Windows 8 / Windows vNext, Work Is Underway, Says Microsoft

[JMH]

Microsoft is confirming officially that it’s hard at work on the next iteration of the Windows client, the successor of Windows 7.

For the time being the next major version of the Windows client doesn’t have an official label. The Windows 8 moniker continues to be used largely, including by some Microsoft employees, but the Windows vNext, or simply Windows Next are also popular choices.

Now, fact is that planning for Windows 8 had started even before Windows 7 had reached Release Candidate, with the first confirmation offered almost two years ago.

But the latest details offered by the Redmond company are interesting because they offer a little information on the pillars of Windows 8.

“Meanwhile, work is underway for the next version of Windows,” reads the conclusion of the “A history of Windows - Highlights from the first 25 years” article.

But just above it is the ‘What’s next?’ question, with an answer from the software giant.

“Many laptops no longer have a slot for DVDs and some have solid state drives rather than conventional hard disks.

Windows 8 / Windows vNext, Work Is Underway, Says Microsoft - Softpedia

 

[Trucidation]

Windows Next. Hmmm.

Windows NEXT. Windows NeXT. Windows OpenStep.

I kid, I kid.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
Looks as if I'll be staying on W7 for the forseeable future

1) I don't want or need any form of ONLINE backup -- with stores selling 1TB small self powered USB drives for as little as 75 USD a pop I prefer to keep my own backups and archives. Online backup might be fine for some instiitutions but for home users with an ever increasing amount of data ONLINE backup / restore simply isn't feasable or cost effective.

Even if you get FAST download speeds it's the UPLOAD speed of domestic broadband systyems that will kill this very quickly and of course with more and more ISP's trying to wriggle every last cent they can out of you costs will also be out of the question with new lower bandwidth caps in the cheaper tariffs.

2) The emphsis on Windows Live -- not for me at all that one.

3) for laptop users on the move often in places where FAST internet access is either not available or very expensive the CLOUD is all but useless --you need LOCAL O/S and data.

I can't really imagine that a new O/S based with those as its core improvements will have people rushing around unlike when the first "unofficial builds" of W7 were available in the wild.

I'm not a big fan of using smartphones for internet usage either --screen far too small and keyboard non existent. You can't type a decent Word document just using thumbs like texters do for short texts on a mobile phone.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Dave76]

“Most everything is streamed, saved on flash drives, or saved in the "Cloud"—an online space for sharing files and storage.

“Windows Live—free programs and services for photos, movies, instant messaging, e‑mail, and social networking—is seamlessly integrated with Windows so that you can keep in touch from your PC, phone, or the web, extending Windows to the Cloud,” Microsoft stated.
...
Meanwhile Microsoft notes that the future is already here.

I think they may be right.

The question is how long will we have a choice of what we allow on the cloud?

Hopefully we will easily be able to retain the choice. This will decide the acceptance of Windows Next.

 

[lordvader]

The Copy paste function is nice
I hope in Win8 they have 2 options of it
Copy Paste 1
Copy Paste 2

that way we have 2 different copy paste
Eg: User ID & Pasword

 

[Tepid]

“Most everything is streamed, saved on flash drives, or saved in the "Cloud"—an online space for sharing files and storage.

“Windows Live—free programs and services for photos, movies, instant messaging, e‑mail, and social networking—is seamlessly integrated with Windows so that you can keep in touch from your PC, phone, or the web, extending Windows to the Cloud,” Microsoft stated.
...
Meanwhile Microsoft notes that the future is already here.

I think they may be right.

The question is how long will we have a choice of what we allow on the cloud?

Hopefully we will easily be able to retain the choice. This will decide the acceptance of Windows Next.

Full Blown Mainstream Linux Acceptance will be on fast track.

Or we will see another 10 year OS in Windows 7.

Actually I am seeing Win 8 as an Interim OS, something like ME was to XP and Vista to 7. Only not as bad as ME and much different than Vista.

Plus, yes, you are correct about the Cloud.
They (broadband providers) have been pissing and moaning about bandwidth for a while now. Which is why not too long ago, some of them instituted Bandwidth caps and additional bandwidth fees. Yeah, the cloud will die on the backs of those companies,, but it could also survive by Free Market. whoops,, sorry, that's a curse word to some.

 

[Trucidation]

So instead of our cpu/gpu being the bottleneck, it'll be our networks: say hello to your trusty friendly neighbourhood service providers! Great. Give them more leverage against us - not to mention how much extra control DRM-wise can be leveraged over a machine that's forced to be always online - and revert our computers' response times to match relics several obsolete generations of hardware ago.

Hyperbole, but they can easily go down that road. If we let them.