I have a product key for Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Pro (x64). I was wondering if it can be used as an everyday OS (listening to music, surfing the web, playing games)? I am aware that in Windows Embedded 8.1, metro apps/Windows Store are disabled. I was not going to use metro apps anyway. Do regular desktop applications work perfectly on Windows Embedded 8.1?
Why wouldn't they? It's still Windows 8.1 Professional underneath. It's like Media Center Edition (either 2002 or 2005) could do anything (and run any application) XP Professional could (except be a domain client- even that was fixable with a registry edit). It's why I hate when folks make assumptions that just because an OS has a primary use, it's the only use. Where would Windows itself be with that thinking?
No; they are different SKUs. And Embedded SKUs have different package management system than normal SKUs.
Based on all the replies so far, I assume that Windows Embedded 8.1 is pretty much similar to Windows 8.1. However, I would still want to know the real difference between the two.
It's short-sighted, and I've seen it before - which is indeed why I am calling attention to it. It's not merely conservative, but downright "chicken" - if I wanted chicken, I'd order chicken. I didn't go into IT in the first place (before the PC) to cater to chickens. Folks are only willing to get brave if they risk little to nothing; that's the attraction of Android (and to an extent iOS) after all - they underprice typical Windows hardware, therefore, the risk is small. In fact, they are cheap enough that users buy their own - therefore, the risk to business is (seemingly) little or nothing. It's like all of IT has become as risk-averse as old-school IBM.
Was wondering the same because Dreamspark gives me a key for Windows Embedded 8 Industry. Where does it say that you can't use Metro apps with it? As far as I know you need to build your Windows from different modules before you can use it. There are youtube videos of the system. And it looks like regular Windows 8 to me. Just waiting for Dreamspark to offer Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry.