Come on, what planet are you from? :-0 Sorry, but it is the software manufacturer's job to keep up with the OS, not the other way around. Everybody knew Win 8 was coming out, and were warned. It is just laziness on Magellan's part that it will not work on 8.1, not Micro$oft's. I saw where one person was writing to Micro$oft about it! Wow! Write to Donald Trump and The Pope too while you are at it, and see who answers first. ;-)
When Win XP came out, many programs that ran on Win 95, 98 and ME would not work anymore. I have a wonderful set of pinball games that will no longer work on any of my computers; last one they worked on was a Win XP (32 bit).
As an aside, I have a Garmin Nuvi in the car which I use to guide me turn by turn; lots easier than the Explorist! It works like a champ on Win 8.1.
Many don't like 8.1, but remember, MANY did not like XP or 7. Many still don't like Vista, though I do not understand it, because I still have a Vista machine, and that is how I upgraded the software in my Explorist GC, and use it to load geocaches onto it! Go Vista!
You folks with Win 8 or 8.1 machines need to find a friend with a Win XP, Vista or (I think 7 will work) 7 machine, or go find a used one - I have seen them at Goodwill for not much - and do your Magellan work on that until Magellan gets its self in gear. Win 8 and 8.1 ain't going away.