Windows 8, Office 2013, and Visual Studio 2012

I finally took the jump to Windows 8. I wanted to get used to the experience so I can answer questions about the new operation system.

Windows 8

The modern interface and its live tiles are interesting, but I have not found any compelling reason to use the modern start menu over the desktop. Most of the modern applications that I tested had less features than their desktop version. For example, Skype for the desktop has additional proxy settings that I require for the office, but these settings were missing from the modern Skype application.

Office 2013

The new office has a much clearer interface, but it still runs on the desktop. I had some problems with the new Outlook application freezing when working offline. The ability to edit PDF files is a big plus.

Visual Studio 2012

I love the new Visual Studio. The only issue I had with my older applications is that my setup projects are not compatible. The new SCRUM templates with TFS are nice.

PowerPoint Storyboarding is a big time saver.

One excellent resource that I discovered is the Microsoft Virtual Academy. There are many excellent free classes and resources to explore. Take a look at: http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com

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