Screenshots of Windows 11 have leaked.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/15/22535123/microsoft-windows-11-leak-screenshots-start-menu

It's a bit roundabout, and quite a bit of work if you have lots of tiles, but for a few or one at a time it's easy enough. Look for a program called OblyTile (only works on Win 8 though, not Win 10). And don't get too attached, seeing that Win 8 has an expiration date, too. ;)

If you Install Classic shell on 8.1, you'll have a "glorified" Windows 7.
Better start menu but with the same W7 style, same Control Panel with fast Start Menu short cuts, same drivers, same programs, better task manager, much easier to tweak and install, lot's of colors to choose from (medium gray in my case). And more important, same performance and low resources (06/0.7 GB of RAM and CPU dead zero most of the time) as Win7, with better hardware support )native USB 3.0, Xbox controller drivers etc...)

Much appreciated. I am using 8.1 in an offline environment for gaming and I think I will stick with it for a while.
I uninstalled/disabled most of the irrelevant stuff and it runs great, very light on resources.

The key text there was: “ it is likely to include a host of new features, a more modern look and a redesigned Start menu”. Great, so more bloatware which needs special tools to get rid of, and still reinstalls itself every update (looking at you edge). And a new redesign of start menu, as obviously people going to the extremes of replicating the old start menu because that is more functional doesn’t clue you in its no good. To be fair though, win 10 pro has not been all bad. Solid compatability, relatively fast. Just make sure you get a pro version in dvd form. Latest computer I got has windows 10 pro alright, it’s hard built onto a motherboard chip! Whilst I used to promote pcspecislist.co.uk, I don’t anymore. Build your own and get a proper windows copy.

Just as an idea.
Shouldn't we wait till 24. of june to see what MS does plan?


@timppu
Right now every 6 month update of windows 10 is very close to a releaseupgrade from older to newer windows.
At last the big updates are more like a new install of a new windows and the user data is moved by the installation in the end.
You even got the windows.old folder with your old windows install in it for a possible rollback.

Even if they come up with a new number. There will be less hazzle with upgrading this time. Just because you do it all the time already.

If I remember correctly it was a Ms employee that said that (as in his personal opinion), but I don't think it ever was officially stated by Microsoft themselves.

They should end it now and go back to 7.

They should make a proper successor to 7 instead, but that ship has sailed since Nadella happened :\

Screenshots leaked for windows 11, it actually looks nice I am impressed. I didn't like windows 10 and using 7 still but so far based on the leaks I am hopeful. The only thing I dont like is that they centered the taskbar icons like apple does but maybe they will allow us to left align it.

Joy. Can't wait to have an offline mode where none of my games work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E983349p7Q

I am much less interested in how it will look, whether icons are rounded, what kind of start menu it has, what kind of startup sound it has etc...

I am more interested what will be delivered under the hood. For instance: ...which to me seems to suggest that MS is ramping up the push for Windows Store as the default place for people to go to, even if they wanted to install a Steam or EGS or Galaxy client from there.

I want to see how Gabe Newell and Tim Sweeney react to those news. Earlier they have been the biggest critics of Windows Store, calling it an attempt for Microsoft to lock down Windows so that competing digital software stores wouldn't have meaningful life in their ecosystem, in the long run.

"Allowing" competing software stores to work through the Windows Store sounds like the familiar "embrace, extend and extinguish"-tactic that Microsoft has used also in the past. First try to make it appear you are their friend, but at the same time taking control over them, etc. etc.

We will see. Maybe Valve will put even more effort to their Plan B, Linux gaming.

I heard about that, consoles are just drm machines nowadays. Gaming on PC might have an uphill atm with parts as consoles but also ridiculous prices but atleast we have the option to be free of such restrictions.

Exceptional operating system. Basically Windows XP without the bloat and with a proper colour scheme and UI. I went straight from this to Windows 7 Professional.