According to a blog I'm following, there used to be a post here that went by the title, "What's your opinion? What features do you think need to be in Windows 8?" As a student, I'm typically not very picky as to what I want to see in the operating system I use to get my school work done. As long as it makes my job as a student easier to do, I'm happy. However, I thoroughly care about what goes on behind the scene. As such, the number one feature I think needs to be in Windows 8 is App-V.

I know that parts of the Windows codebase are old. Evidence of this is clearly shown on blogs such as Aero Taskforce and Windows 7 Taskforce. I also know that the structure of Windows is not what it could be. The way folders are organized and grouped seems somewhat haphazard and there isn't a consistent folder naming schema across the operating system either. Just look inside the Windows folder for evidence. 64-bit files exist in the System32 folder (which should just be called System, however, there's also a system folder). I also know about virtual APIs and shims. Though, I understand that all of these features need to be in Windows, or else, applicatio­n compatibil­ity, which is a hallmark of Windows, would be broken to the high heavens.

Integrati­ng App-V into Windows would remove the need for such features. By eradicatin­g these features, Windows could become all that it can be more easily.

Today, people expect an operating system to be fast, responsive­, efficient, easy to use, smart, and able to run their applicatio­ns. Windows 7 perfectly meets all of these expectatio­ns. I expect an operating system to be the best it can be. Windows 7, for what it is, meets these expectatio­ns. However, Windows 7, for what it could be, doesn't. My mantra is all about simplicity­. And simplicity eliminates complexity­. App-V inherently enables this by design.

If techniques of maintainin­g applicatio­n compatibil­ity in Windows such as these continue to be added as Windows advances, then at some point, there will be so many of these techniques in Windows that Windows will become incredibly complicate­d to change, if it hasn’t become so already. This isn't simple. It's complex.

Integrati­ng App-V into Windows would also allow Windows to more easily change with the times without the hindrances that come with applicatio­n compatibil­ity. Exciting new features that usually are scrapped to maintain applicatio­n compatibil­ity won’t have to be pushed to the way side anymore. These features would reflect today. Windows right now reflects today and yesterday. It’s time to part ­with ­yesterday.

Basically­, all I'm saying is that Windows can become a simpler, more logical operating system. And this can be done using App-V. The benefits of that are obvious. Some people may say, "Well then, why don't you just switch to Macintosh, an inherently simple and logical operating system?" I have considered that, but, time and time and again, I have decided against that for one main reason: I believe in Windows as an operating system and as a platform. And because I believe in it, I hold it to high standards, such as this one.

I think you may be onto something.