Windows 8 set for 2012 release

Yer very true M8 .... think i will stay behind my security .... don't let the wife know the bank balance never mind anyone else

I don't trust Google at all, let alone their OS. I once had their browser, Chrome, and I distrust their security. I had my favorites on the toolbar, one being my bank and PayPal as well. I could move my mouse over those two "favorites" and there was a string of numbers & letters. In those strings my password for both accounts was within them. Call that security? You couldn't give me their OS. And as far as Windows 8 is concerned, it will be another Vista & ME. To come out with a 128 bit compatible OS as soon as 2012 won't fly too well. For one thing, there will be those die hards that will not give XP up until the wheels fall off, which will not happen until at least 2014. Secondly, and more importantly, Windows 7 has been popular so far. Windows 7 will win over a great percentage of XP users, as well as most Vista users. Microsoft won't come straight out and admit it, but they want XP dead. Reason #1: Piracy. XP is not difficult to pirate, but I'm not going to tell you how to in this forum. That's all the reason they need. Beginning with Vista, piracy became tough, at least for the average user. Microsoft has lost, and we are paying more in return, on account of piracy. Microsoft has a lot to gain by wholeheartedly supporting Windows 7 and letting XP slowly go away before launching another OS. As all those older systems (including my two old laptops) die away, Windows 7 will grow larger and larger. It's already happening in front of our eyes. And I wouldn't be one bit surprised one bit by seeing this within the next year or two. Trade in your XP for a Windows 7 system, get $100 off. Windows 7 is a great system, and if Microsoft's really serious about reducing piracy, that would be a large step. Windows 8 may very well come out in 2012, but they had better push 7 as hard as they can, because I feel that 8 will be a flop.

Given that there are more users using 64bit Windows 7 than even 32bit Windows Vista so soon in Valve's survey, and more users using 64bit versus 32bit Seven, I would be more surprised if Microsoft DID release a 32bit version.

Current survey results: http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey

I would not be surprised at another 32 bit release in 2012, since as Veedaz pointed out, 32 bit systems are still on the market. However, it does seem to be in the minority. But 2015 may be different, since XP will no longer be officially supported after 13 years. I don't know if Microsoft will ever support another OS that long. It is my personal belief that the reason that they have done so is this, for so many years, XP kept Microsoft afloat. During the Vista years, which I skipped, XP represented nearly 70 percent of all OS's in use. That's millions upon millions of users. And there will be those that ride XP until the wheels fall off. I have two of those older laptops and still on occasion use them. Microsoft has no choice but to support these loyal users as long as possible, if they had to rely on Vista to survive, they would be bankrupt. XP made Microsoft billions upon billions of dollars. That being said, in 2015, Microsoft could offically dump 32 bit software. By then, most if not all of these old systems will be gone and those that remain will be so outdated to the point of security holes all in them. Perhaps then, 64 bit will be the standard, with 128 bit being optional. And most likely, Windows 7 will carry Microsoft until 2015-2016. History repeats itself, just watch and see.