Windows Technical Preview information to give you a head start
Next week, probably on Tuesday but no day has been confirmed yet by Microsoft, a preview of the upcoming Windows 9 operating system will be made available to the public by the company.
Many Windows users, especially those disillusioned by the current operating system Windows 8, are looking forward to the release to find out how if it is more to their liking.
The core question for many is if it will be the Windows 7 update that they hoped Windows 8 would be or not.
Microsoft needs to set things right as Windows 8 sales have not been great, especially when compared to the sales of the Windows 7 operating system, Microsoft's fastest selling client operating system up to date.
As is the case with these announcements and releases, there is usually a rush when web pages and downloads go live. This often leads to slow downloads in the beginning as lots of users start to download the files at the same time.
This article provides you with the links you need taken directly from a Microsoft web page that the company accidentally (or on purpose?) published for a short period of time.
Important links
Note: These links will go live eventually but may not work at all right now.
- Windows 9 Preview Download Page
- Explore What's New Page 1
- Explore What's New Page 2
- Support link
- Stay informed
Windows Insider
The leaked page displayed information about Microsoft's new Windows Insider Preview Program as well. It read:
Get the latest preview builds as soon as they're available plus access to an easy-to-use feedback app.
The sign up page for the Insider Preview Program is not live yet which means that you can not sign up right now for it. It is unclear how this is going to work.
If you ask me, Microsoft will make available preview builds of upcoming versions of Windows to participants who in return are asked to provide feedback about these builds.
Unclear is if everyone can join the program or if it is limited to the Enterprise.
Now You: Are you looking forward to the preview release of the next version of Windows? What are your expectations?
I think the big news here is the Windows Insider Preview program. Microsoft’s internal usability testing processes have just not worked well the last 5 – 10 years, leaving customers with some products they just don’t like.
Hopefully this will help…
Slosuenos
Wow… I thought that as far as hate, anger, and resentment Google was the new Microsoft. Guess there’s plenty of HAR left for the tottery old giant after all!
I really thought that between the end of support for XP and the flop of Win 8, clean and easy Linux distros like Mint and Kubuntu would see a noticeable uptick in desktop share. Hasn’t happened! Of my acquaintances who migrated from XP, one went to a Mac, two paid for Win7 downgrades, and one went with Win 8 and hates it. *shrug*
I went with 8 as well, since after a few tweaks it seems fine, but I think Linux’s big issue is that it still struggles with compatibility and ease-of-use. I can’t watch Netflix on Mint out of the box, and the workaround involves putting repositories into the command line and the process failed three different times, each time a different way, before I finally got it working. Then a Netflix change broke it. Then there’s the complete crapshoot that is whether or not any given game will work with Wine or PlayOnLinux. I love having a Mint installation on a flash drive to just swiftly get some surfing and emailing done, it is a very fast OS that’s nice and snappy for light Internet use, but then I get my work done and want to relax and that usually means rebooting into Windows, which I then leave on standby and the next morning I can reboot the machine knowing I’ll have to do it again later or I can just use slightly clunkier email and web browsing on 8 because I don’t have to fight any plug-ins or anything and can use all my stuff at the end of the day.
I still do not understand Microsoft’s insistence that touch is the future of desktop. I don’t know a single person who wants to touch their screen all day at their desk. It’s a bizarre paradigm they seem to be trying to artificially construct and it’s so out there it is not catching on even by sheer force of will. But Linux doesn’t seem to be the answer, yet, because its nature puts it at odds with some of the most basic things people use their machines for. At least MS’s extraneous features can generally be ignored.
One issue with Windows 8.x is the implied mandatory Microsoft account when setting it up a machine for the first time. I have heard from some people that it really pissed them off. The whole time it was possible to setup Windows 8.x with a local account. Microsoft just hid that tidbit in smaller fonts on the MS account sign up page. Or you could disconnect from the Internet when setting up your account for the first time. A lot of people will appreciate Microsoft giving the option – UP FRONT – of using a local account. Our business had more than one customer that paid us to set up the OS for them, using a local account.
Microsoft should recognize change the account setup screen so the option of which account type to select, and the advantages of each, is clear, when the gold version is released.
Hey Bob, I agree totally, the way to making a local account is obviously and deliberately buried just enough for plausible deniability so to speak but still really stupid and self-serving (MS serving itself and NOT it’s users). What an IT nightmare were they to require individual MS accounts, geez…
The thought of required subscription for the new OS is simply dumb beyond belief and pretty much everyone is going to resist it other than Newbs that know nothing else. Microsoft has made so many stupid mistakes that they have managed to climb to the top of Technologies LEAST Trustworthy. That’s pretty sad when their the biggest OS maker on the planet. For those who don’t believe me, remember MS engineered backdoors into their own OS for the NSA, CIA & FBI to play around with ANYTIME they wanted to. The IT world basically told MS in no uncertain terms you fix AND Guarantee security or we ALL walk… Thus Win7 was patched and Win8 was free upgraded to 8.1 (other issues warranted this as well but this was the fabled white elephant).
Evidently MS has not been noting the fact that nearly 60% of the US now at least suspects big corporations of massive wrong doing & cover-up starting the Banks & the Fed to Technology and so on. Note how Google End to End encrypted their entire offering, how Apple is now doing the same. The newish FBI director publically blasts Google & Apple for protecting it’s user’s privacy like it was their God given right to snoop into everyone’s drawers ANYTIME they want to… How F’d up is that.
Microsoft may very well have an IMPOSSIBLE job at winning the trust of the computing world back, not only in protecting it’s user’s Privacy but also in providing GUI that is workable for everyone, based on a computing foundation that isn’t just fast but tough, secure, PRIVATE and safe… I would love to see MS do this AND add a nice, solid Voice Control interface that works for everyone no matter their voice type… Did you know that Bill promised this back in the 90’s that essentially computers would essentially disappear and the user would simply ask for what they wanted via voice and their selected system personality (imagine your favorite famous personality providing response!) would respond in the affirmative, getting the request done or presenting a screen if required… Yeah, I know, I’m talking about huge computing power to support a Learning, Expert Database that could do this real time… AMD’s “HSA†computing initiative which links and uses the graphics processing horsepower in addition to CISC processors is a solid first step in this direction and much of the industry is interested in supporting!
Anyway, it’s probably too much to hope that Microsoft has learned its lesson with Vista, Windows 8 and Phone 8 but I rather doubt it, I suspect they will ram the Win8 concept down everyone’s throat with Win9 to save face, accomplishing nothing but more angst against itself… Yikes!
Yeah, I nearly fell for that when doing a fresh 8.0 install for someone. Win 8 is simply a vehicle for the app store, and a means to cloud your entire personal life. That UEFI malarkey also derailed what was previously a straight-foward and painless procedure – it added about 2 hrs of google joy to my day. I played with it for about an hour and it hated the hell out of it.
I’m running XP until they present a new version that is identically equivalent.
Currently XP still performs fine and can be updated with patches on the fly.
All the talk and evidence since Windows 7 is about Microsoft trying to follow each and every IT trend given a modicum of hype because they’ve lost the control and trend-setting by domination they formerly had as a sleeping giant monopolist. That disappeared many years ago as the industry diversified and became a series of companies trying to chase each other’s trend setting attempts whether those make sense it not. Does anyone really care about smart watches? Who knows, but everyone it’s making one, just in case. Nobody wants to get caught out allowing another domination like Apple got with the iDevices.
Microsoft want an app store for a desktop OS because they see mobile operating systems have used them and Microsoft thinks it’s going to merge all its platforms at the same time as trying to leverage Windows’ brand to get some puny level of share in the mobile market. Does that do anything for XP desktop users? Not really. Those users know how to find and install software, been doing it for years and the central repo ‘store’ model hasn’t been enough to draw them to Linux.
Next Microsoft want a presence on tablets which it’s very scared will take over from desktop computing. Unlikely. They’re more likely to be complimentary devices and no amount if touch oriented interface changes forced on users can make a tablet ads suitable for fast, accurate typing. A desktop XP user gets nothing from a touch oriented interface, other than a productivity downgrade.
Again worried about mobile, Microsoft decided it needed to make their own portables but hoi few can they when x86 chips are too battery draining and Windows doesn’t run on ARM? So they port Windows to ARM but instead of providing emulation APIs for existing x86 ‘apps’ and ARM ‘apps’ they roll out some weird new touch interface they can’t even name properly and expect developers to rewrite applications for no good reason! Again, desktop XP users who just want new useful features to use on their desktop or passion old laptop, get nothing but messy confusion!
“Live Tiles”, “Charms Bar”, $150 add-on keyboards for your ‘tablet’ that supposedly replaces your laptop … desktop XP user’s still sitting there looking at Microsoft’s hottest marketing gurus with a blank silent bedazzled stare!
Continuous integration and rapid releases? Oooh they’re pretty cool the way that browser/loght browser OS mob does it. Best we get in on that game too. Hmmmm but wait, we’ve been rolling out constant updates to Windows for over a dozen years. Hmmm how can we spin these as something useful to desktop XP users?
LOL.
The Microsoft problem is simple: it’s relying on an ancient revenue model that is slowly becoming both ineffective and irrelevant. The built in obsolescence model it has constantly tried to mask with superficial changes just isn’t cutting it anymore. Even a monopoly can easily be defeated when the well either runs dry or people wake up to realize they don’t need the snake oil that comes out of it.
Microsoft is fast becoming the equivalent of fossil fuels where renewables are the inevitable, eventual future.
Sorry guys I will be sticking to Win 7 Prof. till the death and then its Linux. Win 7 does all the things I want the way I want .MS does its best to control what programs you install in Win 8 and Win 9 it has its own “controller ” who cannot be removed making sure MS approves of the program not you and if they dont -no program. If I pay £2000 for a PC its mine not MS,s . The excuse is -non-compatibility but in most cases that is just an excuse and many others agree there are other MS programs that try to block you but I have either deleted them or disabled them.MS dont always get it right just look at the latest “updates” some took out (blue screened) more than 10000 PC,s Worldwide and had to be removed.
I have to agree Duncan, Win7-64 (Pro & Ultimate especially) is the best OS to come out of Microsoft. When configured fully, Win7-64 is glorious, elegant, fast and stable. I personally like the combination of fast & elegant where XP was neither of these and I still can’t understand why anyone is so doggedly sticking with XP… Though I have configured over 50 Win8.x systems now, I still think it a huge mistake in so many ways. Worse, in spite of the few positive things with Win8, 90% of my clients so far are not satisfied with some hating it with a passion, even with my efforts to make it more Win7 like with a nice Start Menu and so much else. I’ve even had a few clients Pay me (I charge a modest $300 flat fee to do this + license) to down grade their new Win8.x system back to Win7-64 Pro…
As the story goes, Balmer evidently allowed, in spite of much user test data to the contrary, his underling to run with this (Win8) to the bitter end… Of course it is obvious that Win8 was a Apple-esk / Google-esk attempt, one-upsmanship at making Phone, Tablet & PC all the same user experience. While I think this concept has merit, my experience of Win8, WinRT (tablet) and Win8 Phone was nothing short of dreadful, annoying and pathetic. It was seriously under developed “new Vista” on poor performing hardware all over again x3 (geez you’d think MS would have learned this lesson the 1st time). In this case NO Amount of Work on my very substantial (32 yr. tech industry veteran) part had ANY chance of making this succeed for me, none what so ever… This to simply say that Win8 FAILED before it ever left the start gate!
While all this was and is going on, we have Apple & Linux, quietly working diligently to improve, perfect, secure, speed and beautify already decent offerings… Mint Linux (http://linuxmint.com), as example continues to amaze with 4 flavors of Linux, KDE being my favorite. On new AMD hardware equipped with a nice SSD I get nearly instant results to all of my needs, stable day in and day out without any security other than my regular Browser based securities I install in Firefox irregardless of the OS… At the rate Linux is evolving (and the rate with which MS is being utterly stupid), it will be the OS of choice within a few more years… Wakeup Microsoft! – Honor User Privacy No Matter What, Quit throwing so Much Useless, Annoying CHANGE at your users just so you can sell phone OS, Make Your Products The MOST Stable instead of the LEAST Stable!
According to Neowin, the file size of the Windows [9] Technical Preview ISO file is said to be about 4 GB (for x64 version) and about 3 GB (for x86 version).
Thanks Martin for keeping us informed about this. I’ve been looking forward to test-driving Windows 9.
Mark,
The link has been removed by Ms. Fingers crossed and let’s wait for official preview launch in October.
To be honest, I’m skeptical.
I’m just starting to really get used to Windows 8.1, to find the same automation that under 7.
I use StarttisBack+ which suits me perfectly. The new start menu that has leaked, does not seem to be very useful for me. I actually split into two worlds my OS. The desktop where I am 90% of the time, and the Start Screen 10% of the time for recreational use.
For the latter, I see WHEN I want. So for me, add a start menu with tiles, as on the StartScreen on MY desktop, I do not see it in a positive light.
I use Dexpot for my virtual desktops that is very much more complete than what I’ve seen the future of Windows 9 virtual desktops and seem very limited.
The arrival of 9 may be a good thing for many; me it makes me fear a regression in relation to how I configured 8.1 and as it suits me.
Almost every OS will have some sort of “regression”, I personally could customize them on my own to suit my need but that’s not what the problem people and MS were facing.
@Martin
The problem is one of the fundamental reasons for the disenchantment of Windows 8.x is its appearance.
The ModernUI style do not like very much, and certainly not the majority of PC users. Make ModernUI applications even windowed desktop:
– Although they do not like aesthetically already
– They are very limited compared to win32 applications … (These are the basic kind, and I’m nice)
– Who are dysfunctional which we do not know the reason and it is often impossible to correct even with Fixit or other controls DISM
I’m not sure it’s successful. I remember the time of the blog “Build Windows 8” and censorship that prevailed. Sinovsky of which absolutely swept criticism on the interface. We saw where it led them. If MS persists in ModernUI track, which is more than certain, it will not bring back the people.
i don’t think that 9 will negatively impact you, to be honest. my guess (!) is that you don’t _need_ to pin tiles to your start menu, or to even use it at all. i’m also quite sure you don’t have to use the default virtual desktop implementation and can continue to use dexpot or any other solution, as long as those programs are being updated to work with win9.
We’ll see …
Often with the beta versions, the old solutions still work and when the final version arrives, it’s not really the case. I vividly remember something with Windows 7 I tested both beta versions, especially the RC version, almost final, with an old PC (AMD Athlon 64 processor and Nvidia 6800 GS). Everything worked perfectly. When the final version was released, I was not able to install Windows 7 on this PC, the minimum requirements were not the same …
I sincerely hope we will not charge me these future virtual desktops that seem to be a real misery. I understand that not to create panic among the average user, Microsoft wants to simplify things, but for advanced users, it’s scary.
As for what the future start menu is to introduce the modernUI style on a desktop where he did not belong there. (same for ModernUI applications). The direction they are taking is to provide aesthetically ModernUi style on the desktop. StartisBack with my start menu is the same as it was under 7 (functionality and style).
I agree. The direction Microsoft is heading towards is not going back to Windows 7 or pre-Windows 8, but to unify the two interfaces instead. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and only time will tell how successful it will be in the end.
If done right, it could please desktop users who dislike Windows 8 and new customers who want a Windows touch-based operating system.
Microsoft got the priority wrong during Windows 8 planning and development if you ask me. The situation was that they had millions of desktop users who for the most part were happily using the OS. They then decided to push everyone to a new touch-optimized interface in hope that they would get a share of the tablet and touch market.
That was an insane decision and it hurt Microsoft plenty.