Microsoft confirms Windows will merge into one operating system

[Scorpus]

Speaking in an earnings call today, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has confirmed that in the next version of Windows, the company will amalgamate the current three versions of Windows into the one operating system.

Nadella said that the one operating system will cover all screen sizes, ranging from desktops and laptops, to tablets and smartphones. While he didn't specify what this version of Windows is called, previous rumors have indicated it goes by the codename 'Threshold', effectively making it Windows 9.

It was also revealed that Microsoft has internally restructured the company since the departure of Steve Ballmer, with Nadella saying the company now has "one team with a common architecture".

While the next version of Windows will be a singular operating system, it'll still be sold in different versions, some with a subset of the features to suit the particular device. For example, it's expected that the Windows Phone and Windows RT versions of Threshold will not include the desktop, but will run universal Windows apps also available for desktop systems.

The latest rumors claim Windows 9 will launch in early 2015. One of the features that will make a comeback for desktop users is the Start menu, recently pictured in leaked screenshots. Nadella said there will be more announcements surrounding future versions of Windows in the coming months, but didn't go into detail.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/57503-microsoft-confirms-windows-will-merge-into-one-operating-system.html

 

[oldikes]

" Certainty of death, *small* chance of success... What are we waiting for? "

 

[BlueDrake]

" Certainty of death, *small* chance of success... What are we waiting for? "

I don't see the major issue, if they keep with a unified OS. The thing is keeping the sub-OS so to speak, to it's own devices and not merge ideas from one onto another. IE: Touch oriented OS from phone / tablet onto desktop. It's basically a variant of the OS, while still keeping some things intact.

 

[oldikes]

" Certainty of death, *small* chance of success... What are we waiting for? "

I don't see the major issue, if they keep with a unified OS. The thing is keeping the sub-OS so to speak, to it's own devices and not merge ideas from one onto another. IE: Touch oriented OS from phone / tablet onto desktop. It's basically a variant of the OS, while still keeping some things intact.

if they do that, it can work. Its just they dont exactly have a good track record with seperating mobile/touch concepts from desktop concepts.

 

[Xclusiveitalian]

This is HORRIBLE news

 

[mish_IT]

I don't know hey perhaps I am talking from a developing country perspective but I think there is a chance it will work even if only temp -- personally I would love one OS just like how I love having one Google account for many services

 

[ET3D]

I think it's a very good way forward. I'd love to have what Canonical tried to do with their Ubuntu Edge concept phone, a device that has a phone interface but when plugged to a screen/keyboard shows a full desktop. With a common Windows code for all devices, that's something that won't be out of the question.

I do hope that Microsoft keeps the desktop in RT. That way an ARM based desktop environment will be possible, give some competition to Intel, and I think would help that version take off.

 

[bnjohanson]

The mindset at MS is keeping internal cost controls as minimal as possible, therefore, creating a single OS that is a basis for all computing hardware is paramount; everything else be damned. Then, from there, add layers to it that will hopefully adapt seamlessly to the end-user's hardware.....preface, HOPEFULLY.

Win 8 was a tin-eared effort and MS has suffered as a consequence. Now, presumably they are aware of that shortfall, their challenge will be not pissing people of once again via a new OS with a lot of extra bloat, etc. that seems inevitable so to support their one-size fits all internal commitment...

 

[KarlFrytol]

I have a Windows RT, a Nokia phone and a Windows laptop. It will be wonderful, if with one download I can update three devices saving me time and complexity. I suppose that this will come in 3 years time as is usually the case with Microsoft.

 

[Guest]

That will be interesting how will they kill Windows 7 after cant kill XP till now.

 

[Nobina]

If they can't release a proper OS by the time they kill Windows 7, they're gonna be in deep ****, and it should happen to teach them a lesson.

 

[DDG4005]

If done right this could work. I don't have a problem with Microsoft merging their OSes into one unified product just as long as they do it properly.

 

[Darkshadoe]

They would blow Apple out of the water if they would just make a choice at set up to pick what desktop you want to use. Some people might like the Win 8 desktop while others would prefer something like Win 7. Heck, there might be people who prefer the Windows 2000 look. This change would do wonders for their profit margin.

 

[TheNetAvenger]

" Certainty of death, *small* chance of success... What are we waiting for? "

I don't think you understand. This is what Microsoft is already doing, and bringing the WP/Windows upper layer teams together means more consistency for end users.

NT is already universal, and they are already expanding out WinRT to be a universal framework, as Universal Apps are already available for WP8.1 and Windows 8.1 with Xbox One support coming this fall.

The only thing that changes is that the UI flips depending on what the end user needs/expects, so WP will have a phone UI. (This is simple stuff with modern software capabilities, especially since all the heavy lifting has been done with NT and the new frameworks unification.)

 

[TheNetAvenger]

The mindset at MS is keeping internal cost controls as minimal as possible, therefore, creating a single OS that is a basis for all computing hardware is paramount; everything else be damned. Then, from there, add layers to it that will hopefully adapt seamlessly to the end-user's hardware.....preface, HOPEFULLY.

Win 8 was a tin-eared effort and MS has suffered as a consequence. Now, presumably they are aware of that shortfall, their challenge will be not pissing people of once again via a new OS with a lot of extra bloat, etc. that seems inevitable so to support their one-size fits all internal commitment...

The unification of the Windows teams isn't the result of costs, although it will help.

This is about Windows and specifically the technologies of NT that allow Microsoft to take a very powerful and complex OS technology and run it on very low end hardware or scale across 1000 servers all from the same code base.

The 'unification' has already happened, Windows NT is already the same code base on WP/Windows Rt/Windows x86/Windows x64 - Server.

The unification of the new frameworks is also 90% complete with the same CoreCLR.

The only work left to be done is fixing some UI inconsistencies and expanding WinRT to handle more complexity and become 100% consistent for Universal Apps.


It is funny that Linux runs on 100 different architectures and everyone thinks it is brilliant, and yet NT was designed to be more portable than Linux and runs on 10 architectures and users complain that it should only run on one because that is what Apple has been selling its customers.

-Inside Note: OS X and iOS are NOT the same kernel, as iOS is a very limited variation, and if Apple could get the full version of OS X's kernel to run on ARM class devices, the iPad would have shipped looking more like a Mac running OS X than a big iPhone.

 

[GhostRyder]

This is a good thing, unifying the OS on all devices can only bring further inovations while still catering to each and every device. We need all our devices to communicate better and in new ways and this seems to be the best way to do it!

 

[oldikes]

I don't think you understand. This is what Microsoft is already doing, and bringing the WP/Windows upper layer teams together means more consistency for end users.

NT is already universal, and they are already expanding out WinRT to be a universal framework, as Universal Apps are already available for WP8.1 and Windows 8.1 with Xbox One support coming this fall.

The only thing that changes is that the UI flips depending on what the end user needs/expects, so WP will have a phone UI. (This is simple stuff with modern software capabilities, especially since all the heavy lifting has been done with NT and the new frameworks unification.)

I do understand that. im just waiting to see how well its going to work in the long run.

 

[gamoniac]

" Certainty of death, *small* chance of success... What are we waiting for? "

I don't see the major issue, if they keep with a unified OS. The thing is keeping the sub-OS so to speak, to it's own devices and not merge ideas from one onto another. IE: Touch oriented OS from phone / tablet onto desktop. It's basically a variant of the OS, while still keeping some things intact.

if they do that, it can work. Its just they dont exactly have a good track record with seperating mobile/touch concepts from desktop concepts.

Nobody does currently. That is why a unified Windows is such a big deal if it works. It would be wrong to wish any OS to fail; a better MS will give Android and Apple better competition to all of us.

 

[fimbles]

Standardisation across all platforms is a great idea.

Please be sure to include a " What device will you be installing windows on" screen during installation, and be sure the version I install is tailored to that device.

 

[captaincranky]

What will they take away after doing us this big favor? Metro cost us "Windows Media Center". And God knows, if you no longer have to buy different versions of Windows, won't the additional cost have to be recouped somewhere?

Think about it, how much can you charge for an OS, on a $100.00 tablet, versus how much should you charge for the OS of a $2,000.00 gaming rig. Yet it's all going to be the same OS, er right?

And there you have it boys and girls, the perfect formula / excuse / justification for a subscription model! Two bucks a month for your phone, and ten bucks a month for your desktop!. Yay!

OTOH, this could turn out to be as big a joke as, "one size fits all", women's underwear.

Here's the fun part, Windows already has hardware detection, and a control panel. With that being the case, the owner could simply choose the GUI, based on their own preference...

However, that silly issue about price still remains. Let's just say, "no one's talking about the elephant in the start menu".

 

[tonylukac]

Dumb. All they do is cut out features and it will take up more memory on any device, not to mention how slow it will be to boot when it has to go thru all the hardware options on phones, tablets, and pcs. I'm not upgrading.

 

[Railman]

Dumb. All they do is cut out features and it will take up more memory on any device, not to mention how slow it will be to boot when it has to go thru all the hardware options on phones, tablets, and pcs. I'm not upgrading.

I would have thought that it would only need to analyse your set up during install?

 

[Jad Chaar]

If done right this could work. I don't have a problem with Microsoft merging their OSes into one unified product just as long as they do it properly.

Exactly. People just complain because they are scared of change. People will come to like it IF it is done right like you said.

 

[captaincranky]

Exactly. People just complain because they are scared of change. People will come to like it IF it is done right like you said.

I think it comes back to money. Everyone that has posted to this topic, is doing so from the perspective of a desktop user, most of whom are dissatisfied with "Metro".

A "one size fits all" scenario, favors a subscription model.

Basically, if someone with a $100.00 tablet pays the same $100.00 for a copy of Windows, they're getting screwed.

If the tablet owner gets charged $20.00 for the same copy of Windows that forces the desktop owner to pay $100.00, then he or she is getting screwed.

What's the solution? License Windows on a per device basis, at a cost comparable to the value of the platform.

In fact, I'd almost bet, the first time someone gets screwed big time on this model, They'll be begging to pay on a month to month basis.

You can spout all the nonsense you like, from all sides of the issue, but, "price versus intended use", is the perfect leverage point for M$ to visit a subscription Windows on us all.

 

[Railman]

If done right this could work. I don't have a problem with Microsoft merging their OSes into one unified product just as long as they do it properly.

Exactly. People just complain because they are scared of change. People will come to like it IF it is done right like you said.

I don't see it as a case of being scared of change more a case of people being more cynical the older they get. Youngsters are often duped by the tech messiahs into believing all that is new is better. For instance where I live the train service was electrified in the 1960's. The first generation of trains only had a top speed of 90 mph. The new trains introduced in this century have a top speed of 100 mph so you would expect the train service to be quicker. Would you be surprised to know that the service is far slower now than in the 1960s! Part of the reason is because the trains now spend more time in the stations as it takes longer for the passengers to get on and off and to dispatch the train.