Windows 8.1 is here, here is what to expect

It has been a year in the making, but Windows 8.1 is here, here are some features / updates to expect,

1. Start/Boot to Desktop

2. Changed Backgrounds and Lock Screen 

3. More Tile Sizes

4. Universal Bing Search From Anywhere 

5. Redesigned App Store

6. New Paint and Camera Apps 

7. Added App Resizing Features 

8. More Keyboard and Mouse Support

Microsoft has a link to download here, 

The Windows Store

And here are some great reviews of the changes, 

Windows 8.1 now ready for PCs — here's what it is and how to get it

Windows 8.1 Release is Here: Free Update in Windows Store

Windows 8.1 now available to download

The update looks bug free, but as with all new software releases expect some updates to come out in the first couple of weeks. Feel free to let me know what your experience with Windows 8.1 is in the comments. 

Microsoft admits to a Windows user interface design mistake?

The first thing I hear when a client discusses Windows 8 is, "Where is the Start button?"  Complaints  about Windows 8 and it user interface redesign have been common place since its release, but now it seems like something is going to be done about it.  Windows 8.1 is going to be released later this year with some major changes to Windows 8, including adding a Start Button, common user tools, and a reversion to the Windows 7 look feel.  So is Windows 8 a big mistake?   I think that the issue is larger than that.  Here is a excerpt from a Forbes article that is  a good summary of the issues,  

"So, is Windows 8.1 a “mea culpa” from Microsoft? Perhaps. Microsoft has taken issue with the concept that Windows 8.1 is any sort of apology for Windows 8, or that the latest operating system  is the “New Coke” of this generation.

Whether or not it’s any sort of acknowledgement of failure for Windows 8, Windows 8.1 is essentially Windows 8 Service Pack 1. It’s the big update that fixes the bugs, addresses the issues, and adds new features users want. The fact that Microsoft is not calling it Service Pack 1, and the way Microsoft is positioning and deploying Windows 8.1 is significant, though.

Microsoft typically takes years to develop and release a new operating system. There were more than five years between the launch of Windows XP and Windows Vista, and nearly three years between Windows Vista and Windows 7. People in general have an aversion to change, but Microsoft has fostered a culture where Windows users become so entrenched in the status quo that even minor tweaks to the operating system are a major shock. More than 10 years after its launch, and more than six years after the launch of its successor, Windows XP is still the number two operating system with more than a third of the desktop operating system market."

Original Article

Some of the feature improvements in Windows 8.1 sound promising, but the one that I am holding out for is the Start button.   Weather Windows 8 is a failure or not time will tell. 

Why I won't be updating to Windows 8 immediately

There has been a lot of hype over Windows 8 and the new interface.  I like Windows and think that it is a solid OS.   That being said there are three reason why I won't update immediately, 

1) The Graphical User Interface.   It is completely different than any previous OS.   Here is a video that show the extent to which some users might be confused.  

How Real People Will Use Windows 8

2) Waiting is always better.   Even with the best tested OS's there are always bugs.  If you wait 6 months you are guaranteed to get  less issues and bugs.

3) Window 8 is built for touch screens.   If you do not have a touch screen, why not wait until the next hardware upgrade and then upgrade.   

Let me know you thoughts below.