Well kiddies, MS has given you back the start button they callously took from you in the last round of Windows. I can honestly say that I could tolerate Win 8, were it not for the grievous Crime Against Humanity Microsoft committed by effectively eliminating the System Image Backup utility.
I am not saying that cloud backup systems don't have their uses. They do, but they do not work for every situation. I am a gamer and computer hobbyist. I rely upon having a good image backup to cover my mistakes or when I choose to upgrade hardware. the clod er cloud isn't going to get my system up and running. I can restore the OS and and a my most critical apps in 20 mins with no harm done, or I can install the OS, call MS to get permission to activate again, install system drivers, run Windows Update several times and hope I haven't lost anything. Of course some asshat is going to tell me I have to buy a new copy of something I have already paid for, all of this because I wanted to fix a minor problem.
Windows 7 had a nice although primitive image backup utility that came in handy when I swapped out my OS HD for a SSD drive. Win 8 has one but you need to go to a certain backalley place, knock on a certain door and say "Bill Sent Me" to use it. Windows 8.1 has a backup too but I think it involves mystic arcane rites, bartering ones immortal soul, or was it selling your firstborn.
Well, you have a backup, but can you restore your system with it? All you need is that recovery media you didn't get. Yes if you had installed 8.1 from a DVD you're ok, but not if you took the download upgrade path like I did. For some stupid reason there is no universal restore utility.
I have a fantasy. In it someone creates an OS that is more powerful than windows, less expensive, and easier to use than MS windows. I will of course recommend the developers of windows for a place in the fast food industry.
