Why Windows 11?

SamRick · Jul 31, 2021

When Windows 10 was 'conceived', MS declared that this would be the last OS it would offer. At least that's what I believe I read.

If that was true, why develop Windows 11, for only certain (presumably) high-powered system combinations?

Is this the first step towards the eventual deprecation of Windows 10? If so, that's guaranteed to dismay and anger millions of ordinary W10 users, including me, who were led to believe that W10 would go on "forever", with a continual stream of updates to keep up with technological advances.

Josey Wales · Jul 31, 2021

Meet Windows 11: Features, Look, Benefits & More | Microsoft

Meet Windows 11, the newest Windows version from Microsoft. Upgrade your PC to Windows 11, or explore which devices come equipped with Windows 11 features.

www.microsoft.com

It is far better than 10 IMHO.

BunnyJ · Jul 31, 2021

SamRick said:
When Windows 10 was 'conceived', MS declared that this would be the last OS it would offer. At least that's what I believe I read.

If that was true, why develop Windows 11, for only certain (presumably) high-powered system combinations?

Is this the first step towards the eventual deprecation of Windows 10? If so, that's guaranteed to dismay and anger millions of ordinary W10 users, including me, who were led to believe that W10 would go on "forever", with a continual stream of updates to keep up with technological advances.

Win 10 will continue to be supported for at least 4 more years. Oh and given the requirement list you can run 11 on a rather basic 4 core 4 thread rig like I am.

I've read in some other areas that MS wanted to adjust the overall GUI to round the corners etc. Then the security issues hit and I guess MS decided to take the opportunity to redo the entire OS and come up with 11. I'm speculating but it seems to me that MS, like any other company, can change their minds and come out with a new version of a product.

FWIW.. it is what it is.. I like the new version and I hope the just get the bugs sorted out ASAP

BunnyJ · Jul 31, 2021

Josey Wales said:
Meet Windows 11: Features, Look, Benefits & More | Microsoft

Meet Windows 11, the newest Windows version from Microsoft. Upgrade your PC to Windows 11, or explore which devices come equipped with Windows 11 features.

www.microsoft.com

It is far better than 10 IMHO.

Far better? Not sure if it's far better but I know I like it more than 10. The GUI of 10 was feeling stale to me and outdated. Now it's got a fresh and a bit more of a zippy feel.

But then again I like new things and this is new.

Josey Wales · Jul 31, 2021

BunnyJ said:
Far better? Not sure if it's far better but I know I like it more than 10. The GUI of 10 was feeling stale to me and outdated. Now it's got a fresh and a bit more of a zippy feel.

But then again I like new things and this is new.

That is my opinion YMMV. I have had no real problems with it, other than the adjustment to it. It is stable and MS had to be working on this for quite some time as it does not act like your typical DEV channel release.

clam1952 · Jul 31, 2021

Not sure where high powered systems came from I'd hardy call an Intel Atom high power, the OP needs to actually look at the list before assuming this is aimed at high end systems as it isn't. Newer systems yes but there are newer low end systems that fit the requirements.
And it's not that different to Win10, is still a free upgrade and other than some interface changes which now I've got used to are in the main an improvement. Just need to unlock the task bar and I would be totally OK with it. :wink:

Josey Wales · Jul 31, 2021

clam1952 said:
Not sure where high powered systems came from I'd hardy call an Intel Atom high power, the OP needs to actually look at the list before assuming this is aimed at high end systems as it isn't. Newer systems yes but there are newer low end systems that fit the requirements.
And it's not that different to Win10, is still a free upgrade and other than some interface changes which now I've got used to are in the main an improvement. Just need to unlock the task bar and I would be totally OK with it.

There are some tweaks available to do that, just have to find them.

clam1952 · Jul 31, 2021

Tweaks however may or may not work after it goes RTM, I'm giving it more time before I mess with too much. I've got Open Shell on the left and the new Start menu in the middle so best of both worlds at present.

Bree · Jul 31, 2021

SamRick said:
When Windows 10 was 'conceived', MS declared that this would be the last OS it would offer. At least that's what I believe I read.

No, it was not an official MS statement. Jerry Nixon made an off-the-cuff remark at the Ignite conference in 2015, that's all.

According to the transcript of the session, Nixon’s comment was more of a throwaway line, one that he literally referred to as a segue...

...But give Nixon a break, too: He made an enthusiastic, throwaway comment that ended up being understood as company policy.

Why is there a Windows 11 if Windows 10 is the last Windows?

If Windows 10 was supposed to be the last version of Windows, why is there a Windows 11? Well, because Windows 10 was never officially the last version of Windows.

www.pcworld.com

Berton · Jul 31, 2021

I think I'll like it and right now it's fine on my IP Dev computer BUT I'm also sure that will change as things get closer to coming out of the testing phase. I have 6 excellent user machines [not a gamer] that meet everything except the TPM requirement, one Notebook has TPM 1.2 with no update available and one Desktop with the socket for a TPM module on the motherboard but a module is not available. Going to Win11 does give a major boost to manufacturing of new computers as Win10 is like the Energizer Bunny, keeps going and going, people aren't getting new hardware as often.

NavyLCDR · Jul 31, 2021

SamRick said:
When Windows 10 was 'conceived', MS declared that this would be the last OS it would offer. At least that's what I believe I read.

If that was true, why develop Windows 11, for only certain (presumably) high-powered system combinations?

Is this the first step towards the eventual deprecation of Windows 10? If so, that's guaranteed to dismay and anger millions of ordinary W10 users, including me, who were led to believe that W10 would go on "forever", with a continual stream of updates to keep up with technological advances.

Windows 10 would have become Windows 11 anyway, just without the name change. All the name change is is a marketing trick to boost stock prices.

For example, Windows 10 dropped Intel Atom Clover Trail CPU support in the middle:

Microsoft confirms it’s cutting Windows 10 updates for Atom PCs

The Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.

www.theverge.com

They would have done the same with the current restrictions of Windows 11 in the progression of Windows 10 anyway if they didn't do the name change.

bobkn · Jul 31, 2021

SamRick said:
When Windows 10 was 'conceived', MS declared that this would be the last OS it would offer. At least that's what I believe I read.

If that was true, why develop Windows 11, for only certain (presumably) high-powered system combinations?

Is this the first step towards the eventual deprecation of Windows 10? If so, that's guaranteed to dismay and anger millions of ordinary W10 users, including me, who were led to believe that W10 would go on "forever", with a continual stream of updates to keep up with technological advances.

From 2015: Jerry Nixon

Windows 10 will be 10 years old in 2025, when support for it ends.

I doubt that windows-as-a-service has produced a lot of mindshare for MS.

Win 11 support has little to do with "high-powered system combinations". Low-end CPUs like Intel Celeron CPUs are on the supported list, if they are of a new enough generation. There will be lots of unsupported systems that are much more powerful than those.

This isn't to defend Microsoft's requirements. Most PC users have lived without them for many years. As far as I know, none of my PCs have ever become brought into a botnet.

Haydon · Aug 1, 2021

I am awaiting the Virtual Desktop for Professionals and/or Families, similar to Office 365 and with a similarly reasonably priced subscription. My expectations? I can access the Virtual Desktop with a $300 laptop, get a $3,000 performance, never worry about backup, never worry about malware, etc.

z3r010 · Aug 1, 2021

Haydon said:
I am awaiting the Virtual Desktop for Professionals and/or Families, similar to Office 365 and with a similarly reasonably priced subscription. My expectations? I can access the Virtual Desktop with a $300 laptop, get a $3,000 performance, never worry about backup, never worry about malware, etc.

Windows 365 which starts tomorrow is the foundation of that, I don't think it will be too long before the consumer version is available.

Microsoft unveils Windows 365 — ushering in a new category of computing - Stories

Windows 365 will deliver a full, personalized PC experience from the cloud to any device, giving workers and organizations power, simplicity and security for hybrid work. REDMOND, Wash. — July 14, 2021 — Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday announced Windows 365, a cloud service that introduces a new...

news.microsoft.com

jimbo45 · Aug 1, 2021

Hi there
Answer to OP's question -- think back to why some famous mountaineer was asked the question why do you want to climb Mt. Everest -- Answer - "Because it's there" !!

Why not the same for W11 --Because it's there!!!

As for running a desktop OS entirely from the cloud might be viable and work for businesses / offices etc I'm not so sure this would be particularly advantageous to home / consumer users - and certainly problematical for people who take PC's out into the field for scientific surveys etc -- e,g Volcano research and the like where Internet might not be readily available and twhere he cost of providing an access point via a Satellite phone as an alternative doesn't come cheap.

Cheers
jimbo

Haydon · Aug 1, 2021

Why not desktop OS in the cloud? Because it's there! (or will be)

Does not preclude you to have a local desktop/laptop as well

In fact, you always need a thin client, might as well be 'thick', as thick as you need.

BunnyJ · Aug 1, 2021

Haydon said:
Why not desktop OS in the cloud? Because it's there! (or will be)

Does not preclude you to have a local desktop/laptop as well

I don't see that happening. The size of the OS alone would make it hard to have a cloud based item. Just imaging the complexity of hardware/drivers alone. Cloud based? Not happening.

Berton · Aug 1, 2021

This could be equated with what we called dumb terminals back in the '80s and early '90s, worked with a keyboard and monitor but accessed a main-frame computer in mid-USA. Speed really was better than the Western Union/Teletype machines they replaced.

Haydon · Aug 1, 2021

BunnyJ said:
I don't see that happening. The size of the OS alone would make it hard to have a cloud based item. Just imaging the complexity of hardware/drivers alone. Cloud based? Not happening.

Sharing most parts of the OS, drivers, etc. that you don't always use, works as an advantage, not as a disadvantage. No hardware sharing, that's local. The hardware can be minimal or as much as you need. I myself would spend min $ on cpu (rely on the cpu in the cloud) and medium $ on screen size and resolution

A gamer would spend max $ on a gpu and a gaming monitor, etc.

Haydon · Aug 1, 2021

Berton said:
This could be equated with what we called dumb terminals back in the '80s and early '90s, worked with a keyboard and monitor but accessed a main-frame computer in mid-USA. Speed really was better than the Western Union/Teletype machines they replaced.

Yes, the mainframe is in the cloud. Only that capabilities of both 'terminals' and 'mainframe' has multiplied zillionfold.