Tech Corner

For people who use Windows and either have avoided upgrading to Windows 8, or who do use it but wish it did a better job integrating the new "Metro" interface with the traditional Desktop, there was some interesting news this week out of the Microsoft Partners conference.  Among other things, the company discussed the “next version of Windows.”  It’s unclear if that means the next big upgrade, or Windows 9, but an upgrade could be as early as this fall, and even a full new version is rumored as early as next year.  

Not much was revealed, but some of the features Microsoft says it’s “thinking about” (and showed working models of) seem extremely smart – most notably one which would overcome that aforementioned biggest hurdle Windows 8 has had for some -- allowing now for merging the two interfaces.  This would let users run Metro windows and Live Tiles directly on the Desktop without having to jump back and forth between Metro and Desktop modes, making it all a single, seamless user experience.  In addition, it also looks like the rumors from earlier in the year are true, and that the company is building a substantive Start button back into the Desktop, which many had complained about its disappearance in the first version of Windows 8.