[Trainer-talk] From CNet/Microsoft's 'Threshold' goal: Win over Windows 7 holdouts

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This is from CNet.  I normally don't post articles about mainstream 
technology on this group and I promise not to make a habit of doing so. 
  However, since most of us provide training and support to users of 
both windows 7 as well as to those running the Win8 versions I thought 
this might be of interest as it gives us a taste of things we're likely 
to see happening with the next version of windows, known as Threshold or 
possibly Windows 9.  Of interest to me is the possibility, and it's not 
been confirmed, that Windows threshold or windows 9 could be a free 
update even for folks who are running service pack 1 of Windows 7. 
That's pretty radical and aggressive for Microsoft and it shows how much 
they really want all of us migrating to the new OS.  Here's the article.



Microsoft's 'Threshold' goal: Win over Windows 7 holdouts
Microsoft is working to include new features in the next version of 
Windows specifically aimed at desktop users. Here's the latest on its plan.
by Mary Jo Foley
/June 30, 2014 11:23 AM PDT

Windows 8.1 will reach out to PC users with its next update.
Windows 8.1.

Windows "Threshold," the next major version of Microsoft's Windows 
operating system due to hit around the spring of 2015, is coming into focus.
And not too surprisingly, one of the Microsoft Operating Systems Group's 
main goals in designing and developing the coming operating system 
release -- which may or may not ultimately be branded as "Windows 9" -- 
is to try to make it more palatable to holdout Windows 7 users.
In order to do this, Microsoft is working on including in Threshold lots 
of new features specifically aimed at "desktop" users, meaning those who 
interact primarily with their Windows computing device from a desktop or 
laptop PC with mouse/keyboard and optional touch.
With Windows 8.1 Update, Microsoft designed Windows around a set of 
profiles based on the hardware specifications of the devices in use. 
Certain devices running Windows 8.1 Update include Power and Search 
buttons on the Metro-style Start screen; others don't. Some of those 
running Windows 8.1 Update have their machines start up by default in 
the Desktop/Win32 legacy environment, while others on touch/mobile-first 
devices start up in the Metro-Style Start Menu by default.
According to my sources, Microsoft will continue in this vein with 
Windows Threshold. The Threshold OS will look and work differently based 
on hardware type.

Users running Threshold on a desktop/laptop will get a SKU, or version, 
that puts the Windows Desktop (for running Win32/legacy apps) front and 
center. Two-in-one devices, like the Lenovo Yoga or Surface Pro, will 
support switching between the Metro-Style mode and the Windowed mode, 
based on whether or not keyboards are connected or disconnected.
The combined Phone/Tablet SKU of Threshold won't have a Desktop 
environment at all, but still will support apps running side-by-side, my 
sources are reconfirming. This "Threshold Mobile" SKU will work on 
ARM-based Windows Phones (not just Lumias), ARM-based Windows tablets 
and, I believe, Intel-Atom-based tablets.
One of Microsoft's primary missions with Threshold is to try to undo the 
usability mistakes made with Windows 8 for those who prefer or are stuck 
with devices that are not touch-first and for which keyboard/mouse use 
is of central importance.
The Desktop/laptop SKU of Threshold will include, as previously rumored, 
the Mini-Start menu -- a new version of the traditional Microsoft Start 
menu, an early concept of which Microsoft showed off at the company's 
Build developers conference in April. It also will include the ability 
to run Metro-Style/Windows Store apps in windows on the Desktop. Will it 
turn off completely the Metro-Style Start screen with its live-tile 
interface, as Neowin is reporting, and make the tiled Start Menu a 
toggleable option from the Mini Start menu? I'm not sure, but I wouldn't 
be surprised.
(Update: It's worth pointing out the Mini Start menu is expected to be 
customizable. Users will be able to include Metro-Style apps or remove 
all Metro Style apps/tiles from the menu so that only Desktop apps are 
included in the Mini Start menu -- either as tiles or in list form.)
Between now and Threshold: What's next?
Before Threshold is released next spring, Microsoft is expected to 
deliver a public preview of the Threshold release, most likely in the 
fall of 2014, my sources say.
And before that, Microsoft will deliver a second and final update for 
Windows 8.1. As Microsoft decided earlier this year to make the Mini 
Start Menu part of Threshold instead of Update 2, there's not a whole 
lot of new features of note coming in Update 2. There may be some UI 
adjustments and tweaks, but nothing hugely noticeable, my sources claim.
Windows 8.1 Update 2 should be code complete any time now and will be 
locked down about two weeks before August Patch Tuesday, my sources say. 
(August Patch Tuesday is on August 12.) Microsoft may opt to not make a 
big deal out of Update 2 and just push it out quietly as part of the set 
of August patches, I hear.
The Microsoft OS team is hoping to get as many Windows 7 users moved to 
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8 users to Windows 8.1 Update in 
preparation for (hopefully) getting them to move to Threshold once it is 
out. It's still early in the Windows development cycle for Microsoft to 
have decided on packaging, pricing and distribution, but my sources say, 
at this point, that Windows Threshold is looking like it could be free 
to all Windows 8.1 Update and maybe even Windows 7 Service Pack 1 users.
Microsoft is basically "done" with Windows 8.x. Regardless of how usable 
or functional it is or isn't, it has become Microsoft's Vista 2.0 -- 
something from which Microsoft needs to distance itself, 
perception-wise. At this point, Microsoft is going full steam-ahead 
toward Threshold and will do its best to differentiate that OS release 
from Windows 8.
This story originally appeared as "Windows 'Threshold': More on 
Microsoft's plan to win over Windows 7 users" on ZDNet.
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