Windows 7 users who upgraded to 8 question.

Any good? On a desktop or laptop.

On 11/19/2012 2:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.

Seems to need about the same kind of machine that Windows 7 does. So if
you like Windows 7 on a given machine, performance with Windows 8 should
be just fine. I do miss the lack of gadgets under Windows 8 (they
removed the ability to have gadgets). There is a hack to get them
available once again (requires part of Windows 8 CP). But under Windows
8 CP still allowed gadgets and some of them had compatibility problems
anyway. And I would want gadgets compatible with Windows 8 and that
isn't likely to happen now.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

"FDK" fdk aol.com wrote:

Any good? On a desktop or laptop.

Maybe, if you are a very skilled user. If you know how to make
incremental backup copies of your installation. If you can
simultaneously keep a copy of your old installation for doing
stuff while you're testing Windows 8. That kind of thing.
Otherwise, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. If you don't have any
real problem with Windows 7, there is no reason to upgrade. If you
want to use it for your ultraportable personal computing devices,
it might be useful, as long as you have time and money to
potentially waste, and as long as you qualify with the above
suggestions.

If you were upgrading from XP, that might be different.

On 11/19/2012 4:54 PM, John Doe wrote:
"FDK"fdk aol.com wrote:

Any good? On a desktop or laptop.

Maybe, if you are a very skilled user. If you know how to make
incremental backup copies of your installation. If you can
simultaneously keep a copy of your old installation for doing
stuff while you're testing Windows 8. That kind of thing.
Otherwise, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. If you don't have any
real problem with Windows 7, there is no reason to upgrade. If you
want to use it for your ultraportable personal computing devices,
it might be useful, as long as you have time and money to
potentially waste, and as long as you qualify with the above
suggestions.

If you were upgrading from XP, that might be different.

Odd... everything you stated also applies to Windows XP users.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

On 11/19/2012 12:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.
I would say it depends on the machine. My wife has HP Touchsmart IQ804
and windows 8 compliments it nicely! Pretty cool on a 26 inch screen!
Even though there are problems with it at the moment and Microsoft
support is working on it as it was upgraded from win7 home prem 64.
(I suspect a driver of some sort as it functions perfectly in safe
mode). Under normal startup it black screens after a few hrs. Let me
tell you that is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. Why would
you not still use a blue screen with a error message? Now my machine is
a high end custom built desktop with no touch ability and my copy of win
7 pro 64 screams and I really do not see my self changing it anytime
soon. I may wait for "9" or eventually win 8 with classic shell or
something.Just my 3 cents.

Drew.

On 11/19/2012 3:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.

I installed Windows 8 on a spare machine that was running 7. I like the
overall improvement in speed but do not see anything in the metro
interface that I don't already have with a program called "Fences" by
Stardock that I have used for a long time in Windows 7. Allows me to
create icons on the desktop in groups and is far easier to manipulate
that with thee metro groups and icons.

I constantly fight the system in trying to get to the metro screen. I
need to slide the cursor to the top right of the screen a half dozen
times to get the charms screen to come up.

The other major disappointment for me is trying to find all of the
system features that I have used in the past. I haven't decided yet
whether to install it on my main system.

On Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:36:41 -0800, Drew
wrote:

On 11/19/2012 12:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.
I would say it depends on the machine. My wife has HP Touchsmart IQ804
and windows 8 compliments it nicely! Pretty cool on a 26 inch screen!
Even though there are problems with it at the moment and Microsoft
support is working on it as it was upgraded from win7 home prem 64.
(I suspect a driver of some sort as it functions perfectly in safe
mode). Under normal startup it black screens after a few hrs. Let me
tell you that is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. Why would
you not still use a blue screen with a error message? Now my machine is
a high end custom built desktop with no touch ability and my copy of win
7 pro 64 screams and I really do not see my self changing it anytime
soon. I may wait for "9" or eventually win 8 with classic shell or
something.Just my 3 cents.

+1 for the feelings about W7 vs W8 on desktop.
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England

Drew wrote:
On 11/19/2012 12:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.
I would say it depends on the machine. My wife has HP Touchsmart IQ804
and windows 8 compliments it nicely! Pretty cool on a 26 inch screen!
Even though there are problems with it at the moment and Microsoft
support is working on it as it was upgraded from win7 home prem 64.
(I suspect a driver of some sort as it functions perfectly in safe
mode). Under normal startup it black screens after a few hrs. Let me
tell you that is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. Why would
you not still use a blue screen with a error message? Now my machine is
a high end custom built desktop with no touch ability and my copy of win
7 pro 64 screams and I really do not see my self changing it anytime
soon. I may wait for "9" or eventually win 8 with classic shell or
something.Just my 3 cents.

Drew.

Yes, that black screen is a dumb idea. "My kingdom for a hex dump".

That was done, in my opinion, so Windows 8 could be used in kiosks,
without the embarrassment to Microsoft, of a public BSOD showing
in public areas. Like seeing some screen at the airport, crashed
in Windows. By just using a black screen, the public will assume
a hardware failure has happened.

With the black screen problem, you're left to find a log file or
a .dmp file or something of that nature. By default, Microsoft
sends a report to itself, robbing you of the ability to get
as much debug info as possible. So in some cases, it requires
configuring the equivalent of Dr. Watson, to give a .dmp rather
than just sending a report to Microsoft. I had to make a mod like
that to my Windows 7 machine, when making BSODs on purpose for
testing. It's a really user-unfriendly approach. The error
info should always be available to the end user - not just
some corporation somewhere. We're the people most likely
to resolve the problem (at our end). Who wants to wait six
months for a patch to come out ?

I saw my first Windows 8 black screens, while installing the
first Windows 8 release, into VirtualBox. And that's when I
discovered what a pig it was. I eventually guessed at a solution,
and the thing worked. I'm not going to get that lucky every time.

Paul

"Marv" wrote in message ...

On 11/19/2012 3:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.

I installed Windows 8 on a spare machine that was running 7. I like
the overall improvement in speed but do not see anything in the metro
interface that I don't already have with a program called "Fences" by
Stardock that I have used for a long time in Windows 7. Allows me to
create icons on the desktop in groups and is far easier to manipulate
that with thee metro groups and icons.

Something like Tandy Deskmate.

I constantly fight the system in trying to get to the metro screen. I
need to slide the cursor to the top right of the screen a half dozen
times to get the charms screen to come up.

The other major disappointment for me is trying to find all of the
system features that I have used in the past. I haven't decided yet
whether to install it on my main system.

Hi, Marv.

I constantly fight the system in trying to get to the metro screen. I need
to slide the cursor to the top right of the screen a half dozen times to
get the charms screen to come up.

Takes a little practice - and a slight change in technique. The mouse needs
to go completely off-screen - or to the very edge of the screen. Bottom
right works as well as top right. Don't try to finesse the move and stop at
the edge; just boldly run the mouse right off the screen, then pause just a
moment. Be careful in bringing the pointer back onscreen; just a little too
far and the charms disappear and you'll have to do it again. When the
charms appear, if I move the cursor up (or down) the edge of the screen an
inch or two the charms bar will turn black and the clock tile will appear in
the lower left of my screen.

It took me a while to learn to not bring the cursor back onto the screen
after I run it into or off the upper or lower left corner. After the little
icon appeared, from habit I would always bring the cursor back to click on
the icon - but that makes the icon disappear. I have to click in the very
corner without moving the mouse back onscreen.

As Kreed said, the Windows key works to toggle between Desktop and Metro.
Good old Alt+Tab still works, too. And you don't need the bar's Start
charm, even with the mouse: just click in the lower left corner of the
screen..

The more I use Win8, the more "hidden" secrets I find. The first day - the
first MONTH - I was frustrated, but it has been getting better since then.
I still miss the Start Bar, but I'm getting the Start Menu tweaked to fit me
better and I'm more comfy with it now.

RC
-- --
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2012 (Build 16.4.3505.0912) in Win8


"Marv" wrote in message ...

On 11/19/2012 3:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.

I installed Windows 8 on a spare machine that was running 7. I like the
overall improvement in speed but do not see anything in the metro
interface that I don't already have with a program called "Fences" by
Stardock that I have used for a long time in Windows 7. Allows me to
create icons on the desktop in groups and is far easier to manipulate
that with thee metro groups and icons.

I constantly fight the system in trying to get to the metro screen. I
need to slide the cursor to the top right of the screen a half dozen
times to get the charms screen to come up.

The other major disappointment for me is trying to find all of the
system features that I have used in the past. I haven't decided yet
whether to install it on my main system.

On 11/19/2012 3:01 PM, FDK wrote:
Any good? On a desktop or laptop.
Why bother. Win 7 even has touchscreen functions.

On Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:24:14 -0600, "R. C. White"
wrote:

Hi, Marv.

I constantly fight the system in trying to get to the metro screen. I need
to slide the cursor to the top right of the screen a half dozen times to
get the charms screen to come up.

Takes a little practice - and a slight change in technique. The mouse needs
to go completely off-screen - or to the very edge of the screen. Bottom
right works as well as top right. Don't try to finesse the move and stop at
the edge; just boldly run the mouse right off the screen, then pause just a
moment. Be careful in bringing the pointer back onscreen; just a little too
far and the charms disappear and you'll have to do it again. When the
charms appear, if I move the cursor up (or down) the edge of the screen an
inch or two the charms bar will turn black and the clock tile will appear in
the lower left of my screen.

It took me a while to learn to not bring the cursor back onto the screen
after I run it into or off the upper or lower left corner. After the little
icon appeared, from habit I would always bring the cursor back to click on
the icon - but that makes the icon disappear. I have to click in the very
corner without moving the mouse back onscreen.

As Kreed said, the Windows key works to toggle between Desktop and Metro.
Good old Alt+Tab still works, too. And you don't need the bar's Start
charm, even with the mouse: just click in the lower left corner of the
screen..

The more I use Win8, the more "hidden" secrets I find. The first day - the
first MONTH - I was frustrated, but it has been getting better since then.
I still miss the Start Bar, but I'm getting the Start Menu tweaked to fit me
better and I'm more comfy with it now.

RC

I see people who say similar things, that they are getting used to it.
What I don't see is anyone who liked and used Win7 on the desktop
saying anything specific as to why Win8 is actually better then Win7
was. I bought Win8 but haven't installed it as I am waiting to see
someone say something indication an improvement in some at least
marginally significant area.

On 11/19/2012 10:58 PM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
I see people who say similar things, that they are getting used to it.
What I don't see is anyone who liked and used Win7 on the desktop
saying anything specific as to why Win8 is actually better then Win7
was. I bought Win8 but haven't installed it as I am waiting to see
someone say something indication an improvement in some at least
marginally significant area.

Oh I see. Okay maybe this will help.

Features new to Windows 8 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_Windows_8

Although you also lose some good things going too Windows 8 too.

List of features removed in Windows 8 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...d_in_Windows_8

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

On 11/20/2012 12:52 PM, BillW50 wrote:
On 11/19/2012 10:58 PM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
I see people who say similar things, that they are getting used to it.
What I don't see is anyone who liked and used Win7 on the desktop
saying anything specific as to why Win8 is actually better then Win7
was. I bought Win8 but haven't installed it as I am waiting to see
someone say something indication an improvement in some at least
marginally significant area.

Oh I see. Okay maybe this will help.

Features new to Windows 8 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_Windows_8

Although you also lose some good things going too Windows 8 too.

List of features removed in Windows 8 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...d_in_Windows_8


Windows 8 will join Vista and Me as another flop.

--
Alias

On 11/19/2012 8:24 PM, R. C. White wrote:
Hi, Marv.

I constantly fight the system in trying to get to the metro screen. I
need to slide the cursor to the top right of the screen a half dozen
times to get the charms screen to come up.

Takes a little practice - and a slight change in technique. The mouse
needs to go completely off-screen - or to the very edge of the screen.
Bottom right works as well as top right. Don't try to finesse the move
and stop at the edge; just boldly run the mouse right off the screen,
then pause just a moment. Be careful in bringing the pointer back
onscreen; just a little too far and the charms disappear and you'll have
to do it again. When the charms appear, if I move the cursor up (or
down) the edge of the screen an inch or two the charms bar will turn
black and the clock tile will appear in the lower left of my screen.

It took me a while to learn to not bring the cursor back onto the screen
after I run it into or off the upper or lower left corner. After the
little icon appeared, from habit I would always bring the cursor back to
click on the icon - but that makes the icon disappear. I have to click
in the very corner without moving the mouse back onscreen.

As Kreed said, the Windows key works to toggle between Desktop and
Metro. Good old Alt+Tab still works, too. And you don't need the
bar's Start charm, even with the mouse: just click in the lower left
corner of the screen..

The more I use Win8, the more "hidden" secrets I find. The first day -
the first MONTH - I was frustrated, but it has been getting better since
then. I still miss the Start Bar, but I'm getting the Start Menu tweaked
to fit me better and I'm more comfy with it now.

RC

Some might want to use the keyboard to get to the charms bar (Win+C).
Here are a bunch of other Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts.

http://www.redmondpie.com/this-exten...new-interface/

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8