Microsoft goes public with Windows 8.1 upgrade policies

[JMH]

With the public preview builds of Windows 8.1 due out later this month, a number of users are wondering how Microsoft plans to handle the upgrade.

At TechEd North America, officials shared some details on that topic in a session entitled "Windows RT in the Enterprise."

Microsoft officials have said previously that the company plans to deliver the public preview of Windows 8.1, codenamed "Blue," via the Windows Store on June 26.

Microsoft Senior Product Marketing Manager Michael Niehaus reiterated that message in the RT in the Enterprise session on June 4. When the 8.1 preview is available, Windows 8 and Windows RT users will receive a Windows Update notification. That update will trigger the new bits to show up in the Windows Store, where potential testers will be able to read the description and choose whether or not to install.

Microsoft goes public with Windows 8.1 upgrade policies | ZDNet

 

[x BlueRobot]

This is slightly off-topic, but is Windows Blue more of a Service Pack to Windows 8?

 

[niemiro]

This is slightly off-topic, but is Windows Blue more of a Service Pack to Windows 8?

I would say not. Service Packs tend to focus on rolling up all the current security and stability updates along with a raft of new ones. They rarely make major structural or UI changes (XP SP2 being a bit of an exception). The deal is that Windows 8.1 is focusing on changes to the UI. It's main point of focus is not as a massive cumulative rollup, but as a way of tweaking Windows 8 based on feedback. Even though it will do very similar things to a service pack in many ways, it's main point of focus is different, and that makes it different to a service pack IMO.

 

[x BlueRobot]

Thanks, in my opinion, they haven't really responded to the customer feedback very well, there's still no indication of being able boot to desktop and having a 'traditional' Start Menu for desktop users. I would like to see two versions of Windows 8: Windows 8 for desktops and Windows 8 for tablets/smartphones.

I don't like how Microsoft have isolated a major market. There's Xbox One to discuss too, but that's a different story

 

[cluberti]

You aren't going to get a start menu, but booting to desktop is a feature of Windows 8.1. Ultimately, it appears Microsoft is shooting to have the same basic OS across all of it's major platforms (mobile, entertainment/gaming, PC/tablet).

 

[Wrench97]

Yea I just love my new Citrix XenApp desktop at work................it's like moving backwards in time.............to 1990 where you sit and wait for something to happen all because the IT department wanted a start button so as not to confuse anyone......................................

 

[cluberti]

I think that's the biggest thing - instead of using the keyboard, hardware button, or lower cursor, people seem to *need* the crutch of a button to do anything. It's normal, I guess, but it's still sad.