The newest version of Microsoft Windows will be available this week called Windows 8. Fans and critics alike have known the release date for quite some time (Oct. 26), but something that is often argued and speculated is what exactly will be different compared to Windows 7.
One thing is clear, this will be no regular update like Microsoft customers have become accustom to. There are almost no similarities to the new operating system compared to Windows 7 and it won't run any programs designed on any Windows system made before Windows 8.
"This is definitely the biggest change in the user experience of Windows since Windows 95," said Steve Kleynhans, an analyst for technology research firm Gartner to The Mercury News.
The new interface system will perhaps gain the most attention once the program is release. Basic items like the start and menu buttons are gone compared to the previous editions. Now users will have to rely on titles, which are essentially icons, which are located on the screens background.
Just like with icons, you click to start whatever it is you are looking to do. Something customers won't be expecting however is upon scrolling over the title of the program you want to use, you can see updated information about the specific feature. For example if you have something planned on your calendar and you scroll over your calendar a window will pop up to show you your next scheduled appointment according to The Mercury News.
Another change that may disappoint fans is you can no longer have more than two programs open at one time, and the only programs that will work on the new interface will be the ones that come with Windows 8 or ones you can install directly from Microsoft. It's hard to see that change going over very well with customers.
Don't expect to play DVDs the same way anymore as well, as support for playing them from Windows Media Players has been removed due to the cost of licensing decoders.
While there are many other differences compared to Windows 8 that will have customers excited and yelling for their money back, many experts are predicting that the new program won't see success right away due to all the changes.
Despite the company designing programs specifically to be used on devices such as a tablet or smartphone, a new report by Forrester Research states that Windows 8 will only be beneficial to desktops, not tablets or smartphones as the company advertises.
The report states that it also may take until 2014 for the Windows 8 to truly start dominating the computer world as it will just be a "contender (compared) to tablets."
One thing is clear is that Microsoft has started to change with the times after years of releasing similar programs. The company will now have to see if customers will appreciate those changes they've begged for or plead for the past.
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