Windows 8 getting tested by PC makers?

TheBuzzer

TheBuzzer

HACK THE WORLD!
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
13,005
http://www.tgdaily.com/software-brief/55089-windows-8-now-in-the-hands-of-pc-makers

Yep, you better believe it.

Even if you're just now getting used to Windows 7, guess what is inevitably on the horizon? Microsoft has already begun shipping out initial test versions of its next operating system to original equipment manufacturers.

This is a sign that the OS is on development schedule as planned and is still on track to come out with a final release in late 2012.

Although not much is known about Windows 8, it's believed to have a lot of enhancements for manufacturers who want a Windows-based tablet OS, with touchscreen enhancements built into the backbone of the software.

Only select Microsoft beta testers and partners are getting their first look at Windows 8 as a result of this development milestone, so it's unclear how long it will be before any of the official details start to trickle down to the rest of us.

However, unlike the transition from Windows Vista to Windows 7, consumers are largely happy with the latest version of Microsoft's OS right now, so news about Windows 8 is likely to be met with peripheral interest and intrigue rather than with a critical eye.

That said, again, we don't know much about it now, but after it does start getting in the hands of people outside Microsoft, we're sure those details will start trickling in.
Click to expand...


is this for reals?
 
Yes, it's real. I wouldn't be surprised if it starts leaking soon. I wouldn't bother with it though since at this point it's still very similar to Windows 7.
 
It doesn't really say anything new.

Windows 8 is currently at M3 builds (milestone 3), meaning that MS is still adding/completing features. If you want to keep up with leaks and learn more about the features of Win8 (LOL @ quoted article... magnets, how do they work), this site has a good collection: http://windows8search.com/category/windows-8-builds/
 
This shouldn't be too surprising, considering early builds of Windows 7 were leaking out in early 2008, a year prior to it's release. We probably won't see significant changes with Windows 8 until it hits beta.

The new tablet features of Windows 8 should be interesting, especially for those of us with Windows-based tablets like the Eee Slate EP121.
 
CKTurbo128 said:
The new tablet features of Windows 8 should be interesting, especially for those of us with Windows-based tablets like the Eee Slate EP121.
Click to expand...

This, the tablet abilities are the big thing in this release as this will be Microsoft's first real effort in response to the iPad. The EP121, hell of machine. If it just had better battery life Asus could sell a ton more but they don't seem to be having to many problems selling it now as it says sold out.
 
03grandam said:
I think they stated that with the release of Vista, or was it Win7. I can't remember, but yea they are, lol.
Click to expand...
Well, breaking that with Vista I don't believe was planned. The OS changed so much, they just needed more time.
 
3 years? I'm not sure if this is good, or bad. It can take over 3 years just to adjust to a new OS, in corporate environments. We still have some NT4 stuff, even. Proprietary apps suck.
 
I would hope that the next version of Windows was well along in development and was actually being tested by people who make devices that are expected to run it.

Why would this come as a surprise?
 
They were always supposed to be on a 3yr cycle with OS's and made and then made a balls of Vista
 
I see Windows 7 being the predominant force for 5 years. Windows 8 will get skipped over now in business, as Win 7 was the jump point from XP (and the few Vista machines).

Even though we all know that Win 7 = Vista with fixes anyway
 
I wonder if they'll match the NT kernel version with the name. I have a feeling that Microsoft will stick with NT 6.2 instead of NT 8.0 for compatibility reasons, but it seems kind of silly to have two version numbers on one product.
 
any justification to switch to windows 8?

Windows 7 is dreamy for me at the moment. :D
 
Windows 8 is FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FROM EVEN BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A FINISHED PRODUCT so... whatever screenshots you happen upon in your surfing duties should definitely be taken with a grain of salt about the size of the Moon at this point. :)

Big changes are coming, and no it's not gonna be "Windows 7 SP2 aka Windows 8" as some folks (not here at this forum, at least not yet) have started calling it.

Patience... it'll happen soon enough, and when it does, then people can start deciding if they require a new version of Windows or not, but geez... don't start down that speculation path just yet, will ya? :D
 
bigdogchris said:
Well, breaking that with Vista I don't believe was planned. The OS changed so much, they just needed more time.
Click to expand...

Vista (known as Longhorn in development) went through a reset halfway through it's development, because it was going way off track. This, along with the priority development of XP Service Pack 2, significantly delayed the release of Vista.
 
Longhorn was pre-Vista, actually. Longhorn took way way too long to get serious and at one point about 2.5 years into the development, the project manager (think it was Jim Alchin) basically came into the office one day and pulled a "Fuck it, scrap all this and let's start over again" and they literally did just that and tossed effectively everything out the window and started from scratch - what resulted was Vista.

It might have some aspects that remind folks of Longhorn (how different can one Windows version be to the next, really) but, the codebase was completely new in almost all the ways that mattered.

Pretty bold move by Alchin but I suppose it paid off: if he hadn't tossed it all away and started fresh, we probably wouldn't have the sheer awesomeness known as Windows 7 right now. :D
 
Joe Average said:
Longhorn was pre-Vista, actually. Longhorn took way way too long to get serious and at one point about 2.5 years into the development, the project manager (think it was Jim Alchin) basically came into the office one day and pulled a "Fuck it, scrap all this and let's start over again" and they literally did just that and tossed effectively everything out the window and started from scratch - what resulted was Vista.

It might have some aspects that remind folks of Longhorn (how different can one Windows version be to the next, really) but, the codebase was completely new in almost all the ways that mattered.

Pretty bold move by Alchin but I suppose it paid off: if he hadn't tossed it all away and started fresh, we probably wouldn't have the sheer awesomeness known as Windows 7 right now. :D
Click to expand...

Vista was still known as Longhorn before it was officially named though. Of course, Longhorn originally was just supposed to be an minor update over XP and Blackcomb was to be the next major release.. but feature-creep led to Longhorn ultimately becoming the next major release and its code reset, while Blackcomb just because an update made to look major (i.e. Windows 7).
 
Embrace it! Windows 7 rocks, at the very least this will be something new to test.
 
I hope some beta leaks are out by the end of the year.
 
Joe Average said:
Windows 8 is FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FROM EVEN BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A FINISHED PRODUCT so... whatever screenshots you happen upon in your surfing duties should definitely be taken with a grain of salt about the size of the Moon at this point. :)

Big changes are coming, and no it's not gonna be "Windows 7 SP2 aka Windows 8" as some folks (not here at this forum, at least not yet) have started calling it.

Patience... it'll happen soon enough, and when it does, then people can start deciding if they require a new version of Windows or not, but geez... don't start down that speculation path just yet, will ya? :D
Click to expand...

So what are those BIG CHANGES? 128-bit support? No 32-bit support. A completely changed icon/windowing system? The "new" file system that was supposed to be in Vista, but somehow wasn't ready yet?

Tablet support? Complete app-level compatibility with Windows Phone 8?

An Android/Chrome killer?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top