Windows 8 build 7985 shown in demo

41 Replies

Microsoft has earlier previewed Windows 8 build 7867, today at the Computex 2011, build 7985 was demoed.The complete build string of this build is 7985.fbl_core1_kernel_cptx.110503-1501 which states that the build was compiled on May 3.From the screenshot below it can be clearly seen that this build has completely overhauled Ribbon interface with the ability to collapse automatically. The Immersive Browser in this build is also pretty mature as compared to the one in Windows 8 build 7955. No other significant changes has been found in this build as it also belongs to Milestone 3 branch.

The latest known Windows 8 build is Build 8011 and the latest build that has been leaked is build 7959

[Image Credits- MyDrivers via AngelWZR]

Scophi

I can say that I am getting a little worried about the future of computing. From what I’ve read about windows 8 and the upcoming mac os, both will try to merge desktop and device experiences into one system.

The problem for me, and many others I know, is that not everyone uses devices and are not comfortable with those systems. I don’t have a tablet or smartphone or whatever else there is. I doubt do anything in the cloud. I don’t sync across browsers or spend my life using social media sites. I don’t know what an app is.

I use a real computer. A desktop machine with a real keyboard and a hard drive to store programs and files. I’m not “on the go”, “on the move”, or “out in the field.”. I have a normal job that requires me to be at my desk and I have a computer in my house that I use for recreation. Why would I want a mobile gadget with a small screen and impossible-to-use onscreen keyboard?

I don’t want touch screen, or tiles, or apps, or my files off in the cloud somewhere.

So all this talk of a mobile-friendly os makes me wonder what everyone who is not “on the move” all the time will do with these new features.

I think that Microsoft may have overestimated the importance of gadgets. Sure everyone has them, but they’re not replacing computers. They’re just additions. Stationary desktop computers are still the main home and office platforms. Why design an os for something else?
- Inpic
  
  10 years back, there are still lots of people who say ,”i don’t need computers because i don’t use them” But now they realised that life is not worth without computers.
  Probably you are one of them. I don’t think you have seen iPAD and its power yet.
  - Scophi
    
    The iPad is a gadget, not a real machine. Try video editing, website building, MS Access development, grid computing, blu-ray converting, or any other high-end job on a tablet.
    
    Ain’t gonna happen. And unless people give up doing these things, desktop aren’t going anywhere.
    - Drew Zuk
      
      Actually, it will happen.. That’s why Apple and Microsoft are gearing their new OS’s towards a melt between the Desktop and Mobile versions (and soon Google, as evidenced with their new Chrome OS).
      - Scophi
        
        Drew, a tablet can’t replace a desktop machine just based on its form.
        
        I run multiple monitors, a blu-ray drive, and multiple peripherals from my machine so that I can *sit* at my desk and do the things I want to do.
        
        That *cannot* happen with a tablet because of the very nature of what a tablet is. If it could do all those things, it wouldn’t be a tablet.
        
        I’m not saying tablets aren’t powerful. That’s a different topic.
        
        I’m saying that I want to be physically at a desk with my large 23″ monitors and my 5.1 speaker system and a keyboard in my lap. I like my mouse.
        
        I want a machine that I can plug my iPhone and Nook and digital camera into. I want a machine that can dual boot Windows and Linux. I’m talking about the desktop experience.
        
        People like desktop machines. They are not going away. Not everyone wants to be mobile. Not everyone wants a tablet.
        
        The purpose of a desktop is not the same as the purpose of a tablet.
- foupamal
  
  Adapt or perish!
- Zoharkingmaker
  
  i totally agree with you friend.
- Anonymous
  
  Cant help but laugh at your comment. None of this stuff will be forced upon you.
  
  You dont have to use any of these touch features, or the touch/tile interface. It’s not needed for desktop computers at all and is not intended for them, i’m sure it will be disabled by default on devices with no touch capability (desktops and most laptops). You can enable or disable the touch UI anyway.
  
  Win7 has touch features and a onscreen keyboard, but you’ve probably never even used either because you dont need to. Same with Win8.
  
  You dont need to use any cloud services. Nothing is forcing you to use them. It’s not like Win8 wont work if you dont use the cloud.
  
  You dont have to do anything different at all with Windows 8, apart from learn some small interface changes (like the ribbon).
  
  So you can carry on using your desktop as usual. But for people who actually live in the 21st century, all these features are there when they are needed.
  - Scophi
    
    You haven’t looked at Windows 8 then.
    
    Metro will be the default UI and it uses tiles, not windows. The WIMP interface (windows, icons, menus, and pointers) are going away, to be replaced with MPG (multi-touch, physics, and gestures).
    
    Sure 8 will have some older features for a while during the transition. But yes, these features will be forced on us. You need to look at the newly released videos.
    
    And Microsoft is gently pushing files into the cloud with 8. There is a new file management system. Opening a windows explorer won’t happen as much anymore. It will be expected that everything you run is a web-based app, not a locally installed program with a local files.
    
    You need to look closer at 8. It is a complete break from anything up to now. It is a device OS being pushed onto a desktop environment.
    - Anonymous
      
      YOU need to look at Win8. Actually read about it, not just look at videos which are demonstrating features specifically for touch devices, NOT desktops.
      
      What you’re thinking is as ridiculous as watching a video of Vista’s Media Center software, and thinking that it’s UI will be the new default interface for Vista. Media Center is software for videos/TV and HTPC’s. The tile UI is software for touch devices. It can be enabled or disabled. It’s not replacing the usual desktop interface!
      
      And again you’re totally wrong about the web based apps. The tile UI supports web apps and software written in HTML5 and JavaScript. But these HTML5/JavaScript apps are ONLY intended to be used with the tile UI, which is only intended for touch devices. You can still use ALL other existing Windows software when using the touch UI as well.
      
      HTML5 and JavaScript is also extremely limited and nowhere near as powerful and other languages like C and .NET. You could never make games or most business software using HTML5.
      Do you actually think about what you’re saying? It’s beyond ridiculous. With all the software Microsoft sell, and the millions of other programs written for Windows, which also need to be installed to a local drive, do you really think Microsoft will ever drop support for this? Literally every business would stop using Windows and Microsoft would die.
      
      I’ve used Windows 8 builds and installing / using software works exactly the same as Win7 and i dont expect this to change.
      
      Use some common sense here.
      - Scophi
        
        NCM: In all seriousness, thank you for responding without resorting to crass statements and derogatory phrases, like we see in so many other forums. It’s nice that people can disagree without taking everything so personally.
        
        All I can say at this point is that I truly do hope you are right.
        
        Hopefully Microsoft will put my worries to rest.
      - Anonymous
        
        I completely agree with what you said about tablets/mobile devices. They could never fully replace desktops and many people will always need desktops (my work for instance would simply not be possible on a tablet).
        
        So if MS were to doing what you was thinking i would be the first person to get angry about it. But from everything i know and have seen / used so far on Win8, this is not what MS are doing. They’re not going to replace the desktop UI, or replace everything with web apps. These are just additions to Windows capabilities that you will probably never even see if you have no use for them.
        
        Win8 is still a long way off so before it’s released i expect to see many other improvements that do not just focus on touch and mobile devices.
      - Drew Zuk
        
        Actually, not so much. I do believe that the term “tablet” is really referring to a monitor/computer duo device that has a touchscreen. Think (futuristically, but practically) one device that is just large enough to take off of a dock where you keep your keyboard/mouse, and small enough for on-the-go things.
      - Anonymous
        
        So basically you mean the Asus Transformer that is already out. Which is a tablet pad that can be connected to a laptop dock, basically transforming it in to a laptop with keyboard and USB ports for mouse.
        
        They’re a lot more practical than something as useless as the iPad, and i might get something like the Transformer to replace my laptop. But it sill could never replace my desktop. I have two 30″ 2560×1600 res monitors, and a 6 core processor with 24GB RAM. I need this much power and such a small form factor could never provide it. It’s the same for PC gamers or anyone using a workstation, areas which will probably always need cutting edge performance and larger displays.
      - Brandon
        
        Sheesh! 24GB RAM in one computer? Where in the world do you buy that? How much did it cost?
      - Anonymous
        
        You can get lots of 12GB kits (3x4GB) for Intel X58 boards, and being as these boards have 6 RAM slots i got two kits for £230 total (about $370 converted, but they’re probably cheaper in the US).
      - http://www.facebook.com/reubenmwilson Reuben Wilson
        
        Haters gonna hate
      - The Man
        
        Scophi you need to just jump on the technology bus and enjoy the ride instead of whining. You sound like my grandmothertrying to hold onto her old ways. Its the way of the future. Who are you to say it’s bad.
    - Bob
      
      Use linux then. If you dont like a product don’t buy it.
- Christian_se
  
  i think your hitting it spot on, we are moving towards a more and more Orwellian society where people instead of getting knowledge just sit on facebook 24/7, The cloud services are not the future because of the simple fact that there are alot of hackers and even more now that the incentive is there to hack into these cloud services. Not even Lenin dreamed of such a controlled world that people are embracing with open arms
  - That Guy
    
    Interesting how you’re taking pot shots at social media and cloud services by using a social post on the cloud.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1382873171 Brian Lewis Garro

I agree with the idea that not everything should be virtual and I agree that if you do notadapt will perish … But we must also take into account that not everyone has themoney to have the newest … Microsoft should think about making a program that fitsthe reality of life and stop trying to make a program very attractive but little profit.
Linux is why he is winning the battle in terms of utility … From Windows 98 up to nowhave not seen a powerful Windows.
- Markorlando
  
  These are some GREAT comments on the current state of the computer industry that really made me think! Thanks to all of you!
Drax322

I agree with that!!!
- Bslbrandon
  
  I personally think Microsoft is just trying to get into the tablet race.
  I own tablets with android and apple but the windows 7 tablet wins overall because you can do more with win7 than android or anything apple. All they are trying to do is offer the win all structure of win7 on a tablet or touch screen device but they are truly trying to make it more user friendly on a touch screen Device. I mean have any of you tryed to use win7 on a 10″ touch screen it’s just not made for that.
  - EighthNote
    
    On the other hand, I just installed omnimo on my laptop, and it has almost completely removed any need for using the bottom bar.
Scophi

NoClip & Inpic: Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those 60-year old guys who is still running Windows 98 SE on an old box with a 486 processor, who grumbled when DOS became obsolete. I’m actually quite computer literate as an electronic librarian and teach computer courses at my job. I don’t have anything against gadgets (tablets and smartphones). For people that need them, they’re useful. And they’re making great strides.

What I am saying is that they are not going to replace desktops, which are still the main business and home hardware platform …by far.

I think Microsoft is misreading a trend here. They’re focusing in on gadgets because they are the latest gizmos and they’re profitable. But that doesn’t mean that everyone is now doing all their computing on them. It would be like developing an OS around Zune or X-Box and making it the dominant platform. It just doesn’t make sense.

Despite what Hollywood would have us believe, most people are not constantly mobile. Most people still have sedentary jobs with desktop machines and still have a desktop or laptop at home. And I don’t believe this will change. As such, Windows needs to have a desktop-based OS…not a gadget-based OS, which is what Windows 8 appears to be.

I believe Microsoft is overestimating the role that gadgets play in our society. They believe that tablets are the successor to desktop computers. They are not. They’re accessories to be used when your out on the road, or going to a meeting, or away from the house for a little while. But people still keep main computers in their offices and homes.

I don’t know anyone that uses the iPad as their main computer. How could you? No optical drives, no usb ports, no powerful processors, no peripheral connections, no real file management system to speak of, etc. It’s a big iPhone. It’s not a computer.

This move to all web-apps and cloud computing (make no mistake, that’s what they’re pushing) and the ubiquitous mobile device is a mistake. Gadgets are a complementary technology to computers. They will work alongside real machines, not in place of them.

If Microsoft wants to make a fancy table OS that is interoperable with a desktop OS, that’s fine. But don’t expect everyone to jump onboard with Windows 8 as it is now. Assuming they stick with this idea/theme, Windows 8 will be the slowest accepted OS they’ve ever had.
- Zhangfei
  
  It’s all about the applications, and that they act in similar manner to their predecessors. Whether it is a gadget, a computer, or a cell phone. An OS or lack of one isn’t the objective; it is performing multiple tasks on the same device. The “good ole days” of CPM and ISIS on Intel on an MDS-800 were only fun when you needed to know electronics to design hardware. I do NOT miss Assembler, Fortran, or Patch-coding in Hex either.
- fitycent
  
  I think you have a point. I work at bestbuy and seriously now of these gadgets sells. They’re like dust collectors and futuristic prototype to be ouuh and awwhh. And if bestbuy doesn’t sell hell aint walmart gonna sell. And for tablet is a big fat snail for now. If you search tablet sales on google you’ll see the picture that its just the next cool things that consumer can live without.
  
  But I think microsoft is in the right directions. Everybody is going to have a main computer yes, but when you go around you won’t necessarily need a computer but a small little one to help you communicate and organize. Anyone in any industry will benefit from tablet, cloud, main computer idea. From small businesses to beginnner artist to CEO. Heck all bestbuy manager right now have a tablet to keep track of sales in real time (although I dissagree very much on the use of ipads… from a function/cost stand point). And why not release a buggy OS now when no one but the real ethusiast cares. Then when everyone hop on the boat, you have a real working one. Great idea I would say.
  
  My idea tablet… the Asus Eee Slates. 12″, i5, 4gb ram, and 60 ssd. Runs win7pro. That’s the real deal. Now if you have an OS that connects that tablets with your main computer, that’s a winner.
henry

Micro soft is says that they are trying to be more like a mac and i think this os is going to fail. its like looking at a new vista and its probably going to be terrible. Not looking forward to it
Anonymous

Doesn’t it seem kinda strange that M$ is doing all this advertising about Windows 8 and haven’t released a beta yet…this is a first.
Alohakona

I have used MS software and hardware products since the 1970′s in many career roles including software developer, business owner, and computer science professor. Things have greatly evolved at a steady pace during the past three decades in the areas of computing and technology. MS has conservatively developed operating systems and applications to primarily serve the needs of business, and secondarily the needs of consumers. This is a sound business model, as business operation needs are stable and long term, while consumer needs are quite volitile. MS will not abandon its core segments of business productivity (Windows and Office) and PC-based applications to risk 100% (poker term – all in) of its future on emerging or developing market segments. It is also important to remember that individuals that grew up with PC are comfortable with the proved PC technology platform and are in charge of business purchasing decisions. Young people, born since 1990, may see mobile devices like smartphones as being ubiquious and essential for their socialization, but when they are working for a business they must adapt to the PC-based computer world. In ten to twenty years, mobile devices will have all of the computing and storage capabilities of PCs, holographic screens and virtual keyboard will be common, and all devices will access to a 100% reliable and secure Internet. When technology has advanced to that point, the PC will joint the manual typewriter as obsolete. To reach the future, the present must evolve. Until that time, MS will probe and test emerging market segments to maximize potential success, and influence the development of computer technologies. Can you imaging a world of today, if MS had never existed?
- Tomviolin
  
  This is an interesting perspective. MS has truly become the new IBM. Recall that MS actually got its start being much more consumer-friendly. I saw a presentation once, in the mid-90s, which presented a very amusing idea: that it was in fact the Solitaire app that spelled the demise of IBM in the workplace. The idea was that IBM at the time catered exclusively to management, while MS dared to put in features that appealed to the end-users.
  
  Now, it would seem that MS has become the stodgy old mega corp that IBM once was.
  - Alohakona
    
    Solitare was included as something in disguise. It was actually a way of teaching how to use a new hardware device, the mouse, without the need for a thick user manual or a detailed tutorial. By playing a game, something people were already familiar with, users learned how to use all of the mouse features without realizing it. The left button for clicking and dragging, and the right button for help. The ability to use a mouse was needed for a new icon-based operating system called Windows. It replaced the command-based DOS and CPM systems.
    
    IBM was the standard for business, based on the larger computer systems in place at the time. This carried over to the new PC market, also called desktops. Many new computer companies started and, to emphasize their quality, they called their products IBM-compatible computers. The reason IBM lost market share so quickly was not because of solitare. It was because IBM still functioned in a large computer environment and mindset. For large computers, most of the profit is generated by the computer hardware and computer software profits are almost nonexistant because most software is developed by in-house programmers. Also in a large computer environment, daily usage and computing needs are very static because the large companies are very stable and the cost to change the way business is conducted is too expensive, especially with computer systems costing in the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.
    
    The term IBM-compatible meant that the computer operating system, MS-DOS, was used on the new computer company computers, the same as IBMs. The new concept of buying pre-made computer applications in a store rather than employing a staff of in-house programmers also greatly damaged IBMs chance for dominating the newly emerging desktop computer market.The same software applications could be used on computers that cost less than half of the IBM computers. New companies were flexible, innovative, and cost efficient — exactly the opposite of IBM. Small businesses, the target market of desktop computers, matched the profile of the new computer companies. As a result of competition, desktop computer prices dropped by 25-50% each year for several years. IBM could not compete and eventually sold it desktop business to Lenovo, a Chinese company.
    
    The theory that IBM catered to management and Microsoft appealed to end users is not accurate. Microsoft started by making operating systems for microcomputers (Altair), then for IBM, but also makes large computer system operating systems. The difference was, initally, more of large computer versus desktop computer. MS is an establish company, not a new start-up like thirty years ago. Because of its size, change and innovation come more slowly, but the wisdom of experience also ensures research and development, quality products, and effective marketing.
Tomviolin

I have a HUGE concern that I frankly don’t see discussed very much: that all this movement towards devices and the cloud is actually precipitating a great lockdown on computing. A world in which all apps have to be approved by an App Store that takes 50% of everything. A world in which all your files are stored on a “cloud” owned by Microsoft or Apple or Dropbox, and you don’t even own your own data anymore. A world in which open source is dead, freedom is dead, and mega corporations take 50% of everything and leave you owning nothing. This isn’t some “conspiracy theory” either. It’s happening now, right now, but everyone is distracted by tiles and touchscreens and fancy graphics, and basic questions simply aren’t being asked.
- subkid
  
  Thankfully, there’s two alternatives now:
  Chrome OS (you don’t have to use the app store)
  Linux (do everything you can on Windows completely free)
  - Tomviolin
    
    For traditional laptops/desktops, yes. For mobile devices (iPad, iPhone, etc.) not so much. Unless you jailbreak your iPhone/iPad, only approved App Store software can run on your device. In the short term there is a huge consumer benefit in that it almost completely eliminates viruses and other clandestine malware from the picture. For that reason alone it will be a popular paradigm. However, long term it places App Store management in a monopolistic gatekeeper role. And soon there will be desktops and laptops that work the same way. No more basement hackers. No more garage startups. No more threats to the Appleosoft oligarchy. And the App Store gets half. Remember the Onion article? “Microsoft gets half”. Well it’s happening, people. Right under your noses.
    
    Jailbreak your iPhone. Before it’s too late.
    Jailbreak your iPhone. Before it’s too late.
    - Moriarty
      
      Use Android.
Roger_dlf

Can’t wait for this to come out so I can download it illegally via torrent and then put this into my retail PC’s. Looking forward to making alot of money from this.
Jake

i got mac and have windows 7 installed
Rapidla

the picture isn’t win 8, it’s 7