Windows 8

I have installed the Weather Message Clients on a Windows 8 computer.  I am pleased to report that I did not have any trouble running the software. 

Users that are accustomed to using the Start button in Windows 7 may be initially lost with Windows 8.  When the tiled desktop appeared, I managed to get to the desktop.  Once there - "No Start Button".  The secret is to move the mouse to the lower left corner of the window.  Then a start tile appears.  Click on the start tile and you move back to the tiled desktop.

Moving the mouse the to lower right corner of the screen displays options to setup the computer.  The options that appear on the tiled start screen are different than the options that appear when you are viewing the desktop.  The options that appear on the desktop will lead you to the control panel.

My first impressions:  I think this operating system is designed for people with touch screens.  The regular desktop looks like Windows 7, less the start button.  The tiled desktop, is different.

It appears that we are moving into a new era of windows operating systems.  I must now start working on transitioning the Weather Message programs from Windows Forms to XAML so that we can take advantage of some of the new features in Windows 8.  That will be a major rewrite of the user interface.

Microsoft .Net Framework 4.5

Microsoft has release the Microsoft .Net Framework 4.5.  The 4.5 framework is an in-place update to the version 4.0 framework.  It includes a number of enhancements that improve the operation of programs developed for the 4.0 framework.

Weather Message uses the 4.0 framework.  I recommend that all Weather Message users update their systems with the 4.5 update.  You will find the update at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653.