Microsoft nails the Windows 8.1 Consumer Upgrade Process

Upgrading PCs from Microsoft Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 has been one of the better, and smoother Microsoft operating system upgrades I can remember.

For one, Microsoft seems to have learned that in order to connect with consumers, and to improve upon the fortunes of the much and unfairly maligned Windows 8, it had to deliver a superior end user upgrade experience.

It has delivered on that.

If it intends to convert the current 100 million or so purchasers of Windows 8 to happy users, it had no choice.

Over this weekend, I initiated upgrades to about half of the PCs here at The Orbiting O’Odua in order to test for the user upgrade experience.

Apart from a Microsoft Surface RT tablet, every upgrade went swimmingly.

This, despite the fact that bandwidth was extremely slow, and I mostly left each system unattended. Unlike in the past, there weren’t distribution logjams with CDNs.

With such an easy upgrade experience, I think Microsoft just might be able to get happier Windows 8x users.

Now, if only the VITOs at Microsoft can get off their silly margin obsession, and make upgrades from Windows 7 and below much cheaper!

© 2002 – 2013, John Obeto for Blackground Media Unlimited