Windows 8 Surfaces in NDA Presentation
It is about time that we are learning a bit more about the next Windows: An Italian website has obtained the slides of what appears to be a presentation that was given by Microsoft under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
There aren't many new features discussed, but it appears to be clear that Microsoft is taking clues from Apple in creating a much stronger brand value and perception "people will pay for." There are several slides that are reminiscent of traditional Apple ideas and there is one slide that explicitly analyzes Apple's OS strategy.
As far as new features are concerned, there will be an App Store that will enable the user to run apps in full screen and download any apps that may get lost because of a system crash. Microsoft plays with the idea to use facial recognition for user logons and store at least some user data in the cloud - to enable the PC to sign on to websites and services automatically. This seems to be an idea that is based on Chrome OS - with the addition of facial recognition support.
Microsoft believes it is time to use this feature as cameras will be ubiquitous in PCs 2012. Should we take this as a hint that Windows 8 could be surfacing in 2012? Possibly, since Windows 7 has been on the market since 2009 and Windows 8 is apparently already distributed as M2 release. We would say that a beta release in late 2011 or early 2012 is more than likely. The slides can be found here. Screenshots of Windows 8 M2 are posted here.
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Not on your nelly.
would a photograph work?
at least it would be fun testing it
but using... never!
mmmmm interesting!
I wont alow Microsoft or anyone else to store details of me or my children on the cloud. PERIOD!!!!
I wont alow Microsoft or anyone else to store details of me or my children on the cloud. PERIOD!!!!
How would it be you and your childrens data?... You don't put all your personal data in when you make a new user account. I think they're talking more about account configuration such as preferences.
I thought 7 was a step in the wrong direction, but if these are actual ideas microsoft has for windows 8, I may just have to stick with 7 for some time. I use windows because I don't like mac OS and dont want to fiddle with compatibility on linux, but if windows goes the easy-to-use with zero functionality and a whole lot of useless fluff route that is mac OS, I may just have to stick with 7, which I don't like in the first place, or just move over to linux. Vista had a good overall UI, it was just slow. 7 is faster and less system-heavy overall, but its UI is significantly worse. Lets hope 8 gets it right...
I thought 7 was a step in the wrong direction, but if these are actual ideas microsoft has for windows 8, I may just have to stick with 7 for some time. I use windows because I don't like mac OS and dont want to fiddle with compatibility on linux, but if windows goes the easy-to-use with zero functionality and a whole lot of useless fluff route that is mac OS, I may just have to stick with 7, which I don't like in the first place, or just move over to linux. Vista had a good overall UI, it was just slow. 7 is faster and less system-heavy overall, but its UI is significantly worse. Lets hope 8 gets it right...
There's nothing that stops you from using Linux. What compability issues? The time that certain hardware did not work with Linux is long gone. I guarantee you that every component or peripheral will function fully. If you refer to software, that's another ex-issue. Pretty much all Windows software has a Linux equivalent and if you really need to run a windows app, use Wine/PlayOnLinux or just run Windows as a VM. It takes less than a minute...
Sounds like a mobile platform OS to me. Cameras are built in on Laptops not Desktops, so the talk about them being ubiquitous leads me to think that maybe this is the case. Cloud storage of some info would also be more useful on a mobile device. A desktop isnt going to be short of storage anytime soon.
I am very happy with W7 and WILL change to ubuntu if MS tries to push any of those features through on to a desktop OS.
I dont see how they can to be honest Gaming and DX is the only reason many people transition in the first place and sadly gaming is stagnant at the moment technalogicaly speaking.
There's nothing that stops you from using Linux. What compability issues? The time that certain hardware did not work with Linux is long gone. I guarantee you that every component or peripheral will function fully.
Including WiFi drivers? - A few wifi cards work out of the box now but the latest versions of Ubuntu/Mint still need an ethernet cable so you can connect to download the mad-wifi drivers for many popular brands of wifi. Many printers still lack drivers and then there is the whole nVidia GPU nightmare! The nouveau drivers are "almost there" but still have a lot of issues and some distros (I'm looking at you Fedora!) seem to go out of their way to make installing the Livna non-free binaries as painful as possible. Better compatibility between OO.org and Office would be nice too, though I can't blame them when M$FT goes out of their way to subtly break things with each new version.
The day that linux really does "just work" out of the box - with the end-user never having to go anywhere near a CLI will be a true landmark for GNU/linux. They should hold a parade! As ever, this day seems to be "just a few years" away...
Oh, but F**k Cloud computing and F**k windows 8 if that's where it is headed!