Appatic

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Windows 8.1 Is looking like a great update. And the first look video Microsoft just released is a good tease of that.

However one common question in some minds when they see Microsoft is labeling this as a .1 version increase to W8 instead of calling it a SP1 is, well, WHY? What is the kind of thinking that went to doing that?

Something I wanted to laid out from a Microsoft past history perspective.

The likely reason is because here is how "packs" were previously defined in Microsoftie terms:

Service Pack: A cumulus of security and performance updates or fixes.

There have however been service packs that were not just Service packs but also "power packs" like XP SP2 and Vista SP1.

Power Packs: Services packs that included new core features or notable revisions and tweaks.  They were obviously just called Service Packs because saying they were power packs would had been admitting fault. and Microsoft didn't developed a humble streak until post-vista.

Then there were the Plus Packs. Or OS Enhancement Packages. Seen for Win 95, Win 98 and Win XP. And later killed but sort of forcibly spun off as the Windows Vista Ultimate Extras.

Plus Packs were actually for sale or promo bundles.  And consisted of supplemental Microsoft software and swagware.

Windows 8.1 was then not named W8 SP1 because not only that would had not been an accurate reflection of the breath of update it is. But because it didn't communicated this was an expansive update on a new kind of Windows OS from a new Microsoft. Something only a version increase clearly communicates.

Windows 8.1 is in turn a Power Pack and Plus Pack in one single free update.

Personally I am glad they went with that and not with W8 SE.

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