Windows Blue: Microsoft's Plan To Release a New Version of Windows Every Year

MrSeb writes "Way back in August, three months before the release of Windows 8, we learned about the existence of a project at Microsoft codenamed Blue. At the time it wasn't clear whether this was Windows 9, or some kind of interim update/service pack for Windows 8. Now, if unnamed sources are to be believed, Windows Blue is both of those things: a major update to Windows 8, and also the beginning of a major shift that will result in a major release of Windows every 12 months — just like Apple's OS X. According to these insiders, Blue will roll out mid-2013, and will be very cheap — or possibly even free, to ensure that 'Windows Blue [is] the next OS that everyone installs.' Exact details are still rather vague, but at the very least Blue will make 'UI changes' to Windows 8. The sources also indicate that the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 SDKs will be merged or standardized, to further simplify the development of cross-platform apps. Perhaps more important, though, is the shift to a 12-month release cadence. Historically, Microsoft has released a major version of Windows every few years, with the intervening periods populated with stability- and security-oriented service packs. Now it seems that Microsoft wants to move to an OS X-like system, where new and exciting features will be added on an annual basis. In turn, Microsoft will drop the price of these releases — probably to around $25, just like OS X."

Comments

Okay, MS has lost it

[SmallFurryCreature]

That is it, Ballmer has gone insane. The guy was a clown before but now he has REALLY lost it.

You see, people who pay for updates expect improvements. MS can barely fix an OS in its lifetime, let alone improve it. You bought XP that is what you kept for half a decade and more. USB support was for Windows a fucking major update, not a point update for free as with Linux but something you just didn't get unless you paid for a new release.

And MS, even with payed for, expensive updates barely adds anything worthwhile. What is there in Windows 8 that is worth actually paying for? A tiny articially restricted update to DirectX and a UI nobody wants.

MS already has enough trouble getting people off XP when Windows 8 is out. They want to have people run major incompatible updates each year?

Or is this just another attempt to charge for service packs? Which are NOT upgrades but merely bug fixes packaged together.

MS upgrade path so far has been "you got to buy our latest version because we do our best to make sure new software doesn't work on old windows any more". It has never had to SELL an upgrade on new functionality.

This is going to fracture windows even more badly in different versions because you can be sure MS will do its level best to make only the latest version capable of running software but users will be doing their level best not to upgrade under any circumstance. Except now that dance won't be done every 5 years or so but every year. YAHOO!