Windows 8.1 was a relatively hated version of Windows upon its release. But was that just because we were using the wrong hardware or because Microsoft pushed everything out the window when they wanted to make Windows a touch-oriented OS? Maybe. Released in 2013 as a major release of Windows designed to replace Windows 8 (released in 2012), Windows 8.1 enjoyed the long run that you'd assume Windows 8 would get had 8.1 never been released or made. Windows 8 got off to a disastrous launch, as it sidelined Windows' core user base in favour of a touch oriented user interface that Microsoft desired after the launch of the iPad. Fun fact: An unreleased major feature update to Windows 8.1 would've seen the start screen transformed back into a start menu, with a metro touch. This would become the backbone for early Windows 10 builds, and was sidelined for that release. Windows 8.1 was discontinued in 2023, but that doesn't mean you can't still use it. Because we've already established the consensus that Windows 7 is still usable, it's no surprise that Windows 8.1 is also still usable. Fair point. Too bad non-Enterprise copies cannot sideload UWP applications. I hope you enjoy this video. The timestamps were never bad, only needed some adjustments in the beginning: 0:00 - Introduction 0:16 - Background 1:22 - An analysis of Windows 8 and 8.1 3:04 - The Computer (not a tablet =/) 3:55 - Starting Windows 8.1 4:35 - Non-Internet Metro Apps 10:03 - Internet Metro Apps 14:03 - Browsing the Internet 15:56 - Gaming 21:36 - Conclusion Credits: - Video edited in DaVinci Resolve - Audio Recorded using Audacity - Thumbnail edited in *** Images *** - - matt buchanan, CC BY 2.0 - - via Wikimedia Commons - - Microsoft Corporation, MIT - - via Wikimedia Commons #windows8 #microsoft #computers Also check me out on: WEBSITE: MASTODON: @steelsofliquid INSTAGRAM: DEVIANTART: BLUESKY: GITHUB: DISCORD: SUBREDDIT: TWITCH: SCRATCH: If you're reading this than let me tell you this video took an absurd amount of time to make, this end result is nearly 40 gibibytes so feel free to share this to a friend or something I don't know, it doesn't matter a lot to me despite the fact this video is my magnum opus in my opinion. the duality of me: proud of my work, but i also don't care too much about it. meh.