Using Windows 8

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by stapp, Dec 30, 2012.

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  1. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    They made the updates pretty much silent. Windows 8 now has the ability to wake up the system at 3:00am (by default) to run maintenance tasks, including Windows Updates (I don't know if there's hardware requirements for this or not). You then get a notification that the system will be rebooted in 2 days to finish (unless you reboot before then, of course).

    This isn't as convenient for those like us that like to keep on top of these things, but it's better for average users that don't care about updates and may put them off forever because they don't want to deal with the inconvenience. From what I've seen so far it does seem more reliable at getting updates installed and in a timely manner.

    I don't think so. That's one irritation that I have, but I tend to use the "Sysinternals" tools anyway.

    I liked Vista as well :) I do like 7 a bit more, just because they did a lot of small things that make the UI easier to use, generally making a smoother experience (performance-wise, too).

    Did your brother get the Start screen customized, with the program shortcuts cleaned up and organized in groups? That really seems to be the key; after that you don't have to use the mobile apps if you don't want to. I don't use any of those apps yet because I haven't found anything that I really want. I do like the live tiles to show calendar events and such, and I like that you can dock the mobile apps on the side of your screen (if I used the mail app then that would be a cool use for it, but I use Mailwasher and a local client).

    I think you should get it before the $40 offer ends :) It seems like you enjoy learning software, and it's a good time to start. If you get used to 8 and learn about what's going on "under the hood" then it will probably be easier to appreciate the next steps. You also get better performance and security :) I don't use the metro stuff at all, and I'm still quite glad that I upgraded :)

    BTW, it's really good to see that you're still around, Firecat :) I remember when you first started here, and the ESET researcher (I can't remember his name) kinda took you under his wing. Hopefully you'll get the chance to work in the industry some day (as I hope that I can do again).
     
  2. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    Holy wall'o'text, Batman!

    I think it took me about a week to retrain my automatic reflexes for where things are, and there's a few small things that I still have to think about, but I'm with you that the desktop experience really isn't a huge change. I don't like the 'charms' bar, but the rest isn't bad.

    I do like having the ability to hit the Windows key and just start typing to find whatever I want to find on the system. That's something that took all of about 10 seconds to incorporate into my usage habits :)

    Ergonomics are a big thing with the desktop. I remember when Minority Report had come out there was an article about the future of computer interfaces, and the ergonomic experts said that these kinds of movements will never be a major method of input, and for just this kind of reason. Even without arthritis, those big arm movements would definitely wear you out quickly and could cause repetitive stress injuries. They are making touch mice, though, where you can swipe horizontally, tap, etc., on the top of the mouse. Overall, though, I doubt that touch will become a major input for desktops unless someone comes up with something really clever to add to the keyboard and mouse. (I'd love to see a touch screen at the top of the keyboard with widgets and stuff, though.)


    Check the Windows store; Yahoo just created some new apps, including one for Windows 8.

    You don't have to use their mail :) It's like a Google account: you could create one just for documents, YouTube, etc., without using GMail if you wanted.


    If it disappears and takes you back to the last screen then it's closed. You switch between "metro" apps by moving your cursor to the top left; if there's another metro app open then it will show you a thumbnail of the app there; if there's more than one then go to the top left corner and then move your mouse down along the left edge of the screen and it will open up a bar with thumbs for all the screens you can switch between.


    Learning is always good; glad you can stick with it :)
     
  3. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    Last edited: Jan 12, 2013
  4. kelkay

    kelkay Registered Member

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    Notok, thank you for your comments, I appreciate them. I agree about repetitive stress injuries. I also like the thought of a touch pad for the keyboard. That would be awesome. I am just reading your message, and I wish I had seen it last night. I did not realize they had a Yahoo ap when I wrote my first message last night. I decided to start working on my aps, and I got a Hotmail account just for these aps. I can still use the Yahoo ap for my main emails. I do not like how the Yahoo email ap looks though, once it is opened up. But at least I can see if I have a message worth going back, and messing with. What really helped me is finding out there were FREE APS in the store. I did not realize that until last night. I decided to see what they had to offer, in aps. I found getting started with Win8 on your Dell. I don't believe that was there on the start screen aps. I believe when I clicked that free ap, it said Getting Started With Win8. It should of already been on the ap screen from the factory. That would of made my learning curve much easier. I also found Win 8 Cheat Keys, and Tips. That too was a big help. When you first start Win 8, they should have these already there, as I did not realize there were free aps.

    I am not sure about buying aps. I also wish there were more explanation to them, before you buy. These aps are pretty cheap. But is this a one time payment? Or do you get charged that much a month? If it is a one time payment, I could buy some. Another thing, if you have to do a system restore, and you lose the aps you bought, can you get them back? Or do you have to pay for them all over again? What types of payment do they want? Does my payment choice stay open, or can I close it?

    On the mail aps, even if I close my mail on the desktop, such as the Hotmail the MAIL ap remains open. That is fine for that account. But I do not want the Yahoo ap to remain open. That means any guest that comes over, and wants to use my computer, can read all my emails. There has to be a way to tweak these aps, but I am not sure how to do that yet.
     
  5. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    Being used to Android, I hadn't even thought to ask those questions :) It looks to be the same, though; payments are one time and then you can use it pretty much forever. If you right-click in the store and select Your Apps, then it will take you to the apps you've installed/bought. Apps are cheap because they're easier to make, and people have gotten used to that with the other devices. Windows Phone/RT would instantly fail if all the apps were so much more expensive than Android or iOS.

    I agree that they should have included some kind of book or app about the differences; consumer education has easily been the biggest weak point for Windows 8.

    I don't know too much about the metro apps, but you might go through the settings. If you lock your account then I would also think that people wouldn't be able to get into your account.

    You could also use a desktop mail client like Thunderbird or Outlook. I really don't use many of the mobile apps, myself; at least not yet. Once developers start making apps with the desktop in mind then I'm sure some cool stuff will come out that I'll want to use, but until then I pretty much just use desktop apps.

    Hopefully MS will figure out to make their store a bit more like the Android store with highlighted apps and promotions; I found a lot of my Android apps that way.
     
  6. kelkay

    kelkay Registered Member

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    Thanks for more of your thoughts. I don't have internet on my phone. It does not have aps. This phone is several years old now. I don't want to be locked into a contract. Also the price without a contract is unreasonable for a phone. They are obsolete in a very short time frame. I did have one of these several years ago. It was cool, but it was hard to read. My computer had died, and I bought that phone, because it was cheaper than a new computer back then. Thanks for your thoughts on the aps. This morning, I am enjoying the Win8 much more.
     
  7. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    Glad to hear it :)

    I made a bit of a typo: when I said that if you lock your account then I'd think people wouldn't be able to get into your account, I meant "if you lock your desktop." Just make another (limited!) user account for guests to use, and get used to pressing Win+L when you walk away from the keyboard. A separate account for guests is the way to go anyway; you have no idea how many times I've seen someone let a trusted friend or relative use or borrow their computer only to have the person install unwanted/problematic software or even change the password.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2013
  8. kelkay

    kelkay Registered Member

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    That would be good for when ordinary guests stop by. But if my grown daughter wants to use the computer, I don't mind. But I don't want her to see my Yahoo account via the ap on start. Even if I close the Yahoo account on the desktop, the ap still has it open. Surely there is a way to close the ap too, and it will have the option to close my email, until I wish to use it again? If there is a way to tweak an ap, I have not found it yet. If I had Kindle, I would download that free file I read about, now that is cool.
     
  9. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    Most email clients are designed to automatically log in, really.

    I just installed it and took a look; in Settings (from the Charms bar) there's an option to Sign Out. So when you're going to turn the keyboard over to your daughter you could just go to Settings and sign out, even if it's set to run in the background. Then when you open the Yahoo app from the Start screen it will ask for your username and password. I don't think you can set it to log out automatically, but you might get in the habit of signing out when you're done (as well as locking the computer when you walk away -- you can also go into the screensaver settings and set it to display logon screen on resume, and do the same in power settings).

    If you still would rather it not run in the background (doing so gives you notification on the lock screen, etc), then you can find the setting in Charms bar > Settings > Permissions.

    Creating another account is easy to do, just go into the Control Panel > User Accounts, click Manage Another Account, and then Add Account.

    Also, for Kindle books you can download the Kindle reader app for desktop, Google Chrome, or metro (search the Windows Store), and they also have a Kindle "cloud reader" which just displays the Kindle book in your browser. When you get a Kindle book from Amazon, it will give you a link to view it in the cloud reader right on the confirmation page. It's not as good as reading it on a tablet, but it still works well; I have a tablet with the Kindle app, but I still use the cloud reader a lot of the time. (All of these options are free; only the physical Kindle devices and the books cost money.)
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2013
  10. Tyrizian

    Tyrizian Registered Member

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    You could always set a delay so it can start up at a later time. There are apps out there that offer short or long delay time tweaks.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2013
  11. kelkay

    kelkay Registered Member

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    Thanks for this extra info. I am not a computer pro by any means. I will look into trying to do as suggested. I did have a guest account on my old XP. I have not tried to figure this out in Win8 yet. I believe I will have to make a Win8 guest for her. The other stuff mentioned will take a little time to absorb. I will look it all over when I have a little more time. THANK YOU.
     
  12. kelkay

    kelkay Registered Member

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    Well, I was able to get the Guest set up done. I downloaded the Kindle reader for PC, and then I got the IT book. This is super cool. Thanks for the help. I was surprised it was so easy to do.

    OH, I wanted to say how much I LOVED THE PHOTO GALLERY that is located on the Start/Metro aps. This is awesome. It is much better than going through files in folders, month by month, that go back a few years. This way I can look at the photo, and the year it was created. I don't have to click on files, I can see the pic. That in itself was WONDERFUL!! Kudos on that!
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2013
  13. Firecat

    Firecat Registered Member

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    I finally got the update message today, it's on the bottom right of the user login screen. It also shows up occasionally when you start up Windows. The problem with that? I have to choose whether to download/install or not, and if I choose not to I have no idea when it will alert me again. Unlike Windows 7, where I can just click the taskbar icon to start Windows Update if I pay no heed to the initial alert. While this isn't an issue for most users, in my case I need to "connect" to the Internet (via USB pocket internet or PPPoE) before I start any activity and this screen doesn't give me the chance to do that.

    He doesn't even want to touch it. He hates the charms bar, he hates the new apps, he hates Metro. The only thing he likes about Windows 8 is that it's fast and that compatibility is retained. Hopefully he'll grow on it as well; these things can take time :D

    Guess I'll have to start using those too now :)

    I do enjoy learning anything (not just software :) ), but these days I'm in college. Free time is hard to come by. Even if I do buy Windows 8 now it'll be months before I get a chance to install it on the desktop :)

    I do feel Windows 8 is worth a good look, just sitting on the fence though on whether to spend the 40 dollars or not, especially since pricing for Windows 8 after January 31 is not known yet :)

    Inspector Clouseau :)

    We haven't heard from him for a while. Wonder what he's up to. :)

    I too hope to get a chance in the industry some day, but things being as they are and me not majoring in computer science (instead I'm majoring in electronics), I'm not sure it'll happen....but, one can always hope for the best :D

    I'm glad to see you're around too Notok :)

    You had kinda vanished for a little while in between :)
     
  14. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    I'm very glad to see that it's working out for you :)

    I wish I was a little more of a photo bug so that I could put those apps to better use :) Photo apps are getting to be pretty cool, and the ability to have rotating wallpapers would be great for someone with a lot of photos.

    It looks like there's a couple of other free Kindle books. Here's a search with results sorted by lowest price first:
    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st?k...8118615&rh=n:133140011,k:windows 8&sort=price

    "Windows 8 Ninja Tips" and "A Concise Windows 8 Guide: For Homes and Corporates" may be of interest :)
     
  15. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    Of course you should be locking the desktop every time you walk away from the computer ;) :D


    For me and at least one other person here, organizing the Start screen is what made it 'click.'

    The main thing is that the Start screen isn't a new UI, it's just a full screen Start panel. Once you see (and use) it that way, it becomes a lot less of a big deal.

    On the bright side, you can learn a lot just by learning how to use those tools :)

    Yeah, and if you're like me then it's impossible to install something like that and not spend countless hours playing with it.

    For me it was an easy decision; I'm looking for work, and knowing Windows 8 is a potential benefit that is well worth $40.

    I think he was working for F-Prot, the last I knew.

    Perhaps you'll be able to work with one of the vendors that produce hardware security appliances :)

    And yeah, I kinda avoided coming around for a while, but I got a new computer and when deciding on security software I kinda got the bug again :)
     
  16. kelkay

    kelkay Registered Member

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    Thank you. I just downloaded them! ;)
     
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