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[Vanillalite]

Windows Engineering Team Blog

Welcome to Building Windows 8
Steven Sinofsky 15 Aug 2011 12:02 PM

Building the next release of Microsoft Windows is an industry-wide effort that Microsoft approaches with a strong sense of responsibility and humility. Windows 8 reimagines Windows for a new generation of computing devices, and will be the very best operating system for hundreds of millions of PCs, new and old, used by well over a billion people globally.

We've been hard at work designing and building Windows 8, and today we want to begin an open dialog with those of you who will be trying out the pre-release version over the coming months. We intend to post regularly throughout the development of Windows 8, and to focus on the engineering of the product. Welcome to “Building Windows 8,” or as we call it, “B8.”

For the Windows team, this blog is an important part of developing Windows 8, as was our blog for Windows 7. Blogging allows us to have a two-way dialog with you about design choices, real-world data and usage, and new opportunities that are part of Windows 8. Together, we will start the unique adventure of bringing a major product to market. We’re genuinely excited to talk about the development of Windows 8 and to engage thoughtfully with the community of passionate end-users, developers, and information professionals.​

PS: You can click the link to read the rest of the blog entry!

 

[clav]

Can't wait for the BUILD conference in September.

 

[Vanillalite]

Can't wait for the BUILD conference in September.

Just excited or might you happen to be going to the conference yourself?

If you're going we need live posts by one of our foremost GAF Tech Geeks claviertekky from the conference!!!

 

[clav]

Haha. I wish I could be a tech journalist.

 

[Vanillalite]

Haha. I wish I could be a tech journalist.

Ditto! Wish I was going to Vancouver for Linux Con coverage this week. Would be pimp as funk!

 

[Complex Shadow]

will the conference be streamed?

 

[Reckoner]

I was expecting new pics or videos.

 

[clav]

I was expecting new pics or videos.

I predict a quarter of GAF will be shitting on Metro in Windows.

The WP7 group will be loving it.

The PC gaming elitists will hate it.

...and so on.

will the conference be streamed?

Don't know. If there is one, there will be a thread.

Conference was originally intended for a whole week. Now it's only 4 days.

 

[Suairyu]

Autumn 2012 still the rough release date?

 

[bananas]

Autumn 2012 still the rough release date?

Last I heard was first half of 2012, but that was a rumor.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Hope they learn from their incredibly well received Windows 7 preview program and do the same thing for Windows 8. I wouldn't have upgraded to Windows 7 when it released if I wasn't really impressed by the preview program, and it also deferred a significant expense for me because I was able to directly use the preview when I put together a new machine rather than having to buy a non-OEM XP or Vista license.

Can't say there's a whole lot besides the Application Store that I'm interested in, and I'm really only interested in that to be able to do automatic software updates on an OS-level rather than a per-application level. I use Ninite for my post-OS software deployments now, and FileHippo for chekcing for updates, but being able to have the same functionality at the OS level will be awesome.

 

[kehs]

They're dead in the water if they release fall 2012.

Can't wait to get my hands on this.

 

[Vanillalite]

They're dead in the water if they release fall 2012.

Can't wait to get my hands on this.

Why are they dead? I could see if you mean if they are gonna use this as their tablet OS. Still Win 7 is extremely well received for the desktop space. I see no reason why fall 2012 would be a death killer desktop wise.

 

[Earl Cazone]

How are the chances that by the time windows 8 is out, an affordable tablet with good enough tech for browsing/word and maybe team fortress 2 is out as my current laptop is dieing and I want windows 8 so bad next year but only on a tabket

 

[Walshicus]

I've got a four year old tablet PC I'd like to try this on. Well, assuming the system specs don't change much from Vista or 7's...

 

[kehs]

Why are they dead? I could see if you mean if they are gonna use this as their tablet OS. Still Win 7 is extremely well received for the desktop space. I see no reason why fall 2012 would be a death killer desktop wise.

It is their tablet OS.

Between now and fall of 2012 the PC market is gonna see a marked amount.

 

[Earl Cazone]

It is their tablet OS.

Between now and fall of 2012 the PC market is gonna see a marked amount.

this will be sold on tablets at walmart. everyone is going to have one.

 

[kehs]

this will be sold on tablets at walmart. everyone is going to have one.

Blackberries are sold everywhere, they're not going anywhere.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Sinofsky. <3

Only good person MS has left.

 

[Earl Cazone]

Sinofsky. <3

Only good person MS has left.

Joe Belfiore

 

[Vanillalite]

Sinofsky. <3

Only good person MS has left.

Mark Russinovich still works there as well, and he's cool!

 

[TacticalFox88]

I feel they should ride windows 7 out for another two years while perfecting windows 8 in house so we wont end up with another vista situation

 

[Vanillalite]

I feel they should ride windows 7 out for another two years while perfecting windows 8 in house so we wont end up with another vista situation

Vista was a drastic kernel change getting away from mid 90s paradigms. Windows 8 isn't really gonna be like that (outside of maybe the arm support).

 

[quaere]

They're dead in the water if they release fall 2012.

Can't wait to get my hands on this.

Microsoft will be fine releasing any time in 2012. This is the first real attempt at convergence of the tablet and the PC with both done well and no one is going to beat MS there with the feature set.

Apple is only taking baby steps in this direction - it's unlikely the iPad has any file system access by the time Windows 8 brings full touch file management. It will take the competition to force Apple in the right direction there.

Android is just so immature - Google doesn't even have a solution for editing documents on their OS yet (no, third party crap from no name developers doesn't count) while MS will likely deliver a full touch implementation of Office.

 

[suoodS]

Don't take the bait!

 

[kehs]

Microsoft will be fine releasing any time in 2012. This is the first real attempt at convergence of the tablet and the PC with both done well and no one is going to beat MS there with the feature set.

Apple is only taking baby steps in this direction - it's unlikely the iPad has any file system access by the time Windows 8 brings full touch file management. It will take the competition to force Apple in the right direction there.

Android is just so immature - Google doesn't even have a solution for editing documents on their OS yet (no, third party crap from no name developers doesn't count) while MS will likely deliver a full touch implementation of Office.

Nice caveats.

Microsoft is playing a "Feature Set + Polish first then release" game, While everyone else is doing the opposite. They really can't afford to do everything and release later. Look at WP7. It's polished as fuck, but it's too late.

 

[Vanillalite]

Nice caveats.

Microsoft is playing a "Feature Set + Polish first then release" game, While everyone else is doing the opposite. They really can't afford to do everything and release later. Look at WP7. It's polished as fuck, but it's too late.

To be slightly fair I think WP7 was solid, but I do think it was semi feature lacking at launch. Polished as fuck is what I'd use in September post update.

 

[TheSeks]

CMD+F "X-box 360 emulator"

0 results found.

Damn it, Microsoft. >:/

Apple is only taking baby steps in this direction - it's unlikely the iPad has any file system access by the time Windows 8 brings full touch file management. It will take the competition to force Apple in the right direction there.

I'll agree with this. I've been wanting an "OS X: Tablet that isn't an iPhone edition" for a decade now. Maybe Win8 on tablets will force Apple to go that way, too bad the reality is they probably won't.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Android is just so immature - Google doesn't even have a solution for editing documents on their OS yet (no, third party crap from no name developers doesn't count) while MS will likely deliver a full touch implementation of Office.

Google Docs is better than MS Office. Deal with it.

 

[Vanillalite]

Google Docs is better than MS Office. Deal with it.

The fact that I have to either export to pdf or html to print in GDocs where as MS Office Online just well prints like normal means Office Live wins. This is coming from someone who likes Google too.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Printing in Docs through Chrome gives a "native" option now. Looks quite spiffy too.

 

[btkadams]

CMD+F "X-box 360 emulator"

0 results found.

Damn it, Microsoft. >:/



I'll agree with this. I've been wanting an "OS X: Tablet that isn't an iPhone edition" for a decade now. Maybe Win8 on tablets will force Apple to go that way, too bad the reality is they probably won't.

iOS and Mac OS will most likely merge so i don't see why you don't think they are heading in that direction. lion appears to be evidence that they are planning on merging the platforms so that the macbook line will be tablet/laptops.

 

[polyh3dron]

All the video I've seen on Windows 8 looks really cool, I'm guessing they'll take out a lot of the cool shit to be able to meet a ship date and it'll be the same old shit more or less.

 

[HarryDemeanor]

I'm looking forward to what they're showing off at BUILD. I'm loving the look of Windows 8 so far.

 

[Vanillalite]

Printing in Docs through Chrome gives a "native" option now. Looks quite spiffy too.

Ooo interesting since I use Chrome. Haven't used GDocs in a while purely because of this quite honestly once Office Live went up.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Ooo interesting since I use Chrome. Haven't used GDocs in a while purely because of this quite honestly once Office Live went up.

At its core I think it is using Chrome's PDF rendering plugin, but it is pretty nice:

 

[Burai]

I'll agree with this. I've been wanting an "OS X: Tablet that isn't an iPhone edition" for a decade now. Maybe Win8 on tablets will force Apple to go that way, too bad the reality is they probably won't.

Why do people still want this? A full desktop OS doesn't work on a touchscreen device. All those things you think you want that are missing are just utterly unusable with a touch interface.

Microsoft have been trying this shit for well over ten years now. It didn't work then and it won't work in 2012 either. Everything's fine when you're in the specially coded touchscreen interface, but when you try to leave it to do "real" work, you're fiddling with software designed for precision mouse and keyboard control and it turns into an exercise in frustration.

 

[The Technomancer]

I'll be following this very closely, I always love looking behind the scenes at...well...just about anything.

That being said, I really doubt I'm going to upgrade to 8 from 7 unless its an Apple-style $50 upgrade.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Why do people still want this? A full desktop OS doesn't work on a touchscreen device. All those things you think you want that are missing are just utterly unusable with a touch interface.

Microsoft have been trying this shit for well over ten years now. It didn't work then and it won't work in 2012 either. Everything's fine when you're in the specially coded touchscreen interface, but when you try to leave it to do "real" work, you're fiddling with software designed for precision mouse and keyboard control and it turns into an exercise in frustration.

They want the desktop-class apps but on a tablet form factor, which doesn't really work.

Really the only way around this would be to take the responsive design principle of the web and build that into the core OS, so apps can resize themselves based on the type of device. Windows 8 might just do this thanks to the HTML5 app framework, and Android is actually pretty close to this, I've seen a notebook running Honeycomb and it looks just as capable of desktop-class apps as Windows or OS X.

 

[kehs]

Why do people still want this? A full desktop OS doesn't work on a touchscreen device. All those things you think you want that are missing are just utterly unusable with a touch interface.

Microsoft have been trying this shit for well over ten years now. It didn't work then and it won't work in 2012 either. Everything's fine when you're in the specially coded touchscreen interface, but when you try to leave it to do "real" work, you're fiddling with software designed for precision mouse and keyboard control and it turns into an exercise in frustration.

Why do people want an all in one device that permits them to do all activities in one?

Hmm....let's see.

 

[lunarworks]

Why do people want an all in one device that permits them to do all activities in one?

Hmm....let's see.

I want a motorcycle with the horsepower and controls of a monster truck!

 

[kehs]

I want a motorcycle with the horsepower and controls of a monster truck!

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/03/08/speedy-motor-cycle-car-runs-on-two-wheels/

Let me see about getting a v10 in there...

 

[Vanillalite]

Why do people still want this? A full desktop OS doesn't work on a touchscreen device. All those things you think you want that are missing are just utterly unusable with a touch interface.

Microsoft have been trying this shit for well over ten years now. It didn't work then and it won't work in 2012 either. Everything's fine when you're in the specially coded touchscreen interface, but when you try to leave it to do "real" work, you're fiddling with software designed for precision mouse and keyboard control and it turns into an exercise in frustration.

If you can switch between the different versions of the OS then I see no reason why it wouldn't be cool and useful sometimes to have the Table UI and the regular Desktop UI with the features for both (sort of like the Atrix how it switches to the Desktop like UI when you put it in the laptop shell). You could use the Tablet focused UI, and never even need to use the other if that's full fills your needs. No reason having the option would to switch would be a bad thing though. IMO of course.

 

[quaere]

Google Docs is better than MS Office. Deal with it.

Google docs runs like shit on Android.

 

[whitehawk]

Windows 8?

I JUST got windows 7!

 

[Complex Shadow]

Google Docs is better than MS Office. Deal with it.

can we please not go down this road of "w/e > Microsoft"

 

[dLMN8R]

Why do people still want this? A full desktop OS doesn't work on a touchscreen device. All those things you think you want that are missing are just utterly unusable with a touch interface.

Microsoft have been trying this shit for well over ten years now. It didn't work then and it won't work in 2012 either. Everything's fine when you're in the specially coded touchscreen interface, but when you try to leave it to do "real" work, you're fiddling with software designed for precision mouse and keyboard control and it turns into an exercise in frustration.

See, you're forgetting one important detail - with Windows Phone 7, Microsoft actually proved they know how to handle touch screen devices.

You can say that Microsoft has been trying this for over ten years, but you're also forgetting that Microsoft was trying touch-screen phones for well over ten years and failed miserably at it until Windows Phone 7.


At this point, there hasn't been a single company on earth that both knows how to design an awesome touch-screen device, and an awesome desktop OS, and attempt to combine them.

With Windows 8, that is now the case for basically the first time ever.

 

[PflargBlarg]

I predict a quarter of GAF will be shitting on Metro in Windows.

The WP7 group will be loving it.

The PC gaming elitists will hate it.

Hang on, I'm a PC gaming elitist but I also own a WP7 phone.

What do I do?

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Google docs runs like shit on Android.

The site or the app?

Google Docs in general is hamstrung if you have a crappy connection. They promised offline capabilities would debut this summer but it should have been out by now. :/

Hang on, I'm a PC gaming elitist but I also own a WP7 phone.

What do I do?

Get Linux.

 

[Vanillalite]

The site or the app?

Google Docs in general is hamstrung if you have a crappy connection. They promised offline capabilities would debut this summer but it should have been out by now. :/



Get Linux.

But I already have Linux installed too.