Microsoft gets back to basics with Windows 9, riding the wave of PCs new-found glory
The PC is back, for now, as HP and other manufacturers experience a much needed surge in PC sales. We have to hand it to Microsoft: retiring Windows XP was a smart move, not only for the company, but also for the market as a whole, slowly moving away from stagnant software and ancient hardware, with over 60 million systems soon to be replaced by shiny new devices.
There is not a shadow of a doubt, on the fact that Satya Nadella is not going to let the PC die of a quick death, and the new CEO is about to prove it, this September 30th, with a preview release of Windows 9, whose release date was expected sometime in 2015, according to early rumors.
Forget what you hate about Windows 8.1: Windows 9 will be a radically different beast, having learned much from past mistakes.
Behold, the Start Menu Bar
The Start Menu bar is back, with a vengeance. This is not a patch, or a toggle between the desktop and the Metro interface. The new bar is fully-featured, and will once again be an integral part of user experience.
This Start Menu bar on steroids will also include a “mini Metro” interface, on its right hand side column. A nice addition, which is a hint to what Microsoft is planning to do with Metro.
Metro Apps get their own window treatment
One of the main complaints Windows developers needed to address, has been the fact that full screen apps on a desktop PC make absolutely no sense.
The Metro interface was initially designed to address Microsoft Surface users first, which has left users on every other device, especially PC users, more than a little confused.
Sure, full screen apps look beautiful, but they don’t work very well in a dynamic desktop environment.
Introducing windowed Metro apps! Leaked images show what seems to be Metro Apps working within the main desktop workspace, side-by-side, just like regular Windows applications.
Charms bar, AKA “That annoying thing that pops out whenever you hover the cursor too close to the right”
The Charms bar, ironically even less charming than the lack of a proper Start Menu bar, has plagued Windows users since the first introduction of Windows 8.
The concept behind the Charms bar was actually progressive, as Windows users can definitely use a better way to get to control panel items and search, but once again, just like for the Metro interface, the Charms bar was designed initially for Windows Surface users, and touchscreen users in general, leaving desktop users feeling like an afterthought.
The Charms bar will also be removed in Windows 9, and its functionality repurposed and redistributed across the new interface, especially within the new windowed Metro apps.
Windows Virtual Desktop
A Virtual desktop environment is likely to be added to the production release of Windows 9, bestowing Windows users with a feature that has been part of the daily workflow, for OSX and Linux users, in some time.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of a virtual desktop environment, virtual desktops allow users to keep applications open, on screen, then switch to new, empty desktops, where users can open other apps.
Switching between virtual desktops will be similar to having multiple displays, as it improves focus, eliminating the need to prioritize foreground and background applications.