WZOR Talks About Windows (Codename) 9, Is a DP Imminent?

[cooky560 Veteran]

The rumours seem to suggest that Windows will come in a basic starter edition for free then to access other features you'd need to sign in online and pay a subscription. 

This strikes me as problematic because:

 

1. It immediately kills the idea of using Windows without a Microsoft Account

 

2. It means that I will end up paying for features for the rest of my life

 

3. The features won't be available offline.

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

The rumours seem to suggest that Windows will come in a basic starter edition for free then to access other features you'd need to sign in online and pay a subscription. 

This strikes me as problematic because:

 

1. It immediately kills the idea of using Windows without a Microsoft Account

 

2. It means that I will end up paying for features for the rest of my life

 

3. The features won't be available offline.

 

I think that the cloud based Windows is still something thats just meant to "attack" ChromeOS and nothing more. MS should be stupid to cut off the traditional Windows.

[George P Global Moderator]

I think that the cloud based Windows is still something thats just meant to "attack" ChromeOS and nothing more. MS should be stupid to cut off the traditional Windows.

 

This could be what it really is, a free version that's like ChromeOS,  You get a locked down desktop with direct links to web apps for Office, Outlook, OneDrive and so on with little else in the way that can be thought of as a security risk.   If there are people who are fine with using something limiting like ChromeOS then this type of Windows Cloud option should be no different.

[Dot Matrix]

Windows in the cloud is one of the few things I couldn't be less excited about, and more fearful of, why on earth would I want an online subscription based OS?

An always up to date OS that doesn't get EoL'd?

[PGHammer]

Windows in the cloud is one of the few things I couldn't be less excited about, and more fearful of, why on earth would I want an online subscription based OS?

If you're a business (of any size), I can think of several reasons.

 

1.  Lower costs per seat - that is, in fact, the driver for ALL per-seat licensing schema.

2.  Reduced back-end costs - SaaS includes service contracts, updates, etc.  That means the business doesn't have to worry about that, and can concentrate on running the business itself.

3.  More options for dealing with the hardware; SaaS can be wrapped into hardware costs or handled separately.  Again, it's about reducing headaches for the business.

 

I get why there's a great deal of fear from IT management within Neowinians - it threatens your jobs, to an extent (and your budgets).  However, there's a phrase (from politics) that you should pay attention to - "captured by your bureaucracy".  You have finally gotten into management (albeit IT management) - now, along comes something that threatens how you earn your living.  However, the threat CAN be minimized if you learn about it and (even) take advantage of it to an extent - it will only REMAIN a threat if you keep being inefficient - if you remain inefficient, you DESERVE to become a victim.  Old-fashioned "survival of the fittest" still applies - even in IT.

[Osiris]

Look its hard to argue that there's not a cloud based future for windows and maybe windows 9 will be the start but I can't see it taking off for many years to come.  when longhorn became vista the mantra at Microsoft become evolution not revolution.  You could argue that was either forgotten in win8 or was remembered but done out of necessity for change and timing, but the backlash from consumers surely would have reminded them again that it doesn't often go down well.

 

It will be interesting to see how enterprise goes with it, from a consumer point I like RT and am looking forward to seeing this mini with its glorious stylus but if RT went full cloud, I wouldn't even consider it.

[PGHammer]

Look its hard to argue that there's not a cloud based future for windows and maybe windows 9 will be the start but I can't see it taking off for many years to come.  when longhorn became vista the mantra at Microsoft become evolution not revolution.  You could argue that was either forgotten in win8 or was remembered but done out of necessity for change and timing, but the backlash from consumers surely would have reminded them again that it doesn't often go down well.

 

It will be interesting to see how enterprise goes with it, from a consumer point I like RT and am looking forward to seeing this mini with its glorious stylus but if RT went full cloud, I wouldn't even consider it.

That is why I pointed to business - not consumers.

It is businesses that are taking to cloud-based services (including applications and OSes) in a major way - consumers, by and large, are not.

It is ALSO businesses that have a greater reason to shed expenses and headaches via the use of those same services - consumers don't.

Now, for families with children (especially more than two kids) - some of this could well be leveraged by broadband providers that are also ASPs (such as Comcast) - however, it's not going to a big driver, even for Comcast.

There ARE some consumer services that make all SORTS of sense to deploy as cloud services (storage and e-mail being two of them), and those ARE deployed that way, and by Microsoft, today.

 

Tthe bigger issue (for Microsoft) is that the things that one set of customers (consumers) will accept aren't necessarily liked by business/enterprise customers.  And, of course, the reverse is also the case.  How well can MIcrosoft handle THAT dichotomy, with a single OS codebase?

[Chris123NT]

It's about time Windows becomes more connected. Microsoft really needs to bring the Metro UX to the desktop, and I don't mean by just shoving Metro apps into window frames... I'm talking the whole UX.

No, keep metro in it's own corner.  It's the goofball in the class that noone wants to talk to.

[FaiKee]

Actually there was already a strong hint about this windows derivative in Brad Sam's blog earlier:

 

https://www.neowin.net/news/microsofts-windows-as-a-service-comes-in-to-focus-with-new-job-posting

 

Another guy told me "it's quite close to a tp." ..... so, just have to wait.  :)

[George P Global Moderator]

I wouldn't call it a rumor either, it's real I bet but it's probably not what a lot of people think it is when they hear about it.  We need more details for sure but at the end of the day I think this will just be yet another custom Windows SKU and not what will be the norm for all Windows in the future.

[PGHammer]

I wouldn't call it a rumor either, it's real I bet but it's probably not what a lot of people think it is when they hear about it.  We need more details for sure but at the end of the day I think this will just be yet another custom Windows SKU and not what will be the norm for all Windows in the future.

Exactly, George - that's why I'm thinking businesses and enterprise users (such as those that are already using Office 365) as opposed to consumers (or anybody that uses traditional non-cloud appliccaitons or services).

 

Instead, what are we seeing? The drumbeat of FUD (in this case, fear and panic).

[FaiKee]

Exactly, George - that's why I'm thinking businesses and enterprise users (such as those that are already using Office 365) as opposed to consumers (or anybody that uses traditional non-cloud appliccaitons or services).

 

Instead, what are we seeing? The drumbeat of FUD (in this case, fear and panic).

PG: I read in quite a number of blogs/forums that win365 is targeted at enterprise clients, well, they would think otherwise if they knew the SKU's : Home, Personal and Enterprise. :)

[FaiKee]

OK, seems WZor's "5/15 win9 trial version" is not going to happen..... so here's the part below my last screen-shot:

 

 

If it's real(couldn't see why it isn't), then you could scrap all prevous win9 release speculations :)

[Dot Matrix]

OK, seems WZor's "5/15 win9 trial version" is not going to happen..... so here's the part below my last screen-shot:

If it's real(couldn't see why it isn't), then you could scrap all prevous win9 release speculations :)

Not sure why many believed a Win9 preview version was coming. It's too soon, and Win9 remains unannounced.

[cooky560 Veteran]

PG: I read in quite a number of blogs/forums that win365 is targeted at enterprise clients, well, they would think otherwise if they knew the SKU's : Home, Personal and Enterprise. :)

I'm probably going to sound like on the XP guys when I say this but unless I can buy new WIndows SKUs without going for Windows 365, I won't be buying any future versions of Windows. While always being up-to-date is nice

 

1.: I loathe the idea of subscriptions for software, one reason I've not yet upgraded to the new adobe suite

2. If I have to spend time offline, I sitll want access to the features I've paid for, this is a killer deal for me.

3. I want the control to use a non Microsoft Account, this is a killer deal for me.

4. There will without question be questionable privacy practices surrounding an on-line OS. 

5. No control over when I install updates. Consdering how there have been updates that have made computers un-bootable in the past which have been released, removed and released again when fixed, this is a real issue.

[Steven P. Administrators]

WZOR keeps stating dates that don't happen :/

[FaiKee]

WZOR keeps stating dates that don't happen :/

He's no longer in my trusted list when last time he posted magnets of the win8.1UD and made it appear like it's was his uploads. And I think he is also making this one like his "news".

 

 

btw, there was a "windows" under "win9", looks like a highly classified thing and my friend covered it up, my guess is it could be yet another UD with the "windowed apps" thing - it's just my guessing, don't take my word for it.  :)

[George P Global Moderator]

Lot's of guessing now, I think it's harder to get more info now after they went after that Windows 8 leaker so hard etc.  I don't think we'll see any leaks anytime soon compared to Win8/8.1 before this.

[Steven P. Administrators]

^ Yeah was thinking the same (about the leaker).

[Dot Matrix]

I'm probably going to sound like on the XP guys when I say this but unless I can buy new WIndows SKUs without going for Windows 365, I won't be buying any future versions of Windows. While always being up-to-date is nice

 

1.: I loathe the idea of subscriptions for software, one reason I've not yet upgraded to the new adobe suite

2. If I have to spend time offline, I sitll want access to the features I've paid for, this is a killer deal for me.

3. I want the control to use a non Microsoft Account, this is a killer deal for me.

4. There will without question be questionable privacy practices surrounding an on-line OS. 

5. No control over when I install updates. Consdering how there have been updates that have made computers un-bootable in the past which have been released, removed and released again when fixed, this is a real issue.

Who says you wouldn't be able to work offline? Or use an offline account? Or control over updates? Why would a 365 sub change all that?

[FaiKee]

LOL, I saw some blogs quoting the above news/rumor and mentioned "Feb 3", actually it meant "the period around Feb~Mar, 2015". :D

 

Update: @BAVO had brought up a interesting point: it looks like Q2-Q3, not 02-03, compare to the "0" in "2015". :)

[cooky560 Veteran]

Who says you wouldn't be able to work offline? Or use an offline account? Or control over updates? Why would a 365 sub change all that?

 

 All of the windows 365 rumours so far that I've read point to a so called basic mode where you need to be logged in to the subscribed account to use anything not in Windows Core. Even if this isn't true, it's not unreasonable to suggest that MS will require an MS account to  pay for the subs, considering how I can't even download free apps from Windows Store without one. And even if that isn't true, I'm still paying over and over again for the same OS until MS decide to make a new version.

[FaiKee]

 All of the windows 365 rumours so far that I've read point to a so called basic mode where you need to be logged in to the subscribed account to use anything not in Windows Core. Even if this isn't true, it's not unreasonable to suggest that MS will require an MS account to  pay for the subs, considering how I can't even download free apps from Windows Store without one. And even if that isn't true, I'm still paying over and over again for the same OS until MS decide to make a new version.

Then I think you will stay using Win9, if the following rumor is real:

 

Rumor 1(most likely): All legit win8 can upgrade to win9 free.

Rumor 2(undecided): All legit Windows (i.e. including XP) can upgrade to win9 free.

 

... it's a rumor, so cross your fingers and take it with a spoonful of salt. :)

[George P Global Moderator]

I can see them offering Windows 9 to Windows 8.x owners for free but no way they're going to let XP, Vista and 7 owners upgrade for free.   Giving the OS away for free on small devices to OEMs is one thing but they're not doing away with the whole licensing model guys.  What they could do is offer it for a very nice low price to older versions, say $20 and I'd upgrade my old Vista machine.

[Dot Matrix]

I can't see Microsoft offering Win9 for free, unless it was subsidized to Hell and back. Win8.1 users, maybe, but not XP, Vista, and 7 users. No way.