Microsoft Tosses 'Windows 9' Into Recycle Bin, Announces Windows 10 Instead

You're probably familiar with the argument, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Well, Juliet may not have cared about the name of things, but Microsoft does, which is why you'll never see a Windows 9. Instead, Microsoft today skipped a number and announced Windows 10, the OS formerly known as Threshold and the successor to Windows 8/8.1.

"Windows 10 will be our most comprehensive platform ever," Windows head Terry Myerson said during a press event with a small gathering of reporters in San Francisco. "It wouldn't be right to call it Windows 9."

Windows 10 is designed to run on a wide range of devices with screen sizes running the gamut from four inches all the up to 80 inches. Microsoft will have a single application platform with one integrated Store to deliver Windows experiences across all those devices.

In order to serve all those devices, Windows 10 was built from the ground up for a "mobile-first, cloud-first world," Myerson added, according to TechRadar.

Reports from around the web say Windows 10 looks a bit like Windows 7. It has a hybrid Start menu that combines Windows 7-era features with Windows 8 style tiles, The Seattle Times reports. However, Microsoft isn't viewing Windows 10 as just a rehash of previous versions. Part of the reason for the Windows 10 name is because it represents the "first step of a whole new generation of Windows," Myerson said.

The focus right now is on the enterprise, and towards that end, the first priority of the OS is to make sure it's familiar for business users coming from Windows 7 or Windows 8 so they can hop right in and be productive. Microsoft's second priority is "modern management" of lots of computers.

So, what about that Modern UI that caused such a fuss with power users? It's gone in Windows 10, Endgadget reports. In place of the Modern UI are Live Tiles integrated into the right side of the Start menu on the Desktop. On the left side are pinned and frequent apps.

There's also a refreshed taskbar with a new "task view" that presents all of your running apps. Windows 10 allows you to tile up to four apps on the same screen.

Other goodies include a beefed up command prompt that allows you to use keyboard shortcuts, along with copy and paste, and a Charms Bar that may or may not make it into the final cut.

Microsoft is planning to issue a Technical Preview of Windows 10 next week, with a launch of the OS by spring 2015. We'll have a more in-depth look once all the information is out, as well as hands-on impressions once we get a copy to play with.

(Maximum PC)