Published on April 16, 2012 By Island Dog In Personal Computing

One of my biggest gripes with Windows in past years has been the ridiculous amount of versions/SKU’s for Windows.  It was confusing to both consumers and business customers, and I was concerned this would happen again to Windows 8.  I was wrong and I am glad about that.

Today Microsoft announced the Windows 8 Editions and there are only a few to choose from:  Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT.

For PCs and tablets powered by x86 processors (both 32 and 64 bit), we will have two editions: Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. For many consumers, Windows 8 will be the right choice. It will include all the features above plus an updated Windows Explorer, Task Manager, better multi-monitor support and the ability to switch languages on the fly (more details on this feature can be found in this blog post),which was previously only available in Enterprise/Ultimate editions of Windows. For China and a small set of select emerging markets, we will offer a local language-only edition of Windows 8.

Windows RT is the ARM version and will only be available on PC’s and Tablets pre-installed.  This edition will also include a touch optimized version of Office.

I’m glad they have simplified Windows 8, and I’m looking even more forward to getting the final release.

Check the Windows Blog for a comparison of features between editions.

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/04/16/announcing-the-windows-8-editions.aspx

 


Comments (Page 3)
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on Apr 19, 2012

I'm holdin' out for Win 13. That should be the one what melts  our lappies and desktops into slag. Then we can all gang up on Microstuff and demand restitution. As unlikely as that sounds.

on Apr 19, 2012

Sorry to have found this so late into the thread. Might help folks decide which version they might want/need:

on Apr 19, 2012

So no direct upgrades from Vista?  For the Vista to 7 upgrade, MS was a little loose in the use of the word "upgrade".  Yes, you could upgrade from Vista Ultimate to 7 Premium, meaning you paid the upgrade price, but it was a clean install, not an upgrade installation.  That meant every app had to be reinstalled.  That's the main reason I didn't upgrade from Vista to 7.  With 2 Ultimate PCs, the upgrades would have cost $438, unless I was willing to reinstall everything.

on Apr 19, 2012

Depending on your equipment (age, cpu, RAM, etc), and the fact that clean installations are better than upgrades, you might be better off with a clean install on a new system rather than a sluggish, strained system...

From what I've read, there will be a direct path from XP and Vista to 8 using online installation. There might also be DVD's available but MS hasn't mentioned price.

The online option will supposedly drop installation time and number of clicks: The latter by 82%. You won't have to wrestle with a 25 letter/digit key using the online installation.

I wonder if "No bloatware/trialware" will be an option.

on Apr 20, 2012

I understand a clean install is preferable but I don't have a week to reinstall all my apps.  It's absurd that MS still treats its users as if they're buying their first OS.  There's zero reason why they can't do the equivalent of a clean install of the OS while porting the apps.  Laplink can do it, why can't MS?

on Apr 20, 2012

gevansmd
 
However, beyond its appearance, forcing desktop and notebook users into a touch screen interface is stupid.  The x86 and ARM versions are already incompatible enough they could have simply kept Metro for tablets and the old desktop for keyboard based PCs.  My first reaction to Metro was a Facebook post I made, "Microsoft porting its ugly and failed Windows 7 phone interface to the desktop."

I used the dev preview and the consumer preview, and I've yet to see this mythical 'touch only interface'.

Although the dev preview UI was pretty awful, and the consumer preview could use tweaking for large monitor/high resolution users.

At any rate, can't wait for the release preview.

on Apr 21, 2012

Stupid ballmer signing off on stupid UI- this is what happens when you put someone who doesn't no jack shit about computers and software to run a software and hardware company.. Hes no Steve Jobs.. and this metro bs is the worst innovation in software history--hes such a muppet. 

 

 

 

on Apr 21, 2012

@Savug, I did not mean the interface only works with touch screens but it is obviously designed for them first and foremost.  Forcing a mouse user to do endless horizontal scrolling was a bad choice.

on May 01, 2012

Customise win8 to what you want when it goes rtm!. So far from what I have seen it's faster than win7 with slightly better interface. Dont like metro?? swap it out for the desktop that your more familliar with.

 

It's still in beta last time I looked

on May 02, 2012

Just saw this video in my list and had a good laugh.

on May 02, 2012

if he can't figure it out what  hope have I got hehehehe, nah I am sticking with what I know and that is windows 7 I don't like 8

on May 02, 2012

Somebody over there at Redmond has access to youtube. There's no way they can miss it.

on May 02, 2012

[quote who="Hawawaa" reply="40" id="3143313"]Just saw this video in my list and had a good laugh.

@Hawawaa jupp but he had proven his point after 3 minutes and he could have just helped him out - to be honest i hate that cast ...

sorry

on May 02, 2012

It's still pretty much interface FAIL if there's no obvious way to navigate back to the interface.

on May 02, 2012

Should I reserve a seat at the Improv? They roast stuff like that don't they? Better stock up on some popcorn.

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