On Day 6 of the 30 Days with Surface Pro series I explored using the Windows Store to find and install new apps. In a business environment, though, that may not even be possible. You have to log in to Windows 8 with a valid Microsoft ID in order to access the Windows Store, but if the Surface Pro is connected to a Windows network domain, the IT admin has to configure policies to allow you to also connect with a Microsoft ID.
However, when it comes to installing legacy Windows software on a Surface Pro business users may have an advantage.
The Surface Pro doesn’t have a built-in DVD drive, so installing Windows applications from a DVD is tricky. There are some ways to work around the lack of a DVD drive, but they require having access to a DVD drive one way or another–something which a consumer may not have available, but is very likely to exist somewhere at a business. It can be on a server, or another desktop or laptop, but a business typically has a lot more hardware available than an average home user.
Being connected to a network domain is also an advantage in this scenario. Software can be uploaded to shared folders on the network and you can install it from there as a workaround for the lack of DVD drive.
Read Surface Pro, Day 7: Installing software for more about the different ways to install legacy software on a Surface Pro tablet.
