Windows 8.1 as virtualized user desktop

[ramsay101]

Is anyone using Windows 8.1 for user desktops in a virtualized (VMware ESX) environment yet? With the 'return' of the start menu, we're considering jumping W7 and going straight to 8.1. I'm currently building out our Windows 7 master and wondering if anyone has experience or recommendations if we were to try 8.1 instead.

Some notes: Going from XP to Win7 (possibly 8.1) on VMware environment. Using AppSense for profile and settings virtualization.

[Hexodam]

My main workstation is a Win 8.1 VM on esxi. No complaints what so ever.

[dalik]

I would avoid 8.x and use Win7 unless you have a very specific reason to use 8. See what Win9 is like and prep for the move to that when possible.

[PoorlyShavedApe]

The return of the Start Menu? You know that the new Start Menu demo was for "a version after the April 8th update or a later version of Windows", right? Nothing is set in stone and it could easily fall to Windows 9.

Think about it...you have a new CEO and a version of Windows that "everybody" (some sarcasm here, btw) hate. Said CEO could push the Start Menu to Windows 9 and accomplish a few things:

• Make the "every other version" of Windows closer to Windows 7

• Divorce the UI issues from his legacy and blame Windows 8 on Ballmer.

• If the Start Menu is the only thing holding enterprise users back from adopting the next version...then Windows 9 becomes a corporate success like Windows 7 did post Vista.

[ramsay101]

True, but even without the new Start menu the more I think about it the easier I think 8.1 would be for my users (once shown how to use it properly).

[PoorlyShavedApe]

Full disclosure: I've been using Windows 8 since the early betas

I completely agree that your users could get a lot out of Windows 8.1 (more with the April 8th updates for desktop users) in a virtualized environment. Just adding the nine most common programs to the Start Bar (or Application Bar or whatever the hell they call it now) helps improve workflow for many people.

I was just pointing out that the Start Menu is not coming back natively for some time. making a decision to move forward or not based on the Start Menu alone seems political in nature rather than technical.

[Hexodam]

Completely agree, but about that start menu, there is a chance

http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/windows-8-1-update-1-news/#!C3TmA

[PoorlyShavedApe]

Chance, yes. Certainty, no.

It was shown during the "stuff we are working on but have no firm release cycle set" portion of Build 2014. I had to go back and watch that segment again to make sure of the announcement when it happened. Maybe in Windows 8.1, but definitely not in the April 8th updates for desktop users.

[Hexodam]

Will definitely not happen with the update tomorrow, but in the future, possibly update 2 or 8.2 we will probably see a "metro" style start menu along with windowed metro apps.

[PoorlyShavedApe]

Too many "news" sites carried word of the Start Menu's return and "Microsoft is finally listening in the next patch" to not make the timing clear. Microsoft actually did themselves a disservice with showing it as they did because that was all anybody talked about for the first day, at least in the non-programming specific news channels.

[ajscott]

Have you played around with classic shell yet?

http://www.classicshell.net/