Rumor: Windows 9 Going RTM in Q4 2014
Russian leaker WZOR reports that some news outlets already have Windows 9 "Threshold" as of Tuesday but are not allowed to publish reviews until September 30, the day Microsoft intends to reveal the upcoming OS to the public. This press version will be updated during Microsoft's press event to unlock a number of features previously not provided.
The report claims that Microsoft plans to ease up on its activation policies, allowing customers to re-install the platform an unlimited number of times on the same hardware. The company also plans to increase the number of times customers can re-activate Windows 9, allowing consumers to transfer their copy to a new system or the same system with a new hard drive.
Previous reports from unnamed sources indicated that Microsoft will offer Windows 9 free to customers still running Windows 7 and Windows 8. However, we presumed that Microsoft would instead use the same Windows 8 scheme for Windows 9: charge $40 to those on the latest version (Windows 8.1) and full price for consumers on all older versions (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP). As before, the discount would only last until January.
A separate report regarding Windows 9 indicates that Microsoft has inserted a new anti-piracy system to help reduce the number of pirated copies of Windows. This seemingly goes against rumors that Windows 9 will be a free upgrade -- why would you beef up anti-piracy features in software that will be freely handed out to everyone? Remember, Windows 8.1 with Bing isn't free to OEMs; the software merely has a reduced price.
That all said, the Windows 9 consumer/technical preview is expected to be released on September 30. The platform will then go RTM before the end of the year, and be made available as a retail product in April 2015. There's a good chance the company plans to remove the numbering system from the Windows brand, as seen with the recent Windows Phone leak.
Based on recent leaks, Windows 9 is expected to bring back the Start Menu and allow Modern UI "Start Screen" apps to run in a windowed mode on the desktop. The OS will supposedly boot into desktop mode if the platform doesn't detect a touch screen, and the Charms bar will likely be ripped out and replaced by a more functional PC Settings drop-down menu.
Cortana is also expected to play a big role in Windows 9, as will virtual desktops and a notifications center. ARM-based tablets running Windows RT won't have the desktop at all and will likely merge with Windows Phone by April 2015.
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Yeah, I liked Vista and 8. Sue me.
Yeah, I liked Vista and 8. Sue me.
Better be free for my 8.1 pro laptop or else I will have to say screwed my M$ again just like that buggy thing called vista that SP1 nor SP2 could fix. Ran a non-public dev build of windows 7 just to not deal with vistas BS anymore. (I knew a guy, he is retired now.)
I hope they also shoot for a microkernel OS again, because I think that's really the next step to really make the OS it's self better.
Yeah, I liked Vista and 8. Sue me.
There is nothing wrong with you liking those.
The problem usually starts when Microsoft or other commenters try to tell me that I like it, or Microsoft acts as if I liked it.
We shall see with 9....
this windows 7 don't support nothing like xp and vista did I got stuff that had no issues on xp and vista but to work with 7 it was a small hack jobs to do so
this windows 7 don't support nothing like xp and vista did I got stuff that had no issues on xp and vista but to work with 7 it was a small hack jobs to do so
XP yes and it was the best OS ever, vista maybe if it didn't blue screen so much even on SP2. Windows 7 is better than windows 8 at supporting older software by far and that was what I was commenting on.
Yeah, I liked Vista and 8. Sue me.
Don`t worry, i liked it also , i think Vista had the best visuals from all Windows releases, and i enjoy now how Win 8.1 works thou i would love to have WIn 8.1 with Vista`s visuals. Back in the day i had a pretty good computer to run Vista not like all those guys with 96 MB of Ram crying that Vista blows.
The last two releases (7 and 8) have each consumed less resources than the former. MS has been on the "streamlining" bandwagon ever since OEMs started installing Vista on inadequate hardware and ruining their image.
Ahahaha. Good one.
don't Microsoft want to have you rent this os ?? seemed like they want a monthly fee to use it and not just buy it like before??
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/181419-extremetalk-what-would-you-pay-for-a-windows-8-or-9-subscription
bad part is it may just be all cloud os and all your files will be as Microsoft puts it ''out there''
Change is good. Otherwise you'd still be on 3.11 or 95. For this being a Tech site showing the latest and greatest in hardware, people want to be crippled by OS's that should be revamped every now and then.
I've used and liked all OS's from MS since 3.1 days EXCEPT Windows ME. Bought EVERY one of them. Never Pirated a thing. I guess having a good paying job and education has its perks.
at least I got the hard copy on my hard drive and after I activate it I never have to deal with anyone forever if I so choose . right ?? all my stuff is on my drive not on there cloud server in a remote village in India or china .
you guys just don't get whats going on, think of the last cloud hack job with the nude photos now think that could be your files cause cloud is so great and we all want that bad... they done screwed you over good with pc games where you got to rely on something like steam where you rent the right to play at there terms cause with out them you got nothing for your money if they say your done so now Microsoft sees that you all go for that and now they want to cash in --- get your money give you nothing cause if you don't do things just there way your done and you loose it all so where's your investment then ?? its floating around on that cloud and if you don't pay you don't access , your stuff
You asked about bloating; win 8/8.1 is many things, but you cannot call it bloatware unless you include the more resource-using 7 in that. If you want to attack Metro being forced on you, that's a usability issue.
As far as I'm concerned, once you get the 8.1 update that allows you to boot directly to the desktop, there absolutely nothing I can do on 7 than I cant do on 8.1.
If MS wanted to make a boatload of money they should re-release windows Xp and Windows 7 and call them "Classic" and offer full support for the next 10 years or so