These aren’t cosmetic differences Windows 8 and Windows RT look nearly identical, with the new tile-based Start Screen UI and the available desktop mode. While there are some small variations between Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, the biggest differences lie between those two - which have a full-featured Start Screen and desktop environments - and Windows RT, which is a mobile environment that runs only Windows Store apps and built-in software. Microsoft announced months ago that it will have three consumer versions of its upcoming operating system: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows RT. 26, you’ll want to make sure you know the differences between the various flavors of Windows 8 before purchasing a device or upgrade pack. Windows RT, an Arm version of Windows 8 that shipped without any kind of compatibility layer for desktop Windows apps, also helped build a foundation for the current Arm versions of the operating system.As Windows 8 and its accompanying devices launch on Oct. Windows 8 and 8.1 were never as popular, and they tried to force a touchscreen-centric user interface on people who didn't need or want it, but they did a lot to improve Windows' touchscreen support, and the era inspired enduringly popular PC designs like Microsoft's Surface and Lenovo's foldable Yoga convertible laptops. Windows 7 is fondly remembered for improving upon (and, to some extent, rebranding) Windows Vista. Linux, another frequently updated operating system that supports a wide range of PC hardware, also exists. PCs shipped with Windows 7 or 8 will mostly be too old to meet Windows 11's system requirements, though an unsupported install is an option. It should still install for free on most properly licensed Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs, it has most of the same system requirements, and it will be supported until at least October 2025. If you or someone whose computer you reluctantly support is still running Windows 7 or 8.1, the easiest escape hatch short of buying new hardware is an upgrade to Windows 10. But these operating systems will no longer receive the routine security updates and bug fixes that keep them relatively safe and functional for years after their release. It's not completely unprecedented for Microsoft to release one-off patches for severe security problems after an operating system's end-of-support date has passed. Advertisementįurther Reading “Too much and too soon”-Steven Sinofsky looks back at Windows 8, 10 years later For PCs in the Steam Hardware Survey, the number is currently hovering at around 2 percent. Statcounter says that both OSes count for just under 14 percent of all Windows PCs worldwide and closer to 8 percent in the US. Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs are rare and getting rarer, but both are still in relatively wide use given their age. That window has now closed, and Microsoft isn't offering a paid support option for Windows 8.1. Windows 7 support for most people actually ended three years ago, but businesses that still used it could pay for up to three years of additional support while they transitioned to Windows 10 or 11. Microsoft will also stop providing Microsoft Edge browser updates for these operating systems in a few days, and the remaining third-party apps that still work will eventually follow suit (Google Chrome support, most notably, ends early next month). These older versions of Windows (plus Windows RT) stop receiving all security updates today, over a decade after their original releases. It's the end of the line for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Further Reading Support for Windows 7 and 8 fully ends in January, including Microsoft Edge
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |