[cpd2009]

So I decided to log into Webkinz... about a year or so after I logged in. My pets are fine, but hungry. I got tons of food for them.

I may start using Webkinz again. It's still rather fun to play and look after your pets, but they start putting video ads in-between transitions (between your house and the arcade for example). And last night, it was the same Lego Pokemon ad every time. Gets kind of annoying after awhile. Oh, and you can't skip it either.

Deluxe Membership lets you get rid of ads, but I'm not ready to bite on it yet. I would have to be a dedicated Webkinz player to get it.

Webkinz also continues to use Adobe Flash. :/ Ganz is keeping Webkinz maintained and, AFAIK, in good working order. Adobe is planning to EOL Flash in 2020, so I do hope they are planning on moving the site to HTML5. Adobe Flash also has the obvious security risks, and despite Ganz's best efforts, using so much Flash can invite disaster.

[huckleberrypie]

Even the likes of Newgrounds moved on to HTML5 in response to increasing mobile device usage... SMH

Anyway, thought I'd leave this here:

[cpd2009]

I should leave a YouTube video that convinced me to log into Webkinz... a little documentary on NeoPets, another online virtual pet site.

This is about 20 minutes, and it gives a good look into NeoPets and where it's at currently.

[cpd2009]

So the Windows Store on Windows 8.1 isn't working right now. I spent most of last night trying various things to fix it by going to the Microsoft Community forums, but later learned that others are experiencing the same issue. You can load the store and look at apps, but no apps can be downloaded. It will give you various error messages instead.

The lesson here is always check the MS Forums before trying to fix things so you don't waste time.

[huckleberrypie]

So the Windows Store on Windows 8.1 isn't working right now. I spent most of last night trying various things to fix it by going to the Microsoft Community forums, but later learned that others are experiencing the same issue. You can load the store and look at apps, but no apps can be downloaded. It will give you various error messages instead.

The lesson here is always check the MS Forums before trying to fix things so you don't waste time.

Haven't had much luck repairing MS Store apps or the MS Store itself either; the only other thing that would cure it in my case is if I perform an OS reset. :/

[cpd2009]

So the Windows Store on Windows 8.1 isn't working right now. I spent most of last night trying various things to fix it by going to the Microsoft Community forums, but later learned that others are experiencing the same issue. You can load the store and look at apps, but no apps can be downloaded. It will give you various error messages instead.

The lesson here is always check the MS Forums before trying to fix things so you don't waste time.

Haven't had much luck repairing MS Store apps or the MS Store itself either; the only other thing that would cure it in my case is if I perform an OS reset. :/

People are still posting on the MS Windows 8.1 discussion forms reporting the same issue I'm having, including identical error codes. Here is the link if interested:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind...07063e4ef1


The store was working last week, and other Modern/Metro apps continue to work fine.

[cpd2009]

In all honesty, I am getting thoughts about moving forward to Windows 10 again, as it's a perpetually supported OS with it's bi-annual upgrades. I still have my license key, and I can just create a USB drive for the install process. And I was actually starting to like some of the modern apps that were being released on the store.

Yes, there are negative aspects of the OS, such as the increasing amount of built in advertising and incompatibility with certain legacy programs. And with the recent Windows Store issue on 8.1, it appears MS won't be too quick to fix it seeing as how 8.1 is now in Extended Support. At least the Microsoft Store worked, and I was enjoying several of the apps that are Windows 10 exclusive. I was even getting used to the automatic updates and I really didn't mind them.

May as well move forward. Windows 8.1 is a solid OS, but with only a 7% market share, I'd imagine app support will soon cease. Many apps already dropped support for Windows 8.1.

EDIT: Nah, I'll stick with what I have. I guess if I want to go back to Windows 10, they would have to sort out the issues with the advertising and the forced app use (opening Email links in Edge regardless of browser choice, etc). And with the very large install base of Windows 10, perhaps users will complain enough that it will change.

[huckleberrypie]

Well, Win32 is still well supported by games, as most of them list Windows 7 as a minimum, so not much of a loss on your part if you decide to stay with 8.1.

[cpd2009]

Well, Win32 is still well supported by games, as most of them list Windows 7 as a minimum, so not much of a loss on your part if you decide to stay with 8.1.

True. I still want to play Cuphead, but luckily it's on Steam. I'm also liking the performance boost 8.1 has given Pearl.

I may invest in a better antivirus suite, or install Malwarebytes Premium. Windows 8.1 already has Defender, but Malwarebytes should take care of the more intrusive stuff. I still have a fear of ransomware despite doing my best to browse the web safely.

At this point, I would need a very good reason to go back to Windows 10, but so far, the forthcoming Spring Creators Update seems a bit like the same-old same-old... along with the websites-acting-as-apps, aka PWAs.

---

Decided to run a trial of AVG Internet Security, which I hope does a better job than the built in Windows Defender. I think the trial is 30 days, so if I decide to get a year, I can save some money to get a subscription... if AVG suits me well.

[huckleberrypie]

Well, Win32 is still well supported by games, as most of them list Windows 7 as a minimum, so not much of a loss on your part if you decide to stay with 8.1.

True. I still want to play Cuphead, but luckily it's on Steam. I'm also liking the performance boost 8.1 has given Pearl.

I may invest in a better antivirus suite, or install Malwarebytes Premium. Windows 8.1 already has Defender, but Malwarebytes should take care of the more intrusive stuff. I still have a fear of ransomware despite doing my best to browse the web safely.

At this point, I would need a very good reason to go back to Windows 10, but so far, the forthcoming Spring Creators Update seems a bit like the same-old same-old... along with the websites-acting-as-apps, aka PWAs.

Have you tried Avast lately? The paid tiers has ransomware protection bundled in.