I want opinions on Windows 8 - ready to buy new laptop.

[ConcernedCanuk]

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It's gonna be a Dell - had them for over a decade,

and am familiar with the systems configuration/password/setup stuff etc.

Not gonna change to mac Linux, Ubuntu or whatever

too used to Windows, too old and stubborn to change . .

and besides

Gates needs the money!

[hlthe2b]

1. Windows 8 is a big change & it strikes me that you'd prefer the familiar...

Reviews were so poor that when I was offered the chance to upgrade my recently purchased Windows 7 laptop for only $14, I have thus far... not.

I use both a Windows XP and a Windows 7 laptop concurrently and concurrently. I have to say, though the new one is faster, I still find a lot to like in windows XP, though 7 is fine....

So, I'm not averse to change, but those reviews of Win8 have left me cold, frankly.

So, if I were you, I'd probably think about purchasing with windows 7 and see if you are offered the option to purchase the upgrade disk (cheaply) should you decide later to do so.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

2. Is there nowhere you csn go to test drive Windows 8 yourself?

Gave my daughter a new laptop for Christmas... she has no problems with 8 at all. However, when I was researching the purchase I ran across several reviews that said Windows 8 works well in Toshibas... which is what I settled on for her.... I think you should think about just what you do on your laptop and then research how 8 performs in those areas. She has simple needs, so she likes 8 quite well.

I use a mac...switched over in 2004...will never go back...it's way too easy to use!

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. Fuckin' YUCK!!!

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. I read the 3 replies, thanks - problem is,

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almost anything new is preloaded with Windows 8.

and it appears it's not very popular

But I DO want a Dell, with windows.

hmmm

pondering . . .



CC

[hobbit709]

5. Download Classic Shell and install it.

It will look and act more like 7.
If you look around you can still find one with 7 on it.

[pinboy3niner]

6. I have it and I like it

Works great for me and probably will for you, too. Go for it and don't look back.

[LiberalFighter]

12. Go to Office Depot or Best Buy

and check it out. I did and didn't find anything negative to say about 8. The only thing is that it is probably more intended for touchscreen vs regular monitors. But using the mouse as the interface is just fine.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

32. For DELL

I like Win7 pro:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006740%2050010772%20600004970&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=20

From the DELL site here's a good pick:
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=sqctf5s&model_id=vostro-2420&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04


Happy hunting

[Spider Jerusalem]

53. Dell offer Windows 7 as a no-cost option, or should

I was looking at their website (just out of curiosity, I'm planning to build a new PC and thought I'd see how much it'd set me back to buy one with the same specs pre-assembled), and Windows 7 was an option in the system configurator tool.

[dawg]

7. Either get a Windows 7 machine or wait till Autumn ...

when MS releases Windows "Blue" - the "fixed" version of Windows 8.

[kudzu22]

8. Been a Windows user my whole adult life

But those days may be coming to an end. I've held on to my XP desktop so far. Haven't found anything likeable about Win7 or 8.

[ConcernedCanuk]

13. Running XP sp3 right now.

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that means it's been "fixed" 3 times.

that's why I'm leery about new windows - they always need fixing . .

THEN, just after ya got everything figured out, the web decided your system can't handle your system, and you/me are forced to upgrade.

I was quite happy with 98SE, but the web wasn't.

The providers know we are addicted to this web thing

So they rape us.

Am I wrong?

I think not

(sigh)

[talkingmime]

9. Win8 sucks moose cock. See if you can find a Win7 box. Seriously.

The interface on Win8 looks like something you would use in kindergarten. I can't even find the fucking control panel. Avoid it at all cost. You won't like it. Win7 is the best they've made since 98SE. XP is okay, but it sort of sucks compared to 98SE. Hopefully Win9 will be useful. Until then, stick with Win7.

And to hell with Dell. Their tech support sucks. Go with HP, configure the machine online and it will be on your doorstep a week later. Their tech support is above and beyond. Just stay the FUCK away from Win8.

[datasuspect]

10. just overwrite the windows install with a linux distro

and you will be fine.

[hunter]

24. That's what I do.

Since I quit Windows 98SE I've lived by this rule:

Don't use Microsoft or Apple products unless somebody is paying you at least $50 an hour.

I'm sitting on the fence still, but Android is pretty damned close to falling into my "pay me" list.

If I'm not the all-powerful administrator of any machine I own then it's not truly mine.

I demand root.

[datasuspect]

46. windows is a virus

and apple is a fisher price OS.

[UTUSN]

11. Michael DELL is a wingnut n/t

[Taverner]

14. Just say no to 8, stick with 7

7 Is the best OS they've released in a long time

8, is, well, not...

[GoCubsGo]

15. It's fine as long as you add Classic Shell.

Classic Shell will boot you right to the desktop, and it's pretty much like any other Windows operating system at that point. My only gripe is that one has to log in with a password each time one boots up, and if the computer has been sleeping for a while. There is probably a way around that, but I have been too lazy to look for it.

Depending on where you buy your computer, it might come with a free tutorial session. That is the case with Staples. If you have problems with Windows 8, bring in the laptop and your receipt, and they will show you all you need to get going. I haven't taken advantage of this, so I don't know whether or not it's worth the effort. I have a feeling you can figure the whole thing out yourself.

On edit: You should be able to run your old software with W8. I loaded a ten year old copy of Word Perfect onto mine, and it runs, no problem. (I DETEST MS Word. I use it only when I have to.)

[SteveG]

16. You will likely want to get

a program like Classic Start which makes win 8 behave like Win 7. Win 8 without a touch screen is a royal pain in de backside.

[Dash87]

17. Why Dell? They're overpriced.

Dell isn't what it used to be. You can usually get better laptops for the same price off of sites like New Egg, and with free shipping.

Also, W8 is nowhere near as bad as people say it is. Did you guys ever try Windows ME? Now that was total crap.

[olddots]

18. windows 8 is for touch screens not for lap tops

Nobody told me that ---reviews on line were about 8 on touch screens .


Don't do it I got stuck with a lemon that should be recalled but won't because it isn't a car that could harm others .....8 is a huge mistake


DON'T DO IT you will regret it .

[Dash87]

21. Not entirely true. You can have a tablet like interface,

But you can also get to a desktop screen similar to Windows 8. There's a lot of unnecessary stuff for PC users on Windows 8, but it's also somewhat similar to Windows 7. It took me about 10 mins to learn, and I have no problem using a mouse on it.

[Spike89]

19. Got a Dell with Win8 for my Mom

Lots of learning curve, but she's happy now (months later!) It would be much better if you can afford to get a touchscreen laptop. As many others have said, there are "shells" available to make 8 look/act like 7. I choose not to put one of those on my Mom's system, figuring it would be easier to keep her install "vanilla" despite the learning curve...if I had to do it over, I might go with a good shell...good luck!

[undeterred]

20. I've been using it for 3 months.

I loved Windows 7 and did not want to change, but like anyone buying a new computer, I had no choice.

It takes some getting used to, so plan on that. Watch some online tutorials, and put some work into figuring out how to do what you need to do.

Its not intuitive. But its not the end of the world. You just have to put a little effort into learning how to use it.

[ConcernedCanuk]

22. After reading everything, think I'll look for a used lap with Win7.

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In the meantime, I think I'll upgrade the memory in my old Latitude D600.

Specs say it will take 2 Gig - it's only got 768 Meg.

Thanks all.

CC

[Mnpaul]

23. You can still get a Dell with Windows 7

http://www.dell.com/us/p/popular-laptop-deals

They may cost a little more

[ConcernedCanuk]

25. Thanks! - bookmarked.

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and yeah, they are a bit pricey, but I expect my next purchase to last quite awhile.

So initial cost is not a deciding factor.

Besides, I already have an account with Dell - they shipped a battery for my D600 in 4 days.

I'm moving into the bush - want to be able to drive around my 28 acres and still play on-line,

so I bought a supplemental battery that fits in the CD-drive slot.

Using Bell's "stick" - as long as I'm close to a tower, I got the internet anywhere!

No land-line available where I'm moving to.

Thanks again.

CC

[Mnpaul]

27. Google is your friend(sometimes)

You can probably find more if you look around Dell.

I have to give them credit for coming through with stylus pens for my Fujitsu. They were cheaper than Fujitsu.

[Initech]

26. I'm not really a fan of Windows 8 but I loathe Dell.

I'm buying a new laptop as well but I'm getting a Lenovo Y500 instead - backlit keyboard, 1080p screen, GTX 650M, and an SSD for $929. Better than anything I could find from Dell.

[ConcernedCanuk]

31. One reason I like Dell is they are easy to work on.

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I built the first computer I got on-line with over a decade ago from used computers/parts.

Took me 6 months to learn, but I did it. Was poor, and ignorant about computers when I started.

When I formatted the hard drive (found still in the static pack at a Salvation Army Thrift Store for 50 cents!) - I named it "DAVESFOR1150" - that's what the total cash output was ($11.50) for all the old computers(4) and parts I scrounged to build it.

Don't need tools to work on most Dells, at least not their older desktop or tower models.

Buttons open the "hood" - and almost everything inside comes out with clips and latches, "modular" I think be the word.

Never opened a laptop - not familiar with laps at all, but I suspect once I have a back-up lap, this thing I'm typing will get explored.

Mechanic by trade, curious by inclination, it's gonna happen!

CC

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

33. Be warned

I've heard some unpleasant stories about working on some newer DELLs. Ask hobbit.

[ConcernedCanuk]

34. Already downloaded the owner's and service manual for my D600.

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I read.

I Pay attention to the what to do and what not to do.

Said in another post - I'm a mechanic

Should have said I'm a licensed automotive AND truck mechanic since 1975.

I am used to reading manuals and taking my time.

CC

[hobbit709]

40. Not much you can do on any laptop.

About all you can do is change hard drive, add memory and swap the wifi card. Anything else is next to impossible without proper tools for the thin film cabling, etc. It's not like a desktop where you can swap out cards and even cpu without too much hassle.

[ConcernedCanuk]

51. I sorta figured that, especially since this is my first one.

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I intend to keep a couple of my desktop/tower systems for off-line use.

I like swapping out hard-drives, memory and so on.

Laptops, ??

I think Ill leave that mostly for the professionals.

CC

[In_The_Wind]

28. Both of my computers are Dell.

The laptop has been upgraded to Windows 8.
The main computer is too old an Xp which cannot be upgraded beyond 7.

[d_r]

29. a couple of weeks ago

i bought a new dell 14" inspiron laptop on amazon.com for $301.22 with no tax or shipping. it is i3. 8 gigs ram. 500 gig hd. usb 3.0 and hdmi ports. it had win 7 on it so that is probably why it was cheap. you might want to look around and see if you can find a leftover like that.

i wiped off the windows and put kubuntu on it and everything just worked. the hd is the slow part and will turn a little when an ap opens. other than that it hums with kubuntu. it is great for my uses and cant be beat for 300. honestly i think kubuntu wold feel more familair to a windows xp user than win 8 does.

[ConcernedCanuk]

35. hmmm - sumthing more to ponder - the kubuntu thing

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I can build puters, but "wiping" out an operating system and replacing it - that's beyond my present capabilities.

I can install apps like Word, Photoshop, etc., but a programmer I am not.

But I'm listening.

Carry on

thanx

CC

[retread]

39. Depends if the laptop has an optical drive. A newer bios can use a flashdrive also. The good thing

is it is a laptop so you can fire up your desk computer and Google any question that may arise.

Since you build desktops, put together a cheap one, put a Linux distribution on it and try it for a couple of months. Most of the modern distributions have come a long way in automatically determining the hardware.

[ConcernedCanuk]

56. Thanx retread, I'll be referring back to this thread more than once.

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Created my own "help for 'puters" thread without knowing it!

LUV yu peeps in here.

Thanx to all.

CC

[d_r]

44. if you want to test and try

Last edited Fri Apr 5, 2013, 11:20 AM - Edit history (1)

you don't have to "wipe" windows off the computer. I only did that because I haven't used windows for years and don't need it for anything.

Remember I am only suggesting kubuntu because I think it is the distribution that would be most familiar to windows users. That's nothing but my opinion. It opens up with a start button and start menu just like windows does. It doesn't say "start" on it but works the same way.

It is really easy to install kubuntu on a computer alongside windows.

There is a windows application called "wubi" that you just download and install it through windows. You don't even need to burn a dvd or anything. It just installs through windows, then when you reboot you chose if you want to boot up in windows or kubuntu. That way you can try it out and see if you like it. It is free and easy and doesn't mess up the windows that you already have.

That way you can try it and see if you like it.

It is a little trickier to install on a computer with windows 8, because of the changes in the way the bios (well technically I guess it isn't called bios anymore it is UEFI) works. But there are instructions on the net that will walk you through a dual install so you can keep windows 8.

What you could do, if you wanted, is to install it through wubi on the dell you already have and see if you like it. That would tell you if it is worth thinking about any further.

You would just go to this link:
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/windows-installer
and click "get the installer" and it will take it from there. When the installer opens you would select Kubuntu. It will install the program then reboot and give you the option of starting either windows or kubuntu.

Its free and easy and you can uninstall it like a windows program, so there's not much reason not to try it if you have the time and want to see what its like.

A couple of things you should remember if you choose to do it:

1. Almost everything is customizable, from the picture on the start button to the shape and location of the buttons on an application window to the system icons or widgets on the desktop. By right clicking on things and by poking around the settings in the control panel you change just about anything you want to, and there are lots of themes and stuff you can download. You can play with that stuff as much or as little as you want to make it an interface you like and are comfortable with.

2. To install software, you just open the software manager from the start menu and click on the software that you want. So if you want to install something like firefox or chrome just click on it and install.

3. It will install the libre office suite. Libre writer opens and saves microsoft word doc files, and you can set it to do that by default in the settings if you want. Same with the spreadsheet, presentations, etc.

4. kubuntu uses an interface called "KDE plasma." It is a little more resource intensive, so on an older computer a lighter interface such as lxde may work better. LXDE is a lot like windows xp, but it is not as customizable as kde. I have a desktop with core 2 processor and 3 gigs ram and kde works great. The kids have an old laptop with dual core processor and 1 gig of ram, and honestly I'd rather use lxde or unity on it than kde, but kde "works." So if your testing laptop is really old and you test kubuntu on it, recognize that it will run more slowly than it will on a newer computer.

[retread]

49. Doesn't Kubuntu also have a live version that copies nothing to the hard drive?

Just make the optical drive the first in line, pop in your live cd and go.
If I'm not mistaken most major distros have a live version.

[d_r]

52. yes

but it will seem real slow running the os off cd.

[retread]

42. You prefer KDE over Gnome?

[d_r]

45. I really do

but it is just a preference.

On our older laptops I've installed either ubuntu or suse with different gui's and went back and forth. I was saying above that lxde is more usuable on the older ones than kde.

For a long time on my previous laptop I would switch back and forth between unity, lxde, gnome, cinnamon, and kde plasma. Just whatever I felt like. And I left windows as a dual boot option.

On this new one and on my desktop I just installed kubuntu because they have the resources for it to run easily and honestly I just prefer it. I like how customizable it is. I have tinkered with it to fit with my eyes and style of using. I love it.

I probably liked cinnamon next best, but I don't really mind unity. My five-year-old uses unity as her typical default. My 9-year-old son goes back and forth with unity and gnome, I don't know if he really thinks about it, he just wants to click on the icon that makes something open and uses whatever the computer boots up to. He's more likely to use a tablet though. My daughter plays a lot of the kid internet games that use flash so she is more likely to use a desktop. I kind of think that unity may be easier for starters who aren't used to an OS already, but something like gnome or kde or cinnamon might be better for people who are already used to things.

Here is a screen shot of my desktop:


core 2 with 3 gigs of ram, tons of things open, dual monitors, webdav mounted, just humming right along.

[retread]

48. I used to prefer KDE, but a couple of years ago put Ubuntu on a pc I built and accepted

the defaults. It's now on an LTS and I am familiar with the quirks.
I still keep at least 2 terminals open in spite of all the graphic advance Linux has made.

[Gold Metal Flake]

30. With Classic Shell it works just fine. My desktop with 8 starts in 19 seconds.

Hard to get a faster PC startup than 19 seconds.

[GoCubsGo]

57. Mine boots about that quickly, too.

I haven't timed it, but I'm sure it's in that range. It shuts down in maybe 10 seconds. I love it! My old desktop takes forever.

Classic Shell is great! It skips that ridiculous START page, and goes straight to the desktop. It doesn't seem to slow down the start up, either

[uriel1972]

36. There's plenty of things you can do to make your 8 look and feel like 7...

I use Stardock's Start8 which adds a 7 like start button for around $5. I know there are free programs out there but I didn't want too much bother. I'll try and find a Gizmodo page which had ways to make your 8 be like 7 and paste the link. BRB.

Ah here it is: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/03/how-to-make-windows-8-look-and-feel-like-windows-7/

[retread]

37. When you get a new laptop, how do you deal with all the bloatware?

[hobbit709]

38. Revouninstaller-lists all installed programs and lets you get rid of all traces of them.

I put it on every build I make.

http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

[retread]

41. Some of those type tools require a knowledge of what specific program you wish gone. Can

you just say "remove crap" and be done?

[hobbit709]

43. It's usually not hard to figure out

"Trial offers", games-especially Wild Tangent(which is nothing but spyware), Norton(Which I consider about as useful as a screen door on a submarine, assorted "helpers", any toolbar.

[retread]

47. A couple always seem to sneak by me. I agree about Norton. I see excellent reviews

for the windows virus scanner program that comes with the os.

[jrandom421]

50. Personally, I like it

Sure there are interface changes, but I had a harder time working with the start menu, after working with the Program Manager for 7 years, going from Windows 3.11 to Windows 95. The under the hood goodies are so much better.

Two of my favs
1) Automounting of ISO files. Click on an ISO file and it loads automatically into a virtual CD ROM Drive. Pretty Cool

2) Client Hyper-V. Yah! I work with virtual machines a lot and I hated VMware Workstation and paying them to just run my virtual machines. With Client Hyper-V, I can say "Adios, VMware!"

[Mnpaul]

54. You can use ImDisk in any version of Windows to auto mount iso files

A big 316k program that works quite welll.
http://imdisk.en.lo4d.com/

[sammytko]

55. I have new laptop with W8 and like it

Like anything else, takes practice. But I hate to turn up my nose at new things. Makes me feel OLD. And not even gray hair makes me feel old.

Also have a PC with windows 7