next version of Windows as Windows 10

While many of the features expected in the next major version of Microsoft's Windows client operating system have leaked over the past few months, the official name of that operating system had not.

But on September 30, during a preview event for that operating system, Microsoft officials took the wraps off the new name, which is Windows 10.

During the Microsoft planning and early development process, Windows 10 was codenamed "Threshold." That codename, like a number of recent Microsoft ones, came from Microsoft's Halo franchise.

Because the most recent version of Microsoft's Windows client was named Windows 8, many assumed the next release would be Windows 9. Many inside and outside the company used "Threshold" and "Windows 9" interchangeably when discussing the coming Windows release. There have been rumors that Microsoft might opt to christen Threshold as "Windows X," "Windows 365," just plain "Windows" or "Windows One."

- - Read more