General Chat

Don't be fooled by extended warranties.
Under EC legislation you actually have far more (free) protection than you think.
I would be inclined, in your position, to go for a new laptop with Windows 8 and then customise it accordingly.

I haven't checked but I am sure by now there is a "Windows 8 for Dummies" book out. I have found the "for Dummies" books very helpful, started self-teaching with "Word 2000"! "Windows 7" starts off very understandingly with some chapters called "Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know"

Errol

Thanks I was thinking of going for Windows 8 and will look out for the extended warranties.
I hate buying anything I don't know about so I will read all I can on Windows 8.


Elizabeth

That is certainly what I need a "Windows 8 for Dummies" book..

Thanks all.
Sue <3 <3 <3

I was told that W8 is targetted at businesses

I agree, Microsoft shot themselves in the foot, they have forgotten (or don't care) about home users.

:-(

The Microsoft guy who was in charge of developing W8 has recently retired/resigned. Funny about that :-D

Just a query,

When turning off my new laptop today, the message came up "Do not turn off your machine as installing updates 2 of 12"

This was three hours ago, and nothing has changed so far, is this normal?
It's still showing 2 of 12, and the little circle is still spinning.

Never known updates to take so long before.
Would appreciate advice - thanks

Tec :-)

Windows 8. So very different from previous versions.
Not as easy as they make out - takes a bit of getting use to

Bought a new laptop for my friend. Set him up with a gmail email account.
Showed him how to plug the laptop into the TV so he can watch YouTube videos on big screen.
Installed Skype free version.

Took me ages to tweak it so it was nearer to what he knew.

Never in my wildest dreams thought he would understand all my notes on how to do what.

Must have been practising for hours because slowly by surely he got it.
Now he can Skype me everyday, what he says it saves him money.
Can also check his own lottery.

Tecwyn - shouldn't take that long. Sometimes there is a conflict with something going on internally like backup or virus checker which slows down other things.

Can actually cause the system to freeze.
It is so annoying.

You may just have to turn it off, let it rest and reboot.

Thank you Sue,

I'll just switch it off, and see what happens tomorrow - thanks again.

Tec

You might like to look here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/03/21/scaling-to-different-screens.aspx
which gives an idea as to where the Windows8 development team think screen sizes are going and consider that compared to your own IT kit.

I quite liked Windows 7. I cannot see any point at all in running a user interface (Metro) meant for smart phones and tablets on a laptop or desktop. Mad. Everybody I know who is using Win8 on a desktop/laptop are running it as a Win7 clone and ignoring the Metro apps etc.

I mostly use linux so don't have to worry overmuch about MS upgrades.
My OH uses Apple as she likes things to just work.

In business Microsoft still have to somehow overcome stubborn resistance to using Windows 8 - there are still a lot of people in biz and UKGov on XP, even IE6.
The main problem is not the kit and license fee but the massive costs of training, altering network configs and updating custom software.

I posted about this a while back pointing out that in February XP users could buy a Win8 Pro license for £ 25. I don't suppose many bothered. I wonder how many took the chance to get a cheap new WIndows7 box while they were still around.