is over 2 years old.

[CylonGlitch]

According to Eric Traut, there was Windows 1.0, 2.0, 3.0. They consider the 4th iteration to be Windows NT 4.0, then Windows XP being the 5th, and Vista the 6th.

Sadly I have owned EVERY major version of Windows. I might still have my 1.0 and 2.0 disks!

[Consultant]

Why did go back to numbering their OSes again? They were at 98, up to 2000, then they switched to letters ME and XP and now they are back at 7, and now an upcoming 8? I'm so confused with the inconsistency. :p

Because MS doesn't want Windows 7

aka Windows Vista Mojave Experiment
aka Windows Vista SP2

to be associated with Windows Vista.

[BeijingMac]

Sadly I have owned EVERY major version of Windows. I might still have my 1.0 and 2.0 disks!

we could say that you're just a glutton for punishment? :confused:

[thejadedmonkey]

The real question is: What will be in Windows 8? I can foresee some control panel cleanup, and a little streamlining here and there, but I think Microsoft and Apple have both started to run out of good consumer ideas to do with a mouse and keyboard based computing system.

[Stevamundo]

They should change the name from Windows to something else.

Yeah, something like “Ugly Interface With Viruses." Or just “UIWV” for short. :D

[bcrguy]

At least they can give a date. OSX 10.7 is ready when?

snow leopard just came out a little while ago.. and it doesnt need to be redone because of problems..

[OasisNYK]

The real question is: What will be in Windows 8? I can foresee some control panel cleanup, and a little streamlining here and there, but I think Microsoft and Apple have both started to run out of good consumer ideas to do with a mouse and keyboard based computing system.

They key to your statement is mouse and keyboard - we need to move into the next generation of computing.

A computer today does basically the same thing as a computer from 10 years ago, only faster. Sure there are a couple of innovations here and there, portability has increased, but reality is not much has changed in terms of how we interact with them. We need a major innovation - 3D desktop, touchscreen interaction, the tech we saw in Minority Report, or Virtual Reality - the 2D desktop has pretty much gone as far as it can go.

[Eidorian]

Click to run (http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=3528) has my interest right now. Hopefully more vendors will use this virtual application package model (http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/appv/dynamic.mspx) for deployment.

[MrBrekke]

Windows 7 is actually version 6.1 :)

actually it is: Windows NT, OS version: 6.1.7600

Host Name: WIN-RG3D51LVI7M
OS Name: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
OS Version: 6.1.7600 N/A Build 7600
OS Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration: Standalone Workstation
OS Build Type: Multiprocessor Free

taken from my virtual Win7.


and some info.. server 2010 looks nice :) but will not come until late 2010 or early 2011.

[Kevin Paquet]

Guess we're not only have the approx year when it'll be released but also the date. 21-12-12 :D:D:D

:apple:

[roadbloc]

I reckon Windows 8 will be fully 64bit, no 32bit release. So I think I smell a 'Windows 64'.

Or how about a very imaginative Windows Areo.