Windows 9 release date, news and rumors

[moremana]

Or go linux and not deal with metro sytle OS's? SteamOS?

The problem with Linux, and yes I use it, is that it is not user friendly. To install drivers for me is a breeze, because I know Linux, for the average PC user it would be a nightmare, also Wine is poorly coded and PoL is a joke.

Until there becomes a way for the average PC user to install their games and software Linux will stay where its at, like it has for 20 years.

[fixx]

Too little too late, I'm using Linux Mint 17. Blizzard needs to catch up with the times and port their games over to Linux.

Linux is not gaming OS, never was, probably never will be since they can't get their shit together and make single usable default desktop environment. Blizzard is not gonna make official linux version because then they would have to officially support it too in that gigantic mess of competing hardware drivers, desktop environments and windowing servers.

Because Windows 9 likely doesn't fix the issues with Windows 8 and 7. You can say it's faster and responsive but it seems no different to me.

I guess you havent used those then, or didnt read the link.

#1 Windows update needs to have full driver packages. Don't give me graphic drivers without OpenGL, or printer drivers with no software. Should be able to handle the whole driver package without issue. Why do I need to visit AMD/Nvidia's website to get a proper driver package?

Microsoft certifies and distributes only minimum drivers to avoid unnecessary bloatware and bugged third party shit. You're probably the first person in the universe who asks for more of those in their default OS installation.

And is that really handled better in linux where you have about 5623 different competing driver packages with varying amount of opennes and hardware support?

#2 Windows update needs to handle software updates. I use Firefox, flash, and Java but they all have their own methods to update. Usually sitting in the background eating up system resources, and Adobe is constantly trying to trick me in installing their crapware. Android and iOS do this but not Windows?

Software licenses (EULAs) often prevent or limit distribution of proprietary programs, and nobody's paying Microsoft to handle the distribution so they dont bother competing with sourceforge.

#3 No more anti-virus software. Shouldn't need it. Mac OSX doesn't and neither does Linux, and I don't care the reasons why.

Both OSX and linux are technically as easy to exploit as Windows8, there's just no market for it. OSX viruses have been a problem for few years already, and there's news of some critical linux vulnerabilities popping up every few months (remember Heartbleed?). Thinking there's only one OS with viruses is incredibly naive and totally wrong.

[Vash The Stampede]

Linux is not gaming OS, never was, probably never will be since they can't get their shit together and make single usable default desktop environment. Blizzard is not gonna make official linux version because then they would have to officially support it too in that gigantic mess of competing hardware drivers, desktop environments and windowing servers.

In that sense Windows is not a gaming OS either. What's wrong with the desktop environments? I prefer XFCE but Cinnamon, KDE, and MATE aren't bad either. Also didn't Metro UI fail badly in Windows 8, and Microsoft still expects you to deal with it in some way?

Microsoft certifies and distributes only minimum drivers to avoid unnecessary bloatware and bugged third party shit. You're probably the first person in the universe who asks for more of those in their default OS installation.

It's mostly outdated crap, and you will spend a lot of time hunting down the drivers for your hardware. Who wouldn't want the OS to download proper drivers automatically?

And is that really handled better in linux where you have about 5623 different competing driver packages with varying amount of opennes and hardware support?

Yes. So far it's really plug and play, except for the open source graphic drivers. But AMD and Intel open source are actually really good, except for Nvidia. Nouveau drivers are crap for Nvidia, but that's mostly Nvidia's fault. If you want to use retail drivers you just run Driver Manager.

Software licenses (EULAs) often prevent or limit distribution of proprietary programs, and nobody's paying Microsoft to handle the distribution so they dont bother competing with sourceforge.

In Linux you can update Java, Flash, and any web browser you use with the OS. This certainly helps stop all those security holes, especially with Java.

Both OSX and linux are technically as easy to exploit as Windows8, there's just no market for it. OSX viruses have been a problem for few years already, and there's news of some critical linux vulnerabilities popping up every few months (remember Heartbleed?). Thinking there's only one OS with viruses is incredibly naive and totally wrong.

Blaming OpenSSL bug on Linux? Practically every website uses OpenSSL. Even Microsoft donated money to OpenSSL to keep it bug free, also IBM, Intel, Facebook, Google, and others.

Also Linux/Mac OSX aren't doing that badly in OS market share. Windows overall has a lot more market share but Mac OSX has more than Vista, and Linux has half of Vista. Windows 8 lags behind badly, considering that most people that have Windows 8 are probably getting it in their PC with no other choice. It's sad to say Windows is dominating because of a Windows XP 23% and Windows 7's massive 51%. Yet any virus or malware will equally effect all of them without fail. Maybe Microsoft is too busy making ugly UI's and less core Windows changes?

I'd rather not have to explain Linux cause it's been done to death. Remember Linux exists more in other areas like servers then on desktops. Don't you worry though, cause Linus still wants the destkop.

[moremana]

snip

Linux is far from plug and play, I as a Linux user am shocked at that statement. And even with driver manager it is still buggy, and no Windows or OSX based game is pnp for Linux. Wine and PoL are far from stable and even when you do get apps to work, they are still buggy, remember the SC II/WoW blackouts?

Wine 1.7 is horrific, and thats thier "update" to fix all of 1.6s issues, and all it did was create new ones.

Its not worth saving 100 bucks for someone to use Linux, and as far as OSX and viruses, there are plenty of them, especially in the last few years, saying you can run OSX without AV is like saying you can run Windows without it.

I admire your desire to push and use Linux, I wish alot of people would, especially more gamers as it would help with support for the OS, but there are too many versions, and most people just want to spend their time playing and not trying to get games to work.

[fixx]

In that sense Windows is not a gaming OS either. What's wrong with the desktop environments? I prefer XFCE but Cinnamon, KDE, and MATE aren't bad either.

What's wrong with the desktop environment is that there are 235690238956235 slightly incompatible desktop environments in linux. Until there is one default desktop, it will never be viable gaming OS. The whole point of Steam OS is to get rid of all the conflicting shit and standardize the desktop into one version with one software.

It's mostly outdated crap, and you will spend a lot of time hunting down the drivers for your hardware.

WHQL certified versions of graphics drivers come out every three months or so. I'll rather use a version certified to be bugfree and crashfree than take any more beta quality crap from AMD or Nvidia.

Who wouldn't want the OS to download proper drivers automatically?

Yeah, Windows does download drivers automatically for my laptop's power management. Ubuntu couldn't do that in 2004 and it still can't enable the fucking sleep modes in 2014 decade later.

Yes. So far it's really plug and play, except for the open source graphic drivers. But AMD and Intel open source are actually really good, except for Nvidia. Nouveau drivers are crap for Nvidia, but that's mostly Nvidia's fault. If you want to use retail drivers you just run Driver Manager.

And there's another reason why linux will never be viable desktop/gaming OS. If you need to have understanding which of the six versions of the drives you want to install it's not meant for consumers.

In Linux you can update Java, Flash, and any web browser you use with the OS. This certainly helps stop all those security holes, especially with Java.

All of those come with automatic updates enabled on Windows. And there's nothing that can fix the security holes of Java. That shit should be killed from desktop environment and officially relegated to server side where J2EE actually works relatively bugfree.

Blaming OpenSSL bug on Linux?

It's an example of dangerous and in-the-wild exploit in linux (all but hardened versions come with SSHD enabled by default). Not the only one, just the easiest one. All it takes is one example to prove your naivety wrong when you claim you don't need any protection in non-Windows OSes.

Yet any virus or malware will equally effect all of them without fail. Maybe Microsoft is too busy making ugly UI's and less core Windows changes?

Oh, I thought all those hunderds of patches that get delivered on tuesdays were bugfixes and not UI changes... I guess that explains why they UI hasn't changed.

And yes, that was sarcasm.

[Radio]

All of this complaining about a UI that you spend about 0.01% of your time looking at during standard desktop computer use.

[Vash The Stampede]

Linux is far from plug and play, I as a Linux user am shocked at that statement. And even with driver manager it is still buggy, and no Windows or OSX based game is pnp for Linux.

Which distro are you using? I use Mint 17 and don't have to do anything besides use the OS. I of course go beyond what the average user does and install latest open source drivers and kernels, but otherwise works fine out of the box. I use it on my laptops daily without issue, but I also don't game on it like my desktop. Though I've played some games, but my desktop still runs Windows 7 for games. My laptop wasn't meant to game on.

Wine and PoL are far from stable and even when you do get apps to work, they are still buggy, remember the SC II/WoW blackouts?

Wine 1.7 is horrific, and thats thier "update" to fix all of 1.6s issues, and all it did was create new ones.

Wine 1.6.2 is the latest stable release. Wine 1.7 is beta. Wine sucks without doubt, and it's a pain to get Windows applications running. Ultimately I would like native versions of software over having to run Wine to get Windows versions. Though if Wine could run my Windows software on it then I would replace my Windows machines with Linux.

Its not worth saving 100 bucks for someone to use Linux, and as far as OSX and viruses, there are plenty of them, especially in the last few years, saying you can run OSX without AV is like saying you can run Windows without it.

I run Linux not to save money but because Windows has gotten that bad. Even Windows 7 pisses me off. As far as viruses go, you likely won't get any. Sure they exist but every time a new kernel is released for Linux, all the old viruses are worthless. If you run Arch linux for example, you will never have to deal with a virus cause it is always kept up to date. Course you wouldn't use Arch cause it's a pain to setup, but instead you would use Manjaro.

I admire your desire to push and use Linux, I wish alot of people would, especially more gamers as it would help with support for the OS, but there are too many versions, and most people just want to spend their time playing and not trying to get games to work.

Anyone can make a linux distro, but anyone who's going to use linux are going to use the top distros which is like 5.

Ubuntu
Mint
elementary OS
Arch
Fedora

They all have variations like Xubuntu with XFCE and Mint has a number of choices. As for games, even Borderlands 2 is coming to Linux. With Steam and GoG behind linux, where's Blizzard? Too busy making stupid pets and mounts you can buy in their in game store.

Linux is coming to the desktop make no mistake. This time Microsoft screwed up too big for Windows 9 to fix it. When Valve threw a bunch of effort into Linux it changed everything.

[schwarzkopf]

Finaly we are getting a new windows and one can only hope that it will be like Windows 7

I've been using Windows like Windows 7 but better for ages now ... it is called Windows 8.

If you want an operating system exactly like Windows 7, then Windows 7 is your deal.

[fixx]

Linux is coming to the desktop make no mistake. This time Microsoft screwed up too big for Windows 9 to fix it. When Valve threw a bunch of effort into Linux it changed everything.

Valve is not developing linux, they're developing Steam OS. There's a big difference between the two.

I run Linux not to save money but because Windows has gotten that bad. Even Windows 7 pisses me off.

Which part? Sounds like your problems are religious/philosophical in nature rather than based on reality.

As far as viruses go, you likely won't get any. Sure they exist but every time a new kernel is released for Linux, all the old viruses are worthless.

Oh boy... how wrong you are... There are several year old bugs found in linux kernel all the time... Just by releasing something does not magically mean all previous code suddenly turns perfect and bugfree. And it doesnt matter anyway because the most bugged and dangerous piece of software is the X server anyway. Too many ways to get elevated access from the desktop.

[apepi]

All of this complaining about a UI that you spend about 0.01% of your time looking at during standard desktop computer use.

I hate AI that changes and brings me to different windows to change settings, it is unreal.

[Afrospinach]

Microsoft certifies and distributes only minimum drivers to avoid unnecessary bloatware and bugged third party shit. You're probably the first person in the universe who asks for more of those in their default OS installation.

I think you have that the wrong way around, driver producers only have them certified sporadically because it costs them money to get them certified.

[Deleted]

I just bought windows 8.1 and now it's another one?! Holy crap, they feel like EA games DLCs.

[BHD]

The new start menu in that leaked picture looks great, I hope it's real. Been using windows 8 on my laptop for several months now and I'm still not used to it.

[fixx]

I think you have that the wrong way around, driver producers only have them certified sporadically because it costs them money to get them certified.

Exactly my point. Because it costs money manufacturers get only stable drivers certified, and without any extra bloatware which would cost even more to certify.

It's a win-win situation for customers who want stable and working computer without bloatware.

[Asmekiel]

I just bought windows 8.1 and now it's another one?! Holy crap, they feel like EA games DLCs.

That you didn't get it until now doesn't mean Windows 8 is not 2 years old. That's like saying WoW released 4 day 1 expansions because you only bought it the first time after MoP release.

[ciggy]

I still use win7 ultimate on my home desktop/gaming rig. Been using win8.1 at school some, and it isn't too bad.. With more use I might grow to like 8, but I see xp levels of hate for 8.. if they do windows right, you just don't hear much about it. Microsoft seems to put out a good release, and a bad release, a good release and a bad release.. it's like they do it on purpose. I love my chrome book though, well done little thing.

On a wild tangent, with a tad of relevance I have been considering certification with my network degree.. Cisco cert is so much more in demand than microsoft cert anymore.. and better paid. Microsoft is a necessary evil for me.. I have to use it, but I don't like it.

[Tekkommo]

I like Windows 8, it's far better than 7.

The new start menu in that leaked picture looks great, I hope it's real. Been using windows 8 on my laptop for several months now and I'm still not used to it.

What leaked picture? The one at the top is windows 8.

Not to be rude, how can it take you more than a few days to get used to it? It's simple and easy to use. Not only that, you can completely ignore the Start screen and just use the desktop.

[Deleted]

So increased performance, responsiveness and overall greatness of the OS is not enough? Metro and touchscreen-first nature is putting you off, man?

Somehow, I understand you. I kept myself away from Win8 for 2 years and I wish I didn't. Once I forced myself to get used to it, I've fallen in love. Don't get me wrong, Win7 was great, but Win8 is a whole lot more awesome.

How exactly? I've got Windows 7 on my stationary computer and Windows 8 on my laptop, and really I don't see how Windows 8 is at all better. Even with mods like classic shell I still fucking hate Windows 8 and all the shit it brings.

[Asmekiel]

What leaked picture? The one at the top is windows 8.

On the second page:
http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn....eak-900-90.jpg

[yurano]

#1 Windows update needs to have full driver packages. Don't give me graphic drivers without OpenGL, or printer drivers with no software. Should be able to handle the whole driver package without issue. Why do I need to visit AMD/Nvidia's website to get a proper driver package?

Windows Update does have full driver packages. Since its up to the OEM to submit new drivers to Microsoft, the installed drivers are usually 1-2 versions outdated.

A lot of your complaints seem to be at software developers, not Microsoft itself. If you want a lot of hand holding, consider getting iOS/OSX. The downside is that tightly controlled ('curated') libraries are smaller and less available than a free market system.

Both OSX and linux are technically as easy to exploit as Windows8, there's just no market for it.

This is not true, at least not for OSX. OSX is probably the most sought after OS for RAT hacks, probably because of all the Macbook toting college girls.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2...their-webcams/

How exactly? I've got Windows 7 on my stationary computer and Windows 8 on my laptop, and really I don't see how Windows 8 is at all better. Even with mods like classic shell I still fucking hate Windows 8 and all the shit it brings.

You should get Startisback or Start8. Both remove charms and provides a 100% Windows 7 Start Menu experience (including Start Menu search). With those programs, Windows 8 is literally the same as Windows 7, except faster and better but uglier.

I have Windows 8 at home, and Windows 7 on a $3000 computer at work. Windows 7 is slow, its even slower than my Intel Atom laptop.