Window 8
- Thread starter Walter
- Start date
Yeah, I think it sucks. I installed it on my laptop six months ago (no touch screen) when it first went on sale at Best Buy for $70, and I'm not impressed. The so-called Metro interface is nothing but a nuisance if you're trying to use a mouse and keyboard, first thing I did was install a freeware product called Classic Shell from Classic Shell | Free software downloads at SourceForge.net, it gives you back a proper desktop with a Start button. It's not the hog Vista was, so overall it's an improvement for the laptop, it's smaller and faster, but it comes cluttered with a lot Web and Cloud enabled apps I have no use for, I have no intention of ever putting my files out there on one of Microsoft's server farms, I don't like the privacy and security implications. Looks to me like it's just a streamlined version of Windows 7 tarted up with a fancy new dress and some useless apps, but with a little bashing on it you can make it look and behave like a real OS.
I just installed it last night after my Win 7 went completely wacko and I had to format.
Thanks for the heads up on classic shell, I'm on my way to download it now.
Thanks for the heads up on classic shell, I'm on my way to download it now.
I've got an ASUS touch screen on the way with Windows 8. I'd had a Samsung Galaxy Note with Android but it was a freaking paperweight, pointless if you like to multi-task, so I went laptop instead of tablet. I'm looking forward to fiddling around with it, and yes, the useless apps are part of why. lol.
Download the shell Dexter mentioned it will save you a lot of headaches. I am not too keen on the Email App.
Windows 8's not that clever at multitasking either, and its file security system is infuriating. You don't even own your own personal files and programs, some bozo called TrustedInstaller or System owns pretty much everything as far as I can tell, and a user with administrator rights doesn't actually have administrator rights, there are still many things you cannot see or do, far more is hidden or blocked from you than XP hid and blocked. And with a little effort, you actually could find out where XP put things and what it's doing, not so with Win7and 8, they control your system, you don't.
The Win8 apps that come bundled with it always start full screen, if there's a way to make them smaller and see more than one window I haven't found it. I did find a way to drag one off to the side, where it sits occupying 25% of the screen width, and start up another one, that takes all the rest of the space, and if you start a third one, one of the first two disappears somewhere. Task Manager shows it still running, but I don't know how to get back to its interface. It should be simpler than that, in fact it should be an obvious one tap thing. And if you start up any other app that hasn't been tailored for Win8's tile interface, the first thing the system does is snap back to the desktop with a traditional Windows display, except for the lack of a Start button that Classic Shell gives back to you. In it's default tiled display, it's not Windows anymore, it's just Window. Microsoft has taken a page from Apple: we'll own and run your system for you, you don't need to know what it's doing, you don't want to know, everything will be taken car of for you, so shutup and don't ask. I hate that.
I have a new gateway laptop with the option of a desktop built in. It shows as a tile in the windows 8 gui. It has the full windows 7 start button, program lists, file explorer. If I don't want to use the default windows 8 gui I don't have to.
I have Office 2007 and it runs no problem with win8.
I have Office 2007 and it runs no problem with win8.
No real steep learning curve. The only difference really is that the start button is a start screen.
Hit the windows key and you have your old desktop right there (or hit the desktop app on the start screen)
Want to find a program quickly?
On the start screen just start typing the name of the program and it pops up.
Example: I want Photoshop.... I start typing "Photos..." there it is.
Control Panel?
Same thing.
If you have any questions, just ask.... I figured it all out in about two days. My wife wasn't liking it at the start but after a week, she figured it all out and actually likes it now.
Runs a lot better than Win7 and uses less resources from my experience. I haven't regretted getting the upgrade.
Oh and to quickly close an app, move the mouse to the top of the screen until you see the hand and then click and drag the app to the bottom of the screen.
Regular programs close like they always did with the X in the top right.
its too bad that they didn't upgrade to media player 13. 
are they going to upgrade to media player 13? can media player 12 play, rip, and burn dvds? I can't get it to do any of those things. I have also noticed that the flash player doesn't work properly with the tile version of internet explorer.
are they going to upgrade to media player 13? can media player 12 play, rip, and burn dvds? I can't get it to do any of those things. I have also noticed that the flash player doesn't work properly with the tile version of internet explorer. 
Interesting, I thinking about a new computer myself, don't do Dud's or watch movies.
i do want to do editing words and voice though. Oh and I don't have music backed
up in my machine either. My grand daughters boyfriend who is a computer whiz or
whatever and a gamer told me i don't need windows 8 he said windows 7 is fine for
my usage. I also don't have the touch screen stuff either and i don't want it
Still thinking about which way to go. He also told me to plan what I wanted to do with
it and then build it from there, he will help What is the best program I don't know either
i do want to do editing words and voice though. Oh and I don't have music backed
up in my machine either. My grand daughters boyfriend who is a computer whiz or
whatever and a gamer told me i don't need windows 8 he said windows 7 is fine for
my usage. I also don't have the touch screen stuff either and i don't want it
Still thinking about which way to go. He also told me to plan what I wanted to do with
it and then build it from there, he will help What is the best program I don't know either
Windows 8 runs any and all programs 7 could, but faster. I do 3d modeling, graphic design, sound editing, video editing, etc. using all the normal programs I always used.
I did backup all my media before my 8 upgrade, but I didn't lose anything and it was all right were I left them on 7.
Oh and for having more than one app on screen at a time, like mentioned before, move the mouse to the top of the screen until you see the little hand, then click and drag to the right or left and it will lock to that position. You can then jump to the start screen or desktop and launch something else in the empty area. The area available can be toggled to either side, small or large.
Well, here at Chateau Sinister we have various systems running Linux (Ubuntu), XP, Vista, Win7, and Win8 on the home network, and some iPad and Android tablets too, so I think I've probably seen everything worth talking about. My take on it is that Linux is the best operating system from a design perspective, it's smart, fast, easy to secure and control, and has all the productivity apps (free!) anyone could ever want. The only knocks against it are that it won't play the Windows games and it's a little behind the curve on driver development for the most modern hardware. And Android is Linux based, so it's better than the systems on iPads and iPhones, you can actually find out what it's doing and make it stop, if you're so inclined. And I am, I don't want a device to be online all the time and be unable to find out or control what it's doing out there.
XP I think is the best of the Microsoft offerings, Vista's a pig, Win7 is no better and has a frustrating and infuriating security system it shares with Win8, Win8 is smaller and faster than either Vista or Win7 but its default tiled interface, what everybody but Microsoft calls Metro and Microsoft calls the Start screen, is nothing but a nuisance on a non-touch screen, and if you have a large monitor the touch feature is inconvenient, the screen's too far away to use that feature conveniently. I've never liked touch screens much anyway, they rapidly get fouled with fingerprints, have to clean them far too often. Support for XP will probably be ending within a year or so, and you really shouldn't run with an unsupported operating system, so you'll have to migrate to Win7 or 8 at some point, XP and Vista are no longer available as far as I know. My advice would be, if you're running Linux you don't need any advice from me, if you're running XP or Vista go to Win7, if you're running Win7 and it's working alright for you stay with it, don't go to Win8, if your hardware is slow with Win7 go to Win8 and install the Classic Shell, and if you acquire a new system with Win8 do the same, install the Classic Shell.
XP I think is the best of the Microsoft offerings, Vista's a pig, Win7 is no better and has a frustrating and infuriating security system it shares with Win8, Win8 is smaller and faster than either Vista or Win7 but its default tiled interface, what everybody but Microsoft calls Metro and Microsoft calls the Start screen, is nothing but a nuisance on a non-touch screen, and if you have a large monitor the touch feature is inconvenient, the screen's too far away to use that feature conveniently. I've never liked touch screens much anyway, they rapidly get fouled with fingerprints, have to clean them far too often. Support for XP will probably be ending within a year or so, and you really shouldn't run with an unsupported operating system, so you'll have to migrate to Win7 or 8 at some point, XP and Vista are no longer available as far as I know. My advice would be, if you're running Linux you don't need any advice from me, if you're running XP or Vista go to Win7, if you're running Win7 and it's working alright for you stay with it, don't go to Win8, if your hardware is slow with Win7 go to Win8 and install the Classic Shell, and if you acquire a new system with Win8 do the same, install the Classic Shell.
I have XP and am happy.
Constantly getting requests to "upgrade" to whatever. Don't wanna.:sad8:
Sheesh; I e.mail, type on forums, visit Facebook, look at docs., read online newspapers, music forums, music vids, DIY stuff........and pay them goddam enough to do this simple shyte.
Now "they" aren't going to "support XP"
WTF:shaking2:
While realizing there's a big world of computing out there, I DON'T WANT IT !!!
Just can't leave a fella alone can they !!!
What to do if one wants to stay in one place and watch the world go by ???
...........anyone?
.
Constantly getting requests to "upgrade" to whatever. Don't wanna.:sad8:
Sheesh; I e.mail, type on forums, visit Facebook, look at docs., read online newspapers, music forums, music vids, DIY stuff........and pay them goddam enough to do this simple shyte.
Now "they" aren't going to "support XP"
WTF:shaking2:
While realizing there's a big world of computing out there, I DON'T WANT IT !!!
Just can't leave a fella alone can they !!!
What to do if one wants to stay in one place and watch the world go by ???
...........anyone?
.
Hey Nug, I think you can still get a C64 on Ebay. I remember there was a program on a big floppy called Q Link that allowed you to access the Net via you phone line.
Quantum Link - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quantum Link - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hey Nug, I think you can still get a C64 on Ebay. I remember there was a program on a big floppy called Q Link that allowed you to access the Net via you phone line.
Quantum Link - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thanks Prax. I'm big and floppy enough as it is.........:lol:
Was a Commodore 64 that initially got me interested in computers..(sort of)............wayyyyyyy back when.
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Me too. Actually the system I have that runs XP is a dual boot system, it also has Linux on it and I much prefer it for any serious work, and Linux can see and use any of XP's (or any other version's) NTFS file systems. But unfortunately I'm also addicted to certain Windows games so I have to keep it (I usually call it Wince, because I wince whenever I have to use it) around. If it weren't for my favourite games I'd have abandoned Wince years ago.
Ve are bing ser y us here and haff no times for gott damm games............
Any good joke sites ???;-)..........rhetorical......pretty much gottem all bookmarked.
Yust bott boot system. Vun pair. Left and Right. Size 13, removable liners. Big sale Canadian Tire...........Seee? Am very techy eh?:confused5:
Thanks for the info Dexter.