http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsof...nfirms-its-dropping-windows-81-support-240407
Excerpt:
Windows 8.1 was hotly anticipated, and although it has some new features, it is still disliked by end users. The enterprise is affected in Server 2012 R2, which is also no longer supported . This just means that security updates are not available. The good news is that you can revert to Windows 8 and there is a hack to make Server R2 get updates through WSUS. But this is saying to me that Microsoft is about to dump it for a major revamp (Windows 9?). If it has Metro anywhere in it, I think that will sink Microsoft in the consumer PC Operating System market.
Having said that, I actually LIKE my Windows 8 (not 8.1). But that is because I am a professional and I have made it unlike Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. It acts like a much faster Windows 7, and it has a Start button, a full Start Menu and for all intents and purposes, it acts and feels like Windows 7. I never have to see the Metro screen. I have found Windows 8 to boot faster, run faster on less power, open programs faster, and play games better. But that was after several major and minor tweaks over the course of 6 months.
Excerpt:
Yes, you read that right: With three weeks left until Windows 8.1 end of support -- until the next round of security patches appear with Windows 8.1 not included in the party list -- Microsoft still hasn't figured out how to get Windows 8.1 Update out to the corporate update distribution channel.
There's been progress on one (rarely reported) error: Microsoft has a patch you can run if you're hitting error 80071A91 when installing Windows 8.1 Update. It's detailed in KB 2939087.
Tell me again Microsoft how you're cutting off Windows 8.1 updates so that "customers benefit from the best support and servicing experience"? Pshaw -- it sounds to me more like some customer-tone-deaf person in the organization has decided to minimize the patching budget by cutting off the company's most recent customers.
It's not a wise move at all.
Windows 8.1 was hotly anticipated, and although it has some new features, it is still disliked by end users. The enterprise is affected in Server 2012 R2, which is also no longer supported . This just means that security updates are not available. The good news is that you can revert to Windows 8 and there is a hack to make Server R2 get updates through WSUS. But this is saying to me that Microsoft is about to dump it for a major revamp (Windows 9?). If it has Metro anywhere in it, I think that will sink Microsoft in the consumer PC Operating System market.
Having said that, I actually LIKE my Windows 8 (not 8.1). But that is because I am a professional and I have made it unlike Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. It acts like a much faster Windows 7, and it has a Start button, a full Start Menu and for all intents and purposes, it acts and feels like Windows 7. I never have to see the Metro screen. I have found Windows 8 to boot faster, run faster on less power, open programs faster, and play games better. But that was after several major and minor tweaks over the course of 6 months.