186 replies to this topic 2 votes

[Windows Nashville]

There have been a lot of comments about Windows 9 "fixing" all the problems in Windows 8, much as 7 "fixed" Vista. I'd like to see this happen too, but I think it's more likely that Microsoft will double down on the Metro/touch aspects of the OS and further deprecate the classic desktop experience.

What do you expect that Windows 9 will be like?

[TRC]

I've lost faith in them at this point and they clearly won't undo the terrible changes they've made so I don't think it will matter, Windows 7 will be my last Microsoft OS. Windows 9 will probably be even more Metro and app store based with more if not all of the traditional desktop stripped out.

[firey]

I've lost faith in them at this point and they clearly won't undo the terrible changes they've made so I don't think it will matter, Windows 7 will be my last Microsoft OS. Windows 9 will probably be even more Metro and app store based with more if not all of the traditional desktop stripped out.

I don't know about unable to undo them, however I am with you. I will ride 7 out as long as I can then once it becomes too oudated to function.. I will look at alternatives.

[siah1214]

I expect and hope more and more metro

[Hum]

a Start Menu

[Snake89]

I say Microsoft will get rid of the Metro UI for desktops.

[ledgori]

What I expect and what I want to see are different things.
I think Microsoft will improve the Metro concept and will remove more and more the classic desktop UI.
I believe we will no more see a explorer.exe like we are know today.

But I want to see nothing of metro.

[Josh the Nerd]

Metro is in a baby stage in Windows 8. I think of it as comparable to DOS or Windows 1.0 in terms of maturity. The most obvious next step is to allow WinRT apps to switch from full-screen mode to windowed mode. I imagine a Windows 9 where Metro and "desktop" apps are treated as equals. Apps run in full-screen or maximized mode by default, and the "desktop" is accessed by switching an app to windowed mode, instead of having a Desktop app.

As for the idea that the desktop and Win32 compatibility would be done away with as soon as Windows 9, Microsoft's history indicates otherwise. 16-bit applications were still fully supported until XP x64, 10 years after Windows 95, and they're still supported in the 32-bit version of Windows 8 17 years later.

[Javik]

My fear is that they will try to pollute every part of the UI with Metro.

[Dot Matrix]

More transition to a dynamic UI. Sorry, guys, but touch isn't magically going to disappear.

[Javik]

Never said it was, but having touch doesn't necessitate the designing of butt ugly, flat, and featureless user interfaces.

[firey]

More transition to a dynamic UI. Sorry, guys, but touch isn't magically going to disappear.

and touch isn't going to magically take over the desktop area either.

[Colin McGregor]

Blah Blah Blah "Windows 8 sucks", "Metro Sucks", "I'm gonna find alternatives", blah blah blah. Same old crap day in day out. Neowin gives you all blogs for a reason.

[+Vice]

I think there are really only two outcomes for Windows 9.

1. Metro is vastly scaled back and the OS returns to form with a Windows 7 appearance top to bottom.

2. They increase Metro's influence and begin removing the apps that ship currently as part of the desktop. I'm talking, Notepad, Calculator, File Explorer, Internet Explorer and so on all being Metro only apps.

I don't know which one of these two plans they will execute yet it's still early days and it depends heavily upon how well Windows 8 does in the market. I don't expect it to be well received and I think PC manufacturers will see a sales slump directly related to Windows 8 being shipped on their systems and they will be quick to change back to offering Windows 7 on their systems similar to how they offered Windows XP "downgrades" to people that bought systems with Vista pre-installed. If that happens and it becomes a big enough problem then I believe they will go with plan 1.

It is pretty clear that after more than a year windows Phones are not selling. There are a lot of reasons for that. Lack of Apps, Lack of device diversity, lack of carrier support. But regardless of why, the result is the same. They aren't selling that well and they are hovering just over 1% of the smart phone market and if Windows 8 is as "successful" as Windows Phone has been then god help Microsoft as they just wasted the past 2-3 years and billions of dollars.

[Javik]

I think there are really only two outcomes for Windows 9.

1. Metro is vastly scaled back and the OS returns to form with a Windows 7 appearance top to bottom.

2. They increase Metro's influence and begin removing the apps that ship currently as part of the desktop. I'm talking, Notepad, Calculator, File Explorer, Internet Explorer and so on all being Metro only apps.

I don't know which one of these two plans they will execute yet it's still early days and it depends heavily upon how well Windows 8 does in the market. I don't expect it to be well received and I think PC manufacturers will see a sales slump directly related to Windows 8 being shipped on their systems and they will be quick to change back to offering Windows 7 on their systems similar to how they offered Windows XP "downgrades" to people that bought systems with Vista pre-installed. If that happens and it becomes a big enough problem then I believe they will go with plan 1.

It is pretty clear that after more than a year windows Phones are not selling. There are a lot of reasons for that. Lack of Apps, Lack of device diversity, lack of carrier support. But regardless of why, the result is the same. They aren't selling that well and they are hovering just over 1% of the smart phone market and if Windows 8 is as "successful" as Windows Phone has been then god help Microsoft as they just wasted the past 2-3 years and billions of dollars.

Given how dedicated Microsoft seem to be to ignoring the feedback of a lot of their users, I have my worries about Windows 9 going down the "More Metro" route personally.