FA+
Shop
Windows 8
13 years ago
Well, I had not seen windows 8 in person. and I noticed a special from Microsoft for a download upgrade from vista or windows 7, to windows 8, for $40 (special ends sometime in january). Soooo, I decided to make the jump, and upgraded today.
Anyways, it has a different splash page you start out on. Which includes some news and weather, and various options for accessing your programs. Or, you can click to the normal desktop. There is no longer a traditional start button. You click where it used to be, or push the windows button, and it takes you to the splash page.
Was interesting learning how to access my programs through the new interface, and in many ways, I think it will make some things easier to use.
So.... I finished for the day, after being on for several hours, and went to shutdown my laptop.
Hmmm.. no start button. So went to the splash page, and looked, and looooooked and loooooooooked. But no shutdown option was visible anywhere. Finally surrendering to my inability to do something as simple as turn of my computer, I went online to find out how.....
Here's how it works... move your mouse pointer to the left bottom side of the screen, till some option buttons popup. Click the cog wheel looking icon to go into settings. Then click power options. Then choose shutdown.
I KNOW, so OBVIOUS. How could i have missed it????
Anyways, it has a different splash page you start out on. Which includes some news and weather, and various options for accessing your programs. Or, you can click to the normal desktop. There is no longer a traditional start button. You click where it used to be, or push the windows button, and it takes you to the splash page.
Was interesting learning how to access my programs through the new interface, and in many ways, I think it will make some things easier to use.
So.... I finished for the day, after being on for several hours, and went to shutdown my laptop.
Hmmm.. no start button. So went to the splash page, and looked, and looooooked and loooooooooked. But no shutdown option was visible anywhere. Finally surrendering to my inability to do something as simple as turn of my computer, I went online to find out how.....
Here's how it works... move your mouse pointer to the left bottom side of the screen, till some option buttons popup. Click the cog wheel looking icon to go into settings. Then click power options. Then choose shutdown.
I KNOW, so OBVIOUS. How could i have missed it????
I'm not sure if I'm ready to upgrade just yet.
Windows 8 is supposed to be strongly based on windows 7, so it should for the most part have a good foundation. Updates from game makers combined with updates from microsoft will likely resolve most issues.
But yeah, sometimes it feels they make changes, primarly to be changing something. They want it to look and feel different, so you feel like it's something new. Rather than just changes to improve things.
All that said, microsoft has removed window media player as a part of the windows package. It will cost around $10 extra to add that, if you desire it. If you upgrade to windows 8 pro, for the $40. AND then go to the webpage to add it, they will send you a free license key for media player. So, that's another added reason to possibly consider upgrading. And, redownloads of windows 8 pro, will be supported through october 2015. 3 years of being able to access this software via download is actually pretty nice.
And, as with any new windows OS, I'm sure it will have bumps to work out, and will be much more stable 6 months down the road.
There's some talk, that the special introductory price, is a effort to tap existing home pc/ laptop owners, that traditionally don't upgrade thier OS. The reason being, that home PC and Laptop sales are down due to people using tablets and thier smart phones more instead of a PC. And using the smart TVs. xbox, playstation etc, to access online entertaiment content. Essentially, for many people, the need for a current PC no longer exists. Which means microsofts market is shrinking. Companys like AMD, Intel, and Dell are all in financial trouble now. One of the big chip makers will likely fall. Which, is probably going to be amd, since intel is still the bigger company.
Personally, I carry a laptop with me almost every where i go. It may not come out of my car, at say a mall, but it's there if I want it. The limits of tablets annoy me. I want a full computer experience when I do anything computer wise. I'm spoiled I guess.
Where as, I talked with a programer friend, with a bachelors degree in computer, who basically told me, the only reason he uses a desktop PC anymore, is playing star wars online. Everything else, he generally does on his Ipad.
the $40 price is good through january 31st.
And, if you do be sure to get the window media player license key
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/...../feature-packs
if you have windows 8, before january 31st, and go to the second webpage i listed, you can enter your information to get a free license key for media player. After that, I believe the cost for a license will be $10. Not a huge amount, but if you can grab it while it's still free, might as well.
Even if you would rather use real player, or some other third party media software.