Office 2013 and Visual Studio 2012

After installing Windows 8, I also installed Office 2013 and Visual Studio 2012.  So far I have noticed only one improvement over previous versions: in Word you can now edit a PDF file, which is nice.  Other than that, it seems pretty much as in previous versions.  No doubt there are bug fixes and new features but they don't jump out at a person, I'll tell you that.  I think they have also reached maturity, so one wonders, what's next for Microsoft?

Moving from Windows 7 to Windows 8

I wouldn't call it an upgrade, nor a downgrade either - maybe a "sidegrade"?  Anyway, I installed Windows 8 Pro on my 2010 Gateway desktop machine.  The installation process went smoothly.  Microsoft's migration procedure is well done.  I've used Windows 8 for two weeks now, and here are my thoughts on it:

Pro:

1. I have two monitors and Windows 8 allows different desktop backgrounds on them, unlike Windows 7.  And it will even auto change them alternatively - nice.
2. One really annoying bit about Windows 7 is fixed: when copying files to a server, Windows 7 plopped the progress dialog box on top of the do-you-want-to-overwrite dialog box, so you had to move the progress box to another place in order to click on the overwrite choice.  Doesn't happen in Windows 8 - yay!
3. Windows 8 has a nice selection of free games.  I do miss Wes Cherry's original Klondike, though.

Con:

1. The Metro interface is lame, at least on a large screen desktop computer with a mouse, like mine.  And you need to use it, because the start menu is removed.  But there is a fix: StartIsBack is a $3 (for two licenses) app that duplicates the Windows 7 start menu faithfully.  Well worth the three bucks.
2. Desktop gadgets are gone.  I didn't like them for awhile but changed my mind. There's a fix: download 8gadgetpack for free.
3. Can't play DVDs.  I purchased Media Center from Microsoft for $10 to add this feature.  Save your money. It's a disappointment.  Media Center is hard to work with a mouse - seems meant for xBox or a touchscreen.  And it has few features. Then I downloaded the free open-source VLC Media Player - much better, works great.

P.S.  Two more things: PRO the photo viewer can now rotate iPhone pictures.  CON my Synology Data Replicator backup program stopped working right.