Is upgrading to 8.1 mandatory?

I downloaded 8.1 via the store and since I started using it I really don't care for it much. Things like having to deal with watermarks on the screen, skydrive which I don't want or use, the backups having to be run via power shell etc. I would just prefer to revert back to Win 8 via restoring an image as I was happy with that however I am worried that I will not get all the necessary updates / patches from windows.

If I stick with Win 8 will I still receive all the necessay security patches? If yes how long will they support Win 8? Any info on this would be greatly appreciated! I've been searching google for answers however they seem to be pretty mixed, figured this would be the best place to ask.

you have until October of 2015 before you have to upgrade to Windows 8 .1. the windows 8 family itself should be supported until 2023

I would not worry about it, they'll support it for as long as they've supported any OS.

I use my own security, so I never bother with the security updates, but the last I saw, there were at least 5 new security updates for 8. I've been able to get updates for systems with Windows 7 - No Service pack, and they were supposed to stop supporting that as well.

I see no reason to update to 8.1 at this point, for most of the same reasons you gave. If they stop supporting it, I'm sure there will be an announcement. And I don't see any security issues that require me to update, so I'm just going to keep 8 a while. It should be as safe as any OS has been safe, providing you get some decent AV program.

Pparks: Are you inferring that they will MAKE me update to 8.1?

pparks1 said:

you have until October of 2015 before you have to upgrade to Windows 8 .1. the windows 8 family itself should be supported until 2023

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So I will get all the necessary updates till Oct. 2015 and then after that they will just stop?

Yes, eventually they don't offer updates unless you are at a specific point. For example, with Vista you don't get updates until you get on the latest service packs. Vista without a service pack is no longer supported.