windows 8

I tried 'StartIsBack' shortly after getting Windows 8. Not free but only a few dollars. It did the job but by the time I installed it, I found I'd come to prefer the pretty screen full of tiles, so uninstalled the program :)

I note that the expected 8.1 upgrade will allow smaller tiles on the Start Screen. I think that will be better.
 
JBR said:
I found this some time ago:

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/software-and-web-apps/how-to-make-windows-8-look-like-windows-7-50009546/

although I'm sure most of you already know about it.
Click to expand...

Found and used it by the looks of this (maybe not 'classic shell' tho'?)!
http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2748613#2748613 :D

I am still entertained by Classic Shell, as per this current thread.
Currently Version 3.6.7 – general release, pretty stable AFAICT.

Just revisted the CNET UK web article - I play all manner of media using VLC and M$ Media Player... Did I retain the media player due to upgrading from Win7 to Win8??

-0-
 
empip said:
JBR said:
I found this some time ago:

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/software-and-web-apps/how-to-make-windows-8-look-like-windows-7-50009546/

although I'm sure most of you already know about it.
Click to expand...

Found and used it by the looks of this (maybe not 'classic shell' tho'?)!
http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2748613#2748613 :D

I am still entertained by Classic Shell, as per this current thread.
Currently Version 3.6.7 – general release, pretty stable AFAICT.

Just revisted the CNET UK web article - I play all manner of media using VLC and M$ Media Player... Did I retain the media player due to upgrading from Win7 to Win8??

-0-
Click to expand...

Sorry, I'd forgotten about that!

When you get old, three things happen.
Your memory becomes worse...

I forget the other two. :?
 
I recently made the mistake of buying a replacement PC with W8 for the office, mainly for a dedicated special commercial app, we are all used to XP. We now have the main business app installed on it and it seems to work, the supplier was used to people asking how to make it work on W8. It also runs IE and occasionally WExplorer but is not used for other purposes such as mail, social or games.

I had a vague idea that W7 had been criticised and W8 would be better. It seems I had it wrong. I heard today that a new version of W8 is available in beta. It has a start button! But I also hear that the pre-release version is not a good idea to get for non-enthusiasts and I should wait for the semi-stable release.

Any opinions? Might W7 suit us better? We do not have a touch screen
 
Latest reports indicate that Windows 8.1 will be released on October 18th. If you have a Win8 installation, you will be able to upgrade for free (if the reports are to be believed). Thus, I would suggest the best course of action, provided the Win8 machine IS working OK, is to hold fire for another 6 weeks or so. If it's broke, keep hold of the Win8 installation files, but install Win 7 to keep you going. You will, of course, need a valid WIN7 licence key of you go down this route.
 
JohnD said:
I had a vague idea that W7 had been criticised and W8 would be better. It seems I had it wrong. I heard today that a new version of W8 is available in beta. It has a start button! But I also hear that the pre-release version is not a good idea to get for non-enthusiasts and I should wait for the semi-stable release.

Any opinions? Might W7 suit us better? We do not have a touch screen
Click to expand...
I'd say to wait for the official release of 8.1. Not long to go now. Wait a week or two after that and then have a read around some of the computer forums on the Internet to see what the various opinions of the upgrade are.

All versions of Windows come in for criticism when they first come out but probably none more than Windows 8 because it is so different in appearance and usage. I think the upgrade will be similarly discussed. It might or might not become accepted in the end.

There might be advice to ditch Windows 8 altogether and that is a course of action you could choose to take. But well ..I think that beneath the appearance of Windows 8, it is fairly similar in workings to Windows 7. Seeing as how Windows 8 is already up and running on your office computers and the programs are working OK, maybe just try and get used to the OS for a while longer? If you can't get on with the interface, you could consider installing one of the Start Menu replacements that are around for Windows 8 (StartIsBack is a good one ..although it does cost $3). It might be best to wait and see if it is compatible with Windows 8.1 before installing it though.

This could be less hassle than changing the OS again.
 
I run several different browsers in Win8 (64 bit). They all function really well.
In fact nearly every program I ran in XP (32bit) and run in Win7 (64bit) - work fine in Win8-Pro (64 bit).
Office 2007 - Works / worked fine in all three platforms.
I only have one problem 'Vector Cadd' (16 bit ?) Works ok in 32bit platform but not when using 64 bit.
VMWare player to the rescue - win7 32 bit - does the trick... Even posts a win experience value of 6.2 (host is 7.9) Not a great test but has some value.

After nearly a year with the 'final release' pre 8.1, well I can use it fine, either mode Metro or desktop. A bargain at £20 odd quid during the M$ offer.

Classic Start Menu has been a great help - I am comfortable with the whole thing, trying not to rely on one mode or the other - It is just something new and we generally have a resistence to change - have to fight it.

-0-
 
Whilst 8.1 adds a start menu, I don't think it's the start menu that people will recognise. It's basically the same start menu you get when you move the mouse to the bottom left of the screen and it launches you into Metro rather than popping up a menu. ClassicShell is the way to go.

MS seem to have completely lost the plot. For decades they have failed with hand held devices, now they seem intent to replicate those failings on the desktop, won't be long before we can't close applications down because "windows knows better".

I can't see business wanting to touch it, many of our customers are still on XP or Windows 2000 with a few slowly moving to Windows 7, perhaps seeing 8 has given them the push because they know that otherwise they may wait until 9 is out.

Could be a great time for Linux.
 
I've used Ubuntu (Linux) for a while and found the jump in UI on that easier to understand/use than the jump from Windows 7 to Windows 8.

Annoyingly 8 does work rather well on one of the tablet things we have at work but like everyone above has said, it's not great for desktop use
 
Aston85 said:
I've used Ubuntu (Linux) for a while and found the jump in UI on that easier to understand/use than the jump from Windows 7 to Windows 8.

Annoyingly 8 does work rather well on one of the tablet things we have at work but like everyone above has said, it's not great for desktop use
Click to expand...

I've used Ubuntu from Feisty Fawn onwards which was April 2007 (2007:04 <--4th month (meaning April).

The next version is 13:10 meaning 2013, 10th month (Ubuntu receives new (free) versions every six months (April & October))

Before turning into an Ubuntu-ite I was on Debian Woody which was around the year 2000 (Came with my AmigaONE motherboard)

I changed from debian to Ubuntu because (back then) you would do a three + day "google-athon" to get something working and then it would stay working for aeons which meant you had long forgotten how you fixed said issues.......And then it finally breaks and you curse yourself because you can't remember what you did to fix it and you really don't want to do another three day google-athon to get it working again.
 
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