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

[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.