Windows 8.1 Preview details

[xytrius]

Download: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...wnload-preview

Product details: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=302189


Reviews:

PC World:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/20430...-features.html

Techradar:

http://www.techradar.com/us/reviews/...1161745/review

[paulbagz]

Been using it since I installed it last night.

Can't really tell the difference for me (bar the start icon in the bottom right).

Still not the Start Button people are asking for.

-PB

[Mats]

Still not the Start Button people are asking for.

What do you mean?

[koc]

I think here is no start button like the one in win XP and Win 7.

[FlanK3r]

Il be still at win7...

[Jamesrt2004]

Win 8 with start8, change all the metro apps to open in the normal windows (7) apps and you're sorted.

I never see the windows 8 metro ui now unless I actually want to and in general the os works fast and efficient

[HelixPC]

Honestly a part of me likes it, but a part of me still wants the windows 7/xp start menu back. Its much better than the original windows 8 but not quite what i want. Still Windows 8 is the best OS as long as you use apps like start 8, and stardock has released a new beta which supports 8.1

[SEA]

I hope they never return the start button. I need that space for better use - my task bar is my quick start too. I find it is most convenient.
As for metro - I rarely go there.

Funny enough, I only with win8.1 realized that I can use skydrive with bitlocker... That changes everything, and I now can use skydrive.

[TimPrice]

No real big changes, and I don't use the ModernUI at all, so far so good.
But, they had to put the typical 'My Documents' folders in 'Computer', now called 'This PC', and you are unable to remove or change anything, just obnoxious.

[El Mano]

If you didn't like Windows 8, why the hell did you ditch Windows 7 and install Windows 8?
I don't believe it's much faster, well, perhaps if you are using a Pentium III.

Going from Win 7 to 8 and then install third party apps so 8 behaves like 7 makes no sense at all.
What am I missing?

[N19h7m4r3]

If you didn't like Windows 8, why the hell did you ditch Windows 7 and install Windows 8?
I don't believe it's much faster, well, perhaps if you are using a Pentium III.

Going from Win 7 to 8 and then install third party apps so 8 behaves like 7 makes no sense at all.
What am I missing?

Pretty much this for me really. I tried the 8 Beta and RTM, and did not like it.

I still use Windows 7 if I need to. I'll most likely keep it until the next Windows, or beyond that depending on noticeable performance and features I like.

[Jamesrt2004]

If you didn't like Windows 8, why the hell did you ditch Windows 7 and install Windows 8?
I don't believe it's much faster, well, perhaps if you are using a Pentium III.

Going from Win 7 to 8 and then install third party apps so 8 behaves like 7 makes no sense at all.
What am I missing?

I like it, it's just (IMO) it seems that some ideas are just counter intuative, it always seems quite fiddly to even close metro apps and such and the start menu everyone is used to as it's a convenient way to search through your installed applications.

Now metro ui could work amazingly well, and could be used without a start menu if I was just a bit better designed with installed program's and such.

Even having some sort of folders in there to sort through things (not dissimilar to the start menu now) rather then having all your apps sprawled out randomly in on massive long list (it ends up looking messy which is the opposite of the sleek design MS went for)

Tlrd: metro 8 could be good with tweaks but ATM the old functionality is better/easier and more intuative

[Evantaur]

I almost like win8 on my laptop... But i feel like every time i restart it needs to update or config something an hour before i can do with it

[Chrono Detector]

As usual, Microsoft is continuing to ignore customer feedback about reinstating the start menu, Microsoft is clearly blind or deaf on this issue. So they claimed they will fix Windows 8 with this update... is it so hard to give users a Start menu Microsoft?

[SEA]

They probably hear me
I don't understand why I'd need the start menu... I already have task bar to start my programs. I think there is no better way possible.
Many people use desktop to put short cuts. there IS start menu for programs that used rarely.

[N19h7m4r3]

As usual, Microsoft is continuing to ignore customer feedback about reinstating the start menu, Microsoft is clearly blind or deaf on this issue. So they claimed they will fix Windows 8 with this update... is it so hard to give users a Start menu Microsoft?

Sums it up really.

[El Mano]

I think there is no better way possible.

Start button+typing.

[Chr0n1c]

I like Windows 8, the new start takes getting used to. And if you are an wall when it comes to change ....no one can help fix that. 8.1 has made Windows 8 much more smoother. Did I prefer the older start menu? Of course I did but I didn't live off the start menu. It wasn't 99% of my PC usage like most people are acting. Some people act like the only reason they turn on their PC is the browse the start menu.

What I find to be the best 8.1 feature is the added option to boot to desktop. I heard they were going to add a shortcut for shutdown...I have not been able to find it. Is it in this build?

[Evantaur]

I like Windows 8, the new start takes getting used to. And if you are an wall when it comes to change ....no one can help fix that. 8.1 has made Windows 8 much more smoother. Did I prefer the older start menu? Of course I did but I didn't live off the start menu. It wasn't 99% of my PC usage like most people are acting. Some people act like the only reason they turn on their PC is the browse the start menu.

What I find to be the best 8.1 feature is the added option to boot to desktop. I heard they were going to add a shortcut for shutdown...I have not been able to find it. Is it in this build?

what do you mean boot to desktop

my laptop boots to desktop after i type in my password

[Chr0n1c]

You can now set it so it boots to your 'Desktop' instead of the new Windows Start.

[Net]

what power gaming w7 vs. w8.1 ? thx

[TimPrice]

I heard they were going to add a shortcut for shutdown...I have not been able to find it. Is it in this build?

Right click the start button to open the 'powerloser menu'.

[Zaskar]

Trying to make a newer OS/Software behave like the "better" older one is the first sign that your losing your edge in the technical field and are starting to become set in your ways, which is a nice way of saying your about to become obsolete in this field.

Just like all the people who tried to get classic start and classic control panel back in Windows Vista/7.

You really need to just force yourself to adapt, and stop confusing different with bad.

[zalbard]

Going from Win 7 to 8 and then install third party apps so 8 behaves like 7 makes no sense at all.
What am I missing?

Windows 8 has better power management (or rather, utilises some technologies W7 has no support for) and is generally a bit faster for certain tasks.

The core is better but the UI is ugly.

Trying to make a newer OS/Software behave like the "better" older one is the first sign that your losing your edge in the technical field and are starting to become set in your ways, which is a nice way of saying your about to become obsolete in this field.

What the hell are you talking about? Newer isn't always better.

Microsoft is losing their edge in the technical field, not us.

[Zaskar]

Microsoft is losing their edge in the technical field, not us.

That's practically word for word what everyone has said to me every time something new came out that was different and would require them to adapt/change their muscle memory over the years since the windows 2000 days.

Its not just Microsoft, this is like a Mirror of whats happening right now with the new Gnome on Linux.

People hate change, if you want to stay relevant in this field you need to embrace it.