Windows 10 Unveiled; Microsoft Skips Windows 9 to Emphasise Advances

The next version of Microsoft's flagship operating system will be called
Windows 10, as the company skips version 9 to emphasize advances it
is making toward a world centered around mobile devices and Internet
services.
The current version, Windows 8, has been widely derided for forcing
radical behavioral changes. Microsoft is restoring some of the more
traditional ways of doing things and promises that Windows 10 will be
familiar for users regardless of which version of Windows they are
now using.
For instance, the start menu in Windows 10 will appear similar to
what's found in Windows 7, but tiles opening to the side will resemble
what's found in Windows 8.
Joe Belfiore, a Microsoft executive who oversees Windows design and
evolution, said Windows 10 will offer "the familiarity of Windows 7
with some of the benefits that exist in Windows 8" to help business
users make the transition.
Microsoft offered a glimpse of its vision for Windows at a San
Francisco event Tuesday aimed at business customers. Although the
new software won't be formally released until next year, analysts
already consider its success crucial for Microsoft and new CEO Satya
Nadella.
The new software represents an attempt to step back from the radical
redesign that alienated many PC users when Windows 8 was
introduced two years ago. But it's not a complete retreat from
Microsoft's goal of bridging the gap between PCs and mobile devices:
It still has touch-screen functions and strives to create a familiar
experience for Windows users who switch between desktop computers,
tablets and smartphones.
Microsoft executive Terry Myerson said Windows 10 will be "a whole
new generation" and, as expected, will work across a variety of devices
- from phones to gaming consoles.
Microsoft currently has three main systems - Windows 8 for
traditional computers and tablets, Windows Phone 8 for cellphones and
Xbox for its gaming console. By unifying the underlying systems,
software developers will be able to create apps for the various devices
more easily. Consumers will also be able to switch devices more easily
and avoid having to buy the same apps multiple times.