Talked about on the Tech News Today podcast, the new Windows will probably be offered as beta, a bit like Yosemite, to the general public.
According to Mashable.com (see http://mashable.com/2014/08/15/windows-9-public-download/ ) it should be available this fall. Features include the return of the Start menu, the Charms bar exit, and the possibility to run modern apps (“Metro”, Windows Store, New API) in a Desktop Window.
From what I read (here is one link), that would be true on desktop and laptop computers, but tablets would retain the horrible Metro style interface (which admittedly works better on a tablet than a menu designed for the mouse). Threshold is also rumoured to finally bring virtual desktops (on desktops and laptops). It will be interesting to see how this feature is implemented.
It is still unclear whether the choice between the new hybrid menu (it does have tiles in it…), and the Metro style start screen is configurable, or determined solely by system hardware parameters. The preview version would apparently be available late-september. We should have a better idea then. But, let’s remember that we could still opt-out of the metro interface in Windows 8 developer preview. MS could once again offer a choice that will be removed from the final version. Only the RTM version will tell us for sure what’s coming.
As some may know, last week I have bought my very first Windows machine ever (and I am using computers for about 34 years now).
I had/have struggled with it a lot (frustrated/pulling hair/angry/…). But the only thing I really like is the Metro GUI.
For a tablet and phone it is a very smooth working and cool looking GUI. It is a very good alternative for iOS. I never thought I would say this though
For sure it isn’t a good idea to use it on a desktop system - even when you are using a touch screen. IMO Windows 9 should just give the user the choice of using the Metro GUI or desktop GUI as the default GUI.
Metro is indeed fine with touch machines and probably for phones as well. The stupid idea was to impose it on desktop PC, just as if Apple had forced iOS on Mac users.
The ultimate irony is that for two years MS has been trying to force a full screen interface on developers and users, and is now forced to offer a windowed mode for metro apps. As a developer, I did play their game and place a half dozen apps in the Windows Store, just to find it mores about ten times less downloads than the Mac App Store. When the latest statistics grant Windows 8 and 8.1 about 12% of the market and some like 7% for Mac, it blatantly shows the dismal failure of the Metro thingy.
