Microsoft's major Windows 8.1 Update is available for download, and the software giant is pressuring users to install its software refresh more so than ever before. The update brings many improvements for non-touch Windows users alongside a selection of smaller tweaks, including an interface change that lets the task bar be accessed even when using full-screen apps or the Start Menu.

In release notes yesterday, Microsoft announced the surprising news that consumers and businesses will have just weeks to install the update or their systems will no longer receive future patches starting in May. The announcement doesn't mean that businesses not updating immediately won't ever be able to update — the option will be there for the foreseeable future — but it does mean Microsoft will leave customers unwilling to install the major update out of the general weekly patch cycle. By all accounts, the improvements introduced in the Windows 8.1 Update are extremely welcome, so Microsoft's decision to push consumers into keeping their software up-to-date is just one of many reasons for you to update your OS sooner rather than later.