Microsoft Reacts To Feedback But Did They Get Windows 8.1 Right?

MojoKid writes "Microsoft's Windows "Blue" 8.1 update has been long-awaited. Those who've been using the base OS since launch have no doubt been anticipating some of the enhancements that are coming. At the moment, Windows 8.1 is available only as a preview, and if you are looking to give it a try, there are a couple of things to be aware of. The most important is the fact that once you upgrade, you can't easily downgrade — so you may wish to try the update in a virtual machine or on a test machine if possible. In addition, your current product keys will not work, so you'll effectively be turning your activated OS into an evaluation (it's assumed that once 8.1 goes final, we'll be able to update using our original keys). That said, Microsoft's free update offers a slew of enhancements like a new Start Screen, the return of the Start Button, even quicker shutdown and restart, boot to desktop, quicker integrated search and Skydrive enhancements. All told, Microsoft's new OS release is a more than worthy successor for end users but now Microsoft really needs to work on getting developers on board."

Comments

Start Button in 8.1 is useless.

[sconeu]

I downloaded the dev preview.

Yeah, there's a Start button. Big deal. All it does is drop you into Metro -- pardon me. Into The-Interface-Formerly-Known-As-Metro. There's still no Start Menu, which is what the "I want the Start Button" was all about.

Re:Start Button in 8.1 is useless.

[TMYates]

Start -> Run -> cmd dropped you right into a DOS shell.

To do this in Win 8.1, you need to: Start -> Metro -> ???

Easier.

Windows 8:
Move mouse to bottom left corner and right click. Pick either command prompt or command prompt in admin mode

Windows 8.1:
Right click start logo. Pick either command prompt or command prompt in admin mode

From that same menu I have quick access to options that took more than a few clicks to get to before. Also in 8.1, you can use this to shutdown or restart.

Meh

[Guspaz]

Start8 (boot-to-desktop, Win7 start menu, remove hotspots) slapped on top of Win8 solves most of my complaints about Win8, and ModernMix makes Metro apps (like Metro Netflix, since it can view SuperHD content) helps with Metro-only apps.

Start8 already has a beta out for Win8.1, to account for the fact that there is now a built-in boot-to-desktop, and that there is a system start button that needs to be removed before the fake one can be added. I'll undoubtedly get Win8.1 to get the improvements, and let Stardock fix the major annoyances for me.

Re:I tested Windows 8.1

[interval1066]

And here's why we still can't:

• File links are still strange, anomalous objects that other truly posix-compliant processes don't know what to do with. If you really think file links on Windows are useful you're fooling yourself or don't know any better.
• The kernel is still a black-box collection of shared objects with a black-box threading model, as opposed to anyone with the time and gumption can look at the linux kernel and directly see why things happen the way they do.
• Objects can still be one of several distinct classes that require special treatment or approches to processing where as in Linux EVERYTHING is ultimately a file, or at least looks like a file, greatly simplifying interfacing.

I KNOW there are other archectural issues that stick in my throat about windows but those three I think about and deal with all the time.