Will this be Windows 9?

Little Jay, while I agree with you in general, they first have to put out an OS that Business wants to adopt before they can sell the productivity software to them. So far, from all reports, they have not done that and from appearances are not heading in that direction. Consider how long it took Microsoft to move businesses from XP to Windows 7, which is a much better OS for business than Windows 8 is. In fact, that's why they made XP mode an option for Windows 7, so business could more easily transition to 7. And the move from XP to 7 was not nearly as drastic as the move to 8 would be.

essenbe, post: 2810, member: 51 said:

Little Jay, while I agree with you in general, they first have to put out an OS that Business wants to adopt before they can sell the productivity software to them. So far, from all reports, they have not done that and from appearances are not heading in that direction. Consider how long it took Microsoft to move businesses from XP to Windows 7, which is a much better OS for business than Windows 8 is. In fact, that's why they made XP mode an option for Windows 7, so business could more easily transition to 7. And the move from XP to 7 was not nearly as drastic as the move to 8 would be.

I agree with you about developing an OS for businesses. My first reply wasn't very clear on that point. What I was trying to say is the OS is only part of the equation and that the revenue generate from productivity software is even greater. If Microsoft doesn't develop an OS that will support that productivity software, then businesses will either hang on to older versions, or look for alternatives and I have to believe that Microsoft wouldn't want that to happen and risk losing a very large part of their revenue stream.

I just hope that they will develop 9 to be a purely desktop OS and leave 8 on mobile/all-in-one/tablet devices. My ears are bleeding whenever I hear the word "apps".

Some of us want that, but some don't care, and many like the whole mobile/app thing. And MS sees dollar signs in apps, and yearly subscriptions, etc., etc. They want a unified OS that looks the same across every device. That means moving away from the desktop, and more towards what we don't like. It's a damn shame. They could easily make 2 flavors, but that isn't what they want. A Guy

A Guy, post: 3472, member: 22 said:

..They could easily make 2 flavors, but that isn't what they want. A Guy

Exactly. Or at least there should be an option from the "First time use" screen to choose between "desktop" or "mobile" version. Then everyone will be happy. :)

Windows 8.1, with the Classic Shell 4.0 installed and some old Tweaks make it the best of both worlds. a new and faster OS, with the look and feel of an old comfortable shoe. I can live with it.

TM

Hummm, not impressed yet. -WS

Just thinking.
It took crowbars to get businesses off of XP and shift to Windows 7. What would it take to get businesses to go to finger print screens and little tiles in the fashion of Windows 8.
Why would business want to do such a thing.
I do believe that Microsoft wants to keep businesses as a major part of their business.
I don't believe that all business want or need Enterprise.

I for one do not think that Microsoft cares about business at all. As a contractor that works with so many different companies and governments I just do not see how Microsoft is doing much for businesses. #1) Admin tools or conveniences are non-existent for Windows. (i.e. To be able to use RDP for more than one session on a workstation without kicking the user off for repairs, no easy way to include encrypted passwords in scripts or prompt for secure passwords, no easy way to elevate privileges for patches or installs, etc.) #2) No good way from Microsoft to clone machines. (SysPrep is a joke it resets many of the settings that corporate companies need and doing it the non-Microsoft way causes all kinds of other issues that you have to be aware of and fix before deploying an cloned machine. Using RIS is so slow you are better off hand loading a machine. Plus setting up RIS is so time consuming it is not worth it) #3) Pricing for Businesses and Government is outrageous. Take a small deployment of 1000 machines you buy the OS and Office as everyone does and you are looking at a $250,000 investment, but it does not stop there, most of the time you buy software assurance but that only gives you a few years and then you have to buy all over again. Opps forgot about Exchange, SharePoint, SQL, etc. etc. etc. From a cost point I don't see any company that I have upgraded from XP to 7 doing any upgrades or even thinking of it until Windows 9 or 10, it is just to costly. Plus there is all the 3rd party software that has to be tested and re-installed or forced on another OS because it does not work correctly. Vendors are still programming for Windows 95 and just will not get out of that world. (!!Wake up programmers we have had NT code and Windows Domains for 15 years now!!) For the past 4 years I have been working on getting companies off XP and on Windows 7 and it was not easy.

So to the question at hand. We have tested Windows 8 or 8.1 in many conditions, areas, business, sections and in the enterprise it just does not fit or play nice. In my opinion from all the feedback I received Windows 8.x is not ready for business, businesses still need a full desktop without the tiles and most don't have touch screens. Great for this 20 something generation coming up, on laptops, notebooks, tablets, and phones and for home use or small businesses, but that is about it. -WS