Windows 8.1 First Look

(2013-10-22)

So three weeks ago I upgraded my Windows 7 Pro laptop to Windows 8 Pro. Upgrade went smooth. Everything worked, no problems.

I even don't mind using Windows 8 for the most part, because my use pattern for Windows 7 has always been to hit the Windows key and type what I want. This more or less works the same way with Windows 8, except for having to select App or Settings or Files.

Why for the most part? Well, I do miss Aero, though. And gadgets. Gadgets can be fixed, but Aero is gone. And occasionally the Windows button doesn't work for some reason. I think some app or applet or something is hooking the Windows button in a way that the OS can't read. Don't know.

So I figured, what would be the harm of upgrading to Windows 8.1? New, shiny, but essentially the same as what I have, right?

Well no:

• The USB Display Port adapter didn't work. Win8 found it automatically. Win 8.1 refused to concede that it was even connected.
• When Win8.1 is started, it shows me a blue screen on the main display. I have to hit Windows, then click Desktop, to make it go away. I don't know what it is trying to tell me.
• It. Looks. Like. Ass. All the fonts are blocky and ugly. It was changing window sizes when I dragged them from one monitor to another. I don't know why it looks like ass, but this alone is enough to make me contemplate going back to Windows 8.

It is early days with this yet, and I may resort to just nuking the C: drive and installing everything from scratch, even though that will cost me at least a day of productivity.

We shall see.