Windows 8

ledboots

ledboots

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I was fortunate enough to be given a nice big laptop, but it has Windows 8 installed. What a pile of unaccessible bloat.

Anyone using this, and any tips? I have been using linux on my crappy laptop for years, and old Windows at work. This 8 is blech. It would probably be nice for a touchscreen device, but this is a LAPTOP computer with a ****ing keyboard.
 
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ledboots said:
It would probably be nice for a touchscreen device, but this is a LAPTOP computer with a ****ing keyboard.
Click to expand...

That's the key right there, Windows 8 was designed with touchscreens in mind. I've been using the consumer preview of Windows 8 for about a year now and, though it had quite of a bit of a frustration curve due to the fact that the interface has been changed around so much, I've actually come to like it enough that I went ahead and purchased the upgrade when it became available.

It's little things I like about it actually... From the "start" screen, or whatever it's called now, you can just start typing (without bringing up a search screen) and it will find things for you. I hate navigating via mouse or assigning arbitrary shortcuts, and in previous versions I'd actually do most of my navigating through the DOS prompt and create a batch file folder with shortcuts to all the programs I use so that I can just quickly type the name of whatever I want to use. Now I don't have to do that anymore.

I imagine part of their agenda is to create a situation where it is more economical to start buying Windows phones instead of iPhones or Androids due to the fact that the applications you purchase for one or the other are, for the most part, interchangeable. I'm convinced that the nature of Windows 8 has more to do with competing with Apple's smartphones than with improving on Windows in and of itself.
 
I changed around some things, and it isn't quite so bad. It just reminds me of my android phone, which is weird.

My son (usual in home IT person) flung up his hands and absolved himself of the situation. :rolleyes: He said when I come to my senses, he will wipe it and put linux on there. :D
 
ledboots said:
He said when I come to my senses, he will wipe it and put linux on there. :D
Click to expand...

I can understand that stance to a degree. It's just kind of a pain having to tweek to get everything working on it. Back when had that mythical thing known as free time, I didn't mind. Now I'd rather just stick with the more user friendly (once you get used to them) made for dummies plug and play systems.
 
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From what I've seen, Win8 looks like a throwback to the computers programs of the 8 bit era.
I just don't get it. There is simplification, and then there is dumbing down. Win8 seems to have achieved the latter.
 
I haven't yet seen Windows 8, but I'm quite curious about it based on what I've heard. Not because I want to use it on my own computers, but because it may be a "game changer" that will force other OSes to make similar changes and/or invent other interesting features in order to stay competitive.
 
My grandson got a new laptop for Christmas with Windows 8 on it. It is REALLY different and we had to search around to find the shutdown button of all things! I think it is going to cause some people to be quite upset with the learning curve involved. I am not a fan of touch screens and do not own a smartphone so I find it annoying that MS would build a whole OS around that concept. I will stick with Windows 7 for quite some time I think.
 
I'm really starting to like it actually. I've been using it with a normal monitor for the last 8 months or so, but I just went ahead and picked up a touch screen monitor. Windows 8 with a touch screen and a well built system is like having a tablet on steroids. For my laptop, which is not touch screen and on which I usually use the touch pad rather than plugging in a mouse, I still prefer Windows 7.

Has it's annoyances and a learning curve, but tech that never stops advancing means the growing pains are perpetual. Just how it is :p
 
If I had a touchscreen I might like it. I have loved androids for years; I'm sure this would be great for my phone, but it is not made for a non-touchscreen laptop.

I know Microsoft always wants you to jump through hoops to shut off your damned computer, but this one takes the cake. Hover the (slow, choppy) pointer over the far right of the screen until the giant jarring vertical icon menu appears. Quickly manuver the (slow, choppy) pointer way down to the settings wheel. Quickly manuver the (slow, choppy) pointer to the shut down menu. Quickly manuver the pointer to "shut down". Click. Wait 2-3 minutes for a (brand-new) computer to complete shut down. Close lid, take out android phone and google "switching back to windows 7 from 8.
 
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I have a new laptop with the horrid W8 and I'm stuck !!!:(

I couldn't afford an Apple so thought that with a Toshiba and the latest version of W's it would have been a doddle !
 
shyvas said:
I have a new laptop with the horrid W8 and I'm stuck !!!:(

I couldn't afford an Apple so thought that with a Toshiba and the latest version of W's it would have been a doddle !
Click to expand...
Ugh. There are some fixes, shyvas. I will post the little I know later (toolbar and start menu fixes). Someone actually knowledgeable will help you here, I'm sure.
 
That would be great ! I feel that I've lost my computer as I can't access my favourites and only know how to navigate with a mouse.
 
Windows 8 is bad, but it's manageable, even without any fixes.
 
After 3 hours of trying to find my way around, all the icons dissapeared and I was left with a
black screen and a strange message with 'boot' and a lot of mumble jumble. I have given it back to
the person who has set it up and have managed to make my desktop computer work for the time being.

I asked the person whether he could install an easier version of software but he thinks that it's not
a good idea. He says that I should just view the guide ! I really don't think that I'm going to manage to use the laptop with W8.:(
 
Don't give up! Hang on I will give you some tricks. Do you know a computer savvy person? They could "downgrade" you to win7. With this. http://m.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/how-downgrade-windows-7-210685

Meanwhile, you can download and use this app to make your computer look like 7 or XP if you prefer. Start screen, menus, etc. http://www.classicshell.net/

Or this is a paid app, but you can have a fre trial. http://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankingsleyhughes/2012/12/04/make-windows-8-look-like-windows-7/
 

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