Various job listings posted online during November have hinted at when Microsoft plans to shift its focus to Windows 8.
Most early adopters of Microsoft's latest offering, Windows 7, are still getting settled into the month-old OS. However, it seems Microsoft developers aren't just hanging around, as this past month alone Microsoft has posted seven job openings in the hopes of finding folks to work on Windows 8.
See also: Microsoft Windows 8 review
Technology site Ars Technica discovered the job listings over on Microsoft's official careers page. Some of the listings have since been edited or removed, but Ars Technica still has the original listings available in full on their site.
So what tidbits of Windows 8 knowledge can we glean from the vacancies listed? We already know from a recent product roadmap that Microsoft's next OS could include 128-bit support, and is expected to hit retail some time in 2012. But these fresh vacancies, which include an assortment of positions such as testers, project management personnel, and launch leads, hint that Microsoft is planning to shift its internal focus to Windows 8 as they "head into Fy11". The fiscal year for 2011 begins in July of 2010, which gives Microsoft two years to perfect Windows 8 before it's expected 2012 debut.
See also:
First Windows 8 details emerge
Windows 8 set for release in 2012
Comments
Cyteck said: For all the advertising amp marketing amp hyperbola about windows 7 the truth is that Microsofts new operating system is actually rather good It definitely matches XP in almost every aspect amp even possibly improves on XP in other ways tooJust remember how big XP with SP3 installed was is not to mention all those MS updates Windows 7 does have a smaller foot print which is welcomed
David said: Soulman you do realize you are one of a few who believe an operating system should take at least 5 years to come to marketOne of the complaints about vista was how long it took in development with most agreeing it should have come out in 2004 - 2005 three years after XP and not 2007 They reasoned that by delaying the operating system deadlines allowed users to get more comfortable with XP thus creating a situation in which the user was not easily swayed to using the new operating system because the older one had been serviced and patched within that 5 yearsand now was satisfying the needs of most of those XP usersAlso the 5 years that development took between XP and Vista was the first time Microsoft had taken so long all other operating systems before XP had been done on a 3 years cycleStill as I have often said if you are happy with XP then stay with it it obviously has served you well
skipbo said: You cant beat XP anyway they never will At 9 years old its still the best OS
Cyteck said: NOT all Microsoft upgrades should be ranked as equal just look at Vista for a classic case of Microsoft BloatwareI am firmly of the opinion based on 20 years of computing and working with IT that its a fool that naively assumes that just because an upgrade is available for a software product therefore it MUST be by default a better product WRONGSoftware has to grow and it tends to evolve over time amp as the developers learn amp gain knowledge Some versions start off introducing new innovative features that are taken up in later products and thus some software version can definitely be regarded as a genuine step forwards this process often reaches a peak such as with windows XP The problem for Microsoft has been how do you re-invent the wheel and not only re-invent it but go one better and make it a faster amp prettier wheel in boot
soulman said: If Microsoft wants loyality to its products Id like to think that Windows 7 will last at least 5 years before being ousted by the next OS Whats the point of buying W7 if its going to be old by 2012 ill wait for W8 and stick with XP in the meantime and save my money