Windows 8?

[snuffy]

[QUOTE=KYCaster;2734796]Snuffy.......just remember........all those computer geeks are changing things just so they can laugh at us old farts who can actually add, subtract, do long division and communicate in the English language........"APP" is just another word for program.

There's no need to load an additional "shell" program......err......app. Everything you want is already in there. Get a wireless mouse (batteries don't last long so at the first sign of anything wrong, replace the mouse batteries), disable the touch pad (F3) and click on the "desktop" tile at the bottom left of the screen. Now things will be more familiar.

To switch back to the tile screen, take the cursor to the bottom left corner of the screen and left click. To close a prog.....app, take the cursor to the top left of the screen and click on the window you want for a drop down menu. To shut down, take the cursor to the top right of the screen.

I know it's a pain in the butt, but no worse than changing over from your typewriter to the computer way back when.

What really fried my axx was the pimply faced kid who thought it was great fun to mess with the stupid old geezer. Punch a few buttons without any explanation of what's happening then telling you, "that's the way it works." Give him your go-to-he77 look and tell him to get his supervisor. Complain loudly about the poor service and eventually you'll either get the answers you want or you'll go on a bloody rampage and get your satisfaction that way.

Anywaaaay.....that's what worked for me without excessive bloodshed.

Jerry (just an analog guy trying to get by in a digital world)[QUOTE]

Thanks Jerry, that may be the way I'll go. Just getting rid of that touch pad will be a giant relief. It's so damn sensitive, and it has to do so many things, that it's frustrating when you're hunting for it, inadvertently touch it in the wrong place, then end up loosing where you were working.

What really grinds my *** is Toshiba didn't put much of a destruction book in with the laptop. Just a quick start guide, no clue besides how to turn it on and connect the power/charger.

I'm going to buy another cordless mouse, just like the one that's on this PC. Then I'll build a table to span the arms of my recliner, so there's room for the mouse, AND the vents on the side will not be blocked by the chair or my clothing.

Well, I'm off for the OM to drop it off for the streamlining/set-up. I'll get the mouse on the way home when he's finished. But first I have to brush a couple inches of heavy SNOW off the car!

[ShooterAZ]

I just set up my new computer Saturday, HP Pavillion 500 came with windows 8.1. After using it for a little bit, I LOVE IT. No problems learning it at all. It is smoking fast, and easy to use.

[MtGun44]

Well, that's ONE. LOL!

Bill

[oldred]

I'm heading for Office Max in the morning, maybe to see if I can have them nuke the W-8 and replace it with W-7. If the pencil necked geek that sold it to me can get me up to speed on the W-8, I'll keep it.

Classic Shell!!!!!!!!!

All the speed and other advantages of Win 8 but with the ease of use and familiar appearance/operating style of Win 7 or XP. your choice.

Several people have suggested Classic Shell and there's a darn good reason!

[Lee]

Ummmm. Why is everyone talking "wireless mouse"??? I gave up on them and wireless k'boards years ago, all just a PITA with no benefit over the corded variety. Don't tell me M$ is in cahoots with the battery manufacturers now? Next up, a M$ wireless mouse that only works with M$ batteries???????????

[Geraldo]

Snuffy, there are no instruction books or CDs with computers anymore. Instructions and downloads are online.

I'd recommend using the touchpad. I got used to them years ago and haven't touched a mouse since.

Without looking at your first posts I can't remember if you're running 8 or 8.1, but if you don't have 8.1 download it.

Once you've done that, hit the desktop tile. Move your cursor to the lower left corner of the screen and you'll see the little MS square. Right click that. To add/remove programs click control panel. To go to docs/pics/etc click file explorer. It will all look familiar from that point on.

[Pb2au]

I have been using W8 for a while now and actually like it.
Apps=programs, same same.
Like many things, it is just a learning curve. Now, to address the non-help you might get at Best buy and the like, I won't argue that. Those characters typically are not very helpful.
Snuffy nailed the genreal use. When you are on the desktop and need to get back to the dashboard/tiles page, just hit the windows button. If you need to find a program on the dashboard, just start typing the name of the program. It automatically goes to search mode and finds it.

[ShooterAZ]

Just make sure you get the 8.1 version! It is easy to switch back & forth to where you want to be.With 8.0, not so much.

[woodsxdragon]

I've had smartphones for at least the last four years. I grew up working on computers. And still the first thing I did was use desktop mode on 8. Its nothing against their new design. My friends love it but to me it seems like a waste.

[Pb2au]

Just make sure you get the 8.1 version! It is easy to switch back & forth to where you want to be.With 8.0, not so much.

Still on 8, and plan on staying there for now. It is good to hear that 8.1 is even more user friendly.
To find any documents/stored info/pictures, etc, I just hit the windows button+E and navigate via the windows explorer. But I am a dinosaur in that respect.

[dragonrider]

Win 8 sucks, there is nothing good about it.

[largom]

Have to wonder why Micro-Soft doe's not support XP anymore. According to a news report 95% of business's and ATM machines use XP. Guess M$ needs to make more $ by forcing us to buy new machines.

Larry

[w0fms]

Wife's and kids machine== Windows 8.1. Wife's still complaining about it, kids like it.

The old XP computers, put a new HDD in them, on the netbook I did Lubuntu and Wine and on the Pentium-D, I run Linux Mint 16 and Wine. On both the machines run the windows apps better and faster than Win XP did. It takes some technical skill to do so.

Mint 16/Cinnamon is what I am running, and it's brilliant. It's amazing that, for example, a Windows CD ripping app runs 3x faster on the same hardware...

And it's free. I didn't want to put a $125 Windows 7 or 8 on to a $80 machine...

[snuffy]

Well,,,,---- what a day yesterday was. A different geek this time at Office Max, the same girl I talked to initially to try to decide on which lap-top to buy. She recognized me, said "you actually came back and bought what we talked about"! She hears that all the time, seldom sees them back to actually buy.

She tried to explain a few things to me, I asked why there wasn't at least a few clues as to how to get started. She said, "just go online!" Uh huh, so how do you do that when everything is unfamiliar? Not sure exactly what she did to it, but it seems to work better. I got the same wireless mouse that I use on the PC, it makes the whole laptop work a lot better. I'm very impressed with the sharpness of the display screen, and the blazing speed of the wireless connection.

I asked about the classic shell, she said it wouldn't work well on the Toshiba laptop. Something about the drivers are set up for windows 8.1, it wouldn't work well with anything else. I think I'm going to stick with the 8.1 for a while, I need a challenge now and then to keep from freezing up, to keep interested. Now, if I ever decide to get a smart phone, I'll be up to speed right away.

When she was explaining things to me, her fingers flew over the touch pad activating the tiles to get to something, I said "whoa slow down, my brain doesn't work that fast anymore"! She said just click on that "cog wheel",,,--- wait a sec, whats a "cog wheel"? That little icon right here. That gets you to the control panel, and other stuff!

A lot to learn, that's for sure!

[snuffy]

Wife's and kids machine== Windows 8.1. Wife's still complaining about it, kids like it.

The old XP computers, put a new HDD in them, on the netbook I did Lubuntu and Wine and on the Pentium-D, I run Linux Mint 16 and Wine. On both the machines run the windows apps better and faster than Win XP did. It takes some technical skill to do so.

Mint 16/Cinnamon is what I am running, and it's brilliant. It's amazing that, for example, a Windows CD ripping app runs 3x faster on the same hardware...

And it's free. I didn't want to put a $125 Windows 7 or 8 on to a $80 machine...

I wanted windows seven put on my desk top PC, but the cheap dell didn't have the guts to take it. My great nephew is a computer geek, has a computer sales and repair store. He looked into switching from XP to W-7, no can do. I also wanted to put in a better graphics card so I could run google earth. The existing card was hard-wired to the mother board, and no slot for a new one.

He cloned the hard drive, then removed it and put in one with twice the capacity. I had run out of room on the original HD. Also a memory upgrade. I had a vicious virus that hamstrung the 'puter, he nuked that before cloning the HD.

[Pb2au]

Win 8 sucks, there is nothing good about it.

Dragonrider at home on the weekend;

[Tazman1602]

Hate, disgust, despise, nauseating. All such weak words when talking windows 8.

Try and find a new computer without it. I am seriously considering an Apple.

8 is not a computer operating system. It is a cell phone app. I have zero need and even less desire of cell phone apps. I think there are too many people that run Microsoft doing some really good drugs to think that crapolla is a good thing.

Rick

I agree TOTALLY with Rick. As a retired Network Engineer I've seen the computer world migrate from UNIX to Novell (Novell was a GREAT network OS...)...and then Winblows. The only issue is that when a company owns 95% of the desktop market you can love them or hate them but you'd BETTER learn to live with them. OK.

NT STUNK, period. Vista was a JOKE, But XP PRO and Windows 7 PRO were the OS's I always dreamed about. Stable, they worked, and no more BSOD's............(blue screens of death....)

NOW after 19 years of *basically* the same interface Microshaft wants to change the whole dam interface and force us to either pay more money for a shell program that mimicks the original start bar and program interface we've become used to and FORCE us to learn a whole new interface. They can take a flying **** at a rolling donut. I could NOT believe the first time I laid eyes on Windows 8!

Like Rick and some others here, when Windows 7 expires, I am REALLY having thoughts about moving to the Apple platform. I know I'll have to learn an entirely new OS to me but I'd have to with Winblows 8 anyway. That and the FACT that the Apple Architechture has always (from an Engineering standpoint....) been superior to Intels platform kind of seals the deal. Besides, Winblows 8 doesn't belong on a computer, it belongs on my APPLE Iphone!!!

I really think, besides young people who like bleeding edge tech, Windows 8 is going to bite Microshaft in the butt..............at least I hope so. MAN Microsoft makes me mad sometimes..............

Art

[DougGuy]

Win 8 sucks, there is nothing good about it.

Oh yes there is... It has an EXCELLENT audio engine, and with a really good 24bit 192KHz sound card, all your favorite music plays with pristine clarity! Love me some Pink Floyd and old Zep, and the 10 ZZ Top albums that Billy Gibbons himself remastered and remixed, oh yeah, XP can't hold a candle to it!

That said, man you ought to hear bluegrass on this system I got here, OMG.. It's like you are right in the same room with the instruments sometimes. I would suffer through win8's malcontent just to hear Merle sing "Blues, stay away from me.." like he was breathing down my neck.. It's THAT good..

[dragon813gt]

This thread cracks me up. Only 5-10% of the population knows how to use apps? 100% of children know how to use them. And most of the adult population does as well.

There is plenty to like about Win8. You need a touchscreen to fully utilize it in Metro mode. An extension such as Classic Shell or Start8 will give you the same familiar windows feel. I love Win8 and think it's their best offering since XP. Don't get me started on the Vista bomb and Win7 memory hog.

I don't think it's ideal for desktops. But for a touchscreen laptop it's pretty much perfect. I use it, Lenovo Ultrabook, primarily in desktop mode w/ a mouse. But for those times where you only need to use it for a minute or two the touchscreen is perfect. And you can actually have it boot up, use it, and shut it down in about two minutes. Mine takes about 10 seconds to boot up. Once I found the extension to make it look familiar I started to really like it. And now that I have Chrome fully configured the way I want it I'm even happier.

Anyone that says they want to switch to Mac I wish them well. I like being to able to modify my machine anyway I see fit. Not the way Apple tells me I have to. If all you do is use your computer and don't like to tinker then Mac should work well for you.

[Dale in Louisiana]

Anyone that says they want to switch to Mac I wish them well. I like being to able to modify my machine anyway I see fit. Not the way Apple tells me I have to. If all you do is use your computer and don't like to tinker then Mac should work well for you.

Oh, yes, the 'open box' argument. I had it with my son.

I may not be the most computer-literate dude around, but I do have some cred, seeing as how I and a couple of buddies had a business in 1988 building custom DOS boxes. I started with computers before that. I've had both Macs and Windows machines over the years, starting with the original Mac 128 and DOS and then Windows.

Back to the 'open box' statement: If the box has everything you'll need then there's no reason to open it. Or go outside it.

dale in Louisiana
(Who just swapped a HD out for an SSD on the little Windows box that runs my 3-D printer. And I'm writing this on a MacBook Pro Retina, and has a couple of Linux machines somewhere around here.)