Windows 8...

larussa

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My SO wants to buy me a new computer for Christmas but I'm unsure about that.  I know most computers now have Windows 8.  I was never very good at having my own PC and needed lots of assistance to get me going.

How difficult or easy is dealing with Windows 8.  I may just have to stay with my old Dell PC which is an XP. 

 

catlover19

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I've never used it, but I have yet to hear of someone who likes it. My father in law hates his new laptop with Windows 8. I'd try and find one with Windows 7, that is what we have on both the laptop and desktop and it's easy.
 
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larussa

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I've never used it, but I have yet to hear of someone who likes it. My father in law hates his new laptop with Windows 8. I'd try and find one with Windows 7, that is what we have on both the laptop and desktop and it's easy.
I don't think there will be any with Windows 7 much longer if any at all. I did hear somewhere that you can change over the PC to 7 from 8, but I'm not sure of that.  Thanks.
 

Winchester

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My BIL hates Windows 8....it's like a touch screen. The updated Windows 8....I think it's 8.1....is supposed to be a little better. But honestly, that's all I can tell you. Rick is still using XP Pro. I have Vista. At work, I'm using Windows 7; that's not bad.

You'll get used to it. I never said I'd get used to Vista, but I did. (Still would sell my eye teeth for a new XP computer, though....even now.)
 

andrya

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l have 8.1 on this computer and l despise it. lt came with 8 and l just upgraded last week. 

The first thing you'll notice with 8 is it has no start button. That doesn't sound like a big deal until ... lol.

My other computers have windows 7, and l quite like it. Although xp was by far my fave of them all.
 

misty8723

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Dell is still selling online with Windows 7.  I don't know what I'll do if my Windows 7 computer ever crashes, because I will NOT ever buy a Windows 8 computer.
 

fhicat

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I don't think there will be any with Windows 7 much longer if any at all.
Not true. Windows 7 is going to be here for a long time. Did you know about 33% of the world's computers are still running Windows XP? About 18% of those are personal computers and the other 25% are business computers. Microsoft's Life Support Policy means that an OS will get a minimum of 5 years mainstream support (this is when the OS will get service packs, optional updates, security updates, etc), and another 5 years of extended support (only critical security updates).

Windows XP's life support is slated to end in April 2014. That means that if you are still using Windows XP, Microsoft will continue to offer extended support for another 4 months. Windows 7's mainstream support will end in 2015, and extended support in 2020. 

So no, Windows 7 is here to stay for quite awhile. 
 I for one am planning to stick to Windows 7 until they pry it off my cold dead hands. Or they come up with something to replace 8.
 
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betsygee

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I'm an XP fan, too.  But we had to upgrade to 7 at work because our 2014 AutoCAD program won't run on XP.  I don't mind 7.   I don't know anything about Windows 8 and shouldn't need to learn 
 as long as our current computers keep running okay with the AutoCAD 2014/Windows 7 combination.

At home we use Macs.
 

smitten4kittens

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Windows 8 is the most user-UNFRIENDY program you could possibly imagine. I despise it. You have to be a rocket scientist to figure out simple things like logging off! I can't say enough bad things about it...lol.
 
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larussa

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You'll get used to it. I never said I'd get used to Vista, but I did. (Still would sell my eye teeth for a new XP computer, though....even now.)
I remember Pam when you first got Vista,  you hated it with a passion but you learned how to use it and now you don't mind as much.  Me, forget about it.  I would go utterly insane with a new OS, that's why I'm keeping my XP till the support is gone for good.  I'm just too chicken to try anything new.
 

peaches08

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I'm the odd one out...I actually like Windows 8.1!  Yes, it took some getting used to, but I really do like it.  The only problem I've had is some compatibility issues with certain downloads, but I've resolved most of that now.  The last step is getting off AVG and onto Avast.  There's something with Avast and Windows 8...
 

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My desktop and laptop have windows 7. Hubby has been using an old computer of mine with XP.. He had to get something else because of the support ending. He doesn't like Windows 8.1. Some of his software programs that ran on XP won't work on 7 or 8.1, so he is switiching computers back and forth when he needs the software on XP. This is terrible.
 

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I'm upgrading Rick's computer to Win 7, He does have an older computer, but I've been good about upgrading parts as we go. He has a good motherboard and I just added to his RAM last year. My BIL is my computer guru and he thinks the computer will take it. I'd rather upgrade, but he (BIL) is suggesting that I go with a complete Win 7 overhaul. I do have an external hard drive that I can put everything on while doing the new OS, so I shouldn't lose anything....but you never know about me. I know just enough to be dangerous.
 

blueyedgirl5946

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I'm upgrading Rick's computer to Win 7, He does have an older computer, but I've been good about upgrading parts as we go. He has a good motherboard and I just added to his RAM last year. My BIL is my computer guru and he thinks the computer will take it. I'd rather upgrade, but he (BIL) is suggesting that I go with a complete Win 7 overhaul. I do have an external hard drive that I can put everything on while doing the new OS, so I shouldn't lose anything....but you never know about me. I know just enough to be dangerous.
So I am interested in knowing how all that turns out. I tried to get my husband to lets talk to our computer guru and see if he thought it would be worthwhile to update the computer with XP. It had crashed one time and hubby managed to get it up again after losing a driver and a lot of his personal info. He said it would have to be upgraded with memory before it could be upgraded to Windows 7. We aren't computer savvy enough to do it. Therefore hubby said it would cost as much as buying a new one.
 

Winchester

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My BIL and I worked on Rick's computer and have upgraded quite a bit, probably about as far as we can go....his computer is not new by any stretch. He (BIL) is the one suggesting that we go to 7, largely because he thinks the computer will take it. It's not complicated at all to add memory; I managed to do that without BIL's help. 

Not only is it no security patches and support, but there will no longer be any driver support for computer components. At least, that's my understanding. No new printer drivers for XP or anything like that. I could be wrong. And they're also killing the support for Office 2003 the same time. I know people who are still using 2003!

We'll see how things go. I cannot afford another computer right now and I don't want to go there, if I don't have to. We do have a small laptop, but that's not new either, although it has Win 7, so it's newer than Rick's computer. I hardly ever use the laptop; it's too small for me to be comfortable with it. The best thing would probably be to just buy a new, larger laptop and be done with it. I don't want to, not yet. 

IMO, XP was (and still is) a great OS....I just love it. It's been stable and I don't think people had a lot of trouble with it. 

I have Vista on my computer and I have issues with PSP 7 and WordPerfect software working OK with it. Vista has made me crazy from day one. I absolutely despise that OS. 

I guess this should really be over on the other thread. Sorry.
 
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fhicat

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My BIL and I worked on Rick's computer and have upgraded quite a bit, probably about as far as we can go....his computer is not new by any stretch. He (BIL) is the one suggesting that we go to 7, largely because he thinks the computer will take it. It's not complicated at all to add memory; I managed to do that without BIL's help. 
7 isn't very intensive if you don't care for the bells and whistle (I'm looking at you Aero). 2GB is probably the comfortablest (this is now a word) minimum RAM you'd want, 1GB is usable, but it adds to load time and such. Windows 7 Home Basic is the barebones version. If you have a graphics card, make sure it supports DirectX9 - it should, 9 is pretty old tech by now, released around the time XP was.
 
Not only is it no security patches and support, but there will no longer be any driver support for computer components. At least, that's my understanding. No new printer drivers for XP or anything like that. I could be wrong. And they're also killing the support for Office 2003 the same time. I know people who are still using 2003!
Yep. They pretty much cut the lifeline rope on XP. It's still usable, but you're on your own. 

It's really time to move on. :lol3:
IMO, XP was (and still is) a great OS....I just love it. It's been stable and I don't think people had a lot of trouble with it. 

I have Vista on my computer and I have issues with PSP 7 and WordPerfect software working OK with it. Vista has made me crazy from day one. I absolutely despise that OS. 
XP was revolutionary for its time. For a technology to last 13 years in the PC world is nothing short of amazing. Despite halting support next month, Microsoft will still provide virus warnings (warnings only, not updates) for XP until July 2015, giving even less incentive to move away from XP. It is the OS that refuses to die.

Vista, on the other hand, was a disaster. They moved away from the XP code base and somehow either disregarded the fact that many people aren't tech savvy (not a criticism, just an observation) or didn't care. It was incompatible with pretty much any software. Lots of programs just plain didn't work on Vista. Coupled with the fact that XP was already so entrenched at that time, and the horrible bloat that Vista was, for all intents and purposes, a failure.
 

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7 isn't very intensive if you don't care for the bells and whistle (I'm looking at you Aero). 2GB is probably the comfortablest (this is now a word) minimum RAM you'd want, 1GB is usable, but it adds to load time and such. Windows 7 Home Basic is the barebones version. If you have a graphics card, make sure it supports DirectX9 - it should, 9 is pretty old tech by now, released around the time XP was.

It's really time to move on. :lol3:

It is the OS that refuses to die.

Vista, on the other hand, was a disaster. They moved away from the XP code base and somehow either disregarded the fact that many people aren't tech savvy (not a criticism, just an observation) or didn't care. It was incompatible with pretty much any software. Lots of programs just plain didn't work on Vista. Coupled with the fact that XP was already so entrenched at that time, and the horrible bloat that Vista was, for all intents and purposes, a failure.
I added memory to the computer.....it's at 4 GB now. Also put in a new motherboard. I know the graphics card will handle X9; put in a new one about 3 years ago (I think it was). I was looking more at Win 7 Pro. 

And no, it is NOT time to move on! Dadburnit, there's a reason XP was so popular!


Vista sucks little green worms.
  There, I've said it.
 
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