It would be fair to say, at this point, that Windows 8 has not been a success. Beyond the typically harsh technology community, even the everyday users of Windows 8 are not content.
The
fragmentation between the elements of Windows 7 that made it into
Windows 8 and the more 'Modern UI'/Metro elements are confusing, with
basic Microsoft products such as the Office suite awkwardly flipping
between the two states.
Things that people loved, such as the
Start Menu, have been removed and replaced with a more Windows
Phone-style Start screen, signaling a change of focus on Microsoft's
part from desktop to tablet - a change that is not intrinsically good.
Things
that people loved, such as the Start Menu, have been removed and
replaced with a more Windows Phone-style Start screen, signaling a
change of focus on Microsoft's part from desktop to tablet - a change
that is not intrinsically good.
Thankfully, Microsoft has been
listening and produced Windows 8.1, which made amends for some of the
features that were omitted, or removed, from previous versions of
Windows. Unfortunately, 8.1 didn't go all the way in fixing Windows as
it currently is, which is why Microsoft is going to release Windows 8.1
Update 1 (a mouthful, to say the least).
A copy of Update 1 was
accidentally leaked by Microsoft itself on its software updates page but
will be formally announced at Build 2014. Here we'll take a look at
what's new.
What's new in Update 1 With Update 1,
Microsoft has aimed to create an operating system that will work better
on low-range hardware, requiring only 1GB of RAM and 16GB of mass
storage to run (Windows 8.1 required at least 2GB of RAM and 32GB of
mass storage).
The focus is obviously on spreading Windows across
as many PCs as possible, especially in business where Microsoft is
considered to be losing its edge against Android and Apple tablets and
smartphones.
Microsoft has also moved the software power button
onto the home screen for easier access, as well as chafing the
right-click behaviour when clicking on the Live Tiles or Modern UI
elements of the OS. Right-clicking now brings up a regular Windows
context menu, even in Modern UI apps, as opposed to the options pane as
before.
OS mismatch Unfortunately this introduces
yet more fragmentation, as the new contextual options don't always
match those within the app. While many users won't notice, it does
further increase the sense that Microsoft has essentially bolted two
OSes onto each other and called it a day.
With Windows 8,
Microsoft chose to rather turn their backs on keyboard and mouse users,
choosing instead to hastily focus on the touchscreen aspect of the OS.
Update 1 goes some way to retrace their steps and make features which
were previously difficult to access with a mouse far easier to find.
We've
used a Microsoft Surface Pro 2 with both fingers and a mouse, so it's
easy to see how neglected laptop and desktop users would feel. Some
operations that were easily completed with your finger would take
multiple mouse movements and clicks before being completed on a desktop.
Desktop boot Another
added bonus for desktop users is the ability to boot directly to the
desktop, meaning you can use Windows 8.1 as you would have used Windows
7. Internet Explorer also shows the tabs and address bar by default,
again cutting down the clicks. Clicking on photos and videos in the
desktop mode opens them in the desktop, not Metro, apps, too.
Not
all of Windows 8.1 Update 1's changes are positive, however. Microsoft
have decided to make the taskbar accessible throughout the OS,
regardless of which environment — Modern UI or classic Windows — you're
in.
Summoning the taskbar in Modern UI apps forces the taskbar to
overlay over the bottom of the content, obscuring some of it from view
and click-ability. Not only is the implementation ugly, but it is also a
usability nightmare and something Microsoft should address before
releasing Update 1 to the public.
OneDrive SkyDrive
has been rebranded to OneDrive and is making its debut in Update 1,
however, very little has changed from the SkyDrive app in Windows 8.1.
While
Windows 8.1 Update 1 doesn't address all of the issues that users have
with the operating system, it certainly goes some way towards amending
some of the more gaping holes. Desktop, and laptop, is now easier with
the integration of the two modes — desktop and Metro — becoming a little
closer.
The fact that Microsoft is even considering an Update 1
is a sign of progress, having left previous OSes for years without major
updates. Choosing to follow Apple's yearly update calendar will serve
Microsoft well in the eyes of their users, and that's what matters.
Posted By : Gizmeon
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