Windows 8

[◄Chuck►]

I have done a few researches the last days, and found out some interesting things.

- Regarding the Startmenu: there are many alternatives by now(even free ones, like classic shell) which perfectly take the place that Microsoft left over. They even allow to skip the tiled-screen and directly start into the "normal" desktop.

Well, I had first to find out what Windows 8 actually is. Not that simple as it turns out.
Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise basically exist of two operating systems each. These versions are direct successors of Windows 7, thus they run on x68 and x64 machines.

1) They consist of the classic desktop part along with all the Windows services as we know them from Windows 7 and earlier versions.
2) The other part is that colourful tiled thing (aka Metro UI or modern UI, or my favourite, the 3 seashells , Demolition Man fans may remember ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mFuB0gsNAA )) that is usually shown as Windows 8. The Windows App Store does also belong to this area.
Now here comes the clue. That modern thing and all their apps are supposed not to use the normal Windows API, but the new invented Windows Runtime (WinRT).
The new Windows Runtime allows the access to fundamental Windows functions from many languages, including .net and JavaScript, plus the most important point, it exists for Windows RT.
If that's an actual improvement or just an easier way to create malware and viruses, well, time will show.

That stupid naming is just another stroke of genius by Microsoft:
- "WinRT" = "Windows Runtime" = Just functions, a bit like the Java-runtime
- "Windows RT" = Windows 8 for Tablets (ARM cpu instead of x86)
Now, Microsoft made sure the WinRT does also exist for Windows RT, hence all applications using the WinRT do also run there. That was the actual idea to get apps on these devices.

Windows RT does ONLY provide the WinRT and the "modern" interface. The first part, all the Windows desktop stuff, is NOT available there. That's why I said the other versions were basically 2 operating systems.
Some parts do suddenly make sense, heh?

Btw, a developer who wants to distribute his app via the MS App Store must compile his app for all the CPUs he wants to support (i68, a64, arm) to be available for the particular device. I.e. if he only compiles it for i86, it wont appear in the Store on a tablet-device using Windows RT.
I heard that tablets using x64 CPUs are underway, that means they can run the "complete" Windows 8 including desktop mode.

Well, I'm not sure where all this goes; wouldn't be the first time that Microsoft changed their opinion completely.


Bah , typed a lot already.