Win 8.1 Why Metro is back, with a vengeance.

[denem]

Metro is more than the 'Modern UI' transition to touch computing. Modern-UI-Metro (Microsoft was too cheap to negotiate with a German Grocery store chain, to use the name) is the Apple App Store model, the complete walled garden: a-one-stop-no-other-shop serving unique IDs,unre-saleable software, pre-appoval, content restrictions, on demand removal from the store and device, and of course, the 30% cut. Metro-shop has one up on Apple for the moment, lease-only (read subscription) apps. Next up I suppose, is a variation of the XBox One's 'don't pirate me bro', users will logon via the internet once in a while or have their apps de-activated. Modern Indeed.

8.1 allows you to boot straight to the desktop, with a start button that takes you straight back to the Metro. Desktop (read Windows) software are now 'legacy applications', the legacy of Metro's drawbridge into prison. New to Win 8.1, you can now run four Metro apps on one screen. No doubt the Modern UI will evolve further to allow us to have overlapping windows again, you know, like Windows, with that modern added extra - a shiny new ball and chain.

[RC]

1. Windows 7 will be in great demand, then it will be Linux after that.

Microsoft is insisting on shooting themselves in both feet. The desk top and non-touch screen laptops are not going away for the serous user, period.

[Mr. David]

2. ....zzZZZ

Wake me up when Windows 9 is in.

True to its pattern, Windows 8 is a failure, and now 8.1 is a "bug upgrade" of 8.

Hopefully they WILL abandon the concept of tablet and go back to PC/laptops.

I advised a client to buy a new computer with 7 on it. Windows 8 is too complex for a 80+ year old guy.

He can barely run Vista...

[denem]

3. Windows 9 will 'feature' more, not less Metro.

While you're nodding off, another sliver of freedom is slipping into history.

[Mr. David]

4. So I'll go Linux after that...

It's about time for me to go back to Linux.

[denem]

6. I'm betting Android will move into the Windows space,

adding more desktop functionality over time. It's a path with a familiar OS, and vendor.

[ffr]

5. Do you see the parallel?

Microsoft is alienating 90+ percent of the computing market to go after that last fraction (the share that Apple occupies) of the market. Brilliant!

Kind of like Rethugs alienating non-whites, whose demographic increases in favor of Democratic candidates by 2% every presidential election. I'll be so happy when district gerrymandering won't help them win any more elections.

[denem]

7. I'm seeing a huge opportunity for Google.

When Microsofts gerrymander of propriety formats and protocols is broken up, $199 for Office/Windows is just not going to cut it.