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Building Windows 8

blogs.msdn.com

21–30 of 53 posts

Re: Building Windows 8

#23
I think some commenters here seem to have missed (or forgotten about) the IE blog[1] and the Windows 7 blog[2] which had great technical articles. This initial post resembles the first Windows 7 blog post posted 3 years ago [3]. If this new blog continues the standard set by these other two, then I have high hopes.

Bottom line: This post does sound fluffy because it is intended as an introduction to an entire series of posts of the development of Windows 8.

[1]: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/ [2]: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/e7/ [3]: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/e7/archive/2008/08/14/welcome.aspx

Re: Building Windows 8

#25
I've heard rumour that MS has already axed any radical changes to the UX. In other words, the Windows 95 interface will continue. Windows needs a vision, right now it looks like it is being run by a Dilbert comic. If it wasn't for Bill, we would be using Program Manager and File Manager with Aero graphics. Sad. Get rid of the Gorilla.

Re: Building Windows 8

#27
post #18

"Building the next release of Microsoft Windows is an industry-wide effort that Microsoft approaches with a strong sense of responsibility and humility" and "we learned some great lessons and renewed our sense of responsibility to the community" Given that this was full of stuff worded like this, I sort of doubt that. You feel like you're being snowed from the first sentence onwards. I realize this is somewhat orthog…

He's not a PR guy. Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Sinofsky

MSDN blogs are usually full of stuff MS engineers are doing. I think he is trying to write to a more broader audience than just developers (bloggers, social media people, etc.), hence the crafty wording.

Re: Building Windows 8

#28
post #20

This headline would have a different meaning if it was an open source project.

Yup, I honestly expected an article about the build environment and stuff like build times. Can you compile Windows from scratch on a regular development machine in a decent time frame? I guess it depends on whether you're thinking of the Windows kernel or Windows the desktop environment.

I posted my own version.

http://batkin.tumblr.com/post/8967355366/building-windows-8

I agree that they could have taken a different angle with the post title, even though it isn't open source. I'm sure many would be interested in hearing about how they build it. I would.

Re: Building Windows 8

#29
post #19
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel the same way; what we've seen of Win8 marks the first rethinking of desktop computing since the original WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers). (Not the first, actually, but the first to actually see the light of day from a vendor as big as MS). And the fact that it's HTML5-based doesn't hurt. :)

What exactly are they rethinking? To me it looks like a desperate attempt to catch up with the tablet trend without leaving their massive existing customer base out in the cold.

They're definitely cribbing some from tablets, but they're also doing so using WinPhone7, which was itself an innovative take on touchscreen phones (at least, compared to the Android/iPhone norms). But I think the overall idea of subdivided rectangles with large touch targets is a pretty interesting one. (I'll be less excited if they stop there.) :P

Re: Building Windows 8

#30
post #4
post #3

I have been a mac/ubuntu user for the last ten years, but Windows 8 is the first time Microsoft has really caught my attention since the xbox came out.

Wow, really? Which parts, exactly? I'm genuinely curious, as someone who's been a Windows user for basically his entire computing life.

I just like to see them generating buzz through change. The new metro UI and general a-typical microsoft behavior.
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