One feature or tech you want in Windows 8

[aludanyi]

For Win8 I'd like to see them go to a micro kernel OS (like the *nix) and have the desktop be separate, the removal of Trident, etc.

*nix is not a micro kernel (OS)... *nix is a large monolithic kernel. Although there are some micro kernel implementations of a *nix like system (like Mach or GNU HURD), all the commercially or freely available kernels are either monolithic like Linux, Solaris, BSD or hybrid kernels like Windows (NT) and Mac OSX.

[RvXtm]

Virus free ? I think if you don't play around and disable all the features, Vista and 7 are pretty fine job at security. UAC is there to prevent bad stuff from happening and processes to modify your system locations. But nothing is perfect, it's software, software is more abstract then hardware.

NTFS is a good file system for now, maybe when SSD drives will be mainstream NTFS will be upgraded to some extend.

WinFS was NOT a file system in any shape or form, and if you want to see it in action, just type "note" in the start menu in vista/7 :p that's indexing based on what WinFS original idea was. Dynamic folders too (libraries now).

Maybe ISO mount will be a nice add in the next windows, and more customization capability, I mean, hey... changing a wallpaper and the color of aero is not that "wow". I don't see the need for the "theme" word in windows 7, a new wallpaper is not a theme, neither is a color change of windows.

Unified control panel and consistent "settings layout" for anything that has to do with setting stuff around the OS.

Make windows defender work. You won't believe how many of my clients turn off windows defender because it's simply not doing anything. I've never seen an attack blocked or some kind of warning from it.

[pyehac]

Basically a new UI - the current UI is about 15 years old.

[i_was_here]

I want something like vLite built-in to Windows (or the installer).

[yxz]

i want windows to be a linux distro + minwin and winfs

[franzon]

Automatic clean-up of temporary files in C:\Windows\Temp and C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp after N months (without requiring explicit user's interaction)

[ToneKnee]

For Win8 I'd like to see them go to a micro kernel OS (like the *nix) and have the desktop be separate, the removal of Trident, etc.

The NT kernel is perfectly fine. Trident is fine and is needed by applications i.e. Steam for them to work.

Windows 8 is in work about a year now.

I would like the Registry to be removed and all applications (except OS) to be portable (no install )

And removing the Registry would solve what exactly? Except break every single application on the planet? All applications being portable would be nice though.

Basically a new UI - the current UI is about 15 years old.

If it's not broke, don't fix it. The UI is perfectly fine and it just works.

i want windows to be a linux distro + minwin and winfs

You want Windows to be a Linux Distro, how exactly?

MinWin? Do you even know what MinWin even is?

MinWin = NT Kernel.

And WinFS wasn't a File System, it was meta database which had performance problems, but was later implemented into different products like MSSQL and Windows Vista/7 had a different implementation which worked faster.

People full of crap again.

[fix-this!]

Now that Windows 7 is out and I know many of you are using it, Microsoft is most likely working on SP1 and gathering ideas for Windows 8.

What is 1 feature or technology you would like added or changed for Windows 8?

To me the #1 thing would be the included ability to mount ISO images.

#1 it's not out for 2 more months unless you are a subscriber.

#2 it's too early to talk about the next windows. i doubt they are working on sp1 yet either!

[mad_onion]

#1 it's not out for 2 more months unless you are a subscriber.

#2 it's too early to talk about the next windows. i doubt they are working on sp1 yet either!

lol its TOO EARLY to talk about I'm sure microsoft would disagree with you strongly. They definitely already have plans for windows 8, they might not be actually doing any coding for it yet (although i suspect they are in some minor way).

Also, even if they weren't that doesn't suddenly mean we can't talk about what we woudl like to see in it. we could talk about windows 9 if we wanted lol.

[timster]

maybe a Windows 8 computer will be able to go and get my case of beer, bucket of chicken and pack of smokes every weekend

[Linkinfamous]

maybe a Windows 8 computer will be able to go and get my case of beer, bucket of chicken and pack of smokes every weekend

That's a more useful and practical suggestion than most of these.

[Gio Takahashi]

lol its TOO EARLY to talk about I'm sure microsoft would disagree with you strongly. They definitely already have plans for windows 8, they might not be actually doing any coding for it yet (although i suspect they are in some minor way).

Also, even if they weren't that doesn't suddenly mean we can't talk about what we woudl like to see in it. we could talk about windows 9 if we wanted lol.

This. There's nothing wrong with talking about next version of windows even by the time the current new one has hit RTM. I recalled we did the same thing after Vista hit RTM.

[Electric Jolt]

Ahh, yes. Lets break lots of existing applications while making windows more like a competitor that has an operating system that is even more vulnerable to viruses.

I want it to read my mind and do whatever I want just by thinking.

The registry can stay, but it would be nice if a new or upgraded version of a software framework would not use the registry and was restricted to the folder it has in Program Files and the shortcuts to it. You don't have to act all sarcastic about something, the registry does suck.

Next version of Windows is confirmed to be 64-bit only, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if there was a new architecture. Almost could guarantee it.

I saw a guy up there joking about WinFS...I would be relatively serious when it comes to WinFS, I'm quite sure the next iteration will include a file system that's new.

Hope it has some Longhorn stuff.

How would getting rid of the registry do those things? Getting rid of the registry would just break everything that currently runs on Windows. It won't make people write XCopy-able apps, they can already do that and they don't.

If what you want is portable apps or better uninstall functionality, then ask for those things, don't ask to get rid of the registry since that won't accomplish the goal and really is an ask that has no purpose or basis in reality.

I don't see how you can say anything is "confirmed."

WinFS wasn't a file system, and you sure as heck won't see that coming back (we've already provided much of its functionality in other ways).

Well as long as it is only x64.

And break 90%+ of the software out there. No, Microsoft should be doing things to help the users to move over to new versions of Windows, not ****ing them off.

This makes absolutely no sense. You do know Windows XP was the first to have a x64 version, and it was the only x64 version of Windows to break anywhere near 90% software out there? Windows Vista x64 is a great version of Windows, it started being distributed when Dell and other OEMs started designing their systems with over 4GB of DDR3 RAM, most systems now come with 6GB of DDR3 RAM, which are only running the x64 version of Windows. Now that many systems have that much memory, Windows 7 x64 will no doubt be a very popular choice when purchasing Windows 7. Plus, Windows Vista users upgrading to Windows 7 will have to upgrade to the x64 version, x86 will make over 2GB of their memory useless.

Windows 7 x64 will most likely be the most popular x64 version of Windows yet. So the chances of Windows 8 being x64 only are very high. Since Windows 7 x64 is compatible with 99.999% apps on Windows just like Windows 7 x86 is, Windows 8 x64 will be compatible more than enough. You were an epic fail with your comment, you must've never used Windows Vista or 7 x64 before.

With Windows 8 being x64, it should cause more apps to become x64 making Windows faster, and with a new UI, hopefully more Windows apps will switch to x64.

I like Aero Glass, Windows Vista really made it great, and Windows 7 kept it, and while some were sad about that, I was glad because it took so long for Aero Glass to be designed and it looked so nice and I wanted it to stay. But now Aero Glass is becoming a bit dated, it is about 4 years old now I think. With today's graphics cards, the graphics can be so much better, and also more efficient.

[medium_pimpin]

ZFS

[Ci7]

This makes absolutely no sense. You do know Windows XP was the first to have a x64 version, and it was the only x64 version of Windows to break anywhere near 90% software out there? Windows Vista x64 is a great version of Windows, it started being distributed when Dell and other OEMs started designing their systems with over 4GB of DDR3 RAM, most systems now come with 6GB of DDR3 RAM, which are only running the x64 version of Windows. Now that many systems have that much memory, Windows 7 x64 will no doubt be a very popular choice when purchasing Windows 7. Plus, Windows Vista users upgrading to Windows 7 will have to upgrade to the x64 version, x86 will make over 2GB of their memory useless.

Windows 7 x64 will most likely be the most popular x64 version of Windows yet. So the chances of Windows 8 being x64 only are very high. Since Windows 7 x64 is compatible with 99.999% apps on Windows just like Windows 7 x86 is, Windows 8 x64 will be compatible more than enough. You were an epic fail with your comment, you must've never used Windows Vista or 7 x64 before.

With Windows 8 being x64, it should cause more apps to become x64 making Windows faster, and with a new UI, hopefully more Windows apps will switch to x64.

I like Aero Glass, Windows Vista really made it great, and Windows 7 kept it, and while some were sad about that, I was glad because it took so long for Aero Glass to be designed and it looked so nice and I wanted it to stay. But now Aero Glass is becoming a bit dated, it is about 4 years old now I think. With today's graphics cards, the graphics can be so much better, and also more efficient.

you got him wrong.

he was talking about what would happen if microsoft dropped WOW64(windows in windows 64) which windows use to access 32bit applications (read:pure x64 system)

[Brendando]

1. An installation much like vLite *as in, choosing the parts of the operating system you want* would be great.

2. A more minimalistic install size- yes, I know it was reduced in Windows 7, before some idiot points this out, we're talking about what we want, not what you think has already happened- I just want a furthering of the minimalising.

3. While the UI is nice, it still needs a fair bit of work. I don't actually see the need for a large UI change, but what I do drastically see is bringing every part of the UI up to the same standards. Get rid of the dated crap and simply bring it up to the level of the new stuff. This should really have been done incrementally, but now that it's built up, sort it out in Windows 8.

4. Unify the FREAKIN' Control Panel already. This has been the subject of huge annoyance for many. I noticed somebody said that they thought it had been done already in Windows 7- all I can say is wtf are you smoking?

In Windows 7 all that happened was they changed how the Control Panel looked a little bit and re-arranged some stuff. Sure, it's nicer than Vista. But in terms of usability, it's a bloated mess. Bring everything into one window. If it was more like System Preferences in OS X, it wouldn't be a pain to use it every-time. And again, pre-empting some stupid windows defender telling me that it's not the control panel that's in the wrong, it's me, that's utter crap. It's not just me, it's many, many other people, particularly those that are not as tech-literate as many of us present here on neowin.

5. Advance the concept's brought into Windows 7 of Aero Snap, Peek and Shake. Snap and Peek are my two favourite parts of the operating system, and I rarely use the minimise, maximise or close buttons any more. A system built with the option to do away with these buttons and purely have the mouse gestures/Aero Snap would be heaven, and would make the window borders sexy in a thin way.

6. Remove the ugly glass border around the Logon picture on the Logon screen. It's disgusting, and I don't understand how it made it into Windows 7. You could have at least made it less bulbous and streamlined it into a thin square border, as it wasn't done do it in Windows 8 please.

7. Update the entire icon set. The new icons are gorgeous, please do the same to every icon on the system.

8. Merge all the SKUs. Yes, it was better in 7. No, it wasn't good enough. One disc for consumers, one for businesses, one for servers. Done. This also ties into my 1st point- OEMs could create their own custom installs for things like Netbooks, using the consumer install, and strip out the unescessary stuff that they don't want on their own, thus removing all the confusing multiple SKUs creates.

9. Something like Mac OS X's Spaces, please. I miss it when I use Windows.

10. Finally, and I'm sure this'll be the point that people dislike the most, xD, but I'd like Explorer to be more like Chrome. One bar for searching the system and for inputting addresses, and tabs on top for tabbed Explorer browsing of the system. It would be really simple and nice. Frankly, I wouldn't care if it was an exact replica of the Chrome front-end- that kind of plagiarism would be epic in this case.

Having read through this thread, it's a little bit retarded that although the thread is called "One feature or tech you want in Windows 8" it should actually be called "Explain to people why their hopes or opinions for Windows 8 are crap and yours alone are correct". I mean, why?

Edited August 16, 2009 by Brendando

[ToneKnee]

2. A more minimalistic install size- yes, I know it was reduced in Windows 7, before some idiot points this out, we're talking about what we want, not what you think has already happened- I just want a furthering of the minimalising.

The reason for the massive dvd size is because of the drivers, also, why do you even care about the install size? It's not like Hard drives, DVD drives, USB pen drives are dirt cheap these days.

8. Merge all the SKUs. Yes, it was better in 7. No, it wasn't good enough. One disc for consumers, one for businesses, one for servers. Done. This also ties into my 1st point- OEMs could create their own custom installs for things like Netbooks, using the consumer install, and strip out the unescessary stuff that they don't want on their own, thus removing all the confusing multiple SKUs creates.

But they already have this? They have Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate (Enterprise for the business world).

Having read through this thread, it's a little bit retarded that although the thread is called "One feature or tech you want in Windows 8" it should actually be called "Explain to people why their hopes or opinions for Windows 8 are crap and yours alone are correct". I mean, why?

The problem is people asking for stupid stuff i.e. WinFS; Want Windows to be a Linux Distro; Remove the Registry; Remove WOW64; People forgetting that MinWin is actually the NT Kernel and so on.

ZFS

*sighs* Nothing wrong with NTFS.

[svnO.o]

It'd be awesome if the next version of Windows could automatically detect if you move files that are associated in the registry and (upon a confirmation prompt/or maybe some hot key like holding ctrl+shift or ctrl+alt before moving the files), properly change the file paths to where you moved those files (that way you could easily move installed programs around and not worry about them not working properly due to registry data). I think things could be better managed when it comes to programs and installations.

[Brendando]

Tony, I disagree on your point about SKUs. Home Premium may well be the target for the consumer, but he/she can also buy Professional or Ultimate. What I meant by one version for Consumers and one for business was purely that- 1 for each. What needs to happen is for Microsoft to simply not have lower priced versions with subsets of the operating systems features removed- it makes no sense. What i'd like to see happen is one version for consumers- effectively what Microsoft call "Ultimate" edition ATM and call it just Windows 8. They should implement the installation method I mentioned, and then the consumer/OEM can choose whether or not to install parts of the operating system on the basis of whether they need them or not. Then have Windows 8 Enterprise with all the Enterprise features, and the same installation process. What would be so hard about that? And, if they were worried about confusing people with the installation process they could have two options at the start- full install or customize install- full install installs all features, in Custom install you can choose the ones you want.

[bob21]

I know i say this every time but a 1 click CAB/OEM based replacement for windows installer just like windows mobile .

Id love to be able to convert them all to .oem files stick them on the dvd and have windows automatically install them after it installs

Edited August 16, 2009 by bob21

[RootWind]

Virtual machine-based malware protection (you can run an analysis of a program and see everything it does).

[Brendando]

^^That would be quite nifty, actually :)

[Electric Jolt]

you got him wrong.

he was talking about what would happen if microsoft dropped WOW64(windows in windows 64) which windows use to access 32bit applications (read:pure x64 system)

I thought pure x64 was referred to Itanium? Am I wrong, I don't know, I thought it was...

[Sam]

I thought pure x64 was referred to Itanium? Am I wrong, I don't know, I thought it was...

Nope, Itanium is Intel's IA64 architechture platform.

[XerXis]

I would like to see the registry replaced with something that is like a SQL database, thus faster I suppose.

Furthermore, the number one feature that I would like to see in the Next Gen Windows is 'support' / optimization for multiple harddrives. I know this sounds kinda funny, but listen. If Windows seperates the system folder (Windows and some Program Files entries), my installed programs and my data then I guess the system would be faster and more organized. In example:

C:\ - 64GB SSD > This harddisk for Windows and applications only

D:\ - 500GB HDD > This harddisk for media and data only

OR

C:\ - 64GB SSD > This harddisk for Windows and daily used applications

D:\ - 640GB HDD (Striped set, RAID0) > This harddisk for applications that I use less frequently

E:\ - 1TB HDD > For my media and data

So optimizing Windows for using multiple harddrives.

And last but not least a more modular Windows, seperating almost all elements of the Operating System, so I would (REALLY!) crash less often, although it doesn't crash that often lately too...

the registry is a database ... why is that so hard to understand for some people :p