| Author |
Message |
Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 11:17 pm 
I'm starting this thread to take the topic out of the android thread where it's off topic.
Let's have some fun! I just got my first windows 8 laptop recently, and I love it. Some people hate it.
Let's solve the problems together.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 11:33 pm
I think the main reason people hate windows 8 on their laptop or desktop is because it has a new way of navigating around. If you absolutely can't get used to new way, there is something called "classic shell" which will give you back your familiar windows start button to get around.
http://www.classicshell.net/
But please don't misunderstand. You can get around fine without classic shell if take a few mins to learn about it.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 11:58 pm
Yay! I'm anxious to read about your discoveries, Naja. I bought a new HP Envy with Windows 8 back in December. I adjusted to the new start menus after quite a bit of profanity! I still haven't done much in the way of exploring the new bells and whistles. I've mainly used the apps for some games and music. I need to poke around more.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Sunday, June 16, 2013 - 12:17 am
Well, a couple things I know right off after a couple weeks....
The CBS windows app is wonderful and easier to navigate than the website in a browser, but if you watch the full eps of shows, you can't block the commercials like you can like while watching in firefox.
I am a professional shopper (LOL), and I just love the Amazon and eBay windows apps. It took me a few mins to figure out how to side scroll and be proficient at it.... 
And to be clear: If you have windows 8, you can do what you want....Do something like eBay in an app, or do it in your web browser like you have always done. You have the choice!
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Monday, June 17, 2013 - 7:10 pm
Just a quick note:
Slowly one by one I have been installing my most important windows 7 programs to my windows 8 laptop, and so far so good. Everything is compatible so far.
I'm installing my programs as I need to use them. I'll weed out of a lot of the crap that way that I never use.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Sunday, July 28, 2013 - 12:23 am
Hi, I just wanted to share an inexpensive and quality router to upgrade to wireless N if you haven't yet. (I got this router about a month ago for 19.99 free shipping, refurbished, the price changes)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5569261
Really, it's worth it to update if you haven't yet. It actually upped my computer to computer file transfer rate from 2.7 Mbps to 12 Mbps. (of course the computer -or other device- has to be wireless N enabled, too)
eta: I got his wireless N adapter for $8.49 for one of my older PCs and it works great with my new router.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190864644061
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, July 28, 2013 - 9:28 am
That's a good find!
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Monday, July 29, 2013 - 6:51 pm
yeah Jimmer, I have been very pleased with my purchase.
This is my third Netgear router since 2002. I have always bought my routers refurbished for a fraction of the retail price. None have ever failed me and the only reason I would move on to the next one is because I wanted the newer features. I really think routers are one of the safest things to buy refurbished. The one I posted is a single band, so if someone has a vast property, they may want a dual band. I have just a normal sized suburban property and the signal reaches to my yard just fine.
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Nickovtyme
Member
07-28-2004
| Sunday, August 11, 2013 - 7:08 am
Our desktop died and we purchased a new laptop running Windows 8 professional ....there really is a bit of a learning curve involved but I have to say I like it.
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Sunday, August 18, 2013 - 11:14 am
I have a new HP notebook and am having a dreadful time adjusting to Windows 8. Part of the problem is that I am coming from webtv which was designed for the inept - that would definitely be ME!
I can't use the mail app the way I want, so I sign onto the internet and go to my email site. I don't know how to get off the internet when I am ready to shut the computer down. Therefore when I next power up and hit the internet key, it takes me to the last site I was on. What should I be doing to start fresh on the internet each time. Am I correct in guessing that I need to close the internet connection before I power off, and does that happen automatically and I have a different problem?
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Littlebreeze
Member
02-18-2001
| Sunday, August 18, 2013 - 11:52 am
TNT, I'm right there with you. I feel your pain. I bought a Windows 8 laptop back in December of last year. I also have WebTV.
I disliked Windows 8 so much, finally got so frustrated with it, that I stuck the brand new laptop in a drawer and it's been there ever since.
I've chosen to use WebTV while the laptop goes unused. However, WebTV's last day of operation is 9/30/13. After 9/30, I'll have no choice but to use the Windows 8 laptop.
One thing I couldn't figure out with Windows 8 was how to have more than one window open at the same time. Why should that be so hard? Never had that problem with the previous Windows systems. I could have 5 windows open and have no problem navigating easily and quickly from one window to another. With Windows 8? Nope.
I'm cherishing these last weeks of WebTV, TNT. I'm not at all looking forward to using Windows 8 again.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Sunday, August 18, 2013 - 12:00 pm
Littlebreeze, there's a link right there on your metro page to the desktop. Once you are there, it's almost like any past windows. But if you want it just like old windows navigation, install classic shell, that I posted on June 15 above in this thread. You can set it go to desktop on start up like old windows, and you have your familiar start button link that takes you everywhere like you were always used to.
But honestly, if you take time, you won't even need it.
btw, I also started on webtv. Don't even start with that excuse.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Sunday, August 18, 2013 - 12:11 pm
btw, of all my programs so far I have put from my
Windows 7 computer to my Windows 8 one, the only incompatible one so far was my Logitech Webcam Pro 9000, but the website had the updated software, so everything ended up fine.
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Sunday, August 18, 2013 - 8:11 pm
The single good thing thus far about my Windows 8 program is the support I have gotten from EVERYONE with it.
I was at the Amish produce stand in my building's parking lot this afternoon trying to tell one of the computer-savvy teenagers that works there about my problem when one of the customers offered to come inside and help me with the two questions I was posing! In less than 15 minutes he had dealt with the two things that were puzzling me!
I figure if I learn a thing or two every day, I will eventually get there! I am emphatically NOT enjoying the process, however!
The real benefit as I see it is for when I travel - at least one month a year. I was having to use my motel's public computer - and fewer and fewer were providing them - or the local library. Neither of these were in my robe, middle of the night solutions!
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Sunday, August 18, 2013 - 10:21 pm
TnT, you are a very smart cookie. You will get there. I now volunteer teach computers to seniors at the library in the winter in Texas, but I don't know a thing about Windows8. Ack!!! I guess I will find out this winter what I don't know.
Um, you have access to the internet and to a browser, right? If so, you can surely find the answer to all of your questions just by Googling. Windows8 is right now new to everybody, so lots of people are going to be asking questions online, and lots of other people are going to be answering. There is almost no question you can ask about computers that somebody else has not already asked. I find out just about everything I know about, well, just about everything, by Googling. And yes, that learning 2-3 new things a day method does work.
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Monday, August 19, 2013 - 4:14 am
TY, JUju! I really don't need all the bells and whistles. I want to send and receive email, post on here, and research stuff on line - all of these seem like pretty modest goals,so I will just keep plugging away -
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Nickovtyme
Member
07-28-2004
| Sunday, October 13, 2013 - 9:15 am
I downloaded this. It adds the start menu button back to your desktop.
Its Free!
http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php
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Rissa
Member
03-19-2006
| Monday, November 25, 2013 - 1:48 pm
Help! DD and I both bought new laptops recently with Windows 8 (first thing I did was download the start button app - still hate this freakin OS!!! LOL). DD's laptop will not play DVDs. Put the movie in, starts it up and brings up the movie menu (so start movie, pick scene, etc). When you press play it tries to open a website ( (its a program called interactual player but their website says I have to pay $10 minimum for any program) which crashes then gives me a notice that I need to reduce resolution and colour depth. I have tried this but then the computer looks like crap and DVD still wont play. I have been trying to find solution online but windows says 8 doesn't come with a DVD decoder and I need to download one from the app store. App store is vague as to legitimacy of programs. No idea what I should be downloading and since I have to pay? Any suggestions? Can't believe they would sell a computer with a DVD drive and not the software to run it.
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Robinm
Member
01-31-2006
| Monday, November 25, 2013 - 2:32 pm
Rissa, you can try to go to http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/download-windows-media-player and download the playback for DVD's. There are instructions there to get you started. Hope that helps you.
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Rissa
Member
03-19-2006
| Tuesday, November 26, 2013 - 5:52 am
Thanks Robin but that's the link I found as well that just leads nowhere. You follow the links and it tells you that the Media Player doesn't include a DVD playerdecoder for windows 8. Tells you to go to the App store which has no way to search for a DVD decoder and the app aren't listed in such a way as to tell which are legit/high ranked.
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Robinm
Member
01-31-2006
| Tuesday, November 26, 2013 - 9:11 am
Interesting, when I click on the last line on the right that says get media player I go to the download page. Hmmm, this is the download page that I get to, http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30685
I don't like the way windows has changed. My computer that has windows 7 on it downloaded internet explorer 11 and completely messed up my computer. Took me days to figure out why it was acting strange.
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Landileigh
Member
07-28-2002
| Tuesday, November 26, 2013 - 2:40 pm
you have to be running windows 8N not just windows 8 with those downloads.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Friday, June 13, 2014 - 11:15 pm
I am so sick of not being able to do the exact same thing on my android tablet that I can do on my Windows laptop and desktop, that I am finally giving in to getting a windows 8(.1) tablet. I'll chime in after it's arrived and I am set in.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, June 14, 2014 - 9:27 am
I'll be very interested in hearing your thoughts about it, Naja. Which one are you getting? I think they're just introducing new ones this month?
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Saturday, June 14, 2014 - 8:49 pm
Keep us posted, Naja. I trust your judgement on techie stuff, and I have not yet made the leap to tablets and am toting a 4 pound tiny powerhouse of a full computer around the world.
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