Microsoft looks to the future with Windows 8

As with the Windows Phone 7 operating system or the XBox 360 console, there are no longer program icons, but large colored tiles that also convey live information. Just like with Phone 7, controls have been optimized for touch screens, although a keyboard and a mouse can still be used.

Also, because of its mobile focus, Windows 8 will run on energy-saving ARM processors, which, until now, have largely been unique to smartphones and tablets.

If you'd already like a look, check out Windows Developer Preview, which has been set up for free online by Microsoft. There you'll find a fully functional advance version of Windows 8. A beta version, along with its new app store, has been announced for the end of February.

Testers will quickly notice that the new system starts significantly faster than its predecessors. That's because Windows 8 stores part of its working memory on the hard drive when it powers down. That means, at start up, it only has to read back this information, much faster than loading up every driver.

Microsoft has also cut down on resources required for operations, meaning Windows 8 system requirements are no greater than those for Windows 7.

Controls have been updated for Windows Explorer. There is now a menu bar, which will be familiar to users of Office 2007 or 2010. The goal is to reduce the confusion of submenus and make it easier to access significant commands more quickly.

It's also possible to pause orders to copy or move files, even if it's via network transmission. That means copying and transferring can pick up where they left off if the network is lost. That also means the processes can be delayed if bandwidth drops off, if other jobs have a higher priority. The dialogue box for copying also shows significantly more information, like current network capacity.

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