Note that some of the new business features in Windows 8.1 Pro require a server running Windows Server 2012 R2 somewhere in the organization. You can find a good list of business features in the The IT Guide to Windows 8.1. It provides abilities such as joining corporate domains, participating in Group Policy, allowing involvement in Work Place Join and Work Folders, encryption and more. Pro – Windows 8.1 Pro is the operating system intended for small and medium-sized businesses.Basic Edition is great for those general consumers (mother, grandmother, father, step-uncle, far removed cousin). This version includes the core features, but none of the business features. Basic Edition – Windows 8.1 Basic Edition (or just Windows 8.1) is intended for home users.Windows 8.1 comes in three different versions: Basic Edition, Pro, and Enterprise.
With Windows 8.1 releasing to the masses it's important to get a handle on the functions the different 'versions' of Windows 8.1 are intended to serve and the differences in features.
