Windows 8.1 Update 1
When Windows 8 initially came out—which was back in August 2012—I gave it a try. I installed Windows 8 on my Toshiba A11 Intel i7 notebook. I even bought three license packs for Windows 8, assuming at the time that I would be upgrading all my computers to Windows 8.
But like about 90 percent of everyone you talk to, I didn’t like it. Didn’t like that it booted into the new ‘Metro’ or Modern (I think they are calling it now) tiled interface. Didn’t like that using the mouse interface sucked big time. Didn’t like that you could not launch applications from the what was now called the ‘Desktop’ view. Didn’t like where Microsoft had hidden all the controls and settings that I needed to use.
After about three months I re-installed Windows 7 on the A11. Which is pity, because behind the scenes there is a lot of great new technology in Windows 8. But because of the way Microsoft have forced people to use it nobody is really going to like it on their ‘main’ computers. It might be okay on a tablet, but when it comes to Windows users that is by far the minority of users.
My main workhorse computer on my desk is running 32-bit Windows 7. I have never got around to making the move to 64-bit Windows 7 on that machine. I assumed at the time I would be moving it over to 64-bit Windows 8, but after I experienced Windows 8 on the Toshiba that never happened.
Well since Windows 8 first came out there has been a ‘dot’ release update taking it to 8.1. And now, in the next few weeks Microsoft will be releasing what the press is calling Windows 8.1 Update 1; but we are not sure what Microsoft will call it when they make it available.
By most reports Update 1 makes a number of badly required changes so that Windows 8 does not rely so much on a touch interface. If you boot Windows 8.1 Update 1 on a computer that does not have a touch screen then it boots to the ‘Desktop’ and not the Modern interface.
Maybe with Update 1, which should be released sometime in mid- to late- April, I will give Windows 8 a second chance on the A11.
