Microsoft has been planning several major overhauls for some time now; a Windows Central post from late October 2020 outlines plans for "reinvestment" with an emphasis on Windows 10 updates.

One such undertaking is a major visual refresh, codenamed the "Sun Valley" refresh. This is slated to be a massive, "re-energizing" update to the operating system's UI (which I personally am still getting used to, thanks MS).

The project will modernize a host of Windows 10 UI features, "including (but not limited to) a consistent and modern design, better animations, and new features for the Start Menu, Action Center, and even File Explorer." accompanied by.

This UI update will be delivered as part of a "Cobalt" set of releases meant to "re-energize" the current Win10 setup, the majority of which will be rolled out near the end of 2021. So, you may be wondering why I am telling you this now, just before the end of 2020. ......

Well, according to bleepingcomputer, a job posting titled "Senior Software Engineer" was posted on Microsoft's employment page. The key responsibilities of this role include "the opportunity to build fun and sophisticated experiences for Windows" and "work with the hardware team to build the platform and infrastructure that is integral to the OS." And with phrases like "open-ended exploration" dotted throughout, it appears that Sun Valley's plans are finally underway.

So expect big changes to come once the right people are scooped up by MS.

Let's hope they don't pander too much to the flashy side of the user experience like some OS providers we know (cough - Apple - cough). Functionality over frills. I don't want to have to rebel and move to Linux.