Windows 8.1 Update 1

spirit

spirit

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Staff member
Looks like this is going to be an update to Windows 8.1 which will be released next month. There's already been a few (near-complete) leaks of this build.

Some interesting articles which you may want to read:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/7/5390024/windows-8-1-update-1-boot-to-desktop-ui-changes

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-update-1-preview-hands-build-16610

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/385750/windows-8-1-update-1-what-we-know-so-far

Looks like title bars on metro apps (making them easier to close) and also showing the taskbar whilst running metro apps are the major differences. Apparently boot to desktop will now be the default option for PCs without a touch display and apparently Microsoft are also adding a shut down button to the Start Screen, but I added that myself a long time ago. ;)
 
DMGrier

DMGrier

VIP Member
Looks like the new CEO at Microsoft is hard at work providing direction, this would be a good thing.
 
DMGrier

DMGrier

VIP Member
MyCattMaxx said:
Give the people what they want and not what you think they "need".
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Historically very few operating systems when they have been fully revamped nailed it right the first time. Honestly the biggest complaint about Windows was the lack of features, I would rather start over fresh with little features and start to add them with each update then try to build everything at once and get most of it wrong.
 
johnb35

johnb35

Administrator
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DMGrier said:
Historically very few operating systems when they have been fully revamped nailed it right the first time. Honestly the biggest complaint about Windows was the lack of features, I would rather start over fresh with little features and start to add them with each update then try to build everything at once and get most of it wrong.
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That sounds about right. Microsoft needs to listen to their customers. There are older people I know that wouldn't be able to operate a windows 8 or 8.1 machine. Then they would call me and ask how the heck do they do things now.
 
MyCattMaxx

MyCattMaxx

Active Member
DMGrier said:
Historically very few operating systems when they have been fully revamped nailed it right the first time. Honestly the biggest complaint about Windows was the lack of features, I would rather start over fresh with little features and start to add them with each update then try to build everything at once and get most of it wrong.
Click to expand...

johnb35 said:
That sounds about right. Microsoft needs to listen to their customers. There are older people I know that wouldn't be able to operate a windows 8 or 8.1 machine. Then they would call me and ask how the heck do they do things now.
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I was running 8 back in developers day and ran the preview also.
My biggest gripe was it wasn't really made for use without a touch screen right out of the box.
I did get it set up the way I wanted it in the end but it was work that most people wouldn't go through.
M$ had a ton of feedback in the early stages about making an install option for PC or touch app but they didn't listen.
I am assuming complaints or lack of sales numbers are pushing some of these changes now.

I'll wait to see what W9 looks like before I change over from W7 now.
 
DMGrier

DMGrier

VIP Member
MyCattMaxx said:
I was running 8 back in developers day and ran the preview also.
My biggest gripe was it wasn't really made for use without a touch screen right out of the box.
I did get it set up the way I wanted it in the end but it was work that most people wouldn't go through.
M$ had a ton of feedback in the early stages about making an install option for PC or touch app but they didn't listen.
I am assuming complaints or lack of sales numbers are pushing some of these changes now.

I'll wait to see what W9 looks like before I change over from W7 now.
Click to expand...

Lol your argument reminds me of when gnome 3 and Unity was released and everyone's complaint with those. 8.1 is extremely functional and I have made it feel very desktopish, and it looks like they are going to continue to bring a more desktop feel with the future releases. Thank you spirit for those updates.

On a side note has there been any talk of Windows 9? Or is the next logical release Windows 8.2,8.3,8.4 and so on?
 
PCunicorn

PCunicorn

Active Member
If they do make boot to desktop default, I will change it right back to boot to Start. I seem to be one of the very few people who adores the new start screen. But TBH I don't know why I love it so much lol :p
 
S.T.A.R.S.

S.T.A.R.S.

banned
Nah I don't know...it's really not a problem to click the DESKTOP button on that START menu when Windows 8 starts up...
So if the update now does it automatically,it's really not a big update lol.
You can always make the DESKTOP to start automatically yourself if you want to...
So no need for that update will be needed...
Unless if you don't know how to do that lol...then the update will be needed. :D

And a shut down button?
That's not a big update lol...As I said above...here you can AGAIN do it yourself so damn easy lol...
AGAIN...if you don't know how to do that then yeah update WILL be needed lol...



Windows 8.0 and 8.1 are all great to me...just as all Windows when they came out...so I am really interested to see Windows 9 in 2015. :D
 
MyCattMaxx

MyCattMaxx

Active Member
S.T.A.R.S. said:
Nah I don't know...it's really not a problem to click the DESKTOP button on that START menu when Windows 8 starts up...
So if the update now does it automatically,it's really not a big update lol.
You can always make the DESKTOP to start automatically yourself if you want to...
So no need for that update will be needed...
Unless if you don't know how to do that lol...then the update will be needed. :D

And a shut down button?
That's not a big update lol...As I said above...here you can AGAIN do it yourself so damn easy lol...
AGAIN...if you don't know how to do that then yeah update WILL be needed lol...



Windows 8.0 and 8.1 are all great to me...just as all Windows when they came out...so I am really interested to see Windows 9 in 2015. :D
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Yes, it can be modded in all sorts of ways but the vast majority of computer users are not into how computers and OS's work so they want it to work straight out of the box.
I'd say roughly 99% of the population is fairly computer illiterate.

Sometimes I don't want to spend a bunch of time modding a fresh install so not having that option turned me off in the end about W8 and I decided it wasn't worth buying after the preview era ended.
W8 has some fine points but it just wasn't worth paying for over the W7 I already have.
 
spirit

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
OK so just an update: the update for 8.1 is coming out today (big day for Microsoft with them dropping XP and Office 2003 and bringing this major update for 8.1 out!) and apparently it will be in the Windows Store or on Windows Update at 10.00am PST, which is actually 6.00pm my time since I am on BST.

There's several changes to Windows 8.1 which they have made (you can look at articles on the internet to find out and Microsoft even have a video on YouTube, here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKTlOYjmiZo) but apparently if you are on 8.1 then this isn't really an optional update because if you don't install it then after May you're not going to get any further updates for 8.1.

So if you're on 8.1, keep checking your Windows Update and Store! ;)
 
spirit

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
Looks like it's now on Windows Update. I'm downloading it now. It's 887MB alone, but I'm downloading it with 24 other updates, so that's 2GB total worth of updates. :eek:
 
Punk

Punk

Moderator
Staff member
spirit said:
Looks like it's now on Windows Update. I'm downloading it now. It's 887MB alone, but I'm downloading it with 24 other updates, so that's 2GB total worth of updates. :eek:
Click to expand...

Well it's not there yet in France :)
 
spirit

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
Punk said:
Well it's not there yet in France :)
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Hmm it should have been there about 6.00pm yesterday.

Anyway, I've got it and put in on both of my PCs.

Yes, there is a now a shut down/restart/log off menu on the Start Screen itself - and yes there are now also close buttons on Metro apps and yes you can now pin Metro apps to the taskbar, which is cool.

If you open up a Metro app or the Start Screen and move your cursor to the bottom of the screen, the taskbar shows up which is quite nice.

Granted, all of this (and the features introduced in 8.1) should have been in 8 from the start, but it's good to see Microsoft refining Windows 8. I didn't particularly mind Windows 8 at all, but with each update they do, the OS gets better and better. Not sure if I could back to 8 having been on 8.1 for about 6 months.

At least quite a lot of my updates are adding features which I can see, as opposed to countless security updates. ;)
 
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