Windows 8/8.1/Server 2012/RT Overkill and Underkill
Windows 8 was released in 2012 and was a major departure from the traditional Windows interface.
It was designed to be more touch-friendly and was optimized for tablets and other touch devices.
The Start menu was replaced with the Start screen, which featured live tiles that displayed real-time information.
The addition of the Microsoft Store allowed users to download apps and games directly to their devices using a trusted platform.
The OS also forced Secure Boot which the Linux community was not happy about, as it locked the PC from other OS's bring used.
While it wasn't majorly buggy or had any horrible issues, Desktop users were not happy with the changes, especially the lack of a Start menu.
Windows 8.1 was brought to address these issues in 2013, however it didn't help Microsoft as the majority of users stayed with Windows 7.
Windows Server 2012 was released alongside Windows 8 and was designed to be more cloud-friendly and included new features like Storage Spaces and Hyper-V 3.0.
Server 2012 was much more well received than its twin sister OS, Windows 8. Windows RT was also released as a dedicated version of Windows for ARM devices, it wasn't
super popular and only supported apps from the Microsoft Store.
Windows 10/Server 2016 Cleanup for the Ages
Windows 10 was released in 2015 and was a major cleanup of Windows 8.1. It brought back the Start menu and allowed users to boot directly to the desktop, as well as
the ability to run Metro apps in a windowed mode. The OS was designed to be more user-friendly and was optimized for both touch and non-touch devices. Windows 10 on release
was hailed as the "final version of Windows" due to Microsoft integrating a rolled-model of updates and used the Windows 10 base on other devices such as the Xbox One and Windows Phone.
To get more users to upgrade, Microsoft offered free upgrades for Windows 7 and 8 users; it had a slow launch, and privacy concerns plagued the OS early on, but it has since become the most popular version of Windows.
Windows Server 2016 was released alongside Windows 10 and was designed to be more cloud-friendly and included new features like Nano Server and Docker support. Both versions of Windows were highly successful as well as
influential on the PC market for years to come.
