Most of you reading this post are familiar with the Microsoft Windows operating system. More than 90% of the world’s computers use Microsoft Windows Operating System, so chances are that you are reading this post on a PC with Microsoft Windows installed on it. The last version of Microsoft Windows (Windows 7) was released in 2009.
For those of you who did not know, Microsoft recently released the last preview version of its forthcoming Windows 8 operating system. The most obvious change between the consumer preview and the version released this week is the vast improvements that have been made to the built-in Metro applications that will eventually ship with the final product. The release date is said to be around October 2012.
The pre-release preview (which can be downloaded from Microsoft) includes Internet Explorer 10 and Windows 8 apps for Hotmail, SkyDrive and Messenger, in addition to a wide range of third-party applications. Many Windows 8 users will get the software when they buy new computers and other devices, but millions of Windows 7, Vista and XP users will want to upgrade. Microsoft Windows 8 promises more efficient use of both memory and processor and a smaller disk-space footprint.
Desktop users can also expect to benefit from better support for multiple monitors than in previous versions of Windows and greater flexibility around layout and taskbar placement. Microsoft will probably be using Windows 8 to drive its cloud computing strategy, the lynchpin of which is SkyDrive. Users can also expect to see the service heavily integrated into every aspect of the operating system. One of the obstacles Microsoft faces in uptake of Windows 8 comes from its tile-based start screen. Designed to offer the same experience across devices it relies heavily on the ability to “swipe” in from the left, right, top or bottom of a screen (in the case of mobile devices – or from a touchpad).
Microsoft rolled out its first test version of Windows 8 Operating System nine months ago and says users have provided millions of hours of testing by means of their use of the various pre-release candidates. According to a blog post on Microsoft blog, the software giant is intent on continuing to maintain a quality level higher than Windows 7 in all the measures they are focusing on (including reliability over time, security to the core, PC, software, and peripheral compatibility and resource utilization).
Will you be upgrading to Microsoft Windows 8 when it finally comes out later this year? Drop us a comment on this post and let us know. We’d love to hear from you. Feedback is appreciated and welcome here.
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