Windows 8 News of the Week

Windows 8 has a new BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)

The previous look of the BSOD

If you have ever used a Windows computer, ever; you have probably seen a BSOD or Blue Screen of Death at one point or another.  If you remember right, it has always been somewhat scary looking in appearance and layout.  To the average computer user, it is full of crazy looking numbers and terrifying white text on a blue background.  But to the computer tech it is filled with useful information about what failure occured to cause the BSOD and what the Stop error is.

However, with the upcoming Windows 8 making news lately, a screen shot of the new BSOD from Windows 8 has been leaked from what is supposedly the Windows 8 Developer Preview.  And let me go on the record to say, as a PC technician; if I were to service a computer for someone who kept getting the new BSOD, it would be a bad day for all soon thereafter.  Take a look:

Windows 8 Developer Preview BSOD

Yep, that is a frowny face.  And another thing to notice is there is very little information on this BSOD about what the issue is that caused the error.  There is a reference to a an error (in small printer under the frowning face and apology for the issue).  But we all know Windows errors can be somewhat vague.

So, to Microsoft I say: "Thank you for removing a tool many of us use to help your existing customer base keep a happy computing experience..."

And I will also go on record to say that I haven't seen the developer preview of Windows 8 (I'm not a developer so no surprise to me).  But this is the first report of the new BSOD so take it lightly (at least until more confirmations are made to be on the safe side).  Plus, if this is indeed from the Developer Preview copy, there is no guarantee that it won't change between now and release day (at least somewhat).
Source: TechCrunch

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Microsoft shows love to ARM devices

Second in Windows 8 news from the week, Microsoft has made another announcement about Windows 8.  One that will not surprise the world as heavily as the new interface layout did; however, is huge from the business standpoint of things.  Previously, manufacturers could only ship products (i.e.: computers) with Windows preloaded if they adhered to the Intel x86 architecture.  Since we already now that Windows 8 will be fitted onto tablets, and there are a lot of tablets out there (and upcoming release products) that are running on the ARM architecture, Microsoft will start allowing ARM products to be shipped with Windows 8 loaded on them.

Source: CNN

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Future Windows 8 ARM devices can't run x86 Apps?  WTH?


So this week Microsoft now doubt dazzled the world by releasing the info that Windows 8 will run on ARM devices.  ARM devices are typically mobile devices of some sort.  Usually in the form of small notebooks and tablet devices.  So, it's great that Microsoft is spreading the love right?  Well, sort of.  They back pedaled somewhat when they added an addendum to that release note.  Even though Windows 8 will run on ARM architectures, there isn't the compatibility there to allow it to run x86 apps (applications from the PC).  So, if you were hoping to grab a copy of  something like 'Adobe Reader'; unless the software developers directly port it over to the new architecture, you'll only run it on an Intel x86 based machine (i.e.: your PC).

I'm sure Microsoft will be one of the first to port their software, otherwise you'll not be able to run very much besides the operating system at launch on these ARM devices if they don't.  Will other developers follow suite?  I'm sure they will.  But I'm also sure for a while at least; there will be some slow adoption from some software developers to make sure people have a demand for these ARM devices running Windows 8.  After all, it takes time to port software and re-write code; and time is money in the corporate world.

Source: SlashGear