Awesome. We get it for free I just hope I can do that clean install like how I can with my Windows 8 upgrade copy.
me too or early september, windows 8 is absolutely great in terms of the kernel enhancements they made, going from Windows 7 non-UEFi to Windows 8 UEFI was a absolutely awesome experience in form of boot speed and overall snappiness, the only thing i thought of my Mainboard was actually that phrase after i was so stunned. Is there actually somewhere listed what upgrades the 8.1 Kernel is getting?
I think RTM is still set for this month, for OEMs, chances are it will appear online before October MSDN / Technet should still get it earlier than October too
I'd imagine it will replace the base Windows 8 copies so it's probably priced the same, otherwise it's a free update very similar to a service pack. (No need for normal W8 when 8.1 comes out since it fully replaces/updates it.)
Doesn't make much sense for MS to continue selling Windows8 and requiring people to download 8.1 after purchase. Would make more sense for MS to replace the retail/OEM Windows8 copies with Windows8.1 install discs.
What's in it for Enterprises? Can we customise the Start Screen without having to rollout a new 'appsfolder.itemdata-ms' everytime we change something on the Start Screen? Hopefully it will be more friendly to administer via Group Policy and Server 2008 than the current effort which is severely lacking unless you go through the hell of adding a Server 2012 box to your Domain and making it your Primary DC, FSMO and all just to get the full set of Group Policy items for Windows 8 and IE10.
Ballmer should have been given the boot....but the board seems to like his method of responding to market trends a few years too late and then abandoning markets after implementing a piss-poor business plan. Windows8 got a rather poor reception, which we're all well aware of. The problem is though, that MS is now bowing to those demanding the start button. The right way to solve the issues, would be to give everyone what they want.....not just 1 group or the other. For those determined to stay with a Windows7 style desktop, there should be an option presented during install to do so. For those of us that want the "Metro" start screen, there should be an option during install to do so. For those that want this bastardized combination, there should be an option during install to do so.... There's no reason at all that MS can't cater to all 3....