Microsoft has recently put out a job posting, looking for a senior software engineer to help them capture the good old days of the user-Window experience.
While that may not be the exact language used to communicate the posting, it isn't really all too far either. The description, as noted by WL, asks for a user to work with Microsoft Surface and the company's OEM (online equipment manufacturer) to deliver a grandiose visual experience highlighting to users that, in a direct quote, "Windows is BACK". In a hilarious turn of events, as soon as the listing gained widespread coverage, the description was changed to a more subdued call for a better user experience for customers.
Let's dissect this, shall we? What can be defined as the good old days of Windows? Why is Microsoft looking to, and this author urges readers to forgive them for this, Make Windows Great Again? Well, answers for these questions may just revolve around Windows 7.
Windows 7 is ultimately regarded as Microsoft's peak performance in terms of both Operating Software (OS) and user experience (UX). The easy to use, yet highly interactive and streamlined interface combined with its smooth running became almost an instant hit upon release. Bolstered on by Windows Vista serving to be a significant disappointment, it went on to become the primary OS Microsoft users relied on in the span of a few years. Its successor, Windows 8, also fell short of expectation, therefore keeping the 7 train chugging along until the introduction of our current Windows 10.
Microsoft was looking to make a lasting impact with 10. Amongst a massive marketing campaign, capped off by the new OS being free-to-download for users online, the company was aiming for the software to be spread across a billion PCs by 2018, three years after its release in 2015. That goal ultimately saw completion in 2020, mainly attributed to one reason: the popularity of Windows 7 and the userbase's reluctance to part with it. So, clearly, the good old days definitely existed, and Microsoft may be looking towards drastic changes to reach them.
What further supports this assumption is that this is not the first time an overhaul has been alluded to. Certain leaks in 2020 spoke about a project, entitled Sun Valley, that will attempt to bring about new interface layouts. Particularly referenced were the Start Menu, Taskbar, File Explorer, and Action Centre. File Explorer might even adopt an entirely different skin as part of the upgrade.
Microsoft's layout has become rather old. While the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" can certainly be applied here, the fact that Windows 10 could not hold a candle to its predecessor of more than half a decade does mean that some fixing might be warranted.
Read next: How Many Users Are Sticking To Windows 7 Even After Its End Of Life
While that may not be the exact language used to communicate the posting, it isn't really all too far either. The description, as noted by WL, asks for a user to work with Microsoft Surface and the company's OEM (online equipment manufacturer) to deliver a grandiose visual experience highlighting to users that, in a direct quote, "Windows is BACK". In a hilarious turn of events, as soon as the listing gained widespread coverage, the description was changed to a more subdued call for a better user experience for customers.
Let's dissect this, shall we? What can be defined as the good old days of Windows? Why is Microsoft looking to, and this author urges readers to forgive them for this, Make Windows Great Again? Well, answers for these questions may just revolve around Windows 7.
Windows 7 is ultimately regarded as Microsoft's peak performance in terms of both Operating Software (OS) and user experience (UX). The easy to use, yet highly interactive and streamlined interface combined with its smooth running became almost an instant hit upon release. Bolstered on by Windows Vista serving to be a significant disappointment, it went on to become the primary OS Microsoft users relied on in the span of a few years. Its successor, Windows 8, also fell short of expectation, therefore keeping the 7 train chugging along until the introduction of our current Windows 10.
Microsoft was looking to make a lasting impact with 10. Amongst a massive marketing campaign, capped off by the new OS being free-to-download for users online, the company was aiming for the software to be spread across a billion PCs by 2018, three years after its release in 2015. That goal ultimately saw completion in 2020, mainly attributed to one reason: the popularity of Windows 7 and the userbase's reluctance to part with it. So, clearly, the good old days definitely existed, and Microsoft may be looking towards drastic changes to reach them.
What further supports this assumption is that this is not the first time an overhaul has been alluded to. Certain leaks in 2020 spoke about a project, entitled Sun Valley, that will attempt to bring about new interface layouts. Particularly referenced were the Start Menu, Taskbar, File Explorer, and Action Centre. File Explorer might even adopt an entirely different skin as part of the upgrade.
Microsoft's layout has become rather old. While the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" can certainly be applied here, the fact that Windows 10 could not hold a candle to its predecessor of more than half a decade does mean that some fixing might be warranted.
Read next: How Many Users Are Sticking To Windows 7 Even After Its End Of Life
