Windows 8.1

[THE PILGRIM]

windows 8 did come as a shock as it's very different from Win 7.
Win 8.1 takes a step back and allows you to set up your screen so it looks a lot like Win 7.
Here's a pic of my desktop with 8.1.
Notice the purple flag, lower LH. Sort of like a start button.
Bottom toolbar- file explorer, control panel, explorer, Fox Fire, mail and Chrome.
Notice I have pinned shortcuts to several of my most used programs to the screen.
Like iTunes, OpenOffice, Photoshop, eBay, etc.
The other stuff I get to by mousing on the flag Lower LH.
Shutdown? Right click on the flag. That shows a Popup with other choices.
Get yours setup like this for a no drama computer experience.

 

[tacreload]

Pilgrim, my daughters got together and got me a new HP with windows 8 for my birthday back in August.My youngest being the tech geek told the sales guy that I was a dinosaur with XP and the Windows 7 experience was loaded on my desktop.I have dabbled on the Windows 8 side a little and I think it is learnable if I had the time.I've played with it but really haven't spent that much time at it.Too much time at work and too little patience when not at work.So far no complaints with what I am using though.

 

[Erich]

I picked up a Windows 8 machine for Gina, and - after a long period of griping - she's okay with it. Me, I won't use the thing. 8.1 sounds like a much-needed development.

I understand Windows 10 is in the offing.

 

[Ogandydancer]

Windows 8 is as far as I am concerned the biggest pile of useless garbage MS has ever come out with.

I supposedly have D/L the 8.1 update but I don't see that icon in my lower left corner I still see the tile logo.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Windows 8 is as far as I am concerned the biggest pile of useless garbage MS has ever come out with.

I supposedly have D/L the 8.1 update but I don't see that icon in my lower left corner I still see the tile logo.

That's why I posted this. All you complaining plowboys who have 8 need to upgrade to 8.1.

 

[OS-Wiz]

Yup, upgrade to 8.1 and put on patches 1 and 2. And then put on Classic Shell: Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements
Gives you back the Start button and boots to desktop.

 

[rwsmith]

How do you do this....

windows 8 did come as a shock as it's very different from Win 7.
Win 8.1 takes a step back and allows you to set up your screen so it looks a lot like Win 7.
Here's a pic of my desktop with 8.1.
Notice the purple flag, lower LH. Sort of like a start button.
Bottom toolbar- file explorer, control panel, explorer, Fox Fire, mail and Chrome.
Notice I have pinned shortcuts to several of my most used programs to the screen.
Like iTunes, OpenOffice, Photoshop, eBay, etc.
The other stuff I get to by mousing on the flag Lower LH.
Shutdown? Right click on the flag. That shows a Popup with other choices.
Get yours setup like this for a no drama computer experience.

I've looked up on the net and some of the methods for doing this were rather involved with a lot a steps. MS could have given a menu selection that said "Emulate Windows 7" but Neeeeoooooooooooo.

PS Win 8 is good for people into pads and touch screens, but that ain't me.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Windows10 preview is available. Microsoft has a vid that starts off by explaining that the next latest and greatest OS is back to the Start Menu.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Windows10 preview is available. Microsoft has a vid that starts off by explaining that the next latest and greatest OS is back to the Start Menu.

You might want to read what PC Mag has to say.
Like Quit Complaining about Win 10. He hath no complaint about Win 8.1 with classic shell installed. That's what I'm showing you in the picture.

Stop Complaining About Windows 10 | John C. Dvorak | PCMag.com

 

[johngalt]

Windows 8 is as far as I am concerned the biggest pile of useless garbage MS has ever come out with.

I supposedly have D/L the 8.1 update but I don't see that icon in my lower left corner I still see the tile logo.

Ah, how quickly you forget Windows Vista! And then there was Windows 95/98/Me...

 

[Rastoff]

I've never had any trouble with any Microsoft system. That includes Vista and ME. What I really find funny is that people are so afraid to upgrade. I mean, shouldn't a new operating system be...um...well...new? Many see something that isn't exactly like the "old" one and they go screaming how terrible it is without even trying it.

8.1 was a compromise to calm all those complaining it wasn't like 7. I heard all those same complaints when they first introduced the Start button, but now guys can't live without it. Go figure.

I can't wait to hear all the complaints about 10. It will either be the best upgrade they've ever done or it will be garbage (whether it's actually garbage or not). I'm betting most will be unhappy, but get it anyway.

 

[GaryS]

Good thread. I have a touch screen laptop with 8 on it. If it wasn't for the touch screen I wouldn't have 8 at all. Classic Shell will go on tonight.

 

[OS-Wiz]

I've never had any trouble with any Microsoft system. That includes Vista and ME. What I really find funny is that people are so afraid to upgrade. I mean, shouldn't a new operating system be...um...well...new? Many see something that isn't exactly like the "old" one and they go screaming how terrible it is without even trying it.

8.1 was a compromise to calm all those complaining it wasn't like 7. I heard all those same complaints when they first introduced the Start button, but now guys can't live without it. Go figure.

I can't wait to hear all the complaints about 10. It will either be the best upgrade they've ever done or it will be garbage (whether it's actually garbage or not). I'm betting most will be unhappy, but get it anyway.

Partly agree, partly don't. Microsoft made a bad assumption that the whole-wide world would have nothing but touch screens and every device known to man would all need the same operating system -- Oops, just isn't so.

 

[GaryS]

Installed. So far I'm very happy with Classic Shell. Quick set up, I didn't even change many settings.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

You might want to read what PC Mag has to say.
Like Quit Complaining about Win 10. He hath no complaint about Win 8.1 with classic shell installed. That's what I'm showing you in the picture.

Stop Complaining About Windows 10 | John C. Dvorak | PCMag.com

Pretty rough words for MS in that article.

The author seems convinced that MS simply does not care what you (consumers) think, and that the ultimate solution will be for consumers to install third party Apps like Classic Shell, forever. I guess we'll see Win10 a year from now, but my guess is that it will be more Win7 familiar.

MS was obviously eager to get a uniform OS interface across devices from tablets to desktops. As an Apple user, it's equally obvious that Apple is headed in that general direction with each OSX update adopting subtle IOS-like changes.