Windows 8.1

Microsoft  (NASDAQ: MSFT) launched Windows 8 last October with radical ambitions in mind. The Start menu was gone, and in its place was a tile-based interface that was a dramatic departure from what Windows users had grown accustomed to over the past 17 years, dating to the introduction of Windows 95.

Anytime you overhaul the user interface of something as long-lived and pervasive as Windows, there will be loud user complaints. Some level of users will always be resistant to change.

However, the steep learning curve on Windows 8 has made it a difficult transition, especially for larger companies whose users are accustomed to older versions of Windows. With the company looking to release a major update named Windows 8.1 that should be released later this year, let's take a look back at Windows 8 to date and what should be expected from Microsoft's major overhaul of the operating system.

Microsoft's reasoning for the dramatic changes to Windows was simple: Past versions of Windows didn't translate well to the touch-based devices such as tablets that are exploding in popularity. By creating a tile-based interface, the company could make Windows relevant for both PCs and tablets, rather than create a separate version for tablets.

To date, results have been middling. At the start of May, Microsoft announced that it had sold more than 100 million Windows 8 licenses, but little traction has been gained in tablets. More painfully, the slide in consumer interest around PCs continues. In the first quarter, PC shipments declined more than 11% according to industry tracker Gartner.

As CNET notes, Microsoft's Windows 8.1 update will come with a "Start Tip," which sits in the lower left corner and allows users to return to a Start screen. This won't return you to the Start menu you're familiar with, but the Start screen will be customizable in a way that allows users to create a listing of applications that's similar to the Start menus of past Windows versions. 

For the most ardent critics of change in Windows 8, the 8.1 update is delivering something long-clamored for: an option to boot directly to the desktop. The fact that current versions of Windows 8 forced users to boot up in the tile-based interface has been the subject of much of the Windows 8 controversy.

Will Windows 8.1's changes be enough to satisfy most dissatisfied users? Probably not. The tile user interface remains at the center of the experience, even if booting to the desktop is now an option. Moreover, many of the changes to make Windows 8.1 feel more similar to Windows versions rely on customization. With many users complaining about a "steep learning curve," making users customize the experience doesn't exactly scream of simplification.

However, the changes could go a way in getting more adoption of Windows 8 in a key market: corporate users. While consumer interest in PCs has been cratering, corporate PC buying has been a far more steady force. Enabling options like booting to the desktop could lessen headaches for IT departments and persuade them to begin using Windows 8.

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Windows 8 was released just more than a year ago, evoking a collective groan from IT professionals and users alike. While much of the rumbling was due to the restyling of the interface, there were several outright bugs.

Microsoft has announced a new version of Windows 8, cleverly dubbed Windows 8.1, due next month. While many organizations have resisted taking the leap to Windows 8, it is apparent that Windows 8.1 will be a viable platform, ready for adoption by all.

The biggest complaint about Windows 8 was that the most basic components of the interface changed. In fact, most complaints were about old features that were eliminated (or masked) as opposed to the new features that were added.

Of course, we are talking about the elimination of the "start menu" and replacement of it with the "start screen." This is somewhat humorous, given the old joke that "only Microsoft would have you go the ‘start' menu to shut down your computer."

This probably would have been a reasonable change if Microsoft had provided a way to still use the old start menu. After all, many of the functions of the old start menu are still accessible by using the "windows-X" or "windows-W" key combinations. Bowing to pressure, Microsoft has announced that the start menu will reappear in Windows 8.1, dashing the get-rich-quick hopes of many software developers who came up with alternatives.

In fact, whether in classic Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, there are many ways to customize the interface to look similar to Windows 7 or even Windows XP. While this is fine for the individual user, it can be a pain in the okole for larger organizations to propagate these changes to hundreds or even thousands of computers. As such, many businesses and government agencies have stayed away from Windows 8.

Regardless, Microsoft and its hardware partners have been force-feeding us Windows 8, making it difficult to buy the latest hardware with Windows 7 loaded. Windows 8.1, however, is a free upgrade, akin to a major service pack. If history repeats itself, it should be a relatively simple upgrade. If, however, you are doing more than a handful of upgrades, you might want to hold off any purchases until 8.1 is actually shipping, pre-loaded.

With all the hubbub regarding Windows 8, one thing has been overlooked. Most software applications developed for Windows 7 run on Windows 8 with no issues! Coupled with "compatibility mode," a feature that allows applications specifically designed for older versions of Windows to run under Windows 8, this eliminates one of the major concerns when upgrading operating systems.

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John Agsalud is an IT expert with more than 20 years of information technology experience. Reach him at john­agsalud@yahoo.com.