Microsoft gives peek at Windows 8

Rancho Palos Verdes, California (CNN) -- The next version of Windows will look a lot like Windows Phone 7. But the familiar PC design is still there under the hood.

Microsoft unveiled the design for Windows 8 at the All Things Digital conference here on Wednesday. The software giant plans to provide a more extensive demonstration at a conference for application developers in September.

Windows 8, which may not be the final name for the operating system, won't be available in stores this fall, as optimists had predicted, said Steven Sinofsky, the Windows division president. Analysts expect it to be released next year.

Read the full paper here

Lots of screenshoots of what will be Windows 8 here



Soft keyboard

Windows 8 will be touch-enable:



Windows 8 file system view

i did not like the phone version and now they brought the phone version to PC


go f your self microsoft and everything you stand for .

i will wait for windows 9


ty for the info

Just looks like the whole thing is just media center.

Sucks.

Why is operating system advancement synonymous with dumbing-down and locking-out?

Wow this is pure fail, I will stick with Windows 7. I just cant see myself using Photoshop, Reason and all my other softwares with a mobile phone UI.

I'm sure it will have all the latest updated Big Brother software to track and trace everything you say and do online... to be later used against you if & when you get arrested for the next make believe statute that criminalizes what you love to do. I'm not buying a new computer when mine becomes obsolete just to keep up with this snail pace release of technology to milk us to death buying the latest devices.... I'll go sit in the woods and enjoy the peace & quiet.

Microsoft are trying to push a consumer device interface on to a productivity device like a computer.

wrong move, it just wont work.
I would imagine that it will work with usb keyboards and mice but who wants to be touching a screen for five hours a day using Excel ?

Even Apple know not to mix the touch interface with a desktop operating system (that's why the Ipad and macos X are fundamentally different).

Also the idea of logging in via this new gui in order to drop to the conventional desktop to perform work is just plain stupid.

Interesting suff that Microsoft is doing now days...

I for one am pretty happy with Windows 7, but then I am a Windows XP fan still to this day...XP was and is still an awesome operating system. I use an old HP laptop with XP for searches and such while I am playing around here and there, and it is still running like a champ...with the exception of having to do some file compressions every now and then, and the occasional disk clean-up. Windows 7 has my vote thus far, and depending on what a person uses there computer for, Windows 7 has yet to fail me and I have pushed the limits for sure.

When Micosoft introduces a new operating system I usually wait a bit before making any decisions on it. I have a friend that is in the computer repair business and if I am patient I can usually get all the information on a new systems faults and occasionally failures (...like Windows Vista...garbage by the way...) and then I decide if it is something I want to chance playing around with.

With the introduction of the i-pad comes a whole new package of issues, so if history is any indication, this new operating system will have some kinks that need to be worked out before it is up to par ( if ever...Vista still is a nightmare...).

I am anxious to play around with it though...just because I am the curious sort...I would love to see how it handles software like Microsoft Photo Story 3, and some of my favorite little programs!

I'm starting to think they shouldn't come up with win7, 8, 9... ...over 9000. Why not just stick with win7 and tune it to perfection? Oh yeah, money...

I think its brilliant. The whole concept is giving what people want/like. Have you worked on a smartphone? A slate/tablet? They make navigation so easy! This type of UI is the future whether you like it or not. so, why not incorporate the same functionality into a PC UI? You are getting the best of both worlds.

Some of you see it as dumbing down. I see it as progress. The idea is to have everyone enjoy the PC experience.

Originally posted by richiev
Some of you see it as dumbing down. I see it as progress. The idea is to have everyone enjoy the PC experience.

I dont understand this.

PC's arent new. This is ancient technology at this point and we're still fumbling around with a population that finds it too difficult?

Part of my job is making sure everyone can "enjoy the PC experience" and the biggest complaint I get from some 85 year old who just got comfortable with a program is when the company changes it up on them.

Just that stupid orb in the new Office suite has caused so much trouble it's unbelievable. Everybody running around arms flailing shouting "where did File go!!!!" "I can't print!!!"

Anyone still owning Microsoft stock, SELL IT NOW!!!

This is so incredibly stupid. They are simply putting a dumbed-down "media center" style user interface on top of their old operating system.

Fail.

reply to post by richiev


I bet you like shiny objects also don't you skipper?

reply to post by elevenaugust


I agree with NOT convertting a mobile phone OS to PC... I use a 40 inch monitor!!! like I want 8 inch wide icons that are touch sensitive!!! I use audio production software daily!!! Im just glad that it would take UNTIL windows 9 release to create the new software I'd have to use on 8!

I used to be wary of 7. Only used xp for years. 7 so far is where its at. 8 looks overkill.

Idea for 9?

Compatibility all around!!!

Yes, Microsoft has to make money. They do that by releasing new software. Without new and, hopefully, improved, we would complain that they are not cutting edge.

Apple is doing the same with Mac OS. Why can't Microsoft.

There is always going to be a learning curve when a new version of anything is released. Take the automobile for example. Look at all the bells and whistles included now on cars compared to 30 years ago. Advancements to keep up with the times. The same holds true with Windows. Compared to to Windows 30 years ago, you can do far more with Win7 than anyone would have dreamed way back then.

I am no way endorsing the new OS in any way without trying it out first, but I do look forward to a test drive. When Win7 was available in beta I jumped since I needed to see for myself they improved on Vista.

It's really the same thing that the auto industry has done for decades.

The car companies don't necessarily redesign the engine and suspension, the important stuff every model year. But simply the outer appearance ala the sheet metal.

It's pretty easy that way. For in the eyes of the consumer, New sheet metal = New Car.

And more profits for the car companies....

That's all that Windows is , it's simply a GUI (Graphical User Interface) layered on the original intel compliant Windows NT core operating system.

So just as the car industry has done, Microsoft as adopted this paradigm for the sake of profitability....

On that note though, just as you can revert back to older "Desktop Look" I am certain that you will be able to with Windows 8 as well.....especially since it's built on the existing Windows 7 OS anyway....

You simply won't have the ability to use the touch screen functionality....

I too keep some of my old XP systems around as well....it's lean and mean.....totally avoided Vista.....it was simply more security layered upon XP....making it slower BTW.

I do like Windows 7 as well and will not transcend for many years to come as well as saving a few $$$ on stuff that I will never need or use....

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Just looks like the whole thing is just media center.

Sucks.

Why is operating system advancement synonymous with dumbing-down and locking-out?

I think you make some excellent points there. It does indeed seem like they are being dumbed down, and how can that be called "advancement"? I don't think it is, its newer, but not better.

As someone once said, "newer ain't always better". In some cases it is, but in many cases it isn't, this looks like one of the latter.