Windows 10

[SrS]

I don't know how stupid a programmer would have to be to do that when there are version numbers available by API. So, I doubt that rumor is correct.

True but some times the API is behind layers of abstraction. Remember, not every application is made to be deployed on the Windows platform only. And on large projects (this is where the money is) not every programmer is allowed to freely make changes to existing (tested) code. If management wants you to implement new features in the least amount of time then you will try to avoid to re-write old code (which may look really stupid with the current knowledge) from scratch.

since they don't even allow Visual Studio to run on Windows XP.

Why on earth do you want to use a no longer supported operating system for your development?
XP is dead, get over it

[dnar]

Windows for workgroups 3.11 will make a come back!

[JohnYayas]

Why on earth do you want to use a no longer supported operating system for your development?
XP is dead, get over it

I don't use XP but a lot of my customers do. It would be nice to deploy my development tools on all of the OS versions to make debugging OS specific issues easier. That's one reason.

[absolom7691]

You CAN just go to Netflix.com if you want, btw. You don't have to use the Windows Store app.

Yeah but you have to tweak with your browser, unless they changed that in one of the updates. When I first started with Win 8, it blocked netflix and provided a link to download the app.

The other thing I didn't like was VMWare didn't like windows 8 or the other way around. Granted, this is most likely a problem with VMWare and needs updating but at the time, I needed those addition environments to run smoothly on VMware and they didn't.

[JohnYayas]

No idea what you are talking about in regards to Netflix. The metro IE might have blocked it but normal desktop IE11 never did. And you could always run firefox or chrome and do it that way if was actually a problem. I don't fool around with any of the Modern apps. I think they are all crap.

Virtual machines always have problems with new OSes. It will always be that way whether it's Windows 8, 10, 14, 20 or whatever.

[dchammonds]

Where did that blasted button go? The fun of toying with a new version of Windows is to try and find where everything went- reminds me of a certain in-law... Endless furniture rearranging!

[dzodzo]

Seriously, 13 years of support. In the tech field, that is an eternity.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10...years_of_code/ - in your face WinXP

also a distant resemblance of something that's already been...

Ein Volk. Ein Reich. Ein Fuhrer.

[steve-o]

Why all the new OSs? I work for a very large corp and it was just this year when XP support was finally dropped by MS, they had to upgrade to Win7. They are not likely to be upgrading tens of thousands of computers every time MS offers up a new OS. Is this just like having the newest iPhone or something? Something to talk about and fiddle with? By the time Win7 support is finally dropped, the latest OS will probably be Win 20 or something .. This makes no sense to me .. what am I missing?

[JohnYayas]

Why all the new OSs? I work for a very large corp and it was just this year when XP support was finally dropped by MS, they had to upgrade to Win7. They are not likely to be upgrading tens of thousands of computers every time MS offers up a new OS. Is this just like having the newest iPhone or something? Something to talk about and fiddle with? By the time Win7 support is finally dropped, the latest OS will probably be Win 20 or something .. This makes no sense to me .. what am I missing?

Growing competition from other platforms is a big reason. People spend more time on phones and tablets and less time on computers these days. In order for desktop OSes not to feel antiquated and to keep up with the state of the art of mobile platforms, as well as to be more integrated into the cloud, they need to change. MS could create service packs or updates to current OSes but that would be lame and not innovative. I had a job interview with them a couple years back and they were VERY big on innovation and made it clear that they had no interest in staying with the status quo. Their business is to create new software and that's what they will do.

As a consumer, it doesn't make sense to upgrade with each OS. You'd be foolish to do that. It's just like buying a car. You don't go out and buy the new model every year and car manufacturers don't wait 5 years or so to make changes to their cars. Same with clothes, computer hardware, and anything else.

[steve-o]

Hmm, interesting.. putting it in that context makes sense .