Moving to New Computer and Windows 8.1

That's one of the two books I ordered yesterday, should be here tomorrow. I keep them on the shelf nearby and make notes on a 3x5 card used as a bookmark as I read for stuff I know I won't remember but will want to find easily.
 
TromboneAl said:
The "Windows 8.1 -- The Missing Manual" is a great book. I'm finding a lot of little shortcuts and tricks that make things faster.

I've always been impressed with Pogue:

David Pogue 2013 TedTalk - YouTube

PBS NOVA - Making Stuff Wilder (S41E04, Oct. 23 2013) - YouTube
Click to expand...

Super! I'll have to check it out; it sounds great.

Here are a few shortcuts that I found online and noted. By now I know and use them, especially the first two. The book probably includes them too.

Windows key + D: display/hide DESKTOP
Windows key + C: display/hide CHARMS
Windows key + F1: open Windows help file
Windows key + F: open search charm to search for files
Windows key + L: lock your PC or switch users
Windows key + M: minimize all windows
 
Oh, my. It turns out that getting a new computer has always been stressful. Way back in 1966, Tom Digby wrote this about the new computer experience. I wonder what version of Windows did this?

Code: 
                          Little Teeny Eyes
1.
Oh we got a new computer but it's quite a disappointment
'Cause it always gave this same insane advice:
"OH YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY HANDS FOR MILKING MICE."

2.
So we re-read the instruction book that came with the computer
But it kept on printing crazy stuff that reads
Like: "YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY SHOES FOR CENTIPEDES." 

3. So we got an expert genius and he rewrote all the programs
But we always got results that looked like these:
"OH YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY LICENSE PLATES FOR BEES."

4.
Then we tested each resistor, every diode and transistor,
But our EElectronic brain just raves and rants:
"OH YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT 
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE BRANDING IRONS FOR BRANDING ANTS."

5.
Now we're looking for a buyer for a crazy mad computer
That will only give out crazy mad advice
Like: "YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT 
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY HANDS FOR MILKING MICE."

                              -- Tom Digby
                              written  1/27/66
                              first publication APA-L #69  2/10/66
 
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I purchased an all in one Dell desktop one year ago and have been swearing at myself ever since. I have avoided the tile page ( which I think you all have referred to as metro interface), preferring to stick to the desktop. I am ever so slowing growing used to this system. I have not updated to 8.1 out of fear that I'll encounter another learning curve and have to get used to more quirks. Do the good people on this board have any horror stories on 8.1 or have any of you resisted as I have? I also have struggled with Office 360 and the new Outlook 2013 app. Has anyone had issues with outlook?:(
 
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M Paquette said:
Oh, my. It turns out that getting a new computer has always been stressful. Way back in 1966, Tom Digby wrote this about the new computer experience. I wonder what version of Windows did this?

Code: 
                          Little Teeny Eyes
1.
Oh we got a new computer but it's quite a disappointment
'Cause it always gave this same insane advice:
"OH YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY HANDS FOR MILKING MICE."

2.
So we re-read the instruction book that came with the computer
But it kept on printing crazy stuff that reads
Like: "YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY SHOES FOR CENTIPEDES." 

3. So we got an expert genius and he rewrote all the programs
But we always got results that looked like these:
"OH YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY LICENSE PLATES FOR BEES."

4.
Then we tested each resistor, every diode and transistor,
But our EElectronic brain just raves and rants:
"OH YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT 
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE BRANDING IRONS FOR BRANDING ANTS."

5.
Now we're looking for a buyer for a crazy mad computer
That will only give out crazy mad advice
Like: "YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY EYES FOR READING LITTLE TEENY PRINT 
LIKE YOU NEED LITTLE TEENY HANDS FOR MILKING MICE."

                              -- Tom Digby
                              written  1/27/66
                              first publication APA-L #69  2/10/66
Click to expand...

Actually that sounds a lot like dos, on a 15 inch monitor which was standard at the time. Even with write on WFW 311 you could change the font size.
 
I've spent hours trying to get my iTunes tunes over the new computer, along with the song ratings. A lot of things that were supposed to work did not, but I finally got things transferred. I finally dusted off (literally) my iPod touch, and used an app called CopyTrans to get the tunes from that to the iTunes folder.

I've always hated iTunes, and considered using a new system, but I figure that at least it's the devil I know.

Unfortunately, my new computer seems to have several huge music apps pre-installed.
 
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I've been trying native Windows 8.1 solutions to problems, but I think I will have to go with classic shell.

Here's what I need to achieve. In XP, bringing up all programs showed me an alphabetical list of every app I'd installed. I didn't need to set this up or organize it. I could fit everything on one screen:

HmVz4DO.png


Is there any way to get this without installing classic shell?
 
I wonder if anyone, even those who say they have no problem with Windows 8 and adapted to it in half an hour, really uses the Tileworld interface or just goes straight to the classic desktop?
 
meierlde said:
Actually that sounds a lot like dos, on a 15 inch monitor which was standard at the time. Even with write on WFW 311 you could change the font size.
Click to expand...

Not in 1966 it wasn't. It had to be a mainframe somewhere at work.
 
Animorph said:
Not in 1966 it wasn't. It had to be a mainframe somewhere at work.
Click to expand...

Yes thats correct. It was maddening back then. We think of 'green screen' and everyone knows that's 24×80. Thats model 2, in the '60s there were many model 1 devices, 12×40. Can't put much data on that. Also, the first and last lines were hardly ever visable, so you could only use 10 or 22 lines, if you wanted to make sure the user saw it.

Those upgrades took a year, or more. And you could modify the OS or CICS, JES etc. Where was that code? How much could you just use, vs. What had to be redone?

There were no lpars, Oh you want a test MF:D, sure write up cost justification. As a result the systems team got 3-4 hours a week to test. Midnight Saturday to 4AM Sundays, lots of fun.

I'm so glad I'm done.
MRG
 
Golden sunsets said:
I have not updated to 8.1 out of fear that I'll encounter another learning curve and have to get used to more quirks. Do the good people on this board have any horror stories on 8.1 or have any of you resisted as I have? I also have struggled with Office 360 and the new Outlook 2013 app. Has anyone had issues with outlook?:(
Click to expand...

I'm still running MS Office 2007 and have not had any issues with Win 8.1 with it so far. Outlook is the Office application we use the most.

We bought an Asus laptop as a supplemental box for the main tower while that's waiting for parts.

Although I did get the big thick book for the OS, once I [-]found[/-] stumbled across the desktop I haven't had any difficulties at all with it. Still reading the book though.
 
This may be far afield from the discussion, but my salvation in the confusions that attend different operating systems and desktops, has been the simple free program, Everything.
After a very short scan... less than a minute, it provides an instant search of any and every file on the computer, even if you don't know the full name. Search by partial name, file extension and use * for missing or unknowns. ie. if you needed to look for a File named Social Security.pdf , you could input so*.pdf.
Since I use multiple computers, and have a failing memory, I find myself using this Everything mini program on a regular basis.
While it doesn't "solve" the Desktop problem, it's an excellent way to find the path to the file or folder in question.
The other great part of this program is that you can sort by name, type file, date, last date modified, etc.
If I were to rate all of the programs on my computers, this would be at the top of the list.
 
Bestwifeever said:
I wonder if anyone, even those who say they have no problem with Windows 8 and adapted to it in half an hour, really uses the Tileworld interface or just goes straight to the classic desktop?
Click to expand...

The tileworld interface is a joke. They should call it not-windows because there are no windows. Today it opened a video in one of those tileworld apps. It takes the full screen, and I have to do the full up/down swipe to close it.

But, I guess if you have a tablet, it isn't so different from android, and that works fine. On a small tablet, you wouldn't want smaller windows. But on a big laptop...
 
I am wondering, didn't someone sit down with Win 8 before it was released and say, "This sucks! Don't release it." Megacorp mentality lends itself to the emperor has a robe, when he is naked!
 
I think that misses the point, though, Jim: The reality is that many people sat down "with Win 8" before it was released. Given what I know about the quality of people and processes at Microsoft, I think it is foolish to assume that what was released was anything other than as close as possible to the best approach forward for the company.

Understand that the failure of the Metro interface doesn't mean it was a mistake - it means that there may not be a viable path forward for Microsoft that achieves the objectives of the company - no way forward that avoids the degradation in relevance and therefore revenues that Windows 8 was intended to address. Not every problem has a solution. The reality is that computing simply may be drifting towards a place where Microsoft won't matter as much as they once did. What would have been a mistake is just rolling over, taking that as inevitable, without making the effort to try to do something different.

Alternatively, we have to remember that business is often a matter of luck. In a different universe, Windows 8 would have been as well-received as Windows 3.1. It had the qualities necessary for that. Things just didn't break that way, this time.

Far far too often we humans try to draw conclusions from the results, instead of drawing conclusions from the comparison of the results against the results of the alternatives - not to mention drawing those conclusions based on criteria of our own making instead of abiding by the objectives set by the people for the benefit of whom the decisions are being made (i.e., the shareholders - NOT the customers).

Taken from the perspective of what's best for Microsoft, making Windows 8 just an update of Windows 7 would have been unacceptable bordering on irresponsible.
 
bUU said:
I think that misses the point, though, Jim: The reality is that many people sat down "with Win 8" before it was released. Given what I know about the quality of people and processes at Microsoft, I think it is foolish to assume that what was released was anything other than as close as possible to the best approach forward for the company. ....
Click to expand...

That has to be one of the most naive things I've ever read! Either that, or you are Steve Balmer in real life (which still makes it naive, but would explain it) :LOL:

Large (and small) companies make drastic mistakes. They misjudge their users. And they pay the price, as do their shareholders. But you are telling us that MS is incapable of making a mistake? Laughable/sad.

I guess the Zune was a wonderfully well thought out product that the world just didn't appreciate? Silly world, just 'squirt' 'em. :facepalm:


Understand that the failure of the Metro interface doesn't mean it was a mistake - it means that there may not be a viable path forward for Microsoft that achieves the objectives of the company - no way forward that avoids the degradation in relevance and therefore revenues that Windows 8 was intended to address. ....
Click to expand...


Producing an interface that is roundly disliked does not sound like a viable path forward. I think they made a mistake that many companies do - they change for the sake of change, rather than improving upon the old, or (horrors, this would take real work and creativity) produce something new that people embrace, rather than be told they are 'resistant to change'.

In a different universe, Windows 8 would have been as well-received as Windows 3.1. It had the qualities necessary for that. Things just didn't break that way, this time.
Click to expand...

Is that alternate universe named Htrae? Where good is bad and bad is good? Maybe then, but here on planet Earth, good is good and bad is bad, and the majority of users have made it pretty clear what they think of metro/tiles/whatever.

Far far too often we humans try to draw conclusions from the results, ...
Click to expand...

Those pesky shareholders are looking for... results. And I guess I should put up with any deficiencies in any product I buy without complaining, and just say "Well, I'm sure they had good intentions."? :facepalm:

Taken from the perspective of what's best for Microsoft, making Windows 8 just an update of Windows 7 would have been unacceptable bordering on irresponsible.
Click to expand...

Or, as I said before, improve upon the stuff that works and find new ways of doing thing that people like. Not change for the sake of change.

It seems pretty obvious that Metro was a misguided approach to merging the tablet/phone world with the desktop. Tablets/phones are 'cool', so let's make the desktop 'cool'! But they let 'cool' get in the way with what works on a large monitor. Linux/Ubuntu made the same mistake going to the Unity interface, but it was easy for me to choose an alternate desktop interface (Xubuntu), which has all the old menu features that just seem to work on a desktop, and don't need to be changed to look like a phone.


-ERD50
 
Bestwifeever said:
I wonder if anyone, even those who say they have no problem with Windows 8 and adapted to it in half an hour, really uses the Tileworld interface or just goes straight to the classic desktop?
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I did with a new laptop with 8.1 on it - "Great - there's a tile labeled 'desktop'! Now I can actually do something instead of wasting time figuring out what these tiles things do, that I don't give a whit about."

Even better, Win 8.1 eventually figures out that you want to boot to the desktop so that's where it boots to. Works for me.
 
I thought MS's goal was to unify desktop/laptop/tablet/smartphone interfaces. Windows 8 was a step towards that. We've all seen that desktop sales have been declining, laptop sales are declining, and tablets and smartphone sales are growing. If MS wants to avoid serving only the desktop/laptop niche they need to move on. I assume Metro would not be too bad on a touch screen tablet. And so desktops get stuck with something a little strange.
 
Real simple.

A new operating system should be easy to use. Not require a message board. Nor involve a complicated learning curve.

Steve Balmer was removed. He screwed up big time.

8.0 a disaster.:mad:

I ended up purchasing a new laptop, with windows 7.:greetings10:
 
Animorph said:
I thought MS's goal was to unify desktop/laptop/tablet/smartphone interfaces. Windows 8 was a step towards that. We've all seen that desktop sales have been declining, laptop sales are declining, and tablets and smartphone sales are growing. If MS wants to avoid serving only the desktop/laptop niche they need to move on. I assume Metro would not be too bad on a touch screen tablet. And so desktops get stuck with something a little strange.
Click to expand...

Right, but it doesn't mean they need to take one tool for everything and force it down people's throats. You don't use the same size brush to paint a barn as you do to paint portrait.

I feel that Ubuntu/Linux should have simply offered a choice at login/start-up - do you want the tablet-style interface, or the traditional desktop? It looks like W8.1 has kinda done this, but it sounds like the desktop really is a 'second class citizen'.

edit/add:

wolf said:
Real simple.

A new operating system should be easy to use. Not require a message board. Nor involve a complicated learning curve.

...
Click to expand...

Absolutely. In this day and age, new things should be easy to learn, the advantages should be immediately obvious. Sure, some things might take a little adjustment or a bit of a learning curve, but those should have ample rewards, not just change for change's sake. And there should be enough immediate positives to make you want to learn the newer things that require a bit more effort.

-ERD50
 
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Walt34 said:
That's exactly what I did with a new laptop with 8.1 on it - "Great - there's a tile labeled 'desktop'! Now I can actually do something instead of wasting time figuring out what these tiles things do, that I don't give a whit about."

Even better, Win 8.1 eventually figures out that you want to boot to the desktop so that's where it boots to. Works for me.
Click to expand...

Actually that is windows 8.1 update 1. It asks itself does this computer have a touch screen interface, if not it boots to the desktop, if it does it boots to the metro interface. 8.1 just allows you to specify which to boot to in control panel.
 
ERD50 said:
That has to be one of the most naive things I've ever read!
Click to expand...
Except it isn't, and your ridiculously rude, self ratifying, and childish reply deserves no further consideration.
 
Come'on folks. We can all disagree without being disagreeable. Let's keep it friendly, and if anyone can't, there's always the ignore function.
 
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