Windows Blue: Microsoft's Plan To Release a New Version of Windows Every Year 712
MrSeb writes "Way back in August, three months before the release of Windows 8, we learned about the existence of a project at Microsoft codenamed Blue. At the time it wasn't clear whether this was Windows 9, or some kind of interim update/service pack for Windows 8. Now, if unnamed sources are to be believed, Windows Blue is both of those things: a major update to Windows 8, and also the beginning of a major shift that will result in a major release of Windows every 12 months — just like Apple's OS X. According to these insiders, Blue will roll out mid-2013, and will be very cheap — or possibly even free, to ensure that 'Windows Blue [is] the next OS that everyone installs.' Exact details are still rather vague, but at the very least Blue will make 'UI changes' to Windows 8. The sources also indicate that the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 SDKs will be merged or standardized, to further simplify the development of cross-platform apps. Perhaps more important, though, is the shift to a 12-month release cadence. Historically, Microsoft has released a major version of Windows every few years, with the intervening periods populated with stability- and security-oriented service packs. Now it seems that Microsoft wants to move to an OS X-like system, where new and exciting features will be added on an annual basis. In turn, Microsoft will drop the price of these releases — probably to around $25, just like OS X."
Mike, (Score:3, Funny)
I wanna be like Mike!
Apple = Michael Jordan
Windows 8 = Air Jordans
Microsoft = little kid in the commercial
oh great. and I have to support it all? (Score:5, Funny)
Lovely... so it'll be like automobiles.
You'll hear about recalls that affect Windows 2015, 2017, and 2018
but luckily, I'm still running Windows 2014
people in 2029 will brag about how they wish they'd bring back "classic Windows 2019, but not that crappy POS Windows 2021 that had the noise problem"
Project blue (Score:5, Funny)
Seems almost fitting somehow.
Re:oh great. and I have to support it all? (Score:5, Funny)
You'll hear about recalls that affect Windows 2015, 2017, and 2018 but luckily, I'm still running Windows 2014
people in 2029 will brag about how they wish they'd bring back "classic Windows 2019, but not that crappy POS Windows 2021 that had the noise problem"
You don't understand Microsoft's logic. Back when they only released an operating system every few years, they included the year in the version. Now that they will be switching to an annual release cycle, they're switching to colors, using the ROYGBIV order, which is why they are starting with blue. You see, Blue comes after 8, which comes after 7, which comes after Vista, which comes after XP, which comes after 2000, which comes after the millennium edition, which comes after 98, etc. They found that people were very confused about Windows 8 following Windows 7. It didn't fit the pattern at all. Hence, they are moving to colors. After ROYGBIV they're moving to Pantone color numbers, in order from Ballmer's least favorite Pantone to his favorite.
Last years "Windows Blew" - so let's Blue again... (Score:5, Funny)
Last years "Windows Blew" - so let's Blue again...
Quality naming guys!
Apt name... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:This is a good thing (Score:3, Funny)
Re:This is a good thing (Score:1, Funny)
...a strategy of convincing people somehow that upgrading their OS is something they do regularly for a nominal fee is indeed probably a good way to keep sucking blood from the users.
Yes, great strategy. MS learned it from the master bloodsuckers at Apple.
Fortunately their chief bloodsucker is in the ground, and he's not going to rise again.
Re:This is a good thing (Score:0, Funny)
When I report a bug to Microsoft they don't tell me to fix it myself. I'm grateful that adding new hardware to Windows is an automated process and Microsoft doesn't tell me I need to recompile the NT kernel if I want my USB camera to work. I'm particularly pleased that my integrated graphics card is supported by the OS and every application I use on it.
That's worth money to me.
I'm waiting for the part where you explain that THAT'S why you keep a 486 with a version of Linux from 1996 around just so you can look at it over and over and over again to "prove" to you how bad Linux is*, all while ignoring how it's a relatively recent "innovation" in Windows that you don't have to reboot the computer just to change an IP address.
*: For that weird definition of "is" you use that anybody who speaks English would recognize as "was".
Re:Project blue (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Should be Windows GOLD (Score:4, Funny)
$40 is indeed a bargain for the newest version of Windows.
The only problem right now is that it's the newest version of Windows.
Re:This is a good thing (Score:5, Funny)
True... It's funny you get that bloody "send report to Microsoft" every time some software crashes for whatever reason. I think they have a dedicated server cluster called "Trash" for all of those messages.
Re:This is a good thing (Score:2, Funny)
-You're on crack. 99% of all people on the planet use MS on a daily basis.
Which explains why they don't want it on their phones. :)
Re:This is a good thing (Score:4, Funny)
So are the people in those ads.
Re:This is a good thing (Score:5, Funny)
A fairly large number of the oil rigs and processing plants in Norway still run on OpenVMS for servers and winxp for clients... Scarily enough...
Those who have upgraded the servers are on win2003 R2 mostly, and upgrading to anyone else is a 2-5 year process of testing and upgrading.
Even with support ending for XP in 2013, we're not scheduled to begin testing for an upgrade until mid 2014.. And even then it is to Win7.
Going to be a joy I bet... *wraps his lips around a shotgun barrel*
Re:Project blue (Score:4, Funny)