Windows 8 is based on Windows 7, and Microsoft has improved its performance, security, privacy, and system reliability. In terms of hardware requirements, Windows 8 is exactly the same as Windows 7. In addition to the x86 and x64 architectures, Windows 8 has added support for arm on-chip systems.
Connectivity and Wi-Fi and mobile broadband
Windows 8 automatically selects a network with better signals for connection and allows applications to control their bandwidth usage. In a network with traffic restrictions, Windows 8 automatically blocks network connections to prevent unnecessary charges.
Windows 8 improves its Wi-Fi hotspot connection function and regards the mobile broadband network as a Metering Network. Users can also quickly control wireless signals to realize the "flight mode" of computers ".
Device Applications and drivers
When a user connects to a new windows-certified device such as a digital camera or TV, the metro-style device application can be started to help the user complete hardware-related tasks such as importing/sharing photos. Microsoft provides hardware vendors with a way to customize the device application interface through metadataxml information to achieve unique hardware experience for different devices, regions, and countries.
Windows 8 also has built-in drivers for a large number of new devices, such as printers, various sensors, and touch screens. In most cases, drivers can be used without additional installation. The new HID drivers support commonly used sensors such as heat, light, temperature, and pressure.
Security, encryption/decryption, smartscreen
The data access model of an application is improved in Windows 8. You can control the data and resource access permissions of all applications. For hmtl5 + JavaScript applications, the security model is similar to scripts in the browser.
Windows 8 also simplifies programming interfaces for encryption, decryption, and digital signature. Developers can also quickly add certificates to applications that use SSL encryption to provide users with an error-free experience.
When downloading or running a file, smartscreen in Windows 8 scans to ensure that the requested URL or program does not pose a security threat to the computer. Windows 8 also has built-in windowsdefender security software. Microsoft-certified third-party software can also load its own driver in the startup process.
In addition, Windows 8 also performs security detection when it is started. If a non-Microsoft signature component is detected, the system enters the Windows Recovery environment for automatic repair.
Windowstogo
Enterprise itpro can provide startup USB storage devices including Windows 8 for enterprise users, and run Windows 8 and enterprise applications, data, and settings on USB storage devices to reduce the risk of information leakage.
Applocker
Applocker allows enterprises to manage specific users or user groups to use or disable a desktop or metro-style application.
Windows 8 also improves some other enterprise functions, including directaccess, bitlocker, deployment tools, Windows activation based on the Active Directory, and client hyper-v, more rigorous system start detection.
Windowsruntime and Application Model
Windowsruntime (winrt) is a series of APIs used to build Metro-style applications. It supports JavaScript, C ++, C #, and vbprogramming languages. The new winrt also includes a subset of traditional Win32, COM, And. netframeworkapi. developers can also use HTML5 and css3api for development.
Other Microsoft programming frameworks such as. netframework or windowscruntime libraries can access winrtapi. Existing x86 applications must be rewritten to run on the ARM architecture, while new metro applications can run directly.
Metro style applications and games
In Windows 8, the development of Metro-style applications is divided into three solutions:
-HTML5 and css3 are used to build the interface and JavaScript is used as the application logic;
-The XAML build interface. c ++, C #, or vB are used as the application logic;
-For game development, C ++ and directx11.1 can be used to make full use of hardware performance or casual and lightweight games developed using HTML5 or XAML;
-Windows Shell integration, media, and sensors;
When developing a metro-style application, developers can take full advantage of the new features of Windows 8, such as AppBar, edge, livetiles, and interaction between applications.
Winrt can access audio or video data completely through JavaScript or XAML, and can also achieve camera shooting, encoding, and playto functions. Winrt also provides component interfaces for fast access to sensor devices, and WIN32API can also input sensor data through a small amount of code.
Internetexplorer10 Development
Internetexplorer10 provides development support for many modern standards such as HTML5, css3, SVG, and hardware acceleration for Web developers. The ie10 platform supports local storage, indexeddb, application caching, asynchronous scripts, webworkers, websockets, HTML5 file APIs, drag-and-drop operations, history, and sandbox.
Liveconnect
Liveconnect provides a series of controls and APIs that can integrate windows liveid Single Sign-On (SSO), SkyDrive, Hotmail, and Messenger Information in applications. This can be considered as the next generation of messengerconnect. More content will be introduced in the new article.
Visual studio11, expression Blend
Visual Studio 11 and expressionblend will be the main tools for Windows 8 application development. For HTML5 applications, DirectX and HLSL games, and device-driven development, both Vs and blend have new improvements and a series of related tools. Visual Studio also supports one-click "release to Windows App Store ".
In addition, Microsoft's longest product name has already appeared: Microsoft visualstudio 11 express for windows#preview.
The tools for developers are as follows:
1. Web Developer Tools
Microsoft's support for HTML5 is quite powerful. On Win8, we can use currently popular HTML5, JavaScript, and css3 to develop Windows applications. Of course, all these tools are integrated into powerful Visual Studio. If you download the Windows Developer Preview with the development tool, it contains the latest Visual Studio. Windows Runtime (winrt) is called Windows runtime in Win8 documents ). That is to say, Microsoft has implemented a mechanism that allows application developers to use winrt to write programs in HTML or other Web languages to perform corresponding functions and hardware operations at the underlying layer. This is similar to what phonegap and WAC 2.0, which are currently acquired by Adobe, do. Connected to the Web end and device API, but currently HTML5 applications are generally poor in performance and run slowly. We hope Win8 can overcome these shortcomings.
2.. Net Developer Tools
Many netizens commented that supporting. Net on Win8 is a historical burden of Microsoft. In my personal opinion, this is not a burden of history, but a fortune of Microsoft. Adding a large number of. NET developers to the Win8 ecosystem is obviously the biggest win-win situation.
. NET developers can use C ++, C #, Visual Basic and XAML to write Win8 applications. This development tool is Visual Studio .. NET developers can also use WRT to call underlying APIs. The good news is that the new metro style app SDK supports the traditional Win32, COM (componenet, Objective Model), and. NET Framework.
3. c ++ developers
C ++ specifically enhances the development of the metro Interface
4. Game Developer Tools
Game developers can use C ++ and DirectX 11.0 to develop games and make full use of the graphic performance of hardware. You can also use HTML5 and XAML to develop games.
5. Driver Developer Tools
Visual Studio Express provides some column-based tools for developing, writing, integrating, testing and verifying the driver code. At the same time, the new HID class supports the vast majority of sensors on the market. (Gravity sensor, acceleration sensor, etc ). Shows the development interface.
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