Update 6.Nov.17
Perhaps, but obviously wrong about the (then) next Windows version. It is 10.
Update 5.Apr.14
For yet another very good and authoritative non-speculation we can be again thankful to Mary J.F. and THIS article. Here it is all obvious (at least to me). Implementation of X-Box One is so close to my speculations that I might be thinking not to call them “my” … instead they are just “valid speculations”. Came true. At least in X-Box One.
But Windows “Threshold” (non)revelation is 3 days behind us. And … it was a (very big) anti-climax.
Widely published huge stage and screen with a WIN desktop and yet another version of famous but largely irrelevant Start Menu. Not a word on OS architecture. Perhaps even more ridiculous is that no sane commentator bothered to even mention X-Box One in this context ? Here is why.
I have hard time to believe that Dave Cutler and Hoi Vo, ex director of Hyper-V Hypervisor , worked 2+ years on a game console in a completely unrelated fashion v.s. the next Windows project.
Plot is thickening, stay tuned :)
Original Post: 12.Feb.14
I am modest guy. I might ruin that image here but first, I will list my successful predictions and advice, on Windows 8:
- https://dbj.org/my-windows-8-advice/
- https://dbj.org/architecture-of-a-compomise/
- https://dbj.org/what-if/
Sadly the W8 mistakes have been so obvious that nobody had hard time to suggest solutions. Which I figured in the post No 3, entitled “What If” . Where I suggested a solution for W9, or “Treshold” as it is known today.
And it seems MSFT had listened (probably not to me personally) and delivered the very same Architecture for XBOX ONE:
The device reportedly runs three operating systems: Xbox OS, an OS based on the Windows kernel, and another OS that allows the other two operating systems to communicate by virtualisation (as a hypervisor).
Just as I “gloriously” predicted. Hypervisor with two (or more) completely separate Virtual Machines on top. For two completely different paradigms. In case of W9 aka “Threshold” these might be Touch and Desktop paradigm. Two virtual machines “hidden” in each and every W9. One for each paradigm.
Of course they might be sold separately. Probably only developers will need the “touch OS” on their desktop PC’s. Also very interesting is this attribute of the Xbox One :
The Windows kernel on the Xbox is not compatible with standard Windows apps, though developers will be able to port them over with little effort.
For me this spells demise of WIN32. Therefore my Windows 9 prediction (for today) is:
- Windows 9 Architecture will be based on Xbox One.
- Which accidentally was done with “some” involvement of one David Cutler.
The architect of VAX VMS, Windows NT, etc.- “.. In May 2013, Microsoft announced the Xbox One console, and Cutler was mentioned as having worked in the development of host OS portion of the system running inside the new gaming device. Apparently Cutler’s work was focused in creating an optimized version of Microsoft’s Hyper-V Host OS specifically designed for Xbox One…”
- It is hard to believe that Dave Cutler was tasked with some one off component for a games console. For me this means this “optimized version of Hyper-V” will play a pivotal role in very near future of MSFT OS architecture, based on the ‘hypervisor’ concept. W9 including.
- Which accidentally was done with “some” involvement of one David Cutler.
- Next version of WINRT (as in API) will be “allowed” to host the desktop version of W9.
- On W8 WINRT (API) is artificially barred from the desktop.
- Probably to slow down .NET/WPF/Silverlight demise which was one shock too much even for those times when one Mr S. Sinofsky, simply could not do anything wrong.
- WINRT (API) is superior and Modern (pun intended ) runtime + API, compared to genuinely vintage WIN32, GDI, USER32 and friends.
- WIN32 OS , yes you guessed it right, might be just another optional and virtual OS No 3 in W9.
- On W8 WINRT (API) is artificially barred from the desktop.
- Spring 2014 BUILD “public debate about Windows 9” is just a marketing stunt. Of course :)
Believe it or not this is just three predictions. This might seem as just a bunch of nebulous predictions. But. Somehow, I do not feel very clever … again … MSFT of Q1 2014 is faced with immense competition on every level. W8 debacle might be “terminal” … at least for MSFT desktop devices and OS. I hope not.
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