Looks like Microsoft is going to launch Windows 9 in April 2015. Apparently, the "Start" button returns.

Sales of laptops and desktops have been abysmal...

Yes, both sales-driven and user-confusion driven. Windows 8.1 backtracked part of the way, to allow booting into the Desktop (thus rendering my $5 utility useless). I guess Windows 8 continued the pattern of one good, one not as good operating system with Me and Vista (though I personally had no problems with either).

It will be interesting to see who they choose to lead Microsoft next, and why.

I never cease to be amazed at how successful a company can be with so little common sense.

John 3X, add the huge R&D Bux M$ puts into stuff that is never released. It's an appalling figure.

8.1 reminds me of the song "I'm Beginning To See The Light"...mostly shadowboxing in the dark kinda things every day!!
What browser works best???

I'm being deluged by pop up ads from everywhere....ughh on adaware!

Firefox with its own Adblocker plugin, then webearch another little proggie called AdBlock Plus and install that, too.

Avast! free antivirus also now comes with its own adjustable blocker as well.

I run all three and even at that, things around the web load remarkably faster without having to wait for all the ad connects to happen.



--Mac

It figures, Vista came out and I needed a new desktop, bang it's gone, I buy a laptop for Christmas, pow windows 8 out the door.........

Actually, by the time they come out with the next latest and greatest OS, the previous one or two has finally had enough corrections and updates to actually work in most cases.

That's been my experience across the board since the days of Win3.1 and Win95, man.

Don't lament, just make sure you do go for any Service Packs and Critical Updates for the "mature" OS you have.


Actually far less trouble than trying to make music on the latest and greatest where too many things are shipped nonworking or are waiting to go boom in the dark...


--Mac

I'm using 7 Pro on a HP Z workstation and has been the most stable as a DAW for years.

Not looking to tip the boat just yet!

I still have my "Scuderia Cazzani in non layman's terms."


Happy jammin!


DA...

Good name for a song (or a band).

Um, s nice slow jazz Ballad?


Something along the lines of the Haydn Surprise Symphony maybe?


No, wait, I got it.


A Modern Country ditty that sounds more like a too cleanly recorded Motown tune from 1966.



--Mac

Wow that must be some computer-boat if you're calling it Scuderia Cazzani. Must be extree fast.

After the convertible with the twin 350 V8'$, can't even imagine what owning a vessel like that does to the bank account, but anything aspirated with a blower like that looks like it might be FUN.


Horsepower,



--Mac

Scuderia Cazzani Cat Sounds Hope your computer is quieter than this Digital Angel. lol

She used to be my 3D animation machine and just loves 24bit session files with lots of .wav files and 64 bit plugs.

Just saying!

After midnight, we're gonna shake your latrine.


DA...

I hate to admit it, but using win 8 every day and getting used to it. I'm liking it. So of course they're coming out with win 9. I feel your pain Critter. LOL!


Josie

Now if they'll only extend support of XP until then, it might be a good business move.

I've got an W8 computer, and I don't mind it, but I still like W7 a bit better.

I honestly think that if Microsoft could have their way, they would actually do away with the desktop altogether and concentrate on Metro-style apps (sorry, I find that old more descriptive than Microsoft-store apps, which could be both desktop and/or Metro). That way, you can turn your $2,000 laptop into a $200 smart phone and run apps singularly (okay, they capitulated and let you run two at a time). I guess it's back to the days of MS-DOS with Borland Sidekick, just because of the "pad" craze.

Meanwhile, the rest of us use laptops and desktops to actually get work done, run multiple apps side by side and move seamlessly between them (try easy drag and drop on a Microsoft "pad").

Sales may be down on laptops and desktops in favor of portable devices, but there is still work that needs to be done on them. Microsoft now seems to be treating them as the new second class citizens.

Of course, sales of the Microsoft products have been abysmal (did they really think they were going to trump Apple and Google?) So let's throw a bone back to the desktop users and make up for lost revenue (Windows 9).

Microsoft: Windows XP anti-malware support to last into 2015
Although the software giant will stop providing updates to the venerable OS this April, it will keep offering anti-malware updates until July 2015.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-576172...last-into-2015/

Regarding the DAW I stayed on XP until last year because I thought it was a fine OS.
Updating my OS was inevitable because I went from the quite dated Sonar 5.0 (I hear the chuckling) to Sonar X2.

Never went to Vista but last year (noting the above) I decided to get it done and get both computers on Win7.
I like Win7 and have no desire to be relegated to all the tactile necessity of a Win8 (or 9.0?) OS.
I'll stick with Win7 and hopefully it will out live me for my purposes.

Carry on....

I’m not chuckling as I also went from Sonar 5 to Sonar X1. I kept running out of ram with XP and Sonar 5 was not compatible with Win 7 64 bit.

I do not upgrade unless I absolutely have to upgrade! My only exception to this rule is BiaB.

Ditto on all of the above.
That jump to X2 was a stretch for my neurons and I'm still not proficient on the depths of it.

Although, I'm still on a 32bit platform which is of no negative consequence for me.
I'm still using the Delta44 which I purchased when it went on the market.
Prior to that it was the Gina20...another antiquated one....which I still have.

Win7 is it for me....hopefully.
I hate migrating to new OS's.

Carry on....

Intel will stop making separate motherboards, and Microsoft has indeed sacrificed power users for portables. I hope both decisions are reversed. Windows 9 could signal an important change back.

You might want to consider upgrading Sonar to X3d. X3d is X2 with a lot of the bugs gone and has some major improvements IMO plus it is a lot more stable, i.e. no crashes. Also X2 was under Roland and X3 is under Gibson/Tascam and they are actively involved in Sonar X3. Gibson/Tascam bought Cakewalk from Roland.

+1 for SONAR users to update to X3D for stability.

For my purposes, Win 8.1 is doing just fine. No problems whatsoever with BIAB. All my files play as they should. I'm getting along very well with Win 8.1. Later, Ray

MarioD & Matt Finley....

I've read the same regarding your comments.
Just like here, I check the Cakewalk forums also as both go good with my coffee.
The upgrade for me is 150$ which is just not justified at this time.
Although, I would never say never.

Carry on....

That's good news Mike.

I have an XP that I use for casual (non-business) Internet browsing. It's not my main computer, but I still use it a lot.

I was planning to trade it in this April, but now I'm considering waiting until Win9 comes out. I get along with 8 but am not crazy about it - but for the kind of tasks I do daily, I still like it better than Mac/OSX.

Notes

Read the posted article in entirety to find out why that may not be such a good idea. No Critical Updates available = future online vulnerabilities.

On the other hand, you can hit the microsoft site and uswe their little routine that can tell you if that XP computer is capable of running Win7, and how well...


--Mac

Perhaps I'll put Linux on it. Since it does nothing but surf (and I don't use it for shopping either) it might be interesting to experience a bit of Linux.

Any suggestions of a Linux flavor for an older computer (Designed for XP, Windows Vista Compatible).

Notes

Hey Notes, as you obviously know there's lots of flavours, but, FWIW, I've had some good sucess with ubuntu - but only as a server, haven't tried their workstation version...

Yep...XP, as much as I like the OS, is too long in the tooth now.
I'm pleased with Win7 and I think is was time to get more current.

Carry on...

It's not simply the basic security updates, it's virtually everything to do with online work. It only runs older browsers that don't have the latest and greatest either and there's other things I can't remember now. For going online, XP is a dinosaur and the hackers cut their teeth on it.

Things move very fast in the computer world and already Win 7 has certain vulnerabilities that Win 8 solves which is why I'm going to Win 8.1 soon. There's only so much that can be done with an old OS which is why new ones are continually written.

http://www.itworld.com/consumerization-i...rding-microsoft

To think that XP is somehow secure just because MS is still doing some stupid little patches for it is a joke.

Bob

" It only runs older browsers that don't have the latest and greatest "
QFT

XP can only run IE 8 (I believe) and therefore limits what the OS patches and antivirus companies can do for you.
FF can be a little more forgiving, but it is time to move on. XP has reached its expiration date.

No doubt that XP is getting ancient, which is why the XP machine is just for casual Internet browsing. There's nothing important on it, and it's not networked to my other computers, so if it does get compromised, there is nothing personal to lose (although I don't want it to be a spam bot either).

It just seems a waste to ditch a perfectly good running computer.

So I'll try a version of Linux.

Or I'll make it a backup to a stage computer. All my stage computers have to do is display music charts and/or words and play the mp3 backing tracks that I make at home. Stage computers don't go on the Internet, so I won't have to worry. I don't need a spare now, but I'm sure sooner or later my 2003 ThinkPad will meet it's maker.

Notes

Notes, the Linux idea works well IMO.

Converted a handful of donated XP - and even one Win98 - boxes to Ubuntu Linux for use at a church Sunday School and Summer School so that the kids could access online teaching aids - and, of course, they also find the GAMES.

Works fine. Lean, Mean, does not need faster processors and large amounts of ram to get that paricular task done.

Added advantage, lots less in the way of virus/bloatware etc. problems for the Sysop.


--Mac

Thanks Mac.

Plus it will give me an opportunity to learn something news, and that's always a treat.

Notes

Ubuntu and Firefox, "learning curve" is rather minimal.

Notes,

I'll +1 the use of Ubuntu for web surfing.

As Mac said, it is not a resource hog, so it runs well on older machines. Plus, it auto updates... so you always have the latest version and any security patches.

And its free!

http://www.ubuntu.com/download

Thanks!

Sounds like some fun is in my future.

Notes

I went from sonar 8.5 and xp to win 8.1 & sonar studio x3d and it is nice and stable. I have a lot to learn on x3 but seems stable.
W8.1 is also stable and easy to get around. Now all I need to do is get some work out of all my new toys.:)
Wyndham