This is a Journal entry by Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

I Hate New Computers

Post 1

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

Dear Friends,

My beloved computer bit the dust. RIP.

I have a shiny new one, with Windows 8.2. Oh, how I hate it.

I'm still learning how to fight my way through it. I haven't figured all the buttons out yet, or how to keep it from going back to tiny print every time it refreshes the screen.

So if I'm slow in answering for a while, please forgive.

smiley - dragon


I Hate New Computers

Post 2

cactuscafe

Eeek! Windows 8.2! Very up to the minute. RIP old computer. Just think of the works of genius that you have created on it! You could write an epitaph for it.

C has windows 8 on his laptop, but our tech guy somehow put in a recognisable start button and menu as well, so we know where we are.

I like the funky brighly coloured windows 8 start screen, though. It reminds me of being in a flickering metropolitan environment, looking for pizza and someone to trust. Oh no, wait, that's my life. haha. I can never get out of it though. The start screen, not my life. It says click on the corners but I click on the corners and nothing happens.

Good luck! smiley - goodluck! I'm still on windows 7, I'm sooooo vintage.


I Hate New Computers

Post 3

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

smiley - rofl So far, I cannot find things once I've lost them. And it doesn't like h2g2 at all - when I try to open a thread, it's like making an appointment. It takes several minutes, and then several minutes to open the Reply window, then a few more to post.

At this rate, I may start communicating by pigeon post. smiley - whistle

Anyway, while attractive, the start screen is unhelpful, as it contains almost nothing I actually desire to visit. But I'll get the hang of it sooner or later, I guess. I refuse to believe this is because I'm thick. I mean, I am, but this is just a very badly designed system. It is not only NOT intuitive, it is counterintuitive. And the names for things are insane...charms, indeed...I fail to be charmed...


I Hate New Computers

Post 4

Icy North

I love the smell of progress in the morning...

Give it 3 weeks: you'll never believe you got by on something as primitive as Windows 7 smiley - smiley

In the corporate world, we never use the current OS versions. We're still patching Win 2003 for some systems. I bet some here know of older ones in use, too.


I Hate New Computers

Post 5

Bald Bloke

As you say Some will still be on Win 2K etc

Just think years ago we would look forward to an update as it brought new and useful features, but since around 2K / XP upgrades have been something to dread (for Windows users)


I Hate New Computers

Post 6

ITIWBS

My oldest laptop hasn't hard disk space enough to accommodate all of the updates for the Windows XP program that came preinstalled on it.

The one I'm using currently hasn't adequate CPU capacity to accept Windows 8.

If I were shopping for a new computer at the moment, I'd probably go with an IBM PC with preinstalled Linux.




Meanwhile, the move from 180 GB machines to the 8 GB machines common in the current releases is so ething of a Western answer to China's 'Great Firewall', an effort to compensate for an inadequate internet physical plant in either case, if by different means.

smiley - smileySometimes top planners on issues like this can be utterly shameless.smiley - zen


I Hate New Computers

Post 7

Pierre de la Mer ~ sometimes slightly worried but never panicking ~

smiley - apple is the answer smiley - zen

smiley - pirate


I Hate New Computers

Post 8

Pastey

Hah!

Windows 8 is really good, it just takes a little getting used to. Any major change in an operating system takes a little getting used to.


I Hate New Computers

Post 9

Prof Animal Chaos.C.E.O..err! C.E.Idiot of H2G2 Fools Guild (Official).... A recipient of S.F.L and S.S.J.A.D.D...plus...S.N.A.F.U.

F1926355?thread=5128083

join the clubsmiley - winkeye


I Hate New Computers

Post 10

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

It is, indeed, a steep learning curve. And we're still having techinsl issues.

So thanks to Mags, who will be editing your Post this week. smiley - biggrin


I Hate New Computers

Post 11

KB

"Windows 8 is really good, it just takes a little getting used to. Any major change in an operating system takes a little getting used to."

That's true. But it's also true that sometimes there are changes for the worse. Change does not necessarily equal improvement. When people object to a particular change, it doesn't necessarily mean they are dinosaurs who can't cope with change.

I get a bit annoyed by this sometimes, because it is an easy, lazy way of waving away legitimate criticism. "Oh, they're just set in their ways. They'll learn to like it."

We've had our current OS at work for over two years now, and explaining certain things about it to people *still* eats up a lot of my time. This suggests to me that it is less intuitive, and less usable, than the previous one. In short, it isn't as good.


I Hate New Computers

Post 12

Pastey

Change isn't always improvement, I fully agree with that.

But Windows 8 is a lot better than the previous versions.


I Hate New Computers

Post 13

SashaQ - happysad

What's the definition of 'better' in this context?

Says SashaQ who also dreads being forced to use Windows 8 at some point but currently uses the dreaded Vista very happily (once I had configured it to my satisfaction).


I Hate New Computers

Post 14

Pastey

For me, it's more intuitive. A lot of people say it's not, because they're used to XP.

But think about that, if you're used to XP, then you're going to be constantly trying to use something in the same way as that. For people coming new to computers (which is pretty much limiting it to kids) then Win8 is, I feel, more intuitive.

For me to use it, I've put all the programmes I frequently use onto the task bar, and all those plus the ones I regularly use onto the Start Screen. Everything else is in the "Apps" screen (stupid name apps).
Once you get used to the idea that the start screen is just a full screen version of the start menu, the whole thing make *much* more sense. Add that for a lot of the stuff on there, it's now bigger icons and easier to find, and some of them even update real-time with stuff off the net.

Under the bonnet, it's a lot more secure and stable. There's lots of little things that just work as you'd expect them to.


I Hate New Computers

Post 15

Prof Animal Chaos.C.E.O..err! C.E.Idiot of H2G2 Fools Guild (Official).... A recipient of S.F.L and S.S.J.A.D.D...plus...S.N.A.F.U.

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/186745-microsoft-will-unify-windows-windows-phone-and-xbox-into-one-converged-operating-system

just when you thought it ok to out in the open as they saysmiley - laughsmiley - laughor not ??? is it "dark" ?


I Hate New Computers

Post 16

SashaQ - happysad

Thanks Pastey smiley - ok That makes sense, especially about under the bonnet stability.

So Win8 is more like the start screen of my tablet, which is OK (especially as it is touch screen so large icons are easier to use), although I like the way my current computer is, with small icons so I can fit the ones I want all on to one screen, plus the menu button for everything else - I sit too far away from the screen to want it to be touchscreen.

I think the thing I dread most from my first impressions of Win8 is that it seems to be for people who have a 'graphical mind' (for want of a better phrase) whereas I generally have a text mind - I am having to use computers with Windows 7 more these days, and find it's no use them showing me a picture of Document Q next to a picture of Document X so that I can choose which one I want, because I can't tell the difference between pictures of some black text on a white background, whereas I do know which is Q and which is X... smiley - cdouble


I Hate New Computers

Post 17

Prof Animal Chaos.C.E.O..err! C.E.Idiot of H2G2 Fools Guild (Official).... A recipient of S.F.L and S.S.J.A.D.D...plus...S.N.A.F.U.

sorry for using Dmitri's thread for a separate issue of sorts:-

but is it true ?(from what I've heard - gossipsmiley - winkeye)that more and more companies etc are going over to Linux, because of the constant changing of microsofts windows OP systems ?
as in cost - nil and all the "hiccups" that windows OP's has


I Hate New Computers

Post 18

KB

"For me, it's more intuitive. A lot of people say it's not"

But you have to remember that you are a bit of a techie, Pastey. What is intuitive for you is not necessarily intuitive to the user.


I Hate New Computers

Post 19

Pierre de la Mer ~ sometimes slightly worried but never panicking ~

One day we'll all look back at this and smiley - laugh

smiley - pirate


I Hate New Computers

Post 20

Bluebottle

I remember when I upgraded from DOS to Windows 3.0. It's been downhill ever since.

Life was so much easier when all you had to do was press J once, then "" and hit enter and wonder off for 15 minutes while you wait for the tape...

<BB<


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