The Last Days of Windows 7

[JimJoe]

"Last days".. is that a joke? It's barely a few years old

Its the planned replacement thing. Like a used car that is still running, go out and buy a new one.

That is called marketing

Incentive for me to switch to linux. Probably not intended by Microsoft, but that is the effect.

 

[Cr00zng]

Regardless of whether the new interface is a minimalist approach or has gaudy colors, is it fair to say that perhaps the new Metro approach with the Smart screen and the way applications are arranged by tiles and icons would be a better and cleaner way to organize all of your programs? Because in my opinion, as much as an improvement as the Start menu was over, say, Program Manager, it still can get pretty convoluted and messy once a large number of programs are added to it. Maybe this will ultimately be more logical.

Maybe not more logical for techy people, but certainly could be a welcome addition for the average end users.

I did install Windows 8 on one of my laptops and the Metro interface does not look much different from the current Windows Mobile 7 phone interface. The difference is that once you go beyond the Metro interface on Windows 8, it is Windows 7 interface all over. This may change with the final version, but for now it'll suffice.

The problem that Microsoft has is that the Touch Tablet, and like devices, are expected to become a major factor in the market in the next few years. Microsoft has to be in that market, or will suffer, the "One Size, (or Look & Feel), fits all" philosophy may be a good thing for Windows' future, as long as it is managed correctly.

The "one size fits all" philosophy will be hard, if not impossible with a single code base. The main limiting factor is power consumptions between the iOS and OS. While the power requirements are mainly driven by CPU type and the additional devices, the size of OS has a lot to do with it as well.

Microsoft can and did use the same interface for Windows 7 Mobile and Windows 8, but that's where the similarities end; the code base is drastically different between the two. Just like the MS Office on a PC and on the Windows 7 Mobile, there are functional and code differences between the two Offices. The intent of having the same interface on the smartphone, tablet, and PC may just work out well for the average end user. Or may not based on the "success" of Windows 7 Mobile phone.

While I don't have a personal smartphone, iPhone through work, I want this Windows 7.5 smartphone. It has 13.2 megapixels camera and the smartphone is waterproof. Taking pictures under water just got easier, provided you don't drop it...

 

[Bill2]

Theres a rumour work on windows 9 has already started. It includes a gestures gui like in the Tom Cruise movie Minority report.

 

[gregrocker]

I thought when Win7 came out that the only thing remaining was using the hands in midair, then I tried it on a touchscreen and realized it is almost there.

How much of a leap is there to being able to snap your fingers to have a screen projected in midair, tap and move things around with your hands.

 

[Bill2]

I thought when Win7 came out that the only thing remaining was using the hands in midair, then I tried it on a touchscreen and realized it is almost there.

How much of a leap is there to being able to snap your fingers to have a screen projected in midair, tap and move things around with your hands.

Oh and I forgot to mention, it is also supposed to be "Extraction" capable (thought reading) like in the Di Caprio movie Inception.

 

[echrada]

I have decided that as soon as the new Samsung Developer Tablet is ready for public release I will be getting one, however my Windows 7 PC and laptop isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

After playing with IE10 I am looking foward to that release, but will it ever be available with anything but Windows 8?

 

[Barman58]

I thought when Win7 came out that the only thing remaining was using the hands in midair, then I tried it on a touchscreen and realized it is almost there.

How much of a leap is there to being able to snap your fingers to have a screen projected in midair, tap and move things around with your hands.

Oh and I forgot to mention, it is also supposed to be "Extraction" capable (thought reading) like in the Di Caprio movie Inception.

Don't fancy a BSOD with that switched on

 

[KazeNoKoe23]

I have decided that as soon as the new Samsung Developer Tablet is ready for public release I will be getting one, however my Windows 7 PC and laptop isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

After playing with IE10 I am looking foward to that release, but will it ever be available with anything but Windows 8?

According to a report in April, IE10 will be on Windows 7.

Internet Explorer 10 will be Windows 7 and vNext only | WinRumors

 

[jogger912]

it is good to know that Windows 8 will focus on the tablet users.

Being a tablet user myself, Windows 7 was far from being a tablet OS. For first I wish for the Desktop's taskbar menu would get me into my stored links menu instead of wanting to launch the application when i select the icon.

Window 7 did well to categorize shortcuts but we are still expected to use our mouse and right-click in order to get our sub-menu.... it should be the opposite. Now that i have access to all my frequently used files, i want to get to them first, who cares to launch the application instead, the apps will be launched anyway when i open my shortcut.

 

[M1GU31]

i wont update i'm fine with win 7 only time ill update is if it stops being supported with the majority of products and stops being supported completely unless i see win 8 have something to offer that i would be interested in like better performance then 7 but i don't see that happening anytime soon. Use to be a win xp user then went to win 7 and i'm happier with win 7 then i was with xp so atm no i wont be upgrading to win 8 anytime soon unless its a big improvement so far it seems that it just a change towards tablet users and i don't have a tablet so this does not interest me at all.

 

[zEric7x]

I am just happy with windows 7. The only time I will ever upgrade to windows 8 is if I get a new laptop or a desktop. But I'm happy there making progress.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

I agree zEric7x.
Won't change over till I review how others are doing( at least 6 months) and if I need to get new lappy.
This old dog is tired of chasing new OS's and shelling out coins to MS Inc.

 

[Phone Man]

Windows 7 will be supported until 2015 and with MS on a 3 year release schedule I look for Windows 8 in 2012 and Windows 9(or whatever its called) in 2015. Probably get tired of Windows 7 by then and need a new OS fix.

Jim

 

[panais]

Windows 7 will be supported until 2015 and with MS on a 3 year release schedule I look for Windows 8 in 2012 and Windows 9(or whatever its called) in 2015. Probably get tired of Windows 7 by then and need a new OS fix.

Jim

Many things will change until 2015.

 

[biggles1000]

As many other have said, I will definitely be sticking with Windows 7. I've been playing around with Windows 8 in VirtualBox (yes, I know it's FAR from the final version - hopefully )over the past few days, and sure, it's snappy, but metro does seem to get in my face as I seem to suffer from digital-claustrophobia (I've always got stressed when something on a screen is really packed, like a 640x480 resolution or a desktop FULL of icons). I know it's a new OS, but it seems incredibly counter-intuitive, I mean, at least W7 worked the same way as Vista, XP etc....

 

[Sub Styler]

My only two questions are ....

1) How will having two UI selections affect the response on the new OS (slower or faster than Win 7) I would imagine that even if one of the UI is turned off it still might add some additional layer of code to the processes or not, can someone help me out on this.

2) Improving how reliable Windows Update is at cleanly installing updates without problems or failures on a system that is only has well known major programs on it and has not been compromised by Malware or had the registry screwed with by the owner.

WU just always seems to be the weak link IMO.

In answer to question one this would depend on how well the code was written and what it was optimised for (rapid switching or lowest total overhead) MS will probably decide users will choose the UI ocassionally and not pre-load any elements that arent going to be used.

in comment to question 2, I used to have frequent problems with WU in XP and ocasionally with vista. IMO its getting better as I havent had any fault with updates for 7 despite how many there are, this goes for my system (which hasnt been re-installed in over a year with all updates working) and other systems that I have re-installed for people recently. Even enabling updates on my wifes laptop that has had update turned off for a while didnt cause any problems (lots of catching up to do though).

 

[FerchogtX]

it's snappy, but metro does seem to get in my face as I seem to suffer from digital-claustrophobia

We suffer from the same illness, I hate having my desktop full of icons, without any organization and covered entirely by things that, in the majority of the time, I will barely use, like Control panel... it is just fine in Start menu as it is right now, just using it whenever I need it but NOT covering my screen...

I know metro is intended for tablet use indeed, but overloading the screen with more graphics is just useless, at least for me...

See ya!!

 

[Trucidation]

Exactly - I have zero icons on my desktop. I launch the majority of my apps by pressing Start and then typing a few letters of the program's name - that little search bar in the start menu has been a huge boon for me. Barely need to open up the menu proper, on average the need to actually open up and scroll through the All Programs menu occurs only once a week or so. It's a real speedbump when I have to interact with my XP machines now, hahah.

Win8's gonna need some really compelling changes under the hood for me to consider upgrading any time soon, and a tablet UI definitely is NOT it.

 

[Borg 386]

I'll probably stick with 7 until either I get a new PC, or maybe if I can get it at a discount price, I hear they give Windows discounts to students. They have other software at the school like Adobe stuff, for about 1/2 of what it costs on the market.

 

[gregrocker]

If you beta test you'll be hooked up to free and half price offers going forward. At least that was the case with Win7.

But exactly when are we supposed to have time to beta test Win8? How late is late to avoid being a late adapter, or adopter as google wants to correct?