BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

The Top 9 Things I Want To See In Windows 9

Following
This article is more than 9 years old.

Windows 8 has been an unmitigated disaster for Microsoft . The company launched Windows 8 in an attempt to prove it was ready for the ongoing shift to ultra-mobile, touch-enabled devices, and ended up hurting one of its core businesses and hampering the PC market in general. Windows 8’s reception was so bad, many have called it this decade’s Windows Vista—and we all know how that one turned out.

Truth be told, I’m a fan of Windows 8, especially with all of the recent updates installed.  Windows 8.1u2 is a fast, reliable operating system that is superior to Windows 7 in almost every technical way. Yes, like the majority of users, I think the modern UI is rather ugly and out of place on a desktop PC that lacks touch support, but I have no problem forgiving some interface niggles in return for the quickness, robustness, and modern look of Windows 8.1.

I am in the minority, however. And although attitudes towards Windows 8.1 seem to be turning in Microsoft’s favor, the company is readying its next-gen operating system at an accelerated pace. Windows Threshold, which I presume is going to be called Windows 9 when it ships, is poised to right many of the perceived wrongs of Window 8. And Microsoft wants you to know it, sooner rather than later. In fact, if the latest rumors hold true, a preview release of Windows Threshold will arrive at the end of next month.

The Windows Threshold / Windows 9 preview release won’t have all of the features and capabilities of the final version, but it should paint a clear picture of Microsoft’s direction. And since the company is obviously hard at work making the next version of Windows all it can be, I figured I’d throw in my thoughts on what Windows 9 needs to be the next Windows 7...

1) Additional Performance Improvements – If you run benchmarks, Windows 8 doesn’t appear to be all that much faster than Windows 7. But the lighter graphics requirements, streamlined footprint, improved scheduler, and myriad of enhanced underpinnings result in a faster, smoother experience in Windows 8.1. Systems boot and shut down faster, applications launch quicker, and the OS in general just feels faster. Microsoft should continue to refine and improve performance with Windows 9. Noticeable performance improvements carry a lot of weight with end users and enthusiasts alike.

2) A Fully Customizable Start Menu – We already know the Start menu is coming back with Windows 9. But taking something similar to Windows 7’s Start Menu and simply giving it some updated graphical elements isn’t going to cut it. Microsoft needs to show it can still innovate with something like the tried-and-true Start menu. It would be great if users had full control over the layout and what’s displayed in the Start menu. Being able to scale the size of the Start menu would be a plus as well.

3) Better Touch / Non-Touch Detection – Windows 8.1 will already boot directly to the desktop if you don’t have a touch screen, but I’d like to see Microsoft change the default applications as well. As it stands now, the default photo viewer and some other utilities default to the Modern UI versions of the app. It’s fine if touch-enabled devices default to Modern UI apps, but desktops should always default to the traditional desktop version.

4) Better HiDPI Support – Over the last couple of years, Windows has gotten better at scaling on-screen images with HiDPI displays, but the situation needs improving. 4K desktop displays can already be had for under $600 and a number of laptops are shipping with HiDPI displays as well. Anyone who has used a machine with a HiDPI display knows that some UI elements look wonky, text can look fuzzy, and some applications don’t scale properly at all. Some of this isn’t Microsoft’s fault, but the company should do all it can to make sure Windows 9 works perfectly right out of the  gate with HiDPI displays and Microsoft should push its software partners to ready their applications as well.

5) DirectX 12 – Microsoft and its graphics partners have been working on DirectX 12 for a while now. Its features and capabilities are well-known; I’m not going to re-hash them again here. While there is no doubt DirectX 12 will be coming to Windows 9 at some point, I’d like to see it ship with the OS.  Considering Windows 8’s relative failure, it’s a safe bet that Windows 9’s uptake will be considerably better. It would be nice if game developers had a huge DirectX 12 install base to work with, right away.

6) Better Xbox and Windows Phone Integration – It is no secret that Microsoft wants to unify its Windows operating systems to work across every type of device, but we’re not quite there yet. In the meantime, I’d like to see Microsoft incorporate game streaming technology, similar to NVIDIA’s and Valve’s, which give users the ability to stream PC games to their Xbox One and vice versa. Windows Phone users should also have to ability to stream whatever is on their phone’s display, right in a Windows on their desktop, and be able to take calls, answer texts, etc. from their PC, without ever having to touch their smartphone.

7) Bring Media Center Back – Microsoft muddied the waters by removing Windows Media Center from Windows 8 and forcing users to add it back in via a separate installation. Microsoft should update and modernize Media Center and include it with Windows 9.

8) A Unified Internet Explorer – I get it—Internet Explorer isn’t exactly the most well-liked browser. But a large number of users still rely on IE. In Windows 8/8.1, the Modern UI and desktop versions of Internet Explorer operate as separate entities. While having the Modern UI version sand-boxed for security purposes is a good thing, Microsoft should device a seamless method for using both, to improve the experience for owners of 2-in-1 devices that may switch between the different versions of IE relatively often.

9) More Choice In General – One of Microsoft’s biggest failings with Windows 8 was not giving users the choice to easily deviate from the Modern UI. Instead, Microsoft forced the Modern UI on users, and it backfired in a major way. PC users want customizability and like to configure their systems to their particular use case. Microsoft should embrace that and allow users to customize as much of the OS as possible.

If there are other things you’d like to see in Windows 9 (that haven’t already been announced), I’d like to hear them. Please comment below and let’s continue the discussion.