Computer Software Review - Essay Example

Windows 8 is a software package that is produced by Microsoft, and it is an upgrade of windows 8.This software was released on June 2013, as a public beta. On the 27th of August 2013, Windows 8.1 was released for production, and on October 17th of 2013, the software package was released for general availability (Sosinsky, 2013). This software package is freely available for individuals who have a retail copy of windows 8, and their intention is to upgrade it to windows 8.1. The Lifecycle support policy of Microsoft treats windows 8.

1 in the same manner as the previous Microsoft windows software packages. However, unlike previous software packages, it is not possible to acquire windows 8.1 through the windows update program (Sosinsky, 2013). It was the intention of the developers of windows 8.1 to address the various complaints that users of windows 8 had. These complaints emanated from the difficulties in understanding the user interface of the software, to incompatibility problems with some important computer software programs (Sosinsky, 2013).

Visible enhancements introduced in windows 8.1 includes an improvement in the start screen, a tight integration of OneDrive, additional number of snap views, internet explorer 11, an additional bundled apps, a unified search system that is empowered by Bing, capability of restoring a visible start button on the computer taskbar, capability of restoring previous behavior of an opening of the desktop of a user on the login, as opposed to the start screen (Sosinsky, 2013). Furthermore, windows 8.

1 has managed to add support features for emerging technologies, such as 3D printing, high resolution displays, Miracast streaming, Wi-Fi Direct, etc. Furthermore, the user interface of windows 8.1 enables users to get the capability of easily interacting with the computer system. It uses a graphical user interface, and a point to click technology of the cursor and the mouse. This makes it to be very user friendly, giving users a good experience in using the computer system that is installed with windows 8.

1 (Sosinsky, 2013). It is important to understand that the common features of a graphical user interface include menus, and icons. In windows 8.1, the start screen is able to provide the first interaction that an individual has with the operating system. This is the first image that an individual sees in a monitor, once the system has been booted. It is able to provide an individual with an access to the tools, and applications of the commonly used programs of the computer system (Sosinsky, 2013).

Designers of Windows 8.1 designed its interface for the touch screen devices. Windows 8.1 has the capability of running applications that are hidden in the app bars. Furthermore, the modern apps found in windows 8.1 have a title bar (Sosinsky, 2013). This title bar appears when a user starts the modern app, and in circumstances when the user moves the cursor to the screens top. This enables a user to minimize or close the app in a manner that users of windows are accustomed to for many years.

In conclusion, in order to improve the functionality of windows 8.1, its manufacturers should not only customize it with Bing search engine, but also with Yahoo, and Google. This is because these are the most famous search engine software, and this enhances the capability of it becoming popular. Furthermore, there is a need of docking common computer application programs on the task bar. It is important to understand that this is a feature that was common in windows 7, and removed when windows 8 was introduced.

This led to an outcry of users, who alleged that the removal of this feature made it difficult to use windows 8. References:Sosinsky, B. A. (2013). Windows 8. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.