Question: I've found some references, [when looking for information on WAIK installs of Windows 8](http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/6824-professional-core-editions-windows-8-both-rp-setup-iso.html) of a varient called Windows 8 core, that can be installed off the professional edition disk. There's also a mention of it [on Win Super Site that says](http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-144015) 

> 
> The cheapest, called MSDN Operating Systems, costs $699 a year ($499
>  renewal), and of course includes Windows 8 (Core), Windows 8 Pro, and
>  Windows 8 Enterprise. You get five licenses each for Windows 8 Core
>  and Pro, and one Multiple Activation Key (MAK) for Windows 8
>  Enterprise.
> 
> 
> 

What is Windows 8 core? Is it the new 'home' edition or something else? What differentiates it from the pro and enterprise editions?

Answer: 
**The "Core" from "Windows 8 Core" simply emphasizes it is the "plain" Windows 8 and not one of the other versions (Pro, Enterprise, RT).**

Paul Thurrott of WinSuperSite explicitly names Windows 8 Core in his giant [comparison table of different Windows 8 editions](http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-secrets-book-guide-product-editions-144067) (notice the plain "Windows 8" is absent from the table because it is referred to as "Core"):

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9k4wy.png)

[More information about the different editions of Windows 8](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8_editions).
It means the "Home" edition for all intents and purposes. Perhaps the best source for this is MSFT's own site (for Windows programmers). Search for "PRODUCT\_CORE" here (which programmers rely on) and look at the "Meaning" column:

<https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms724358(v=vs.85).aspx>

Note that it currently refers to it as "Windows 10 Home" but all other editions have their own qualifiers (e.g., search for "PRODUCT\_PROFESSIONAL", "PRODUCT\_ENTERPRISE", etc.) In fact, prior to the release of Windows 10, the "Meaning" column for "PRODUCT\_CORE" (at the same link) referred to it as simply "Windows 8", which normally means the home edition by default (in the absence of the terms "Pro", "Professional" or "Enterprise").