code names Archives

Winsage

June 4, 2026

Windows 8’s codename was “Modern Experience” — Microsoft says it lacked creativity

Raymond Chen, a Microsoft software engineer, reflected on the development of Windows 8, which was announced on June 1, 2011, and had its support withdrawn on January 12, 2016. The development team initially referred to Windows 8 as "the modern experience" to distinguish it from Windows 7, known as "the classic experience." This led to the creation of abbreviations like "MoSh" for the modern shell and "ClaSh" for the classic shell. Other terms included "MoGo" for the new Start menu and "MoSet" for the settings control panel. Microsoft has since introduced Windows K2, an internal project aimed at addressing issues in Windows 11, and has made changes based on user feedback, such as allowing indefinite postponement of updates. Users can engage in discussions about Windows K2 on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral.

Winsage

June 3, 2026

Microsoft’s veteran engineer says Windows 8 was all built around “modern” codenames — including the polarizing Start menu

Microsoft unveiled Windows 8 on June 1, 2011, and ceased support for it on January 12, 2016. During its development, the team referred to it as "the modern experience" to distinguish it from Windows 7, known as "the classic experience." The new shell was called "modern shell" or "MoSh," while the old shell was referred to as "classic shell" or "ClaSh." The Start menu was initially called "Go page" and later renamed "MoGo." Other components were similarly named, such as "MoSet" for the settings control panel and "MoCo" for the ListView control. Microsoft is currently working on a project called Windows K2 to address issues in Windows 11, allowing users to postpone updates indefinitely and reducing the visibility of Copilot based on feedback. A status tracker for Windows K2 is available.