Should I upgrade to Windows 8.1?

[alphanumeric]

8.1 together with it's updates is not just an glue-on to Win 8, it's a series of fixes MS made to address some stuff they missed first time. Why wait a year or two and than to have to do it. If at all possible, nobody should wait and than to have to do much more than to do it gradually. Think of all the changes that will happen ti your system and all that may diminish chances of update success later on.

Like hawkman said, its a new OS not just a bunch of updates that could be applied separately. The Windows kernel version went from 6.2 for Windows 8.0 to 6.3 for Windows 8.1. What your describing is a service pack, which the upgrade is not, its much more than that.

 

[Offa]

Replies to my upgrade concerns

After all the replies nothing can go wrong. Well, less likely to.
Thanks, there was a lot there that I just didn't know.
I've been a user of windows since my son dragged me from DOS to Win. 3.1
It seems more difficult now than then.
Thanks again for the help.

 

[caperjack]

After all the replies nothing can go wrong. Well, less likely to.
Thanks, there was a lot there that I just didn't know.
I've been a user of windows since my son dragged me from DOS to Win. 3.1
It seems more difficult now than then.
Thanks again for the help.

so you were almost always a windows user , i think its much easier now, just point and click ,no need to remember commands ,and what not's,lol .I have been a user since 3.1

 

[Quadrillion]

In layman's terms, it sounds like the upgrade is still a little bit of a crapshoot: Maybe it will go through without a snag or maybe I'll have an issue or two which could require a little research, and a few hours to a few days of downtime. I don't go on the web with this laptop, so security isn't really an issue. If I wait three months, it won't cost me anything, plus there's a chance that they'll have solved a couple of more of the installation bugs.

Will I lose my quick launch bar in the conversion?

 

[OldGuyGeek]

Where did you get that "by mid June you will no longer receive security updates" from? Windows 8.0 will receive updates for a while yet. At least two years after the release of 8.1 was what I've read. Those running 8.1 though, won't receive any further updates unless they apply update 1. Might that be what your thinking of?

I stand corrected. I misread the information in the replies and forgot the original question, upgrading from 8.0 to 8.1, not for applying the Update 1 to Windows 8.1.

So, to reply to the original question, why would you not update from Window 8.0 to 8.1? It would be like running 7 with no Service Packs. There a SO many positives for upgrading, performance, games compatibility, etc. Although it's not something I care about, the new boot to desktop seems to be a biggie for some.

Lastly, I can't see Microsoft continuing releasing patches and the like for 8.0 and 8.1 forever. As we saw with Service Packs, the updates eventually are inclusive of previous updates. We will see 8.2, etc, etc. Window 8.0 will fade into memory. So keep in step now. If you're worried, wait until you feel safer, then upgrade

 

[CountMike]

They can call 8.1 a "new OS" but in fact it's just repaired 8.0, not enough changes (even with some changes to kernel and it's new number). When you look at windows history you can see that Win 3.11 was just somewhat changed 3.1, Win 95 was new OS, win 98 and Millennium were just variations to a theme. XP was different enough to warrant a "New" monicker , and than had SPs that changed XP a lot. Vista was a new OS to XP but Win7 just a massive "repair" of Vista. Win 8.1 just does not deserve "new" over 8.0, they can change one byte to a kernel and give it a new number but that does not a new OS make.

 

[alphanumeric]

They can call 8.1 a "new OS" but in fact it's just repaired 8.0, not enough changes (even with some changes to kernel and it's new number). When you look at windows history you can see that Win 3.11 was just somewhat changed 3.1, Win 95 was new OS, win 98 and Millennium were just variations to a theme. XP was different enough to warrant a "New" monicker , and than had SPs that changed XP a lot. Vista was a new OS to XP but Win7 just a massive "repair" of Vista. Win 8.1 just does not deserve "new" over 8.0, they can change one byte to a kernel and give it a new number but that does not a new OS make.

Technically it is a new OS. But it is the first time I can remember a new OS looking almost identical to the one it replaced. I would say that's why the named it 8.1 instead of 9.0. What they did probabaly couldn't be done with a series of small patches. They probably could have called it a service pack but chose not to. I agree with a lot of what your saying. Its very much like what happened with Windows 98. Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second edition. To me 8.1 is more like 8.0 Second edition than a new OS.

 

[CountMike]

They can call 8.1 a "new OS" but in fact it's just repaired 8.0, not enough changes (even with some changes to kernel and it's new number). When you look at windows history you can see that Win 3.11 was just somewhat changed 3.1, Win 95 was new OS, win 98 and Millennium were just variations to a theme. XP was different enough to warrant a "New" monicker , and than had SPs that changed XP a lot. Vista was a new OS to XP but Win7 just a massive "repair" of Vista. Win 8.1 just does not deserve "new" over 8.0, they can change one byte to a kernel and give it a new number but that does not a new OS make.

Technically it is a new OS. But it is the first time I can remember a new OS looking almost identical to the one it replaced. I would say that's why the named it 8.1 instead of 9.0. What they did probabaly couldn't be done with a series of small patches. They probably could have called it a service pack but chose not to. I agree with a lot of what your saying. Its very much like what happened with Windows 98. Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second edition. To me 8.1 is more like 8.0 Second edition than a new OS.

I agree, if it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, than...........(OK, it could be a Mallard but it's still a duck).

 

[alphanumeric]

Where did you get that "by mid June you will no longer receive security updates" from? Windows 8.0 will receive updates for a while yet. At least two years after the release of 8.1 was what I've read. Those running 8.1 though, won't receive any further updates unless they apply update 1. Might that be what your thinking of?

I stand corrected. I misread the information in the replies and forgot the original question, upgrading from 8.0 to 8.1, not for applying the Update 1 to Windows 8.1.

So, to reply to the original question, why would you not update from Window 8.0 to 8.1? It would be like running 7 with no Service Packs. There a SO many positives for upgrading, performance, games compatibility, etc. Although it's not something I care about, the new boot to desktop seems to be a biggie for some.

Lastly, I can't see Microsoft continuing releasing patches and the like for 8.0 and 8.1 forever. As we saw with Service Packs, the updates eventually are inclusive of previous updates. We will see 8.2, etc, etc. Window 8.0 will fade into memory. So keep in step now. If you're worried, wait until you feel safer, then upgrade

I know I seem to be harping on about this, but it was inferred earlier on in this thread that if you stayed with Windows 8.0 it would be a mistake, because updates would stop in a couple of months. I just wanted to clear that up. That's not true. Updates will stop 2 years after the release date of 8.1. Microsoft does want everybody to move to 8.1. Eventually you will have to move on.

I say upgrade. I just wish it was easier. What's hurting adoption of 8.1 is having to do it though the Windows Store and the possibility of something going wrong. If you have a factory OEM install of 8.0 and no recovery media you can end in a real pickle if things go south. Some have had problems even when they made their recovery media. All that third party bloat the OEM's jam on to their machins just makes things worse, especially third party antivirus or security suits. It's a mess to say the least. My wife's laptop would not upgrade though the store to 8.1. I also had one of my desktops that update 1 would not install on. I'm one of the lucky ones, I have access to clean unmodified ISO's so I did clean installs of 8.1 with update 1. Problem solved, but not everybody is going to want to do that.
Now if you don't upgrade, all your likely going to get is security patches and bug fixes. You likely won't get any new features, those are all being added to 8.1. No update 1 for you and no update 2 when its released.

 

[Offa]

Yes, and before that TRS DOS then SmallDos. That was 1981 before that cassette tape on a TRS 80 Model 1.

My first blue screen was a week or two back.

Mike

 

[CountMike]

Yes, and before that TRS DOS then SmallDos. That was 1981 before that cassette tape on a TRS 80 Model 1.

My first blue screen was a week or two back.

Mike

Of course, they were Black and Amber than. (with some snow on the TV)

 

[Offa]

Mike

 

[CountMike]



Mike

Had them all from a Heathkit without a keyboard (Only switches and lamps) Heathkit Virtual Museum | EC-1 thru Timex Sinclair ZX-81 etc.