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Windows 8 Desktop 'Just Another App'?
CWmike writes "Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft's Windows and Windows Live division, said this week that Windows 8 will let users treat the traditional desktop as 'just another app' that loads only on command. When it unveiled Windows 8's UI in June, Microsoft said it would feature a 'touch-first' interface to compete in the fast-growing tablet market. Underneath that, however, would be a traditional Windows-style desktop. 'Having both of [the] user interfaces [work] together harmoniously is an important part of Windows 8,' Sinofsky said in a blog post on Wednesday. The Metro-style UI — the one inspired by Windows Phone 7's tile-based design — will be the first to show up when a user boots a device. At that point, users reach a crossroads. 'If you want to stay permanently immersed in that Metro world, you will never see the desktop — we won't even load it (literally the code will not be loaded) unless you explicitly choose to go there,' Sinofsky said. 'If you don't want to do ... 'PC' things, then you don't have to and you're not paying for them in memory, battery life or hardware requirements.' If using a conventional PC with keyboard and mouse, Windows 8 users will run an 'app' to load the desktop, he said. 'Essentially, you can think of the Windows desktop as just another app.'"
I can't imagine they could do away with much more than explorer and maybe a hand full of DLL's. So, basically, we are given an extra step to load our desktops... probably while we are inundated with news feeds or advertisements. I wonder which HKey will turn this off.
The Metro-style UI — the one inspired by Windows Phone 7's tile-based design — will be the first to show up when a user boots a device.
I sure hope it'll be easy to turn that off. It makes sense on a consumer box with a touchscreen, but for my work station, I have no intention of using the Metro UI.
Why would it kill their cash cow? Let's take for example Windows XP which is considered mature by now. Don't give me the "security" aspects, as I know it is perfectly possible with modern applications to run XP in Limited User. Software doesn't spoil. Set up a small maintenance team for XP to roll out security patches. Sell XP for 35€ per license and from 2014 on (when the official support stops), charge a 5€/year subscription to fund the maintenance team.
This would be an instant success, especially in the corporate world. Given the fact that end-user computing power needs have attained a plateau, a simple machine running XP with 2GB RAM is enough. So, I'm pretty sure such a plan would work perfectly well. Heck, if I would still be running Windows, I would have gone for a 5€/year subscription to have support indefinitely.
Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
And is a Mensa member. That can't be a good sign. It's like a person who calls themself a badass but pays a monthly membership to the International Club of Tough Guys where they give you tests to reassure your status as a Tough Guy as ordained by the self-proclaimed Tough Guy Council.
A real badass (or smart person) doesn't give a fuck what people think about their toughness/intelligence, because they know they are badass/smart, can back that up, and would not waste money on such a thing, because it's better spent on leather jackets and cigarettes/geek stuff.
The Windows desktop was already an app. It was called "Explorer.exe".
This really isn't news until it ships, and we can assess the product as a whole.
This is not a slashvertisement, it is information for people who are interested in what the next MS OS will be. This being a website that is frequented by people who develop software and people who administer software, they need to know what is coming down the pipe before it happens.
Besides this gives us more ammo to talk crap about MS when they drop features they have talked about.
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