News - Microsoft publishes ‘First look at Windows 8.1’ video

[stilkun]

Is video only showcasing Windows 8.1 for Surface RT, not the desktop?

I use Windows 8 pro on my PC because it was cheaper as it was upgrade version than Windows 7 on amazon, £37.99 on the lightning deals. I don't mind Windows 8 start screen but I would prefer they included start menu on taskbar as dad complains a lot on how to get around on Windows 8, previously coming from Windows XP. Downloaded third party app to get start menu.

I thing I would complain is that the Windows 8 UAC is different to Windows 7, you cannot turn UAC off in Windows 8 like in Windows 7 so you are not in elevated admin mode have to run some applications as run as administrator to work. This probably one benefit in business perhaps. The turned off UAC in Windows 8 feels like Windows 7 1 level above turn off UAC.

Had Vista on my laptop during the start of the uni and it is ok but lots of changes from Windows XP that people dislike.

[aramil]

4 or 5 windows on the same screen, my god it's the future!

Yeah but no start button or start menu.....

[crossy]

Re: Vista. Be fair - unlike ME etc. Vista wasn't a bad OS ... However, Win7 worked 'out the box', and to avoid the tinkering or messing round, it is the OS I'd recommend to most of my family/friends unless they were likely to make use of some of the additional functionality in Win8.

My wife would disagree vehemently with you on that one. Her Dell laptop came with Vista and she always hated it because it was glacially slow and - direct quote - "bl**dy annoying". I eventually got tired of the huffing and gentle swearing and upgraded to 7 when it came out (actually nearly a year before my own machine got it). Result -> machine runs nicely and the high praise that "this is ... okay".

But I'll agree with your second point. Folks I've seen using 8 either (very grudgingly) change their way of working to suit 8's UI foibles or, as you've obviously done, get out the software hammer and try and mold 8 to fit them.

I think (/hope?) the analogy with Vista/7 is spot on - Vista was loathed, but Windows 7 - which a lot of people referred to as "a big service pack for Vista" was/is liked because it's less clunky. If history repeats - and given the positive reaction to 8.1 this seems likely - then Windows 9 is going to be something very special indeed.

Although by then perhaps there'll be enough gaming support for Linux so that I can replace my gaming PC with one hosting Ubuntu?

-Windows 7 owners envy you.

Here's one 7 owner who definitely doesn't envy Windows 8 users (and I've got two of those in the house).

I thing I would complain is that the Windows 8 UAC is different to Windows 7, you cannot turn UAC off in Windows 8 like in Windows 7 so you are not in elevated admin mode have to run some applications as run as administrator to work. This probably one benefit in business perhaps. The turned off UAC in Windows 8 feels like Windows 7 1 level above turn off UAC.

You turn off UAC? What the heck for .... it's there to protect you ffs! And it's not like the one in 7/8 is even a patch on the annoying p.o.s. that was the same feature in Vista. I'm not the most tolerant of people but I actually like the way the one in 7's been implemented - the balance between paranoia and usability is spot-on

[stilkun]

You turn off UAC? What the heck for .... it's there to protect you ffs! And it's not like the one in 7/8 is even a patch on the annoying p.o.s. that was the same feature in Vista. I'm not the most tolerant of people but I actually like the way the one in 7's been implemented - the balance between paranoia and usability is spot-on

Calm down... Definitely not leave it turned off forever, I only turn it off when I pretty much install programs as it annoying each time it prompts for password when I install as admin then set it back to don't dim my desktop. Pretty much I am the IT guy in the household, I set everybody in my household with standard users account and they ask me to check the program before I installed onto my computer, VM for testing to be safe than sorry

[cjs150]

Of course the Windows talking head uses a touch screen to show all the new features because MS has decided that those people who keyboards and mice are old fashioned (even for work).

I have some news for MS. Not all of us want touch. For an HTPC touch is impossible and for my work screen just too difficult - my arms are about 2 ft too short to reach the screen!

Please place all your personal files with Skydrive so (a) MS has access and (b) above a certain limit you have to pay MS for the privelege and (c) in due course to comply with US DRM regs MS will wipe all ripped movies/music unless you can prove that you bought the digital version (buying the CD/DVD and ripping will not be allowed). I have a 6TB NAS and w8 hates it.

Lock screens make perfect sense on tablets, first thing I did on my HTPC (which has w8) was de-activated.

Still no live clock on the start screen!

In w7 you can have as many windows open as your system can cope with and have windows overlap. In w8.0 you can have 2 windows (sorry apps) open but no overlapping on screen. w8.1 improves so that you can have several apps open but not overlapping on screen. Any chance by w8.3 we will be back to w7 abilites which are more productive for work?

Do not label me as w8 hater. I have it on my HTPC and it works well, the MUI is more suitable than w7 but it very rough around the edges. I want the OS to work with my way of working and storing data not force me down solutions to fit its idea of how "modern" people work.

[Tpyo]

Verrry interesting.
How did you do that ?

The easiest way is with a 3rd party program like StarDock's "Modern Mix" or similar.

[mtyson]

Here's the boot to desktop option from Windows 8.1 settings, via NeoWin http://www.neowin.net/news/spotted-b...-settings-pane

[Cyklondx]

again the system is design for mobile phones and tablet not for PC and pc users. If they ever want to push it for future --> this kind of system well time to swap back to *nix systems.

[Phage]

And some more with the Start Button
http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/6/440...ton-demo-video

[ZaO]

god i hate the w8 interface. other than that, what's really different about this to w7? as my pc build is primarily designed around gaming, i just haven't seen a reason to switch to it. i suppose it'll probably have directx 12, where as they wont allow w7 to have that. but still i don't really care...