Windows Blue first look

Seems screenshots of the upcoming Windows Blue have leaked:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/25/windows-blue-screenshot-tour/

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/24/windows-blue-leak/

I'm not sure what to make of it at the moment. It doesn't look any different from Windows 8 so far, unless it's more of a refinement of W8 (similar to OSX Snow Leopard being a refinement of Leopard).
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  • Zack06Zack06 Posts: 28,304
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    It's very stable, but it seems like only minor UI tweaks. It's a lot more stable than Windows 8 was in its milestone era. Windows Blue is due out at the end of this year apparently, so there won't be that long to wait before it is released. I don't think it's going to be a major update.

    Apparently Microsoft have switched from 1 major release every 3 years to yearly alternating major and minor releases. I wouldn't count Windows Blue as Windows 9, it feels more like Windows 8 but with a few enhancements and I imagine it will be marketed as such.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    ^ Do you think this one will be a good or bad release? Normally every second Windows version is good.
  • call100call100 Posts: 7,264
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    Are they killing the desktop?? Good look from here and links to the original article.....
  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    It's obviously basically just a service pack, so not worth paying extra for.

    Perhaps the biggest change is that apps can now take up 50% of the screen, as well as the third/two thirds mix?
  • StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    call100 wrote: »
    Are they killing the desktop?? Good look from here and links to the original article.....

    No they aren't killing the desktop

    Video here:
    http://www.winbeta.org/news/watch-windows-blue-build-9364-has-new-start-screen-tile-interactions-and-resizing-abilities
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,325
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    call100 wrote: »
    Are they killing the desktop?
    Not yet.

    In Blue, Microsoft are moving a number of settings from Control Panel to an option in Metro, which some people interpret as a preparation for removing the desktop in a later version.

    I'm confused. Does "killing the desktop" mean removing the ability to run any conventional EXE programs? If that's really Microsoft's plan then IMHO it's both lunacy and suicidal.
  • Shirley CarterShirley Carter Posts: 382
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    Is it called blue because that's how you will feel after using it? :D
  • d'@ved'@ve Posts: 45,452
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    John259 wrote: »
    Not yet.

    In Blue, Microsoft are moving a number of settings from Control Panel to an option in Metro, which some people interpret as a preparation for removing the desktop in a later version.

    I'm confused. Does "killing the desktop" mean removing the ability to run any conventional EXE programs? If that's really Microsoft's plan then IMHO it's both lunacy and suicidal.

    If they ever do that, I will be sorely tempted to ditch Microsoft in its entirety. Yes, everything with their name on it, though in reality I'll just not upgrade anything (I happily ran XP for 10 years).

    Blue looks like a waste of space, from what I can see in the preview.
  • Tinky-WinkyTinky-Winky Posts: 95
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    Hi,

    Most of the User Interface changes, from what I can see, are to bring Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 closer together. I have also heard that both the application stores are to be merged so that the applications will work on both platforms.

    TW
  • NewWorldManNewWorldMan Posts: 4,890
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    John259 wrote: »
    If that's really Microsoft's plan then IMHO it's both lunacy and suicidal.

    Yes, it would be suicidal. If the millions of legacy applications out there were no longer able to run on Windows that would kill Windows and thus Microsoft.
  • Zero gravitasZero gravitas Posts: 12,368
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    Given that World+dog+uncle is running XP/XP Pro/W7 etc, are these glittering baubles anything more than the equivalent of concept cars for the idle rich?

    ^^^That sounds a bit head-up-arse, but you get the idea.:D
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    Is it called blue because that's how you will feel after using it? :D

    Haha I thought that too :D I've got this song in my head at the moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvS_gQj_3Yk
  • call100call100 Posts: 7,264
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    I read, that the analysis was, the desktop would be subject to death by a thousand cuts. So, small changes with each update until death occurs almost naturally......
    Not particularly bothered myself as long as I can use W8 for everything I need, I'll give it a go. That said, I can understand the feelings of those who use more features of their PC's than I perhaps do. To that end, will it not be a bit like Vista - W7 with business only just making the move from one to the other now? Microsoft are only interested in getting the system into the mainstream (Business later) and having a complete eco-system integrated completely, it seems.
    Then again, I could be completely wrong.....!
  • StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    Read my lips: Microsoft is not going to remove the Desktop.

    As stated by several people above, it would stop the majority of people from using traditional applications. Don't forget that MS makes lots of money from Office and other applications.
  • late8late8 Posts: 7,175
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    Going back to a Windows 7 laptop or desktop is a breath of fresh air.


    That's the real problem.
  • Pink KnightPink Knight Posts: 24,773
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    My Windows XP computer thankfully didn't die until Vista was replaced with 7. Hopefully I can bypass 8 in a similar fashion.
  • HelboreHelbore Posts: 16,066
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    John259 wrote: »
    I'm confused. Does "killing the desktop" mean removing the ability to run any conventional EXE programs? If that's really Microsoft's plan then IMHO it's both lunacy and suicidal.

    I'd say that eventually the desktop and win32 will die and it will be good riddance to legacy code when it happens.

    But its not going to happen all of a sudden, leaving existing customers high-and-dry and nothing but metro - as it currently is - as an app centre. Blue already shows signs of improved multitasking capabilities over Windows 8 in the metro environment. I expect we will see gradual improvements in WinRT's ability to multitask, to the point it will eventually be capable of resizing, stacking and tiling apps as windows.

    As for backwards compatibility for Win32, I'm almost positive that it will end up handled through a virtual machine. Microsoft have been making great strides in App-V (their backend system for streaming applications from a virtual machine) and eventually I expect to see all legacy code get consigned to a VM, thereby maintaining backwards compatibility where needed and stripping Windows down as a platform.

    Ultimately, I expect to see the kernel get replaced with something based on singularity, but that's still a way off.
  • wavy-davywavy-davy Posts: 7,122
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    Haha I thought that too :D I've got this song in my head at the moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvS_gQj_3Yk

    Feeling old now because I thought of either this:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKtGXPfabLQ

    OR

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7mDsGx2Wc
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    wavy-davy wrote: »

    I love the first one :D How about this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4QGPWLY-EM
  • d'@ved'@ve Posts: 45,452
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    Helbore wrote: »
    As for backwards compatibility for Win32, I'm almost positive that it will end up handled through a virtual machine. Microsoft have been making great strides in App-V (their backend system for streaming applications from a virtual machine) and eventually I expect to see all legacy code get consigned to a VM, thereby maintaining backwards compatibility where needed and stripping Windows down as a platform.

    I have tried running Windows XP 32 bit as a VM in Windows 8's Hyper-V and can still run it with a couple of mouse clicks.

    Performance is poor though, so I don't bother any more. I run XP as a dual boot, instead. VM working does not impress me.
  • noise747noise747 Posts: 30,692
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    So it will make no difference to me then or the few other people I know that is using windows 8 as we all use a start menu and never see the metro UI.
  • call100call100 Posts: 7,264
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    noise747 wrote: »
    So it will make no difference to me then or the few other people I know that is using windows 8 as we all use a start menu and never see the metro UI.

    Well it will if they kill the desktop....You won't have anywhere to stick your start button....;)
    Seriously though, I don't think the changes are being made with you in mind. They are moving forward to the next generation (and a few of the old:eek:), who are liking W8...
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,325
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    noise747 wrote: »
    So it will make no difference to me then or the few other people I know that is using windows 8 as we all use a start menu and never see the metro UI.
    There are reports that Blue will prevent the start menu replacement utilities from working:
    http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread.php/153046-Windows-Blue-a-bit-of-a-peek-into-Windows-8-updates?p=897568&viewfull=1#post897568
    http://www.neowin.net/news/startisback-21-rc0
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    noise747 wrote: »
    So it will make no difference to me then or the few other people I know that is using windows 8 as we all use a start menu and never see the metro UI.

    Having not been in Metro land on my W8 for quite sometime now, My thoughts on blue were 'yuk' I'm glad I have classic start menu and working in the desktop fine. Before I saw this, I had almost forgotten Metro was there, I just checked and it still is :D
  • TheSlothTheSloth Posts: 18,709
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    Trying to force customers to use a clunky, embyonic UI designed primarily for users with touchscreen machines was lunacy given that 99% of us haven't got a touchscreen Windows machine.

    Don't Microsoft realise people want to choose when to adapt, rather than to be led in this patronising manner? Anyone would think they've been taking lessons from Apple.

    I like Windows 8 - once I'd bypassed Microsoft's nonsense with Classic Shell. If people want to use a tocuhscreen or babified UI let them by means - just don't impose it on those that would rather wait until it matured and their hardware was more compatible with it.

    Having got Windows 8 Pro for about £45 during the offer stage, I'm happy to live with it's idiosynchracies - but I'll be watchung very carefully what they do with Windows Blue before upgrading.

    If they give people back some degree of choice, they may just repair the damage they've done with Metro thus far.
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