the manufacturing strength of
combined technologies.THE VISTA HITS THE FAN
In January 2007, Windows Vista
was released. Even though it was
based on NT, Vista had a vastly
different framework from previous
versions, making for an essentially
new platform. Vista was designed
to be more secure, showcasing
new features like intelligent RAM
storage, and an updated GUI with
effects like window translucency,
but it was savaged by the press.
Windows Vista had bad backward
compatibility, long loading times,
and a stream of invasive warning
messages. It improved with time,
but the damage was done—
computer manufacturers started
shipping PCs with the option of
XP. Microsoft would learn from its
mistakes with the next release.
Windows 7 arrived in July 2009.
Based on the same platform as Vista,
it refined the codebase, bringing
performance improvements, better
stability, and a sensible interface.
To pick some highlights from a
long list of new features, Win 7 had
faster boot times, better multicore
performance, easier networking,
new virtualization tech, and better
backward compatibility. The UI
changes were popular, including a
new taskbar with more functionality,
and the Snap function, which
moved and resized windows when
dragged against the screen edges.
Windows 7 would become the
fastest selling OS in history, and
around a third of PCs still use it. It’s
well regarded among IT staff, and
many users are avoiding the switch
to Windows 10, despite Extended
Support ending next year.
In July 2012, Google’s Chrome
browser overtook Internet Explorer
©^ in usage share, and by April 2013,
AP
PL
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ST
EA
M,
M
ICR
OS
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T
both Chrome and Firefox had a
greater share of users than Internet
Explorer, ending Microsoft’s
dominance of the browser market.
In October 2012, Windows 8
was released. Despite Microsoft’s
attempts to innovate, Windows 8
was critically savaged. As mobile
devices were overtaking traditional
desktops, Win 8 tried to have more
of a “touch” interface, removing the
“Start” button, and switching to a
tile-based design. The result was
a dreadful unintuitive compromise.
Win 8 also introduced the Windows
Store, a Microsoft-governed system
for buying apps, in the style of
Apple. This restrictive way of buying
software drew criticism, especially
from Valve, who started its own
SteamOS in response.
Windows 8.1 addressed many
of its criticisms, chiefly by bringing
back the “Start” button and allowing
users to boot a traditional desktop.
But again, the damage was done.
While Windows 7 is still in heavy
use, Windows 8 is almost forgotten.WHERE ARE WE NOW?
We end the decade with Windows 10
(released July 2015). Reception
has been mixed. On the plus side,
the interface is a more functional
blend of Windows 7’s traditional GUI
and Windows 8’s tile system, and
Windows finally has virtual desktops
(something featured in other OSes
for decades). On the down side,
forced system updates continue to
infuriate users, there is a worrying
amount of data collection, and the
Microsoft Store undermines the
open nature of the PC platform.
Microsoft still dominates the
PC desktop, but is no longer a
monopoly, with Apple having spent
most of the decade wealthier than
Microsoft. Niche OSes are growing
in popularity. Linux is creeping intoWhen Microsoft released its proprietary Windows
Store, Valve’s Gabe Newell described it as a
“catastrophe for everyone in the PC space.” Valve
felt that the Windows Store threatened Steam’s
existence, and decided to branch out with its
own platform, using Linux as a base. First, Valve
released the full Steam gaming client for Linux
in February 2013, followed by its own platform,
SteamOS, based on Debian Linux in December 2013.
(Linux and SteamOS applications are generally
cross-compatible.) However, SteamOS failed to
gain much traction, and most of the user base
would come from the regular Linux client.
Perhaps following the advice of id Software’s
John Carmack, Valve re-focused its attention
from encouraging native SteamOS/Linux ports to
perfecting Wine, the Windows compatibility layer
for Linux. In August 2018, Valve released Proton, a
modified version of Wine with a DXVK translation
layer to convert between newer Direct3D system
calls and Vulkan. It should be noted that Proton can
be used for regular apps, not just gaming, so the
more obscure games that can run, the more likely
it will run any Windows apps without problems.
Over half of all Windows games run out of the box,
and that rate is growing steadily.What About SteamOS?
After Vista
was poorly
received,
Microsoft won
back consumer
confidence
with 2009’s
Windows 7.To confused audiences worldwide, CEO Satya Nadella announces
Linux-based Microsoft technologies.everything from DVD players to the
world’s supercomputers. Microsoft
has gone from calling Linux “a
cancer” to proclaiming “Microsoft
loves Linux,” shipping Windows with
a Linux kernel, and running its own
Azure Sphere Linux distribution for
IoT devices.
To focus on the PC, it isn’t the
dominant format it once was. IBM
has long since left the market it
created, and wisely so. Computing is
more varied and takes many forms,
from iPads to smartphones, from
Chromebooks to weird Android
devices no one can categorize.
Computing has returned to a
diversity like the ’80s, but the PC no
longer has the same supremacy—
nor do the giants that established it,
such as IBM, Intel, and Microsoft.maximumpc.com DEC 2019 MAXIMUMPC 49