7 ms·

Windows 8.1 quietly gets released to manufacturers

54 points by mboses 13y ago

voidz 13y ago
Smart. You don't want to be laughed out of the shops again. :-D
tux 13y ago
With all this revelations about spying and hacking and people still use windows. Priceless! I bet Bill Gates laughing his ass off, and at same time uses Mac/Linux him self O_o
- locofacetwice 13y ago
  It doesn't matter what you use, your traffic is recorded anyway. I pity fools that think that just because they installed Ubuntu are now safe and sound.
- kumarharsh 13y ago
  which medication are you on?
- nivla 13y ago
  You are right.. Let me switch over to SELinux... but wait that was made by NSA themselves... Playing around the paranoia, don't you think the NSA would have taken a minute to think, Gee we forced Microsoft and Apple to include backdoors in their OSes, maybe we should now tackle the OS that powers 90% of the web? You know maybe we could slip a backdoor in the one of the utility apps such as "htop". Let's get serious, OpenSource is not always = Secure and Closed Source does not always = InSecure. Truecrypt is the perfect example: Open sourced but too complex to Audit, maintainers identities are unknown and offered binaries differ from manual compilation. A good rule of thumb: Assume anything you din't write or can't audit as insecure.
  - inthewind 13y ago
    Yes, worrying. http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/allegations-openbsd-backdoors-may-be-true http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/allegations-openbsd-back... Not sure what was confirmed on that story, but I remember reading it and thinking there wasn't much chance that I'd ever be able to audit my own system.
    - jodrellblank 13y ago
      There's no chance at all that you completely could. http://cm.bell-labs.com/who/ken/trust.html http://cm.bell-labs.com/who/ken/trust.html Ken Thompson, 1984, explains how to get a system with perfectly clean source code to compile a hacked 'login' binary every time. "In demonstrating the possibility of this kind of attack, I picked on the C compiler. I could have picked on any program-handling program such as an assembler, a loader, or even hardware microcode. As the level of program gets lower, these bugs will be harder and harder to detect. A well installed microcode bug will be almost impossible to detect."
  - mattl 13y ago
    truecrypt isn't open source, its proprietary with published source.
    - foobarbazqux 13y ago
      It's been open source since 2009, they just haven't gone through the formalities of getting the license approved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueCrypt#Licensing_and_Open_Source_status https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueCrypt#Licensing_and_Open_S...
dave1010uk 13y ago
I believe Windows 8.1 ships with IE11, which means now all current desktop browsers support WebGL! http://caniuse.com/#search=webgl http://caniuse.com/#search=webgl
- abrowne 13y ago
  Safari still requires turning WebGL on in the (also off by default) developer menu.
  - glhaynes 13y ago
    Any idea why this is? I think I remember seeing some WebGL security concerns back when it was first getting going, but I assume those have been mitigated by now. I guess it's just Safari being behind on implementation?
300bps 13y ago
Just checked my MSDN subscription - RTM is still not available there. Latest version available is still Windows 8.1 Preview. For anyone curious here's a good list of changes from 8.0 -> 8.1 right from Microsoft: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dn140266.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dn140266.aspx
- harrytuttle 13y ago
  They're not throwing RTM out to MSDN subscribers from what I hear. Not good. My sub expires in 3 months and I will not be renewing it. We're freezing dev and moving off .Net and Windows due to shit like this, rising costs, audits and MS support being beyond fucking useless unless you're a multi million pound customer.
  - wluu 13y ago
    It'll be free to all existing Windows 8 users at some stage in October (17th I think?). And as I've read elsewhere, will be on MSDN around the same time. I'm curious as to what you mean by "shit like this", as that seems to be quite a broad statement without specifics. I work for a small'ish ISV, and find the MSDN offering to be quite decent. Also, make use of your Azure benefits while you still have those 3 months left! http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/member-offers/msdn-benefits/ http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/member-offers/msdn...
  - 300bps 13y ago
    They're not throwing RTM out to MSDN subscribers from what I hear Historically, Microsoft has released RTM versions to MSDN and TechNet subscribers within a couple weeks after the RTM is official. With Windows 8.1, you can't get a U.S. based spokesperson to say whether they are continuing this policy. They all say "no comment". Just like when you ask them if Windows 8.1 was RTM'd - "No comment". You gave no citations for anything you said, but I'm guessing you're basing it on the single Microsoft employee from the Netherlands that put out a message that said MSDN/Technet would be released at general availability. That's hardly official. We're freezing dev and moving off .Net and Windows due to shit like this A rumor that Windows 8.1 RTM would not be available to MSDN subscribers before GA is "shit like this" that makes you move off of .NET and Windows? audits Need an explanation of this one. The only time I've ever heard of an MSDN subscriber getting audited was taking MSDN .iso files and keys and posting them to torrent sites for something like 5 years before they said a word to him. MS support being beyond fucking useless unless you're a multi million pound customer. MS development support is useless and always has been no matter how big of a customer you are. The typical chain is: find a problem, report it to MS, solve it yourself, they email you asking for additional information. Been like that for at least the last 15 years. Vendor support is useless anyway when there're much better resources like Google to find quality sites like Stackoverflow.
pcunite 13y ago
I want Windows to do well, I wish them no harm. But I feel that sadly, "8" has become another "Vista" (perception). I'm bored with any news about it and barring some really big changes there is not going to be anything left to woo me to it. I hope the next CEO of Microsoft has some empathy for people who use their products. A little bit more care should be considered before forcing broad sweeping changes. As big and as profitable as they are, would it have killed them to have different GUI options available (classic 7 mode)? I skipped Vista initially because there was no "UP" button for folder navigation. I had to install FileSearchEX for Windows 7. Maybe I'm in the 5% eccentric crowd.
- wluu 13y ago
  Another Vista? Hardly. As someone who has used Windows 8, and recently moved back to a PC with Windows 7. I think 8 is actually an improvement. Lots of little UI things that I really like (the copy dialog is much improved). Sure, there are things that need improving. I sincerely hope I can turn off the start button in Win 8.1 rtm.
  - pcunite 13y ago
    I want the underlying improvements too. I just wish the GUI changes weren't so jarring. When I say "Vista", I mean the perception, not the quality.
    - creatio 13y ago
      What GUI changes are jarring? I've been using it for 6 months and I would not go back to 7 because of the GUI changes alone. I'm starting to think I'm the only one that actually likes 8.
      - Radix_ 13y ago
        You aren't. I really like it but the disconnect between old style apps and the new style is jarring. The new apps and interface would be great on a tablet but feels clunky on my old laptop with a bad track pad. Also searching has been compartmentalized so to do some searches you need to type Win+w and know why you search is blank. Of course Win+r is still there so in practice its pretty easy to avoid.
sergiotapia 13y ago
So Microsoft, I live in Bolivia; it's been quite a while now since Windows 8 has been released. Surely nearing 2014 I can _now_ purchase Windows 8 using my Paypal or Credit Card? Edit: Nope, your updater still says my country is unsopported. :( Get with the times MS.
- justthetip 13y ago
  Win8 is still so half-baked they are really doing you a favor.
- johansch 13y ago
  I think you are supposed to pirate windows 8 if you live in Bolivia. By the way, do you know if Apple "supports" Bolivia?
  - rbanffy 13y ago
    Dunno, but you can download and install Ubuntu 12.04 or Fedora 19 rather easily.
holms 13y ago
Just for the rumors. Barclays using windows8 with start button for a long time. At least 6 month from now :)
sbarre 13y ago
Does anyone know: Will Windows 8.1 be a free upgrade for existing Windows 8 customers? Edit: Did some googling, it will be a free upgrade (for anyone else wondering) through the Microsoft Store.
- inthewind 13y ago
  I've been reluctant to sign up to the store. As I don't want any syncing to the cloud, it's unclear to me what's stored at MSs end, and what the repurcussions are from doing so. This seems a tactical way to get us to sign up for a store account.

54 points by mboses 13y ago

voidz 13y ago

Smart. You don't want to be laughed out of the shops again. :-D

tux 13y ago

With all this revelations about spying and hacking and people still use windows. Priceless! I bet Bill Gates laughing his ass off, and at same time uses Mac/Linux him self O_o

locofacetwice 13y ago
It doesn't matter what you use, your traffic is recorded anyway. I pity fools that think that just because they installed Ubuntu are now safe and sound.
kumarharsh 13y ago
which medication are you on?
nivla 13y ago
You are right.. Let me switch over to SELinux... but wait that was made by NSA themselves... Playing around the paranoia, don't you think the NSA would have taken a minute to think, Gee we forced Microsoft and Apple to include backdoors in their OSes, maybe we should now tackle the OS that powers 90% of the web? You know maybe we could slip a backdoor in the one of the utility apps such as "htop". Let's get serious, OpenSource is not always = Secure and Closed Source does not always = InSecure. Truecrypt is the perfect example: Open sourced but too complex to Audit, maintainers identities are unknown and offered binaries differ from manual compilation. A good rule of thumb: Assume anything you din't write or can't audit as insecure.
- inthewind 13y ago
  Yes, worrying. http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/allegations-openbsd-backdoors-may-be-true http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/allegations-openbsd-back... Not sure what was confirmed on that story, but I remember reading it and thinking there wasn't much chance that I'd ever be able to audit my own system.
  - jodrellblank 13y ago
    There's no chance at all that you completely could. http://cm.bell-labs.com/who/ken/trust.html http://cm.bell-labs.com/who/ken/trust.html Ken Thompson, 1984, explains how to get a system with perfectly clean source code to compile a hacked 'login' binary every time. "In demonstrating the possibility of this kind of attack, I picked on the C compiler. I could have picked on any program-handling program such as an assembler, a loader, or even hardware microcode. As the level of program gets lower, these bugs will be harder and harder to detect. A well installed microcode bug will be almost impossible to detect."
- mattl 13y ago
  truecrypt isn't open source, its proprietary with published source.
  - foobarbazqux 13y ago
    It's been open source since 2009, they just haven't gone through the formalities of getting the license approved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueCrypt#Licensing_and_Open_Source_status https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueCrypt#Licensing_and_Open_S...

dave1010uk 13y ago

I believe Windows 8.1 ships with IE11, which means now all current desktop browsers support WebGL! http://caniuse.com/#search=webgl http://caniuse.com/#search=webgl

abrowne 13y ago
Safari still requires turning WebGL on in the (also off by default) developer menu.
- glhaynes 13y ago
  Any idea why this is? I think I remember seeing some WebGL security concerns back when it was first getting going, but I assume those have been mitigated by now. I guess it's just Safari being behind on implementation?

300bps 13y ago

Just checked my MSDN subscription - RTM is still not available there. Latest version available is still Windows 8.1 Preview. For anyone curious here's a good list of changes from 8.0 -> 8.1 right from Microsoft: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dn140266.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dn140266.aspx

harrytuttle 13y ago
They're not throwing RTM out to MSDN subscribers from what I hear. Not good. My sub expires in 3 months and I will not be renewing it. We're freezing dev and moving off .Net and Windows due to shit like this, rising costs, audits and MS support being beyond fucking useless unless you're a multi million pound customer.
- wluu 13y ago
  It'll be free to all existing Windows 8 users at some stage in October (17th I think?). And as I've read elsewhere, will be on MSDN around the same time. I'm curious as to what you mean by "shit like this", as that seems to be quite a broad statement without specifics. I work for a small'ish ISV, and find the MSDN offering to be quite decent. Also, make use of your Azure benefits while you still have those 3 months left! http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/member-offers/msdn-benefits/ http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/member-offers/msdn...
- 300bps 13y ago
  They're not throwing RTM out to MSDN subscribers from what I hear Historically, Microsoft has released RTM versions to MSDN and TechNet subscribers within a couple weeks after the RTM is official. With Windows 8.1, you can't get a U.S. based spokesperson to say whether they are continuing this policy. They all say "no comment". Just like when you ask them if Windows 8.1 was RTM'd - "No comment". You gave no citations for anything you said, but I'm guessing you're basing it on the single Microsoft employee from the Netherlands that put out a message that said MSDN/Technet would be released at general availability. That's hardly official. We're freezing dev and moving off .Net and Windows due to shit like this A rumor that Windows 8.1 RTM would not be available to MSDN subscribers before GA is "shit like this" that makes you move off of .NET and Windows? audits Need an explanation of this one. The only time I've ever heard of an MSDN subscriber getting audited was taking MSDN .iso files and keys and posting them to torrent sites for something like 5 years before they said a word to him. MS support being beyond fucking useless unless you're a multi million pound customer. MS development support is useless and always has been no matter how big of a customer you are. The typical chain is: find a problem, report it to MS, solve it yourself, they email you asking for additional information. Been like that for at least the last 15 years. Vendor support is useless anyway when there're much better resources like Google to find quality sites like Stackoverflow.

pcunite 13y ago

I want Windows to do well, I wish them no harm. But I feel that sadly, "8" has become another "Vista" (perception). I'm bored with any news about it and barring some really big changes there is not going to be anything left to woo me to it. I hope the next CEO of Microsoft has some empathy for people who use their products. A little bit more care should be considered before forcing broad sweeping changes. As big and as profitable as they are, would it have killed them to have different GUI options available (classic 7 mode)? I skipped Vista initially because there was no "UP" button for folder navigation. I had to install FileSearchEX for Windows 7. Maybe I'm in the 5% eccentric crowd.

wluu 13y ago
Another Vista? Hardly. As someone who has used Windows 8, and recently moved back to a PC with Windows 7. I think 8 is actually an improvement. Lots of little UI things that I really like (the copy dialog is much improved). Sure, there are things that need improving. I sincerely hope I can turn off the start button in Win 8.1 rtm.
- pcunite 13y ago
  I want the underlying improvements too. I just wish the GUI changes weren't so jarring. When I say "Vista", I mean the perception, not the quality.
  - creatio 13y ago
    What GUI changes are jarring? I've been using it for 6 months and I would not go back to 7 because of the GUI changes alone. I'm starting to think I'm the only one that actually likes 8.
    - Radix_ 13y ago
      You aren't. I really like it but the disconnect between old style apps and the new style is jarring. The new apps and interface would be great on a tablet but feels clunky on my old laptop with a bad track pad. Also searching has been compartmentalized so to do some searches you need to type Win+w and know why you search is blank. Of course Win+r is still there so in practice its pretty easy to avoid.

sergiotapia 13y ago

So Microsoft, I live in Bolivia; it's been quite a while now since Windows 8 has been released. Surely nearing 2014 I can _now_ purchase Windows 8 using my Paypal or Credit Card? Edit: Nope, your updater still says my country is unsopported. :( Get with the times MS.

justthetip 13y ago
Win8 is still so half-baked they are really doing you a favor.
johansch 13y ago
I think you are supposed to pirate windows 8 if you live in Bolivia. By the way, do you know if Apple "supports" Bolivia?
- rbanffy 13y ago
  Dunno, but you can download and install Ubuntu 12.04 or Fedora 19 rather easily.

holms 13y ago

Just for the rumors. Barclays using windows8 with start button for a long time. At least 6 month from now :)

sbarre 13y ago

Does anyone know: Will Windows 8.1 be a free upgrade for existing Windows 8 customers? Edit: Did some googling, it will be a free upgrade (for anyone else wondering) through the Microsoft Store.

inthewind 13y ago
I've been reluctant to sign up to the store. As I don't want any syncing to the cloud, it's unclear to me what's stored at MSs end, and what the repurcussions are from doing so. This seems a tactical way to get us to sign up for a store account.