Our new laptop/notebook pc

[alans1100]

The new laptop arrived today and the downside is that it's got WIN 8.1 overall it's a more modern than the one we originally ordered so can't complain to much. Not sure why but with a HD screen and HDMI output but they only installed a Dual layer DVD burner........would have made sense to at at least have BD Rom.

But the most annoying thing was that to get the thing running I had to have an MSN account which I won't even use. We did away with MSN related stuff years ago

I found a third party start button which makes things a little easier.

Video player seems ok and suits a 2D/3D enviroment so it's over kill on a DVD drive but handy if we get a stand alone blu ray drive.

Media player could do with a rethink.........might have to go to I tunes

This was supposed to be Heather's new one but she's claimed her desk top back again at least until I sort it out.

[saaz]

I have windows 8 and find it faster and more stable.  I still use vlc media player (free) and adobe for pdfs as I prefer they way they work, as the win 8 apps are a bit too touch screen based at times.

[Pezzz]

I have windows 8 and find it faster and more stable.  I still use vlc media player (free) and adobe for pdfs as I prefer they way they work, as the win 8 apps are a bit too touch screen based at times.

I use 8 / 8.1 on 2 work machines here just so i know how to troubleshoot.
Find it extremely fast and stable. I don;t use any of the windows "Apps" and change back to normal programs for all.
Start button replacement i use is Classic Shell and that pretty much takes care of all.
Back to windows 7 look with speed and stability of 8.

BTW, when it does fruit out you get a truly awesome BSOD now. With a sense of humour.
  Pezzz

[Biggles]

I'll scandalise everyone by admitting to still using XP on my desktop.
My lappy has W7, but I still prefer the simplicity of XP.

[Pezzz]

I'll scandalise everyone by admitting to still using XP on my desktop.
My lappy has W7, but I still prefer the simplicity of XP.

I still have a VM of 98SE that I use.

I'll scandalise everyone by admitting to still using XP on my desktop.
My lappy has W7, but I still prefer the simplicity of XP.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[alans1100]

Two all in one desktops running win7 with 32 and 64 bit versions and now this win8.1 64 bit version.

Getting used to it. Sort of the same leap as going from win98SE/XP to vista.

I got out of the MSN thing and back into a local account. Tried adding third party software like incredimail to the start screen and that worked.
I have classic shell downloaded so just have to install it.

They could have done a re-work with the media player as WMP11 is ancient as far a software goes.

[winston66]

Winston 66,

What are all you guys talking about?
I believe that I have a reasonable amount of intelligence , but all of this streamlined gobbely gook stuff about computers , Just leaves me feeling WINKY WONKY and somewhat bemused.
I have trouble just finding the web sites that I want and getting the desktop shortcuts to work without stuffing it all up .
I still have trouble figuring how to cut and paste stuff without loosing some of it in the process and then another hour goes by without solving my problem.
The only consolation that I can think of is that as time passes it inevitably gets closer to BEER O"CLOCK.
I think that I either need some serious help ,or otherwise some very serious counselling.

I guess that I will just have to give up and go for a nice long ride again.

Cheers , winston66

[saaz]

I had XP on the desktop and win 7 on the laptop. Far preferred the stability and speed of Win 7 but no direct upgrade path from xp.  I bit the bullet with win 8 and put it on the laptop and desktop, as well as 2 solid state drives on the desktop (one for programs, one for data so easy to backup or do a system refresh without loosing data.  The solid state drives really make the desktop fly, so much quicker along with win 8.

If xp had still worked ok I would have stuck with it.

[Totgas]

But the most annoying thing was that to get the thing running I had to have an MSN account

That's what Microsoft trick you into believing however it can be bypassed. The general consensus in a large proportion of the IT community is that Windows 8 has some fairly major flaws especially in regards to security and backwards hardware compatibility. Flaws that I will admit appear to be deliberate. I have purchased 4 PC's in the last 12 months all of which have according to Microsoft been downgraded to Windows 7. In my opinion it has been a needed and most efficient upgrade.

Windows 8 is squarely aimed at the younger generation ie smart phone users and it fails dismally as a general purpose operating system.
My work puts me in touch with bleeding edge technology however in the case of Windows 8 the haemorrhage is too great.
A

[alans1100]

Today I loaded up Office 2000 today and removed the student trial one that was on board.
There was also a couple adware programs that got the boot........
I-tunes went on yesterday and as well as Audacity and the needed Lame codec package for when I get back into transferring cassette tapes onto CD.
Third Party CD text reader for windows media player.
PhotoScape.......free photo editor
Classic shell went on as well

Can't think of much more except our Samsung phone software and the Navman GPS desktop and the printer driver..........now where did I put that disc......lol

I've transferred some files but noticed the speed is down compared to transferring between the two WIN 7 desktops. I think they had this issue with Vista and a later update fixed it.

Testing the cd burner tomorrow.......see the granddaughter on Saturday and doing a cd of the photos of her that we have.

[Brock]

I use Open Office for my personal needs and most of my work needs as well. Its free, made by Sun Systems. I use an older version of MS office only when I need to, to work with access, and some excel/word files that rely on macros.

[alans1100]

I had both XP and 2000 versions of office donated free of charge via my sis but I only install Word and Excel and Powerpoint as that's all I need.

[saaz]

Open Office is good, I use it on the laptop. On the desk PC I use Office 2010 as I got it through work cheaply.

[Couch]

I was introduced to computers about 25 years ago at work but I can't really remember now exactly what system we were using at the time, I think it may have been Windows 95 or 98 and followed up with Windows 2000, but for my own home use I originally started off with XP, then used Vista for 5 years, and then Windows 7, but I've now turned away from Windows all together and I'm using an Apple Mac Pro (Retina), best move I ever made, start up speed is nothing short of brilliant, I just love the whole system. I've had ADSL connected for the past few years and prior to that I'd been using Wireless broadband, however I've recently connected up to NBN Wireless and so far it's working brilliantly. Download speed is a bit disapointing as it's no faster than ADSL but my upload speed is faster. I'm about to pay an additional $5.00 per month which will effectively double my speed.  I have 2 teenagers still using Windows 7 and are continually downloading videos, games etc. so I need the faster speed. We're on a 500gb per month plan. I'd previously always steered clear of Apple because of the cost, however after biting the bullet and buying the Mac Pro 6 months ago, I'd never go back to Windows.