Microsoft started blogging about Windows 8 (there is twitter account @BuildWindows8 as well) and I started thinking what I’d like to see in Windows 8. I can think of two features right now, out of my head:
- Make .net first class development tool. You might say that it is, but in reality it isn’t. Not all APIs are accessible through .net. Just look at (abandoned) Windows® API Code Pack for Microsoft® .NET Framework. Furthermore it is ridden with bugs. There are other APIs requiring black magic to use them from .net. Why are we, .net developers, supposed to mess with that?
- Give us a chance to store non-OS essential files on a separate drive. Starting with hibernation file which is as large as your RAM is. More or less. If that is 12GB it means you’ll have to give up 12GB of OS disk space. You might say who cares, 12GB is nothing with current disk prices. Sure, if you don’t look at obscene prices of non-mainstream disks (i.e. SSD) where 12GB matters. A lot. Then there are temporary files, user related documents, etc. A lot of stuff I’d be happy to offload to a cheaper and larger disk. Some of these can be redirected already, but mostly in obscure ways.
That much for now. What do you think?
I fully, fully, fully agree with both points.
Especially nr2. The Windows (7) folder on my current system is 27 GB!! With the [b]winsxs[/b] folder reported to take 10 GB of that and second in line is the [b]Installer[b] folder at 6GB. Add a Pagefile @ 8GB (in my case) and a Hibernation file @ 8GB, totals [b]43GB[/b]
That is a whopping 1/3 of my 128GB disk that goes to Windows. At current prices that would equate to at least 50$ that windows costs extra. That just makes Windows 7 (professional) 60% more expensive.
As I am using native vhd boot images, hibernation does not work so I do not take that hit, but the end result is worse as the vhd images grow really large and eat a lot more disk space. Luckily I can fit a second drive in my machine, which allows for cheap storage capacity.
Plan B: Adopt Linux and live like a queen!