Start menu looks amazing and the integration of tiles is a great plus for me. I only use a small amount of tiles so will be able to ditch the start screen for something that doesn't get in the way so much. Also windowed Metro apps yess and it's released on Tuesday. Microsoft is actually being amazing.
Let me clarify here: What you see on the picture is NOT part of the update that's being released soon! This update to Windows 8.1 will feature various features making Windows easier to navigate for mouse and keyboard users (I'm actually on the beta on this exact computer I'm writing this on, and let me tell you: Metro apps are not nearly as terrible to get into anymore)
What you see in the picture is a
concept art! of what will be coming in the next major update codenamed "Threshold" which insiders report to be coming out
spring 2015. Announcing these plans are a
huge part of Microsoft's new business structure which they have been moving towards since Steve Ballmer announced his departure from the CEO position. Microsoft's new CEO Satya Nadella has ambitious plans for this new "One Microsoft" which include getting rid of all the internal misunderstandings which eventually culminated in the disastrous Windows 8 launch. Windows was in a position where they realized that they needed to
innovate to keep their market position. So they ventured out into a realm of the unknown with Windows 8, all the while beiong extremely secretive about this ambitious project. So when they announced Windows 8 at All things D in June 2011, this basically came as a huge surprise to everyone in the industry. Microsoft had learned from it's tremendous failure with Windows Vista not to promise anything at all. Vista had huge ambitions, but failed to deliver, so this time Microsoft didn't want to promise
anything before they were able to deliver it. So when Windows 8 was announced, it was basically finished already, and Microsoft felt confident. This confidentiality however, was what eventually made Windows 8 what is has become today.
The new Microsoft, pressured by a Satya Nadella who passionately believes that this company can and will succeed, does everything in their power to not repeat the mistakes made with Windows 8 by the old Microsoft. Therefore they release this concept to actually
get feedback. They want to know how the industry reacts to this, and internals have told that they have not yet implemented a single line of code for this. The New Microsoft wants to do what people want them to, and not what internal analysts
think we want!
I have faith in the New Microsoft, I believe in the course that Satya Nadella is laying for this company, and I'm excited to see what the future has to bring.
