Microsoft publicly crowdsources ideas for Windows 8

As it works on what it envisions to be the biggest overhaul of its flagship operating system in the last 16 years, Microsoft is opening up to inputs from developers and even everyday users. Microsoft set up a blog that its Windows division president Steven Sinofsky said would update people about the progress of Windows 8, while getting valuable inputs from interested parties. "Our intent with this pre-release blog is to make sure that we have a reasonable degree of confidence in what we talk about, before we talk about it. Our top priority is the responsibility we feel to our customers and partners, to make sure we’re not stressing priorities, churning resource allocations, or causing strategic confusion among the tens of thousands of you who care deeply and have much invested in the evolution of Windows. Rather than generating traffic or building excitement, this blog is here to provide a two-way dialog about the complexities and tradeoffs of product development," he said in the "Building Windows 8" blog. "We've been hard at work designing and building Windows 8, and today we want to begin an open dialog with those of you who will be trying out the pre-release version over the coming months. We intend to post regularly throughout the development of Windows 8, and to focus on the engineering of the product," he added. Sinofsky said they are "reimagining" Windows for a new generation of computing devices ranging from desktop PCs to laptops, tablets and convertibles. "(So) much has changed since Windows 95—the last time Windows was significantly overhauled—when the 'desktop' metaphor was established," he said. Today, he said more than two out of three PCs are mobile, including laptops, netbooks, notebooks, tablets, slates, and convertibles. He added nearly every PC is now capable of wireless connectivity, although screen sizes range from under 10 inches to wall-sized screens and multiple HD screens. Sinofsky also said storage has jumped from megabytes to terabytes and has moved up to the cloud. On the other hand, he said the appearance of touch-screen mobile phones with the rich capabilities they bring, "have together changed the way we all view computing." Also, he said computing is much more focused on applications and on people than on the operating system itself or the data. He said these changes in the landscape motivate the most significant changes to Windows, "from the chips to the experience." Important blog Sinofsky said the Windows team considers this blog is an important part of developing Windows 8, in the same way a similar blog helped develop Windows 7. "Blogging allows us to have a two-way dialog with you about design choices, real-world data and usage, and new opportunities that are part of Windows 8. Together, we will start the unique adventure of bringing a major product to market. We’re genuinely excited to talk about the development of Windows 8 and to engage thoughtfully with the community of passionate end-users, developers, and information professionals," he said. Sinofsky said Microsoft got the ball rolling last June when it demonstrated a preview of Windows 8. The next major event for Windows is Microsoft's BUILD conference in September, where it will provide developers with more details about the full spectrum of tools and capabilities available to make the most of Windows 8. "We’ve heard people express frustration over how little we’ve communicated so far about Windows 8. We’ve certainly learned lessons over the years about the perils of talking about features before we have a solid understanding of our ability to execute," he said. Sinofsky also said Microsoft has baked into its engineering process its focus on performance, reliability, compatibility, security, and quality. "We intend to continue our dialog around performance and fundamental engineering of Windows. The feedback on these topics and the desire to talk about them in depth was clear during the development of Windows 7," he said. Other languages Sinofsky said Microsoft will make the blog available in several other languages, and posting on Twitter @BuildWindows8. The blog will also be available with a shortened URL —http://win8.ms/— with links to posts and videos. — TJD, GMA News