CHAPTER 1 ■ GETTING STARTED
2
Acceptance
How did this dramatic change go over in the first year? If you listen to the press and the analysts, terrible. Not with the
operating system itself, but with the response from the masses. From “Where is my Start menu?” to “How do I print?,”
there were outcries about moved cheese and change. Were they legitimate complaints? It depends on your point of
view, but the quick release of Windows 8.1 bringing back the Start button and addressing some of the most common
complaints certainly adds credence to those people who weren’t happy with the original version.
Interestingly enough, in looking at the numbers from several different sites, Windows 8 adoption in the first year
rivals that of XP adoption in its first year. And if you are old enough to remember the Windows 95 revolution and the
outcry at that release, this is same old same old. Things change, people freak out, and then after the initial shock, they
settle down and start using the new software.
Fast-Release Cycle
Less than one year after the release of Windows 8, Microsoft released Windows 8.1 on October 17, 2013. Much more
than a service pack, this release addressed many of the issues that people were complaining about, such as the return
of the Start button and the ability to boot straight to desktop mode. Made freely available through the Microsoft Store,
the install rate for Windows 8.1 has been extremely high.
The Microsoft Store
How many times have you had to do tech support for a family member because he clicked on some random pop-up
on the Internet, or installed some software that a friend told him about? The main mechanism for getting apps is
from the Microsoft Store. Having that one central place to get apps for Windows 8/8.1 helps prevent rogue software
from getting installed, increasing the security and reliability of the device. It also provides a centralized location for
developers to place their app for others to find. For more information about submitting your app to the Microsoft
Store, please see Chapter 12.
What’s New in Windows 8.1
There are a lot of changes between Windows 8.0 and Windows 8.1. At the top of each chapter in this book, look for
the “What’s New in Windows 8.1” sidebar to get a high-level overview of the changes in Windows 8.1 concerning the
chapter’s topic. The chapters themselves are dedicated to using Visual Studio 2013 and Windows 8.1, with detailed
information is included in the body of each chapter.
Windows Design Guidelines
In order to get your apps accepted into the store, you must make sure they meet the seven traits of a great app and
also follow the five Microsoft design principles. There are additional technical requirements that will be discussed
in Chapter 11.
Let’s look at the seven traits of a great app first. To achieve greatness, it must:
Be fast and fluid•
Size beautifully•
Use the right contracts•
Invest in a great tile•
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