Vista's successor now known as "7," due out within three years
By Nilay Patel 
posted Jul 20th 2007 8:35PM
posted Jul 20th 2007 8:35PM
Although Vista still seems fresh as a daisy, that hasn't stopped Microsoft from planning their next major OS release, and it looks like a part of the plan is changing the internal codename from Vienna to "7." The switch was disclosed at at a Microsoft sales training conference in Orlando this past week as part of the company's new "iterative" information-sharing plan, which aims to provide customers and partners with more and more info as part of a predictable release schedule. Microsoft also confirmed that 7 is scheduled to be in development for three years, which we kinda-sorta already knew. No word on when we might ever see Vista SP1, of course, but we bet all those customers and partners are still pretty psyched to know the new codename for a product that's three years out.
windows is self bashing
time to buy more RAM.....
7 GB. So sez the grapevine.
It will actually require 9 GB of RAM, and use up 7 GB just to boot up into. 7 of 9...
May as well wait to buy new.
This one won't suck, for sure, we promise!
Ten is greater than seven.
Yes, but it's the last version. Mac users can't count any higher. :)
Years ago I would have been defending Windows more, but now I do not. I have no qualms with Vista and XP per say, but I just don't see how Windows is the "only" easy to use OS anymore.
Mac OS X is a breeze to install (provided your hardware works out of the box for the most part) and Ubuntu is the same (see Mac OS X).
Now with the Beryl project, there is eye candy for Linux and Mac OS X has already had it for years.
Windows better do something drastic (again) to really make this OS something that stands out.
-cue resume Windows bashing-
The most drastic thing Windows ever did was steal ideas.
yeah miles, they don't want anyone to find out! michael, don't be an asstard. the whole internet is watching.
It's cue or resume. Not both.
Microsoft wasn't the only one to steal ideas, Apple has too and so have my Linux friends.
maturity, people, maturity! It gives more credibility to your argument.
we can expect it to come out in a decade
..i mean look at longhorn.. X|
yep, 7 is 2017!
Oh, come on. The five year transition from XP to Vista is the only time they had a huge gap. Don't you remember the huge array of OS's thrown at us over three years?
1998- Win98
1999- Win98SE
2000- Win2000, WinME
2001- WinXP
I hope it comes out in 3 years at the most. I dont want to see a repeat of the crap that was the Vista Development Time. Ideally I think there should be a new OS every other year just to keep the flow of technological advancement moving, not once a year like Apple and certainly not once a decade like Microsoft. I would like to see BIOS go away before I die.
NOT TRUE. I'm a total mac fanboy, but no competition leads to complacency. Just ask MS, they effectively had no competition in the 90's, and look where Windows is now.
Sadly, it has already missed the shipping date.
You would think they MS should be working on Vista before they move on to something new. I guess SEVEN is a lucky number?
Agreed. I am a total mac fanboy and I will never buy a non apple computer unless something catastrophic happens.. but dont get me wrong when I get my next computer this comming spring I will DEFINATLY be boot camping Vista or XP on it.. I havent decided which yet.
Microsoft bashers eat a dick. The Zune is nice only problem is the ipod has a big enough fan base it doesnt matter. Also the iPhone blows and windows mobile is amazing. But dont get me wrong i LOVE apple computers
Last time i used Windows Mobile on my VX6700... it didn't do much aside from what I expected from a MS product, it froze. Even on the replacement phone I got (same model)
Now so far as the Zune, it's got a cool feature, i.e. wireless sharing. Though really, I prefer the iPods interface to the Zune. But that's just personal preference.
::sigh:: Please go back to your little troll bridge and shut up forever, please.
And just one little piece of information: OS X is NOT open-source.
Hope XP holds up till then. :\
Jup, i'm still regarding Vista as a bit of a "Windows ME"... intermediate version to keep people happy. Let's face it, there were three great Windows OS-es..., Win3.1 since it was the first mainstream Windows OS, Win95 since it was revolutionary, Windows XP, the first stable Windows.
Love the comment on "Win XP being the first stable one." Funny. I guess it was *relatively* stable, compared to other Windows, but it sure as hell isn't any OS X, Linux or, hell, even the Unixes from the 70's!
At work we have XP boxen and don't plan on upgrading to Vista for the next two years, at the very least. I told all my friends that it would happen like this, but they just didn't believe me. Guess I was right :)
The choose "7" as "part of the company's new "iterative" information-sharing plan, which aims to provide customers and partners with more and more info as part of a predictable release schedule." Because as we all know, when we hear "7" we immediately think 2010.
No, we all think of the seventh wide-market commercial release of a consumer operating system (e.g. not business-oriented).
1. Windows 3.1
2. Windows 95
3. Windows 98
4. Windows ME (say what you will, it was marketed as such)
5. Windows XP
6. Windows Vista
7. "Seven"
Oh, snap.
Wait, it would be "8" or "9" then:
1. Windows 1.0
2. Windows 3.0
(skipping here 2.0)
3 - Windows 3.x
4 - Win 95/98/SE/2000
5 - WinXP
6 - Vista
7 - 7
1. Microsoft Windows version 1.0 November 1985
2. Microsoft Windows version 2.0/2.03 November 1987
3. Microsoft Windows version 3.0/3.1 1990
4. Windows 95 August 1995
5. Microsoft Windows 98 June 1998
6. Windows 2000/ME February 2000
7. Windows XP October 2001
8. Windows Vista
9. "Seven"
Actually, a couple news sources have now clarified it's the seventh version of "Windows NT", the 32-bit version of windows. Windows 16-bit is was abandoned with Windows ME.
I really think they should fix Vista before starting heavy work on their new OS.
I still think Microsoft should run to the finish line with Surface. That's some amazing technology right there. Have a touch-screen monitor and a flat-laying "Surface tablet" and then the real "Wow" would start.
Or you could by an iPhone and ditch that big ass table.
BTW that tech isn't anything new, Apple has been working on it for years.
Miles are you joking or are you really just that ignorant? Please let it be the former.
Alex,
Not trying to start the annoying debate of mindless bashing, but what exactly is wrong with Vista that needs to be fixed so desperately. I'm actually looking for an informative answer, not "macz rool teh interweb."
@ Jay
While I don't personally own a copy of Windows Vista, I've used it before at other people's homes and have used it enough, in my opinion, to give a somewhat fair judgement about it's performance. I used it on a solid hardware configuration (I don't know the exact specs), and it seemed to be a bit laggy and resource-heavy. It just seemed to slow down the performance of the system with all the animations and stuff (but I'll admit, they were pretty).
And about safety, I figure it's just about as safe as any other Microsoft OS.
I agree with you Alex, I feel that MS was asking quite a lot for Vista to require a minimum of 1 gb for memory. However, I've got an HP Pavilion dv6000 laptop with 2 gb of memory and an nvidia geforce go 7400, and the OS has not lagged for me at all. Initially I was greatly opposed to Vista when I ordered the laptop, and I was just going to buy XP and install it, but it's grown on me. Not once have I complained about something XP could do that Vista can't do just as well or better.
However, I don't appreciate how they hid some things like the File, Edit, View, Tools, etc toolbar in Windows explorer. I still can't figure out how to make that appear permanently, though I'm sure there must be a way. Anyhow, that's the only real problem I've had with it thus far.
Security, you're probably right about, but it's probably not any worse than XP. Plus it asks for administrator permission for a lot of things now, which I first found incredibly annoying but have since gotten accustomed to. I still think it's ridiculous that Microsoft let it come to this, but at least they're trying.
Ah that Miles, after his handicapped parents somehow birthed him despite church intervention(The power of Christ comp...You know), he had a life of fringe beliefs under the careful tutelage of a rich pair of beret wearing corporate hipsters, since then, he's never been seen without his thick, hard rimmed glasses.
Shoulden't they be busie fixing Vista instead of working on the NEXT os?
Have you actually used Vista??? I have Vista on two computers (one new and one that is over 3 years old) is it works fine. BTW, I also have a Mac so am not a hater. I like Vista a lot and it works great. As far as MS stealing and copying everything, do you really think Apple invented widgets, indexed search, and multi-touch? Apple has not invented crap. Sure they have made existing technology easier to use for non-technical people and charged a lot for it but have not invented it.
Name 5 things wrong with Vista? Have you used it?
My only complaint is the UAC so i turned it off. I like OS X better but vista is better than xp
Five things? Ok...
1. The new file browsing interface is broken
2. The new start menu sucks
3. Windows Networking is a mess
4. Windows Search Is Broken
5. Windows copying has not improved
How's that?
You are a complete and utter imbecile. Why Must you waste my time with your useless comments. Would you mind telling me how it is that open-source will "Ruin America"? I have no doubt that you where dropped on your head when you where born. Idiot.
are we seeing heavy rewrites with every installment from now on, or is this adding functionality and streamlining incremently that we see with OSX?
Of course, 7 = Linux with Beryl + Leopard - Stability - Functionality - (Everything that makes Linux / OS X good).
People were complaining that the Wii had a bad name and people got used to it. I think people will get used to the name "7."
The thing about Wii is that was a new name that people easily made the name synonymous with the device. The problem with 7, is that it is too common and over used just look at how many wedding s there were on 7/7/07. The name 7, makes no sense......it's not the seventh version of windows....its not coming out on a year that ends in 7. Perhaps it's the number of flavors of the OS there will be, that would be an improvement over the 11 flavors of Vista.
"The name 7, makes no sense......it's not the seventh version of windows"
Dude, check your Windows version numbers.
NT 3.1 (the original)
NT 4.0
NT 5.0 Windows 2000
NT 5.1 Windows XP
NT 6.0 Windows Vista
NT 7.0 this new OS that's coming in three years.
Never used the other Windows layer on DOS hybrid efforts of Windows (Win31, Win95, Win98, or WinME) meself. From the naming convention "7" it looks like Microsoft are trying to forget them too.
So we'll be running DirectX 11 / exclusively on Windows 7?
7-11 HAHA one of the more decent comments here....
Yah never mind that OS's and the finder in general is a worthless piece of shit that chokes on network shares at the drop of a hat...any hat....in a hat factory. Seriously dude. When I can crash the finder by dragging and dropping multiple searched files in spotlight into the garbage bin by creating an infinite loop I'd say Apple's fucking quality is nothing more then bullshit spouted out by fanbois. Oh and lets do a comparison between MS and Apple and count how many patches and updates Apple has released over the years only to be yanked for some unknown reason. OS updates, driver updates, iTunes updates, iPhoto updates. The lest is virtually endless. If Apple' OS X was the only OS on the planet we would all be doomed.
Vista reminds me of ME....anyone else get that feeling?
No, ME was an unstable OS where the programs bundled didn't work a lot.
Vista is fairly stable (for Windows) OS where people that have never used it for than 5 minutes compare it to a worthless OS.
Yay! OS 7... I mean Windows 7!!!
Shouldn't they be more focused on working out SOME of the bugs out for Vista?
Can you tell me what bugs? I haven't noticed any. Really.
Wait wait wait. They still haven't gotten Vista right, and now they're moving on? They can't keep doing this. I have a feeling that their next version of Windows is going to be their last.
Dear Microsoft,
Please spend more time working on the product and less time in meetings deciding whether or not to change the project name... and less time in meetings deciding what that name should be... and less time in meetings deciding how to roll this information out to the public...
Thank You,
Frankie
Ah yes ... the applets weigh in. Lacking familiarity with the Vista OS, they let loose with nescient one-liners. If only anyone cared enough to say: "ouch, learning is so difficult."
My favorite post: X is greater than 7. Runner up: windows is self-bashing.
There's a lot of reasons for a Vista 7- chief among which is the NFS. Then there's the fix for quickly interacting with user account controls. Probably something along the lines of how firewalls handle new program events by giving a choice between refusing, allowing once or allowing permanently.
I'm confused... 7? If all Windows releases to-date had regular version numbers instead of the name-hodgepodge, it we would be at 8 or 9 (depending on if you follow the Windows NT scheme or the 'consumer' Windows scheme).
Consumer line: Windows 3, Windows 95 (4), Windows 98 (5), Windows 98SE (5.5), Windows ME (6), Windows XP (7), Windows Vista (8), so the next would be 9.
Professional line: Windows NT 4, Windows 2000 (5), Windows XP (6), Windows Vista (7), so the next would be 8.
Unless, of course, Microsoft admits that XP was nothing but a candy-colored sheen on Windows 2000, but that doesn't seem like them. Only if we called XP v5.5 instead of a full number iteration does this add up.
Apologies for the wording in my first post. I meant to highlight what I thought were witty posts- as opposed to the standard anti-MS drivel. So much for good intentions.
Kudos to elan and mijj.
this should give them time to copy the next Mac OSX release. Mac users will have at least two major revisions by that time. It's great to know Microsoft users will see the great things Mac users will be enjoying this October (leopard). Most anti-mac people stick with a system that has them constantly working to keep their machines working. I wish dell, HP, Toshiba and the other hardware manufactures got together and made an operating system. I could only imagine how great that would be. We all know the iPod took over due to integration of machine/software/content. It was easy, and all these companies try to copy it, but always miss one of the three. Apple knows their stuff, the other companies need to look at this in the future, and create their own operating system. Microsoft software is designed by children for children. No one else would design anything that way. Just look at the zune for an example (insert any zune youtube joke vid here). If I were on a pc I’d be using Linux for sure.
P.S. I’m glad your out there using microsoft, it allows us Mac users to be virus free, like squirrel in a field of sick ducks with bird flu … hahahahah no way to catch what you got! P.C. need their own operating system, not microsoft. Microsoft + PC = Dumb.
Glad to hear that you don't like Microsoft.
Because we don't care. It seems like every update to OS X is just an update. With Windows, you've got major fixes and differences in between. It's almost different every time.
Microsoft doesn't necessarily copy right off of OS X. More than anything, they've enhanced what was availiable before. Like with widgets (which Apple copied off of Konfabulator), Microsoft made gadgets. And gadgets are better in a way, that they're cross platform (desktop, web, sideshow, etc.)and still also have a nice look and little function. Finder could be say to have been copied off of Vista. Microsoft introduced Desktop Search in some Longhorn demo in 2005, and it seems right after that, Tiger came with Finder, and Google brought out Google Desktop. There's like other stuff that Vista somewhat enhanced out of OS X.
Most consumers that have problems with PC's, are the one's that buy the cheap PC's (a.k.a. the ones with bad configurations, and ugliness, resulting in dread). If you get a Sony Vaio, or other high-end PC, you can get the great functioning/design of Macs, with possibly a lower cost. When cheap PC's are used, problems are meant to be tossed on Microsoft and Windows for some reason, when it's really the hardware that's junk.
Apple's tie-in within itself, does it make it better in some ways. But when Microsoft tries doing that, they get called a 'monopoly' when they try to integrate and pull stuff to their systems. Seems fair, doesn't? Besides, should all consumers have to depend on Apple for everything? Like hardware, software all that? If everybody was pulled into Apple, then you really have a monopoly there.
Microsoft does make good products. There are some problems in some cases, but people like to exaggerate. Instead of looking at the quirks, why don't you just look at how nice it is, compared to most other things? There's maybe some stuff we don't like, but it's not everything. I have a Zune, and I love it. With a few updates, it could be the iPod anyday.
Oh, and about viruses and malware? Sure, people target Windows, but with a good anti-virus, you've got no problems. I use Windows Live OneCare, and I've got no problems.
I use a Sony Vaio PC, Windows Vista, Windows Live OneCare, high-speed internet, and it's all bliss. Nothing wrong.
So why don't you open your mind, and actually take a look at stuff, besides negativity?
Everyone seems so crazed that the next windows is coming out in "just" 3 years...
Lets take a look back shall we?
Windows 95 (1995)
Windows 98 (1998)
Windows ME (2000)
Windows XP (2001)
Windows Vista (2007)
Now lets look at OSX
10.0 Cheetah 2001
10.1 Puma 2001
10.2 Jaguar 2002
10.3 Panther 2003
10.4 Tiger 2005
10.5 Leopard (2007?)
So really, why are people shocked to see a new os in 3 years?
10.0 Cheetah 2001 $130
10.1 Puma 2001 $130
10.2 Jaguar 2002 $130
10.3 Panther 2003 $130
10.4 Tiger 2005 $130
10.5 Leopard (2007?) $130
It seems like Apple like to charge for service packs.
Linux Ubuntu: $0
Mac OSX 10.4 Leopard: $129
Windows Vista Ultimate: $499
Lying naked in a pool of your own vomit while: PRICELESS
Actually, 10.1 was a free upgrade from 10.0, since 10.0 was beta, and hardly usable.
There are bad things to say about Mircrosoft and Apple but im cheering on both in hope they both will become better. I like OSX its not the answer to life but neither is vista, i might get OSX if i could put it on my own hardware.
In regards to "7" I hope they do a really big or complete overhaul to "7".
they'll have to pry my windows 3.0 from my cold dead hands!!
Hey! Now they're stealing ideas from George Costanza!
"but we bet all those customers and partners are still pretty psyched to know the new codename for a product that's three years out."
I absolutely agree that this is barely news.
It's not as if Stephen Colbert bought an iPhone or anything.
Hmm lets bring back the ol' microsoft release calculator
Microsoft Says : 3 years
3 years x 2 = 6 Years, just about the same as XP -> Vista
Glad to hear that you don't like Microsoft.
Because we don't care. It seems like every update to OS X is just an update. With Windows, you've got major fixes and differences in between. It's almost different every time.
Microsoft doesn't necessarily copy right off of OS X. More than anything, they've enhanced what was availiable before. Like with widgets (which Apple copied off of Konfabulator), Microsoft made gadgets. And gadgets are better in a way, that they're cross platform (desktop, web, sideshow, etc.)and still also have a nice look and little function. Finder could be say to have been copied off of Vista. Microsoft introduced Desktop Search in some Longhorn demo in 2005, and it seems right after that, Tiger came with Finder, and Google brought out Google Desktop. There's like other stuff that Vista somewhat enhanced out of OS X.
Most consumers that have problems with PC's, are the one's that buy the cheap PC's (a.k.a. the ones with bad configurations, and ugliness, resulting in dread). If you get a Sony Vaio, or other high-end PC, you can get the great functioning/design of Macs, with possibly a lower cost. When cheap PC's are used, problems are meant to be tossed on Microsoft and Windows for some reason, when it's really the hardware that's junk.
Apple's tie-in within itself, does it make it better in some ways. But when Microsoft tries doing that, they get called a 'monopoly' when they try to integrate and pull stuff to their systems. Seems fair, doesn't? Besides, should all consumers have to depend on Apple for everything? Like hardware, software all that? If everybody was pulled into Apple, then you really have a monopoly there.
Microsoft does make good products. There are some problems in some cases, but people like to exaggerate. Instead of looking at the quirks, why don't you just look at how nice it is, compared to most other things? There's maybe some stuff we don't like, but it's not everything. I have a Zune, and I love it. With a few updates, it could be the iPod anyday.
Oh, and about viruses and malware? Sure, people target Windows, but with a good anti-virus, you've got no problems. I use Windows Live OneCare, and I've got no problems.
I use a Sony Vaio PC, Windows Vista, Windows Live OneCare, high-speed internet, and it's all bliss. Nothing wrong.
So why don't you open your mind, and actually take a look at stuff, besides negativity?
BTW: I was referring to cnr1993. The guy 7 posts above me. There's always something weird with pressing 'reply' on Engadget's comment system. I wish they could improve it better.
Please STFU. No one is going to read all that BS, damn M$ blogger.
The reason why people get tired of Windows is because it hasn't worked since Windows 98!!
Last time I checked XP was a huge upgrade over 98.
eh if i remember correctly xp was an upgrade on the wink 2k framework
I think I like the name wii better...well...
Wait! I KNOW! Maybe 7 is the amount of ram in Gbs that you need to run it! Or maybe its the amount of versions! Windows 7 ultimate dog edition: Brown Lab.
@ michael
"Finder could be say to have been copied off of Vista. Microsoft introduced Desktop Search in some Longhorn demo in 2005, and it seems right after that, Tiger came with Finder, and Google brought out Google Desktop. There's like other stuff that Vista somewhat enhanced out of OS X."
Um...Finders been around since the first mac here's the wikipedia page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_Finder
I think you mean spotlight WHICH was shown of by stevey on June 28th 04. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X_v10.4
maybe you should get your facts straight...Lets recap. Finder≠spotlight. Finder=January 24, 1984 Vista=November 8, 2006 Spotlight= June 28th 04+ April 29, 2005. I dont think apple copied finder or spotlight from vista...
but this windows goes to 11.......
I know one person who wont be happen about the name 7.... George Costanza!!
I also hope that they get WinFS working in the next OS, seems like a good idea to me, although I am no expert on dbfs's, still sounds like a good idea.
Seriously, Microsoft needs to take a page from Apple. With all its money, MS should form a SkunkWorks type unit, and it should develop a brand new Unix-based OS, without any legacy Windows Vista code. Come up with a brand new GUI, not just some Macintosh ripoff with a start button. Add some Windows APIs to make programs backwards-compatible. All the while, MS should keep all this quiet it's truly ready. And by the way, it should NOT be called Windows.
The next Windows comes George Carlin/Bungie Approved.
John Doe, are you serious? 1. What kind of machine have you tried running OS X on, an Apple ][? Not that it would. I have a 600MHz G3 with 384 MB, though it may be slower than my G4's and Xeons, I have never crashed the Finder. TPLBKC! Point 2, Microsoft is the company that gave us "Patch Tuesday," dll hell and the "BSOD." They sure as hell don't have a better track record. Furthermore, look at their ideas for forward thinking technology, 4 minute boot times on current computers, readyboost, and a big ass table. I will admit that the iPhone is crippled at this stage, but it does work the way it was advertised. Open Source i.e.: GNU/Linux is the only competition to OS X as far as feature sets and functionality. I just wish one Linux distro would #emerge as the victor. If I didn't have OS X, I would run Linux full-time. Either way, I say use what works. As a point of noting, I really wish MS would do something worthwhile (such as a product other than the XBox). Bite the bullet, partner up with the Linux crew and lose the DOS leftovers. Isn't it odd that only one OS brand is not based off UNIX? Lastly, why is Windows so damn expensive? If you can answer me how you can charge $400 for zeros and ones that slow down your computer and allow you to run Excel, be my guest.
And as for Michael, the feature you are referring to is Spotlight, which is basically a GUI'ed hard drive index/paging system. The Finder has been a part of the Mac OS since 1984, just a point of clarification.
the 7 stands for 7gb of ram
Okay, let's try to settle this.
First, @ Miles: you're a total dumbass. You seriously define fanboy in every sense of the defintion. Do yourself a favor and stop being ignorant.
Second, Microsoft DOES make good products. The problem is, Microsoft also puts a lot of attention into lots of other areas (Xbox, Zune, anyone?), so sometimes their resources are limited, though they don't seem as such. Windows is a very complex OS in terms of coding (as are them all, pretty much), so it requires a lot of time and effort to iron out all the details. The thing is, with time, Microsoft can set things straight. Look at XP. I personally think it's one of their best OSes ever, but only because they worked their asses off to fix it via SPs and other updates.
Third, Vista is a copy-cat OS, but only in terms of GUI look and feel. Microsoft felt the pressure from Apple's aesthetically appealling OSX Tiger and thus they tried to one-up them, which they did (and if you want to argue that, look at Leopard: it has a reflective Dock, obviously but not admittedly copied off of Vista's reflective animations). However, because they focused on looks, they really didn't put a lot of effort into functionality (or so it seems). It's not very compatible with XP software (and thus hardware) and it's quite the resource hog. Safety is an issue, but that's what you get when 90% of the market uses one type of OS.
Fourth, Apple's OSX is a viable alternative to Windows. In fact, I do it an injustice by calling it an alternative because it is, in fact, a great OS which is worthy of competing with Windows on many different levels. It has a good deal of security, but that's not going to last forever, especially as Apple takes more of the OS market. However, regardless, OSX is a great operating system which has its ups and downs like any other.
Now after that long ass rant, can't we all just get along?
And btw, Surface is the future.
How can you say Surface is the future, it is futuristic yeah, but the cost of having an extra snazzy computer fixed to a table! Aren't relatively compact mobiles PCs what people want nowadays?
And space is always a commodity, will people be able to have a table that you cannot really use to put things on, but only as a computer? If your current computer desk surface IS Surface and you cannot put all your stuff on it? How much space do you need to have a few computers in the house? This thing is not practical enough to be mainstream, far from it.
Scoop: Top secret features of 7:
- Spaces
- Time machine
- Stacks
- Cover Flow
- Quick Look
You read it from here first!
I guess this could be good or bad. If they go the Apple route, you'll get a nice upgrade with no major compatibility problems or general headaches from the upgrade process. If they continue in traditional MS fashion, a major upgrade (high hardware requirements, compatibility problems, etc) in 3 years will probably piss off a lot of people. If they can make a smooth transition from Vista, I could see this as a nice product. Vista shows some real potential, but it's really been crippled by a lot of stupid design decisions. For now I'll stick with XP Pro, OSX and ELive. With a nice update, I might settle of OSX and this "7". (BTW: Who else thinks they'll pull a 360 on the naming scheme and call it windows 1080 or something with a 10 to make it "sound" like they're in the same generation as OSX? :) )
I thought Vienna was due out in `08.
Why 7?
If we start with Windows 3.1...
95 - 4
98 - 5
NT - Don't Count
2000 - 6
ME - 7
XP - 8
Vista - 9
I understand wanting to avoid 10 and 11, for reasons to have to do with Apple. However, that is what the number should be. Even if you say ME & 2000 were the same, the number should still be 9. 7 feels like a good number too me. As much as I'd like to see Windows go away, and something new take its place. (Even if Microsoft was still behind the new OS) I hope that they can get their act together, and produce something that is on par with the wow factor of Apple, without the Oops factor they've had for a while.
Why 7? I think it's:
Windows NT1 = 1
...
Windows NT4 = 4
Windows 2000 = 5
Windows XP = 6
Windows 7 = 7
Those other OS's don't count.
Right-click on My Computer, click on Properties, then check the version number for your OS.
The name will surely change once marketing gets involved.
No. XP is still 5 (5.6, IIRC), just like 2000. There is not much difference between 2000 and XP under the cover.
Vista is 6. Vienna as 7 is correct. I perfer Vienna as a name a lot more, it could even be the final launch name. Still, this is just codename though.
@ eddie
My "Surface is the future" comment was riddled with sarcasm, even though it's somewhat true.
Think about it. Instead of having to hook up an iPod or Zune via USB, why not just place it down on a flat panel and have LEDs and cameras figure out what the object is and run the appropriate software that way? See, I envision a Surface device being a lot like an iMac--all the components housed in a given space with a multi-touch flat panel monitor and a thing Surface tablet lying flat somewhere near the monitor. But that's maybe a little TOO futuristic.
Either way, I think Microsoft has something going here. I mean, I understand that my specific ideas are a bit unrealistic, but if Microsoft can shrink the size of a Surface computer and give it multipurpose user functionality (read: make it the next generation of computer input), then everytihng would be just fine.
MS is clearly taking a cue from Ubuntu. They're going to release it in July but they're just not sure which year. Oh yeah, and it'll mostly be another Linux distro, mostly.
Apple does copy, and only an idiot would say they don't, but a lot of times they do a lot of creative stuff or at least take existing technology in new ways. MS seems to mostly copy, and sometimes improve upon, ideas from others but mostly just copies. As for Konfabulator, the whole premise behind Konfabulator seems to have been done by Apple way way way back in the day. Take a look at the link below for a look see on Apple Desk Accessories.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desk_Accessory
As for "7" I have a copy of Vista already (it's a legit copy folks). What I believe "7" will be is what the original "Longhorn" should have been. All the missing features and things that should have been in Vista will be in the next MS operating system. I'd think of it as Vista 1.0, with the current Vista as the 0.5 version. Of course, I also believe there will be added features but what these are, I have no clue.
As for general "he/she copies" argument, there is so little real innovation today that somewhere down the line you can claim all current tech has copied something from somewhere. That doesn't mean what the "copied" inventions/features are not innovative in it's own fashion and it doesn't even mean that the creators copied someone else. If it's a good idea, someone somewhere will usually think of it even though it might not be new.