Microsoft Already Starting on Windows 8

There's no doubt that many enthusiasts are waiting to see what the final version of Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system will look like when shipped.

How will Windows 7 perform? Will it be faster and more stable than Vista? Will it address all of Vista's shortcomings? Of course, we all know that Windows 7 is an evolution on Vista. Despite lingering doubts, those who have tried the public beta of Windows 7 already claim that it's one of Microsoft's best operating systems yet.

That's a great thing to hear because Microsoft is actually already starting to work on Windows 8.

According to a job posting on Microsoft's site, the company is starting to put its engineering team together for designing the successor to Windows 7. The job posting details of a storage related position with focus in the enterprise:

"For the upcoming version of Windows, new critical features are being worked on including cluster support and support for one way replication. The core engine is also being reworked to provide dramatic performance improvements. We will also soon be starting major improvements for Windows 8 where we will be including innovative features which will revolutionize file access in branch offices."

If you've got what it takes to be the "Lead Software Development Engineer in Test," apply right here. Or you can sit back and wait to see how Windows 8 will develop.

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Top Comments

12 Ð

kyeana , April 18, 2009 6:11 AM

I think they are doing this just because they don't want people getting too comfortable with one OS, like with what happened to XP.

Not that i will complain. I tend to enjoy shiny new things

Other Comments

12 Ð

kyeana , April 18, 2009 6:11 AM

I think they are doing this just because they don't want people getting too comfortable with one OS, like with what happened to XP.

Not that i will complain. I tend to enjoy shiny new things
-15 Ð

Mr_Man , April 18, 2009 6:30 AM

One small complaint: I'm pretty sure Windows 7 isn't the 7th edition of Windows (1.0, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista make 8 already, not counting other point releases or Server/mobile types), so the next one will not necessarily be Windows 8.
5 Ð

ailgatrat , April 18, 2009 6:31 AM

Nope...you start planning the next version as soon as the newest version hits the field. Depending on how long all the innovation takes to develop will more than likely determine how long windows 7 will stay around. Doesn't matter which OS you like, they all have to innovate and improve over what's currently available, or noone will want it. Time for some COD5!
-5 Ð

ailgatrat , April 18, 2009 6:33 AM

Mr_ManOne small complaint: I'm pretty sure Windows 7 isn't the 7th edition of Windows (1.0, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista make 8 already, not counting other point releases or Server/mobile types), so the next one will not necessarily be Windows 8.

Hah! Don't forget Windows 3.0, NT, etc!! Don't have a clue where they came up with their numbering scheme.
0 Ð

salsoolo , April 18, 2009 6:40 AM

man they should give it a rest for like 1 year between os's
-5 Ð

eddieroolz , April 18, 2009 6:46 AM

Mr_ManOne small complaint: I'm pretty sure Windows 7 isn't the 7th edition of Windows (1.0, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista make 8 already, not counting other point releases or Server/mobile types), so the next one will not necessarily be Windows 8.

And Intel's Core i7 isn't exactly the 7th generation either, but they got away with the naming

It should be...Core i12! (486 = 4, Pentium = 5, Pentium 2 = 6, Pentium 3 = 7, Pentium 4 = 8, Pentium D = 9, Core = 10, Core 2 = 11, Core i7 = 12)
3 Ð

solymnar , April 18, 2009 6:53 AM

Tuan NguyenThat's a great thing to hear because Microsoft is actually already starting to work on Windows 7 Service Pack 1.

Fixed. =D
-5 Ð

deltatux , April 18, 2009 7:06 AM

eddieroolzAnd Intel's Core i7 isn't exactly the 7th generation either, but they got away with the naming It should be...Core i12! (486 = 4, Pentium = 5, Pentium 2 = 6, Pentium 3 = 7, Pentium 4 = 8, Pentium D = 9, Core = 10, Core 2 = 11, Core i7 = 12)

Actually, Pentium D and Core are part of the Netburst architecture, so it'll be i886 while Core 2 is i986 and Core i7 would be i1086 if we were to put it this way.

Windows Vista is technically Windows NT 6.0 and Windows 7 is NT 6.1. Windows 2000 was Windows NT 5.0, Windows XP was Windows NT 5.1 and Windows 2003 was Windows NT 5.2.

So, that's how the numbering kind of came to Windows 7. However, I would rather they just call it Windows 6 just because it's NT6.1 not 7.0.

Plus, even when Windows 7 comes out, 95% I'm sticking to Windows Server 2008 because it works, I pretty much like it and I hate the new taskbar and having transparency on the window border even when maximized. Windows 7 doesn't look like much of a step forward. Not worth the money to invest (and won't use it on any of my computers if my college ends up giving the license to me for free).
1 Ð

eddieroolz , April 18, 2009 7:10 AM

deltatuxActually, Pentium D and Core are part of the Netburst architecture, so it'll be i886 while Core 2 is i986 and Core i7 would be i1086 if we were to put it this way.

Shhhh, you can't reveal Intel's secrets!
1 Ð

cryogenic , April 18, 2009 7:10 AM

solymnar
Tuan NguyenThat's a great thing to hear because Microsoft is actually already starting to work on Windows 7 Service Pack 1.
Fixed. =D

Since when rewriting the OS core is called a service pack?

> The core engine is also being reworked to provide dramatic performance improvements
-7 Ð

michaelahess , April 18, 2009 7:23 AM

What about the 8088, 8086, 80286, 80386.....that's up to 986 or so.
Then win 1.0, win 2.0, win 3.0, win 3.1, win 3.11 (my fav), nt 3.0, nt 3.5, nt 4.0, 95, 98, 98se (second fav), me, 2k, xp, 2k3, 2k8, vista, 7....that's up to Win19 not 8! Course if we ignore the divergence of nt and win32, we'd only be up to 16

Pretty sure I missed a few also.
-5 Ð

LATTEH , April 18, 2009 7:25 AM

Windows 8?!? DX12 anyone?
-5 Ð

eddieroolz , April 18, 2009 8:01 AM

CryogenicSince when rewriting the OS core is called a service pack?> The core engine is also being reworked to provide dramatic performance improvements

That was a friendly jab, dude.
5 Ð

thomaseron , April 18, 2009 8:02 AM

Windows 7 is the seventh gen 32-bit windows, just like core i7 is seventh gen 32-bit processor.
7 Ð

arvedui , April 18, 2009 8:26 AM

One of the main things I want is pure x64 versions, no more of this "Do you want 32 bit or 64 bit - oh, 64 bit isn't available, too bad! Now you can't use the full 6 GB of RAM you have!"
0 Ð

battousai831 , April 18, 2009 8:33 AM

"Mr_Man

One small complaint: I'm pretty sure Windows 7 isn't the 7th edition of Windows (1.0, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista make 8 already, not counting other point releases or Server/mobile types), so the next one will not necessarily be Windows 8."

No its not, but it is NT 7.0, Vista was either 6.1 or 6.0 with server2008 being 6.0 too. XP was 5.1, 2k was 5.0, NT was 4.0 and so on.
Windows 98 and 95 were some variation of the 3.something or 4. something, not sure TBH. In this light the naming DOES make sense, but I understand that it is a rather confusing system. By all rights 7 should be NT6.5 because its so evolutionary instead of revolutionary, but they wanted to start anew with the naming scheme.
9 Ð

talys , April 18, 2009 8:38 AM

arveduiOne of the main things I want is pure x64 versions, no more of this "Do you want 32 bit or 64 bit - oh, 64 bit isn't available, too bad! Now you can't use the full 6 GB of RAM you have!"

What I want is: 64-bit only OS with virtual/sandbox/whatever-you-want-to-call-it 32-bit legacy PRINTER driver support and 32-bit legacy software support.

I can live without 64-bit only drivers for everything except printers. Sometimes, you end up with an office scenario where the cool $50,000 photocopier with 15 paper trays, scanning, binding, stapling, envelope stuffing and automatic coffeemaker is missing a 64-bit print driver.
5 Ð

anonymous@guest , April 18, 2009 8:55 AM

Dudes the version of 7 in Windows 7 represents the kernel versions that was traversed since the 1st Microsoft OS. So Windows 7 has the 7th kernel version.
1 Ð

jsloan , April 18, 2009 8:57 AM

thats normal, hope they start from scratchm, but i fear it will be just another tweak on windows vista...
-4 Ð

Dyseman , April 18, 2009 9:04 AM

Mr_ManOne small complaint: I'm pretty sure Windows 7 isn't the 7th edition of Windows (1.0, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista make 8 already, not counting other point releases or Server/mobile types), so the next one will not necessarily be Windows 8.

1- Windows 1
2- Windows 3.##
3- Windows 9x/ME
4- Windows 2000
5- Windows XP
6- Windows Vista
7- Windows 7 (Which of 95,98,me holds to the 3rd edition, Windows 7 should still be 6th edition)

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